Initially the reader will find the tone of the Vinland Sagas as matter-of-fact and dry. The Sagas are short and appear to rush through events as if the authors were simply interested in a historical record - which may have indeed been their purpose. For instance, the authors often list lineages and engage in a lot of stage setting for major events, such as giving back stories and histories of major characters. Further, the texts often lead into asides about brief events of note but that do not contribute to the story line.