Editing Eric Brighteyes

{{short description|1891 novel by H. Rider Haggard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name          = Eric Brighteyes
| title_orig    = 
| translator    = 
| image         = EricBrighteyes.jpg
| caption = First edition (publ. [[Longman]])
| author        = [[H. Rider Haggard]]
| illustrator   = 
| cover_artist  = 
| country       = United Kingdom
| language      = English
| series        = 
| genre         = 
| publisher     = Longmans & Co.
| release_date  = 1891
| english_release_date =
| media_type    = 
| pages         = 302
| isbn          = 
| oclc= 
| preceded_by   = 
| followed_by   = 
}}
'''''Eric Brighteyes''''' is an epic [[Vikings|Viking]] novel by [[Henry Rider Haggard|H. Rider Haggard]] that concerns the adventures of its eponymous principal character in 10th-century [[Iceland]]. The novel was first published in 1891 by [[Longman|Longmans, Green & Company]]. It was illustrated by [[Lancelot Speed]].

==Plot Outline==
Eric Thorgrimursson, nicknamed "Brighteyes" for his most notable trait, strives to win the hand of his beloved, Gudruda the Fair. Her father Asmund, a priest of the old Norse gods, opposes the match, believing Eric to be a man without prospects.  Deadlier by far are the intrigues of Swanhild, Gudruda's half-sister and a [[Magic (supernatural)|sorceress]], who desires Eric for herself. She persuades the chieftain Ospakar Blacktooth to woo Gudruda, making the two men enemies. Battles, intrigues, and treachery follow.

==Background==
Haggard wrote the book in late 1888, following a visit to Iceland.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100819161311/http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/h/haggard/h_rider/days/chapter13.html H Rider Haggard, ''The Days of My Life'' Chapter 13] accessed 21 December 2013</ref>

==Pioneer of the Genre==
The novel was an early example (and Haggard's introduction implies that it was the first) of modern efforts in English at pastiching [[saga literature]].  It clearly shows the influence of the pioneering saga translations by [[William Morris]] and [[Eirikr Magnusson]] in the late 1860s.

Science fiction historian [[David Pringle]] has stated that ''Eric Brighteyes'', with its outcast hero and emphasis on violent conflict, "in many ways resembles a [[sword and sorcery|Sword & Sorcery]] epic before its time".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pringle|first1=David|last2=Pratchett|first2=Terry|title=The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy|date=2007|publisher=Random House Australia|location=North Sydney, N.S.W.|isbn=9781741665826|pages=33–5}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Anthony Boucher]] and [[J. Francis McComas]] praised ''Eric Brighteyes'', saying that "nothing has been written in English that matches this complete comprehension of the blend of the fury and mysticism that was that greatest of anomalies, the Viking."<ref>"Recommended Reading," ''[[The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction|F&SF]]'', September 1953, p. 100.</ref> Pamela Cleaver described ''Eric Brighteyes'' as the best of Haggard's historical novels. She stated that "there is a wonderful atmosphere with saga overtones in this doom-laden tale."<ref>Cleaver, Pamela. "Haggard, H(enry) Rider". In Henderson, Lesley, and Kirkpatrick, Daniel Lane. In ''Twentieth-century Romance and Historical Writers''. Chicago : St James Press, 1990. {{ISBN|9780912289977}} (pg. 298)</ref>

John Scarborough included ''Eric Brighteyes'' on a list of what he regarded as Haggard's best novels, along with ''[[King Solomon's Mines]]'', ''[[She: A History of Adventure|She]]'', ''[[Cleopatra (Haggard novel)|Cleopatra]]'', ''[[Nada the Lily]]'', and ''[[Red Eve]]''.<ref>Scarborough, John. "H. Rider Haggard". In [[Richard Bleiler|Bleiler, Richard]], ''Science Fiction Writers : critical studies of the major authors from the early nineteenth century to the present day''. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. {{ISBN|9780684805931}} (pg. 323-329)</ref>

In The [[Stanley Kubrick Archive]] Oral History Project Web Video Series "Finding and Developing the Story", Kubrick's eldest daughter Katharina mentions the book as one that "he was particularly interested in". [[Anthony Frewin]] states the book was "very, very dear to him" and claims  that, "had he lived, I'm sure he would have done it" as a film.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx49KEJxUF0 The Stanley Kubrick Archive Oral History Project: Finding and Developing the Story]</ref>

==Publication==
The novel was republished by the [[Newcastle Publishing Company]] under the title '''''The Saga of Eric Brighteyes'''''  as the second volume of the [[Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library]] series in March 1974, and first issued as a mass market paperback by [[Zebra Books]] in 1978.<ref>[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?20909 ISFDB publishing history]</ref>

==Sequel==
A sequel, ''Eric Brighteyes #2: A Witch's Welcome'', written by Sigfriour Skaldaspillir (the pseudonym of [[Mildred Downey Broxon]]) was published in 1979.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pringle|first1=David|last2=Pratchett|first2=Terry|title=The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy|date=2007|publisher=Random House Australia|location=North Sydney, N.S.W.|isbn=9781741665826|page=187}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Gutenberg|no=2721|name=Eric Brighteyes}}
* [http://www.online-literature.com/h-rider-haggard/eric-brighteyes/ Online version] on The Literature Network
* {{librivox book | title=Eric Brighteyes | author=H. Rider HAGGARD}}
*[https://www.southafricabooks.com/h-rider-haggard/1891-eric-brighteyes Images and bibliographic information for various editions] of Eric Brighteyes at SouthAfricaBooks.com
{{Wikisource|The Saga of Eric Brighteyes}}

{{Rider Haggard}}

[[Category:1891 British novels]]
[[Category:1891 fantasy novels]]
[[Category:British fantasy novels]]
[[Category:Historical novels]]
[[Category:Novels by H. Rider Haggard]]
[[Category:Novels set in Iceland]]
[[Category:Fictional Vikings]]
[[Category:Novels set in the Viking Age]]
[[Category:Longman books]]