In the early 1980s, when my passion for high fantasy was at its height, I stumbled upon The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. I had only previously seen his name associated with science fiction, of which I read much less, so I had no idea how good he might be, but the fantasy storyline described on the back cover, along with clear ties to Norse and British mythologies and a Tolkien-like concept of elves, meant I'd be taking it home with me that day. Over the several years, I read it probably a half-dozen times.

It's been a long time since then, and I haven't read The Broken Sword in a few decades. I decided to dust if off and give it another go.

According to Anderson's introduction, the book was first published in 1954, although that version was significantly different. Upon its reissue, nearly 20 years later, he wasn't satisfied with some of the choices he, as a much younger author, had made, and he revised it accordingly. (I'm curious what he changed, but not so much that I need to seek out a rare copy of the original book.)

Anyway, The Broken Sword is every bit as good as I remembered.

The story begins with Orm the Strong, a viking who raids, then settles in the Danelaw region of England, marries and begins raising a family (after dispossessing or killing the people who already lived there). Shortly after the birth of Orm's first son, Imric, a passing elf-earl, exchanged the unchristened child for an elf- and troll-made changeling.

Valgard, raised by those who believe him to be Orm's son, is brutal and strong. Meanwhile, the stolen child Skafloc grows into manhood among the elves, learning warcraft and magic and poetry and all the things that elf-kind value. Then, through the malicious machinations of a witch -- the only survivor of the family Orm killed years before -- Valgard learns his origins and, through a blend of anger management issues and mischance, begins killing his former family. His rage drives him to seek out the trolls who are his true kin, while Skafloc ends up falling in love with Freda, the only surviving member of Orm's family and, unbeknownst to Skafloc, his sister.

This all coincides with a renewed war between the elves and trolls, and guess who is on opposite sides of the fray? The ensuing battle is both brief and brutal.

The Broken Sword is beautifully written, with poetry in its prose. There is graphic violence and ill-fated love. The tale is epic, and the book deserves its place in the same ranks as Tolkien's more famous saga. The Norse gods play a role in the story, as do the Irish Sidhe, the northern giants and even more powerful figures of European lore. Ultimately, the story is a tragic one, but it's beautifully written and should not be overlooked.