The Vikings

by René Chartrand, Keith Durham, Mark Harrison

The history of the Vikings is bloody and eventful, and Viking warriors continue to capture the popular imagination to this day. Their adventurous spirit saw them look far beyond their own borders, and the iconic Viking longship allowed them to navigate their way through the most treacherous waters. Viking raids reached from Norway to North Africa, but it was not just destruction they left in their wake. They also made history, establishing the dukedom of Normandy, providing the Byzantine Emperors' bodyguards, and landing on the shores of America 500 years before Columbus.

Gain a greater understanding of the Viking way of life through the authors' detailed analysis, complete with studies of the Hersir, the raiding warrior of the Viking world, and the legendary Viking longship, all beautifully illustrated with original artwork.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Reference, Ancient History, Medieval History, European History

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Uhtred · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful book on the history of the Vikings was written by 4 distinguished scholars and therefore precise and accurate historical references abound. It is a fairly thorough book even if, in order to be not too long and heavy, it necessarily had to be shortened. However, at the end of the book there is a complete glossary and above all a very long bibliographic list, so that if a reader wants to deepen the topics, he is spoiled for choice. However, the book is very complete and all the aspects that characterized the Vikings and their culture are described and explained: it is therefore treated their society, their religion, their weapons, their ships, their jewels, their naval explorations and obviously also their raids and the terror they brought. But there is also treated the importance of the commercial and cultural exchanges that their travels have inaugurated and also their landing on the American continent 500 years before Columbus, not to mention their creation of the Althing, the first true parliament in history. The book is accompanied by photographs, drawings and maps, so that the reader can have a complete view of the subject and perhaps can go and see live the places and the objects that are mentioned in the book. Four stars well deserved.

[Alex (Spells & Spaceships) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember that a 3 star review isn't a bad one!

This is a decent book on the Vikings that will give you an above average knowledge in an easy to read format.

There just feels a lack of a voice or personality - it is pretty much a book full of facts, like you'd find in a school textbook. The book itself is really nice to have in a collection. Great design, quality and photographs. It just feels a little dry after reading past halfway, as if you are studying rather than reading for pleasure.

It's definitely the type of book I'd buy in a museum gift shop and flick through on the way home, or refer to if I wanted to remind myself about certain aspects. It's just not particularly strong in any one area. It's formal but it's not in depth, it's short but it's not particularly sharp or fun. If you want it for a collection or an introduction to Vikings in an academically styled way, without reading a full history book, if would be a good choice. Otherwise there are either more fun, or more in depth choices.

[Lokinda Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Мне было интересно....разглядывать картинки. И всё. Книга для любителей покопаться в истории и для кораблестроителей. Для меня - чудесное снотворное. Гранд мерси. Но нет, не понравилось сие чтиво.

[Max Jelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOOOOM I'm a viking expert now 🌚🌝

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cool. Filled to the brim with dimensions of each individual ship, but that’s okay. Quick little read to get me back on track. I’ll put this with the rest of my Viking/Norse things.

[Joe White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is more of an index into the Viking world. It is segmented into the major activities for which the culture is known. The final segment covered some of the more famous boat types. The best aspect of the book is that it was filled with photographs of either genuine archaeological remains or had plates depicting events described in sagas.

The historical segment felt more of an index to be further investigated, or perhaps a brief run through of nearly all known facts by time period, with reference links for further investigation. For example, the Icelandic sagas and Greenland expeditions have entire full length detailed investigations written about them, but are just mentioned here in their respective time periods. In that respect, the lack of historical investigative depth here allows a novice reader to maintain an interest and get a fact filled broad overview. This might be a good text for an introductory class into Viking history including the wars and battles in Ireland, England, Russia, and down to Constantinople, as well as the limited Icelandic and North American mentions. The text covers historical character references, clothing, some behaviours, housing, military organization, and weapons, and some goods manufacturing.

I am giving it 4 stars because though brief, it is well organized, and appears to be well supported by a good body of facts.

[Tiina · Rating 3 out of 5]

See on nüüd küll väga vana võlg. Ent jaanuaris ei olnud ma sugugi kindel, kas mul õnnestub seda ajalooväljakutset teha, sest kust ma leian sobivad raamatud? Siis plaanisin viikingiteemasse ühte raamatut, mis pole veel minuni jõudnud, sest tuli pandeemia ja rahvusvaheline post on kohati hiiglaslik müsteerium. Siis otsustasin aga igal juhul ette võetud väljakutsed läbi teha - jäänud on ju veel nii vähe (ajalukku nüüd 3, ulme miniväljakutsesse üks ja põhiväljakutsesse 1+1 teemat) ja terve detsember on ju veel ees. がんばりましょう！- nagu hõiskab mu (mitteametlik) ergutustiim, kes on 100% põhjus miks mu lugemisaasta on see kord nii edukas olnud.

Aga viikingid... See raamat ei kuulu kindlasti mu lemmikute hulka, kuigi fotod leidudest ja illustratsioonid olid väga nauditavad. Ma pole kunagi olnud suur sõber ajalooga, nii et mulle on kõige armsamad just lastele kirjutatud ajalooraamatud. Neid sai ikka suurest uudishimust ja vaimustusest lapsena loetud. See vaimustus ei ole aga nö suurte inimeste raamatutele päris üle kandunud. Muidugi oli huvitav teada saada viikingite tegemistest ja eluolust, teadmistest ja nende ajaloost. Sain natuke targemaks. Aga samal ajal lugesin ma lehekülgi, et näha kui palju mul on veel jäänud ja lõpuks hakkas see mulle närvidele käima. Tahaks vahel, et mul oleks võime aju välja lülitada ja keskenduda täielikult ka nendele raamatutele, mis nii väga ei meeldi, aga mille olen eesmärgiga ette võtnud!

[Miku Huttunen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirja lähti matkaan Keflavíkin lentokentältä, odotellessani lentoani takaisin Suomeen. Viisi kuukautta kestänyt Islannin matkani oli tulossa päätökseensä ja viime hetkellä aloin ajatella, että jokin matkamuisto tästäkin seikkailusta pitäisi saada kirjahyllyyn. The Vikings -kirja näytti turvalliselta valinnalta, sillä historiaa ei voi koskaan lukea liikaa.

Kirjassa käytiin läpi viikinkien elämää ja kulttuuria melko monipuolisesti, mutta pinnallisesti. Enimmäkseen kirjassa käsiteltiin viikinkejä heidän sotiin ja taisteluihin liittyvän materiaalin valossa, mutta jonkin verran kerrottiin myös heidän merimatkoista ja laivoista. Olisin itse toivonut enemmän materiaalia muustakin kuin vain taistelemisesta ja soturielämästä, esimerkiksi ihan tavallisesta elämästä viikinkiaikaisessa kylässä ja viikinkien kulttuurista. Sitäkin kirjasta löytyi, mutta harmillisen vähän.

Kirjan kuvitus on suurimmilta osin ihan hyvää, vain kaksi valokuvaa oli oikeasti huonolaatuinen. Kuvitukset olivat taitavasti toteutettuja, etenkin Angus Mcbriden tekemät kuvitukset olivat mahtavia!

[Walter Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a descendant of the Norse people, and a sea-faring man, I am in love with the sagas of their explorations. This book, and a trip to Roskilde, Denmark did much to whet my appetite for the Viking lifestyle and ship-building skills. I think it might require the accompaniment of a nautical dictionary to help understand some of the language, but if you have an interest in sailing in the middle-ages, this book explains how the Vikings were the best seafarers and boat builders for hundreds of years.

[Kitty]

asi ei ole ilmselgelt ei selles raamatus (lappasin läbi kümmekond viikingiraamatut ja nad on kõik ühesugused) ega viikingites, vaid minus, aga ma ei suutnud end neist kirve-, laeva- ja lahingukirjeldustest läbi närida :( jään ootama hetke elus, mil mul neid teadmisi vaja läheks ja kahetsen, et ei hankinud.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Viking culture and history.

[Adam McPhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good but I think it's just the Osprey books on the viking hersir and longships put together, which is fine but I just read them recently. Still lots of great info on vikings.

[Denise Hancock · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s probably great for military historians but not appealing to me in the majority of the text. I wanted a broader history of culture.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read albeit very general overview book about Viking life and culture

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read too much like a history textbook. But the pictures were fun, and it was still interesting.

[MrKillick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schön gemachtes Buch mit tollen Illustrationen​.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I finished reading and it was 7/10 - the last part about ships was rather boring for me 🌚
Otherwise, the book is nice and easy to read.

[Tony Santo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an impulse buy on the sale table at B & N. It came in handy for me as I was creating a lot of drawings of Vikings inspired by my work on History Channel's Vikings series. I learned a great deal more about Vikings than I had known - which wasn't much.
I found the origins of the Vikings interesting as well as vague. At least the depth of detail given here was minimal - my guess it is written for the novelty reader like myself. Perhaps we just don't know enough about this ancient society to articulate further but what is written seems a good intro into Viking History.
I especially liked the chapter on boat building - I hadn't realized many Viking ships had oars on one side only. The sailors must have been rugged beyond belief. It was also refreshing to come across characters portrayed in the Vikings TV series as historically documented people, however briefly mentioned. Ragnar actually lived, as did Ivar the Boneless. The biggest hoot are that Vikings didn't wear those oft-portrayed horned helmets like Haggar the Horrible, and they didn't refer to themselves as "Vikings" as they do occasionally in the History Channel Vikings and other live action depictions. To hear a screen character shout "I am Viking! I long for Valhalla!" will always make me laugh forever more.
Great reproductions of artifacts, tapestries, weapons, boats along with artsy photos of boat reproductions blend perfectly with new illustrations of Viking scenarios to give the reader an insightful summation of History and speculation. I am sure this nifty book is a great start in my Viking research.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good overview of Viking history from their earliest raids to their later conversions to Christianity. Lots of good illustrations, photos and maps. Got this as a Christmas present along with the History Channel's Vikings" series on DVD. Reading it before viewing the series helped give a better understanding of the Viking worldview. People with such a strange and seemingly contradictory mix, simultaneously artistic and brutal; ruthless, yet surprisingly democratic, merchants as well as pirates.
Biggest surprises: the high status of Viking women (a rarity in their time period) and the amount of fighting that the Scandinavians (modern Norwegians, Swedes and Finns) did amongst themselves.

[Wolf Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is concisely written, but not over complicated. It crams in a lot of information, along with pictures, into a flowing historical book. Better as a solid read rather than a reference book. Worth the money.

[Kjǫlsigʀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely overview of pre-Christian Europe's last great flowering of discovery and adventure for our own sake rather than for spreading the spiritual parasite, all accompanied with gorgeous illustrations in full colour.

[Mike Kriesel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating historical look at the Viking culture.

[Randy P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun overview of Viking society. Great illustrations and pictures as well.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book just for its drawings and photographs. The text and description is easy to understand and not too detailed.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and well written.