The whole viking craze that's been undergoing for the last ten years or so has been a vehicle for the most fantastical right-wing and left-wing rubbish. Everyb

The whole viking craze that's been undergoing for the last ten years or so has been a vehicle for the most fantastical right-wing and left-wing rubbish. Everybody seems to have their own personal viking. From the strong, pride of the white race, Christian-killing raider to the inclusive feminist bossgirl shield-maiden. The only thing tied everything together being the subjects' immunity to the corrupting influence of Western Modernity, whatever that influence means to you. In the end, the best recent work of fiction I've seen in this setting happens to be... Japanese. Vinland Saga manages to be faithful in the things that affect historical awareness (the details of everyday life, the structure of society, the perception of the world) and still be very romantic in its character-building.