They lived surrounded by the wilderness of the frozen sea in a barren land. For centuries they struggled with monstrous, endless winters or enjoyed short but radiant summers. They cherished community and equality. They felt almost related to their gods. They passionately loved freedom, admired for their strength, and were good and prudent family men. They competed in shot put, archery, swimming, and fencing. When they felt the call of the sea routes, they responded; with their fast, agile ships and their ancient knowledge of weather and the liquid element, they soon became the rulers of the watery world, as well as significant expanses of land. They sailed almost all the seas and all the great rivers. Ruthless and fearless in their attacks—they never knew fear—adaptable over time, they took root in the places they conquered and loved. They created colonies, became lords in European countries, landowners, administrators, generals, princes, artists, kings, historians, scientists. In 930, they founded the Althing in Iceland, the oldest parliament in the world. What has impressed historians, archaeologists, and entire societies is the settlement of pre-Columbian America by Viking groups, already from the late 9th century... Eleni Sarantiti writes a book in which, with a literary perspective, she offers dense knowledge about the fascinating history and actions of the Vikings, recreating an unknown side of an entire era of human civilization. A product of study and research, the book refers to the origin, ancestry, culture, travels, and raids of the Vikings, as well as Scandinavian mythology, the Edda, and the sagas—and the reader moves away from the stereotypical view of the Vikings as a barbaric and warlike people.