OK so I dislike historical novels usually - I find them a real cheat, to be honest. Authors of such tomes spent 6 months or more researching, then the next few months writing it up. They do not invent new characters or stories as authors of completely original novels do. Having said that, the familiarity makes them popular as do many socalled 'real life' stories. It's pre-branded content - we've all heard of King Alfred and the Vikings, after all.
Having said that, this series is watchable - though I know from my knowledge of history it plays fast and loose with the historical fact (watch Neil Oliver's brilliant 3 part VIKINGS TV documentary from BBC4 for background). Canute was actually king of all England in the early years of 11th C.
The main issue with this series is trying to remember what happened many months ago when I watched the previous series - it's all so complicated with so many characters and tribes/clans of kingdoms or Vikings, with switching allegiances, that sometimes I just it wash over me, and for the confusion to pass...
It';s not up to the sheer brazen class of the TV series VIKINGS but it's watchable. Does drag a bit at times and can be baffling at other times, especially when actors who look similar play roles!
The usual pc tropes with ' strong independent women behaving like men' as with most TV drama now - very 21st C attitudes and behaviours, and they all have clear skin and regular teeth which is pure fantasy. BUT we should be grateful for small mercies - at least now clunky colourblind casting here thank goodness. If there had been, I would have ejected the DVD. Vikings were not black; Zulus were not white. What's called a FACT really.
This historical drama could go on forever through the decades of the 10th then 11th Century AD, but maybe it shouldn't.
Anyway, 3.5 stars rounded up.