In his debut novel Swords of Good Men, the first book in the Valhalla Saga trilogy, Snorri Kristjánsson applies dashes of fantasy to the historical novel form to reflect the way that his characters experience their world and their gods.
The people of the small town of Stenvik are caught in the melee between the Viking encampment that has surrounded their town, worshippers of the old Asgardian gods, and the armed forces sent by King Olav of Norway to spread the new religion of the White Christ across the country by any means necessary. Two outsiders, cousins Ulfar and Geiri, who happen to be passing through on their way home after a long and taxing journey to foreign lands, become embroiled in the politics of the town and the eventual fighting that ensues.
Snorri’s prose is action driven and accessible, filled with humour and suspense as well as grizzly depictions of Viking battles. If you’re in the mood to get up close and personal with Viking warriors but don’t fancy slogging through the arduous texts of the Icelandic Sagas, Swords of Good Men might be just what you need.