The Sagas of Icelanders

The master list of Sagas of Icelanders (Íslendingasögur), also known as the “family sagas,” that John and Andy will cover for Saga Thing.  This list is based on the texts included in the 5 volume edition The Complete Sagas of Icelanders, published by Leifur Eiriksson Publishing (http://sagas.is/yfirlit.htm). While determining what exactly constitutes a “family saga” is difficult, we’ve decided to stick to this rather well constructed list of 40 texts. The Sagas of Icelanders deal primarily with the lives of Icelanders, thus the name of this grouping of sagas.  These sagas tend to be set mostly in Iceland, though many of them begin in Norway and include travels to foreign lands.  While there is often a primary subject, the sagas typically span multiple generations, offering a detailed history for a particular region or for a particular family group.  

Each of the sagas listed below is linked to the most accessible and/or useful of the English translations.  While most of the sagas are covered by Penguin, Oxford World Classics, or by the Icelandic Saga Database, you’ll note that several of the more obscure sagas have no links.  Sadly, these are available only in the Leifur Eiriksson 5 volume The Complete Sagas of Icelanders.  If you know of an edition for one of the unavailable sagas that I’ve missed, please let me know: sagathingpodcast@gmail.com

1. Bandamanna saga – The Saga of the Confederates   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
2. Bárðar saga snæfellsáss – The Saga of Bard Snæfells-God
3. Bjarnar saga hítdælakappa – The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal People
4. Brennu-Njáls saga – Njal’s Saga
5. Droplaugarsona saga – The Saga of Droplaug’s Sons
6. Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar – Egil’s Saga   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
7. Eiríks saga rauða – Eirik the Red’s Saga   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
8. Eyrbyggja saga – The Saga of the People of Eyri    (also available in Penguin Gisli Surrson’s Saga and the Saga of the People of Eyri)
9. Finnboga saga ramma – The Saga of Finnbogi the Mighty
10. Fljótsdæla saga – The Saga of the People of Fljotsdal
11. Flóamanna saga – The Saga of the People of Floi
12. Fóstbræðra saga – The Saga of the Sworn Brothers
13. Gísla saga Súrssonar – Gisli Sursson’s Saga   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
14. Grænlendinga saga – The Saga of the Greenlanders   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
15. Grettis saga – The Saga of Grettir the Strong
16. Gull-Þóris saga – Gold-Thorir’s Saga
17. Gunnars saga Keldugnúpsfífls – The Saga of Gunnar, the Fool of Keldugnup
18. Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu – The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue  (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
19. Hænsna-Þóris saga – Hen-Thorir’s Saga
20. Hallfreðar saga vandræðaskálds – The Saga of Hallfred the Troublesome Poet 
21. Harðar saga og Hólmverja – The Saga of Hord and the People of Holm
22. Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings – The Saga of Havard of Isafjord
23. Heiðarvíga saga – The Saga of the Slayings on the Heath (same trans. also available at Icelandic Saga Database)
24. Hrafnkels saga freysgoða – The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
25. Kjalnesinga saga – The Saga of the People of Kjalarnes
26. Kormáks saga – Kormak’s Saga
27. Króka-Refs saga – The Saga of Ref the Sly   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
28. Laxdæla saga – The Saga of the People of Laxardal   (also available in Penguin Sagas of Icelanders)
29. Ljósvetninga saga – The Saga of the People of Ljosavatn
30. Ölkofra saga – Olkofri’s Saga
31. Reykdæla saga og Víga-Skútu – The Saga of the People of Reykjadal and of Killer-Skuta
32. Svarfdæla saga – The Saga of the People of Svarfadardal
33. Þórðar saga hreðu – The Saga of Thord Menace
34. Þorsteins saga hvíta – The Saga of Thorstein the White
35. Þorsteins saga Síðu-Hallssonar – Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson’s Saga
36. Valla-Ljóts saga – Valla-Ljot’s Saga
37. Vatnsdæla saga – The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal  
38. Víga-Glúms saga – Killer-Glum’s Saga
39. Víglundar saga – Viglund’s Saga
40. Vopnfirðinga saga – The Saga of the People of Vopnafjord