Reviews for The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings

The average rating for The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2021-03-16 00:00:00 Chester Evans The Vikings made their mark on the world during the 8th to 11th centuries CE, the epoch that includes the height of their expansion activities'a time known as the Viking Age. Remembered today mostly for their fierce and brutal raiding, this book deepens the recognition of their culture and daily life as farmers, traders, and explorers with a pagan belief system and distinctive code of justice. Elements of Viking life are examined through archaeological discoveries presented in conjunction with historical evidence. The text puts forth a view of what was happening in the world around the Vikings to get an accurate perception of their role and influence during the Viking Age and in the centuries that followed. It is informative of the Vikings' past cultural and religious evolution, as well as the history of conquests and migration to modern-day France, the islands of Greenland, Ireland and the UK, and the colonization of North America. Many archaeological surprises are revealed in this book, including the history of British, French, Scottish and other European surnames and their Norse roots in the areas of past Viking presence, tracing the connection with an incredible geographic precision. This book addresses and solves long hidden world mysteries, unanswered historical questions, and supplements Viking knowledge and understanding.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-09-08 00:00:00 Matthew Pierce As a basic history book, this probably merits 4*. As a historical atlas though, I give it 3*. There are some fundamental problems with this book, for example on pp. 30-31 the text refers to events that are best understood using the map on pg. 35, but there is no indication of this... Some of the other maps, despite being in full colour, are very difficult to follow compared to other Penguin Historical Atlases that I've read in 2 colours. The maps on pg. 63 and pg. 67 of the Viking invasions of England (Mercia, Wessex, etc.) are inconsistent - one overlays the dates/events on the map, while the other puts the dates/events to the side with a letter key. Neither is satisfactory. So although I found the content to be worthwhile, I felt frustrated with the layout and design decisions.