Eaters of the Dead

EATERS OF THE DEAD is an interesting historical novel that takes place in 922 A.D., during the time of the Vikings. Michael Crichton uses this time period to essentially retell the story of BEOWULF, which he felt was too boring and tedious for modern audiences. The story involves a small band of Vikings that journey northward to attack a group of monsters (whose true identity is revealed at the end of the book).

This book is actually pretty interesting, but it's told in rather dry, old-fashioned prose. None of the characters really come to life -- the book reads more like an academic text than a real novel. There is a lot of historical detail in EATERS OF THE DEAD that has little to do with the story, but gives the reader some insight into the realities of life in the tenth century. If this sounds appealing to you, then this book may be worth purchasing.

An enjoyable book, but definitely not Crichton's best. I recommend SPHERE instead.

OK, this is a fun read, but Crichton is less than forthcoming about this version of the Beowulf saga.
If the author really means to provide readers with a trail into literature so they can, at their discretion, make up their own minds about the veracity of Ibn Fadlan's tale, then he should be as diligent to note its amazing similarities to the Beowulf cycle of stories as he is to cite the provenance of old manuscripts or Arabic text translations. Lots of good reading mixes myth and history to make a fictional tale, but the citations that are supposed to help readers understand the tale are very selective by omission of details from the BEOWULF epic.
This selective use of citations of ancient manuscripts is why I gave it two stars. I like a rangy yarn as well as the next person, but I do not care to have an author use pseudo-scholarly methods as "authentication." Also, my copy is dated 1976 and there is some really great material about Neanderthalers (including two analyzed samples of their mitochondrial DNA) that has been published since. You might also want to check out paleoclimate data (this story occurs just before the Little Ice Age) and have a good atlas at hand. Crichton does provide helpful geographic information.
If you are not of an historical inclination, this is an enjoyable adventure yarn.

What I found so interesting about this account, is what it reveals about what we don't know, as well as what we do know about the vikings and their times. While Crichton's transcription is at times slow paced, it is important to remember who and what his source was; an Arab intelligence agent reporting everything he saw and experienced for his leadership in Baghdad. The most significant and unusual part of the account itself regards the 'monsters of the mist' and who (or what) they may have been. No good explanations come to mind, with one possible exception. Neanderthals! The idea that there may have been some survivals in isolated areas has recently resurfaced in such places as Mongolia and China.....perhaps the Fadlan account indicates some others!

My book starts in Europe in the country of Turkey. Ibn Fadlan is a nobel who is traveling with 6 warriors to a kindom in another country. On the way they are stopped at a Northmen encampment. They are forced to stay for the funeral of their beloved leader. After that is over one of the six warriors is forced to travel with them to a country on the far eastern side of the Mediteranian Sea. They get there & try to come up with a plan to kill the monster of the mist. I think it could have been writen a little better, but under the conditions of it I think it was writen pretty well. It is a very interesting book. It takes you back to the year of 922 A.D. It has not the best, but pretty good grammer. I also like it because it has a lot of action in it.

I read this novel a long time ago (it was first published in 1976) and reread it after watching 'The Thirteenth Warrior' in 2003.

Michael Crichton says he wrote it on a bet that he could make an entertaining story out of 'Beowulf'. From my perspective, he has certainly written a book that will be more accessible to most modern readers than 'Beowulf'. The assessment of entertainment value is best left to the individual reader: I am one who enjoyed it immensely.

The book is set in A.D. 922. A refined Arab courtier, representative of the powerful Caliph of Bagdad, encounters a party of Viking warriors who are journeying to the barbaric North. He is asked to travel with them ...

This is probably not a novel for the faint of heart or for those rendered queasy by bloodthirsty description. On the other hand, it's a good read and different in many ways from some of Dr Crichton's later work.

Recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

There is a definite connection between all of Crichton's works, that is how he portrays his fiction mingled in truth. The spine of the book says that it is fiction, but once one has read it, it is very hard to determine what could possibly be fiction. This is what is so interesting about the 13th warrior. In this book, an arab named Ibn Faladan joins up with a goup of northmen, whom take him on a journey to assist another king in defeating its menace. These creatures which vex the king are ape-like. In this tale, based upon the story of Beowulf, one gets a great sense of the culture of the vikings. Also, it of course has a great plot full of battles and action. So therefore, one is reading about a great masterpiece, Beowulf, while learning about the vikings!

Eaters of the Dead is a retelling of the classic Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. Michael Crichton succeeds in presenting this story in a new and interesting way. Told from the perspective of an Arab who ends up joining Beowulf's party to hunt the terrifying monster who has been ravaging the Norse, this tale offers a captivating perspective. It certainly would help to be at least moderately familiar with the classic Beowulf before reading this; at the least, it will help you to better appreciate it. This story is evidently based on an actual account by the Arab ibn Fadlan; it is difficult to determine where the factual ends and the fictional begins. This is high on my list of "favorite books to curl up with on chilly winter nights."

This book had a lot of interesting information and some vivid descriptions. Unfortunately, the way it was presented made a lot of it seem boring. If it had flowed in a more interesting way, I could have easily given the book 5 stars.
It is difficult to determine what is fact and what is fantasy. Even with the extensive footnotes it is sometimes hard to understand. Someone familiar with Gary Jennings and especially Raptor can see what might have been with Crichton's novel.
The book has its moments though, such as when the narrator explains that as long as you realize that you should be observing a Moslem custom, you are not violating any Moslem rules by not actually observing them. Also, you feel some compassion with the narrator when he cannot pray to Allah because the Norsemen would take offense to it and when he is forced to join the Norsemen because the lucky 13th member of their party must be a foreigner.
The funeral for the king was extremely interesting, with the slave girl volunteering to be killed with the dead king.
All in all I think this could have been a book of epic proportions had a better and more flowing writing style been employed.

Fascinating. According to the author's "factual note" at the end, the first three chapters of this book are indeed the manuscript of Ibn Fadlan, relating his experiences with the Northmen in A.D. 922. The tale that's spun from this beginning is fiction, but Crichton manages to mimic Fadlan's style so well that I found the transition seamless.

Who might the "wendol" of Northern legend have been, in truth? Crichton bases his story on one theoretical answer to that question. This richly detailed little book (compared to the lengths of his later works) took me along on Ibn Fadlan's adventure, and made me believe it real for as long as I stayed immersed. That's the best compliment I can give to any author.

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.

"The 13th Warrior" recounts the adventures of a 10th-century Arab on his journey to Northern Europe with a band of "Northmen." At first he regards them as uncouth, but gradually comes to appreciate some (not all) aspects of their culture. The narrative ends with a description of the final battle between the Northmen and a group of extremely savage people or almost-people called the Wendol, which is basically the story of Beowulf retold from a new perspective.

This is one of Crichton's shorter novels, barely more than a novella, but it seems about the right length for the story it tells. Too many authors pad out their stories with extraneous material just to create the impression that they're giving you more than they really are. All in all, a good read if you enjoy historical adventures and don't mind a deliberately dry writing style.

"Eaters of the Dead" is about a 10th Century Arab Muslim named Ibn Fadlan, who goes on a mission to deliver a message up in the northlands by the King of Saqaliba from the "City of Peace." Fadlan gets sidetracked and finds himself among a bunch of Vikings. He observes the Viking way of life and finds much of it offensive, because it goes against his beliefs. Fadlan and the Vikings go around the northland on adventures. They come to a city and protect the village from the "Mist Creatures" who tear off people's heads and take them away.
This is an excellent book which shows what culture shock would be for a 10th Century Muslim in the "Barbaric" northland. I highly recommend this and I give it five stars.

An Arab ambassador finds himself shanghaied into service with a band of Viking warriors on a mission to confront the "monsters of the mist" that have been terrorizing the villages of northern Scandinavia in an adventure set 1,000 years in the past. Michael Crichton has produced an exciting pastiche of historical narrative combining documents written by an actual Arab traveler with his own imaginative speculations on the origins of the epic poem Beowulf. Disregard the reviewers who found this novel boring. There are not very many conversations, so I suppose they were put off by having to read so many paragraphs of five lines or more. This is a brutal, fast-moving story and a quick read.

Crichton's simple but charming and action-packed retelling of Beowulf is a first-rate light read in many respects. The characters are well drawn, the more barbaric aspects of primitive life are not flinched from, and though some found them tedious I must admit that I enjoyed the 'scholarly' material in the introduction, footnotes, and appendix. The handling of the 'dragon' was a nice touch.
The fault that prevents this book from getting five stars from me, though, is that the climax is rather underwritten. After all the difficulties, terrors, and carnage inflicted by the mist-monsters it seems that the final confrontation is over too quickly.
Other than that, this is a fun little book.

In the afterword, Michael Crichton writes that this novel arose out of a dare - that anyone could, and would willingly immerse themselves in the world of Beowulf. The novel wrestles with two very intriguing ideas. First that Beowulf was based on actual events (and he actually mentions Heinrich Schliemann, who believed the Iliad was true, and thus helped prove Troy's existence). The second, that the battles described in Beowulf were actually battles between the Cro-Magnon Vikings and a tribe of Neanderthals. To tell his story, he has as his narrator and hero Ibn Fadlan, an Arab traveller who had journeyed among the Vikings in Russia in 921 A.D. He uses the extant writings of Ibn Fadlan to begin the story and describe Viking life, even though he lived at a later time then when Beowulf originated. And all of this would make for some interesting, if rather dry, reading but for one thing: Crichton can write. He lays out a story-line that is both economical and compelling. He says that the first three chapters are rewritten from Ibn Fadlan's manuscript, but for this clue, one could not easily discern where Ibn Fadlan ends and where Crichton begins.

Eaters of the Dead, as I've said, is my second favorite book ever! I first saw this book when it had a skull and a viking helmet on the cover and I thought it looked awesome, I had read a couple of Crichton books before at that time and liked them and so I bought the book. I sat down and started reading and I was entranced at the detail and writing style of this book. At first I thought it was real because it read like a real Manuscript written in A.D. 922! But then I realized that Crichton did that on purpose so it would scare you and keep you hooked. I've read this book three times now and it never loses its magic, and the movie was good too (although it should have been longer.) This is a must-read!

This is not your typical Michael Crichton thriller but good nevertheless. Crichton is famous for writing documentary-style fiction, but this takes his approach to a whole other level. Besides his usual methods of describing every little thing, etc., he evens goes so far as to include a lengthy preface, an about the author section (the story is told through the eyes of Ibn Fadlan, who was an actual person but never made contact with Vikings), and even footnotes. Unlike most of his books, there is no extreme suspense; no matter how bad the situation gets, you know how it will end because it is told in the first person about the past. That said, it is still very entertaining. It comes recommended, but read some other Crichton books first.

I also came upon this book by accident, and was very suprised I had never heard of it before. Although it is a short book, I enjoyed it tremedously. I have also read rising sun, travels and jurassic park by crichton. More and more I am finding Michael to be a great author/reasearcher. It seems that he often studies the subjects he writes about in depth, especially in this case. For some reason this book reminds me of some of lovecracft's short stories, its not only the arab source for the manuscript but also the monsters at the end. All in all if you have a little imagination and enjoy fantasy type books you will like this. IMHO I think that women would not like this book as much as men might, unless you are into the graphic violence and promiscuity of the viking women. If anyone knows any other books in this vein that they enjoyed please email me. I am reading travels now and enjoying it very much.

This novel is actually one of Crichton's better creations. Crichton tries to write the events of the epic poem Beowulf in a believeable manner. And for a man who has made the eventual rise of dinosaurs believable to we skeptics (no tropical savanna locked in glacial ice necessary), he pulls this stunt off as well. He presents the information from the perspective of Ibn Fadlan, an emmissary from Babylon. With footnotes and such (and the fact that Ibn Fadlan was a real travel historian), the book is confusing until you realize that almost all of it is entirely made up.

It is a fascinating view of the Norsemen and times. So what makes this novel science fiction rather than historical fiction? Crichton's basis for "Grendel." I won't ruin the surprise, but, again, its highly plausible and entertaining. Posits some possible and believable origins for the Beowulf epic.

This book was very good not only because of the story, but because of the characters. These barbaric vikings were brutal in battle and exceptional warriors, but they also seemed to have a side to them that the reader can care about. Ibn Fadlan depending on Herger the translator, Buliwyf showing courage through the journey while still accepting Fadlan, an outsider, into his clan, and the rest of the warriors fighting against evil and enjoying it are examples of how I gained interest in their personalities. I almost wanted to jump in and fight with them against the monsters of the mist. I don't want to give anything away, but I almost felt sorry for the vikings at the end. They were bloodied, battered, and exhausted, yet it was part of their duty to finish the job.

The concept of the book is very interesting: taking a thousand year old manuscript of a royal Arab messenger (Ibn Fadlan), from a region of the world (Baghdad) that, at the time, was the center of refined culture, art & architecture and higher learning; and describing a race, culture and climate (the Vikings) that were virtually unknown to the world. Shocking as the Viking way of life was to a foreigner, the ultimate shock was in the transformation of this Arab, and his acceptance into the brotherhood of the Viking war machine and their encounter with a race known only through its chilling terror and destruction of the Vikings when they attack under cover of "the mist".
While Crichton has taken artistic license in the character development and dialogue of this novel, he has footnoted Ibn Fadlan's actual 10th-century manuscript into the novel and woven a well told tale of war atrocities, unreal ritual brutalities, and wanton sexual encounters.
This little known novel towers above his popular stuff: Jurassic Park and The Lost World (which are, by comparison, unreadable). Highly recommended because of its perceived authenticity and that it really is different.

I was intrigued when I heard that this was a true story, of sorts. After reading about it, I realized that the story is based on fact, which made it even more incredible. This is by far Chrichton's best book. It's a terrific story that's set within the pages of a diary. I read the book before the movie, but was surprised by how well the movie translated the story. It's intriguing to read this story because it feels so real. Ibn Fadlan is terrific character with a great and compelling story. I've never seen anything quite like this, and it proves that Chrichton is a very good writer, despite such menial storied as Airframe and Congo. The writing is great the ending is mysterious. It is a true work of art.

I read some of the negative reviews and my goodness, some of these folks used such big words....way over my head! From the stand point of someone who just loves to read, rather than attempting to impress with my limited vocabulary, I must say I enjoyed the book. The story of course is taken from the epic Beowulf, and the author uses a nice slant in using a outsider to describe events, and this makes it just simply interesting. Actually, I must admit to have read this one more than once and probably will again in the future. Crichton has gone out on a limb in playing with syntax, but I found this rather "fun." All in all I have to recommend it.

I don't understand how people could not be fascinated with this book. I've read it twice, and each time I have loved it. I, personally, don't like Beowulf. I find the story boring, but this story, this is how Beowulf should've been done the first time. This story goes into great detail about the battles, Viking life, etc. I did not know until I read Mr. Crichton's note in the back did I realize that most of the book was fiction. Perhaps that is why I loved it so much, I love history and love how he blurred the line between fact and fiction. This book is incredibly fascinating and I would recommend buying it to read over and over again. A MUST HAVE!!

Michael Crichton at his best! So many books I would like to study after reading this! Highly recommended it ! If you liked The Thirteenth Warrior then you need to read this book, which the movie was based on! Writing concept very interesting! Read every word! You'll be surprised!

I liked th book th 13 Warrior alot. Their was lot's of action. Their were some gruesome parts but that added to the feel of it. This book is about battle and is good for those who like action.
My facorite part is when the so called "beast" come to battle for th 2nd time. Their aare lot's of fights and I wanted to read faster to find out how it ends. I was tempted to read the ending but didn't.
I could actually picture the charecters in this story. They are wonderfully detailed and show how they feel about war.I can picture how the main charecter from a Middle Eastern country comes to the North and totally makes a fool of himself cause he doesn't know anything about fighting or their costumes.

Crichton has tapped an artery. Probably accidentally. His protagonist, Fadlan, is a documented and verified chronicler of 10th century Arabic society whose writings are sought and taught by historians the world over. His character, Buliwyf, can be found in legends of the Gotar and the Danes. His archaeology, anthropology and referencing are immaculate. If you found the book tedious or burdensome to get through, try going back to the original sources; you'll learn the meaning of the word "burdensome." Overall, Crichton's work tends to favor technical jargon and limps along with regard to literary merit. This book is a singularity.

When I picked up this book, I knew it was fiction. Then I started to read it. Was it fiction or non-fiction? Crichton's writing style is so fluent. At the end of the book, he explained that the first few chapters were actually from the manuscript. I didn't know that!! Michael Crichton masterfully blended the manuscript with his tale. At the end, when the they find the center hut, it reminded me so much of Relic and Relicary. In the beginning, the footnotes were fun and interesting, but as the book progressed, the footnotes were annoying. Read this book before you see the movie! Read ALL of Michael Crichton's books also!

The 13th Warrior is a fascinating book to read. It's an entertaining piece of fiction. The fact that Ibn Fadlan learns and adapts to the ways of the Northmen is very interesting. Reading this book, you get a clear perspective of the Viking culture and customs. This book portrays Vikings as being much more civilized from what everyone reads about in the history books. This story gives such a detailed description of the battles that Ibn and the rest of the warriors fought. It was so descriptive, that you could just visualize the violent, bloody battles in your head. After reading this book, I think I'm going to check out the movie. I recommend this book to anyone

After reading this book(Korean translation) and watching Beowulf(starred by Christopher Lambert) and The 13th Warrior(starred by Antonio Bandaras)--- all with the same story --- I got more interested in what the original epic of Beowulf reads. About 20 years ago I read a story of Danish hero and now I see it was the Beowulf story. The impression I got then was so strong -- partly because of the splendid illustrations-- and now I'm glad I can get the epic from the web freely, though I wanted a nicely bound copy and ordered it at the store.com. I even wish to learn the old English to read it in the original tongue, though it may be much boring. So, this book is a nice and exciting, and feasible retelling of Beowulf, anyway.

Eaters of the Dead is one of Crichtons greatest,and least known, work. Written like a travelers diary, this novel tells the story of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan and his adventures with a group of "uncivilized" Vikings.
This book is one of my favorite Crichton books, it's one of those books that leave you wanting more. You really become attached to the characters in the book, even the sometimes crude Vikings. If there are any new Crichton fans who haven't had the opportunity to read this great work(or simply didn't know this book existed),I would highly recommend picking up this book and going on an adventure of a lifetime!

Michael Crichton has written an outstanding novel that is rooted in both the epic Beowulf and historial documents written by the real Ibn Fadlan that have been unearthed over time. As an ambassador of the Caliph of Baghdad, the City of Peace, he encounters during his travels a group of Northmen. After staying for a time with them, a small group of them are called upon to return to their homeland to do battle with an ancient evil that is slowly destroying them. This is where the new title comes into play, for the group is comprised of twelve of the hardiest warriors of the group of Northmen, chosen by the clan's oracle, and Ibn Fadlan as the 13th Warrior. As the book puts it, "The party of Buliwyf must be thirteen, and one of these must be no Northman, and so you (Ibn Fadlan) shall be the thirteenth." This ancient evil is a tribe of primitive humans who clothe themselves in the skins of bears, the creature whom they worship, and attack with the coming of the mist; they are also know to practice cannibalism, hence the original title, "Eaters of the Dead." Despite his misgivings about the Northmen, Ibn Fadlan has no choice but to take up arms against this mythical enemy.
For some, this book may be a difficult read, especially since Ibn Fadlan's writings go into great detail about the habits and appetites of the Northmen, such as their penchant for wenching and their bouts of drunkenness. However, these are essential to the telling of the story, as they establish the character of Ibn Fadlan as one who is much used to the cleanliness and ordered life of the City of Peace. Through the course of the book, he gradually comes to terms with the Northmen, and begins to respect them, in some cases even picking up some of their habits. One of the great parts of this book is the footnotes added by Michael Crichton about certain parts of the documents that this story was supposedly based on. It adds a definite element of realism to the story, and also will help to explain to some readers the more obscure references in the book.
In all, this book chronicles not only Ibn Fadlan's travels, but also the changes wrought in him by his experiences with the Northmen. At the novel's end, his respect for them is much higher, and he goes away with not only with greater bravery himself, but also a renewed sense of piety and purpose. The end even leaves the door open for a sequel, should Crichton choose to write one, although he has indicated in the past that he doesn't really want to. But, regardless, this book stands on its own merits, and is definitely a must read, even among Crichton's other works.

You're never quite sure what the Vikings are up against and that makes the story an eerie adventure into the unknown. I enjoyed the contrasting viewpoints between Ibn Fadlan, an Arab observer (Holy, Clean and Couth) and the lusty crew of Vikings. (Charmingly Crude) While Ibn Fadlan clearly would never want to be a Viking he tells their story with such honesty that many readers will find that they too wish they could have been among them.
Crichton mixes history, folklore and epic quest together so well that there is no way to know where history ends and Crichton begins, especially in those wonderful footnotes.

First, and I think you'll agree, Mr. Crichton has a mesmerizing way of pulling you into a story and making it so believable that only later will you say, "Was that non-fiction?" The skillful way he will construct quasi-factual sources is often done very well (e.g., *Andromeda Strain's*" "Project Scoop" papers, cited in the Bibliography).
HOWEVER, this can be overdone. When the author gets so wrapped up in carefully crafting background to "cite," he will sometimes cross the line into the absurd (not to mention the confusing; some of us DO read non-fiction too). Mr. Crichton has done it this time.
Exhibit A: the footnotes. I admit, it started out impressively. However, after a couple of half-page footnotes, and some that included Arabic characters, it hits you that this is neither fun fiction nor believable reference. It's something else... *cue Psycho music*
Exhibit B: Mr. Crichton's own words in the appendix/whatever that was at the end. He admits himself that upon re-reading, he couldn't remember what he'd based on reality and what was fiction he'd made up. Sometimes that's fun. Not this time.
Exhibit C: the interest in sex, the uneven descriptions that vacillate between "translation-esque Middle English" and modern concepts, and discussion of modern thinking (including stereotypes). It doesn't play well.
Synopsis: this is a Beowulf-meets-Piers Anthony semi-fantasy sword-and-sorcery-and-perversion epic work... of mediocrity. Sorry, Mr. Crichton; I love your other novels (except for *Lost World*). =^)

EATERS OF THE DEAD is the retelling of the old English story Beowulf like you've never imagined it before. (It's also the basis for the film the Thirteenth Warrior, but bears little resemblance to that version.) Too bad the title is so disturbing because this book has much to offer. Literature fans will catch more of the allusions, but even those who hated English class will love the story of the Vikings quest to defend themselves from a seemingly immortal beast and the rich description of an ancient foreign culture that Crichton makes relatable, fascinating and memorable.

This book is very imaginative. It is sold under the misleading montra "What if Beowolf was Real"? This is not compleatly acurate I have read parts of Beowolf and those expecting to find a mondern rendition will be very disapointed. The book is told from the point of view of an Arab trader and ambasidor(I would spell his name in the review but I can't) it comes eqiupped with all of the qualities of an old manuscript: missing pages Smugged writting ECT. If you enjoy a good read with lots and lots of action you will enjoy this book, don't be trned off by the movie.

O.K. the movie was good and all, but the book? Even Crichton himself says that the book was just an 'experiment' in combining historical fact with a mythic heroic storyline (Beowulf). Every review here seems to confuse the book with the movie. The movie was well-written, cast extremely well, and just overall a great story.
I read Eaters of the Dead over ten years ago and had a hard time with it (not from a reading perspective, its quite easy to read), because it didn't give enough information to be relevant. The Journal style writing without any significant dialog made it feel flat.
After the movie came out, I couldn't remember all that stuff happening so I re-read it. Unfortunately I couldn't get the movie images out of my head while I was reading it, which I think is the problem with most of the reviews here.
Anyway, it reads quickly, but lacks a certain depth that the movie made up for.

Faldan's manuscript, well-known to scholars, provides one of the earliest eyewitness accounts of Viking life and culture, in C.E. 922 - too late in history to serve as the basis for Beowulf, which many authorities believe was composed a hundred and fifty years earlier.

However, Michael Crichton's book provides an exciting combination of the two sources, even if he does do quite a bit of embellishing, but we could expect nothing less from the novelist. Anyone would enjoy this story about a Viking chieftain defending his country from the monsters in the mist.

If you would like to learn more about how people from another place and time lived and thought, then this would be a good adventure for you. If your looking for a fast paced novel with sound byte lines and sub-plots then you will find this book boring. This is more to real life than a mere novel. When I read this I had to laugh for I saw the same reaction by the arab Ibn Fadlan here as Senica the Roman had in his essay on the Germans. But, does not human interaction and shock make life interesting? Often reading very old text can be tiresome but, Crighton makes this trip more fun to the Regular guy or gal by editing out mundane list of villages Fadlan traveled through on his way to meeting the vikings. And, Crighton makes his translation easer to read. You may asks "How do we know this narrative is credible?" And, we have no absolute knowledge on this. However, I found this narrative to be much more candid than other old works i've read. Fadlan avoided supernatural exagerations in his account. This candid approach makes this story more interesting to me.

The first book I read by Crichton was the disasterious Timeline. I now curse myself for reading it. However, I gave Crichton a second chance. Eaters of the Dead is about a Arab minstrel named Ahamad ibn-Fadlan (there's a much longer name in the book) leaves his city of Baghdad as ordered by the King, and sets off on a long journey to the Northlands. I really liked this book. The action scenes were short, but there were many. A nice combination of real stories and Beowulf, the famous poem. Rothgar and Ahamad are my favorite charecters. I wish there was more to say about this book. Well, If you hated Timeline, pick this book up, you'll love it!

Excellent piece of historical fiction! A quick read. I am disappointed by other reviewers who say they didn't like it when they found out that it really was fiction. I never for one second believed it to be true; but enjoyed it very much for what it was! Crichton weaves fact and fiction into a rather plausible story. This story keeps you guessing as to whether the "monsters of the mists" are supernatural, or human beings. Even at the end, you won't be sure! For Crichton fans, and anyone who loves to read about Vikings, this a must read!

Twelve Viking warriors and an Arab courtier aid a Viking settlement against a near-supernatural enemy. It isn't literature, but as light entertainments go this is a superior read thanks to relentless pacing, good action scenes, and a satisfying denouement. The novel has two narrators: an academic hack and the Arab. The hack was mildly amusing but started to get on my nerves by the end. On the other hand, using the Arab's cosmopolitan voice to narrate the tale itself is an inspired device for explaining the strange ways of the Vikings to a modern audience. Bottom line: Better than one has the right to expect from a mass-market paperback.

It took a while, but I finally got into Crichton's "eaters of the dead" and enjoyed it. Sure, Beowulf predates the 10th century vikings in the story, but I give him high marks for his interesting synthesis of an old manuscript and an older epic legend.
A real drag to the story flow was the overuse of footnotes. Since liberties were taken with time and facts, why not incorporate the footnotes into the main body of the story and keep it flowing? Crichton does have an eye for action.
I cannot imagine this story as a movie starring Antonio Banderas, however it was a good, mercifully short read. They can't all be Andromeda Strain.

Most of the time you will glue to your seat to finish off this book, it is so good.Author had shown amazing grip on the story line.It never gets dull.You keep thinking whether it is a translation or fiction.I bet you will run out of your Adrenaline as you reach to its climax.I must appreciate the way author builds up the whole plot dating back to AD 922.No book has challenged my intelligence as this one in years.You have to read it to believe me.Warning for people with weaker hearts -consult your physician before starting this adventure.

About fifteen years ago a Star Trek enthusiast gave me his copy of "Eaters of the Dead". "If you like the Klingons," he said, "you'll LOVE this!" Indeed, the Viking warriors of this novel are the veritable templates of the alien warriors of Ford's "The Final Reflection". Having seen "The Thirteenth Warrior", I had an urge to reread the novel which inspired the video. I'm glad I did! "Eaters of the Dead" is even better than I remembered it, a fast-paced adventure that takes only a few hours to finish. It's a masterful retelling of the Beowulf saga, cleverly combined with the manuscripts of Ibn Fadlan, a historically authentic person. Ibn Fadlan was an Arab aristocrat who resided amongst the Rus' in 921 and recorded many of their rituals, most famously a chieftain's longboat-funeral on the Volga. Although Ibn Fadlan never actually journeyed with the Northmen, Crichton's idea of a cultured Muslim's immersion in a fierce heathen society makes for an enjoyable contrast in characters. Crichton's plentful footnotes detailing the Arab and Rus' perspective convey a feeling of realism to what is basically a fantasy adventure. And after having recently endured the Christian-supremicist propaganda of "Vladimir the Russian Viking", it was a great treat to read a story which accords respect to Paganism and Islam. So much so, I'll forgive the goofy concept of Neanderthals as antagonists. After all, Crichton is the author who gave us the cloned dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park" -- so I suppose, why not also a Clan of the CaveBear surviving into the Heroic Age? The film stays fairly true to the novel, with a decent performance by Antonio Banderas as the reluctant, but ultimately heroic, thirteenth warrior.

The Eaters of the Dead is based partly on fact and largely on imagination. Michael Crichton wrote this story on a dare. His task, rewriting Beowulf so it would be more readable for the masses. The story was then made into a movie, The 13th Warrior, which starred Antonio Banderas.
The story starts with Ahmed Ibn Fadlan, a member of the royal court in Baghdad, being sent, as a punishment for involvement with a rich man's wife, to the land of the Ogurs. At the request of their ruler, for instruction in Islam. Ibn, as he is called in the book, encounters various people along the way telling us of their lifestyles and some of their "filthy" habits. He eventually meets "Northmen" or Vikings on the banks of the Volga River. (This is reportedly one of the earliest records we have of their lifestyle.) His only way to communicate with them is by speaking Latin with Herger, one of the Vikings and waiting for translation when Herger is in the mood.
Ibn's party arrives just in time to see the funeral of the Viking leader and the naming of a new King, Buliwyf. A messenger arrives from the north seeking help for his village and Ibn is sent on a journey with Buliwyf and eleven other warriors to conquer an evil so horrible it cannot be named. Once the warriors arrive in the village of Rothgar they endure all sorts of challenges from dealing with the conniving Prince to conquering the Eater's of the Dead.
Ahmed Ibn Fadlan kept an actual record of his journey and parts of it have been translated to English. Crichton got his main story idea from this journal. Interestingly, there are lots of footnotes in the book citing a reference or resource, which are sometimes factual and sometimes part of Crichton's imagination. (There is an afterward to the book that clears up some of those references.)
I have never read Beowulf but I have read this book 3 times. It's an easy read but it is hard to keep from confusing the fiction from the fact.

A fascinating read but I'm a stickler when it comes to seperating fact from fiction. I still don't know where the author draws that line. The style of writing (sometimes painfully detailed scientific footnotes) would lead you to believe this is a meticulously researched scientific document and if I wasn't told otherwise I'd still believe it. Crichton gets 5 stars for gluing me to a book for a day or two but should be ashamed of himself for blurring something as important as historical fact.

Crichton did an excellent job on this book. The introduction completely confused me but once I started onto the beginning it was great. This was one of the very few books I can actually read. Kept me interested & wondering what Ibn & the other warriors were going to do next. I only recently found out this wasn't a true story. It's great to actually think it's real while reading it. I was actually disappointed to find out it wasn't true. This was a great job of Michael Crichton.

First half of book - I find Michael Crichton's The 13th Warrior to be an informative and entertaining book. There are several features that make the book enjoyable. The first feature is the introduction. The introduction provides us with valuable information about the history of the story. We are provided with a brief listing of its translations as well as background information about the original author, Ibn Fadlan, and those whom he wrote about, the Northmen a.k.a. the Vikings. The second helpful feature is Crichton's use of footnotes. The footnotes help the reader to understand problematic vocabulary and also provide historical context. The third feature that strengthens the book is Crichton's careful editing of the Fraus-Dolus translation. Crichton tells us that he removed unnecessary or rambling lines from the text, and adapted the sentence structure to that of modern English. Such editing makes the story more easily understood and enjoyed. The final feature, which I think adds the most to the story, is the incredible storytelling of Ibn Fadlan. Fadlan does a concise yet complete job of portraying nearly every aspect of daily life in all of the cultures that he encounters. In addition, he compares and contrasts each culture to his own, in an effort to learn and appreciate as much as possible about those he interacts with. Fadlan describes people, places, and events in an unbiased, serious, and detailed tone which allows the reader to form his own opinion about the story. The introduction, the footnotes, Crichton's editing, and Fadlan's masterful storytelling make The 13th Warrior informative and engaging.
Second half of book - I enjoyed the second half of The 13th Warrior. In this part of the book we learn more about the Northmen culture through Ibn Fadlan's discussions with his translator Herger. These discussions are particularly informative because Ibn compares his own culture with the Northmen culture, so the reader is able to get a real sense of exactly how Ibn felt. Ibn does an excellent job of dissecting the Northmen's way of life as he sees it. He puts the reader in the shoes of the Northmen as well as himself in various stages of the story so we view certain situations from several points of view. The one aspect of this book that I enjoy and appreciate the most is Ibn's relentless pursuit of unbiased and accurate reporting. Throughout the story he reminds the reader that he viewed events first hand (i.e. "I saw with my own eyes..."), and almost constantly uses the word "verily" which means "in truth" or "in fact." It seems as if Ibn knows that his writings will be read and studied for many years to come. In conclusion, it comes as little surprise that Ibn's work has become so celebrated.

Eaters of the dead is a truly spectacular book. It keeps the reader on the edge with detail while still getting an interesting plot out. Not too many authors can do such a thing. Michael Crichton is simply an amazing author. Every book of his that I have read, I have finished in less than 2 weeks. I just simply cannot put them down. Ibn Fadlon is a devout Muslim who is sent on a mission to the King of Bulgars. On his mission he encounters some Viking warriors. Ibn, believing in his Muslim ways, disapproves in how the men act and take care of themselves, but its rather fascinating reading on how he likes and dislikes many of the other ways of the Vikings. The best part of the book, is the ending, it is simply remarkable. This book contains factual information while still not becoming boring. I also like the footnotes that Crichton puts on the bottom of some pages. There are some words that I have never heard before and telling the reader what they mean is very helpful in the understanding of this book. The only thing that I don't like about this book is that it doesn't develop many characters. You really only get to know one of them. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in history and the customs of the Vikings, and has the stomach to read some grueling details.

When I started reading this I only had the vaguest inclination of what the Beowulf story really was. It had everything I'd want in a story, strange characters, interesting plot, and it evoked such emotions as excitement, dread, and repulsion. I found this translation particularly interesting though because of the footnotes. The entire thing is riddled with footnotes explaining possible variations of words, different explanations and theories, etc.

I think the best part of the entire story was the most unintentional aspect of it, the fact the last sentence ends after three words leaving the reader to wonder. That all being said I'd only recommend it to people with the iron stomachs needed to deal with the brutality of the ancient world as well as an inquisitive mind.

I'm not a Michael Crichton fan, however I did find this book to be very interesting in its exploration of the world that existed a thousand years ago. The unique methodology used by Crichton involves combining elements of actual accounts written, presumably, by Ibn Fadlan (an Arabic-speaking courtier, who travelled far and wide and lived to write about his interesting travels) and creating a continuation that is fictional and speculative, but still very entertaining. One must be careful not to take such works as actual snapshots of history however. What is useful to note is that Ibn Fadlan attempts to be a very objective observer, who lapses into cultural display of disgust when confronted by some of the habits of the Norsemen, but he represents what many a modern man's reaction. At the time, the Arabs had forged a vast empire stretching from southern Europe to the borders of India and China, and they had created a civilization that fused together elements of Greco-Roman hellenism, Persian influences, and various regional contributions to create a universal state that was as inclusive as the Roman Empire (at the end) and Alexander the Great's vision of a single human nation. The result of such enlightenment was a renaissance that helped shape the more long-lasting European Renaissance as the Arabs preserved Greek learning and imported Indian mathematics and developed theories of their own about astronomy, physics, mathematics, and sociology. Ibn Fadlan's account gives us a glimpse of the little known civilization of the Norsemen of ancient Scandanavia, who raided as far south as the Caspian and Black Seas and were noted for their ferocity in warfare and their seemingly "uncouthe" mannerisms. Michael Crichton deserves credit for venturing into somewhat uncharted territory and making it work.

I have to admit it. I only bought this book because it was the only decent looking thing on the supermarket shelf and I needed something to keep me occupied while I hid inside my apartment during hurricane Floyd. With that aside I have to say this is a remakably entertaining piece of fiction. The first three chapters are based on an actual 10th century manuscript while the rest is loosely based on the legend of Beowulf and the Hall of Heorot. Crichton does a masterful job of weaving fact and fiction into an absorbing, facinating, and realistic tale. I'll read it again and again, and recomend it to anyone.

Would love to say this is wonderful but I honestly can't. Not because the book wasn't a book I like...it had to do with it being a gift for someone else and I didn't read it. Wish I could be of more help.

This book is off the beaten path for Crichton. You will not find advanced technology or genetic research in here, and no one ever receives a critical fax. It is just an ancient tall tale well told, and told bluntly. It's highly cinematic, and like a camera it never blinks, especially in the harsher passages--Crichton lifts one savage thing after another up to your eyes for your personal inspection. That accomplishment is due partly to his narrator, Ibn Fadlan, a man who lived a thousand years ago, and who chronicled whatever passed in front of his eyes with cold precision. Crichton just took Fadlan's lead, maintaining a this-is-exactly-what-I-saw tone to the end.
If you enjoy books to help you escape, this is one of them. Read it and imagine life as it must have been, the mad fears and beliefs people held dearly back then. Remember reading The Hobbit for the first time? For me, Eaters has attained that rank. Plus, in my opinion, it has one of the best last lines (of the text) of any book, Crichton or otherwise.

Eaters of the Dead (now retitled The 13th Warrior) is unlike anything else you'll read by Michael Crichton. This short book is written in the style of an ancient manuscript. It is the journal of Ibn Fadlan, a representative from the Court of the Caliph of Bagdad, who is sent as ambassador to the King of Saqaliba as punishment for his indiscretion with the young wife of a wealthy merchant. Fadlan never reaches his destination. Instead, he meets a group of Viking warriors who take him with them on their heroic mission to rid a Northen Kingdom of the monsters of the mist. Part history, part Beowolf, part Grendel, part Crichton's imagination, this is an interesting story told by a master storyteller. However, it borrows far too much from other stories (like Beowolf and Grendel) and the style (which includes lengthy footnotes in very small print) becomes tiresome after a while. It's an interesting quick read, but it's also far from Crichton's best.

Let me begin by saying this is not a true story. While the name of the Arab may appear in history, nothing else follows suit. Just think about it; neadrathal men at war with Vikings?! This is, in fact, a genuis retelling of Beowulf using a trick invented by HP Lovecraft.
A ways back Lovecraft wrote the "Necronomicon." It is his version of the Simarillion or Elder God's Bible, a book dealing with the Ancient Ones from his Cthulu short-stories. If you've read those stories you immediately recognize it as such. But Lovecraft, rather than name himself the author, made up a "Mad Arab" and said that this Mad Arab was the true author, and Lovecraft was just translating it. Clever, funny, but a problem because there are a lot of teenagers out there picking up the Necronomicon and believing it's real cause they have never picked up a Lovecraft Cthulu book.
Showing his wit, Michael Crichton actually lists the Necronomicon as "Recommended Reading" in the appendix next to several books on Viking culture.
What Michael Crichton was doing, as another pointed out, was to present the events of Beowulf in a faux-factual form. He presents what happens as real things, from the viewpoint of an Arab who saw Bulwyf (Beowulf) battle the Wendol (Grendel). From the sleeping-trap to the recovered arm to the wurm to the mother wendol, everything that happens in this book mirrors events in Beowulf. Don't view this as stealing, however. This isn't Robert Jordan stealing from Frank Herbert (shudder). This is the most clever remake of the famous epic poem since "Grendel," a story told from the viewpoint of the famous monster.
It's a good read all on it's own, with enough facts to make it seem real. It's even more enjoyable to fans of Beowulf, who can admire how well Crichton changed the poem and made a lone Grendel and his mother into an army of primitave, unevolved men.

This book is an excellent story about a Muslim who unwillingly comes on an expedition with 12 vikings to kill some monsters. Vikings revere the number 13, and their prohecies say that in order to kill the monsters, the 13th warrior must be a foreigner. I thought this book was pretty good, but it had only a few flaws. It was a little slow-moving at parts, and we never know what happens after he leaves for home. But the imagery this book creates is very good.

I would encourage any fans of the action/adventure genre to give this book a read. It is well worth it.
However, please do keep in mind that although the book is billed as based on the historical account of Ibn Fadlan's journey's amoung the Rus, it is a work of FICTION. In this story, Crichton mixes a little Ibn with a lot of Beowulf and his own fertile imagination. But don't take my word for it. You can see for yourself:
Smyser, H.M. "Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus with Some Commentary and Some Allusions to Beowulf." Franciplegius: Medieval and Linguistic Studies in Honor of Francis Peabody Magoun, Jr. eds. Jess B. Bessinger Jr. and Robert P. Creed. New York: New York University Press. 1965. pp 92-119.
Furthermore, the book, and the subsequent movie, "The Thirteenth Warrior", are far from historically accurate. In fact, very little of it is even remotely accurate. I'd give specific examples, but I'm limited to 1000 words, and others have already done so and far better than I could.

Eaters of the Dead is an interesting tale unlike many of Crichton's other novels. At its core it is just a different version of the story of Beowulf, but the details that arise from the narration of an Arab traveler encountering Scandanavians and their culture is an amusing twist.

Although it is an intriguing read, this novel can be a little disappointing as the lines of fact and fiction are blurred beyond taking any context given of either Arab or Scandanavian culture to be true. To me the knowledge gained through contextual details provided by MC's extensive research is one of the best parts of his novels and it was a unfortunate to lose that feature in this book.

One of the best books i ever read along my life, this book was given to me by my father when i was 13 years old, you know when you're a kid you have a more spicy imagination and when i read it i saw all the images of IBN, BULWYF and the rest clear crystal and wonder why nobody did a movie about the book...but there's the movie with Banderas, not so exciting as the book but fair enough to get the glimpse of what i read 17 years ago.

This modern retelling of the Beowulf saga is not the techno-thriller that we have come to expect from Chrichton, but instead will appeal to persons interested in historical fiction and especially in Norse mythos. If you are expecting to read another installment of Chrichton and assuming that this book will be of the same genre, then perhaps this is not the book that you should choose. However, if you are looking for a good bit of historical fiction then this book presents a very engaging story. The book allows views into both the Islamic and Norse worlds during the Middle Ages and should offer something to learn of these cultures for nearly everyone. The storyline is that of the classic Beowulf saga, where an Islamic diplomat travels to the Norse world and partakes of the adventures of a band of Norse warriors. The story is fast paced, and full of action and suspense, and easy to read. I had difficulty putting this book down (even in the car), and would recommend it highly.

This is the authors best work, despite being far less well known than some of his other stories. Yes, the book is based on tons of research, a 1000 year old manuscript, and the Beowulf text. It is also written in a fine tradition of Northern mythology. It is one of the strongest modern novels dealing with Northern mythology; possibly the best since Eric Brighteyes. I must read for fantasy fans!

I was at the supermarket the other day, and the cover caught my eye. I bought Eaters of the Dead, and began reading it just as soon as I got home. It was hard to get into at first, but it sure payed off. I never knew Viking history could be such a fun read. This is a book that should be in high school English classes. It was a little anti-climactic, but that was all for the better. I couldn't put it down.

First of all, to the guy who claimed the book was merely a translation and not an original work, he needs to go back and finish it. That's part of the game! This book was very entertaining, if a bit weak at the end. I actually felt the movie tweaked the ending for the better, which was a surprise.
Don't believe what your friends tell you, think for yourself. This book and the movie that was made from it are both worth your time, in my opinion.

a first hand account. Thats the best you can get. I have read this book twice and will undoubtedly read it again. A foriegn 13th warrior a band of vikings and a mysterious army of beasts to destroy. I coulnd put this one down. If you havent seen the movie its called the thirteenth warrior and was the first dvd I ever owned and had to repace it do to over use

This has to have been one of the stranger of Chrichton's books, but you have to give him credit, he sure does know how to write a compelling story. In this one, you're not really sure where the truth ends and the fantasy begins. The reason why Crichton is one of the best is because he makes you think that you're reading something that really happened, and that you were right there along for the ride.

As an Arab who is quite intersted in Norse mythology and the Vikings, this book was na amzing read. Crichton weaved the tale of fact and fiction to a threadline. This is the first time I read a book that does not criticize Islamic methods and views, but portrays them respectfully and candidly to the reader.
This book is a must read for all Crichton fans and those who want to read a story written intelligently.

Yes people, as I am sure those who read it know allready that this is Michael's retelling of a centuries old story and one of the most important epic poems in the early english language. Why does noone recognize it for what it is instead of some dumb warrior adventure? Within the first 10 seconds of the movie trailer I knew at was Beowulf, and very excited at seeing it receive a film treatment. As a young reader I was fascinated and entranced by the Beowulf tale, and find Michael does a fantastic job selling it from another point of veiw and literary style. I think we all know Michael is a scholar and not a hack writer! He spent a great deal of time researching background so as to create interesting parallels. So please lets at least give him the literary credit that he deseves instead of cheering it as a fantastic adventure on it's own.
Oh, yes I liked the book :)

Loosely based on writings found that were by an Arab scholar about his interactions with a band of Viking warriors during the time period when the Norsemen were at their raping and pillaging best that morphs into a story with a lot of similarities to Beowulf. Not for the history purist or for people who want to sanitize the Vikings image (like has been done in some circles with the Celts), just a good fun to read Viking adventure story.

You all recognize Michael Crichton as the author of books such as Jurassic Park, Disclosure, and Congo. Considering he is one of the hottest authors in Hollywood, how could you not. The book reviewed here, however, is none of the above; it is a more or less forgotten book called Eaters of the Dead this review is about a book written by Michael Crichton which has been used to create a movie called "The Thirteenth Warrior." In fact, the name of the original book was"Eaters of the Dead." What's most interesting about this book is that the reader will feel he is reading a fictional novel rather than a real life account of a Muslim ambassador reporting back to his Khalifa ." The Thirteenth Warrior" is actually a translated manuscript of guy named "Ahmed Ibn-Fadlan." This book was supposed to be a boring translation of a boring report of a humble person but while reading it,the reader will understand that facts and fiction are all mixed up together. Even the writer, Micheal Crichton, confessed that there are fictional parts in the novel whereas the novel was supposed to be historical.Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan leaves his country ,Mesopotemia to go to the wealthy kingdom of Bulgaria but end up with the Vikings.The leader of the band of the Vikings was "Buliwyf" who was to help King Rothgar from the eaters of the dead.Thirteenth warrior had to go to the mission and Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan was the last one.
The writer of the original document, Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan, starts his writing informing the reader that he has been driven out of his homeland by a jealous Muslim miser who poisoined the air around the Khalif of Baghdad about Fadlan, afer knowing that Ibn-Fadlan has a secret relationship with his wife.But the real story starts when Ibn-Fadlan meets the Vikings and finds himself forced to stay with the Vikings. Ibn-Fadlan was given the task to meet the King of Bulgaria,in a country situated near today's Russia's Volga river.But throughtout the book,we read about Viking customs, traditions, myths, warfare tactics of the Vikings.Ibn-Fadlan's voice has been clear and describing in vivid details what he saw.Instead of the traditional,western,fictional story-telling way,Ibn-Fadlan uses the neutral viewpoint of the observer and reports everything he has seen in graphic details.Interesting as It may seem,Michael Crichton wrote "Eaters Of The Dead" while he was a college undergraduate,accepting the challange of a college professor about using"Beowulf"-an Anglo-Saxon epic, and the translated manuscript of Ibn-Fadlan to make his students aware about books which says a lot of important things about western civilisation but haven't been read.After studying the manuscript,which has been abruptly finished with the words "Now It happened", giving us the hint that there might have been another incident.Though this book says real things about real people,it doesn't feel boring once because when you read the novel you will find fact and fiction very close mingling freely! The historical detail is handled reasonably well, the story is fast-paced and gripping, and the contrast between the Arab/Islamic and Viking cultures is effectively exploited. The result is not a great novel, but it's an entertaining one and should appeal to those interested in the period.

First, a note to just about every other review I've seen. This is the page for the BOOK Eaters of the Dead! WHY are you reviewing the movie here? That out of the way, I just couldn't get into this book the way I've gotten into other Crichton books. Having a first person perspective eliminated his trademark cross-cutting, and overall it was a flat and unemotional experience. Numerous things were changed in the movie, but it's no better. I'm glad that Crichton didn't write any more like this. All his other books are gems.

At the end of the book I found myself wishing for it to continue, as I thoroughly enjoyed it. A good read for those who enjoyed the movie adaptation, as well as those who simply enjoy fantasy fiction.

I truly loved this book. What many readers didn't like about it is exactly what I liked. That it really seemed like just a translation from an old text. Crichton keeps you guessing if the original text really existed, or if he completely made up the whole thing. Similar to Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain where some of the books in the bibliography are written by characters in the story. And of course the story itself was wonderful. I like the way he really researches his subjects so the reader gets a feel for the society back then. Truly one of Crichton's best.

I think I would have had a better appreciation for this book if I had read Beowulf in high school or college. Even still, I enjoyed Eaters of the Dead. It moves kind of slow at times, and the writing style isn't what I'm used to from Crichton, since this is written in the style of an ancient manuscript. But the basic storyline is interesting and exciting.

I had only read one M. Crichton book before, Rising Sun, and I had loved that book. So going into this I had high expectations and I was severely disappointed. I realize that he was trying to piece together actual documented events and that must be very difficult, but I found the overall work to be poorly developed and lacking in substance despite the copious footnotes.

The author of "An excellent and modern retelling of the Beowulf saga" wrote exactly what I would have written. The book does give great action, adventure and suspense. Critchton goes into great detail about the scenes of how the eaters of the dead mutilated and mauled their victims, which were Viking women children and men, the creators did not care who or what they ate. The writers of the last two reviews did not specify this, nor tell about the creators. Without them the story would just be a bunch of cool Vikings walking around killing things. This book does give good historical background and lots of cultural information. Both critiques acknowledged this fact. This critique was really hard to write do to the fact that all the writers thought this book was the coolest thing Since Jimmy Hendrix, and I agree

Yes people, as I am sure those who read it know allready that this is Michael's retelling of a centuries old story and one of the most important epic poems in the early english language. Why does noone recognize it for what it is instead of some dumb warrior adventure? Within the first 10 seconds of the movie trailer I knew at was Beowulf, and very excited at seeing it receive a film treatment. As a young reader I was fascinated and entranced by the Beowulf tale, and find Michael does a fantastic job selling it from another point of veiw and literary style. I think we all know Michael is a scholar and not a hack writer! He spent a great deal of time researching background so as to create interesting parallels. So please lets at least give him the literary credit that he deseves instead of cheering it as a fantastic adventure on it's own.
Oh, yes I liked the book :)

Loosely based on writings found that were by an Arab scholar about his interactions with a band of Viking warriors during the time period when the Norsemen were at their raping and pillaging best that morphs into a story with a lot of similarities to Beowulf. Not for the history purist or for people who want to sanitize the Vikings image (like has been done in some circles with the Celts), just a good fun to read Viking adventure story.

You all recognize Michael Crichton as the author of books such as Jurassic Park, Disclosure, and Congo. Considering he is one of the hottest authors in Hollywood, how could you not. The book reviewed here, however, is none of the above; it is a more or less forgotten book called Eaters of the Dead this review is about a book written by Michael Crichton which has been used to create a movie called "The Thirteenth Warrior." In fact, the name of the original book was"Eaters of the Dead." What's most interesting about this book is that the reader will feel he is reading a fictional novel rather than a real life account of a Muslim ambassador reporting back to his Khalifa ." The Thirteenth Warrior" is actually a translated manuscript of guy named "Ahmed Ibn-Fadlan." This book was supposed to be a boring translation of a boring report of a humble person but while reading it,the reader will understand that facts and fiction are all mixed up together. Even the writer, Micheal Crichton, confessed that there are fictional parts in the novel whereas the novel was supposed to be historical.Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan leaves his country ,Mesopotemia to go to the wealthy kingdom of Bulgaria but end up with the Vikings.The leader of the band of the Vikings was "Buliwyf" who was to help King Rothgar from the eaters of the dead.Thirteenth warrior had to go to the mission and Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan was the last one.
The writer of the original document, Ahmed-Ibn-Fadlan, starts his writing informing the reader that he has been driven out of his homeland by a jealous Muslim miser who poisoined the air around the Khalif of Baghdad about Fadlan, afer knowing that Ibn-Fadlan has a secret relationship with his wife.But the real story starts when Ibn-Fadlan meets the Vikings and finds himself forced to stay with the Vikings. Ibn-Fadlan was given the task to meet the King of Bulgaria,in a country situated near today's Russia's Volga river.But throughtout the book,we read about Viking customs, traditions, myths, warfare tactics of the Vikings.Ibn-Fadlan's voice has been clear and describing in vivid details what he saw.Instead of the traditional,western,fictional story-telling way,Ibn-Fadlan uses the neutral viewpoint of the observer and reports everything he has seen in graphic details.Interesting as It may seem,Michael Crichton wrote "Eaters Of The Dead" while he was a college undergraduate,accepting the challange of a college professor about using"Beowulf"-an Anglo-Saxon epic, and the translated manuscript of Ibn-Fadlan to make his students aware about books which says a lot of important things about western civilisation but haven't been read.After studying the manuscript,which has been abruptly finished with the words "Now It happened", giving us the hint that there might have been another incident.Though this book says real things about real people,it doesn't feel boring once because when you read the novel you will find fact and fiction very close mingling freely! The historical detail is handled reasonably well, the story is fast-paced and gripping, and the contrast between the Arab/Islamic and Viking cultures is effectively exploited. The result is not a great novel, but it's an entertaining one and should appeal to those interested in the period.

First, a note to just about every other review I've seen. This is the page for the BOOK Eaters of the Dead! WHY are you reviewing the movie here? That out of the way, I just couldn't get into this book the way I've gotten into other Crichton books. Having a first person perspective eliminated his trademark cross-cutting, and overall it was a flat and unemotional experience. Numerous things were changed in the movie, but it's no better. I'm glad that Crichton didn't write any more like this. All his other books are gems.

At the end of the book I found myself wishing for it to continue, as I thoroughly enjoyed it. A good read for those who enjoyed the movie adaptation, as well as those who simply enjoy fantasy fiction.

I truly loved this book. What many readers didn't like about it is exactly what I liked. That it really seemed like just a translation from an old text. Crichton keeps you guessing if the original text really existed, or if he completely made up the whole thing. Similar to Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain where some of the books in the bibliography are written by characters in the story. And of course the story itself was wonderful. I like the way he really researches his subjects so the reader gets a feel for the society back then. Truly one of Crichton's best.

I think I would have had a better appreciation for this book if I had read Beowulf in high school or college. Even still, I enjoyed Eaters of the Dead. It moves kind of slow at times, and the writing style isn't what I'm used to from Crichton, since this is written in the style of an ancient manuscript. But the basic storyline is interesting and exciting.

I had only read one M. Crichton book before, Rising Sun, and I had loved that book. So going into this I had high expectations and I was severely disappointed. I realize that he was trying to piece together actual documented events and that must be very difficult, but I found the overall work to be poorly developed and lacking in substance despite the copious footnotes.

The author of "An excellent and modern retelling of the Beowulf saga" wrote exactly what I would have written. The book does give great action, adventure and suspense. Critchton goes into great detail about the scenes of how the eaters of the dead mutilated and mauled their victims, which were Viking women children and men, the creators did not care who or what they ate. The writers of the last two reviews did not specify this, nor tell about the creators. Without them the story would just be a bunch of cool Vikings walking around killing things. This book does give good historical background and lots of cultural information. Both critiques acknowledged this fact. This critique was really hard to write do to the fact that all the writers thought this book was the coolest thing Since Jimmy Hendrix, and I agree

I'm a history geek and I love Beowulf and those sort of lyrically prose of the olden days but this was just too boring for me. I finished the book just out of principle but I think this one is overrated.

The premise takes quite a while to get under way and the characters are very comic bookish.Maybe I'm being a bit harsh but I wasn't really involved with the story. Didn't grab me, the style was interesting but not nearly enough.

Right, quite clearly - the first 3 chapters of this book are based on a 10th century manuscript.
The rest is wholly fictional. Ibn Fadlan observed and commented on Scandinavian merchants on the Volga. He didn't go anywhere with them, fight anything, or meet Neanderthals.
Even if you know nothing of Ibn Fadlan, Crichton himself is quite clear on this point.

This is an unusual book even for Michael Crichton. It is one of his earlier ones and it is way out there. The book proposes that it is a manuscript from 922 A.D. and discusses his realtionship with the Northmen. It is not quite up to his better book written later by himk but it is still worth the read.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"

Sorry but this is not a fast paced awesome crusade book that you would expect and want from a historical fiction book. Also the book is written in a fashion that if you don't know it's 2/3 fiction you would think it's non-fiction due to many laborious but fabricated foot notes. Not my thing.

I really think people are really failing to miss the point of the book - it's really not fiction. All MC really did was gather the translated texts and arange it in a novel-like fashion (if you read the foreword you would have realized this). The book, quite simply, was awesome. A bit dull in the begining yes, hard to understand at times (I found the Oxford Dictionary quite usefull in looking up terms like "pedastry"), and not for those with a weak stomach as well. I only found two possible flaws in Ibn Fanlan's descriptions (the forked tonques of the "Sea Monsters" which I beleive to be whales) and the general hairiness of the "Eaters Of The Dead". And the ending .. well, it never really ended (thats all I'll say if you haven't read it).

As a scholar of archaeology and anthropology,i,truly liked this novel.It is a pure historical adventure with great characters that comes to life as one reads it.It is also a well written eye witness account.As an history and legend and even anthropology lover,i would like to say again that this book is great!Thanks to Mr Crihton.

I like a lot of Michael Crichton's books (at least before he became such a potty mouth) (my favorites are Jurassic Park and Sphere) so I figured I would give one of his older books a try. This book was easy to read and somewhat entertaining.

What Michael Crichton does in this book is basically take the story of Bewolf and make it a readable condenced version. He takes a historical figure (writer at least) Ibl Fadlam (excuse the spelling) and does a "make believe" that he was there and seeing this story unfold through an outsiders eye. He does a pretty good job with this and it's kind of interesting.

However, once I finished I felt that this book was just a pretty basic horror story about monsters attacking villagers who go seek help from "heroes" where a large number of the heroes die but with a lot of courage and yada yada yada they eventually rid the world/village of these evil "easters of the dead". In the meantime the heroes have lots of sex with slave girls and drink a lot of beer. There really isn't much else to this book.

I would recomend getting this book from the library, it's readily available and short and there really is no need to read this book more than once.

Michael Crichton has written many good books like Jurassic Park, and The Lost World. He has written many good novels. He is also considered one of the best writers of our time.
The book Eaters of the Dead is about a man of Arab decent who is sent away from his country as an ambassador to the North. On his journey he gets caught up with a group of Vikings that take him on a trip with them to the country far to the North to help another group of Vikings that are having a problem with an ancient myth. The myth is of a group of animals who eat the dead. This book tells of the hardships the group of men goes through to fight this evil myth.
This book is really good, and follows very well which makes it easy to read. I would recommend that you should read the book. It is not very long and you will get through it fast.

Michael Crichton has penned an excellent rapid-paced adventure. Based on the actual diary of an Arab man traveling with the Vikings, it is sometimes difficult to believe this is a true account and not just pure fiction. Eaters of the Dead is the epic journey of one man who strives to find himself and his place in his world. The main character is richly described. His emotions and internal conflicts are laid before the reader as he witnesses the horrible habits and rituals of his foreign companions. The settings are depicted so finely, you can almost taste the darkness and smell the smoke. What is most compelling about Eaters of the Dead is how the author shows every defining moment with such clarity. All in all, a great, solid story that needs to be slowly savored! A must read!

Normally, it takes me a month to read a novel. But I couldn't put down Mr. Crichton's superb novel. Ibn Fadlan gives a very good first-person perspective and the Northmen as we modern people would see them: crude, willing, traditional. Awesome. I highly recommend it for anyone over the age of 12. Just awesome.

If you didn't like this novel or compared it to earlier required reading materials, you missed the point. It is a great tale that consumes your interest and places you amoung those in the quest for survival in northern climates and terrains. Don't let the name alarm you. It's not a tale of an ancient Donner party

Ingenious idea to write Beowulf from an outsider/foreign point of view. Crichton starts off strong with wonderful tense and regurgitative viewpoints that can only be describes as "short" and "journalistic". The style is strange yet highly interesting. And then the style changes abrubtly. It's no coincidence that the first 3 chapters were paraphrased from the acutal Ibn Fadlan manuscritps and the remainder of the novel is Crichton's attempt to copy that style. Although he proceeds with the story at a furious pace, it seems to get lost in his attempt at "faking" this ancient prose. Like I said before, nice try....falls short of good. If you want to read something magical, based in history(?), read Beowulf and wonder at the magic of orginality, not originality trying to duplicate magic.

I surprisingly found this book fascinating. I don't ususally get into the viking type genre - if there is one, but I really enjoyed this book and have reccommended it often. It was just an all around fascinating read, especially since I had previously read the excerts that Chrichton worked from by the real Arab traveler. I really enjoyed it.

Mr. Crichton's most compelling and imaginative story to date may well be Eaters of the Dead. Compared to the clunky, commercial "Sphere" and "Congo" offerings, "Eaters" is a work that pours forth the impressive passion and power this author can bring to his craft when he writes to tell a story rather than merely sell a story. If your mind can reach beyond the fifteen second news spot, if your understanding of the human adventure soars beyond Sociology 103, take a turn at this rich, rewarding journey into the unknown. This is a tale that fully deserves to come to the screen as the "Thriteenth Warrior".

I used to be one of the biggest die-hard Crichton fans (its kinda hard to keep being die-hard when no new books come out after you've read and re-read all his other books), and I thought this was a good book. If you don't like to read non-fiction, you probably won't like this book as much, because it is written like a non-fiction book. I love the ending.

Eaters Of The Dead was so boring that I seriously thought about never finishing it and putting it down to read Cujo by Stephen King (Great Book). But I finished, and I thought that it was an accomplishment. When I bought Eaters Of The Dead I had already read The Andromeda Strain and The Terminal Man, which were two great Crichton novels. Boy was I shocked! Oh well, don't worry Michael every author has a bad one!

In the novel Eaters of the dead Michael Criton really expresses his true emotion by traveling some 500 miles with a strong title of men. In the dessert the men cross numerous vikings including the visous clan and ended up in an all out war. The food supply quickly wore itself down and caused all to go into a starvation mode which drove them into a craze. This craze led them to kill and eat the vicking clan. Once all were fed the went into a village. not to give it away they end up getting there goal and it all lead to the vickings. I do think you will like the book if you have time to reread and consitrate. Michael Criton truly wrote a complex novel and put alot into it. He really makes you feal as though he was a vicking himself.(he wasn't 700 A.D.)If you like the movie 13th warrior make sure you do read this because,he did change it around quite a bit.Michael Criton wrote a Great book make sure you read it!

I don't understand why everyone is so wrapped up in whether this book is fact or fiction. That's the beauty of it. Some is fact, some is fiction, and it leaves the reader guessing as to which is which. Those who believe that this whole story is fact - I feel sorry for you - should go and read the epic poem of Beowulf (one of the earliest classics of the English language). Those who want to nitpick about which parts are real, and which fantasy - I feel sorry for you too - who really cares? If people want to think that this book is real, let them. Ignorance is bliss, remember? I thought the book itself was done very well, and Crichton really did exactly what he set out to accomplish - blur reality with fantasy.

I don't know about anyone else but this was one of the best books I have ever read. I had seen the movie before I read the book and their both great, but I'm going to have to go with the movie on this one. Those battle scenes in the movie were unbelievable. My favorite part of the book and movie were when the warriors went into the Wendol's cave and slaughtered their mother and then ran for their lives as the beasts swarmed in on them. Before I read this book I wasn't a big reader of Micheal Crichton, but after reading this book I don't see how you couldn't be one. This book was the best thing since "The Hobbit". Well I hope everyone enjoyed my review. Bye!

I really enjoyed this novel for what it was, a response to boring stories like Beuwolf and the such. Ibn Fadlan was a remarkable character who was heroic, but massively flawed in his heroism. Michael Crichton wrote this novel in such a way that is was easy to read and understand. B+

Crichton does a great job with this book, telling a simi-fictional story using real people and legends from history. The fact that you aren't always sure what is real history and what is Crichton's story telling leaves you in a 'wow' state of mind. And the conclusion of the book is great, but it leaves you asking for more.

I came upon this book by accident. The version I read was titled "The People Eaters". It sucked me in from the beginning and I didn't get anything else done until I finished the book. The book weaves together anthropology, mythology and lore. I really enjoyed it.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS FOR THIS BOOK. IT WAS NOT RIVITING, IT DID NOT KEEP ME READING, I JUST WANTED TO FINISH IT TO BE DONE WITH IT. I ALWAYS LIKE MICHAEL CRICHTON'S STORIES BUT THIS ONE WAS WEAK. THE ONLY THING I GOT OUT OF THIS WAS A LITTLE HISTORY AND THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING. WHAT DID I MISS?

This was one of the worst books I have ever completed. I kept waiting for it to get better, but it never did. In fact, the only reason I read it was because it was bundled with Sphere and Congo into one book.
When I read Crichton's footnote saying that he wrote the story as a challenge to come up with a modernized version of Beowulf, I felt as if I had been made the butt of a practical joke, with everyone pointing their fingers at me laughing!
The story was slow, the characters were lifeless, and it seemed to me as if I were watching a bad 1950's sci-fi/horror film (emphasis on BAD). I have read worse stories, but had the sense to cast them aside before completing them.
This may be an interesting chapter in Crichton's literary life, but only to historians. I only wish the store's rating system would let me issue less than one star.

I read the book just a couple of days ago. It is fantastic. The way the action and adventure is. I also liked the traditions and cultures of every village. The fighting was fantastic. My favorite part was when the one guys head gets cut off in the battle.

I remember back in 8th grade when I bought Eaters of the Dead and was so excited to read it, I could barely wait to finish the book I was currently reading. Boy, should I have waited. I'm re-writing some of my reviews of old books that I've read, and I decided to start with this: the only novel I have ever given a one star to. Eaters of the Dead offers nothing I thought it would, the action is chessy and not convincing. The characters in the novel are dull and confusing, as is the entire novel. I really didn't get the battles or journeys to battle the Wendol. And they weren't anything special on top of that. Too bad, Eaters of the Dead could have really been something.

It is!!! I saw Ibn Fadlan in a great explorers book!This book is great, I read it while at a resort in Minnesota, at night, and on the plane flight too. It is absolutely one of the top 3 books I've read! Those would be EotD, Congo, and Salem's Lot

Though I read this while in 7th grade, it challenged my understanding of the world I live in. Because of it, I am drawing connections between Beowulf's Grendel and other aspects of European folklore and am now rethinking man's supremicy of Earth

Once I started reading Eaters of the Dead, I couldn't stop. It was a fascinating look into Viking culture and had a simple, but involving plot. I was a bit dissapointed to find that only half of the book was true, but it was still great.

If you've ever seen the great movie (Thirteenth Warrior) that was based on this book, "Eaters of the Dead" will just not measure up. Maybe the structure of the book was the problem. Crichton wrote it in the style of an medieval manuscript to try to convey the authenticity of an actual 1000 year old document. Maybe he was too successful with that conceit. It was usually the aim of medieval chroniclers to present the dry facts of an event rather than to strive for dramatic tension, character development or an elevated literary style. Unfortunately, those qualities are necessary in a novel. This was mostly a bore. Don't bother.

This is one of his shortest novels, but IMO perhaps the best. The narrative is taut, the excitement and suspense unrelenting, and the historical detail rich and vivid. He combines three worlds all equally strange to most readers - the Vikings of the Dark Ages, the world of medieval Islam, and the bizarre prehistoric rootedness of the Eaters. Several alien worlds superimposed, and done most impressivley. Far better than the film.

EATERS OF THE DEAD is an excellent book about vikings and were they went to get weapons and resources.
I think anyone looking for a great book about vikings should read this book by Michael Crichton.
I liked this book because it was an action packed book full of excitement

Eaters of the Dead is something a little different from Crichton and if you don't like what he does here, at least it is a short book and won't waste much of your time. I am one of the ones that didn't enjoy it as much. My reason is simple and pathetic: I do not like this sort of writing style. It reminds me of authors like Charles Dickens. I have attempted and failed to read several Dickens novels and I usually end up hating any book that reminds me of him even if the writing isn't much like his. The presentation of the novel is very well-done though and makes it seem more real. It also reminded me a bit of Congo because it involves "dark hairy brutes."
In short, Eaters of the Dead gained my respect and not much else but it was still fun to read in some parts and it wasn't overly long.

I am Antonio Banderas! Go read about me as I travel to Norway to team up with some Norse dudes and fight guys in bear suits. As a hispanic arab poet, I chop wood while satisfying the Norse women. Livin' la vida loca!

Around 922, ibn Fadlan really did write a diary of his experience with the norsemen. However, we must remember that Crichton is writing historical "fiction" and has made a "fictional" story out of ibn Fadlan's actual work. Crichton's book should not be taken as a factual account of what Fadlan wrote - to see the real thing as it was in the eyes of a foreigner to the north - read ibn Fadlan. To enjoy a good story about the same thing, read Crichton - it was interesting - but it was fiction.

It's an easy read--findished it in two days. Good story that just seemed to plod along. Very liitle action and adventure but the "history" which served as the backdrop of the story helped to speed the pace up a bit. Overall, it's not the worst book by Crichton but is no where near his best book--"The Lost World."

JEFFREY WEISS, MAY 9, 1999 I started this book a week ago. I'm not usually a big reader, but since I started this book, it's kind of been like a calling to me, read Michael Crichton, read Michael Crichton. I'm not quite finished yet, actually I'm only about half way through, but still.....It truely is one of the best books I've ever read, another book, you should look at even though it has nothing to do with this book, is Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam Junior. Anyways please read this book, I promise you will enjoy it.

I was disappointed in the Eaters of the Dead. I love the movie made from this novel. To me, this book is nowhere as interesting or exciting as the movie. In my experience, original novels are usually better than their movies . But in this instance, the movie (The 13th Warrior) is much better than the Eaters of the Dead.

It was a great coincide for me when I bought "Eaters of the dead" in a bookstore at Copenhagen Airport, November 1997, as I started my journey to Norway, one of Scandinavian countries. The book seems to be my personal guide in entering the old time of the Viking countries. And the European--even they're the closest neighbour--prooved they didn't know anything about the Viking until Ibn Fadlan open up their minds. This is the must-read book and don't missed it.

This is a very early Crichton novel--and it's quite different from his recent work. I really enjoyed the scholarly conceit and novel retelling of the original time cult classic. Good to have it out in paperback.

Yes, when you read both Beowulf and EotD you can see the vast similarites. Even the hall of Hurot stays the same basically. Anyway, this book was a great quick read for anyone interested in the Norsemen days of old.

This book is okay. I learned about Viking culture from this book. The author obviously did a lot of research.

But I didn't like the story that much, maybe because I don't really like medieval-based novels or sword-fights. But it was exciting enough to keep me till the end, so I'll give this book 3 stars.

This was my first Crichton Book. Don't let the title put you off. It is a facinating story with a great deal of information about Nordic and Arab culture, attitudes, and history. It started just a little slow, but quickly engulfs you into a great story. It is every bit as good as any adventure story around.

For those who are interested in anthropology, there is also some very interesting perspectives about human evolution.

The fact that Crichton tried hard to sell this a a "true" history darkens all the merit this book could have. Only greed can explain that, the same greed that make Crichton allowed the publication of a third-class book, "FIVE PATIENTS".

I'm not a Michael Crichton fan, however I did find this book to be very interesting in its exploration of the world that existed a thousand years ago. The unique methodology used by Crichton involves combining elements of actual accounts written, presumably, by Ibn Fadlan (an Arabic-speaking courtier, who travelled far and wide and lived to write about his interesting travels) and creating a continuation that is fictional and speculative, but still very entertaining. One must be careful not to take such works as actual snapshots of history however. What is useful to note is that Ibn Fadlan attempts to be a very objective observer, who lapses into cultural display of disgust when confronted by some of the habits of the Norsemen, but he represents what many a modern man's reaction. At the time, the Arabs had forged a vast empire stretching from southern Europe to the borders of India and China, and they had created a civilization that fused together elements of Greco-Roman hellenism, Persian influences, and various regional contributions to create a universal state that was as inclusive as the Roman Empire (at the end) and Alexander the Great's vision of a single human nation. The result of such enlightenment was a renaissance that helped shape the more long-lasting European Renaissance as the Arabs preserved Greek learning and imported Indian mathematics and developed theories of their own about astronomy, physics, mathematics, and sociology. Ibn Fadlan's account gives us a glimpse of the little known civilization of the Norsemen of ancient Scandanavia, who raided as far south as the Caspian and Black Seas and were noted for their ferocity in warfare and their seemingly "uncouthe" mannerisms. Michael Crichton deserves credit for venturing into somewhat uncharted territory and making it work.

The skinny: (1) Not like other Crichton books. (2) Written as a literary exercise, to see if he could duplicate the feel of ancient narrative manuscripts in dull translations with copious footnotes. (3) He succeeded. (4) You've been warned.

I really liked the book, I have read some Beowulf before and it does remind of that particular story. Nevertheless, I still loved. The story is captivating and I was soon sucked in. Micheal Crichton is a great author, I can't wait for to read more of his work. I would recomend this to anyone who loves a great story.

I loved this book. Michael Crichton does an AMAZING job retelling the story of Beowulf. One of my favorite books I've read, but this is not an actual manuscript and not a true story. (Mr. Crichton has said he wrote it on a bet that he could retell Beowulf - making it interesting.) He uses the historical figure of Ibn Fadlan as the (basis) character in his novel, but the story is not anything Fadlan wrote. Please get your facts straight.

I missed this when it was first published... the title turns one off!
But more than this Neanderthals in an Earth Mother fertility- dead eating scenario at 900 AD is just very unlikely.
The characterization of Viking culture ( or seeming lack of it)
is faulty from an historical point of view with open [...] sex
being depicted as usual or common among Vikings.
The witch woman and death ritual depicted seem more Indian or eastern than Viking.
Despite all this it is an interesting read even if it is badly distorted history.

Fairly well written, but the fact it was an "ancient" story. The kindle version included 2-3 pages of footnotes at the end of each chapter.

I wanted to read another "fun" Michael Crichton novel, this wasn't it.

Sure it's based on reality, but the plot arc is boring, the characters are not developed, and there's not much that makes it worth reading besides the fact it's "based on 1000 year old manuscripts"

great history book. The accounts of the rituals used for the dead, the descriptions of the Norsemen, and many of the smaller points were spot on. I always enjoy reading about my past blood, and this is the best book ive read yet. Wish they were all this good. I am proud to know were i came from.

Michael Chricton does an unbelievable job making this book read so entertaining, considering the story happened so long ago and was translated many times. Even though there are footnotes throughout the book it still flows smoothly and still makes sense! You will not be disappointed!

The Movie was very entertaining, the book was very dry and slow reading, Please DO NOT take this book, or the movie as a true showing of the life of the Muslam, or the Viking. In Michael Crichton's postscript, he states that it's a work of fiction. In an interview, he said he was attempting to bring the legend of Beowolf to life. Read the book if you like, but enjoy the movie.

I usually really enjoy his books. This one leaves a lot to be desired. Not very interesting, plodding and difficult to read. Certainly NOT up to his usual standard of exciting fast moving and enjoyable reads.Was very disappointed in this book.

great history book. The accounts of the rituals used for the dead, the descriptions of the Norsemen, and many of the smaller points were spot on. I always enjoy reading about my past blood, and this is the best book ive read yet. Wish they were all this good. I am proud to know were i came from.

Michael Chricton does an unbelievable job making this book read so entertaining, considering the story happened so long ago and was translated many times. Even though there are footnotes throughout the book it still flows smoothly and still makes sense! You will not be disappointed!

The Movie was very entertaining, the book was very dry and slow reading, Please DO NOT take this book, or the movie as a true showing of the life of the Muslam, or the Viking. In Michael Crichton's postscript, he states that it's a work of fiction. In an interview, he said he was attempting to bring the legend of Beowolf to life. Read the book if you like, but enjoy the movie.

I usually really enjoy his books. This one leaves a lot to be desired. Not very interesting, plodding and difficult to read. Certainly NOT up to his usual standard of exciting fast moving and enjoyable reads.Was very disappointed in this book.

After reading the book, I am not sure I want to see the movie. It was so vivid it almost made me vomit. I learned that the Klingons of Star Trek are sissies comparied to Vikings. But the book convinced me that the account was true, so I feel it is a "must read".

This book was a beautiful weave of fact and fiction, and inriguing to the end. it is a different book for crhichton, but still contains his great care for detail and superb storrytelling. A great read

As a Michael Crichton fan, I have to say that for once, the movie was better than the book. The information was interesting but bogs you down till you find out you've been staring at the same page for 15 minutes while wondering if you started the dishwasher or not. However, the movie was well done.

This Michael Crighton book is an interesting story -- but it is NOT a true story. This is a re-telling of Beowolf and was written to show that classic literature could be interesting to a modern audience. The "manuscript" it is based on doesn't exist. And, does anyone seriously believe that a Viking would know Latin?

Despite being very easy to spot the 'shift' in writing style between the two, it is still a very good book that is quite entertaining to read. When taken in the context it was written, it is by far one of the best books I've read in a long time.

What a sleeper "What is this madness?" I must say I was stunned when I picked this book up. I just finished Prey and thought I was going to be entertained with this book. Boy was I wrong. Just getting through the first disc was a chore.Talk about boring. It really makes me want to ask the author "are you ok?" "Do you need a hug?"

In Michael Crichton's own words on his website he states: "Note From Michael: The story behind this novel appears in an essay in the paperback edition. The short version is, I wrote EATERS on a bet that I could make an entertaining story out of "Beowulf." It's an unusual book. Readers either like it, or they don't."

I didn't. No wonder it was on his professor friends' list of "The Great Bores". Michael Crichton had a chance to give it life, yet it still reads just as boring as the original Beowulf. The one fun thing about it was all the "fake" footnotes and sources that he inventively quotes. He was very creative with it and for that I give him a star. ;)

The positive reviews that litter this page make me fear for the preservation of discerning taste in literature, and I pray that the majority of said reviews were written by pranksters and children under 12. Were it not for the fact that this book was assigned as summer reading in preparation for Beowulf in 11th grade honors English class, I likely wouldn't have so much as brushed its cover, but as it is, I have read a great deal of it, and have found myself repulsed. I am a person able to read biology textbooks word for word, yet am bored to pieces by this abysmal work. I wish not to sound over critical and so I am searching my mind for something good to say about this book...well, I only had to throw it across the room once. Also, one must somehwhat appreicate Mr. Crichton's boldness in actually bringing such a piece forth to the public eye...that took courage.

The main flaw of the book rests in the fact that Mr. Crichton deliberatly imitates a style that is inherantly dull, pretending that it is a translation of an anicent work, and attaining this appearance by employing flat and awkward sentence structure, as well as the constant invoking of phrases to the effect of "This is what happened:"...Any third grader knows that, "this is what happened" is poor writing, and Crichton's useage of such phrases does not strike me in any way as artful or iconoclastic in breaking with such conventions, but is more like a stupid schoolboy asking himself,"Let's see what I can get away with." It is obvious that this book is neither a translation, nor is it well-researched. In one of the first chapters, the mian character, a Muslim, refers to others of his religion as "Mohammedans", Mohammedanism being a Western misnomer for Islam, derived from the misconception that the religon entails the worship of the prophet rather than Allah, a misocnception that is quite contrary to the actual religion and not a word this character would have used. Thus, from the beginning, it is clear that Crichton's cultural notes and anecdotes can in no way be trusted, if even this basic fact which any seocnd-rate author should have uncovered in writing a book dealing in unfamilair cultures, was overlooked. His footnotes (and mind you, faux footnotes do not bother me as a rule...if you like footnotes, try Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, who employs them with frequent hilarity)are mostly vessels for the occasional tidbit of information that may/may not have any foothold in truth as we know it, that Mr. Crichton seems to think himself clever for coming up with...the footnotes are an effective way to throw in said tidbits without actaully having to devise a way of working them into a story.

Basically, the book lacks any aesthetic value, nor does it have an emotionally or intellectually provoking story or theme...it is wirtten as a bland historical piece wihtout the truth to render it with historical value. if there is a theme to this book, it may be that history is not that important unless we can find subjective value in it, but this is only someting I could dervie from the book's existance, not within the book itself, and consequently, one does not need to read it in order to gather that message from it, nor SHOULD one read it, but do quite the contray and run as far away from Mr. Crichton's "books" as possible...well, not literally (don't want to cause a mess in one's local library). Oh, I have failed to mention that the plot of this book is actually quite dull, despite whomever gets murdered ( when the main character is thouroughly disturbed,to the point of vomitting, as occurs many times in this book (often wiht the same wording too) oughtn't the reader to be at least somewhat unnerved as well?). One cares not a lick for the characcters, nor what will happen next. I quite wish the main character would drop dead...and if he says "verily, this is what occurred next:"...but the character isn't even real enough for me that I could really pretend that he is a living being able to be murdered.

I feel that there is much more to criticize, yet it is hard to find fault with what isn't there, and a good deal of what is wrong with Eaters of the Dead lies not in what is in it, but rather what it lacks. There is an infinite variety of books I oculd choose over this one...many types for many people...if one likes bland facutal novels, why not seek ACTUAL bland factual books. If one likes Beowulf-based tales, why not seek out The Grendel, whihc acutally has some level of cleverness and thought behind it? When I comlained about having to read this book to a friend of mine, he referred to Crichton as a, "hack", and I think that term applies. Crichton is a hack, look away from his books dear children...his botching of English word order increasdes neither aesthetic nor meaning...there is no art...what meagre plot there is is unoriginal...In the style of Crichton, "This is what one should do with this book: do not read it."

I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS FOR THIS BOOK. IT WAS NOT RIVITING, IT DID NOT KEEP ME READING, I JUST WANTED TO FINISH IT TO BE DONE WITH IT. I ALWAYS LIKE MICHAEL CRICHTON'S STORIES BUT THIS ONE WAS WEAK. THE ONLY THING I GOT OUT OF THIS WAS A LITTLE HISTORY AND THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING. WHAT DID I MISS?

I enjoyed the movie - not a great movie - but entertaining.
I like to listen to audio books at the gym and thought this would be fun.
I was sadly disappointed.
Many of the first tracks was irrelevant and tedious, and discussed the authenticity of the original manuscript and copies. This went on and on and on. I found myself first fast forwarding, then just skipping sections.
Once I got to the actual story I continued listening. Except it too was dull. It was more of a lecture than an enjoyable experience. After 30 minutes of fast forwarding and skipping I put it aside. I think it's unlikely I will resume listening to it, and will keep it for an emergency on my MP3 player. I may try it again, but I'll probably end up deleting it.
Good thing it was a library copy and I didn't pay for it.

I hafta say, Crichton is by far my favorite author. I love all of his books, but this one was possibly the worst I've ever read. I actually couldnt finish it. I got about halfway through, and I wanted to shoot myself. It is told in the most boring way, and the names are long and hard to remember. I don't understand where this came from really, seeing as how the rest of his books are really good.

This is a fast paced, action driven novel that doesn't allow the reader to stop until the very end. Written (according to Michael Crichton) on a dare from a colleauge to modernize and make exciting the tale of Beowulf, the classic epic poem that apparently is difficult for some college students to understand. An arab, somewhat exiled from Bagdhad (sexual indescretion to blame) into the mysterious North Lands, home of the Vikings. In the novel this man communicates with these Norsemen through a translator and a member of the Viking group who speaks some Latin. In the horrible movie (which I awaited with high expectations) Ibn (the arab protagonist) needs no translator since he can learn the Viking dialect simply by watching and listening to the Viking's around a campfire! The movie is laughable at best, which is strange because the novel is perfect for film. The novel is much more informative, but not, as many of the various editions of this novel have touted, a true story. The action and story are entirely speculative, entirely fiction. But the fantastic quest and fights between the grendel is some of Crichton's most entertaining writing ever. This is more of a short fantasy novel. But fun reading nonetheless. For Crichton fans and fiction fans in general don't miss this book, but whatever you do don't see the movie!