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Lupii mărilor. O scurtă istorie a vikingilor
In AD 793 Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse 'sea-wolves' followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
But there is more to the Viking story than brute force. They were makers of law - the term itself comes from an Old Norse word - and they introduced a novel form of trial by jury to England. They were also sophisticated merchants and explorers who settled Iceland, founded Dublin, and established a trading network that stretched from Baghdad to the coast of North America.
In "The Sea Wolves," Lars Brownworth brings to life this extraordinary Norse world of epic poets, heroes, and travellers through the stories of the great Viking figures. Among others, Leif the Lucky who discovered a new world, Ragnar Lodbrok the scourge of France, Eric Bloodaxe who ruled in York, and the crafty Harald Hardrada illuminate the saga of the Viking age - a time which "has passed away, and grown dark under the cover of night."
But there is more to the Viking story than brute force. They were makers of law - the term itself comes from an Old Norse word - and they introduced a novel form of trial by jury to England. They were also sophisticated merchants and explorers who settled Iceland, founded Dublin, and established a trading network that stretched from Baghdad to the coast of North America.
In "The Sea Wolves," Lars Brownworth brings to life this extraordinary Norse world of epic poets, heroes, and travellers through the stories of the great Viking figures. Among others, Leif the Lucky who discovered a new world, Ragnar Lodbrok the scourge of France, Eric Bloodaxe who ruled in York, and the crafty Harald Hardrada illuminate the saga of the Viking age - a time which "has passed away, and grown dark under the cover of night."
288 pages, Unknown Binding
First published December 6, 2014
956 people are currently reading
5003 people want to read
About the author
Lars Brownworth
20 books206 followersLars Brownworth is an author, speaker and broadcaster based in Maryland, USA.
Mr. Brownworth created the genre-defining 12 Byzantine Rulers podcast, which prompted the New York Times to liken him to some of history's great popularizers. His recent book titled Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, is available in bookstores and online. He answers questions on his Finding History blog, speaks at conferences and is currently working on a new podcast that brings to life the reign of the Normans.
Mr. Brownworth created the genre-defining 12 Byzantine Rulers podcast, which prompted the New York Times to liken him to some of history's great popularizers. His recent book titled Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, is available in bookstores and online. He answers questions on his Finding History blog, speaks at conferences and is currently working on a new podcast that brings to life the reign of the Normans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
April 1, 2021
Well, ever since my better half confirmed his Scandinavian roots through the magic of commercial DNA ancestry testing, we figured we’d explore some Vikings related material. Plus, binging on “The Vikings” TV show - where everyone’s claim to fame seemed to be the status of the son of the ultimate Viking Ragnar Lothbrok — provided a bit more inspiration, and so I got the audio and took the plunge.
And it managed to keep my attention throughout.
It’s really aimed at a casual reader without much background in Vikings history. It’s easily accessible and actually engaging, easily avoiding the pitfalls of sounding too academically boring, and yet provides quite a volume of material and is quite solid yet readable.
Brownworth focuses more on the raids, expeditions and conquests; we get descriptions of voyages and settlements in Iceland and Greenland and Vinland (“The Explorers”); raids in France, Ireland, England and the Holy Roman Empire (“The Raiders”), and get a pretty detailed chapter on the Rus and Viking history in what was ultimately to become Kievan Rus and the relationship with the Byzantine Empire (“The Traders”), as well as the changes that were happening in the Scandinavian countries at that time (“The Homelands”).
It does not go into much detail about actual Viking culture, customs and beliefs — it focuses on the action instead, on the impact that the Vikings have made on European history at that time. And it seems that their constant menace helped shape Europe quite a bit.
It’s a pretty good and certainly engagingly entertaining popular history book, especially if you are a fan of battles and blood, good for a relative newbie in Viking history and is a good stepping stone to addressing things in greater depth. Not a great choice for academicians or those already well-versed in the history of that time and locales - and since I am neither and appreciate accessibility in writing for that exact reason, it was an enjoyable experience for me, and audio was a great choice.
4 stars.
And it managed to keep my attention throughout.
It’s really aimed at a casual reader without much background in Vikings history. It’s easily accessible and actually engaging, easily avoiding the pitfalls of sounding too academically boring, and yet provides quite a volume of material and is quite solid yet readable.
Brownworth focuses more on the raids, expeditions and conquests; we get descriptions of voyages and settlements in Iceland and Greenland and Vinland (“The Explorers”); raids in France, Ireland, England and the Holy Roman Empire (“The Raiders”), and get a pretty detailed chapter on the Rus and Viking history in what was ultimately to become Kievan Rus and the relationship with the Byzantine Empire (“The Traders”), as well as the changes that were happening in the Scandinavian countries at that time (“The Homelands”).
“There was more than brute force to these sea wolves. They were makers of law – the term itself comes from an old Norse word – and they introduced a novel form of trial by jury to England. A century of innovation in shipbuilding climaxed in the great dragon ships, vessels which could cross oceans or sail up fjords and rivers. This technological achievement, one of the brightest of the age, allowed them to establish a sophisticated trading network stretching from Baghdad to the coast of North America.
But perhaps the greatest Viking trait was not their martial or navigational skills, but their remarkable adaptability. They had a genius for absorbing whatever local traditions they encountered, combining them into new, and dynamic forms. In France, these ‘filthiest of God’s creatures’ created the model chivalric state, in Iceland they set up a Republic based on individual rights, and in Russia they became autocratic defenders of Orthodoxy.”
It does not go into much detail about actual Viking culture, customs and beliefs — it focuses on the action instead, on the impact that the Vikings have made on European history at that time. And it seems that their constant menace helped shape Europe quite a bit.
It’s a pretty good and certainly engagingly entertaining popular history book, especially if you are a fan of battles and blood, good for a relative newbie in Viking history and is a good stepping stone to addressing things in greater depth. Not a great choice for academicians or those already well-versed in the history of that time and locales - and since I am neither and appreciate accessibility in writing for that exact reason, it was an enjoyable experience for me, and audio was a great choice.
4 stars.
May 25, 2016
I guess the cover should have been a clue.
There is a saying which is often quoted by historians, "History is written by the victor". That is sometimes true and perhaps most often true when the history happened 1000 years ago. I would add that readers have heard that quotation so often that when reading an historical document they keep it in mind and look for clues that might offer an insight into the perspective of the vanquished.
What we never hear is that history is almost exclusively written by men.
And so we have this book which is all about the battles, the conquests, the massacres and it almost entirely ignores the women, the culture, the every-day life and the hearth.
In the past I've forgiven it, but I'm tired of forgiving it. Anyone who wrote a book about the Vikings but completely ignored their warring ways, their raiding and pillaging would be criticised. And yet a book which deals almost exclusively with the raiding and the pillaging and ignores everything else is for some reason accepted.
Not by me. Not any more.
There is a saying which is often quoted by historians, "History is written by the victor". That is sometimes true and perhaps most often true when the history happened 1000 years ago. I would add that readers have heard that quotation so often that when reading an historical document they keep it in mind and look for clues that might offer an insight into the perspective of the vanquished.
What we never hear is that history is almost exclusively written by men.
And so we have this book which is all about the battles, the conquests, the massacres and it almost entirely ignores the women, the culture, the every-day life and the hearth.
In the past I've forgiven it, but I'm tired of forgiving it. Anyone who wrote a book about the Vikings but completely ignored their warring ways, their raiding and pillaging would be criticised. And yet a book which deals almost exclusively with the raiding and the pillaging and ignores everything else is for some reason accepted.
Not by me. Not any more.
August 3, 2025
Rather than a "history of the Vikings," this felt more like a history of their exploration and conquests, but it did well as an overview of their historical presence. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was engaging and easy to follow. I did notice one or two mistakes that made me wonder if there were others I hadn't noticed (Anne of Kiev was the granddaughter of Vladimir the Great, not his daughter), but I think this is probably a good starting point for people interested in the Vikings. 3.5 stars
Some quotes:
“If she remained married for twenty years - and either partner could dissolve the union at will - she had a legal right to half of the wealth her husband had accumulated.¹² Unlike in the rest of Europe, she could inherit property, divorce her husband, and reclaim her dowry when the marriage ended.”
“As he aged, Gorm began to fear for his favorite son's life. He vowed to kill anyone who threatened Canute's life – or even informed the king of his death. When word reached the court that Canute had actually been killed while attempting to take Dublin, there was an understandable reluctance to go tell the king. Finally, Thyra thought of an ingenious solution. While Gorm was away, she had the throne room hung in black for mourning. When the king returned, he realized immediately what had happened and cried out 'My son is dead!'”
Some quotes:
“If she remained married for twenty years - and either partner could dissolve the union at will - she had a legal right to half of the wealth her husband had accumulated.¹² Unlike in the rest of Europe, she could inherit property, divorce her husband, and reclaim her dowry when the marriage ended.”
“As he aged, Gorm began to fear for his favorite son's life. He vowed to kill anyone who threatened Canute's life – or even informed the king of his death. When word reached the court that Canute had actually been killed while attempting to take Dublin, there was an understandable reluctance to go tell the king. Finally, Thyra thought of an ingenious solution. While Gorm was away, she had the throne room hung in black for mourning. When the king returned, he realized immediately what had happened and cried out 'My son is dead!'”
June 17, 2016
I love to read non-fiction books that, in addition to be accurate and seriously based on facts (i.e. non speculative), are also entertaining and not stiff and dry. This book is cleverly organised, the author presents the story of the Vikings in chronological order but he focuses on a geographical region at the time (e.g. France, England, Ireland, Iceland, etc.). With the scope limited in each chapter, the events in the story flow naturally and the genealogy of the relevant historical figures are easy to follow.
Brownworth includes excerpts from historical documents by chroniclers and biographers, but he also references Norse myths and their sagas. Though they contain much legendary material, the sagas are major historical resources of Viking-age Scandinavia; they also provide amusing anecdotes as a bonus.
The author’s style is engaging, truly bringing history to life. I loved to learn about the adventures of famous Vikings such as Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the boneless, Rollo the walker, Erik the red, Vladimir the great, etc. and women, like Olga of Kiev, were not to be underestimated either, beware of vengeful widows!
This book is accessible and entertaining, a true pleasure to read. If you are curious about this remarkable people and its colourful leaders read this! Highly recommended. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Favourite quotes:
Hastein and Bjorn made themselves such a nuisance in northern France that King Charles the Bald tried to buy him off by handing over control of the city of Chartres. Since the Viking had no use for a city, he sold it to a neighboring count and continued raiding.
Not only was Vladimir a barbarian, but he was a staunch pagan to boot, who had slaughtered his own brother, raped his sister-in-law, and usurped the throne. He already had seven wives and over the years had collected some eight hundred concubines. Even in an emergency, he was not the type to be given a chaste Christian princess. The court – and poor Basil’s sister – may have been outraged, but the emperor was determined to have the extra troops.
The Viking Age is often judged by its impact on other cultures. It’s remembered as a time of destruction – the brutal sacking of monasteries, the ruin of much of Anglo-Saxon England, Ireland, and the Frankish Empire – but there was creation too. Colonies were founded in Iceland and Greenland, a Duchy was created in Normandy, great trading cities like Dublin and York flourished, and Russia gained its first centralized state.
It was the Vikings who exposed the sprawling empire of Charlemagne, revealing fundamental flaws in the organization of that would-be-Roman Empire. As it broke apart under the hammer blows of the Vikings, the survivors were forced to create smaller, more efficient states. Out of the ashes of the Viking assault rose the four great medieval powers of Western Europe: France, England, The Holy Roman Empire, and the kingdom of Sicily.
Brownworth includes excerpts from historical documents by chroniclers and biographers, but he also references Norse myths and their sagas. Though they contain much legendary material, the sagas are major historical resources of Viking-age Scandinavia; they also provide amusing anecdotes as a bonus.
The author’s style is engaging, truly bringing history to life. I loved to learn about the adventures of famous Vikings such as Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the boneless, Rollo the walker, Erik the red, Vladimir the great, etc. and women, like Olga of Kiev, were not to be underestimated either, beware of vengeful widows!
This book is accessible and entertaining, a true pleasure to read. If you are curious about this remarkable people and its colourful leaders read this! Highly recommended. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Favourite quotes:
Hastein and Bjorn made themselves such a nuisance in northern France that King Charles the Bald tried to buy him off by handing over control of the city of Chartres. Since the Viking had no use for a city, he sold it to a neighboring count and continued raiding.
Not only was Vladimir a barbarian, but he was a staunch pagan to boot, who had slaughtered his own brother, raped his sister-in-law, and usurped the throne. He already had seven wives and over the years had collected some eight hundred concubines. Even in an emergency, he was not the type to be given a chaste Christian princess. The court – and poor Basil’s sister – may have been outraged, but the emperor was determined to have the extra troops.
The Viking Age is often judged by its impact on other cultures. It’s remembered as a time of destruction – the brutal sacking of monasteries, the ruin of much of Anglo-Saxon England, Ireland, and the Frankish Empire – but there was creation too. Colonies were founded in Iceland and Greenland, a Duchy was created in Normandy, great trading cities like Dublin and York flourished, and Russia gained its first centralized state.
It was the Vikings who exposed the sprawling empire of Charlemagne, revealing fundamental flaws in the organization of that would-be-Roman Empire. As it broke apart under the hammer blows of the Vikings, the survivors were forced to create smaller, more efficient states. Out of the ashes of the Viking assault rose the four great medieval powers of Western Europe: France, England, The Holy Roman Empire, and the kingdom of Sicily.
June 16, 2015
They didn’t come from any one place but all over Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. And they had no king, at the start. Instead, any man could gather as many followers as he could muster, and then take off for other shores plundering. Meaning to kill, rape, and steal as much as possible. Not a prescription for admiration. And they didn’t have an alphabet (only a few pictographic runes), so they kept no written record at the start. And today there are no Vikings. Long killing spree, then disappearance.
So, how is it that today, they are so widely admired and we have so many things that are traced to them? Okay, nicknaming an NFL team “Vikings” might be obvious. But then there are things like the jury system, the keel, and the spar for sails. Our word “law” comes from one of their words and “Bluetooth” is one of theirs. And one you don’t think of is “Russia.” The Rus were Vikings. Anyway, you get the idea, they aren’t around anymore, yet they’re kind of everywhere if you look for the connections. And the story of how that all played out is fascinating.
The Viking Age stretched from 793 when they sacked the monastery of Lindisfarne on the east coast of England, to 1066 when the Anglo-Saxons defeated Harald Hardrada at the battle of Stamford Bridge. Yet, in a way, even that defeat is overshadowed by the “Normans” – Viking descendants – under William the Conqueror beating the Anglo-Saxons at Hastings later that same year, 1066. In between Lindisfarne and Stamford Bridge, the Vikings warred with and settled into what are today the British Isles, including the Orkneys, Faroes, and Shetlands, Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, the Balkans, Turkey, the Levant, Sicily, Italy, Spain, and North Africa, in addition to warring among themselves throughout their home territories. They became one of the richest entities on earth, forcing tribute of hundreds of thousands of pounds of silver from England alone. They were among the greatest seafarers of all time. But humans don’t gather on the sea, they gather on land. In essence, the Vikings became tied to the land and when they did, they became us. To learn how and why in this book is a thrill.
So, how is it that today, they are so widely admired and we have so many things that are traced to them? Okay, nicknaming an NFL team “Vikings” might be obvious. But then there are things like the jury system, the keel, and the spar for sails. Our word “law” comes from one of their words and “Bluetooth” is one of theirs. And one you don’t think of is “Russia.” The Rus were Vikings. Anyway, you get the idea, they aren’t around anymore, yet they’re kind of everywhere if you look for the connections. And the story of how that all played out is fascinating.
The Viking Age stretched from 793 when they sacked the monastery of Lindisfarne on the east coast of England, to 1066 when the Anglo-Saxons defeated Harald Hardrada at the battle of Stamford Bridge. Yet, in a way, even that defeat is overshadowed by the “Normans” – Viking descendants – under William the Conqueror beating the Anglo-Saxons at Hastings later that same year, 1066. In between Lindisfarne and Stamford Bridge, the Vikings warred with and settled into what are today the British Isles, including the Orkneys, Faroes, and Shetlands, Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, the Balkans, Turkey, the Levant, Sicily, Italy, Spain, and North Africa, in addition to warring among themselves throughout their home territories. They became one of the richest entities on earth, forcing tribute of hundreds of thousands of pounds of silver from England alone. They were among the greatest seafarers of all time. But humans don’t gather on the sea, they gather on land. In essence, the Vikings became tied to the land and when they did, they became us. To learn how and why in this book is a thrill.
August 13, 2021
Last summer I watched the vikings series, it was an awesome show. Then I wanted to know more about the vikings' era so I watched some videos.
But this book was something else, it's so enriching and I really recommend it.
But this book was something else, it's so enriching and I really recommend it.
August 10, 2022
Starting off the new year with a leap into the past. Poetic.
Aside from the enormous slew of names, this was such a great, easy read. It positively zipped by and held my attention the whole time. Joe Barrett was an excellent narrator as well.
Aside from the enormous slew of names, this was such a great, easy read. It positively zipped by and held my attention the whole time. Joe Barrett was an excellent narrator as well.
February 5, 2016
Everything you wanted to know about Vikings. I don't watch The History Channel's "Vikings" show but I know the main character is Ragnar. This book details the life of the the true man, his predecessors, and his descendants. I never knew the geographic extent to which they pillaged, the sums of money given to appease them (another historical example that appeasement never works) and ultimately some legacies they left Europe and the world. It was well done and worthy of a relatively quick read.
July 27, 2017
Excellent book with good references based on historical data. The truth about genuine Ragnar and Rollo conjoined one book :)
March 3, 2025
Vikingii puneau mare preț pe curaj și disprețuiau slăbiciunea. Obiceiul [...] era ca tatăl să așeze sabia în pătuțul nou-născutului și să spună: "Nu-ți voi lăsa bunuri pe care să le moștenești. Vei avea doar ce poți dobândi cu sabia asta." Această atitudine - anume că viața, gloria și bogăția trebuie cucerite - a caracterizat popoarele nordice pe parcursul întregii epoci vikinge. Întrebat cărei credințe se supune, un viking din secolul X a răspuns: "Eu cred doar în propria mea forță."
Ultimele vești despre Rollo ni-l arată luându-și măsuri de precauție în toate direcțiile, în privința vieții de apoi: el a donat 45 de kilograme de Aur Bisericii creștine, dar în același timp a ucis o sută de prizonieri pe altarul zeului Odin
Călugărul normand Dudo de Saint-Quentin l-a descris (pe Hastein) drept "afurisit, încăpățânat, foarte brutal și sever" și, poate temându-se că auditoriul său nu avea să priceapă adevărul fără niște detalii suplimentare, s-a simțit dator să adauge: "distructiv, problematic, sălbatic, feroce, infam, mincinos, obraznic, încrezut și nelegiuit, criminal, bădăran, un trădător răzvrătit, pus pe rele, un ipocrit cu două fețe, păcătos. arogant, seducător și un escroc nesăbuit, desfrânat, de nestăvilit, un pungaș fără rușine". În mod evident, Ragnar alesese foarte bine mentorul fiului său.
Ultimele vești despre Rollo ni-l arată luându-și măsuri de precauție în toate direcțiile, în privința vieții de apoi: el a donat 45 de kilograme de Aur Bisericii creștine, dar în același timp a ucis o sută de prizonieri pe altarul zeului Odin
Călugărul normand Dudo de Saint-Quentin l-a descris (pe Hastein) drept "afurisit, încăpățânat, foarte brutal și sever" și, poate temându-se că auditoriul său nu avea să priceapă adevărul fără niște detalii suplimentare, s-a simțit dator să adauge: "distructiv, problematic, sălbatic, feroce, infam, mincinos, obraznic, încrezut și nelegiuit, criminal, bădăran, un trădător răzvrătit, pus pe rele, un ipocrit cu două fețe, păcătos. arogant, seducător și un escroc nesăbuit, desfrânat, de nestăvilit, un pungaș fără rușine". În mod evident, Ragnar alesese foarte bine mentorul fiului său.
Read
November 19, 2021Very readable. A whiplash quick voyage through several centuries.
February 20, 2016
The book is a really good account of the Viking age and their historical pervasiveness which still influences us today. The style is enjoyable and the history is unfurled in stories about the most influential people of the North who developed ships which enabled them to establish a trade network from Baghdad to North America.
Despite being remembered as bloodthirsty ravagers, as Viking hammer broke up the remains of Charlemagne's empire and shaped first European centralized powers of England, France, Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of Sicily and stroke foundations for today's countries of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - they introduced trial and jury to England, formed law codes and discovered Shetlands, Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and established first European contact with North America.
As Norse legends foretold, the Ragnarok happened, and Christ defeated the Allfather and Thor, by the end of Viking age so pervasively that the cross is prominent on every Norse flag today. The remaining legacy is in names of three weekdays (Wednesday for Odin, Thursday for Thor and Friday for Freya), NASA's Viking probes and the Bluetooth (named by Viking king Harald With-A-Weirdly-Infected-Tooth who unified kingdom of Denmark).
To quote from the Epilogue
Despite being remembered as bloodthirsty ravagers, as Viking hammer broke up the remains of Charlemagne's empire and shaped first European centralized powers of England, France, Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of Sicily and stroke foundations for today's countries of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - they introduced trial and jury to England, formed law codes and discovered Shetlands, Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and established first European contact with North America.
As Norse legends foretold, the Ragnarok happened, and Christ defeated the Allfather and Thor, by the end of Viking age so pervasively that the cross is prominent on every Norse flag today. The remaining legacy is in names of three weekdays (Wednesday for Odin, Thursday for Thor and Friday for Freya), NASA's Viking probes and the Bluetooth (named by Viking king Harald With-A-Weirdly-Infected-Tooth who unified kingdom of Denmark).
To quote from the Epilogue
But perhaps the greatest Viking trait was not their martial or navigational skills, but their remarkable adaptability. They had a genius for absorbing whatever local traditions they encountered, combining them into new, and dynamic forms. In France, these 'filthiest of God's creatures' created the model chivalric state, in Iceland they set up a Republic based on individual rights, and in Russia they became autocratic defenders of Orthodoxy. Where there were no native foundations to build on, the Vikings showed a willingness to experiment, combined with a stubborn practicality. They claimed that Odin himself had advised that "No better burden can a man carry on the road than a store of common sense."
June 24, 2025
imam dojam da je lars projurio kroz tri stoljeća povijesti vikinga i pri tome pao u zamku suhoparnog nabrajanja tko, koga, kada, gdje i zašto. okrznuo se nekih zgodnih detalja i povremeno zasvijetlio humorom, ali s obzirom na provokativnost i gomilu informacija koje su dostupne, nije iskoristio mogućnost objedinjavanja svega u jednu kompaktnu, smislenu i bogatu cjelinu. knjiga je okej kao startna točka koje te može zaintrigirati da istražuješ i dalje, ali ostavlja dojam zbrzane i površno odrađene super zanimljive tematike.
December 1, 2015
If you're looking for an exploration of Viking customs and culture, this probably isn't the book for you. Rather, it explores the profound impact of the Vikings on future history across the entire map of Europe, from Ireland to Russia to Byzantium (yes, you read that correctly--Byzantium). It's rather mindboggling to consider that Harald Hardrada--the Viking invader that the Saxons had to fight off mere weeks before they lost to the Normans (Frenchified Vikings) at Hastings--had previously traveled east and south through nascent Russia (founded by Swedish Vikings) and served as a commander in a special Byzantine imperial guard unit that had been made up of Vikings for generations. The world was not small to the Vikings, who also discovered the Americas centuries before Columbus.
My only real complaint about this book is that it lacks a few extra sentences here and there that could have made it clearer what events were were happening at the same time in the various parts of the widespread area of Viking influence. Perhaps an appendix timeline could have served the same purpose, but it doesn't have one, leaving the reader to try to keep track (something that might have been easier with a paper copy rather the Kindle edition I read).
March 31, 2018
There's some really great information here, and at first, I was really enjoying this one. I previously had read some very flowery renditions of Norse mythology that hadn't sat quite as well with me, so the straightforward, no nonsense approach of this text really appealed to me.
Then it all became a bit textbook heavy and dense, and I started to lose focus. It would probably be best not to attempt to get through this in one sitting, but that's what I did. Now my brain is exhausted, but not in a pleasant way. I have to confess that the longer I read, the less I truly absorbed the information.
I listened to this on audio, which I think helped me stay focused and on track, but there's so much to take in that I sometimes wished I could just see the text. It's definitely more of a research resource, which is actually why I read this. I'm getting ready to dive into some Viking research and thought this would help get my brain in the right mode. I'm hoping I absorbed some useful information so that when my heftier texts arrive, it will be easier for me to read those.
Book 144 read in 2018
Pages: 302
Then it all became a bit textbook heavy and dense, and I started to lose focus. It would probably be best not to attempt to get through this in one sitting, but that's what I did. Now my brain is exhausted, but not in a pleasant way. I have to confess that the longer I read, the less I truly absorbed the information.
I listened to this on audio, which I think helped me stay focused and on track, but there's so much to take in that I sometimes wished I could just see the text. It's definitely more of a research resource, which is actually why I read this. I'm getting ready to dive into some Viking research and thought this would help get my brain in the right mode. I'm hoping I absorbed some useful information so that when my heftier texts arrive, it will be easier for me to read those.
Book 144 read in 2018
Pages: 302
November 28, 2017
Fairly short audio book, and pretty entertaining for a work of nonfiction. It wasn't a dry and boring list of dates and names. It got into the juicy stories while also laying down adequate historical background. Good to hold you over while waiting for the next season of Vikings to air. Ragnar Lothbrok is even mentioned several times. Interesting details regarding Ivar the Boneless. I think the book's idea about why he was called that sounds more realistic than how he's portrayed in the show.
October 16, 2017
This is an engaging book, a very interesting and readable introduction to that savage race of marauders, traders and explorers who made such an indelible mark on European history and the human imagination.
July 7, 2023
I normally avoid books like this: a non-scholarly author, a publisher I haven't heard of, and a lurid title. But I was pleasantly surprised (although some of the previous showed up, like the plethora of typos). There were a number of more scholarly books on the vikings but all of them were much longer and I wanted something about 200 pages long. I appreciated that The Sea Wolves put the vikings in the context of European and Byzantine history, both how they were affected by it and how they affected it. It also never missed the opportunity to tell lurid and possibly apocryphal stories but usually labelled them as such. And it gave some of the context that most of the vikings were not actually spending all their time on raids but instead were farming, fishing, and having a culture that was more orderly and possibly even more feminist than many of the others at the time. But mostly I liked the book because I always encountered the vikings in history books as coming from outside but this presented them from the inside and put their remarkable and discrete period in history in context.
September 27, 2016
The Sea Wolves (2014) by Lars Brownworth is a fairly compact history of the Vikings. The book is broken into sections describing the viking raiders, the explorers, traders and how the viking lands were ruled.
The vikings were an incredible group of people who used their seafaring skills to mount a series of raids against much of coastal Europe. Their plunder was enormous. Surprisingly initially their weapons were fairly small but their hit and run tactics were very effective. The vikings were also staggeringly violent, slaughtering people who they defeated on a regular basis. They also captured and traded slaves. Eventually they improved their weapons, their tactics and began to conquer parts of the British Isles and France. Here they quickly took on many of the local customs. The exploration carried out by the vikings was also remarkable, culminating in their discovery of the Americas.
The vikings also traded extensively across Europe and carried their boats as far as the Middle East. It's truly amazing. As well as this they established a number of states including what would eventually become the Russian state.
The book goes over a lot of ground pretty quickly and the pace makes it a breeze to read. It's really a remarkable story and the impact that the vikings had on Europe as sea raiders is made very clear. Just as the Mongols had a huge effect on the history of Asia the vikings radically altered Europe.
The vikings were an incredible group of people who used their seafaring skills to mount a series of raids against much of coastal Europe. Their plunder was enormous. Surprisingly initially their weapons were fairly small but their hit and run tactics were very effective. The vikings were also staggeringly violent, slaughtering people who they defeated on a regular basis. They also captured and traded slaves. Eventually they improved their weapons, their tactics and began to conquer parts of the British Isles and France. Here they quickly took on many of the local customs. The exploration carried out by the vikings was also remarkable, culminating in their discovery of the Americas.
The vikings also traded extensively across Europe and carried their boats as far as the Middle East. It's truly amazing. As well as this they established a number of states including what would eventually become the Russian state.
The book goes over a lot of ground pretty quickly and the pace makes it a breeze to read. It's really a remarkable story and the impact that the vikings had on Europe as sea raiders is made very clear. Just as the Mongols had a huge effect on the history of Asia the vikings radically altered Europe.
July 7, 2016
The Sea Wolves is a short and entertaining account Viking Age, which spanned a 200 year timeframe from the late 8th century to the mid 11th century. The story begins with the brutal attack at Lindisfarne Abbey on the northeastern coast of England in 793 AD, the event that initiates the beginning of the Viking Age. The book covers how the Scandinavian Vikings raided and/or settled in a vast amount of territory, including most of Continental Europe, the British Isles, Iceland, Greenland, the northeastern coast of North America, and western Asia (present day Turkey). The chapters are for the most part, organized by the regions into which the Vikings raided. The book closes with the story of the last great Viking raider, Harald Hardrada. In the year 1066, commonly considered the end of the Viking Era, Hardrada was slain at the battle of Stamford Bridge in England. If you are interested in getting an overview of the Viking Age, I think this book would be a good place to start.
December 13, 2018
最近幾年我對「諾曼人／維京人時代」產生興趣，是由於看了美國歷史頻道的影集《The Vikings》所引發的。在一般閱讀歐洲史的「軸心」時，講到民族大遷徒、西羅馬滅亡、查理曼的卡洛林王朝後，就進入了「中古黑暗時期」與「十字軍東征」了。但在此間，這群來自於北歐文明圈的「諾曼人／維京人」，似乎就隱而不宣了。由作家「Lars Brownworth」所寫的這部《維京傳奇》和《諾曼風雲》二書，正好填補了我對這方面的知識空洞。但就以此二書來講，我覺得《維京》寫得比《諾曼》好看——雖然《諾曼風雲》因其時代較晚、史料比較完整，但作者愛在《諾曼》一書中夾入太多文化優劣的評論，反而不若《維京傳奇》在閱讀上來得舒服。
歐洲文明在中古之前的發展，似乎都遵循著「移民與衝擊」的模式。姑且不論被後世崇拜的古希臘與古羅馬也是「外來者」，在羅馬帝國的勢力式微之後，各個外來民族也是不斷地進入歐洲的核心，一波接著一波。「文明程度相對較低的」維京人，襲擊劫掠了「文明程度相對較高的」法蘭克與盎格魯撒克遜王朝，殊不知在五百年前，這群「高文明」的祖先們所幹的事，也與五百年後如出一轍；更不用說他們過去都是擁有共通語言宗教與生活的「老鄉」……
本書帶給我不少新知。比如像第一位傳奇的維京英雄「朗納爾」應該來自丹麥（我被影集誤導了……），而且他最後被艾拉國王處以「蛇刑」應該是不可能的（因為英格蘭沒有現成的毒蛇）。另外，愛爾蘭今天的首都「都柏林」的建立，居然還是維京首領「索爾吉斯（Thorgils）」入侵後所建立的據點（令我想到臺南市也是源自於海盜們的建立……）。過去讀俄國史，總會講到從日耳曼地區來的「留里克」幫忙排解當地糾紛，原來這群統治者應該是「維京–芬蘭」的共同入侵結果。
作者提出一個論點，維京人因為部族約束力鬆散，卻可以因為某些具備領袖魅力的興起，而帶起巨大部族人民的能量以進行各方的拓展。但在與各個周邊文明接觸（無論是暴力的劫掠或和平的貿易），累積起龐大的財貨之後，也漸漸開始了「中央集權化」的過程——這正是先前所讀《帖木耳之後》一書的理論︰帝國是人類文明的常態發展。因此，這群來自於斯堪地那維亞的北歐民族，無論是留在老家的、或外出至遠方落腳的，最後也都接受了基督宗教，作為配合其世俗統治的配套精神指導。
值得細續的書。
歐洲文明在中古之前的發展，似乎都遵循著「移民與衝擊」的模式。姑且不論被後世崇拜的古希臘與古羅馬也是「外來者」，在羅馬帝國的勢力式微之後，各個外來民族也是不斷地進入歐洲的核心，一波接著一波。「文明程度相對較低的」維京人，襲擊劫掠了「文明程度相對較高的」法蘭克與盎格魯撒克遜王朝，殊不知在五百年前，這群「高文明」的祖先們所幹的事，也與五百年後如出一轍；更不用說他們過去都是擁有共通語言宗教與生活的「老鄉」……
本書帶給我不少新知。比如像第一位傳奇的維京英雄「朗納爾」應該來自丹麥（我被影集誤導了……），而且他最後被艾拉國王處以「蛇刑」應該是不可能的（因為英格蘭沒有現成的毒蛇）。另外，愛爾蘭今天的首都「都柏林」的建立，居然還是維京首領「索爾吉斯（Thorgils）」入侵後所建立的據點（令我想到臺南市也是源自於海盜們的建立……）。過去讀俄國史，總會講到從日耳曼地區來的「留里克」幫忙排解當地糾紛，原來這群統治者應該是「維京–芬蘭」的共同入侵結果。
作者提出一個論點，維京人因為部族約束力鬆散，卻可以因為某些具備領袖魅力的興起，而帶起巨大部族人民的能量以進行各方的拓展。但在與各個周邊文明接觸（無論是暴力的劫掠或和平的貿易），累積起龐大的財貨之後，也漸漸開始了「中央集權化」的過程——這正是先前所讀《帖木耳之後》一書的理論︰帝國是人類文明的常態發展。因此，這群來自於斯堪地那維亞的北歐民族，無論是留在老家的、或外出至遠方落腳的，最後也都接受了基督宗教，作為配合其世俗統治的配套精神指導。
值得細續的書。
July 22, 2017
Great book about the Vikings. I did not know very much about them at all. I have a Danish ancestor, and my husband has many Danish ancestors. This made the book even more interesting.
I was fascinated to learn about how wide-spread they were throughout the world and that the Danes, Swedes, and Norse all raided different parts of the world. They started out being a group of people with many different leaders, even in their own countries. Their assimilation into a people of landowners with a dominant king was fascinating. It was also fascinating how their conversion to Christianity paralleled and even aided that transformation.
I also couldn't help but see their history of frequent, repeated killing and deposing relatives and anyone else who stood in their way very similar to the Jaredite nations.
I was fascinated to learn about how wide-spread they were throughout the world and that the Danes, Swedes, and Norse all raided different parts of the world. They started out being a group of people with many different leaders, even in their own countries. Their assimilation into a people of landowners with a dominant king was fascinating. It was also fascinating how their conversion to Christianity paralleled and even aided that transformation.
I also couldn't help but see their history of frequent, repeated killing and deposing relatives and anyone else who stood in their way very similar to the Jaredite nations.
January 25, 2015
Lars Brownworth packs a lot of information into this survey of Viking history. The book is only about 250 pages long and covers Viking raids and invasions of Britain, Gaul and Ireland; the explorations that resulted in settlement of Iceland and Greenland; the trading excursions to the east as far as Constantinople. It fits into and fills in the more generally known European history of the time and is quite entertaining.
November 26, 2018
Well researched, well organized, well written. A page turner. This book kept my up past my bedtime on more than one occasion. Finding history that's interesting and engaging is not easy. This title is John McPhee good. I'm looking forward to reading his book on Norman Kings.
July 4, 2021
This is an insightful and well-research history of the Vikings' rise and fall as the most fearsome sea raiders (and explorers) in Europe, the Mediterranean, and North America. The key for me is how the new king/ruler chose Christianity as an ideology to unite the subjects, which was not always effective.
October 9, 2024
A solid overview over several centuries of Viking rules, voyages and conquests. While there are other books delving a lot deeper into culture and mythology, if you're mostly interested in the "action", this is a quick and interesting read.
January 29, 2025
Great overview of the bloody history of the Vikings, and their numerous expeditions and invasions all across Europe and towards the New World. While it could focus a lot more on the culture and daily life of the Vikings, this book still provides a readable and engaging tale of the Vikings' rise and fall. Definitely a good primer to start with before diving in to the nitty-gritty of the Viking history and lore.
July 2, 2016
Review originally published at Book of Bogan
The Sea Wolves is subtitled A History of the Vikings, and is an attempt at covering the influence and reach of a group of figures who have become somewhat mythologised through popular culture and society in general. I guess when we hear the word Vikings, it immediately brings to mind a particular image, and certain assumptions about them, but the truth was much more diverse, and much more interesting.
I suppose one of the most surprising things for me was how short the 'reign' of the vikings was - only a few hundred years - but the impact that they had on Europe, and the rest of the world reaches far beyond that. I learned an incredible amount from this book about just how far the vikings raided, and ranged.
This is not a rose-coloured glasses history of vikings, and does air a lot of their dirty laundry, which makes the story that much more interesting, as the author shatters some of the notions that might exist in the reader.
I would recommend this for anyone with an interest in history in general, and the history of medieval era Europe in particular. The book will entertain and inform.
The Sea Wolves is subtitled A History of the Vikings, and is an attempt at covering the influence and reach of a group of figures who have become somewhat mythologised through popular culture and society in general. I guess when we hear the word Vikings, it immediately brings to mind a particular image, and certain assumptions about them, but the truth was much more diverse, and much more interesting.
I suppose one of the most surprising things for me was how short the 'reign' of the vikings was - only a few hundred years - but the impact that they had on Europe, and the rest of the world reaches far beyond that. I learned an incredible amount from this book about just how far the vikings raided, and ranged.
This is not a rose-coloured glasses history of vikings, and does air a lot of their dirty laundry, which makes the story that much more interesting, as the author shatters some of the notions that might exist in the reader.
I would recommend this for anyone with an interest in history in general, and the history of medieval era Europe in particular. The book will entertain and inform.
September 10, 2015
I listened to this on audiobook, which I think made it easier to get through than if I tried to sit down and read it. This book was a more entertaining way of learning about the Viking Age as the Norse pillaged, conquered, and traded their way across a large portion of the globe. I read this directly after having listened to the Great Courses lectures on The Vikings. This book basically reiterated everything that was in that course, but in a literary form rather than lecture form. There were some small differences in information, but nothing crazy. It is nice to listen to the facts multiple times for them to better sink in though. The biggest difference I remember is the larger amount of information provided in The Sea Wolves about Albert the Great, which I appreciated. He was a very interesting character, and this book made me want to learn more about him individually.
So basically, if you've listened to the Great Course on The Vikings then you've already learned most of the information in this book. If you haven't, want the information, but don't like lectures, then this is the book for you. All in all, a good read.
So basically, if you've listened to the Great Course on The Vikings then you've already learned most of the information in this book. If you haven't, want the information, but don't like lectures, then this is the book for you. All in all, a good read.
August 30, 2016
This is mostly a military/political history of the Vikings. It has solid information on the vikings' explorations and conquests, their reach of Constantinople, Greenland and Newfoundland, as well as how they relate with subsequent civilizations, such as the Russians.
It offers enough information for the amateur history buff without losing itself into unnecessary details. As the "Sea Wolves" title suggests, this is mostly about the viking military history and less about their daily lives, culture or mythology.
I do want to mention that I disagree with other reviewers who are wrongly suggesting that there is no focus on viking women. Considering they were a medieval people, there are more than a few mentions of women who lead during those times, such as Olga of Kiev or Aud the Deep-Minded.
It offers enough information for the amateur history buff without losing itself into unnecessary details. As the "Sea Wolves" title suggests, this is mostly about the viking military history and less about their daily lives, culture or mythology.
I do want to mention that I disagree with other reviewers who are wrongly suggesting that there is no focus on viking women. Considering they were a medieval people, there are more than a few mentions of women who lead during those times, such as Olga of Kiev or Aud the Deep-Minded.
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