mejerrymouse - reviewed on 4/9/2011 + 23 more book reviews

Voyage with the Vikings is twaddle. (I mean this in the nicest possible way.) This book is overly simplistic in it's language, plot, historical elements, and Christian message. It lacks rich, descriptive language; abounds in sentence fragments; and has an incredibly predictable plot. A child could spend ten minutes perusing a picture book on the Vikings and glean just as much factual, historical information.

Perhaps the most disappointing facet of this book was its "Christian" message. It mentions Jesus Christ and God. It states that there is one God and references "the God of the cross" (pg. 94). The moral of the book is that Christians should be kind to their enemies: "Erik was mean to you. But you showed him kindness. That's just like God. He shows us kindness even when we don't deserve it" (pg. 106). However, there is no clear presentation of the Gospel in this book, and it is devoid of Scripture.

If you're looking for a book your child can read easily that is "clean", you'll probably enjoy this book. However, if you're trying to avoid twaddle, steer clear of this book. There is much better reading material on the market! A child may enjoy this book just as a child enjoys junk food, but a steady diet of this sort of writing will ruin a child's appetite for fine literature and deep, thought-provoking writing.


*Many thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details