I was just wondering if you guys know of any books, films, etc, that relate to Norse culture or "Vikingism." This certainly seems like the place to ask. They can be fiction or nonfiction, though I'd guess I'd prefer fiction.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
"Asterix and the Normans," a French comic book. Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
"Eaters of the Dead" by Michael Crichton (and the movie, "The 13 Warrior". It's supposed to be what the source of the Epic of Beowolf might look like. Very interesting.
There is some in "Byzantium" by Stephen Lawhead. An Irish priest gets captured by some Vikings and joins them in an expedition to sail down the Danube (I think) into the Black Sea and from there to Byzantium. Also very interesting.
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
Asterix and Obelix has everything you need to know.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
You got it. Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :
Is Marvel still publishing Thor comics? I always loved those as a kid.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Douglas Adams Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.
Neil Gaiman's American Gods Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
You know, I was wondering this aloud to a friend, and he mentioned Hagar the Horrible and the Thor comics, too, albeit as a joke.
EDIT: and Noemon, those two top my list.
[ November 10, 2004, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
If your looking for a movie that references, not depicts, Norse culture, check out Rocket Gibralter.
The main plot line is about a person's desire for a viking funeral.
Dagonee
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Erik the Viking
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Worlds of Fun has an amusement park ride called The Viking Voyager. It's startlingly realistic, right down to the TidEbowl blue of the water your Viking longship travels through.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Hammer of the gods!
Posted by signal (Member # 6828) on :
quote: Neil Gaiman's American Gods
That was such a great book. I want to visit all the places in that book.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Shoot. I was going for the scoop on both Erik the Viking and the Viking Kittens.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
How could I have forgotten the Viking Kittens?
Posted by dread pirate romany (Member # 6869) on :
Er, Veggie Tales "Lyle the Kindly Viking"? Probably doesn't count, but has the coolest Gilbert and Sullivan style songs about loothing and plundering.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
13th Warrior
Posted by Trondheim (Member # 4990) on :
As a descendant of Vikings, I would recommend When the Raven flies. It’s a “remake” of Once upon a Time in the West, rather well done, and there are no silly horned helmets or busty blondes.
Edit: By the way, if you are looking for historical accuracy, The 13th Warrior is a poor choice.
[ November 10, 2004, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: Trondheim ]
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Yeah, but I'm not going for historical accuracy- just pop culture. How people see them today.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Heinlein's Job: A Comedy of Justice.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Ooh, that's a good one Icarus.
There's that Loony Tunes short where Elmer Fudd has he speaw and magic hewmit.
Posted by Dragon (Member # 3670) on :
Ooh! I love Asterix and Obelix! (aren't they Gaulois rather than vikings though?)
Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :
Yes. Asterix and his friends are Gauls, a Celtic people living in what is now France in Roman times. Nothing to do with Vikings, who didn't appear until several centuries later.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Hence Asterix and the Normans.
EDIT: Wait, you're right. That doesn't make sense.
[ November 10, 2004, 10:23 PM: Message edited by: Teshi ]
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Tom Holt's Who's Afraid of Beowulf?.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
EDIT: This was so totally in the wrong thread.
[ November 10, 2004, 10:32 PM: Message edited by: Teshi ]
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
Asterix and the Great Crossing has some vikings.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I guess they might overlap. Early vikings and late Romans and Gauls.
Posted by A Rat Named Dog (Member # 699) on :
[ November 10, 2004, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: A Rat Named Dog ]
Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :
quote:I guess they might overlap. Early vikings and late Romans and Gauls.
Historically, no, they don't. Not at all, actually. But the original question was about popular culture rather than historical authenticity, after all. So if M. Uderzo put Vikings into Asterix, that's a bizarre anachronism on his part, but that comic remains a valid answer to the question.
Edit: Well, it also depends on what you mean by "Romans". The Byzantine Empire, which lasted until its final defeat by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, was Roman. But it was not by any means the same "Rome" as that of Julius Caesar, and the term "Gaul" had slipped out of currency as an ethnic or geographic descriptor by then. So technically, yes, the Vikings were around during "Roman" times, but not the Rome found in "Asterix". Which is more than anyone even wanted to know about it.
[ November 10, 2004, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: Verily the Younger ]
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I know when the Roman Romans were around and the Vikings. I never thought of that total historical innacuracy before. It's 600 years out of time!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Guy Gavriel Kay wrote 2 books that were inspired by the vikings...
The Last Light of the Sun, and A Song for Arbonne.
The were best sellers in Fantasy, so I think they would qualify.
Also, Tom Dietz used the vikings in some of his books....although his books tended to focus more on the Celtic and Indian mythos.
Kwea
[ November 10, 2004, 11:34 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Hmm... thanks for the help. Keep em coming.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
How about the credit card commersials? The Capitol One ones? They play a ravaging horde out to destroy...
Posted by Scythrop (Member # 5731) on :
I'm sure that THIS is no-doubt based on historically accurate and well researched information. I'm Áni Shieldcrusher
<- Not really a viking, but as close as the graemlins get...
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Or try Emil Petaja's SF take on the Finnish Kalevala: Saga of Lost Earth's , Star Mill , The Stolen Sun , Tramontane , The Time Twister
[ November 11, 2004, 01:19 AM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Sorry, what's that?
EDIT: nevermind, it works now.
[ November 11, 2004, 01:24 AM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Joel Rosenburg had a few novels based on Norse myths..Keeper of the Hidde ways was the name of the series....The Fire Duke was the first book, I think.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
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<- Not really a viking, but as close as the graemlins get...