The Saga of Njáll is an epic story of two Viking families living on the south coast of Iceland in the late 10th century. Njáll is a peaceful man who is widely respected for his wisdom, legal knowledge and accurate prophecies. These qualities are put to the test as his best friend is outlawed, his wife wages a vendetta against the neighbours, and his sons become increasingly unpredictable and violent. Njáll struggles to restore peace and order, but he is haunted by terrifying visions of evils yet to come. Indeed, the merciless witches of fortune have already chosen each of them a harsh fate.

Believed to be written in the late 13th century, The Saga of Njáll is without doubt the best-known Icelandic Saga. It is a literary treasure and an action-packed thriller that has been told and retold in Iceland for at least seven hundred cold and dark winters. In this illustrated version, novelist Brynhildur Thórarinsdóttir and artist Margrét E. Laxness bring the great warriors, tragic heroes and rotten scoundrels of The Saga of Njáll to life once again in a book suitable for the whole family.

Retold by Brynhildur Thórarinsdóttir. Illustrations by Margrét E. Laxness