Saga Thing

Episode 5b - Gisli's Saga (Judgments)

It's time to judge Gisli's Saga. Join John and Andy on a tour through the saga's best bloodshed, body count, nicknames, and notable witticisms.  The titular character of Eirik's the Red's Saga was outlawed last time, will it happen again to Gisli?  Or will Andy defend him against the charges of murder and claim him as thingman? Find out in this episode of Saga Thing.Plus, it's your last chance to hear John's impression of Gisli Wayne.  How can you pass that up?

Episode 5a - Gisli's Saga

The tragic story of the outlaw Gisli Sursson, whose profound
sense of honor forces him into violent action. 
Whereas most Icelanders who receive the penalty of outlawry flee the
land and seek their fortune abroad, Gisli refuses to leave his wife, Aud,
behind to fend for herself.  Unfailingly
devoted to his wife, Gisli slips through the fingers of the bounty hunters Bork
the Stout, Eyolf, and Helgi the Spy time and time again.  Join us as we review one of Icelandic
literature's most endearing and heroic characters as we call Gisli's Saga to
the Thing.Gisli Sursson's Saga and The Saga of the People of Eyri (Penguin Classics)

Episode 4 - Eirik the Red's Saga

It’s time to strike out for the west in the latest
installment of Saga Thing. Join us as we sail through stormy and unpredictable
seas in the Saga of Eirik the Red!

The
Vinland Sagas: The Norse Discovery of America: “Graenlendinga Saga” and
“Eirik’s Saga” (Classics)
The first of the two so-called Vínland sagas to be reviewed,
Eiriks saga offers up a story that’s part travelogue, part bloodbath, and part
confusing as heck. In this episode, we’ll learn all about Eirik the Red’s bad
habit of killing almost everyone he meets, his son Leif’s discovery of Vínland
through the magic of pure navigational incompetence, the volatile natives of
this dangerous new land, and another round of hauntings (much to Andy’s
delight).
Will Eirik ever meet a nice neighborhood and settle down
(without killing anyone who lives there)? Why does a Greenland seeress need
such fancy seat-cushions? Is that a Uniped hopping through the
Vínland woods? And just whereare Helluland and Markland, anyway?

Episode 3b - Eyrbyggja Saga (Judgments)

Who will win Best Bloodshed?How many bodies hit the floor?Who will win the award for best nickname?Who will be banished from Iceland forever?Will Andy get to honor his hero Snorri by choosing him as thingman?What do we really think of Eyrbyggja Saga?Find out in the latest installment of Saga Thing!

Episode 3a - Eyrbyggja Saga

In Episode 3a, John and Andy discuss the difficulties of
trying to cover Eyrbyggja Saga in one episode…which they then totally fail to
do successfully.  So we present the first
of a two-part episode! Never fear, there’s plenty here to enjoy.  You’ll meet Snorri the goði and his rival
Arnkel Thorolfsson.   Listen as they
battle for control of Snæfellsnes Peninsula. 
This is a tale of fortunes and misfortunes, sweeping conflicts between
huge kin-groups, the rise and fall of chieftains, and the little people that
get swept up in the mess.  But it also
features a steamy love affair, a dispute over fine linens, and the exploits of
a spectral seal.  Don’t miss a moment!!!Eyrbyggja Saga (Penguin Classics)

Episode 2: Hrafnkel's Saga

Our grand quest to place the sagas of the Icelanders on
trial begins with an acknowledged classic–the relatively brief (but totally
epic) Hrafnkels saga Freysgoði. The story of a harsh chieftain who
falls from power and rises again, the men who band together against him, and
the horse at the center of it all,Hrafnkels saga offers a
listener-friendly introduction to the complex and blood-drenched world of the
Icelandic sagas. And it comes with torture! 
Hrafnkel’s
Saga and Other Icelandic Stories (Penguin Classics)But is that enough to earn it a top score from John and Andy, or will the saga be judged harshly for its lack of scope and poor treatment of animals? Find out now!

Episode 1c: What is a saga?

Now that you're an expert in medieval Icelandic history, you're probably wondering about Icelandic literary expression.  And why wouldn't you?  In this episode, John and Andy answer the question they probably ought to have covered right away . . . what is a saga, exactly?  Strap yourself in for a whirlwind introduction to the genre of saga literature.  Expect to hear an overview of the different kinds of sagas medieval Icelanders produced.  Along the way, you'll find out the difference between a family saga and a lying saga, discover the wonders of bookprose and freeprose theory, and learn a little something about a guy named Njal.  All in all, it's good clean fun for the whole family.

Episode 1b: Medieval Iceland - Conflict, Conversion, and Collapse

In this second part of our first episode, we explore the socio-political structure of Commonwealth Iceland, its conversion to Christianity, and the end of the Commonwealth era. How does a man kill his enemy politely? Why was Iceland's religious future decided under a blanket fort? Who killed Snorri Sturluson in the basement with the knife? And what happens when John lets his sheep loose on Andy's lawn? Find out here!

Episode 1a: The Settlement Age

Welcome to the first episode of Saga Thing!  After John and I recorded the Hrafnkel's saga episode, we decided it would be beneficial for both us and our listeners to cover some basic "backgroundy stuff" before going any further.  It was meant to be a quick 45 minute episode.  The result is three "mini-episodes" of varying lengths.  In this, our first installment of episode 1, we introduce the podcast and address the discovery of Iceland, the Settlement Age, and some interesting tidbits about life in early medieval Iceland.  We hope you enjoy!