Listen free for 30 days

  • Eaters of the Dead

  • Written by: Michael Crichton
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (104 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Eaters of the Dead cover art

Eaters of the Dead

Written by: Michael Crichton
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $31.57

Buy Now for $31.57

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

The year is A.D. 922. A refined Arab courtier, representative of the powerful Caliph of Baghdad, encounters a party of Viking warriors who are journeying to the barbaric North. He is appalled by their Viking customs - the wanton sexuality of their pale, angular women, their disregard for cleanliness...their cold-blooded human sacrifices. But it is not until they reach the depths of the Northland that the courtier learns the horrifying and inescapable truth: he has been enlisted by these savage, inscrutable warriors to help combat a terror that plagues them - a monstrosity that emerges under cover of night to slaughter the Vikings and devour their flesh....

Eaters of the Dead was adapted to the screen as The 13th Warrior, starring Antonio Banderas.

©1976 by Michael Crichton; Copyright renewed 2004 by CrichtonSun LLC. (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about Eaters of the Dead

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    58
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    60
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    45
  • 4 Stars
    30
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting story, iffy pacing.

It's written as an account of an Arab travelling into the land and company of Vikings, and then a less poetic telling of the story of Beowulf, and it is a rather compelling premise. I would say that either the travelling chapters are too long or the conflict chapters are too short. It could use less time reading as a historical account and more time engaging in the story.

Overall, it's not a big time investment and the writing is good enough and premise is interesting enough.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lo, There do I see my Father.....

#Audible1 This book is the very story that i first saw as the movie, the 13th Warrior. I originally filmed in the wilds around where I currently live, this story attracted me as it was one of the first movies I had seen on the Norse. The movie led me to the book and the book made me a lifelong fan of it. This book is a great story by Michael Crichton and because of the way its written and in the end, the reveal of why it was written, makes it all that much better when you realize what the story is all about

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

not my kind of book

For me, this was awful. I wanted a story with dialogue, not some bits from a manuscript. it was like watching a documentary while wearing 2 eyepatches. No thanks. Audible won't allow a return for some reason so I WASTED a credit on what I deem to be rubbish. After 1 hour I had to let it go and shut it off.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Convincing

Very well narrated. Makes you sincerely believe that this was a historical account due to the different narrators as well as the appendix. Good stuff. If you've seen the 13th warrior you will also enjoy this. if you haven't, go watch it!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well worth the read

A lot of the other reviews mention how the novel is hard to get through where it has an almost "textbook style" of writing, but I assure you it's worthy your attention!
If you've ever seen the Antonio Banderas adaptation "The 13th Warrior" you already kinda know what you're in for; the "real" story behind Beowulf

Although some parts of the novel kinda come off as text book type learning, it's only when they are giving a bit of an exposition dump as to the history of a given people, for example.

If you're a fan of the film adaptation, Beowulf, or even just interested in the whole Viking culture; this short novel might well be worth your time! Simon Vance knocks it out of the park, but that's kinda given with a narrator as esteemed as Vance. Like the dude is a legend fro a reason...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I liked the movie

This novel blows it away, I especially liked how it felt like a historical journey that was being narrated to me.

I knew it was fiction, but towards the end I was (and still am) convinced of situations like this actually occurring.

Overall, cool story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent except for the sex assaults

it was a story for its age and an excellent one as shown in The 13th Warrior movie adaptation.

This is a fantastic read for anyone wanting descriptions of a D&D-like adventuring party traveling through the wilderness and several encounters of exciting violence.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

13th warrior!

awesome book! quick and fun read, same but different from the movie 13th warrior. jea

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

found it long and boring

I usually love Crichton's books but this was slow and boring. Not my kind of book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Deep and beautiful

A wonderful perspective on a unique period in history. The narrator does a wonderful job brining the characters to life! #audible1

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful