Rating: 7.7/10.
This book is a travel diary journal about the Viking world, mostly taking place in locations visited by the Vikings, such as the UK, Iceland, and Scandinavia (although it’s not limited to these places and also describes places that have no connection to the Vikings, like Hawaii, Haida Gwaii, and Italy). The term “gone Viking” means the author is going exploring, which was the original meaning of the term “Viking” instead of a raiding warrior which it later became associated with.
The writing style of the book is meandering, similar to how the author’s travel journey goes. The author doesn’t stay too long in any place and describes anecdotes about experiences he has as he travels around these places and meets with other tourists and locals, interspersed with history lessons from the Viking Age. Although I usually don’t like rambly books, I found this one to be pleasant to read through because the writing style is quite poetic. However, there is not really enough depth and details to learn a lot about the history of these places. Overall, it was an enjoyable read just for the atmosphere and the wondrous feeling of travel without having to leave your home.
