Eaters of the Dead

Perhaps inspired by my Movie Project and today's Thursday 13, I picked up Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead on CD. I've been listening to it during my commutes and have made a couple of discoveries. (Mild spoilers follow.)

* The first part of the story is based on the real Ibn Fadlan's journal about his experiences with and of "the Norsemen."

* The footnotes about the translation of the journal and about the social context behind some of Ibn Fadlan's comments, which I found mildly distracting at first, are now some of my favorite parts. They are rich with details and tie in nicely with the reading Chloe has been doing lately about the Norse gods (said research having been inspired by an anime series called "Mythical Detective Loki Ragnorak").

* Some of the best dialog in the film The 13th Warrior is not from the book and should probably be credited to screenwriters William Wisher and Warren Lewis (although Crichton did have some involvement in the film).

* Some of the best moments in the film come from the book, such as the way the warriors snore while awake before the first attack and the scene where Ibn's cheerful friend, Herger, convinces the king's son that they are not to be trifled with.

I arrived at work and had to turn off the CD this morning just as the glow worm was attacking. This has not done a great deal for my concentration today.