Майкл Крайтон - представитель совершенного нового направления в Фэнтези, которую можно охарактеризовать как "модифицированная реальность". С одной стороны, новое прочтение легенды о Беовульфе никак нельзя назвать "историческим романом". С другой стороны, ничего фантастического в книге, в общем-то, нет. Т.е. никто не летает, не кидается огненными шарами, не готовит заклятья для превращения в невиданное существо, и т.д. Разве что гномы куют и закаляют сталь вдалеке от взоров простых нордических людей.

Аудиокнига - продолжительность около 4-х часов.

The concept of the book is very interesting: taking a thousand year old manuscript of a royal Arab messenger (Ibn Fadlan), from a region of the world (Baghdad) that, at the time, was the center of refined culture, art & architecture and higher learning; and describing a race, culture and climate (the Vikings) that were virtually unknown to the world. Shocking as the Viking way of life was to a foreigner, the ultimate shock was in the transformation of this Arab, and his acceptance into the brotherhood of the Viking war machine and their encounter with a race known only through its chilling terror and destruction of the Vikings when they attack under cover of "the mist".

While Crichton has taken artistic license in the character development and dialogue of this novel, he has footnoted Ibn Fadlan's actual 10th-century manuscript into the novel and woven a well told tale of war atrocities, unreal ritual brutalities, and wanton sexual encounters.

WE RETURNED AS WE HAD COME, BUT RODE WITH greater speed, for the horses now were eager, and eventually came down from the hills and saw the flat plain and, in the distance, at the ocean's edge, the settlement and the great hall of Rothgar.

Now Buliwyf veered away and led us in another direction, toward high rocky crags swept by the ocean winds.

I rode alongside Herger and inquired the reason for this, and he said we were to seek out the dwarves of the region.

At this I was much surprised, for the men of the North have no dwarves among their society; they are never seen in the streets, nor do any sit at the feet of kings, nor are any to be found counting money or keeping records or any of the things that we know of dwarves.

Now we came to a region of caves, hollowed and windswept, and Buliwyf dismounted from his horse, and all the warriors of Buliwyf did likewise, and proceeded by foot.

I heard a hissing sound, and verily I saw puffs of steam issue from one and another of these several caves.

We entered one cave and there found dwarves.

They were in appearance thus: of the ordinary size of dwarf, but distinguished by hands of great size, and bearing features that appeared exceedingly aged.

The dwarves greeted our arrival politely, with no sign of fear.

Herger said these creatures have magic powers and need fear no man on earth.

Herger said this also: that the appearance of great age among the dwarves was a true thing, and that a dwarf lived beyond the span of any ordinary man.

Now I saw that the hissing and steam issued from great cauldrons, into which hammered-steel blades were plunged to temper the metal, for the dwarves make weapons that are highly prized by the Northmen.

Indeed, I saw the warriors of Buliwyf looking about the caves eagerly, as any woman in a bazaar shop selling precious silks.