Book Review: Vikings A History of the Northmen

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Do we need another book on the Vikings? The enduring popularity of these Scandinavian warriors and traders would say that yes, we do. In this hefty tome by WB Bartlett, with a subtitle of A History of the Northmen, northmen being one translation derivative of Viking itself, there’s a chronological view of their activities up until 1066, with a postscript on the Viking twilight. The first task though is to define what a Viking actually was, and here the author chooses practicality over pedantry, setting the tone of accessibility for the rest of the book.
It covers famous Vikings, their empire building, battles, trading and relations with neighbouring countries. The impact these activities had on Dark Age Britain is discussed as well as just how adventurous they actually were, sailing relatively small ships across enormous distances.

With a colour plate section in the middle, this is an excellent, easily digestible look at the lasting impact the Vikings had on Europe.

• Amberley Books
• ISBN 978-1-4456-6594-8
• 436 pages • Hardback • £25

Reviewed in The Armourer April 2020 issue

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