Hrolf Kraki's Saga
core novel 1973 Hrolf Kraki's Saga
Record
| First published | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.97 (660 ratings, collected 2026-09-25) |
| Page count | 261 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780345235626 |
Synopsis
Told as if by a woman storyteller at an Anglo-Saxon court, the novel reassembles the scattered legends of the Skjoldung kings of Denmark. After King Halfdan is murdered by his brother Frodhi, his young sons Helgi and Hroar survive in hiding to take their revenge and rule together, until Helgi's violent courtship of a Saxon queen sets off a chain of tragedies around their daughter Yrsa. Her son, Hrolf, is raised in Hroar's household and eventually becomes king himself. He builds a prosperous realm and gathers a band of famous champions, among them Hjalti and the bear-warrior Bodvar Bjarki, whose own stories the tale follows. Drawing together Icelandic sagas, Danish chronicles and Beowulf, Anderson follows the fortunes of Hrolf's court across several generations of feud, sorcery and vengeance.
Where it sits
- Universe: Hrolf Kraki's Saga
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Poul Anderson
Awards (verified)
- British Fantasy Award (August Derleth Award (Best Novel)), 1974: won
Notes
- A tenth-century storyteller recounts the rise and fall of the legendary sixth-century Danish king Hrolf Kraki, his family's feuds, and the champions who gathered at his court, drawing on the Old Norse saga tradition.
Sources
← Hrolf Kraki's Saga dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.