I really thought The Long Ships would be a home run. It has a glowing Goodreads rating and seemed right in my wheelhouse.

It never clicked though, and I found it a sincere chore to get through.

I strongly disliked the flowery prose — especially the dialogue. And — particularly early in the novel — they’re zipping around the known world like it ain’t no thing to travel in the late Viking Age.

I thought the episodic adventures felt thin and would have liked, instead of Orm and his mates doing everything/everywhere, give me one complete/compelling tale.

Rating: This was the first flop for me in the new year. Two stars.