Vikings: A History of the Viking Age by Robert Carlson

Vikings: A History of the Viking Age Reviews

• 
  Jennifer (JC-S)

  ‘The history of the Viking Age is well known, until you try to distinguish between the myths and facts of this fascinating period of time.’
  
  Are you interested in the Vikings? Do you want to read an overview of their history, learn a little more about who the Vikings were, and how they lived? If you do, you may find this brief book interesting.
  
  In the introduction, Robert Carlson writes that the appellation of Vikings was applied from about 1820, to a group more properly known as Danes, Norsemen or Norse. In Chapter One, he then goes on to write about their life at home in Scandinavia, and how they were basically hunters, fisherman, free holding farmers, with many skilled craftsmen. The geography of their homeland led them to become expert ship builders.
  
  ‘This is what prepared them for the influential role they were to play as the Middle Ages unfolded.’
  
  In Chapter Two, Mr Carlson identifies some of the reasons why the Vikings started to look beyond their shores. Once they did, they found the English shores especially ripe for hit and run raids. But there was more to the Vikings than raiding, as shown in Chapter Three. In 837 CE, they had established a ship repair base in Ireland and soon after Dublin was their trading base. York was another trading base, and London was also an important link. The Vikings expanded beyond the British Isles, into Europe and Russia as well as into Constantinople. (In particular, I’ve always found Harald Hadrada and the Varangian Guard fascinating).
  
  In Chapter Four, Mr Carlson looks at why the Vikings were so successful. In Chapter Five, he provides some details about some of the more colourful characters of the Viking Age.
  ‘History has a necessary but not always helpful way of putting things in boxes neatly, bookended with dates on either side and so it is with the Viking Age.’
  
  This is a brief book, and would take around an hour to read. Each chapter opens with a quote from Beowulf, is full of interesting information, and would provide a solid starting point for anyone looking to learn more about this period of history.
  
  Note: I was offered a free copy of this book by the publishing company Hourly History LTD. I was happy to accept the offer and enjoyed reading the book. While I knew some of the information contained in the book, I learned some new information as well. The only thing I wanted a bit more information about was the writer’s background. Perhaps Hourly History LTD could consider including a brief biography of the author?
  
  Jennifer Cameron-Smith
  
• 
  Dimi Balerinas

  A sorry excuse for a history book.
  
  I love Norse history and I always enjoy getting my hands on historical books, sagas, text translations and I generally spend time doing research and studying on history.
  
  Vikings: A History of the Viking Age is probably the worst history book I have come across so far and I find the fact that it has managed to get such a high rate on goodreads mind boggling.
  Mind boggling but not surprising that is.
  Why am I hammering this book down?
  Because the whole of this book is a sorry excuse of a history book.
  For starters it has no sources, no references, not even credits to quotes used in it.
  The whole text is a subjective narration of cherrypicked information and events introduced with such ignorance to how an actual history book is written.
  While a proper history book always approaches events and records with safe distinctions between facts and assumptions, records and speculations - the content of this book here is introduced with blatant absolutism without doubts depicting and introducing information as a solid, stable and only truth.
  And the complete lack of distinction between personal opinion and introduction of historical information it not the only problem.
  The book itself is poorly written and the context is completely unorganized. It has no content index. It doesn't even has paging. It has no notes either.
  The content itself is so pour, shallow and not detailed that the text itself is printed in something like a 16pt font size and the line height between the lines is huge. And that itself is barely enough to fill in the NON PAGED 56 pages of this print.
  
  Just because you can write good texts in English and can introduce each chapter with a quote from a saga, this does not make you a professional history book writer.
  This looks like the work of an amateur article, a work of student, that merely had the connections to push it out as a published book.
  
  I might sound like cynical to you, but it's people like me who need to call out things like this publically and help people to filter out garbage like this.
  History is something that must be approached with respect. Doubt. Objectivity. And above all SOURCES.
  This book follows non of the above.
  And the sad thing is that people don't mind that. The don't mind accepting an easy truth than having to do research and spend time to cross check information.
  And that why, as I said, it's mind boggling but not surprising that this book has the rating of 3.77 stars (while there are brilliant history books out there for lower than this rate).
  
  I had to pay EUR 15.57 (not counting in shipping costs from USA to Greece) for this. A price tag with which you can buy history books with insanely higher value and quality of information than this.
  And I completely absolutely and full heartedly recommend that unless you are a person incompetent of understanding history and accept anything introduced to you in a form of signed text as valid information, this book is not worth any of your money and time.
  Have some self-respect and value the nature of history and how it should be studied. Buy something else.
• 
  Karunakaran N.

  Vikings: A History of the Viking Age by Robert Carlson... Quite a detailed account of the Vikings their transformation towards civilization...
• 
  Vik Arch

  History is one of my favorite subjects, especially Worlds History from Prehistoric, to Medieval Ages, to the Exploration Era.... Those left me fascinating, and daydreaming about stories,heroes, heroines, legends. I often think about daily lives, sacrifices, adventure, and hardship people endured to survive and make their living more vibrant. Their courage, bravery, honesty, and loyalty marvels me. But there is always a dark side of the story: plague, bloodshed, hurt, pride, and fame that destroyed many families, pulling great dynasties down...
  
  The Viking Age is one of the mysterious periods of our history. The author made a great job bringing the information together. What is myth and what is truth are the questions the historians ask about any age and era.
  
  The book is short, but explains the simple ways of people which now we call Vikings. Curious to know their story, their lifestyle, then read this book.
• 
  Merissa (Archaeolibrarian)

  This book provides a short introduction to the Vikings - showing they are much more than just horned helmets and pillaging. Giving you an idea of what day-to-day life might have been like, as well as hearing about the explorers and adventurers too, this history book gives you more of a well-rounded idea into the world of the Vikings. This in no way gives you all the information you may want, but for a brief introduction then I can definitely recommend it.
  
  * I received this book from Hourly History in return for a fair and honest review. *
  
  Merissa
  Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
• 
  Jerry Mercer

  Concise Explanations
  
  This a well-written summary of the Vikings and their lives. Although it is short, it provides a good overview of the people and their activities.