The Long Ships

By: Frans G. Bengtsson, Michael Meyer, Michael Chabon

Narrated by: Michael Page

Bengtsson's hero, Red Orm-canny - courageous and above all lucky - is only a boy when he is abducted from his Danish home by the Vikings and made to take his place at the oars of their dragon-prowed ships. Orm is then captured by the Moors in Spain, where he is initiated into the pleasures of the senses and fights for the Caliph of Cordova. Escaping from captivity, Orm washes up in Ireland, where he marvels at those epicene creatures, the Christian monks, and from which he then moves on to play an ever more important part in the intrigues of the various Scandinavian kings and clans and dependencies. Eventually, Orm contributes to the Viking defeat of the army of the king of England and returns home an off-the-cuff Christian and a very rich man, though back on his native turf new trials and tribulations will test his cunning and determination.

Packed with pitched battles and blood feuds, and told throughout with wit and high spirits, Bengtsson's book is a splendid adventure that features one of the most unexpectedly winning heroes in modern fiction.

©1954, 2010 Frans G. Bengtsson; translation copyright 1954 by Michael Meyer; Introduction copyright 2010 by Michael Chabon (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

A great road trip companion

We chose this book wanting to have something similar to Louis L'amour's Walking Drum and an epic like the Lord of the Rings. Historical fiction set in 900-1000 AD. It started a little slow, but was engaging in its history, culture, story, and characters. A good swashbuckling novel.

Amazing translation and story

Fast paced adventure of the Viking persuasion. These are not your ordinary peasants but aristocrats of the time. Sea, trips and plunder.

I Swear by Ancient Oaths, It is REALLY Good!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this title, especially when I realized that it was translated from a Swedish book, originally published in 1941. I don't want to say that I was "surprised", but I was more than pleased with the story and as I continued, I realized that I was fully immersed in the varied adventures of Orm Tostesson ("Red Orm") and was disappointed when it came to an end.
I will end this very short review by agreeing with the concluding remarks from the introduction by Michael Chabon: "Even though I have just finished reading the book for the fourth time, I envy you the pleasure you are about to find in the pages of “The Long Ships.” When you arrive at its bitter-sweet, but mostly sweet, conclusion, I trust that you will turn to your shipmate, your companion in adventure, and swear by ancient oaths, as I hereby swear to you, 'It is really good'.”

An Engaging Tale

I am so glad that Michael Chabon introduces this novel. His own story of how he discovered The Long Ships made this an even more engaging adventure story. The characters enhanced by the narration of Michael Page were splendid.

Bengtsson weaves his story from battle to home life and back again to battle seamlessly. I was fully engaged in every part of the book. This was a most enjoyable audiobook to listen to! Good for young and old who have an adventurers spirit.

What an enjoyable treasure, sorry to come to the end

20 hours seemed like a long time to listen to one book, but it was such a wonderful rollicking adventure and so funny that I was sorry when I came to the end.
At first I didn’t like the narrator’s British accent but it grew on me. He really was wonderful at doing all the different voices and accents and reading at a good speed.
It has been many years since I enjoyed a book so thoroughly and I heartily recommend it.