Scan barcode
theonionboy's review against another edition
5.0
I was excited when I heard this was coming out. This is a great author. I have read almost everything he has written, and enjoyed them all. I could tell this was a passion project that he was putting a lot of research and effort into. I was not disappointed.
The first part, about the space battle, went on for so long that I actually checked to see if I was reading the right book. I expected a book about working with Vikings back in time to build a spaceship, but got a book about a futuristic space battle instead. I am not complaining, in fact I enjoyed the first part so much that I was a little disappointed that it ended and transitioned to the story that the book claimed to be about. But that part grew to be just as good. I really enjoyed it too. The story progressed well and really held my interest. There were many unexpected turns. I was just surprised that several key characters died. With two more books coming, it seems the author had painted himself into a corner, and it is hard to see how he will get out. But this is good, because otherwise the story would be too predictable, which would be boring. I highly recommend it and look forward to the next book.
On my second reading, the first part of the story progressed just fine and did not feel too long, now that I had a better idea of what it is all about.
The first part, about the space battle, went on for so long that I actually checked to see if I was reading the right book. I expected a book about working with Vikings back in time to build a spaceship, but got a book about a futuristic space battle instead. I am not complaining, in fact I enjoyed the first part so much that I was a little disappointed that it ended and transitioned to the story that the book claimed to be about. But that part grew to be just as good. I really enjoyed it too. The story progressed well and really held my interest. There were many unexpected turns. I was just surprised that several key characters died. With two more books coming, it seems the author had painted himself into a corner, and it is hard to see how he will get out. But this is good, because otherwise the story would be too predictable, which would be boring. I highly recommend it and look forward to the next book.
On my second reading, the first part of the story progressed just fine and did not feel too long, now that I had a better idea of what it is all about.
sblackone's review
3.0
The basic premise is vaguely similar to David Weber's Safehold series. Humans are losing a war against a genocidal alien species. And in an attempt to prevent extinction they end up in a primitive society and need to recreate modern technology.
There is a surprisingly large part of the book set on the space ship and its flight from the aliens. Aside from some awkward exposition-heavy dialogue, this is pretty well written though. It's fun to read but could have been condensed as it ultimately doesn't matter much.
After this the majority of the book is about the characters running around early medieval Norway being chased and fighting Vikings. This is done in a quite lot of detail when it comes to describing the environment, society and technology. The author conveys a lot of historical information, but it rarely feels like you're reading artificial infodumps. The characters get involved with some historical characters like Harald Fairhair, an old Ragnar Lothbrok, and Rollo of Normandy. There are land and sea battles. All good stuff.
The language barrier is handled reasonably well. They can communicate given the small similarities between Norse and English. In reality the differences would be even greater than what is described, but it's appropriate for story of this low complexity. Even after weeks they still only understand a few words in each other's languages and have great difficulties having proper conversations. Though after a year it's assumed they basically understand each other. It could have been better, but I've read books that have done stuff like this a lot worse.
At the end of the book there a part with less action and the focus switches to building various technical contraptions to aid them in their goals. This is more what one may expect from the premise of the book, but at this point not much time is left to spend on it. And there are some things that are glossed over or simplified. Especially the gun making. The first gun they make is a breech loader with fairly advanced bullets. In reality, getting a proper seal for the breech is not that simple. How the powder charge is ignited is simply skipped. But these are the details that delayed a reliable and cheap breech loader for so long (there seem to have been expensive one-offs earlier). It makes little sense that their first guns wouldn't be simple muzzle-loaded muskets. Just because they want fast firing guns doesn't make this more feasible. A lot of gun technology is skipped here and the precision and skills needed for what they do seems more than what they really have. While they know things, they aren't trained gunsmiths. And all of this happens in a small fort with an improvised forge. The difference between theoretical knowledge and its practical application just isn't acknowledged. Or the difference between spending a lot of time on something very complicated instead of mass producing a simple design. Most of what the characters think of, they can do in a short amount of time with very little manpower. In of itself that isn't necessarily a big deal, but I assume more of this will happen in the next books as technology becomes more advanced. And it has to, as the characters eventually plan to build a whole space ship which is extremely far fetched to begin with.
Maybe if less time had been spent on the earlier two story parts this could have been handled with more detail.
Overall it's a very gripping book and I read it quickly. But it also has its flaws. While the story and its setting are very engaging, the characters don't really stand out. They aren't entirely without personality, but they could be fleshed out a lot more. At times they feel more like props being swept up in other peoples' stories than active agents of their own. And as noted above,the easy of the application of their scientific knowledge stretches suspension of disbelief almost past its limits.
Yet, while it's not an outstanding book, I'm interested in reading the rest of the series
There is a surprisingly large part of the book set on the space ship and its flight from the aliens. Aside from some awkward exposition-heavy dialogue, this is pretty well written though. It's fun to read but could have been condensed as it ultimately doesn't matter much.
After this the majority of the book is about the characters running around early medieval Norway being chased and fighting Vikings. This is done in a quite lot of detail when it comes to describing the environment, society and technology. The author conveys a lot of historical information, but it rarely feels like you're reading artificial infodumps. The characters get involved with some historical characters like Harald Fairhair, an old Ragnar Lothbrok, and Rollo of Normandy. There are land and sea battles. All good stuff.
The language barrier is handled reasonably well. They can communicate given the small similarities between Norse and English. In reality the differences would be even greater than what is described, but it's appropriate for story of this low complexity. Even after weeks they still only understand a few words in each other's languages and have great difficulties having proper conversations. Though after a year it's assumed they basically understand each other. It could have been better, but I've read books that have done stuff like this a lot worse.
At the end of the book there a part with less action and the focus switches to building various technical contraptions to aid them in their goals. This is more what one may expect from the premise of the book, but at this point not much time is left to spend on it. And there are some things that are glossed over or simplified. Especially the gun making. The first gun they make is a breech loader with fairly advanced bullets. In reality, getting a proper seal for the breech is not that simple. How the powder charge is ignited is simply skipped. But these are the details that delayed a reliable and cheap breech loader for so long (there seem to have been expensive one-offs earlier). It makes little sense that their first guns wouldn't be simple muzzle-loaded muskets. Just because they want fast firing guns doesn't make this more feasible. A lot of gun technology is skipped here and the precision and skills needed for what they do seems more than what they really have. While they know things, they aren't trained gunsmiths. And all of this happens in a small fort with an improvised forge. The difference between theoretical knowledge and its practical application just isn't acknowledged. Or the difference between spending a lot of time on something very complicated instead of mass producing a simple design. Most of what the characters think of, they can do in a short amount of time with very little manpower. In of itself that isn't necessarily a big deal, but I assume more of this will happen in the next books as technology becomes more advanced. And it has to, as the characters eventually plan to build a whole space ship which is extremely far fetched to begin with.
Maybe if less time had been spent on the earlier two story parts this could have been handled with more detail.
Overall it's a very gripping book and I read it quickly. But it also has its flaws. While the story and its setting are very engaging, the characters don't really stand out. They aren't entirely without personality, but they could be fleshed out a lot more. At times they feel more like props being swept up in other peoples' stories than active agents of their own. And as noted above,the easy of the application of their scientific knowledge stretches suspension of disbelief almost past its limits.
Yet, while it's not an outstanding book, I'm interested in reading the rest of the series
thinde's review against another edition
3.0
It's well written but the plot lacks focus and tends to wander aimlessly. It can be argued that this is realistic, but I'd prefer a firm narrative arc.
The characters are also believable. We don't get to see much of their inner dialogue, but each is distinct and consistent.
Finally, by sticking to the one-universe theory of time travel, the story is severely constrained. We know from the outset that nothing major can happen, since history says it didn't. Once again, points for realism, but it comes at the expense of what could have been a great story.
The characters are also believable. We don't get to see much of their inner dialogue, but each is distinct and consistent.
Finally, by sticking to the one-universe theory of time travel, the story is severely constrained. We know from the outset that nothing major can happen, since history says it didn't. Once again, points for realism, but it comes at the expense of what could have been a great story.
dbozjak's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this book, as well as Robert's other work - I'm a long time fan and I love seeing him grow as an author.
Beginning of Iron Dragon is really the part that deserves the most praise. Without hesitation I can claim that the book does the best job with the setup I've had the pleasure of reading. The reader is thrown straight in, no boring descriptions or staging. Loved it!
I strongly recommend this book.
Beginning of Iron Dragon is really the part that deserves the most praise. Without hesitation I can claim that the book does the best job with the setup I've had the pleasure of reading. The reader is thrown straight in, no boring descriptions or staging. Loved it!
I strongly recommend this book.
brianrenaud's review against another edition
4.0
Ridiculous, but fun. (Not humorous fun, rather competency porn fun.)
meissa's review
5.0
I had been wondering which book would be my first 5-star read of 2019... well, that question has now been answered!
Do you like epic science-fiction? time travel stories? vikings? this book has it all!
The story starts some 200 years in the future, at a time when humanity stands on the brink of being destroyed by an alien race with which they are at war. We follow the crew (or part thereof) of an exploratory spaceship sent to look for habitable planets in which the remnants of mankind could hide, at least for a while, and recuperate. After a series of happenings, they end up accidentally back in our solar system, but in the 9th century AD.
The action was enough to keep me turning the pages, but the characters are what made me like this book so much. Not only the spacemen, but also the vikings. I really felt like I was in medieval Europe, among the vikings. The author truly did his research, and incorporates a lot of information about people and events of that time, but without bogging the story down with it.
The next volume is already in the reading queue!
Do you like epic science-fiction? time travel stories? vikings? this book has it all!
The story starts some 200 years in the future, at a time when humanity stands on the brink of being destroyed by an alien race with which they are at war. We follow the crew (or part thereof) of an exploratory spaceship sent to look for habitable planets in which the remnants of mankind could hide, at least for a while, and recuperate. After a series of happenings, they end up accidentally back in our solar system, but in the 9th century AD.
The action was enough to keep me turning the pages, but the characters are what made me like this book so much. Not only the spacemen, but also the vikings. I really felt like I was in medieval Europe, among the vikings. The author truly did his research, and incorporates a lot of information about people and events of that time, but without bogging the story down with it.
The next volume is already in the reading queue!
More...