The Saga Of The Volsungs follows several generations as they achieve great renown, and are killed by people jealous of their success. The following generations try to avenge their fallen ancestors. Filled with compelling elements such as: cursed gold, a ring with the name Andvaranaut, a broken sword to be reforged, fights with dragons, dwarves, shapeshifters, magic, and epic battles it is a story you will not want to miss.
Revenge is what motivates the characters in this saga. What I find absolutely fascinating in this story, is the varying methods the Volsungs use to get their revenge. From one on one fights to training from a young age in the woods, the Volsungs seek and obtain justice for their murdered family.
Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings trilogy was partially inspired by The Saga Of The Volsungs and several other sagas. The broken sword reforged and the magic ring are some of the more obvious inspirations. What I appreciate about Tolkien is while clearly inspired by this tale, he uses it to make his own story. He does not create a cheap imitation. It is an excellent example of how appreciation of a story can influence a person without overtaking their work.
I enjoyed reading this saga, and only wish it was longer. I recommend reading this book if you are new to the sagas. It is an excellent one to start with. It follows many of the typical themes in the sagas without completely overwhelming a new reader with a lot of different terms.
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