The Sea Wolves, Lars Brownworth
The Sea Wolves, Lars Brownworth
9 Rating(s)
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The Sea Wolves
A History of the Vikings

Author: Lars Brownworth

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 7 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 06/23/2015


Synopsis

In AD 793, Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse "sea wolves" followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev, and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

But there is more to the Viking story than brute force. They were makers of law—the term itself comes from an Old Norse word—and they introduced a novel form of trial by jury to England. They were also sophisticated merchants and explorers who settled Iceland, founded Dublin, and established a trading network that stretched from Baghdad to the coast of North America.

In The Sea Wolves, Lars Brownworth brings to life this extraordinary Norse world of epic poets, heroes, and travelers through the stories of the great Viking figures, including Leif the Lucky, Eric Bloodaxe, and Harald Hardrada. This riveting history illuminates the saga of the Viking age—a time which "has passed away, and grown dark under the cover of night."

About Lars Brownworth

Lars Brownworth, the author of Lost to the West and The Normans, created the genre-defining history podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers. Lars has written for the Wall Street Journal, and he has been profiled in the New York Times. He lives in Maryland with his wife.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Zala

Rather than a "history of the Vikings," this felt more like a history of their exploration and conquests, but it did well as an overview of their historical presence. I listened to the audiobook, the narration of which was engaging and easy to follow. I did notice one or two mistakes that made me wo......more

Goodreads review by Rex

They didn’t come from any one place but all over Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. And they had no king, at the start. Instead, any man could gather as many followers as he could muster, and then take off for other shores plundering. Meaning to kill, rape, and steal as much as possible. Not a prescriptio......more