Silje Hellerud Engen loves the story of the Ice People. It starts in the 16th century with the ancestor Tengil the Bad, the ancestor Silje and their daughter, Sol av Isfolket. The 34-year-old says she was completely hooked when she heard the first book in the series. – I was drawn into a fantastic world. With history, mystery and strong human destinies. Hellerud Engen is home alone a lot, and since she has ADHD, it has been difficult to concentrate. But with the Saga of the Ice People, the weekdays have been easier to get through. – At times I walked around with the main telephones all day, the children complained. Especially my son, who has to borrow his, laughs Silje. She discovered the series last autumn and within a short time she had heard 30 books in the series. She is so excited that she has shared the experience on BookTok – the book pages on TikTok. Silje Hellerud Engen has made a TikTok video about The Saga of the Ice People Record listening 2022 was the first year that people streamed more books than they bought in the bookstore. This is shown by statistics from the Norwegian Publishers Association. Most companies have The Saga of the Ice Folk in their selection. And both at the audiobook service Fabel and at BookBeat, the series tops the lists. – Since we launched the series in 2019, we have had close to 125,000 listens, i.e. 760,000 hours played, says Ann-Kristin Vasseljen, head of the audiobook service Fabel. – From 2022 until now in 2023, we have 45,000 listeners to the series, converted into hours, this is 200,000 hours. When BookBeat, which is owned by Swedes, launched Sagaen om Isfolket last summer, it really took off. – Since then, Sandemo is the most streamed author here, says Marianne Vågan in the Norwegian branch of BookBeat, to news. A PEASANT IN THE OUTSIDE OF LITERATURE, Margit Sandemo called herself. When she died, she had written 185 books and sold more than 37 million copies Photo: Lisbeth David-Andersen / news Kiosklitteraturen In Norway, we used to call such series as Sagen om Isfolket newsstand literature. Because it was sold in kiosks, not in bookshops. The books never made it to the public library either. Even if they are in demand, the books will not be reissued. Now it is the streaming services that take serial literature to a new audience. Bladkompaniet is still the largest publisher of serial literature in Norway. They have read almost all of Sandemo’s almost 200 books. – The Saga of the Ice People is still one of our most popular series. Both with those who know the books from before and with a new, young audience, says managing editor at Bladkompaniet, Mariann Fredin. She does not hide the fact that the books have not been accepted in literary circles. – The beauty of audio books is that no one sees what you are reading, smiles Fredin. Margit Sandemo The author Margit Sandemo was born in Sweden in 1924. She lived most of her adult life in Valdres. Sandemo wrote 185 books, no other Norwegian author comes close to that. Her books were hugely popular, but Sagaen om Isfolket broke all records. Sandemo believed in the paranormal, which is also reflected in the series about Isfolket. That too was controversial – and was made fun of. Sandemo’s books never made it to the bookshops, and Sandemo was never allowed to join any writers’ association. She died in 2018, in her last years she lived in Sweden. Snobbery Director Ingeborg Volan of The Norwegian Book Club is tired of the snobbery surrounding literature. She has written an article in which she strikes a blow for serial literature. Or housewife porn, which was the derogatory word used on the books. – At a book fair, someone heard someone say that it was a problem that the books that did best in the streaming tests were this type of literature. I react strongly to that. LEI SNOBBERIET: – The Saga of the Ice Folk has been the entrance to literature for many, many readers, says director of the Norwegian Book Club, Ingeborg Volan Photo: Per Thrana Volan herself read The Saga of the Ice Folk when she was young, and says that Margit Sandemo probably taught her that mostly she knows about Norwegian and Swedish 18th century history. She understands well that even young people today allow themselves to be fascinated – and listen hour after hour. – No one looks down on those who watch Game of Thrones. But people have looked down on the Saga of the Ice People. It makes me angry, says Volan. But she does not ignore that the time for the Ice People has now come. – Here is magic and mystery, all that fantasy in literature, TV and film has brought after Isfolket came out. Anyway: The point is that people need relaxation and entertainment. In addition: The saga of the Ice People can be an opener to other literature. For Silje Hellerud Engen, it has been exactly like this. The subscription to the streaming service BookBeat has opened the door to even greater literary value. Since last autumn, she has read her way through 80 books. Much of it is fantasy. Everything she means to many Director Knut Olav Åmås in Fritt Ord supports Volan. – This literature means so much to many. And Sagaen om Isfolket is the best you can get in the genre of entertainment literature, says Åmås He cannot stress enough how important Sandemo has been in getting several generations to enjoy reading, and now to listen, to books. LET THE PEOPLE LISTEN: Director Knut Olav Åmås in Fritt Ord has for years spoken warmly about the Saga of the Ice Folk. He understands very well that it now lives on in the most successful way on the streaming services. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB Åmås also knew the author well. – Margit was proud of what she did. She said: “If I can make the readers forget a sad reality for half an hour, I have done what I have to.” When Sandemo died, 50,000 letters from readers were left behind. – That says everything about what she meant and still means to many, says Åmås. A fantastic value The books about the Ice People depict actual historical events. But the characters surround themselves with mystery, religion and black magic. And not least hot love and erotic descriptions that ignite the reader. SUN OF THE ICE PEOPLE: The play, based on the first three books in the series, was staged for several summers at Valdres Folkemuseum. Heidi Ruud-Ellingsen was Sol, daughter of the ancestors, Silje and Tengil the Bad. Photo: Ole Jørgen Liodden The saga has an army of readers – and now listeners. Over the years, they have had several interest organisations. Many people have a very strong connection to books. news asks people on a Facebook page for Isfolket lovers: Many of the listeners want to highlight Hedda Sandvig. It is she who has read in the books for Bladkompaniet and she has star status with those who listen. The shoe player and director is very happy for the praise she gets from the listeners. Because she has actually spent 4 years reading in all 47 volumes. – But I rarely read comments about my reading. Because some people can get quite grumpy in between the praise, and that’s enough to make me sad. So I refuse to do that. Although I have done a lot of other things these years, the series has been a big part of my life, says Hedda Sandvig. LOVE OF THE LISTENERS: Hedda Sandvig has read all the books in the Ice Folk Saga. It has taken her 4 years. A fantastic value Silje Hellerud Engen is one of Sandvig’s biggest fans. She cannot be fully praised for the way she uses her voice, so that it is easy to distinguish the characters in the large gallery of characters. SIMPLE: A nice thing about audiobooks is that you can enjoy literature while you work. Silje Hellerud Engen has spruced up the living room with the Saga of the Ice People on the Eye. Photo: Roar Berntsen / news – I only want to be inside Sandemo’s wonderful world, when it is Hedda who takes me there. And it’s so good that there are many books in the series. Victory Silje. who must admit that she had to take a break now in the post-Christmas winter. – It was a bit too much to listen to all 47 books at once, I have to find time for something else too!
ttn-69
The Saga of the Ice People by Margit Sandemo tops the listening lists on the streaming services – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
