Eaters of the Dead

This book is a re-interpretation of the epic saga of Beowulf, re-imagining him as a real-life hero who fought in a historical human world. The magic of this story is that it is hard to tell where facts end and story begins. Ahmad, the narrator, is opinionated in a dry and pedagogic way. He complains about many things but, like a true traveler, refuses little. Even though he regales us with his sense of superiority, his outward manner is meek and passive which helps him get along with the Northmen. Please don’t read this book in a public library… show more.

Michael Crichton is the only author I’ve selected for my list whose name is likely to be known to most readers. Eaters of the Dead isn’t generally considered to be one of his greatest works, but for me, it’s probably the most influential novel I’ve read (going back to early school hood days). Essentially a retelling of Beowulf (an English poem but a Scandinavian story), Crichton made the tale fresh for a modern audience, setting it in the Viking Age (rather than the Vendel Period) and introduced Ibn Fadlan, an actual historic person, as the main narrator and character. Crichton… show more.