The Axe: The Master of Hestviken, Vol. 1

by Sigrid Undset

Overview

Soaringly romantic and psychologically nuanced, Undest's novel is also a meticulous re-creation of a world split between pagan codes of retribution and the rigors of Christian piety - a world where law is a fragile new invention and manslaughter is so common that it's punishable by fine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780307773067
Publisher:	Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/06/2013
Series:	Master of Hestviken Series , #1
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	589,212
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Sigrid Undset is a major figure in early twentieth-century literature. A Norwegian born in Denmark in 1881, she worked with the Norwegian underground during the Second World War, fled to Sweden in 1940, and later came to the United States. She is the author of many works of fiction as well as several books for young readers and a number of nonfiction titles. Her novels encompass a variety of settings and time periods, ranging from medieval romances such as the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy—generally considered to be her masterwork—and The Master of Hestvikentetralogy to modern novels such as The Winding Road,Ida Elisabeth, and The Faithful Wife. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928. Sigrid Undset died in 1949.

Editorial Reviews

These are volumes 1 (1928) and 2 (1929) of the Nobel prize-winning Undset's "The Master of Hestviken" series. Set in medieval Norway, the books follow Olav and Ingunn, who, though raised as brother and sister, have become lovers in a world caught between the fading sphere of pagan worship and vendettas and the expansion of Christianity. Volumes 3 and 4 will be released in July.

Library Journal