Wow, a very curious experience. I know I read this 30-odd years ago, and I remember admiring it, finding it hilarious, and keeping it on my shelves over the course of about three housemoves and other disruptions. So I was really looking forward to rereading an old favourite.
And I just couldn't get into it at all. The central character of Photinius seemed superficial and very resistible. The connections to Norse mythology didn't seem well-developed. Quite honestly, I would prefer to watch an episode of "Vikings."
It says a lot that I enjoyed the novel by Alfred Duggan that I recently revisited, an author who is in the same wheelhouse, I think: arch, knowing and slightly free and easy with the facts, revisiting obscure history and legend with a modern sensibility.
I guess I moved on, and left this behind ...
And I just couldn't get into it at all. The central character of Photinius seemed superficial and very resistible. The connections to Norse mythology didn't seem well-developed. Quite honestly, I would prefer to watch an episode of "Vikings."
It says a lot that I enjoyed the novel by Alfred Duggan that I recently revisited, an author who is in the same wheelhouse, I think: arch, knowing and slightly free and easy with the facts, revisiting obscure history and legend with a modern sensibility.
I guess I moved on, and left this behind ...
