Handsome Sturla Sighvatsson is the ambitious and self-assured son of a nobleman, who strives for more power. Other nobles stand in his way and refuse to defer to him; following continuous skirmishes and betrayals, huge legions finally join battle at Orlygsstaðir. Heroes, young and old, fall in the ensuing combat. Afterwards there is much to avenge: an age of terror has arrived.

Though Age of Terror is the fourth book published in Karason’s series on the Sturlungs, chronologically it precedes the others: here you have the events leading up to a civil war that brought conflagration and bloodshed to Iceland. Karason has previously dealt vividly with the main events of the 13th century in his books Gathering of Foes, Fury and Poet: he has untangled plots and family trees, peered into the minds of both the exalted and the low-born, and examined history from an unusual viewpoint. But the motivation for all these events is here at the start – it is the ambition and pride of fallible people.

Karason’s books about the Age of the Sturlungs have been universally praised, and have been instrumental in igniting interest in this very turbulent era of Iceland’s history.

English translation available

5 stars
“Mature writing talent and
a rare honour in our time.”
FRETTABLADID DAILY