[Quick Note: This episode appears to be over 8 hours long. It's a cruel joke by the podbean upload. The actual length is just over 90 minutes. It will end where it's supposed to.] We’re back with another installment of Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings, The Saga of Havard of Isafjord. This one is quickly becoming a new Saga Thing favorite. In this episode, Havard lays around, Bjargey gets busy, Thorbjorn takes a nasty fall, and Vak meets one of the more surprisingly stupid but realistic demises we’ve seen on this podcast. Along the way, Havard cracks the door open to let a new God into his heart, but o ..read more

In this episode, Guðrún Ósvífsdóttir teaches Helgi Harðbeinsson all about loopholes in betrothal oaths. And if Helgi was feeling bad after getting let down by Guðrún, he feels that much worse when he sees his fylgja walking the opposite direction as he approaches the Althing. This episode also features a mysterious talking black cloak, Guðrún's fourth wedding, and more machinations by Snorri goði. We top it all off with a quick Saga Brief on the history of the famous sword known as Skofnung and an argument about how saga authors came up with the idiosyncratic rules for wielding Skofnung succes ..read more

In this episode, Bolli finds out what happens when you kill your foster brother. We discuss Thorgerd Egilsdottir's lust for vengeance, how the avengers assemble, and Gudrun's handling of yet another loss. This episode also features some special guest appearances by some familiar faces from Saga Thing past and the first appearance of Bolli Bollason. When all is finished, we summons Bolli before the court and review the evidence to assess his character. Step into the conversation on our social media: SagaThingPod on Twitter Sagathingpodcast on Facebook and Instagram and The unofficial official S ..read more

It's time to put Valla-Ljot's Saga on trial. How will this brief story that's less than a single Hrafnkel hold up under scrutiny? Is there enough violence for a proper round of Best Bloodshed and Body Count? With only a few nicknames, how will John stretch his section out to the usual length? What kind of surprise reveal does John drop on Andy at the start of Thingmen? And how does Valla-Ljot's Saga perform when all is said and done? Does it have what it takes to compete with the greats of Saga Thing past? There's only one way to find out!   While you're waiting for the next episode of Sa ..read more

We’re back, and not a moment too soon! After the pot-stirring life and unceremonious death of Halli Troublemaker at the hands (and axe) of Valla-Ljöt Ljotolfsson, Halli’s older brother Hrolf Jaw retaliated by having Ljöt’s nephew Thorvard killed by a squad of murderers at a market. Now the whole valley’s on edge, waiting to see whether a carefully-brokered truce between Ljöt and Guðmund the Powerful can bring peace to the Tumultuous Valley. But men on both sides are looking for an excuse to shatter the peace once more. What happens when Halli’s younger brother and son return from overseas to f ..read more

While we may have finished Svarfdaela Saga, we're not done with the most tumultuous valley of medieval Iceland just yet. In this episode, we pick up with the next generation. The lead actors in this little drama are Halli, the grandson of Karl the Red, and Ljot (aka Valla-Ljot), the son of Ljotolf the godi. And though the tensions between Karl and Ljotolf's families had cooled at the end of Svarfdaela Saga, it doesn't take Halli long to get things boiling once again. This saga also features the return of Gudmund the Powerful (Guðmundr inn ríki Eyjólfsson), who we've seen pop in from time to ti ..read more

It's time for the third installment of our side project known as Hwaet a Movie! In this episode, we give the Saga Thing treatment to the 2005 Canadian-Icelandic film Beowulf and Grendel. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and watch it (even if our review might not cast it in the brightest light). The film stars Gerard Butler as Beowulf, Stellan Skarsgård as Hrothgar, and Sarah Polley as Selma the witch. Don't worry if one of those characters doesn't sound familiar. And while the film could be better in a number of ways, we do appreciate much of what they were attempting here ..read more

Though Svarfdaela Saga itself is behind us, the story of the inhabitants of the Tumultuous Valley continues. In this episode, we follow Thorleif Asgeirsson, one of Klaufi's killers and the brother of Yngvild. As you'll discover, Thorleif has that independent spirit that Icelanders carry with them into the courts of Norwegian rulers. He's also got a talent for poetry, which serves him well both at home and abroad. But his real talent is magic, which he learned from his uncle and father. All of this combines for some interesting encounters with Jarl Hákon Sigurdsson. This short story is both sho ..read more

Join us for an in-depth interview with Dr. Rebecca Merkelbach, Assistant Professor of Old Norse-Icelandic Studies at the University of Tübingen, Germany. Her latest book, Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur: Rogue Sagas, offers a fresh perspective on the often overlooked "post-classical" sagas. We delve into the complex and fascinating nature of these sagas, exploring their social and artistic dimensions, as well as the rich tapestry of the "saga-verse." Our discussion spans many of your favorite sagas featured on the podcast. And given that we just finished recording our se ..read more

This is it. We've reached the end of Svarfdaela Saga. In this episode, we discuss the aftermath of Karl the Red's death. Will Ljotolf step up and retake control of the valley? Or will a new contender emerge to challenge his authority? And what becomes of Skidi and Yngvild? The answers may shock you. Seriously. This is a tough one for a number of reasons. We've mentioned that the end of this saga is pretty brutal. Now that we've arrived, it's worth saying it again. This episode features the abuse of Yngvild that we've warned you about. Listen and then join in on the conversation here: Sagathing ..read more