3.0

The first and last stories, Lindisfarn and Sven the Immortal, both left me a bit cold. In the first case, I think it's just one of those historical moments I've seen portrayed so many times, I don't really feel there's a need for another. and Sven was just a clunker, basically a redo of the previous story.

The middle stories, The Viking Art of Single Combat and The Shield Maidens, were both amazing. Single Combat really takes a deep look into the thought behind viking battle strategy, while Shield Maidens has a little bit to say about women's place in norse society, but really it's just a great, pulpy story of blood and mayhem.