They lived surrounded by the desolation of the frozen sea in a barren land. For centuries, they battled with monstrous, endless winters or enjoyed short but brightly lit summers.

They cherished community and equality. They felt almost kin to their gods. They passionately loved freedom, admired strength, and were good and prudent family heads. They competed in shot put, archery, swimming, and fencing.

When they felt called by the sea lanes, they responded; with their swift, agile ships and their ancient knowledge of weather and the watery element, they quickly became the masters of the watery world, as well as significant tracts of land. They sailed almost all the seas and all the great rivers.

Relentless and fearless in their attacks – they never knew fear – adaptable over time, they rooted themselves in the places they conquered and loved. They created colonies, became lords in countries of Europe, landowners, governors, generals, princes, artists, kings, historians, scientists.

In 930, they established in Iceland the Althing, the oldest parliament in the world. What has impressed historians, archaeologists, and entire societies is the colonization of pre-Columbian America by groups of Vikings, as early as the end of the 9th century...

Elena 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. The product of study and research, the book discusses the origins, ancestry, culture, journeys, and raids of the Vikings, as well as Scandinavian mythology, their tales, and sagas – and the reader moves away from the stereotypical view of the Vikings as a barbaric and warlike people.