Forgotten Vikings: New Approaches to the Viking Age

''Overall, Forgotten Vikings provides a good synthesis of the latest historical and archaeological research on the subject, woven together with the fundamental aspects of Norse mythology. It will be of greatest interest to readers who already have some familiarity with other regions or periods of medieval history but who would like learn more about the Vikings.'' ''Alex Harvey’s Forgotten Vikings take us on a millennium-long tour from a volcanic eruption in 536 that blotted the sun out with an ash cloud and may have ultimately prompted outward migration from Scandinavia to the discovery of the corpse of what tantalisingly could have been Greenland’s last Viking in 1540. He extends outwards our understanding of the Viking World in a lively exploration of some of its less well-known figures, like Harold Klak, a 9th century king of Denmark, or the anonymous Vikings, taken captive during an abortive raid in Spain who ended up as cheesemakers at an Arab emir’s court. Always seeking to grasp the Viking’s eye perspective of how they perceived the world, he amply fulfils his ambition to season the well-trodden narratives of Viking history with some truly engaging and fascinating byways.'' ‘Forgotten Vikings is an impressive achievement. With imagination, vigour and passion for his subject, Harvey has produced a book that, like the Vikings themselves, is powerful and wide-ranging; sometimes strange, often surprising, it threatens to take you captive on the wildest of journeys.’ ‘Forgotten Vikings weaves together archaeology, history, and mythology to cut through the popular image of bloodthirsty pillagers and unveil them as farmers, settlers, traders, and travellers. This book is a terrific tour de force, a testament to Harvey’s meticulous research and engaging storytelling. It is informative and captivating, much like the tales told by the Old Norse storytellers themselves.’ ‘An invaluable addition to the wide corpus of Viking books out there … gets beyond the stereotypes and helps us look at the Vikings in a different, more nuanced light. I strongly recommend it.’ ''A fascinating and thought-provoking book that I''d strongly recommend to anyone with more than a passing interest in the Viking Age.'' ''Well illustrated and engagingly written, this publication offers an accessible and thought-provoking look at the Vikings as we understand them today.'' ''Forgotten Vikings is an enlightening read that goes down smoothly. The inclusion of illustrations throughout from Harvey himself also gives the book a very personal feel. He gets into the archaeological evidence to draw out the provable facts and debunk the common myths. This book is well worth diving into if you want to expand your Viking knowledge.'' ''There was more to them than the wanton bloodletting and the ensuing drinking songs about wanton bloodletting, and books like Forgotten Vikings helps us to remember that.'' New trade paperback edition - A reappraisal of the Vikings. The ultimate goal of Forgotten Vikings is to add to the corpus of popular history/overview books of the Viking Age.

• | Author: Alex Harvey
• | Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• | Publication Date: Nov 15, 2025
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9781398133266
• | ISBN-10: 1398133264