The Inferno of Time

By Arndís Þórarinsdóttir

Somewhere in Reykjavík, a precious manuscript containing eleven Icelandic sagas is ensconced in a lovingly made box within a locked vault. How did it get there? Where has it been since it was first written at the beginning of the fourteenth century? And what has it seen? 

The manuscript, which contains ancient tales, poems, magic, songs, and lore, is a mystery – but if you get your hand on it, you could buy both life and reputation. 

In this unusual book intended for children and families, one of these ancient manuscripts steps into the spotlight to recount its adventures. The unexpected narrator takes the reader on a journey through time, starting in the scriptorium of a catholic monastery, travels from manors to hovels, from Iceland to Denmark and back again. The old book narrowly escapes destruction by both water and fire and has, in the end, only been slightly singed by the inferno of time.

The Inferno of Time is published when half a century has passed since the first medieval manuscripts were returned to Iceland after a centuries-long stay in Denmark. Arndís Þórarinsdóttir has written a thrilling story about the manuscript based on all available sources, adding a rich imagination so that the events come alive in the text. They are well highlighted by Sigmundar B. Þorgeirsson’s playful illustrations.

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About the author

Arndís Þórarinsdóttir (b. 1982) is an award-winning Icelandic writer and translator. Before becoming a full-time writer, Arndís worked as a journalist and critic and was the head of department at the library in Kópavogur. She has an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature and a postgraduate degree in Creative Writing from the University of Iceland, and earned another postgraduate degree in Writing for Performance from Goldsmiths College, University of London. Arndís has also written short novels for an educational institution, published articles and stories in newspapers and magazines, worked on translations and performed various social activities related to literature.Arndís lives in Reykjavík with her husband and two children.