The author’s stated purpose was to reveal how the Vikings viewed themselves when all history has to rely on is written accounts of Viking raids. He begins his story with a timeline for the Viking era: 750-1066 A.D. There are many unanswered questions about Vikings and how did they measure time, where did women go when they died, why was so much silver left in the ground? “They were a warlike people in conflicted times, not to be seen as heroic.” There are three parts to the book: 1) 500 -600 AD homelife 2) 700-900 AD raiding 3) 950-105 AD settlements in Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia as we know it. Each Viking had four shapes: Hamr (a visible outside shape), a hugr (an essence), a hamingja (your luck), a fulgja (a female spirit of your family ancestors.) “Much of the Viking world was built, underpinned, and maintained by the enslaved for slavery was a central pillar of their society.” The author tells us not to forget that behind the intricate, specialized and fascinating societies, they must face the truth that Vikings acknowledged and bragged about their slaughter wolves (waelwolfs). The author states political events, economic forces, market forces, demographics, ideologies all were contributory to Viking raids. The author was quite clear that there was bloodthirsty violence in all forms in Viking society. Having said all that, and being well aware that this era was not one to be romanticized, it is still possible to enjoy this book for the depth of knowledge the author brings to it. I kept a notebook at hand while reading the book to jot down all the fascinating references (to look up on the internet) the author made to hoards discovered, rune stones raised, mass graves dug up in Estonia and England, and skeletons from chambered tombs in known Viking settlements. While reading this book, a bonus happened along; the TV series Viking Quest: America was on featuring Draken Harald Hårfagre, the world’s largest Viking ship built in modern times and featured on the TV series Viking Quest: America. It’s a fabulous read. ( )

What a great book that covers the comprehensive history of Vikings. Some parts I'm not going to be were really dense. But some great information inside. There's bound to be something that will appeal to everyone. I appreciated that the author Neil Price took the time to explain that most knowledge we have of the Vikings came from their enemies like England and France. The author is an archeologist who has studied Vikings for twenty years and it’s easy to see he knows what he’s talking about. He does of course talk about Norse mythology and how that tied into their way of life as well and how brutal and savage the Vikings really well. ( )

What a great book that covers the comprehensive history of Vikings. Some parts I'm not going to be were really dense. But some great information inside. There's bound to be something that will appeal to everyone. I appreciated that the author Neil Price took the time to explain that most knowledge we have of the Vikings came from their enemies like England and France. The author is an archeologist who has studied Vikings for twenty years and it’s easy to see he knows what he’s talking about. He does of course talk about Norse mythology and how that tied into their way of life as well and how brutal and savage the Vikings really well. ( )

I really enjoyed how the author used myth to start and end this book. That was very well done. The rest of the book is certainly comprehensive, which it may have to be for the subject, but read at times like a textbook and bored me. I suppose you could say it was filled with too much information for my tastes. I will say that I did enjoy the author’s dry wit in places and some of the stories he related were interesting. Yet while I’m glad I read this to learn more about the Vikings than I ever cared to, I doubt I’ll ever read this again. ( )

I really enjoyed how the author used myth to start and end this book. That was very well done. The rest of the book is certainly comprehensive, which it may have to be for the subject, but read at times like a textbook and bored me. I suppose you could say it was filled with too much information for my tastes. I will say that I did enjoy the author’s dry wit in places and some of the stories he related were interesting. Yet while I’m glad I read this to learn more about the Vikings than I ever cared to, I doubt I’ll ever read this again. ( )