Philip Lavender has summarised the saga as follows:We are introduced to Samson, son of King Artús, who falls in love with Valentína, a princess, while she is kept as a hostage at his father's court.
The saga is divided into two parts, the first of which takes place mostly in the British Isles and describes the vicissitudes of Samson's search for the lost Valentína—harassed by the rogue Kvintalín—and eventual reunion with her.
The second focuses on Sigurðr, an illegitimate son of King Goðmundr of Glæsisvellir, who after being adopted by a humble couple makes his way in the world and ends up conquering and acquiring many lands through three successive marriages.
The second part, known as Sigurðar þáttr, is closer in style to late legendary sagas, but notable for its inclusion of material from a range of learned texts.
[2] Lockey writes that: "The saga's eclectic character is perhaps its most interesting feature, for it demonstrates that the author had wide access to a variety of foreign sources from which many of the motifs were culled.