Eaters of the Dead

Inspired both by the writings of the historical traveler Ibn Fadlan and the Old English epic BEOWULF, Michael Crichton's novel THE EATERS OF THE DEAD tells the story of an Islamic Arab man from Baghdad who travels to Europe in the year 922 A.D. and eventually ends up traveling and sharing adventures with a band of Vikings. Though full of high-adventure and even monsters, Crichton utilizes scientific theories--for, example, the monsters are presented as Neanderthals that survived into the 10th century--to give the novel a plausible quality; this blend of science and fantasy would play a major role in Crichton's later best-sellers such as AIRFRAME and JURASSIC PARK. In 1999, EATERS OF THE DEAD was made into the Hollywood film THE 13TH WARRIOR, starring Antonio Banderas.