Free (nook) Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings [Nordic Culture & Global Influence]

[ATDrake]

The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings by Lars Brownworth, creator of a popular history podcast, is a newbie-friendly introductory history, culture, and enduring global influence guide to Exactly What It Says In The Title, free courtesy of publisher Crux.

This is pretty nifty, and goes over not just the expected thrilling Viking raids in the British Isles, but also as explorers and traders as far as Vinland, Rus, and Byzantium, with a few chapters devoted to their homebound kings, as well.

Currently free, probably just through the weekend @ B&N (may also drop in the UK, but previous ones from this imprint haven't, IIRC, though they are couponable @ Kobo if there's anything you're particularly interested in from their catalogue) as their Free Fridays selection.

If you're interested, you can also see the featured author's own recommend reading pick in the B&N blog entry here.

And this has been the (advance) selected 3rd (non-repeat) free ebook thread of the day.

Because I have this inordinate fondness for cultures which produce dragon boats, as you're no doubt sick of seeing me tell you.

And now, off to go plan and raid some Boxing Day sales in the true Viking spirit.

Enjoy!

Description
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 travellers through the stories of the great Viking figures. Among others, Leif the Lucky who discovered a new world, Ragnar Lodbrok the scourge of France, Eric Bloodaxe who ruled in York, and the crafty Harald Hardrada illuminate the saga of the Viking age - a time which “has passed away, and grown dark under the cover of night”.

[Red Falcon]

If you are interested in the above book The Normans: From Raiders to Kings is 1.99 on Amazon.