The Warrior's Way: England in the Viking Age

by Stephen Pollington

Beginning with the events of the Battle of Maldon, a survey of England and its people in the years before the Norman conquest outlines the Anglo-Saxon world view and the influence and contributions of the Vikings

Genres: History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I AM UHTRED, SON OF UHTRED'! For anyone who was watched the Netflix series 'The Last Kingdom' those words by Alexander Dreymon will resonate! I knew next to nothing about the Vikings (referred to as the Danes in the show) role in history of England when I started the 5-season series but near the end of watching I found this book at the library book sale, had to have it! Of course the Last Kingdom is itself based on a book series by Bernard Cornwell, but never read those or even saw them around. I did read much of the Richard Sharpe series by Cornwell based on the Napoleonic Wars so I knew he had a solid reputation for attempting at least historical plausibility in his novels (while still telling a rousing story!).

Anyway, 'The Warriors Way: England in the Viking Age' by Stephen Pollington was real diamond in the rough. The book may seem a bit dated (1989) but Pollington later became an expert in Anglo-Saxon England and the Old English language with something like a dozen books published. He apparently learned Old English as part of preparation for this book, which has extensive linguistic references and information. The book covers many other subjects including history, social conditions and development, art, linguistics, military weaponry and practice, transport, coinage and taxation, etc. I guess it is a bit dry and esoteric at times but mainly quite interesting. One of the chapter he deciphers and interprets line-by-line a very rare Anglo-Saxon poem (only a fragment, 325 lines) written around the 10th century about the Battle of Madon in 991 AD fought in southeast England (Essex) between Norse raiders and English troops under the ealdorman Byrhtnoth. Interestingly, the great J.R.R. Tolkein wrote an essay about this poem in the 1950s and Pollington actually takes issue with his interpretation. Tolkein seems to have drawn on Anglo-Saxon myth and language in his famous books. It was fun to read about the kingdoms of and towns, Mercia, Wessex, Northumbria and some of the main characters from the show, Alfred the Great, Edward, Aethelfled, Aethelstan, Æthelred, all those A and E names! For a fairly short 'oversize' book with many interesting pictures, drawings, maps, chronology, appendices and bibliography this as fine an introduction to life in Anglo-Saxon England during the time of the Vikings as one might reasonably find.

'DESTINY IS ALL!' (Uhtred fans know!)

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good general history of Anglo-Saxon England with an emphasis on the warrior culture of both the English and the invading Vikings. Pollington is the best writer that I can think of on anything to do with the Anglo-Saxon warrior or the old English culture. Other books he has written, The English Warrior, The Mead Hall and Leechcraft are amazing works. This one is not as good as those but is still one to read.