Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton
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Book Reviews of Eaters of the Dead
Book Review: boykee
Summary: 4 Stars
After finding out that the film "the 13th warrior" was based on this book I decided to read it and I would have to say that it's far better than the book. read and I finished pretty The story is about an Arab named Ibn Fadlan who has to join a group of Vikings and fight an ancient evil which is bothering a small kingdom. Through the eyes of Ibn you learn about the Viking way of life and how they differ from the Arabs. This story is supposed to be the actual events that lead to the mythic story of Beowulf which is a lot more obvious in the book than in the film version.
The book isn't long and I was able to get through it quickly and there are a bunch of footnotes through the book which I thought was a nice touch and made it seem more like an authentic manuscript than a made up story. There is also an introduction about how people view the Vikings and at the end of the story the author tell what inspired him to write this book. If you like the movie, Beowulf or Viking stuff in general then I would recommend this book to you.
Book Review: Beowulf Reimagined -- A Fascinating Thought Exercise
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this book a fascinating re-imagining of the Beowulf story by a master storyteller who blends fact, fiction, and myth into a highly readable and entertaining package.
The first three chapters, as some have noted, is real and recounts the Caliph messenger Fadlan's journey in the 900s. The second part of the book is a wild re-imagining of the Beowulf saga as seen through the eyes and journal of the Arab messenger.
As Crichton has subsequently said, he included rather pedantic footnotes throughout the text, to give credibility to the historical nature of the text that was "uncovered" which to me work wonderfully and are highly inventive.
I found Fadlan's reactions and understated sense of humor and powerful observations to be very compelling, particularly the way he notes flatly some of the incredible fights and adventures he winds up participating in.
In sum, the book is a disciplined writer's exercise, a quirky one-off but one that in my mind was an unexpected success.
Book Review: A Fabulous Premise
Summary: 4 Stars
Michael Crichton has created his best premise ever in this historical novel. The true-to-life manuscript of an Arab traveling to Viking territory a thousand years ago is just the scaffolding. The Arab is a device, showing us through his modern eyes just how strange, and also how compelling, Viking mores were to a civilized European. But that's just the means into the real story.
The payoff is the second half of the story. Crichton imagines the meeting, in fairly recent historical time, between Homo Sapiens and the last enclave of surviving Neaderthals. Anthropologists can't locate any Neanderthal remains later than 22,000 years ago, but it's possible that Neanderthals still lived in remote corners of the world into historical times. What would a meeting between us and them have seemed to us?
Like all of Crichton's books, the premise is better than the execution. But the tale is good enough to win me over completely.
Book Review: Something borrowed, something new
Summary: 4 Stars
Michael Crichton started with the barebones of a 10th Century manuscript and created a fascinating story. He borrowed elements of Beowulf, the Seven Samurai warriors (Magnificent Seven)and evolving anthropology/genetic science in his story. In the introduction he tells us how he came to write the book on a dare by a friend, and elaborates on his research. I found all of this as interesting as the story itself.
The movie The 13th Warrior was poorly reviewed and poorly received by viewers, but the book despite the gruesome title is worth the read...but be prepared for the randy lifestyle of the Northmen.
Other reviewers have summarized the story itself. What we rarely get to learn is how well known writers come to create the stories they do. This book enlightens.
Book Review: Not your typical Michael Chrichton
Summary: 4 Stars
This story is written as though it were a manuscript by Ibn Fadlan, an Arab sent by his Caliph as an ambassador to the Bulgars in 921 A.D. He ends up unwittingly recruited as one of 13 warriors headed to help the vikings of the far north. What they find there, however, is far worse that what he had set out for.
I was fascinated by his account of the life of a viking. Namely their crudeness, uncleanliness, and their bizaar outlook on death. I was also impressed by their devotion and heroism toward their countrymen. This book was written as if it were a true account. Although I am skeptical of its authenticity, I found myself wanting to believe that it was true.