Seven Viking Romances

Combining traditional myth,oral history and re-worked European legend to depict an ancient realm of heroism and wonderthe seven tales collected here are among the most fantastical of all the Norse romances. Powerfully inspired works of Icelandic imaginationthey relate intriguingoften comical tales of famous kingsdifficult gods and women of great beautygoodness or cunning. The tales plunder a wide range of earlier literature from Homer to the French romancesΓÇöas in the tale of the wandering hero Arrow-Oddwhich combines several older legendsor Egil and Asmundwhere the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops is skilfully adapted into a traditional Norse legend. These are among the most outrageousdelightful and exhilarating tales in all Icelandic literature. For more than seventy yearsPenguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1700 titlesPenguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authorsas well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.