A Viking Queen's Legacy
- Sunna Olafson Furstenau
- Jan 10, 2021
- 2 min read
Looking for a great book to read? I just finished, "A Viking Queen's Legacy" by Alfreða Jónsdóttir and highly recommend it!
The book backgrounder by Tellwell marketing writes the following.
The Queen of Dubhlinn is a powerful position for any woman, and Aud, the youngest daughter of Ketill Flat-Nose, readily agrees to marry into this prestigious role. Beautiful, intelligent, competitive, and very ambitious, this young woman has grand plans for the future. Olaf, a charismatic warrior-king, becomes the key to her master plan. In the beginning, the marriage is a passionate union, but the King's infidelities begin to wear thin. Searching for a distraction to shut out her pain, she allows her curiosity to take over and fearlessly delves into learning about Christian principles. Although confident within her own pagan beliefs, her obsession for knowledge and understanding of their ideology soon captivates her. Or is it the young red-haired priest who captivates her? Will this obsession challenge her pagan values?
Set in the ninth century, this tale draws on the Icelandic sagas for its characters and details, depicting the expansion of these Northmen in Ireland, Scotland, and the northern islands through a strong female protagonist. Aud the Deep-Minded actually existed and is honoured by the people of Iceland as one of its original settlers in their Landnámbók, or Book of Settlements. Approximately four hundred people arrived from different parts of Europe, including the areas represented in this story, and spawned a nation of poets and writers. The Icelandic sagas, over a thousand years old, are a treasured collection of family sagas waiting to be explored.
Alfreða has been a long-time member of Icelandic Roots and we are so grateful for the acknowledgment in this book.
Alfreða's first book, "Melkorka: The Thrall Princessa's Saga" is also a must-read. The talented writers who are part of Icelandic Roots are starting a "Writer's Society." Watch for more news about books written by IR members, volunteers, and this wonderful opportunity in the weeks to come.