A Comprehensive Guide to Norse and Viking Sagas

A Comprehensive Guide to Norse & Viking Sagas

march 4, 2025

Welcome, saga-seekers! So, you’re curious about the legendary tales of Vikings, right? Maybe you’ve heard there’s more to Viking lore than just dramatic battles and endless feasting (though those do make great stories). Well, buckle up, because we’re about to stroll through a treasure chest of sagas that’ll have you laughing, crying, and rethinking everything you thought you knew about Viking life.

Now, let’s turn that curiosity into some good old-fashioned reading.

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All the Norse & Viking Sagas You Can Handle

Völsunga Saga (The Saga of the Volsungs)

Völsunga Saga is what happens when fate, family feuds, and a cursed treasure collide. It follows the Volsung bloodline through generations of triumph and tragedy, where gods interfere, betrayals run deep, and power never comes without a price. At its center is Sigurðr, a hero whose greatest victory—slaying a dragon—is only the beginning of his troubles. Packed with brutal justice and choices that never seem to end well, this saga doesn’t just tell a story—it throws you straight into the storm.

Read the Völsunga Saga here:www.voluspa.org/volsungsaga.htm

Drawing of the Ramsund carving from c. 1030, illustrating the Völsunga saga on a rock in Sweden. At (1), Sigurd sits in front of the fire preparing the dragon's heart.

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Ragnars Saga Loðbrókar (The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok)

If there’s one name that defines the Viking legend, it’s Ragnar Loðbrók. This saga follows his heroic—and often ruthless—escapades, along with the equally ambitious exploits of his famously fierce sons. Expect cunning strategies, sharp wit, and just enough mythic flair to make you question how much of it is history and how much is legend. One thing’s for sure: Vikings didn’t build their reputation by playing it safe.

Read the Ragnars Saga Loðbrókar here: www.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/RagnarsSagaLodbrokar.html

Ragnar Loðbrók and Áslaug Kráka

Njáls Saga

Part courtroom drama, part blood feud, Njáls Saga shows how a few bad decisions and wounded egos can set an entire region on fire—sometimes literally. At its core, it’s a story of friendship, loyalty, and the brutal consequences of saving face in a society where honor means everything. Think of it as early Iceland’s version of a legal thriller, but with fewer loopholes and a lot more axe fights.

Read the Njáls Saga here: sagadb.org/brennu-njals_saga.en

Njáll's son Skarphéðinn kills Þráinn on the ice. Family feuds feature prominently in Njáls saga.

Egil’s Saga

Egil Skallagrímsson is equal parts warrior and poet, but diplomacy was never his strong suit. One moment he’s composing cutting verses, the next he’s cutting down enemies—often for reasons only he seems to understand. Egil’s Saga is a study in contradiction: intelligence and brutality, loyalty and vengeance, artistry and violence. Whether his words or his axe caused more trouble is debatable, but one thing is certain—Egil was never one to back down from a fight.

Read the Egil’s Saga here: sagadb.org/egils_saga.en

Egill Skallagrímsson in a 17th-century manuscript of Egill's Saga

A reference map of Egill's Saga (Norway)

A reference map of Egill's Saga zoomed in on Western Iceland (Borgarfjord)

Grettis Saga (The Saga of Grettir the Strong)

Grettir Ásmundarson is the kind of man who can fight off anything—except his own fate. Strong, fearless, and stubborn to a fault, he should have been a legend in his own time, but misfortune follows him like a shadow. Grettis Saga blends eerie supernatural encounters with the harsh reality of outlaw life, painting a picture of a man caught between his own strength and the isolation it brings. It’s a story of survival, defiance, and the slow realization that some battles can’t be won, no matter how hard you fight.

Read the Grettis Saga here: sagadb.org/grettis_saga.en

Grettir is ready to fight in this illustration from a 17th-century Icelandic manuscript

Laxdæla Saga

Whoever said Vikings were all about pillaging never met the folks in Laxdæla Saga. This one has romance, heartbreak, and a love triangle that rivals any modern TV melodrama. Underneath the familial squabbles and dramatic heartbreak lies a story about pride, longing, and how one bad decision can snowball into generations of regret. If you’re into sagas where the biggest battle is often fought with words rather than swords, welcome to your new obsession.

Read the Laxdæla Saga here: sagadb.org/laxdaela_saga.en

Map of the setting of the saga. Laxárdalur, the home of the Laxdælir, stretches eastward from Hvammsfjörður.

Gísla Saga (The Saga of Gísli Súrsson)

Gísli Súrsson is a man who never wanted to be an outlaw—but fate had other plans. One day he’s secure in his home, the next he’s hunted by those he once trusted. Gísla Saga is a sharp, unflinching look at honor, loyalty, and how quickly friendships turn to feuds when jealousy takes hold. Gritty and tragic, it’s a story that doesn’t just ask what it means to be a good man—it asks whether being one even matters when the law is built on vengeance.

Read the Gísla Saga here: sagadb.org/gisla_saga_surssonar.en

The broken sword Grásiða

Eyrbyggja Saga

If you love a good haunting, Eyrbyggja Saga has you covered. Between chieftain squabbles and raucous feasts, ghosts show up to crash the party—and they’re not exactly friendly neighbors. What makes it extra interesting is how naturally the supernatural weaves into everyday life, reminding you that the Viking worldview was a tad broader than ours. If you’re looking for feuds with a side of paranormal, this is the perfect read for an eerie night in.

Read the Eyrbyggja Saga here: sagadb.org/eyrbyggja_saga.en

Norsemen Landing in Iceland, by Oscar Arnold Wergeland, 1877

Fóstbræðra Saga (The Saga of the Foster-Brothers)

Loyalty is everything—until it isn’t. Fóstbræðra Saga follows two foster-brothers bound by friendship, tested by battle, and ultimately torn by the same forces that once united them. They fight side by side, but jealousy and ambition creep in, proving that even the strongest bonds can splinter under the weight of pride. It’s a brutal look at how loyalty, in a world built on reputation and revenge, can be both a warrior’s greatest strength and his downfall.

Read the Fóstbræðra Saga here: www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/62123/pg62123-images.html

Illustrated page of Flateyjarbók, containing the end of Eiríks saga víðförla and the start of Ólafs saga Tryggvasonar.

Heimskringla (The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway)

Snorri Sturluson’s magnum opus is essentially the list of Norwegian kings—complete with their triumphs, tantrums, and the occasional scandalous escapade. Spanning from mythical prehistory to the 12th century, it gives you a panoramic view of Norway’s royal soap opera, minus the modern tabloids. From Odin’s supposed lineage to the stoic kings who followed, Heimskringla is a must if you’re craving a broader historical sweep of all things Norse power and politics.

Read Heimskringla here: www.gutenberg.org/files/598/598-h/598-h.htm

The single surviving page of the c. 1260 Kringla manuscript, known as the Kringla leaf (Kringlublaðið) is kept in the National and University Library of Iceland in Reykjavík.

Óláfs Saga Tryggvasonar (The Saga of Olaf Tryggvason)

Olaf Tryggvason didn’t ease Norway into Christianity—he forced it in at swordpoint. His reign was less about careful negotiation and more about swift, uncompromising action. Óláfs Saga Tryggvasonar isn’t just a story of religious change; it’s a study in power, ambition, and the lengths one man will go to reshape a nation. Beneath the battles and forced conversions lies a deeper tension—the clash between old gods and new beliefs, tradition and transformation, and a ruler who refused to be ignored.

Read Óláfs Saga Tryggvasonar here: www.gutenberg.org/files/22093/22093-h/22093-h.htm

Only known type of coin of Olaf Tryggvason, in four known specimens. Imitation of the Crux-type coin of Æthelred the Unready.

Haralds Saga Sigurðarsonar (The Saga of Harald Hardrada)

Harald Hardrada was a warrior who never stayed in one place for long—unless it was a battlefield. From serving in the Byzantine Empire to claiming the Norwegian throne and making a final, fateful push for England, his life was defined by ambition, strategy, and relentless pursuit of power. Haralds Saga Sigurðarsonar is a story of daring victories, near-legendary bravery, and the harsh truth that even the most unstoppable men eventually meet their match.

Read Haralds Saga Sigurðarsonar here: sacred-texts.com/neu/heim/10harald.htm

Haraldr Sigurðarson (wearing crown) fighting at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, as depicted by Matthew Paris in the Life of St Edward the Confessor in the mid-thirteenth century Cambridge University Library MS Ee.3.59, f. 32v, roughly coeval with the composition of Haralds saga.

Eiríks Saga Rauða (The Saga of Erik the Red)

As if taming Iceland wasn’t enough, Erik the Red decided to start a new life in icy Greenland—then his family took it up a notch by stumbling upon North America. These chapters show you Vikings as fearless explorers, albeit with questionable navigation skills. If you love the thrill of discovering uncharted territory, you’ll appreciate how these folks turned the known world on its head by sailing off into the unknown.

Read Eiríks Saga Rauða here: sagadb.org/eiriks_saga_rauda.en

Graphical description of the different sailing routes to Greenland, Vinland (Newfoundland), Helluland (Baffin Island), and Markland (Labrador) travelled by different Viking characters in the Icelandic Sagas, primarily the Saga of Erik the Red and Saga of the Greenlanders.

Grænlendinga Saga (The Saga of the Greenlanders)

Sometimes, one perspective just isn’t enough. Grænlendinga Saga picks up where Eiríks left off, offering a slightly different take on those voyages to the mysterious Vinland. Who really discovered what first? Who made allies, and who ended up on the wrong end of a spear? The details are debated, but one fact remains—these Vikings crossed the Atlantic in wooden ships, chasing the unknown with nothing but open water ahead of them.

Read the Grænlendinga Saga here: vidforul.wordpress.com/the-saga-of-the-greenlanders/

Leiv Eirikson Discovering America, 1893 painting by Christian Krohg

Kormáks Saga

Kormákr Ogmundarson might be a warrior-poet in the vein of Egil, but his talent for getting tangled in romance sets him apart. The saga piles on the tension with love woes, mystical curses, and legal headaches—all the fun stuff you’d expect when poetry meets brawn. It’s proof that Vikings weren’t just about axe-swinging; they also wrestled with heartbreak and heartbreakers, and sometimes a well-crafted poem was just as potent as a good old battle axe.

Read the Kormáks Saga here: sagadb.org/kormaks_saga.en

Representation of Tristan and Isolde (Herbert James Draper, 1901)

Before You Weigh Anchor…

If the sheer number of sagas feels overwhelming, just remember—they were meant to be told, retold, and lived through, one story at a time. Pick whichever resonates with you, whether you’re in the mood for dragons (Völsunga), legal showdowns (Njál’s), or a love triangle worthy of a modern scandal (Laxdæla).

Now, off you go. Pick your saga, step into its world, and let the stories speak for themselves—just as they have for centuries.

Skål!

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