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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Consider it to be MC's best to date. You can literally feel the Northsmen charging and Bulwyk's force of persona. Good research, and nicely paced. A good example of how novels should be written.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “I was so disappointed in this novel by Crichton. I really enjoy reading his works, and was sad to find out that this one was totally different, even in writing style. I simply couldn't get into it, the names at the beginning were so distracting that I even tried skipping ahead to when the main...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“Know the legend of Beowolf? Well, this is the story of Beowolf turned into a kind of historical fiction.”
Katrina P wrote this review 2 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Packed into 258 pages,The 13th warrior by Michael Crichton is a tale of historical fiction filled with heart stopping action, incredible storytelling, suspense, and a content show of the different Philosophies of the Northmen and the Arabs. The 13th Warrior also provides us with an interesting window into the lives of the men that came before us and also helps us learn of cultures long since gone from the earth. The Novel is the story of Ibn Fadlin, an Arab diplomat who is sent on a mission from his home in Baghdad to meet with the the King of the Volga Bulgars, but by a strange twist of fate is captured by a group of Vikings and sent on a journey to save a Kingdom from an invading group of Mist monsters known as the Wendol. The book is written from the perspective of Ibn Fadlin and tells his story as an Arab diplomat that traveled to the North and learned of its people and culture. The story often shows the different philosophies of the Northmen and the Arabs and often shows certain things that we now find humorous such as a group of vikings thinking whales are sea monsters, or of Fadlin's own ignorance as when he first meets the Northmen he describes them as "the filthiest race god ever created" yet when he leaves he regards them as noble warriors. When Fadlin first comes to the northmen a tribes leader dies and when a slave girl is burnt with him for his funeral he is disgusted but when his comrade Buliwyf whom he fought along side for many battles dies he is not disturbed by the Northmen's practice. With all the action, humor, suspense, and knowledge The 13th Warrior is a page turner and by far one of the best novels I have ever read.”
BillBill T wrote this review 9 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Crichton manages to write a piece of historical fiction that stands more on its realistic style than on a shoehorned climatic structure.”
redFred wrote this review Wednesday, November 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I was so disappointed in this novel by Crichton. I really enjoy reading his works, and was sad to find out that this one was totally different, even in writing style. I simply couldn't get into it, the names at the beginning were so distracting that I even tried skipping ahead to when the main character met the other people. I'm hoping this is a rare novel for Crichton and that the one's I read in the future will be more like what I've come to expect and want from his books. I would not suggest if you are a Crichton fan, or if you are annoyed by too many details.”
amvw wrote this review Sunday, November 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Just an okay book.”
Linda B wrote this review Tuesday, October 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“The first few chapters are hard to take but the story picks up in the second half of this short book. Crichton slips in a few modern idioms into the language occasionally which can be distracting. If you believed the BS "this is a real story" premise then this book would likely be more enjoyable.”
rynosoft wrote this review Wednesday, October 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“An arab writer encounters Vikings and travels with them. The manuscript on which this is based, is real, but only part of it has survived. Crichton made up the rest.”
Dinesh M wrote this review Tuesday, September 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Michael Crichton once had a debate with a friend who was teaching "the great bores" over whether Beowulf, if presented in a new light, could be remotely interesting. Thus "Eaters of the Dead" was born.
English D wrote this review Sunday, August 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, a real-life poet from Baghdad reknowned for his ability to observe indifferently, is sent North by the Caliph to serve as ambassador to a tribe of Scandinavians in what is now Russia. En route, however, he is abducted by a party of Vikings led by one Bulwui who embark on a quest to rescue the lands of King Hrothgar from the monstrous Wrendol.
Crichton performs superbly, maintaining the pacing and style of Ibn Fadlan's original writings from the 8th(if I remember correctly) century as it seamlessly flows into his own work. Very interesting to hear the story of Beowulf from one thoroughly disgusted Arab. The book was adapted for the silver screen, renamed "The 13th Warrior" and Antonio Banderas was cast as Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, which makes about as much sense as casting an Egyptian to play Yuri Zhivago.”“Beowulf, by Michael Crichton. Ugh. ”
Andrea S wrote this review Sunday, August 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
