  At present, there is still no consistent interpretation of the normal and
superconducting properties of Fe-based superconductors (FeSCs). The strength of
the el-el interaction and the role of correlation effects are under debate.
Here, we examine several common materials and illustrate various problems and
concepts that are generic for all FeSCs. Based on empirical observations and
qualitative insight from density functional theory, we show that the
superconducting and low-energy thermodynamic properties of the FeSCs can be
described semi-quantitively within multiband Eliashberg theory. We account for
an important high-energy mass renormalization phenomenologically,and in
agreement with constraints provided by thermodynamic, optical, and
angle-resolved photoemission data. When seen in this way, all FeSCs with
$T_\mathrm{c} <$ 40~K studied so far are found to belong to an {\it
intermediate} coupling regime. This finding is in contrast to the strong
coupling scenarios proposed in the early period of the FeSC history.We also
discuss several related issues, including the role of band shifts as measured
by the positions of van Hove singularities, and the nature of a recently
suggested quantum critical point in the strongly hole-doped systems
AFe$_2$As$_2$ (A = K, Rb, Cs). Using high-precision full relativistic GGA-band
structure calculations, we arrive at a somewhat milder mass renormalization in
comparison with previous studies. From the calculated mass anisotropies of all
Fermi surface sheets, only the $\varepsilon$-pocket near the corner of the BZ
is compatible with the experimentally observed anisotropy of the upper critical
field. pointing to its dominant role in the superconductivity of these three
compounds.
