Tom Shippey's new edition of H. Rider Haggard's saga-inspired Eric Brighteyes includes:
· An introduction to the work's literary and historical context
· Extensive annotations on its sources and influences
· Discussions of medieval Scandinavia and J.R.R. Tolkien
· 17 full-page illustrations by Lancelot Speed
Eric Brighteyes, published in 1891, represented a new departure for Rider Haggard, best-known at the time for his novels set in nineteenth-century Africa, such as King Solomon's Mines (1885) and She (1887). Set for the most part in tenth-century Iceland, it was praised by Tolkien for its heroic quality, and remains the best example of what was once a large and popular genre, the Victorian Viking novel. Unlike other works of this kind, however, though not unusually for Haggard, it is driven by female characters, and combines scholarly authenticity with Haggard's own unique flair for the strange and supernatural. In this new edition, Tom Shippey supplies Eric Brighteyes with extensive explanatory notes and an introduction discussing Tolkien's admiration for Haggard and the Victorian fascination with Vikings.

H. Rider Haggard become a famend English creator of journey novels at some point of the late 19th and early twentieth centuries. He is high-quality known for his works that mix factors of journey, exploration, and the supernatural. Haggard's writing fashion and bright creativeness earned him a lasting region inside the global of traditional literature. One of his lesser-recognised works is "A Yellow God,". This novella is a departure from Haggard's greater famous titles like "She" and "King Solomon's Mines," delving right into a darker and greater supernatural realm. "A Yellow God" is ready in South Africa and tells the tale of brothers, John and James, who end up entangled in a mysterious and lethal quest. The novella unfolds with a haunting environment, weaving topics of greed, energy, and the supernatural. The narrative explores the magical and enigmatic, as the brothers confront a chain of supernatural activities and dark forces. Haggard's storytelling mastery is clear inside the way he combines adventure and the eerie to create a unique narrative enjoy. While "A Yellow God" won't be as widely identified as a number of his other works, it showcases H. Rider Haggard's versatility as a creator, providing a one-of-a-kind measurement of his literary expertise.