Countries included

During the course of Mel's epic tale he visits England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Portugal, Sicily, Zimbabwe, USA, Iceland, Faroe Islands and Norway

Sigvaldi's Saga

Q: What is a Saga?
A: The term saga originates from the Norse saga (pl. sögur), and refers to (1) "what is said, statement" or (2) "story, tale, history". It is cognate with the English word saw (as in old saw), and the German Sage. Icelandic Sagas are based on oral traditions and much research has focused on what is real and what is fiction within each tale. The accuracy of the sagas is often hotly disputed. Most of the manuscripts in which the sagas are preserved were taken to Denmark and Sweden in the 17th century, but later returned to Iceland*. Classic sagas were composed in the 13th century. Scholars once believed that these sagas were transmitted orally from generation to generation until scribes wrote them down in the 13th century. However, most scholars now believe the sagas were conscious artistic creations, based on both oral and written tradition.

Sagas are stories mostly about ancient Nordic and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during the voyages, about migration to Icelandic and of feuds between Icelandic families. They were written in the Old Norse language, mainly in Icelandic

The texts are tales in prose which share some similarities with the epic, often with stanzas or whole poems in alliterative verse embedded in the text, of heroic deeds of days long gone, "tales of worthy men," who were often Vikings, sometimes pagan, sometimes Christian The tales are usually realistic, except legendaty sagas of saints, sagas of bishops and translated or recomposed romances. They are sometimes romanticised and fantastic, but always dealing with human beings one can understand.

                                                                                                                                       Wikipedia

* Mostly found at Arni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, Iceland

Q: What is Sigvaldi's Saga?

A: Sigvaldi's Saga is the story of (and written by) Mel Sewell who uncovered possible connections to his modern English name in the Scandinavian name Sigvaldi. The story travels backwards and forwards in time connecting historical information as well as Mel's lifetime experiences, observations and fantasies. The entire book is written in the style of Haiku poetry.