In A Factual Note on Eaters of the Dead, Crichton remarks he was prompted to write this book after a friend decided to teach a class on books that should no longer be taught. This friend felt Beowulf is an outdated and boring text to which Crichton disagreed. If you have read Beowulf,discuss your feelings on the text. Do you side with Crichton or with his friend? Why?

Compare and contrast the novel to the movie, The 13th Warrior.

Compare and contrast Eaters of the Dead to the text of Beowulf. Which is more exciting? Do you agree or disagree with the license Crichton took in writing his own book?

How do you feel about Ibn Fadlan? Is he a reliable source of historical information?

Discuss the effects of combining some factual information with fiction. Does the author have a duty to tell...