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Books
Michael Booth: The Almost Nearly Perfect People: the truth about the Nordic miracle
J.T. Colgan: Doctor Who: Dark Horizons
I sat down expecting to enjoy this book, because certainly it's a tie-in novel, but it's 11 and Vikings, and those are relevant to my interests. And the main plot's decent enough and I think it would, with a little expansion, have made a decent episode. But I didn't enjoy. Why? Because the Vikings - well, they read as a fusion between some sort of generic medieval fantasy realm and cartoon vikings.
First problem is, of course, is that we are told that the story is set in the 12th century. Now, usually the Viking Age is considered to have ended around 1066, but fair enough - even after Christianity came, the Norse still acted a lot like Vikings for a while yet, so...
Which brings us to our second problem: all the Vikings (and the islanders, too) are pagans. By the 12th century? I mean, don't get me wrong, I doubt everybody had given up on paganism completely, but each and every one, including the noblewoman? The only reference to Christian priests back home in Norway referring to priests of the new religion - more than a hundred years after Olaf Tryggvason. It's fun that Freydis is completely convinced that the Doctor is Loki, but it's not realistic at this point in time.
Also, apparently 12th century Scandinavians had no word for blue. On the other hand, their dancing masters were teaching princesses to dance the quadrille centuries before it was invented, which is pretty impressive. Also, apparently Iceland has a king...
The reason I'm ranting is mostly that I looked on Amazon and all the reviews for the book seem to be overflowing with comments about how realistic the vikings are, and how - and they're not! They're anachronistic, fairytale, stupid - and what really, really annoys me? It would have required so very little effort to not be - the main story works just fine as it is, really, it's just the background that needs adjusting. Make the Vikings surface Christians with the old religion still a strong current underneath. Have Freydis engaged to, say, the Earl of the Orkneys. Do some fucking research.
And I'm just going to stop now, but I will leave you with a brief quote from the book, almost at the start of chapter seven: So instead the Doctor was on top of some straw on the floor in the corner of the main hall, amidst a pile of grunting Vikings. There were two helmet horns sticking in his face. That's it. I'm done.
Robert Galbraith: The Cuckoo's Calling
Don't get wrong, it's an okay mystery novel - but I doubt it would have gotten half as much attention if it wasn't for the author.
Stéphane Gesbert: Cthulhu Dark Ages
Yahya Hassan: Yahya Hassan - digte
Let's be honest: I doubt it's his poetical qualities that's bringing this young man his fame. Oh, his poems are not bad, not at all - but it's just, really, it's just an angry young man raging against the parent generation and society general, and that's been seen before. Oh, they're colourful and there's nice imagery and all, but - well, it's not the poems as such that are making Yahya Hassan famous. Not really.
Martin Jensen: Kongens hunde
I rather enjoyed this. It's a mystery novel set in 1018 England - King Knud is busy consolidating his new kingdom. Our heroes are Winston - a Saxon illuminator and former novice monk - and Halfdan - a warrior of Danish descent (minus points to the author for naming his half-Danish narrator Halfdan). Together, they solve crime. I admit, I picked it up because of the monk & Norse warrior duo reminded me of something, but the dynamics are completely different - oh, and Martin Jensen is a very good writer. Between him and Thit Jensen, I'm developing a taste for Danish medieval historical fiction.
Thit Jensen: Drotten 1.
Thit Jensen: Drotten 2.
Marilyn Johnson: This book is overdue! - how librarians and cybrarians can save us all
Bjarne Henrik Lundis: Det er kærligt ment
Rimbert: Vita Anskarii
This was duller than I expected. Though now I do have a proper title for the fanfic formerly known as Athelstan-the-really-unlucky-missionary, so there's that.
Comics
Darren Aronofsky: Noa: Mod menneskets dårskab
Sussi Bech & Frank Madsen: Jyderne er mægtig flinke - men stille!
Joshua Hale Fialkov: I, Vampire: Tainted Love
Nikoline Werdelin: Homo metropolis 2010-2012
Bill Willingham: Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland
Brian Wood: The Massive: Black Pacific
Total number of books and comics read this month: 17
Currently reading: Garment of shadows by Laurie R. King
Michael Booth: The Almost Nearly Perfect People: the truth about the Nordic miracle
J.T. Colgan: Doctor Who: Dark Horizons
I sat down expecting to enjoy this book, because certainly it's a tie-in novel, but it's 11 and Vikings, and those are relevant to my interests. And the main plot's decent enough and I think it would, with a little expansion, have made a decent episode. But I didn't enjoy. Why? Because the Vikings - well, they read as a fusion between some sort of generic medieval fantasy realm and cartoon vikings.
First problem is, of course, is that we are told that the story is set in the 12th century. Now, usually the Viking Age is considered to have ended around 1066, but fair enough - even after Christianity came, the Norse still acted a lot like Vikings for a while yet, so...
Which brings us to our second problem: all the Vikings (and the islanders, too) are pagans. By the 12th century? I mean, don't get me wrong, I doubt everybody had given up on paganism completely, but each and every one, including the noblewoman? The only reference to Christian priests back home in Norway referring to priests of the new religion - more than a hundred years after Olaf Tryggvason. It's fun that Freydis is completely convinced that the Doctor is Loki, but it's not realistic at this point in time.
Also, apparently 12th century Scandinavians had no word for blue. On the other hand, their dancing masters were teaching princesses to dance the quadrille centuries before it was invented, which is pretty impressive. Also, apparently Iceland has a king...
The reason I'm ranting is mostly that I looked on Amazon and all the reviews for the book seem to be overflowing with comments about how realistic the vikings are, and how - and they're not! They're anachronistic, fairytale, stupid - and what really, really annoys me? It would have required so very little effort to not be - the main story works just fine as it is, really, it's just the background that needs adjusting. Make the Vikings surface Christians with the old religion still a strong current underneath. Have Freydis engaged to, say, the Earl of the Orkneys. Do some fucking research.
And I'm just going to stop now, but I will leave you with a brief quote from the book, almost at the start of chapter seven: So instead the Doctor was on top of some straw on the floor in the corner of the main hall, amidst a pile of grunting Vikings. There were two helmet horns sticking in his face. That's it. I'm done.
Robert Galbraith: The Cuckoo's Calling
Don't get wrong, it's an okay mystery novel - but I doubt it would have gotten half as much attention if it wasn't for the author.
Stéphane Gesbert: Cthulhu Dark Ages
Yahya Hassan: Yahya Hassan - digte
Let's be honest: I doubt it's his poetical qualities that's bringing this young man his fame. Oh, his poems are not bad, not at all - but it's just, really, it's just an angry young man raging against the parent generation and society general, and that's been seen before. Oh, they're colourful and there's nice imagery and all, but - well, it's not the poems as such that are making Yahya Hassan famous. Not really.
Martin Jensen: Kongens hunde
I rather enjoyed this. It's a mystery novel set in 1018 England - King Knud is busy consolidating his new kingdom. Our heroes are Winston - a Saxon illuminator and former novice monk - and Halfdan - a warrior of Danish descent (minus points to the author for naming his half-Danish narrator Halfdan). Together, they solve crime. I admit, I picked it up because of the monk & Norse warrior duo reminded me of something, but the dynamics are completely different - oh, and Martin Jensen is a very good writer. Between him and Thit Jensen, I'm developing a taste for Danish medieval historical fiction.
Thit Jensen: Drotten 1.
Thit Jensen: Drotten 2.
Marilyn Johnson: This book is overdue! - how librarians and cybrarians can save us all
Bjarne Henrik Lundis: Det er kærligt ment
Rimbert: Vita Anskarii
This was duller than I expected. Though now I do have a proper title for the fanfic formerly known as Athelstan-the-really-unlucky-missionary, so there's that.
Comics
Darren Aronofsky: Noa: Mod menneskets dårskab
Sussi Bech & Frank Madsen: Jyderne er mægtig flinke - men stille!
Joshua Hale Fialkov: I, Vampire: Tainted Love
Nikoline Werdelin: Homo metropolis 2010-2012
Bill Willingham: Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland
Brian Wood: The Massive: Black Pacific
Total number of books and comics read this month: 17
Currently reading: Garment of shadows by Laurie R. King
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