Steel as the Answer? Viking Bodies, Power, and Masculinity in Anglophone Fantasy Literature 2006–2016

The idea of the Viking is a figure with wide appeal and a large presence in popular culture. The Viking motif also has long-standing associations with normative masculinity, reactionary values, and even white supremacy. This study examines a common but understudied arena of the popular Viking: popular fantasy literature. More specifically, it looks at a recent subgenre called gritty fantasy. First developed in the 2000s, gritty fantasy is deeply invested in and revolves around contemporary conce ...