I read this back in the mid to late 90s as one of the first books of Michael Crichton's. I read it before the movie came out. I remember ripping through this story, it was great. I hadn't read anything about vikings and this was unusual. The movie is well done and worth watching.

Michael Crichton is an amazing author who I don't hear people talking about his work, but his books are worth remembering even as he is gone.

A group of vikings, 12 to be exact is going to check out mysterious deaths happening in the north countries. There is a moor who becomes our eyes into the story and he is the 13th warrior. The scene that I'll never forget was at the beginning when the vikings are about to take leave and they are washing their hands and faces in this bowl of water and they spit and snot into this water as they go. The moor is so disgusted as was I. I was so grossed out that it stuck with me and when I think of this book, that is the first thing. But, the story is full of mystery and action and its a quick read.

I highly recommend this to others.

Arabian Nights meets « Vikings » : how did I put off reading this book for so long when I loved “The 13th Warrior” and when I have a huge weakness for Vikings? I don’t know. Maybe I have way too many unread books piling up everywhere in my apartment, so some titles slip through the cracks. But my husband had not seen “The 13th Warrior”, so we sat down to watch it the other day and I realized I had a copy of “Eaters of the Dead” somewhere, that was patiently waiting for me to get around to it… No time like the present!

This book is a fictionalized account of (actual historical figure) Ibn Fadlan, an emissary of the Calif of Baghdad, sent on a diplomatic mission in northern Europe, and enlisted more or less against his will in an adventure to rid a Viking village of a mysterious an terrifying enemy. He travels with Buliwyf and eleven other seasoned Viking warriors to the kingdom of King Hrothgar, where they are told that the Wendol have been attacking the village and eating the flesh of their victims.

The style of this book is not exactly breezy, but what Crichton did was to try and imitate the style of the 10th century travelogues. Ibn Fadlan is an absolute outsider: he doesn’t speak the Northmen’s language (he communicates with them in Latin, with the help of Herger, one of the warriors who speaks that language fluently), he can’t really get over their women’s behavior, or the culture’s rather particular views on cleanliness. But the record of his observations and adventures give the world an early version of the legend of Beowulf… except, historically plausible. Crichton took off with the idea that all myth have a core of veracity somewhere, and that centuries of embellishments by bards, troubadour and so on have left us with only fanciful stories that don’t seem all that believable. The tone might turn some readers off: it is written in a very old-fashioned style, so it’s often repetitive, but it’s filled with great descriptions and interesting footnotes meant to help the reader interpret this translation of an ancient text. I personally found it fascinating, just like discovering an ancient manuscript that gives you a glimpse of a world long gone. If Chrichton had tried to stretch this out any longer, it would have been ponderous and annoying, but at about 200 pages, its perfectly constructed to be a diverting and surprisingly informative read!

I have to confess, the first time I read this book I thought it was a real manuscript, and that Crichton was just putting it for us in book form...until I got to the epilogue. That was when I understand that Crichton is an amazing story teller.

Digging around, I found out that Crichton did the book out of a bet that he could not make Beowulf interesting. And what a book he came out with!

The book tells the story of an Arab ambassador Ibn Fadlan, as he traveled from Baghdad and hooked up with a bunch of Vikings trying to rid a land of a monstrous terror. Basically Beowulf.

What I found truly captivating was that it was written as a manuscript. The whole thing reads like a travel journal of an extremely observant man. Written matter-of-factly with no attempts of embellishments or even attempts to make the story more dramatic. Its a great book.

5/5.

I love the backstory of this book, and liked the execution. for those who do not know Crichton says the inspiration for this book came from a teacher friend calling Beowulf a boring classic. The ever studious Crichton took this as a challenge to make a more intriguing version. the result is a thrilling manuscript style narrative involving a real historical figure Ibn Fadlan a 10th century Muslim ambassador who did have contact with the Norseman. bringing together two culture often ignored by western historians is brilliant. I for one am really fascinated by both cultures. especially the Muslim caliphate which Carried on classical Greek/Roman culture, art, math, philosophy, and sciences through the "dark ages." western civilization owes a lot to the Muslims we demonized during the crusades. written in such a non fiction style it's not surprising that many would not like this book calling it dry and too matter of fact. the question of reality is always in the reader mind how much of the Fadlan Norseman's account did Crichton leave in tact. Crichton says this was by design as he is always fascinated by what historical documents we take as real and what we dismiss as myth. as a history buff who occasionally reads non fiction I was really pleased with the style and execution. you feel like you are learning from the translator annotations. Eaters of the dead is very successful historical fiction novel from a premier Sci-fi author this should not surprise because his style is always in the vain of a classically trained scholar like Jules Verne or H.G Wells. his one often critic is he can be a little to obsessed with educating his reader which take away from the suspense. but the premises for his plots are always rock solid and well researched. I did find Eaters of the dead more enjoyable than the version of Beowulf I just read and thought it imparted a better knowledge of Norse culture!

n  Oi, Are you ready to ride towards Valhalla with mighty Viking warriors?n Step right into this ship, dear fellow.

n  n    “Animals die, friends die, and I shall die, but one thing never dies, and that is the reputation we leave behind at our death.”n  n

In Eaters of the Dead, Crichton forms a holy matrimony between facts and legends, as he seamlessly combines the accounts of Ahmad ibn Fadlan, a famous 10th-century Arab traveler, with the legend of Beowulf, the Viking warrior who fought against the unholy monsters.

The novel is structured as the account of Ibn Fadlan, who was traveling from Baghdad to Bulgaria. On the way, he meets many tribes and eventually comes across the mighty Vikings. Now, here is the fun part: As per Ibn Fadlan's eyewitness account, Vikings are extremely dirty and barbarous bunch, even according to 10th century standards.

The history diverges into a "What if" story when Ibn Fadlan is forced to join warrior Buliwyf and his company's quest to the north. Their mission? To protect the lands and defeat the deadly mist monsters.



What Crichton tries in his novel is to recreate Beowulf into a factual story, coupled with a detailed explanation of Viking lifestyle and philosophy. It works at certain parts, especially during the journey to the north and with the characterization of Buliwyf and Herger, but stumbles with the mist monster legends and prophecies, which feels out of place because of the realistic portrayal of events.

Nevertheless, the story is action-packed, and the unique retelling indeed brings diversity to Crichton's works.

"Los animales mueren, los amigos mueren, y yo moriré, pero una cosa nunca muere, y es la reputación que dejamos detrás al morir"

"El nombre wendol o Windon es muy antiguo, tan antiguo como cualquiera de los pueblos de las regiones del Norte, y quiere decir «la niebla negra». Para los nórdicos significa una niebla que trae consigo, bajo la protección de la noche, a unos demonios negros que asesinan y matan y comen la carne de los seres humanos. Son velludos y asquerosos al tacto y al olfato. Son feroces y astutos. No hablan lenguaje conocido por ningún hombre y sin embargo hablan entre ellos. Vienen con la niebla de la noche y desaparecen con el día, donde no hay nadie que ose seguirlos"

"En aquel momento uno de ellos lanzó un grito, invocando a Odín, un alarido de súplica, repetido muchas veces con el mismo fervor, y vi al monstruo con mis propios ojos"


Primeramente aclarar que es una historia de ficción, que pretende ampararse en un manuscrito supuestamente real.

Son las crónicas del arabe ibn-Fadlan . Quien fue enviado a la región nórdica (similar a las crónicas de Marco Polo por Asia-Siguiendo la ruta de la seda). se vera involucrado en una misión junto a guerreros Escandinavos, que se enfrentaran a una tribu primitiva, La cual los nativos consideran "Demonios".
*Guarda algún paralelismo con la leyenda de Beowulf.

Esta novela sale de los parámetros del autor. ya que la mayoría de sus obras de tratan de ciencia ficción, ciencia propiamente dicha o thrillers científicos.
En esta oportunidad se trata de una aventura épica. Que posee barreras delgadas entre historia, ficción, mitología y superstición.

En medio de todo este contexto épico... Reivindica algunas creencias sobre los pueblos nórdicos o escandinavos. Saliendo un poco de la costumbre de considerar que el rotulo de "civilización" es solo para las pertenecientes a occidente y que profesan el cristianismo. A su vez que demonizan o barbarizan las demás. Acá pretende ser un poco mas objetivo ,contextualizando y también desacreditando algunos anacronismos.... Esto lo lleva a cabo mediante los choques culturales(utilizando al mismo narrador, y su evolución junto a estos pueblos. Y como cambia un poco su propia apreciación, a la par de su adaptación)
A su vez, plantea una interesante visión sobre la teoría de la supervivencia de seres humanos primitivos.
al ser un supuesto diario o crónica, hay muchas cosas que son interpretativas y otras que son guiadas por notas del autor y un posterior apéndice.

n  "El ángel de la muerte ha hablado —dijo mi intérprete—. El grupo de Buliwyf debe contar con trece hombres y uno de ellos no debe ser nórdico. Por tanto, tú serás ese hombre."n

Tenía muchas ganas de darle una oportunidad a este libro, porque desde que vi su adaptación a la gran pantalla, la historia se me quedó grabada en la mente.

Una vez superada la introducción te metes de lleno en la trama y no puedes dejar de leer. Me ha sorprendido sobre todo lo explícitamente descritas que están las costumbres vikingas que van apareciendo.

De niño vi "13th Warrior" y me cautivó el tono y la trama (muy similar a Beowulf). Repleta de frases sublimes y personajes entrañables. Algo que me fascinaba era el protagonismo del árabe, ya que es el personaje principal pero no resulta ser el héroe. Me propuse a leer eventualmente el libro. Y heme aquí.

No me gustó el modo "manuscrito antiguo" en que fue escrito, y a decir verdad me resultó bastante insípida la narración y... pues todo.

Me quedo con el filme.

They say that Ernest Hemingway once bet his writing friends that he could write the shortest story in just six words, and that's how the famous short story was born:
"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."
This was never been proven, and it's very likely that Hemingway had nothing to do with it. However, we do know for a fact that Michael Crichton, due to a bet with a friend, sat down, wrote a novel, and—lo and behold—won.
Crichton had a friend who claimed that Beowulf and other ancient texts were incredibly boring and simply uninteresting to modern readers. The man even gave a lecture on the subject. Crichton disagreed, saying that Beowulf wasn't boring but just needed to be presented differently to today's audience. So, he made a bet that he could do it. This led to the creation of the novel "Eaters of the Dead: The Manuscript of Ibn Fadlan Relating His Experiences with the Northmen in AD 922".
In 1999, it was adapted into a film titled "The 13th Warrior", which flopped at the box office and was panned by critics. However, I find it an interesting film that faithfully captures the novel's spirit.
The novel itself is written in the first person, structured as the travelogue of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, an ambassador of the Caliph of Baghdad, who sets out to visit the King of the Bulgars but ends up joining a Viking group as the chosen 13th warrior in a battle against an unnamed evil. This takes him far into the North. The narration is intriguing, primarily consisting of Ibn Fadlan's account, but it also includes comments from the translator and narrator (in this case, Crichton himself). Given Crichton's reputation as a writer who deeply researched his subjects, it's hard not to believe in the authenticity of the work. In fact, you might find yourself Googling facts after reading it.
The Beowulf epic becomes intertwined with the novel’s storyline after the first three chapters, which might initially turn some readers away. Buliwyf, the leader of the Viking band, represents Beowulf, who travels north to a king whose hall is under siege by monstrous creatures called the "wendol," led by their mother. In Beowulf, these monsters are Grendel and his mother. There are more parallels to the epic, but I'll leave those for you to discover.
Ahmad Ibn Fadlan was an actual historical figure, and his travelogue genuinely exists, though it is fragmented and incomplete. Crichton based only the first three chapters of his novel on Fadlan's manuscript, incorporating real encounters with various peoples. Thanks to Crichton's storytelling skill, it's hard to pinpoint where the actual travelogue ends and fiction begins.
The blend of history, ancient epic, and elements of fantasy is fascinating—but not fantasy in the traditional sense. Don’t think of this as a fantasy novel. The only "fantastic" element is Crichton's assumption that a Neanderthal tribe somehow survived into the Viking Age and terrorized them. Of course, this is impossible.
The cultural clash between two completely different societies, their gradual learning from one another, and their mutual respect is also compelling. If only everyone could be like Ibn Fadlan, Buliwyf, and the other Vikings—learning from and tolerating each other. Crichton weaves this theme beautifully.
Now, will everyone enjoy it? Probably not. Those who dislike it will likely do so because of its storytelling style. After all, Ibn Fadlan is a travel writer and diplomat, not a warrior—though there is no shortage of action and battle descriptions. The book might feel dull if the narration style doesn’t suit you.
Personally, I find it highly engaging for all the reasons mentioned, including its unique narrative style.

From a kind of historical perspective this is pretty interesting. From a reading standpoint, it was a bit boring. Maybe it is the writing style. I am not sure. But I can say, the movie adaptation is fun. I just don't really have a lot to offer here. It is not a terrible book, but it is not the most awesome read of the year. I am glad to have read it. Just meh.

This unknown book is one of the late Michael Crichton finest. One wonders what if modern humans ever interacted with the Neanderthals? From Wikipedia:

The novel is set in the 10th century. The Caliph of Baghdad (Arabic: المقتدر بالله) sends his ambassador, Ahmad ibn Fadlan (Arabic احمد بن فضلان), to the king of the Volga Bulgars. He never arrives but is instead captured by a group of Vikings. This group is sent on a hero's quest to the north. Ahmad ibn Fadlan is taken along, as the thirteenth member of their group, to bring good luck. There he battles with the 'mist-monsters', or 'wendol', a relict group of Neanderthals.

Eaters of the Dead is narrated as a scientific commentary on an old manuscript. A sense of authenticity is supported by occasional explanatory footnotes with references to a mixture of factual and fictitious sources.

I almost believe it is true.

Not what I was expecting but cool.
I’ve wanted to read this ever since I found out it was the basis for the film the 13th warrior which I love.

I found that the film was remarkably faithful to the book. What I hadn’t expected was that the book seemed to be based on a thousand year old manuscript and was full of footnotes and annotations. I’m not clear on weather it’s completely fabricated or if some part of it has a basis on some real ancient writings but it’s very entertaining.