"The Vikings and Their Age offers a quick overview of the chronology and major themes of the Viking period. Written in an accessible manner, it also provides a great introduction to some of the most interesting and significant figures in Viking lore, such as Harald Bluetooth, Eirik the Red, Leif Eiriksson, and Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir, a female Viking traveller. Insights and evidence from such diverse disciplines as archaeology, philology, linguistics, and genetics are provided.

The companion includes a case study in reading and interpreting Viking history, a timeline, maps, images, and text boxes that highlight additional, interesting information throughout (e.g. explanations of Viking names, the description of a chieftain's dwelling in Arctic Norway, and archaeological evidence of Viking raids)."--pub. desc.