I have enjoyed a couple of Poul Anderson's fictional adventures within the realm of Scandinavian fantasy, books that took nuggets of Norse mythology, troll and elven lore, and viking culture to create masterworks of the genre. Hrolf Kraki's Saga is different.

Rather than crafting stories out of a basic legendary framework, Anderson chose this time to novelize a Danish saga. And, while I've never read this book before -- nor, in fact, ever heard of Hrolf Kraki -- some parts of the story seemed immediately familiar.

While they both come from different roots in their respective cultures, Hrolf Kraki shares a lot of similarities with King Arthur, about whom I have read extensively. Both men were mighty kings, each descended from a strong but arrogant father. Each man united warring kingdoms under his rule, and each reigned over unprecedented periods of peace and prosperity. Each surrounded himself with a band of powerful heroes, many worthy of their own legends. Each king's story was dramatically tied to an instance of accidental incest; while Arthur was unwittingly seduced by his half-sister, Hrolf's father Helgi unknowingly married his own daughter, Yrsa. And each was eventually brought low by the machinations of a spiteful and magical half-sister -- in this case, the half-elven Skuld.

Many of the parallel lines can probably be explained by artful "borrowing" among the early storytellers and writers who, perhaps, embellished the legends with elements heard in other tales. Given the murky history surrounding both heroic figures, it's hard to know which parts came first with which king. In any case, Hrolf is a worthy protagonist, and his saga is well told here.

Hrolf's story takes place primarily in 5th- and early 6th-century Denmark, although there are forays into Norway and Sweden. It's worth noting that Hrolf Kraki is not the protagonist of the entire book. He is a few steps down on the ancestral ladder, and the saga gives each generation its due. Some members of his extended family tree are brave and heroic, others less so, but it's certainly an interesting genealogy.

The saga deals primarily with the actions of men and women in fairly realistic circumstances for the age. Much like in Arthurian lore, however, there are some elements of magic and fantasy, with otherworldly creatures and even gods to contend with before the saga is done. Perhaps ironically, readers will come to know some of Hrolf's companions -- warriors such as Svipdag, Bjarki and Hjalti -- better than Hrolf himself, as the king doesn't engage in much personal adventuring.

Poul Anderson of course has complete mastery over the Scandinavian style of storytelling, and his writing here is certainly saga-worthy. If I have a complaint -- and this can be blamed more on the source material than Anderson's writing -- it's the sheer number of characters and the frustrating similarities of so many of their names. It is very hard to keep track of everybody!

Even so, Anderson's prose will keep readers engaged. His portrayal of customs and society in Hrolf Kraki's time is well researched and extremely well written, and he brings a colorful, exciting, ultimately tragic figure Danish history and legend back to life. I, an avid fan of Arthurian legends, am very glad I finally read this book.