Rating: 
Summary: Not for the meek of heart
Review: These Icelandic sagas are fascinating in their portrayal of this harsh bygone era. Egils Saga is a fine example of what the vikings were up to long before Chris Columbus got the urge to sail a boat across the sea. It was a savage, violent era but still there was poetry. This is an intriguing paradox but I guess it shows how much the times have changed. The saga of Egil is a compelling one. He is both killer and poet. He is a savage and a family man. I would be lying if I said I would like to have lived through this era but it is interesting to read about nonetheless.
Rating:
Summary: Egil's Saga
Review: This book translated by Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards is well worth the money. It's writing style is fairly smooth and the translation seems to follow the original text nicely. However, the poetry that Egil recites is thick and slow, but this is to be expected in Old Norse translation. The plot in Egil's Saga takes a while to get started since it begins with his grandfather but this helps prepare you for Egil's journeys. After all, Icelanders spend much time with genealogy. Also, The text is accompanied by an excellent introduction. However, like most introductions, you want to read it after finishing the book since it gives a lot away. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Egil's Saga
Review: This book translated by Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards is well worth the money. It's writing style is fairly smooth and the translation seems to follow the original text nicely. However, the poetry that Egil recites is thick and slow, but this is to be expected in Old Norse translation. The plot in Egil's Saga takes a while to get started since it begins with his grandfather but this helps prepare you for Egil's journeys. After all, Icelanders spend much time with genealogy. Also, The text is accompanied by an excellent introduction. However, like most introductions, you want to read it after finishing the book since it gives a lot away. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Body of a Troll, Heart of a Lion, Soul of a Poet
Review: This saga examines four generations of a redoubtable Icelandic family of warrior poets thought to be descended from trolls, beginning with Kveldulf in the first generation; Skallagrim, in the second; Egil, in the third; and finally petering out with Thorstein, who is content to be a mere farmer. They are (frequently) outlawed by the powerful kings of Norway, whom they help but whose jealousy clouds their judgment. They let no man stand in their way, and are formidable even in fights at long odds. Egil Skallagrimsson, in particular, comes across as a force of nature. We see him in action across Scandinavia, in England where he fights with King Athelstan, and as far afield as the Baltic countries. His poetry, of which there are numerous examples in the saga, are interesting -- yet come from a tradition that is alien to ours, probably much closer to BEOWULF than any other English equivalent. Unlike so many other saga heroes, Egil dies a natural death, living long enough to lose his strength and be bossed about by servant women. Yet his poetic vision remains to the end: Life fades, I must fall
And face my own end
Not in misery and mourning
But with a man's heart. This is one of the five major Icelandic "family" sagas, along with NJALS SAGA, LAXDAELA SAGA, GRETTIR'S SAGA, and EYRBYGGJA SAGA. It may be the best of them all (though I have yet to read GRETTIR'S SAGA at this time). In that distant island so far from the harshness of Dark Ages Europe, a major literature was born that is dramatically different from anything else I have encountered, and that has the ability to move me as few things have.
Rating:
Summary: Most of the vikingers did. Not only Eigil stood out.
Review: Tórólfr gerdi um vetrinn ferd sína á fjall upp ok hafdi med sér lid mikit, eigi minna en níu tigu manna, en adre hafdi á varit, at sýslumnen höfdu haft tria tigu manna, en stundum færa, hann hafdi med ser sér kaupskap mikinn. Hann gerdi brátt stefnulag vid Finna ok tók af teim skatt ok atti vid pá kaupstefnu, fór med teim allt i makendum ok i vinskap, en sumt med hræzlugædi. Did you try to pronounce this ? Then try again and read it aloud. It is truly beuatifull. The act goes like, this: That winter, Torulf made his foray into the moountains with a large troop of retainers, no less than ninety men. Previously, agents has usually brought thirty men with them, sometimes fewer (en syundum færa). He took along a large number of goods. He called a meeting with the Sámi quickly, collected their tribute ( took taxes of them=tók af theim skatt), and started a market. Everything proceeded properly and in friendship although with some tripidation. Such was a system of economic transaction created between the Scandinavians and the Sami, mostly to the benefit of the latter. In fact, The Vikings established a trading system in the North Atlantic with their superior navigation skills on the oceans. They were not succesfully everywhere and to all times, but Eigil's sagas gives a good introduction to the values of the time and the importance of going beserk and the significance of bringing booty back home. Indeed, the sagas is the single most important contribution, the Scadinavians have made to world litterature.And reading Eigil'saga is a great way to be introduced to the world of the icelanders way.
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