Customer Reviews

Eaters of the Dead

5 star:		(152)
4 star:		(101)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Contrary to what has been said by many of the reviewers here, this book is in fact based on a real manuscript by the Arab traveller ibn Fadlan in the tenth century who made his way from the Caliphate to the shores of the Volga to treat with the Bulgar kingdom which was then ensconced there (apparently to entice the Bulgars away from their Khazar overlords who were then enemies of the Arab empire). This ambassador of the Caliph faithfully recorded much of what he saw among the barbarians, including encounters with the Oghuz Turks and the Norsemen who were then frequent travellers along the rivers of what would one day become Russia. (In fact some thinking has it that the Norse, in the guise of "Rus" -- eytemology unclear -- actually gave their name, along with their ruling princes, to Russia since the first major Russian state, Kievan Rus, was ruled by princes of viking heritage, with the help of second and third generation viking adventurers serving them as mercenaries.) But Crichton's book is not just a reprint of ibn Fadlan's manuscript (which is available, in English, in various scholarly tomes). Crichton enlarged upon the tale he found and appended an apparently fictional second half which takes ibn Fadlan north, in the company of his new-found Norse comrades, to the viking lands, there to face a shadowy menace of unknown origins. In this second half, Crichton blended historical speculation with the Beowulf tale in Old English (the chief of the viking crew which inducts ibn Fadlan is called "Buliwyf") to suggest an ending to ibn Fadlan's adventures which surely never happened. But it's done quite nicely, hard to tell where the real tale ends and the author's fictional enterprise begins, and it keeps you reading right to the final moments. It's not a particularly stirring tale, rather dry in fact, but it's thought provoking and well-paced and a wonderfully interesting way to do an historical novel. The movie (THE THIRTEENTH WARRIOR) unfortunately struck me as a mite simplistic but it did a very nice job of putting viking flesh on the narrative's bones so I wasn't sorry I went to see it.

By the way, there are a whole slew of good books out there for those into vikings and historical adventure, including a brand new one by Jeff Janoda called SAGA: A NOVEL OF MEDIEVAL ICELAND which details the events surrounding an intriguing episode in Eyrbyggja Saga (one of the most renowned of the original Norse sagas). It tells the story of a great feud between two chieftains over a little piece of forested land in an Iceland in which wood had become as precious as gold. THE GOLDEN WARRIOR by Hope Muntz (about Harold and William and the struggle for the English throne in the mid-eleventh century) is another. Others worthy of your time include ERIC BRIGHTEYES by H. Rider Haggard, STYRBIORN THE STRONG by E. R. Eddison, and THE LONG SHIPS by Frans Bengtsson. And, if you're still game for more, there's even one I did, THE KING OF VINLAND'S SAGA, a tale of Norsemen in North America circa AD 1050.

SWM
author of The King of Vinland's Saga

Usually I read the book first, then see the movie. Not this time. I was not disappointed.

"The 13th Warrior," movie starring Antonio Bandaras stays very faithful to the book by Michael Crichton. Both are based on a true story taken from the writings of an Arab courtier Ahmad Ibn Fadlan who, back in A.D. 921, was sent by the Caliph of Bagdad to be an ambassador to the King of the Bulgars.

Ibn Fadlan had the bad luck to have caught the eye of a beautiful Arab woman who was the young wife of an old and very rich merchant. The merchant complained to the Caliph and wanted Ibn Fadlan banished to some far off and hostile land. While on his way to his new post, this highly refined, educated Arab poet encounters a band of Viking warriors and gets caught up in a horrific quest traveling to Scandinavia with them to save the people of a remote kingdom from a terrifying enemy. The movie and the book give a wonderful look at the contrasts of these two utterly different cultures. Bandaras delivers a stellar performance as the Arab scholar trying to maintain his dignity under some extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Ibn Fadlan finds the Vikings' crude, vulgar, violent and sometimes blatantly sexual customs and personal habits almost more than he can endure, but he does so with a quiet and sometimes comical dignity that makes him all the more likeable. He comes to respect and even like these giant Northmen, especially their brave leader Buliwyf. Once Ibn Fadlan and the Northmen begin their journey together, the action is almost nonstop.

The book is done in Ibn Fadlan's voice in narrative style. It is a rather matter-of-fact diary of his travels. But don't let that deter you. It is a fascinating read and one of the earliest and most accurate eye-witness accounts of ancient Viking life. The greatest shock comes at the end of the book when we finally get a detailed description of "the Eaters of the Dead." I hope Crichton is planning a sequal about this remarkable and resourceful Arab poet, Ahmad Ibn Fadlan.

Eaters of the dead takes place around 922 A.D. The Caliph of Baghdad sends a court member named Ahmad Ibn Fadlan to deliver a message to the King of Bulgars. During his journey, Fadlan stays at a Viking village. Then a lone warrior comes from the North and tells of a terror that kills the Vikings in the night under the cover of night and the mist. Fadlan is then enlisted to fight this horror, against his will. He protests, but to no avail. He journeys to the North with 12 other warriors to Rothgar's Kingdom and helps to defend it form the attacks by the barbaric mist warriors. Then, the group goes on the offensive to slay the mother.

Ibn Fadlan makes this book more interesting and fun to read because he is the total opposite of the Vikings, with whom he stays. He is apalled by their barbaric customs because he is a civilized Arab and the Norsemen are uncivilized. Throughout the story these contrasts are evident. This book proceeds without talking about one subject for too long. I never got bored and there is never a break in the action. The suspense also never stops. I would definitely recommend this book because it gives a great look into the Viking culture while being very entertaing. You won't be able to put it down. Crichton's writing is very fast paced, so this is a great read on a good subject.

First released in 1976, 'Eaters Of The Dead' was one of my first Michael Crichton books. I have been an avid Crichton fan since that time. Later, in the 1990's, a film was made called 'The 13th Warrior', which remained true to the book and yet added some wonderful flavor and fantastic visuals to a novel I still remembered as terrific. Though based heavily on the rediscovered manuscripts and references of the real Ibn Fadlan, Crichton clearly tells us the book is considered as fiction and was/is marketed as fiction.

Ibn Fadlan was sent away from Bagdad by the Caliph, on the word of a jealous husband who's wife Fadlan had tampered with, to become Ambassador to the King of the Bulgars far to the north. On his journey, he is waylaid by a band of Norsemen and selected to join them on a journey to aid King Rothgar against an unspeakable evil that appears in the cold northern mists.

Traveling with Buliwyf, a man soon to become king of his own court, and a group of twelve hearty Norsemen including the light-hearted Herger who speaks enough Latin to act as translator, Fadlan is taken further north with a band of men the fastidious Arab considers to be unclean barbarians. Fadlan becomes immersed in their savage lifestyles, killing for sport and rutting in public, even gaining some respect for their superstitious ways and bawdy, rugged beliefs.

King Rothgar's lands are being attacked by the Wendol, a Neanderthal-type, cave-dwelling clan who takes the heads of their enemies and eats their flesh. It is up to the thirteen warriors to rid King Rothgar of his dangerous enemies.

'Eaters Of The Dead' is a riveting tale, with enough footnotes and factual base to make it a realistic peek at the ancient Norsemen and a quick, exciting read. When the book was re-released, Crichton added (in 1992) some interesting, factual notes on the Wendol, possible origins of the people described by Ibn Fadlan back in 921 AD.

Buy the book. Buy the movie. 'Eaters Of The Dead' (AKA The 13th Warrior) is the best Viking tale you can find anywhere, in my humble opinion. Enjoy!

Yes people, as I am sure those who read it know allready that this is Michael's retelling of a centuries old story and one of the most important epic poems in the early english language. Why does noone recognize it for what it is instead of some dumb warrior adventure? Within the first 10 seconds of the movie trailer I knew at was Beowulf, and very excited at seeing it receive a film treatment. As a young reader I was fascinated and entranced by the Beowulf tale, and find Michael does a fantastic job selling it from another point of veiw and literary style. I think we all know Michael is a scholar and not a hack writer! He spent a great deal of time researching background so as to create interesting parallels. So please lets at least give him the literary credit that he deseves instead of cheering it as a fantastic adventure on it's own.

Oh, yes I liked the book :)

Eaters of the Dead (now retitled The 13th Warrior) is unlike anything else you'll read by Michael Crichton. This short book is written in the style of an ancient manuscript. It is the journal of Ibn Fadlan, a representative from the Court of the Caliph of Bagdad, who is sent as ambassador to the King of Saqaliba as punishment for his indiscretion with the young wife of a wealthy merchant. Fadlan never reaches his destination. Instead, he meets a group of Viking warriors who take him with them on their heroic mission to rid a Northen Kingdom of the monsters of the mist. Part history, part Beowolf, part Grendel, part Crichton's imagination, this is an interesting story told by a master storyteller. However, it borrows far too much from other stories (like Beowolf and Grendel) and the style (which includes lengthy footnotes in very small print) becomes tiresome after a while. It's an interesting quick read, but it's also far from Crichton's best.

Think of Michael Crichton, and you're likely to think of his more techno-thriller mega-hits (all of which have been made into blockbuster movies), some of which might beg the question of how well he can REALLY write. Ponder no more. EATERS OF THE DEAD is a brilliant tour de force exploring the legend of Beowulf through the eyes of an Arab travelling into Viking lands in the 10th century. Crichton weaves actual historical fact seamlessly with myth and legend to create an "eye witness" account of a ferocious battle between warriors en route to Valhalla and monsters of the mist. This is one of the few books made into a film (released under the title "THE 13TH WARRIOR") where the film actually improves upon what is already a gem of a book. Read the book, then rent the movie. John McTiernan's masterful direction, and the incredibly spooky locations make this tale of superstition and terror a great ride (and it's one of the best performances Antonio Banderas has ever given - he wisely chose to be part of a stellar ensemble cast). Book: A- Movie: A+

Michael Chricton does an unbelievable job making this book read so entertaining, considering the story happened so long ago and was translated many times. Even though there are footnotes throughout the book it still flows smoothly and still makes sense! You will not be disappointed!

One of Michael Crichton's earlier works, this entrancing tale is part history, part mystery, and all-out adventure. A masterful blend of fact, fiction, and opinion, Crichton skillfully recants the story of Ibn Fadlan, an ambassador to the Caliph of Bagdad as he journeys North in A.D. 922. Join Fadlan as he accompanies Buliwyf, a legendary Viking chieftan, on his return home to Scandinavia. Buliwyf and his clan must battle the "Wendol", or "monsters of the mist", who threaten to destroy the Norse homeland. With Eaters of the Dead, Crichton has created an entertaining interpretation of an ancient manuscript, captivating the reader with Ibn's hilarious caricatures of Viking life. True to Crichton form, there is a twist to the tale, resulting in an ending that packs a powerful punch.This books literally contains the "stuff that legends are made of." Read for yourself and find out

If you like short novels, I can't recommend this one enough. I read it in one sitting due to the constant action. Definately worth the cash.