Forgotten 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.' -- Philip Parker, author of The Northmen's Fury ‘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.’ -- Thomas Williams, author of Viking Britain ‘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.’ -- Jim Leary, author of Footmarks ‘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.’ -- W. B. Bartlett, author of Vikings