The Novel is about a Vikingar named Magnus who leads a journey to North America, or what the Viking's called Vinland. Once there, he interacts with various Native-American tribes, befriending some while fighting others. He teaches his Native-American friends how to smelt iron, enabling them to work with metal. Back in Scandinavia, Magnus's 1st wife serves as a shieldmaiden, defending their village from other Viking raids.
