Description

He was the most handsome man in Iceland, the finest warrior of his generation, and a chieftain whose name would echo across centuries.

Born in 945 on the fair slopes of Hlíðarendi, Gunnar Hámundarson grows from gifted boy to legendary warrior in a land ruled not by kings, but by law, reputation, and blood. Trained in the customs of the Icelandic Commonwealth, schooled in honor and sharpened by steel, he rises swiftly among his peers. His athletic brilliance, unmatched archery, and the deadly singing atgeir he wins abroad make him nearly invincible in battle. But Iceland is not conquered by strength alone.

When an unexpected altercation turns into exile, what follows is one of the most unforgettable last stands in saga history: arrows falling in the night, a bowstring snapping, a wife who refuses aid, and a house transformed into a battlefield. Outnumbered but unyielding, Gunnar fights on.

The Gauntlet of Gunnar Hamundarson is a sweeping, historically grounded retelling of the man behind the legend. Drawing from Njáls saga and the legal and social realities of tenth-century Iceland, this story explores the cost of pride, the power of land, and the tragic story of a hero who could not leave what he loved.

Included in the back is a real historical timeline of Gunnar's life and the events of the saga era, helping to separate myth from documented tradition.

"This is a saga brought roaring back to life in an unflinching portrait of Viking honor. I defy you not to fall in love with this story." ⁃ Fredrich Studemon, Literary Critic