Gary Dean Peterson

This book has an impressive amount of information. The notes and sources used were excellent. Honestly, I think this book has the potential to be fantastic with a little more fleshing out and some smoothing out of the writing. All the material is there, but the presentation lacks.
Having read a lot of scholarly historical books, I wasn't expecting a breathtaking read, but this book was incredibly dry and I found it quite difficult to follow.
I realise this is hugely based on preference, but the cover for this book is just terrible. That aside, the size of the book was awkward and difficult to hold for long stretches of reading and the font was also really hard on my eyes.
Having said this, this is still a great book for people looking for and in depth starting point for further study. Not only does the book itself contain extensive information, it also gives a lot of references where you can go for further study. Personally I would use this book more as a reference as opposed to something to read from cover to cover.… (mer)

Unfortunately, this book a dry slog to read. I tried -- but I'll admit I didn't finish it, and neither could my son, who is really interested in the topic. Honestly, by the time I put it down, I wondered if the author was providing scholarly material or trying to demonstrate the importance of the Blond White Swede in the history of early medieval Europe. It's certainly thorough, and probably useful if you're interested in the archaeology and details of the history of folks who don't make it into the ordinary history books --or if you're Swedish-- but I just couldn't care enough to get through it all the way. Not for the casual reader.… (mer)

Vikings and Goths is an excellent book. Given that my Mother's family emigrated from Sweden in the late 1800's, and I have been asked to do genealogical research, this book is extremely helpful. I don't think family research is truly possible without a thorough understanding of the culture/country from which the family comes. Vikings and Goths begins with the Mesolithic age, has chapters on the bronze age, iron age, the Viking conquests, thru the medieval age. I was especially interested in the plague era. The bibliography and notes sections are indepth allowing further research into the Viking era. I definitely recommend the book to those who want more indepth knowledge of early and middle Sweden.… (mer)