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Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, and tracing the astonishing development of the Viking age from the first foreign raids to the rise and fall of empires, this comprehensive reader is essential to an understanding of Viking history. Chroniclers record European horror in the face of the Viking onslaught. An Arab diplomat gives a gripping account of an encounter with Norsemen in Russia. Great warriors and kings of the period are heralded in Skaldic poetry. With unusual power, saga literature narrates the lives of Norse women and men at home and abroad. Brief introductions contextualize the translations and all unfamiliar terms are explained in the body of the text, making this an extremely readable and user-friendly introduction to the Viking age.… (more)
User reviews
I am disappointed the book doesn't include more runic texts. These brief messages have important things to say about the Viking people.
I can't speak to the quality of the translations, except for the Icelandic material. I believe the translations of the old Icelandic sources are very "loose", with enhancements that have been inferred from the original texts. That's neither good nor bad; because such translations "read" better to a modern reader, it's a choice I often make when I'm translating passages to include in my books. As a result, students and researchers should probably not depend on these translations, but instead should consult the original or one of the more strict modern translations.