Eaters of the Dead is a retelling of the classic Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf from the perspective of an Arab diplomat who ends up joining Beowulf’s party to hunt the fearsome monster who has been ravaging the Northmen. The book is based on a first-hand account by the distinguished Arab traveller and Ambassador, Ahmad Ibn Fadlan.
It is the year 922 and Ahmad Ibn Fadlan finds himself on an odyssey of danger and adventure far from his home in civilised Baghdad.
The Vikings fear the misty nights for the shrouded darkness hides the approach of the Wendol, the Eaters of the Dead. Stalking out of the darkness and killing with impunity, this northern nightmare has hunted the Vikings even into their own homes, and now, a Viking hero by the name of Buliwyf is sailing to the kingdom of Rothgar, where he and his entourage of Viking warriors and one foreigner (the unlucky Ibn Fadlan) will pit their steel against this ancient evil.
My Amazon Link : Eaters of the Dead
I find the title ‘Eaters of the Dead’, an unfortunate one. The name of the film The 13th Warrior was a better choice all round. However a title (like a cover) should never be the judge, and this book is an enthralling, exciting and entertaining read.
This is an extraordinary novel of Viking values, culture and life, as well as some gory depictions of combat, and a few healthy sexual encounters.
The Vikings wrote very much like this, combat and blood were commonplace to them. But this is no mere bloodthirsty adventure, it’s a journey into the past, which it explores with an exhaustive and entertaining thoroughness.
