Michael Crichton incorporates concepts comparable to those provided by the epic poem Beowulf in his novel Eaters of the Dead. While retaining many similarities to the original work, his adaptation introduces new styles and approaches that allow his version to stand alone as a successful work of fiction. Beowulf is a legendary German hero who conquers the monster Grendel and saves Hrothgar's people from their terrorization at the hands of this creature. For his bravery, Beowulf is awarded with the gift of land and men to create a kingdom for himself. However, before he can claim his prize, he must defeat another monstrous enemy in battle. The poem itself was probably written during the 11th century but it was not published until 1731. It has been suggested that Michael Crichton derived some of his ideas for Eaters of the Dead from the poem because both works focus on the importance of heroism in combat against evil. In addition, Beowulf deals with themes such as loyalty and honor that are similar to those found in Crichton's novel. In general terms, Eaters of the Dead is a science fiction horror novel that focuses on two scientists who travel back in time via a wormhole network called The Void to investigate why organisms are beginning to consume all the oxygen in the planet. When they arrive at today's Earth, they find that civilization is in decline due to an unknown virus that is killing most of the population.