Eaters of the Dead : With an introduction and running commentary read by Michael Crichton

Rating:
Summary: Kinda Snoresville
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Wow was this book bad
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe interesting for classical readers, but actually boring
Review: Around 925 AD the Caliph of Baghdad sent an emmissary to the Bulgars in response to a request for information regarding Muslim teachings. Unfortunately, Ibn Fadlin, the leader of the group, is co-opted into joining a group of Northmen as the 13th warrior in a quest to save a kingdom from the feared "mist monsters." He unwillingly embarks on this journey and survives to relate much of the customs of these heroic peoples and their disgusting habits of sexual wantonness and human sacrifice (probably not appropriate for younger readers).

I hadn't heard of this novel by Crichton before, and it's probably because it's actually quite boring. In truth, it sounds like Mr. Crichton wasn't trying to write an exciting story, but trying to write what *could* have been the plausible beginnings of a legendary and fanciful tale such as Beowulf. So, people who enjoy reading things like Beowulf will probably find this much more interesting than most people.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY GOOD READ
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: a bland historical novel, without the historical value
Review: 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."

Rating:
Summary: My Favourite Book!!!
Review: Eaters Of The Dead is definitely my favourite book of all time. This is without doubt Michael Crichton's best work.
The story is about an Arab traveller, Ahmed Ibh Fadlan. The ruler of the ancient Baghdad sends him to Notrhern lands as an ambassador, because he is suspected of love affair, with the wife of an important man in the City of Peace.
On his way, he arrives to the Northmen's vilage, where an old king has just died. One day, a young boy arrives, sending a message from the Vikings' home land, that they are under the attack of a man-eating monster. According to a numerogical superstition, 13 warriors must travell there, one of them must be no North man. So Ibn Fadlan must travell to the Northland, along with a new king Buliwyf.
After many days, they arrive there. They are greeted with a feast, but they must already prepare to fight the monster. After first attack, they follow the monsters back to it's caves, where they kill their mother. But during this fight Buliwyf is poissoned. They return to the town and they must prepare for the vengeance of the monsters. They succeed in protecting the town, but their king, Buliwyf dies. They are all regarded as heroes and they all stay there, with the exception of Ibn Fadlan, who must return back, so that he will continue his journey as ambassador.
This is a great adventurous, historical novel. It is based on actual manuscripts of an Arab traveller. It is also based on the story of an old English epic, Beowulf.

Rating:
Summary: Madness
Review: 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?"