Reviews for Vinland

The average rating for Vinland based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-01-19 00:00:00 Samuel Garcia I enjoyed this historical novel, largely set in the Orkney islands in the 11th century. Mackay Brown's protagonist Ranald Sigmundsson is a witness to many of the events recalled in Orcadian, Norse and Irish folklore, and his familiarity with these sources is impressive and unobtrusive. It may stretch credulity more than a little that one man could see so much - in the first part of the book he travels (initially as a stowaway) on Leif Eriksson's trip to America, after which he meets the king of Norway and escapes from the battle of Clontarf in which Sigurd, the earl of Orkney and the Irish king Brian Boru were both killed. The remainder of the story is set on Orkney, and describes the intrigues of the islands' various warring earls and their uneasy relationship with the Norwegian monarchy, and their gradual adoption of Christianity, moving away from reliance on Viking raiding into more sustainable agriculture and seabound trading. An enjoyable book, which like Beside the Ocean of Time shows that Mackay Brown wrote much of his best work very late in his career.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-05-25 00:00:00 Matthew Anderson Historical fiction about the life of Orkney Islands native Ranald Sigmundson from boyhood to death. It starts with the journeys of his youth. He stows away on Leif Erikson's voyage to Vinland and continues his travels by sea to Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Ireland. He eventually settles into a farming life in his homeland. This story is set in period during and just after they heyday of the Vikings. The part about Vinland is short but gains importance in Ranald's life as time passes. I enjoyed the first half of this book, which is focused on Ranald's youth and travels. I did not maintain the same enthusiasm for the second half, which shifts to the rivalries among various Earls of Orkney, and their interactions with nearby Kings. Ranald becomes increasingly disillusioned with the politics and internecine squabbles among leaders, and retreats into an introspective life. As he ages, he prepares for his final journey, examining religious beliefs. Ranald's' story represents the process of gaining wisdom and finding what is important in life. George Mackay Brown's writing style is lovely. He tells Ranald's allegorical tale in a manner that evokes the epic storytelling traditions of the past. I liked this book enough to read more of his back catalogue.