A Thing of Vikings is a work of love, dedication, and research.
The story takes the events and characters of How to Train Your Dragon and places them into a much more historically grounded version of the real medieval world.
The result is a fascinating exploration of how history might have developed if Hiccup, Toothless, and the dragons had actually appeared in our world.
One of the things I appreciate most is how faithful the characters remain to their original personalities and ideals. Hiccup is still Hiccup, with all the compassion and idealism that made him such a great character in the movies.
The problem is that the medieval world does not share his values.
At its core, A Thing of Vikings is a story about the clash between ideals and pragmatism. Hiccup’s ideas about cooperation, equality, and the peaceful relationship between humans and dragons repeatedly collide with the political realities of medieval society.
The result is a fascinating mixture of fantasy politics, historical pragmatism, diplomacy, and social change.
And despite all the political intrigue and serious themes, there is a surprisingly wholesome side to the story. Watching Hiccup and the people around him slowly build something better is one of the most satisfying parts of the fic.
The story is extremely well written and very long. This is not something you are going to finish in one sitting. The development is gradual and deliberately paced, giving the characters, societies, and political changes plenty of time to develop.
The fic also incorporates characters and elements from other franchises, including Mulan and Brave, adding another layer to its alternate-history setting.
There are also mature and adult themes throughout the story. The author provides extensive warnings and tags, so I strongly recommend checking them before reading if there are subjects you would rather avoid.
If you enjoy alternate history, political intrigue, gradual worldbuilding, dragon armies, and stories about ideals clashing with the realities of the world, A Thing of Vikings is an easy recommendation.
It is one of the most ambitious and satisfying How to Train Your Dragon fanfics I have ever read.
Fanfic Link:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/10408971/chapters/22985466