The Vikings

From Finland to Newfoundland and Jelling to Jerusalem, follow in the wake of the Vikings - a transformative story of a people that begins with paganism and ends in Christianity. In A. D. 800, the Scandinavians were just barbarians and longboats. Though they held sway in the north, their power meant little more than the ability to pillage and plunder, which they did to back up their status at home. But, as these Norse warriors left their strongholds to trade, raid, and settle across wide areas of Europe, Asia, and the North Atlantic, their violent and predatory culture left a unique imprint on medieval history. The twist that no one predicted, however, was a much slower takeover than any that the Vikings would execute, and by a turn of the tide, they themselves became its target. The Vikings: Myths or Truths is there to tell the tale, to pay homage to what was lost and celebrate what was won. Focusing on key events, including the sack of Lindisfarne and 793 and the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, Jay Horne recounts the saga of the Viking age, from the creation of the world through to the dwindling years of halfhearted raids and said storytelling in the 13th century. Done with meticulous research, engaging narrative, and sensitivity for the subject matter, shedding light and blood along the way.