Lee M. Hollander's "Saga of the Jomsvikings" - An Epic Tale of Norse Warriors

jon: I’ve read most of the sagas that are available in English translation over the years, with Egill’s Saga and the Saga of the People of Laxardal probably those I’ve returned to most. I’d enjoyed Blake’s 1962 translation of the Saga of the Jomsvikings some years ago, wanted an edition in paperback and so ordered this version by Lee M. Hollander without knowing exactly what to expect.
I was immediately pleased to see the unusually high quality of the paper, the perfectly sized font and pleasing layout. As I started reading, the translation itself quickly revealed that Hollander had a rare eye and ear for English prose.
This saga is short but would delight those who are new to the tradition as well as those who’ve explored and enjoyed the bigger and more famous texts.
The final big scene, the testing of the Jomsvikings, is quite simply the most memorable I’ve come across in any saga and perfectly sums up the Viking heroic ideal.
Here’s how Hollander renders the execution of “the fifth man” as a line of bound warriors go to meet their fate:
“Thorkel asked him what he thought about dying. He said: ‘Poorly would I remember the laws of the Jomsvikings...

United Kingdom on Dec 30, 2020

Erin Chovaz: Great book
Quick shipping

Canada on Oct 20, 2019

marcogat: High cost for a very small book. Better to check your local book store

Canada on Apr 25, 2018

Roger: The Viking age is fascinating. The violence balanced by supreme seamanship with art and poetry.

United Kingdom on Nov 01, 2017

BooksNest: Boyfriend loved it, read it in a day and interested him greatly.

United Kingdom on Sep 30, 2016

Christopher R. Travers: Although this saga is quite short (including the introduction, it's 114 pages), this is one of the most literary of the sagas I have ever read (it ranks up there with the Laxdaela Saga and Njal's Saga, and is shorter than either). It's easy to read and quite interesting on a number of levels. The anonymous author had a real flare for the dramatic, and a great literary sense.

The saga was written to tell the story of the defeat of Danish raiders by Earl Hakon. The story is the story of the Danish raiders through the eyes of medieval saga writers (sort of like historical novelists). It's the story of the Jomsvikings, based in Jomsborg, their rise and eventual fall. It's also a story about intrigue in the Danish court. The action rarely pauses.

The introduction is also quite valuable for those who want to study instead of merely read the sagas. If you just want a good read, skip it. If you want more information on the story and its background, read it.

I will not write further to avoid too many spoilers.

United States on May 28, 2010

Ronin: "....But you, Thorkel, will live with shame."

As another reviewer pointed out, the intro is killing, and unless you are really into the scholarly points it can be skipped. The saga is a quick read. They were a fascinating group of vikings, and the hardest things about the saga, for me, is the lack of additional detail which the skalds denied us (or was it the Christians who transcribed it??).

If the saga is to be taken at face value, then the Jomsvikings built a warrior society for men 18-50 years old which grew into a rather large private army. I have a very tough time accepting that no women were allowed in Jomsborg, because for one it is not the hard Viking way and I just can't picture these men doing all the chores.

While chapter 23 "The Testing of the Jomsvikings" following the great battle of Hjorunga Bay is correctly famous as a test in courage rivaled perhaps only by the "47 Ronin" story, there is quite a bit of note beyond it. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say chapter 12 "The Founding of Jomsborg". P62:

"And soon Palnatoki had a great and strong fortification made. A part of it jutted out to sea, and in that part there was a harbor, big...

United States on Apr 15, 2010

Jordan M. Poss: The Saga of the Jomsvikings begins, as most sagas do, several generations before the main events of the saga. After recounting the origins of the main figures in the saga, the story kicks into high gear as alliances are made and broken, feud breaks out, and--in the saga's thrilling centerpiece--a massive sea battle is fought at the mouth of Hjorunga Bay. The story is strong enough that I don't think it'll ruin it to tell you that the Jomsvikings are defeated and mostly destroyed. The story is exciting and easy to follow, with several major characters who are easy to tell apart (unlike some sagas).

Not only is the saga exciting, Lee Hollander's translation is easy to read and has some good notes clarifying issues that may confuse those new to the sagas. An introduction is included but it's not necessary to read it to understand the saga--I actually skipped it and read it afterward, and the introduction added nothing new to my experience of the saga. And finally, this book is very short. The saga itself is 89 pages--89 small pages. The book is very small, which leads in part to my only complaint about it--why is it listed at $15 (mercifully reduced to around $10 here on...

United States on Feb 15, 2009

Der Hammer des Kuchens: This is my first saga so I didn't really know what to expect from it but I found it to be enjoyable. I did have a little problem with remembering who was related to who because they go through so many generations of people with strange names and some of the people have the same name but I got used to it after a while.

The first part of the book quickly goes through a few generations of vikings until it gets to the forming of the Jomsvikings who are the best of the best viking warriors who fear nothing. During a feast many of them make an oath to go to Norway and help take the crown so thats what they go do then a major sea battle takes place. After the battle some of the Jomsviking get captured then they are killed one at a time after telling their captures that they don't fear death but welcome it, which is the best part of the book.

I was able to read through this book without much difficulty in a very short time and I would recommend it to anyone who like viking sagas about fearless warriors.

United States on Dec 27, 2006