Reviews

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton

prab's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is surprisingly good. I expect nothing when I’ve started this book but wow this is full of surprises. The story of Norseman has always intrigue me.

The villian, Wendol is so well constructed and was so damn scary in my head. However, after so much build up, the abrupt ending has ruined it. But overall, this is a thrilling book and I can’t wait to start another book of Crichton 

corprew's review

5.0

This is the only book of Crichton's that I'd recommend reading, and I recommend it heartily. In some ways a modernist retelling of beowulf.

daswampthing's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

trepidtimetraveller's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

2.25

gsheffy's review against another edition

main character says he would rather have sex with a woman on her period than climb down a cliff 👍🏻 so true king 

ok i didn’t enjoy like at all, very suspenseful, but hated everyone… maybe i’ll have something more insightful to say after beowulf class 

ladyethyme's review

2.0

I almost never say this but….the movie was much, much better. Had humour, better storytelling, better pacing.
This book was basically a bored, dry scholar’s recount of an interesting story….
And frankly if I have to hear the word ‘verily’ or ‘I saw with my own eyes’ ONE MORE TIME I’m going to VERILY KILL SOMEONE WITH MY OWN HANDS myself. THREE TIMES in two paragraphs….and it goes on like this through the entire book.
And the constant references to slave girls being banged wherever/whenever the men pleased got gross real fast. A whole ‘village’ where the men kept nothing but sex slaves? Critchton seems fine with this and delightedly refers to it over and over and over…

thomasr417's review

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

schuster_s's review

3.0

Not my usual choice of Crichton book, but not horrible. I had to look up if it was real or not because it is so well sourced. Overall pretty good, but I won’t read it again anytime soon. To the shelf to join the Crichton collection!

bpc's review

adventurous informative lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

3.25

gatun's review

5.0

The first thing you need to know about The Eaters of the Dead is what it is not. It is not The 13th Warrior. Now that is out of the way, The Eaters of the Dead is a retelling of Beowulf. The afterward of the book explains how Michael Crichton decided to write it and how he wrote it. Simon Vance's smooth voice leads the listener from Bagdad to the Viking homelands far in the north. If you enjoy Beowulf, the literary version not the movie or animated versions, you will enjoy The Eaters of the Dead. If you have not encountered Beowulf yet, The Eaters of the Dead may be a rough start.