Iceland. Most of us haven’t been there and here’s why that’s a grave mistake. Iceland is full of life, adventure and rich history. Bestselling author and radio host Richard Fidler teamed up with memoirist and writer Kári Gíslason to bring this incredible country to life through the fascinating sagas that originate from its shores.
“We went there to tell stories from the sagas of Iceland, these great stories of the first Viking settlers of Iceland. That was our project.” – Richard
Richard and Kári are good friends and both men are adventurous and live to tell stories. Saga Land is a gripping blend of family mystery, contemporary stories and the beautiful and bloody Viking tales, set against the starkly stunning landscape of Iceland. Richard and Kári travelled across Iceland to where these sagas unfolded a thousand years ago. Their mission wasn’t just to bring these sagas to life, but to resolve a longstanding family mystery from Kári’s Icelandic heritage.
“In Iceland, the achievement has always felt to be the stories rather than the Vikings.” – Kári
“The sagas are rather loving, actually. They glamorise the saga past,” says Kári. “The thing about Iceland is they are obsessed with literature and with storytelling.”
But fair warning: the beautiful descriptions of Iceland will make you want to pack up and leave this very moment for the far-off country. If you do, take your copy of Saga Land with you for further inspiration (because we sure will be!) and experience first-hand what Richard and Kári convey so beautifully in their book.
“They thought of themselves as storytellers.” – Kári
Listen to our full interview with Richard and Kári below:
Saga Land
A gripping blend of family mystery, contemporary stories and the beautiful and bloody Viking tales, set against the starkly stunning landscape of Iceland.
Together, Richard and Kari travel across Iceland, to the places where the sagas unfolded a thousand years ago. They cross fields, streams and fjords to immerse themselves in the folklore of this fiercely beautiful island. And there is another mission: to resolve a longstanding family mystery - a gift from Kari's Icelandic father that might connect him to the greatest of the saga authors.
About the Contributor
Bronwyn Eley
Before entering the exciting world of books, Bronwyn served in the Royal Australian Air Force, travelled extensively and worked (still does!) as a barista on the weekends. Books are her true passion. Bronwyn's debut fantasy novel Relic is coming out in 2019 with indie publishing house Talem Press. They are to publish her entire trilogy called The Relic Trilogy. In her spare time, Bronwyn writes, reads and enjoys keeping fit (which she undoes by eating loads of chocolate) with Martial Arts and personal training. She can't answer what her favourite book is but she has a soft spot for Peter Pan (J.M Barrie), Outlander (Diana Gabaldon), Stardust (Neil Gaiman), The Illuminae Files (Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman) and Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo). Fantasy, sci-fi and YA make up the majority of her bookshelves.
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