Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths by Nancy Marie Brown is a vivid, engaging biography of the 13th-century Icelandic chieftain and writer Snorri Sturluson. Published in 2012, it brings to life the man who almost single-handedly preserved and shaped the Norse myths and sagas we know today.
Overview
Most people know the stories of Odin, Thor, Loki, the Midgard Serpent, Ragnarok, and Valhalla. But few realize that many of these tales come to us largely through the writings of one ambitious, talented, and politically savvy Icelander: Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241).Nancy Marie Brown tells two stories in parallel:
- The dramatic life of Snorri himself — a wealthy chieftain, skilled poet, cunning politician, and twice-elected lawspeaker of Iceland.
- How Snorri collected, organized, and retold the old pagan myths and heroic sagas at a time when Iceland was Christian and the old stories were in danger of being forgotten.
What the Book Covers
- Snorri’s turbulent life — Born into a powerful family during Iceland’s violent Age of the Sturlungs, Snorri rose to become one of the richest and most influential men in Iceland. He was a master of political intrigue, twice married for advantage, and deeply involved in the power struggles between Icelandic chieftains and the rising power of the Norwegian king.
- His major works:
- The Prose Edda — an encyclopedia of Norse mythology and a handbook for poets. This is where many of our best-known versions of the myths (Thor’s fishing trip with the Midgard Serpent, the death of Baldr, Loki’s tricks, and the coming of Ragnarok) come from.
- Heimskringla — a massive history of the Norwegian kings, full of lively sagas and memorable characters.
- The cultural and political world of medieval Iceland — feuds, blood vengeance, poetry as a weapon, and the tension between pagan traditions and the new Christian faith.
Brown shows how Snorri didn’t just copy old stories — he shaped them. He turned scattered oral tales into a coherent, dramatic mythology that later inspired everyone from Wagner and Tolkien to modern fantasy writers and Marvel’s Thor movies.
Tone & Style
The writing is clear, lively, and accessible. Brown combines solid scholarship with storytelling skill, making the distant 13th century feel immediate and human. She brings Snorri to life as a complex, ambitious, and often flawed man — witty, power-hungry, and deeply devoted to the old poetic traditions.
Why It Matters
Without Snorri Sturluson, much of Norse mythology might have been lost forever. This book explains why the Viking myths we love today have the shape and color they do — and how one man’s personal ambition and love of poetry helped create them.
Who Should Read It
- Fans of Norse mythology, Vikings, or Icelandic sagas who want to know where the stories really came from
- Readers who enjoy well-written biographies that mix history, literature, and politics
- Anyone interested in how ancient stories are preserved and reshaped over time
- Tolkien fans curious about the medieval sources that inspired The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit
In short, Song of the Vikings is the fascinating story of Snorri Sturluson — the Icelandic chieftain, politician, and poet who saved Norse mythology from oblivion and gave us the vivid, dramatic versions of Odin, Thor, Loki, and Ragnarok that still captivate us today.