Ferguson uses newer scholarship which looks into ideas such as the Viking "invasions" as a result of Christian expansion (especially Charlamange) into pagan lands being the match that lit the flame.Īs I said, a great history of the Vikings but it is a serious history book and can be dry. But, if you can ignore the dry style of the information and soak in the interesting history and lore-then you will be rewarded. It does not bother me, but some might find this a bit tedious. That being said, there is one caveat- the writing style of this book tends to lean towards the dry side. Combining Norse runic and oral history and the writings of those they attacked, this is a great encapsulation of a truly interesting age. I truly enjoyed the book as it was a wonderfully dense historical record. Starting with the Viking raids on the Carolingian Empire and on to the, generally better known, raids on England and finishing with the "Last Vikings" such as the remaining holdout in upper Uppsala, Sweden, and the Christianized Norsemen who turned the Norse lands into Kingdoms. These three chapters form a sort of background for the following chapters which serve as a historical record of the Viking Age. The third chapter is rather interesting and looks at the causes of the Viking Age. We are then introduced to the culture that was prevalent in the Norse lands. Starting with the Osberg Ship, Ferguson traces the development of the Norse longship and the Proto-Norse peoples. "The Vikings: A History" is an excellent volume covering the Viking Age.
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