Northmen: The Viking Saga, 793-1241
If you’re like me watching The Vikings on the History Channel, then you usually find yourself searching the internet to see if the series accurately follows historical events. Does the show deviate from the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok? Was the “blood eagle” really used as a punitive measure? How far did the Vikings travel? Are the religious practices depicted in the show realistic or authentic? If so, then medieval history expert John Haywood’s Northmen provides an excellent resource to satisfy your curiosity and provide valuable material for research into Viking culture.
Focusing on key events, including the sack of Lindisfarne in 793, Haywood’s meticulous research provides a comprehensive history of the Viking Age. At times the narrative struggles, bogged down in exhaustive details of battles and long-ships that sacrifice the story beneath it all. However, there are brief shining moments when Haywood pauses and steps back from the details to muse on the social, religious, and political dimensions at the heart of this complex history. The book also contains several beautiful color plates of significant archeological locations and archival materials.
Overall, this offers readers a dense resource that is nearly encyclopedic in its treatment of Scandinavian history, and how that history impacts every culture it touched. Highly recommended for those writing in the time period.
