The Saga of the Volsungs: With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok

Jul 2017 · Hackett Publishing

About this ebook

From the translator of the bestselling Poetic Edda (Hackett, 2015) comes a gripping new rendering of two of the greatest sagas of Old Norse literature. Together the two sagas recount the story of seven generations of a single legendary heroic family and comprise our best source of traditional lore about its members—including, among others, the dragon-slayer Sigurd, Brynhild the Valkyrie, and the Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok.

Ratings and reviews

I’ve started reading the Saga of the Volsungs at least three or four times over the years, but Dr. Crawford’s new translation is the first and only one I’ve finished. As a casual reader, the language and style of the sagas can be daunting, requiring a familiarity with the material that most non-scholars won’t have. Dr. Crawford’s contemporary language translations overcome that barrier to entry, and do a beautiful job of opening the world of Viking Age Scandinavian myth and legend to everyone. As with his earlier translation of the Poetic Edda, the introduction clearly provides the requisite information we’ll need going forward, including an extremely useful family tree. (Bookmark that page right away--most of the relationships in these stories are best described as “it’s complicated”.) The objective style of works like this can often make translations feel like dry recitations of names and events, but this is where this translation shines. Dr. Crawford infuses spirit and an energy to these stories and people, making them come alive. I found myself cheering when some of these men and women died horribly, and feeling the profound loss and heartbreak of others. (#TeamGuðrún all the way.) The greatest achievement for the drengr or skǫrungr of these stories is for their names, deeds, and reputations to be remembered for all time. In order for these myths and legends to live on, accessible translations like this are so important. In the hands of a dedicated, masterful steward like Jackson Crawford, I believe they will.

Read thus "cover to cover" in my blinds while elk hunting. Perfect place to read and absorb information. Crawford makes the retaining of information easy with his wonderful translation. Easy book to let the mind drift away.

This book was my first venture into old Nordic Sagas and it was a perfect choice. The author was able to retain the original meaning and sound of the Volsung Saga while communicating it in modern vernacular, so bravo to him for that! He provides a thorough intro and an all encompassing glossary, which allows even absolute Nordic Saga novices to enjoy this book without any foreknowledge of the subject matter. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, it is a smooth, easy, and educational read.

About the author

After more than a decade as a full-time Instructor in Scandinavian Studies at such institutions as the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of California-Los Angeles, Dr. Jackson Crawford became a full-time public educator in all things Old Norse in 2020. Among other accomplishments, he has built up a large YouTube following and served as an Old Norse language and runes consultant on major multimedia projects, including some of today's most popular films and video games. He is currently a Resident Scholar at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado Boulder. Learn more at www.jacksonwcrawford.com.