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After reading the book I scribbled down this in January 1997:

The first thing that strikes me is that I find the plot similar to "Flying Dutch", but while I continue to read this comic viking-tale, I change opinion. In Caithness, an old grave is uncovered, and the vikings are awaken. They main concern when first awaken, is who's responsible it was to pack the food, and who have had the nerve to move their ladder so they couldn't get out of the ship. After they sorted these important things out they start the plans for their quest; how to assassin the sorcerer-king. To their help they have the archeologist Hildy Fredriksen, who had the pleasure(?) to bump into them. The adventure starts and consists of several amusing incidents; Hildy's more or less fortunate attempts to keep the vikings from attacking the natives, Chthonic sprits getting drunk on high-voltage electricity, and more... I like this book a lot, the vikings fighting spirit never cease to exist, they are always happy when there is an opportunity to get involved in a battlement (beware SAS!). The book isn't that 'complciated' that I found 'Ye Gods!', can be the fact that I don't know to much about mythology (which is very much involved in 'Ye Gods!') that make me prefer 'Whos Afraid of Beowulf' If you found 'Flying Dutch' amusing, then I promise you that you will like this one as well, if you havn't read Flying Dutch, I would recommend that you read this one first, that way you'll have fun reading 'Whos afraid...' and even more fun reading 'Flying Dutch' (that one is still one of my favourites).

Other people's reviews of this book

Phil Garnetts review (pybob@pybob.tk):
Hildy Frederiksen is an American archaeologist specialising in Scandinavian studies. So when she learns of a find in Caithness where an Eighth-Century Viking longship has been uncovered, intact, she realises that it is the find of the century, eclipsing even Sutton-Hoo!
What she hadn't realised was that its original occupants were still there, and what's more they hadn't been bothered to die, just succumbed to an enchantment that willed them to sleep until their breed of hero was needed in the world again. And guess what, now is the time!
What Tom Holt manages that Terry Pratchett and Robert Rankin doesn't is in the yarn. Holt can string together an unlikely series of events (a must in a fantasy!) and weave them into a damned good plot. Not that Pratchett and Rankin can't do this, just that Holt's plots are stronger.
This is no exception to that. In fact, you could say that it's reminiscent of the TV series 'Gripping Yarns', but don't hold that against it (lol)! The characters are all quirky and likable, including the baddies, especially the baddies. Hildy is obviously out of her depth's, and her personality lends itself to the novel well.
Hrolf Earthstar, last Norse King of Caithness, comes across as being eminently Kingly - oddly enough. And the Sourcerer-King is enough of a bundler to be dangerous...
When it comes down to it, Who's Afraid of Beowulf?, is Tom Holt at his finest - exciting, enchanting and above all else, hilarious!

Rebecca Swains review - review 2 - review 3

If you have read this book and have written down your thoughts, please mail me the location of your review and I will link it from here.

This book has also been translated to German and Japanese.