Rating: 
Summary: Both True and Fictional
Review: Contrary to what has been said by many of the reviewers here, this book is in fact based on a real manuscript by the Arab traveller ibn Fadlan in the tenth century who made his way from the Caliphate to the shores of the Volga to treat with the Bulgar kingdom which was then ensconced there (apparently to entice the Bulgars away from their Khazar overlords who were then enemies of the Arab empire). This ambassador of the Caliph faithfully recorded much of what he saw among the barbarians, including encounters with the Oghuz Turks and the Norsemen who were then frequent travellers along the rivers of what would one day become Russia. (In fact some thinking has it that the Norse, in the guise of "Rus" -- eytemology unclear -- actually gave their name, along with their ruling princes, to Russia since the first major Russian state, Kievan Rus, was ruled by princes of viking heritage, with the help of second and third generation viking adventurers serving them as mercenaries.) But Crichton's book is not just a reprint of ibn Fadlan's manuscript (which is available, in English, in various scholarly tomes). Crichton enlarged upon the tale he found and appended an apparently fictional second half which takes ibn Fadlan north, in the company of his new-found Norse comrades, to the viking lands, there to face a shadowy menace of unknown origins. In this second half, Crichton blended historical speculation with the Beowulf tale in Old English (the chief of the viking crew which inducts ibn Fadlan is called "Buliwyf") to suggest an ending to ibn Fadlan's adventures which surely never happened. But it's done quite nicely, hard to tell where the real tale ends and the author's fictional enterprise begins, and it keeps you reading right to the final moments. It's not a particularly stirring tale, rather dry in fact, but it's thought provoking and well-paced and a wonderfully interesting way to do an historical novel. Am looking forward to the movie, THE THIRTEENTH WARRIOR (named after the reason the vikings insist on bringing their fastidious Arab guest along for the ride), to see how it was done. The tale is simple enough for this sort of treatment so it should make a bang-up film for those of us into adventure and the viking thing. By the way, there are a whole slew of good books out there for those into vikings and historical adventure, including THE GOLDEN WARRIOR by Hope Muntz (about Harold and William and the struggle for the English throne in the mid-eleventh century), ERIC BRIGHTEYES by H. Rider Haggard, STYRBIORN THE STRONG by E. R. Eddison, and THE LONG SHIPS by Frans Bengtsson. And, if you're still game for more, there's even one that I did, THE KING OF VINLAND'S SAGA, a tale of the Norsemen in North America circa AD 1050. -- Stuart W. Mirsky
Rating:
Summary: Great storytelling -- a must read
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining viking adventure story
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: One of Crichton's best
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting idea but writing and style suffers
Review: This is the second Crichton novel I have ever read. I think Crichton has a good ability to find new ideas and explore them in fiction. In the early 1990's, it was genetic engineering (Jurassic Park), in "Timeline" it was the possibilities offered by quantum computing (I haven't heard/read anything else about this though). As other reviewers note, this novel is based on a fragmented manuscript relating the doings of an Arab who travels with and fights with Vikings in Scandinavia around the early 10th century AD. Crichton obviously did his research, as he usually does, which is evidenced by explanatory footnotes, a list of the sources he consulted and so on. As Crichton says in, "A Factual Note on Eaters of the Dead," he originally set out to find out if "Beowulf" had any basis in historical fact, as Heinrich Schliemann did for "The Iliad" in the 19th century. However, the task proved too difficult. So, he decided to write a novel instead. The idea of having a foreign observer to provide a unique (hopefully objective) perspective is a good one. The discussion the Vikings have over Fadlan's monotheism is amusing, as is his interaction with the polytheistic beliefs of the Vikings. The novel has the tone of an official report, where the observer simply records the events that happen around him. There are no embellishments or flourishes. This can make the text tough going; there is little to keep the reader interested in the story. I wish Crichton had been freer in his style rather than writing what is best described as a fictional historical document. The most interesting parts of the novel were the notes, appendixes and Introduction. For example, Crichton writes in his appendixes that there is some discussion over whether the "eaters of the dead" (the "monsters" of the novel) are in fact Neanderthals. In the appendixes, Crichton says, "While I was writing, I felt that I was drawing the line between fact and diction clearly.... But within a few years, I could no longer be certain which passages were real, and which were made up." (page 198) He ends his comment by briefly discussing post modernism, "I mention this because the tendency to blur the boundary between fact and fiction has become widespread in modern society... But this attitude of 'post-modern' scholars represents a more fundamental change. Some in academic life now argue seriously that there is no difference between fact and fiction, that all ways of reading text are arbitrary and personal, and that pure invention is as valid as hard research." (page 198) He calls this trend, "... at worst, it is nasty and dangerous." It is obvious that such relativism is clearly false, but this is not an appropriate place to criticize such an idea (see my review of "Relativism: Feet planted firmly in mid-air" by Gregory Koukl and Francis Beckwith). I have not yet seen the film adaptation of this novel and I'm not sure if I will or not. Clearly, the slow, report-like format of the novel could not be successfully reproduced on film. I fear that the "13th warrior" (the title of the film adaptation of this novel) is simply an action film with monsters and Vikings...
Rating:
Summary: Elegant Tour de Force for Medieval Lit Buffs
Review: Think of Michael Crichton, and you're likely to think of his more techno-thriller mega-hits (all of which have been made into blockbuster movies), some of which might beg the question of how well he can REALLY write. Ponder no more. EATERS OF THE DEAD is a brilliant tour de force exploring the legend of Beowulf through the eyes of an Arab travelling into Viking lands in the 10th century. Crichton weaves actual historical fact seamlessly with myth and legend to create an "eye witness" account of a ferocious battle between warriors en route to Valhalla and monsters of the mist. This is one of the few books made into a film (released under the title "THE 13TH WARRIOR") where the film actually improves upon what is already a gem of a book. Read the book, then rent the movie. John McTiernan's masterful direction, and the incredibly spooky locations make this tale of superstition and terror a great ride (and it's one of the best performances Antonio Banderas has ever given - he wisely chose to be part of a stellar ensemble cast). Book: A- Movie: A+
Rating:
Summary: A Fabulous Read!!!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Beowulf meets A Thousand And One Nights
Review: Michael Crichton, never at a loss at putting a whole new slant on the tried and true, has given us a fascinating tale that combines some of the best elements of what might have happened if Sharazad had met up with Beowulf instead of the sultan Shahriyar. In "Eaters of the Dead" (an unfortunate title if there ever was one), Crichton introduces us to Ibn Fadlan, the story's narrator, a young Arabian who has had the misfortune to capture the heart of the young and beautiful wife of a rich old merchant. Ibn Fadlan is unwillingly sent out of harm's way on a mission to the faraway kingdom of Saqaliba. En route to his destination, he meets a group of Scandinavians, led by a brawny warrior called Buliwyf (the ancient spelling of Beowulf?). Ibn Fadlan thinks the Scandinavians are beyond gross; their habits are disgusting, they're little more civilized than animals -- but he finds an affinity with Buliwyf who can communicate in the common currency of the Latin language, still alive in the 10th century when this story takes place. Buliwyf convinces Ibn Fadlan to come with him and his men to Scandinavia, where they are being terrorized by a mysterious and monstrous entity that emerges from the mists and leave carnage and bloodshed in their wake. In "Beowulf" this entity was, of course, Grendel, but in "Eaters of the Dead" the monster turns out to be a group of cannibalistic Neanderthals who sow terror everywhere they appear, and with good reason. As in "Beowulf", there is a battle to the finish in which only one side can survive. During Ibn Fadlan's stay in the Scandinavian village, while preparing for the final confrontation, he learns a lot about his new friends and discovers that, while they may not be as cultured as his Arabian kinfolks, they are far from being the barbarians the first appeared to be. Ibn Fadlan tells us his story as entries in a journal, each one more fascinating than the next, and the ending reads like a journal broken off, for reasons we never find out. The last words are "Now it happened that..." What happened? Crichton's genius as a storyteller is leaving us wanting to know more about this Arabian world-traveler and what kind of subsequent adventures he met up with before he returned home -- if he ever did. Crichton, whose interests seem to be encyclopedic, based this book on a real manuscript by an Arab traveller called ibn Fadlan who in the year 921 A.D. traveled from Arabia to Bulgaria as an emissary of the Caliph. The manuscript is available in several modern translations, including English, but Crichton's book is probably a lot more fun to read. "Eaters of the Dead" was a sleeper, originally published in hardcover (I still have my copy) but it didn't take off until years later, after the release of the film "The Thirteenth Warrior" with Antonio Banderas playing the protagonist. In making two ancient cultures come alive for the reader, Crichton shows himself again to be a master storyteller.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, but misunderstood...
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting read
Review: This book is presented as an account of an Arab traveler taken along a quest with Vikings around a thousand years ago. Crichton does a good job of presenting the text as an historical account and in many ways this reads as an interesting historical narrative of true events. The story is a fairly quick read and I think any that enjoy action/adventure stories set in the distant past would like it. Because of the footnotes and eyewitness type narrative done in a fictional novel, it's hard to know what customs and beliefs presented are actual and what are totally made up. It all reads as true to life, and I suppose that is what makes it so interesting. I'm going to guess that Crichtons presentation of customs and rituals such as the one in which the Viking men can and do take any of the slave woman at will, often several times a day, is completely made up, a males fantasy indeed, however it makes for interesting reading and I'm sure it's intertwined with some customs that are actually factual. I saw the movie when it first came out, and that fact didn't diminish the reading of the novel. I'd also like to point out that, unlike Timeline, in which Crichton takes characters back in time in a time traveling machine, this book supposes an eyewitness account of a foreigner traveling to distant lands back at the time the adventure happened and that Crichton merely translated the story for us from several scholarly texts. I liked this approach better as it wasn't as fantastic or as hard to shallow. In any case, while this book is hardly classical literature, it's a fun read and I give it a good recommendation.
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