I was 14 when I saw The Two Towers in the cinema, and I never forgot it. The narrative leads inexorably to the Rohirrim, who even then I recognised as something from England’s ancient past. They wore mail, fought with spears and round shields, lived in wooden halls and had fantastically Old English soundingContinue reading ““No Man Am I, You Look Upon a Woman”: Women in the Northern World”
Category Archives: Saga
Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World
People Linked by Destiny Some months ago, I was explaining the Law of Surprise to a friend. The law is a device in the world of Andrej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, and runs like this. Let us say that I am beset by bandits on the road. You hear my cries for help and, skilledContinue reading “Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World”
Review: JRR Tolkien, The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún
A confession; I have never cared for the music of Wagner. When I was younger, it stirred no emotion in me and I thought it over-wrought and melodramatic. Tolkien however, was a different matter. I found his works beautiful, sweeping and emotional, as well as much more grounded in the forest and the mountainsContinue reading “Review: JRR Tolkien, The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún”
Vengeance, Voyage & Adventure: Reading the Icelandic Sagas
Listen! The voice calls through the hall. The wind howls outside, and the fire crackles. The family gather round on benches. The speaker, maybe a parent or skald, by this single word has captured your attention, and they unfold their tale… This article is about the Icelandic sagas, the great tales that beganContinue reading “Vengeance, Voyage & Adventure: Reading the Icelandic Sagas”
Sagas from the Sea 