The Great Viking Entertainment Thread

[Mitth'raw'nuruodo]

My anticipation for this game has resurrected my hunger for all things viking. Sadly there arent too many of them. I am gonna list out all the memorable viking related stuff I have read / played / seen / listened to. If anyone has anything to suggest, please add on, so that myself & others can check em out.

Edit: I am also adding the suggestions made by others in the thread to this list.

Movies and TV

The Vikings (1958), a movie starring Kirk Douglas as a character inspired by Ivar the Boneless. Did not like it very much, too lighthearted and hollywoodish for me.

The 13th Warrior. I think most viking fetishists know and love this movie.

Beowulf, the animated epic. Loved it, very saga-esque. And the music and ambience was awesome.

Beowulf & Grendel. A bit abstract and artistic, in a very different way from the animated movie, but I liked it very much. Especially loved the clean and shiney portrayal of the geats.

Outlander, viking and sci-fi - two of my favorite genres. I found it enjoyable but still wanting.

The Vikings, the History Channel TV series. Not bad by any means. I wish it was more historical.

Hrafn Gunnlaugsson's Raven Series looks very interesting. (Suggested by Eizo)

Valhalla Rising, yet to see. (Suggested by Focuspuller)

Erik the Viking, its funny. Did not include at first because its not a serious portrayal. (Suggested by Eizo)

Ring of the Nibelungs / Curse of the Ring, german TV movie based on Volsunga Saga and Wagner's Opera (I am guessing), full of violence and beautiful women. As a child I found it somewhere between Beowulf and LOTR.

Valhalla (1986), looks very interesting. (suggested by MasterCrumble)

How to tame your dragon, a charming movie. I forgot to add it first. (suggested by SpectralShade)

Music

Wardruna is the only album I am familiar with. I often play it during officehours to add epicness to my daily grind.

Amon Amarth while I enjoy their music, I did not include at first, because it is after all, modern music, not music from the viking age. (suggested by CrimsonYeti)

Týr, I should have added this. I think their music is more "viking" than Amon Amarth (suggested by Eizo).

Books

Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. This is one of my favorites, especially because the protagonist himself is sort of a viking-nerd. Its almost lyrical. I highly recommend the first book.

Horlf Kraki's Saga by Poul Anderson, written like a proper saga, by a master author.

The Last Viking series also by Poul Anderson, biography of Harald Hardrade, set during end of the Viking Age :(

"The Long Ships" by Frans G. Bengtsson. (Suggested by Aleonymous)

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (Suggested by last_chance90)

I also have The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay, Oathsworn series by Robert Low, Raven Series by Giles Kristian and Godless World Series by Brian Ruckley, which I am yet to read.

Games

Wont bother explaining these.
Medieval (1 & 2) Total War, and Viking Invasion
Mount and Blade
Crusader Kings 2, the Old Gods
Viking: Battle for Asgard
ParaWorld
Age of Mythology
Rune
Saga: Rage of the Vikings
Norse by Norsewest.
Skyrim

Manga & Comic Books

Northlanders (suggested by Mr.Heisenberg)

Vinland Saga (suggested by hreinnbeno)

Thorgal (suggested by Benzibuk)

[strange_carrots]

What a great compilation! Man we could have used this on the home forums ages ago :)
Thank pirthpaul!

[Kushluk_Shimazu]

An Awesome List Comrade Paul!

I have played most of those games actually, though the Battle for Asgard missed me sadly.

[Mitth'raw'nuruodo]

Thank you both, very encouraging. But this is all mostly mainstream stuff. I hope more people will suggest more niche things so that we can explore. I wish someday someone will translate all the major Sagas and Eddas in old fashioned (Tolkienish) poetic English, so that I can own a huge boxset of hardbound leather covers.

[hreinnbeno]

I will add the manga Vinland saga. Based on some of the sagas and danish history. It is rather good at least what I have read. I have as well seen some fans of it around the Banner Saga (that is based on naming).

[Focuspuller]

Quick thing I'd like to add about the Vikings tv series. If you have been watching on telly, or itunes, you may be interested to know that the Bluray/DVD versions of the episodes are longer (at least 3 minutes per episodes with some scenes bieng completly different). If you haven't seen it, it's a fun watch, and it grows on you.

The second Season/Series airs next month in a few weeks.

[Mitth'raw'nuruodo]

@Focuspuller, most interesting, I will definitely look for the dvds.

@hreinnbeno, I hope they make an anime series out of it someday soon.

[Focuspuller]

Almost forgot, add this to your film list: Valhalla Rising (2009)

It's a really good one.

[Mitth'raw'nuruodo]

Nguyên văn bởi Focuspuller:

Almost forgot, ad this to your film list: Valhalla Rising (2009)

It's a really good one.

I know about it. Till now I have been discouraged by the mixed reviews. This is a good time to check it out in my current mood.

[Focuspuller]

Nguyên văn bởi prithupaul:

Nguyên văn bởi Focuspuller:

Almost forgot, ad this to your film list: Valhalla Rising (2009)

It's a really good one.

I know about it. Till now I have been discouraged by the mixed reviews. This is a good time to check it out in my current mood.

It's an interesting film from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher, Bronson, Drive). It's filmed in Scotland, the visuals are great.

The viking that the film follows is a bad ass.

[Eizo]

Don't forget Monty Python.

http://youtu.be/g8huXkSaL7o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGrDHI0orKE

On a side note; "Valhalla Rising" is one of the dopiest movies I've seen.

[Aleonymous]

I've also seen "Valhalla Rising" and really liked it. It is a strange film though, not very "normal", so many might not like or "understand" it. The visuals & atmosphere are evocative, indeed.

You could add "The Long Ships" novel by Frans G. Bengtsson (1940s). I haven't read it, but I've had it suggested multiple times through the TBS/F community.

[Harbinger]

Total war: viking invasion expansion pack. Saga: Rage of the Vikings. Norse by Norsewest. Just a few games I remember playing throughout the years. Total war is actually really great.

[Dieithrio]

Rune! This old game is also on Steam.

[Sunny D enjoyer]

Valhalla Rising is a very strange movie, very similar to Only God Forgives in that there is minmal dialogue, great atmosphere, great cinematography, but no real story. Nicholas Winding-Refn kind of dropped the ball with both imo.
There's also an excellent comic book series called Northlanders by Brian Wood (DMZ).

[Focuspuller]

Nguyên văn bởi Mr.Heisenberg:

Valhalla Rising is a very strange movie, very similar to Only God Forgives in that there is minmal dialogue, great atmosphere, great cinematography, but no real story. Nicholas Winding-Refn kind of dropped the ball with both imo.
There's also an excellent comic book series called Northlanders by Brian Wood (DMZ).

I wouldn't agree that minimal dialogue=no story. There is a story, a very straight forward one infact, but it's not shown in a conventional manner. I would say (about both films) that they are different, and not for everyone, but if you like these kind of films, then you will love them.

Nicholas Winding-Refn is polarizing, that much can be said.

BTW, I've heard of that comic but never checked it out. I'll have to now.