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Northlanders #2 of New Edition
Northlanders, Book 2: The Icelandic Saga
FROM THE SHADOWS OF THE FIRST MILLENNIUM COME THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WOULD DEFINE THE NEXT.
In A.D. 871, the Norsemen arrived on Iceland s shores. They sought land, freedom and a new way of life. Over the course of centuries, these humble settlers built farms, clans and towns until they shaped a new nation and its path through history.
A daring man named Dag becomes the first man ever to turn his Viking boat west and sail to unknown shores in The Sea Road. Twenty years after being exiled, Sven of Orkney comes face to face with his own mythology as a group of mercenaries comes to hunt him down in Sven the Immortal. An old Icelandic fisherman discovers the body of a young girl embedded in the ice and then finds himself accused of her murder in The Girl in the Ice. And in the epic The Icelandic Trilogy, a small family with the name Hauksson builds a powerful crime family only to clash with the rising Church.
Writer Brian Wood (DMZ, Rebels, The Massive), with a lineup of acclaimed artists including Fiona Staples (NORTH 40, Saga) and BECKY CLOONAN (GOTHAM ACADEMY), brings his modern, stylish sensibility a thousand years into the past. Collecting issues #20, #29, #35-36 and #42-50, NORTHLANDERS BOOK 2: THE ICELANDIC SAGA is the second of three volumes chronicling the entire NORTHLANDERS saga!"
In A.D. 871, the Norsemen arrived on Iceland s shores. They sought land, freedom and a new way of life. Over the course of centuries, these humble settlers built farms, clans and towns until they shaped a new nation and its path through history.
A daring man named Dag becomes the first man ever to turn his Viking boat west and sail to unknown shores in The Sea Road. Twenty years after being exiled, Sven of Orkney comes face to face with his own mythology as a group of mercenaries comes to hunt him down in Sven the Immortal. An old Icelandic fisherman discovers the body of a young girl embedded in the ice and then finds himself accused of her murder in The Girl in the Ice. And in the epic The Icelandic Trilogy, a small family with the name Hauksson builds a powerful crime family only to clash with the rising Church.
Writer Brian Wood (DMZ, Rebels, The Massive), with a lineup of acclaimed artists including Fiona Staples (NORTH 40, Saga) and BECKY CLOONAN (GOTHAM ACADEMY), brings his modern, stylish sensibility a thousand years into the past. Collecting issues #20, #29, #35-36 and #42-50, NORTHLANDERS BOOK 2: THE ICELANDIC SAGA is the second of three volumes chronicling the entire NORTHLANDERS saga!"
295 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
7 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Brian Wood
1,173 books961 followersBrian Wood's history of published work includes over fifty volumes of genre-spanning original material.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 24, 2024
Vikings!!
July 28, 2018
This was a really good account of people/family throughout the viking period. Violent, and thought provoking. It provides just enough historical information which gives you a real sense of the time. The artwork is solid with an older style feel. Definitely reccomend this for any viking fans.
October 27, 2017
Bullet Review:
Fantastic; just as good - no better - than the previous one. This volume, we "only" get four stories, but sharpening and focusing on a smaller number means those stories are absolute winners. None of the stories this time are duds; as is usual, the story sets up with your hero/anti-hero and by the end, your view of that person has completely twisted and changed.
Phenomenal.
Fantastic; just as good - no better - than the previous one. This volume, we "only" get four stories, but sharpening and focusing on a smaller number means those stories are absolute winners. None of the stories this time are duds; as is usual, the story sets up with your hero/anti-hero and by the end, your view of that person has completely twisted and changed.
Phenomenal.
September 29, 2021
(4,3 of 5 for rough stories of harsh Island)
In this collection, we have 3 short and one long stories. None of them is really, happy end. It ends good, in a way fitting the harsh place and time it belongs to, but still not something for you "happily ever after" lovers. First shows madness but the necessity of sea exploring, second is a visit to our old friend from the book before. This one is the one with the nicest end of them all. But if you read between the lines, there is still that grim note. In those lands and times, you can't get peace, even in solitude.
The third one is the roughest one. All of them have nice art and colouring, but this one is the work of my favourite Becky Cloonan. And mixing legends/fairy tales with reality, especially a grim one, that suits her well. The story is excellent and the art fits so perfectly you would forget this is not the work of one person. Beautiful and haunting.
The last one is an epic saga stretching for generations. Art is the weakest of them all. I like art from Azaceta, but it could be less rough and more detailed to meet my taste. But he's great in creating panels, scenes, almost movie-like. And with comics, that's (besides the quality of the story) what makes reading engaging. Even if this story is a bit long and changes the main characters a few times. But still tells an interesting story.
I must say, Northladers is great comics. Wood is one to be trusted in those topics, an excellent (script) writer and his name is a brand of quality on every comic. At least for me. I also must appreciate this edition, splitting the stories into three Sagas by location basis works perfectly both as a single book and as collection/reading order.
If DC will ever re-release the HC, it will be an instant buy for me. And now I'm going to appreciate the beautiful cover of the third, fat and final, collection.
In this collection, we have 3 short and one long stories. None of them is really, happy end. It ends good, in a way fitting the harsh place and time it belongs to, but still not something for you "happily ever after" lovers. First shows madness but the necessity of sea exploring, second is a visit to our old friend from the book before. This one is the one with the nicest end of them all. But if you read between the lines, there is still that grim note. In those lands and times, you can't get peace, even in solitude.
The third one is the roughest one. All of them have nice art and colouring, but this one is the work of my favourite Becky Cloonan. And mixing legends/fairy tales with reality, especially a grim one, that suits her well. The story is excellent and the art fits so perfectly you would forget this is not the work of one person. Beautiful and haunting.
The last one is an epic saga stretching for generations. Art is the weakest of them all. I like art from Azaceta, but it could be less rough and more detailed to meet my taste. But he's great in creating panels, scenes, almost movie-like. And with comics, that's (besides the quality of the story) what makes reading engaging. Even if this story is a bit long and changes the main characters a few times. But still tells an interesting story.
I must say, Northladers is great comics. Wood is one to be trusted in those topics, an excellent (script) writer and his name is a brand of quality on every comic. At least for me. I also must appreciate this edition, splitting the stories into three Sagas by location basis works perfectly both as a single book and as collection/reading order.
If DC will ever re-release the HC, it will be an instant buy for me. And now I'm going to appreciate the beautiful cover of the third, fat and final, collection.
April 3, 2017
If you like Vikings, why haven't you read this series? Well-researched, full of well-drawn characters, Woods' Northlanders series leads the reader through a series of vignettes about the hardships of love, life, and war in the far north. If you enjoyed "The Last Kingdom" this is for you.
October 28, 2018
The series rules. Nuff said.
Similar to the last book, and just as great. This time, it all takes place in Iceland.
As someone who’s been to Iceland, I must say... the artwork perfectly captured the landscape. I saw some geographical features that I recognized from my visit.
The stories were harsh (like the first one.) Once again, much of the satisfaction was deliberately withheld, while some key victories were delivered.
The Sven story was incredibly fascinating, despite being short.
The last couple tales meandered, but came together nicely.
This is intellectual, thoughtful and informative reading.
I recommend this to anyone who like loves great writing and better art.
Similar to the last book, and just as great. This time, it all takes place in Iceland.
As someone who’s been to Iceland, I must say... the artwork perfectly captured the landscape. I saw some geographical features that I recognized from my visit.
The stories were harsh (like the first one.) Once again, much of the satisfaction was deliberately withheld, while some key victories were delivered.
The Sven story was incredibly fascinating, despite being short.
The last couple tales meandered, but came together nicely.
This is intellectual, thoughtful and informative reading.
I recommend this to anyone who like loves great writing and better art.
December 24, 2018
A solid and entertaining tale of the Vikings.
June 3, 2019
3 excellent short stories, before getting to the meat of the book; The 9 issue generation-spanning Icelandic trilogy.
The origin and eventual decline of a dynasty against the background of hard life on Iceland, warring clans and the eventual arrival of Christianity.
I loved it.
The origin and eventual decline of a dynasty against the background of hard life on Iceland, warring clans and the eventual arrival of Christianity.
I loved it.
March 9, 2019
3,5 stars
Quite brutal and blunt. If you like the "Viking" TV show this book is perfect for you.
Quite brutal and blunt. If you like the "Viking" TV show this book is perfect for you.
June 28, 2018
The Sea Road (#29). This story of exploration marred by greed is a perfect re-entry to the Viking world. It nicely encompasses the quest into the unknown and what that brings with brutal vividness [5/5].
Sven the Immortal (#20). Seeing Sven again is a very nice return, and even if this story is ultimately a shallow battle, it's a a vivid and emotional one, showing how this one-note character can hold us much better in a brief entry [4+/5].
The Girl in the Ice (#35-36). A strange tale of an old man who finds a girl frozen in the ice. It gives a nice impression of the grim, frozen Iceland terrain, but the story is too shallow for two issues [3/5].
The Icelandic Trilogy (#42-50). Wood ends Northlanders with a nicely epic story of the Hauksson family, focused on three different generations spread across hundreds of years of history. Each of the three stories has its own strengths: they're tales of family and madness, of love and weakness, of inevitability and arrogance. Together they create something bigger. It's a nice conceit and a nice final story of the Vikings [4/5].
As with the previous volume, this is a nice set of evocative tales of the Northlanders, unlike almost anything else in the comics fields. It does get a little repetitive is read straight through, but it's nonetheless a nice, quick read.
Sven the Immortal (#20). Seeing Sven again is a very nice return, and even if this story is ultimately a shallow battle, it's a a vivid and emotional one, showing how this one-note character can hold us much better in a brief entry [4+/5].
The Girl in the Ice (#35-36). A strange tale of an old man who finds a girl frozen in the ice. It gives a nice impression of the grim, frozen Iceland terrain, but the story is too shallow for two issues [3/5].
The Icelandic Trilogy (#42-50). Wood ends Northlanders with a nicely epic story of the Hauksson family, focused on three different generations spread across hundreds of years of history. Each of the three stories has its own strengths: they're tales of family and madness, of love and weakness, of inevitability and arrogance. Together they create something bigger. It's a nice conceit and a nice final story of the Vikings [4/5].
As with the previous volume, this is a nice set of evocative tales of the Northlanders, unlike almost anything else in the comics fields. It does get a little repetitive is read straight through, but it's nonetheless a nice, quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2019
More icy cold grimness, this time on the distant outpost of Iceland as we (mostly) follow the fortunes of the violent Hauksson clan from their arrival on those frozen shores in 871 right until the effective annexation of the colony by the King of Norway in 1261.
As is common with this series it is often hard to find a protagonist to root for, but though deeply cynical it is a refreshingly different way of retelling creation myths.
I will certainly return for “The European Saga” in the future.
As is common with this series it is often hard to find a protagonist to root for, but though deeply cynical it is a refreshingly different way of retelling creation myths.
I will certainly return for “The European Saga” in the future.
July 7, 2019
I still clearly remember the stories in Northlanders Book 1: The Anglo-Saxon Saga, high tales of treachery, terror, and fights for survival. I was retelling one of the Northlanders Book 1 stories to my partner last week. I was taken straight back into one particular story of three women fighting to keep their lives against a group of violent angry men. It was brilliant.
Northlanders Book Two... I had to read the back cover to jog my memory. I read it in one sitting a few days ago. The stories were fun and engaging whilst I read them, but none really stood out. None will stay with me in the way the Book 1 stories have.
Wood has reconstructed probably quite typical events from the viking ages. Where life depended on keeping warm and knowing how to fight. In Book 2 the Christians arrive from across the water, bringing their christian god and their christian ways. They threaten to usurp the old gods and the old ways. In a small village (it was probably a big village to its inhabitants) people fight among themselves to hold power over their new discovery of Iceland. Two families embroiled in a 500+ years long fight to keep their power and protect their family bloodline.
There are a number of women in these stories. The women mostly stay home and tend to home stuff but they're always wrapped up in the events. When the men go off to fight for their family honour, the women take charge. We get depictions of strong, smart women. Women who understand the consequences of events far better than their male peers. That was rather nice to read, but you have to take it as it is.
These aren't modern women. The book starts in 760AD and ends in 1260AD. These women lived in a time where a husbands death means they lose everything. They have no voice in their village council. They're left to tend children, cook the food and avoid the bloodshed. Yet we still get to see the strengths they did have. If anything, the women of Northlanders show the weakness of their men. The women survive without the men, but the men don't do well without the women.
There are a number of strong women characters who stand as near equals with their husbands and men. And in the end, when there's no one left to kill, when all the men have finished wiping one another out, one woman remains (and her father-in-law who avoided the fighting when he was 'removed' from power).
If you enjoyed Northlanders Book 1, you'll enjoy this one, but it does drag at times. The artists, including Fiona Staples of Saga, Vol. 1 fame, have done a fantastic job of creating believable and beautiful locations and scenery.
My Rating: 3.2 lands cleansed with blood out of 5
Northlanders Book Two... I had to read the back cover to jog my memory. I read it in one sitting a few days ago. The stories were fun and engaging whilst I read them, but none really stood out. None will stay with me in the way the Book 1 stories have.
Wood has reconstructed probably quite typical events from the viking ages. Where life depended on keeping warm and knowing how to fight. In Book 2 the Christians arrive from across the water, bringing their christian god and their christian ways. They threaten to usurp the old gods and the old ways. In a small village (it was probably a big village to its inhabitants) people fight among themselves to hold power over their new discovery of Iceland. Two families embroiled in a 500+ years long fight to keep their power and protect their family bloodline.
There are a number of women in these stories. The women mostly stay home and tend to home stuff but they're always wrapped up in the events. When the men go off to fight for their family honour, the women take charge. We get depictions of strong, smart women. Women who understand the consequences of events far better than their male peers. That was rather nice to read, but you have to take it as it is.
These aren't modern women. The book starts in 760AD and ends in 1260AD. These women lived in a time where a husbands death means they lose everything. They have no voice in their village council. They're left to tend children, cook the food and avoid the bloodshed. Yet we still get to see the strengths they did have. If anything, the women of Northlanders show the weakness of their men. The women survive without the men, but the men don't do well without the women.
There are a number of strong women characters who stand as near equals with their husbands and men. And in the end, when there's no one left to kill, when all the men have finished wiping one another out, one woman remains (and her father-in-law who avoided the fighting when he was 'removed' from power).
If you enjoyed Northlanders Book 1, you'll enjoy this one, but it does drag at times. The artists, including Fiona Staples of Saga, Vol. 1 fame, have done a fantastic job of creating believable and beautiful locations and scenery.
My Rating: 3.2 lands cleansed with blood out of 5
April 29, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
Northlanders: The Icelandic Saga
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.5/5
Northlanders: The Icelandic Saga by Brian Wood is another brilliant and gripping addition to the Northlanders series, offering a brutal, honest, and beautifully crafted portrayal of Viking life. Set against the harsh and unforgiving landscape of medieval Iceland, this volume stands out for its rich historical detail and its unflinching depiction of survival, family, honour, and betrayal.
Wood’s storytelling is powerful and immersive, weaving a multi-generational epic that feels both intimate and grand in scope. The characters are deeply human, equally flawed, resilient, and often tragic, making their journeys feel authentic and emotionally resonant. The dialogue is sharp and natural, capturing both the ruggedness and subtlety of the time period.
The artwork perfectly complements the narrative, with striking violence and a gritty colour palette that captures the stark beauty and brutality of Iceland’s landscapes. Every panel feels purposeful, enhancing the mood of the story and bringing the world to life in vivid detail.
One of the standout stories in this volume is “The Icelandic Trilogy,” which spans several generations of the Hauksson family as they struggle to establish and maintain power in the rugged new land of Iceland. The pioneering days of settlement to the slow, inevitable decline of the family’s influence, Wood crafts a deeply human saga filled with ambition, violence, and heartbreak.
More than just a Viking tale, The Icelandic Saga explores universal themes of legacy, loyalty, and the cost of survival in a forever changing world. It’s a compelling, beautifully told story that offers historical fiction and Norse culture in a unique way.
#northlanders#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#brianwood#book#vertigocomics#graphicnovel
Northlanders: The Icelandic Saga
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.5/5
Northlanders: The Icelandic Saga by Brian Wood is another brilliant and gripping addition to the Northlanders series, offering a brutal, honest, and beautifully crafted portrayal of Viking life. Set against the harsh and unforgiving landscape of medieval Iceland, this volume stands out for its rich historical detail and its unflinching depiction of survival, family, honour, and betrayal.
Wood’s storytelling is powerful and immersive, weaving a multi-generational epic that feels both intimate and grand in scope. The characters are deeply human, equally flawed, resilient, and often tragic, making their journeys feel authentic and emotionally resonant. The dialogue is sharp and natural, capturing both the ruggedness and subtlety of the time period.
The artwork perfectly complements the narrative, with striking violence and a gritty colour palette that captures the stark beauty and brutality of Iceland’s landscapes. Every panel feels purposeful, enhancing the mood of the story and bringing the world to life in vivid detail.
One of the standout stories in this volume is “The Icelandic Trilogy,” which spans several generations of the Hauksson family as they struggle to establish and maintain power in the rugged new land of Iceland. The pioneering days of settlement to the slow, inevitable decline of the family’s influence, Wood crafts a deeply human saga filled with ambition, violence, and heartbreak.
More than just a Viking tale, The Icelandic Saga explores universal themes of legacy, loyalty, and the cost of survival in a forever changing world. It’s a compelling, beautifully told story that offers historical fiction and Norse culture in a unique way.
#northlanders#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#brianwood#book#vertigocomics#graphicnovel
May 15, 2023
Brian Wood's Viking anthology series takes a deeper look into the lives of the Northmen living in Iceland as opposed to their raids on the Saxon kingdoms making up England. The stories in "The Icelandic Saga" aren't quite as engaging as the ones from "The Anglo-Saxon Saga", though they are still interesting enough.
This volume collects the one-shots, "The Sea Road" and "Sven the Immortal", the two-issue story "The Girl in the Ice" and the longer arc "The Icelandic Trilogy". Various artists take their turn on Northlanders, and this volume has some great contributions from artists like Becky Cloonan, Fiona Staples, Danijel Zezelj, Declan Shalvey and Paul Azaceta. Every artist holds their own and creates some vibrant landscapes, buildings and costumes to really sell the location and time period.
"The Sea Road" and "Sven the Immortal" were pretty decent stories that both wrap up on rather dour tones, but do a great job selling just how grim and visceral the lives of the northmen really were. "The Girl in the Ice" reads like a murder mystery, and involves a man accused of the murder of a girl whose body has just turned up. It does a good job fleshing out the culture of the Icelandic people, and how justice is viewed from their rather myopic lens.
The bulk of this volume is "The Icelandic Trilogy" which focuses on the Hauksson family, a clan that initially tries to stave off the influence of Christianity. Over several issues, we're introduced to members of the family across many generations as their attitudes towards power and liberty change with the times. There is a decent emphasis on how women retain power in these highly martial cultures, and something that feels reasonably well researched to be incorporated here.
Overall, this was a decent read. It drags at times, and perhaps a deeper bit of continuity would help keep my attention more, but I enjoyed it for the most part. The varying artists all bring something unique to the table, and none of them really felt like a letdown in terms of delivering on action or atmosphere.
This volume collects the one-shots, "The Sea Road" and "Sven the Immortal", the two-issue story "The Girl in the Ice" and the longer arc "The Icelandic Trilogy". Various artists take their turn on Northlanders, and this volume has some great contributions from artists like Becky Cloonan, Fiona Staples, Danijel Zezelj, Declan Shalvey and Paul Azaceta. Every artist holds their own and creates some vibrant landscapes, buildings and costumes to really sell the location and time period.
"The Sea Road" and "Sven the Immortal" were pretty decent stories that both wrap up on rather dour tones, but do a great job selling just how grim and visceral the lives of the northmen really were. "The Girl in the Ice" reads like a murder mystery, and involves a man accused of the murder of a girl whose body has just turned up. It does a good job fleshing out the culture of the Icelandic people, and how justice is viewed from their rather myopic lens.
The bulk of this volume is "The Icelandic Trilogy" which focuses on the Hauksson family, a clan that initially tries to stave off the influence of Christianity. Over several issues, we're introduced to members of the family across many generations as their attitudes towards power and liberty change with the times. There is a decent emphasis on how women retain power in these highly martial cultures, and something that feels reasonably well researched to be incorporated here.
Overall, this was a decent read. It drags at times, and perhaps a deeper bit of continuity would help keep my attention more, but I enjoyed it for the most part. The varying artists all bring something unique to the table, and none of them really felt like a letdown in terms of delivering on action or atmosphere.
June 8, 2018
This was a pretty good collection with a really good idea; Tell the sagas and history if Iceland through a sereis of stories in a graphic novel. Now, I did not realise it was a #2 when I picked it up, but that did not really matter. The four stories start at AD 760 with 'The sea road' a story of a ship turned by it's captain away from the safe trading routes and off into the Atlantic on a voyage of exploration. It did not end particularly well, but that is probably quite realistic.
Next we have 'Sven the immortal', which was a delightful yarn about an old warrior standing up to defend his family on an isolated Island.
Then we get 'The girl in the ice' also a pretty good story. Then we go through to 'The Icelandic Trilogy' AD 871- 1260, with several stories each of which concentrates on a different episode of the story of the Hauksson family and it's settlement of Iceland.
The different stories have different artwork; I loved the way Fiona Staples's full page pictures and use of blues illustrated the voyage of discovery in the first story, Becky Cloonan's illustrations of faces enhanced 'The girl in the ice' very well too. The illustration in the Hauksson family saga was also pretty effective.
I was left wondering though; are these 'real'stories? No information about them is given you see.... I have read quite a few of the Sagas and I don't actively remember these stories, though I had a fain bell ringing at the back of my skull a few times there. Iceland is so well documented that I am guessing the Hauksson story must be based on something, I would have liked to know what.
Anyway, great trade paperback.
Next we have 'Sven the immortal', which was a delightful yarn about an old warrior standing up to defend his family on an isolated Island.
Then we get 'The girl in the ice' also a pretty good story. Then we go through to 'The Icelandic Trilogy' AD 871- 1260, with several stories each of which concentrates on a different episode of the story of the Hauksson family and it's settlement of Iceland.
The different stories have different artwork; I loved the way Fiona Staples's full page pictures and use of blues illustrated the voyage of discovery in the first story, Becky Cloonan's illustrations of faces enhanced 'The girl in the ice' very well too. The illustration in the Hauksson family saga was also pretty effective.
I was left wondering though; are these 'real'stories? No information about them is given you see.... I have read quite a few of the Sagas and I don't actively remember these stories, though I had a fain bell ringing at the back of my skull a few times there. Iceland is so well documented that I am guessing the Hauksson story must be based on something, I would have liked to know what.
Anyway, great trade paperback.
August 6, 2023
Brian Wood's Northlanders is meant to render half a century’s worth of Viking history into packed vignettes dealing with the struggles of the Angles, the Saxons and eventually the Christians.
Generally, I found this volume to be the least ‘stirring’ as a whole (but this may only be because the action had shifted from the British Isles in volume 1 to Europe in General. Two stories of note for me:
“The Viking Art of Single Combat” – a single story focusing on a contest of champions between warring sides, slowing the clock to allow for a discussion and a dissection on the 1-on-1 battle between Snorri the Black and Egil the Sledge-Hammer
“The Plague Widow” – probably the biggest story in this volume, the saga-like-epic telling of a small town in Russia on the river Volga. The plague has come to the towns people and upon strong recommendation of a monk (with the foresight of germ theory), they have decided to close their gates to outsiders for the long winter, as well as to exile anyone in the town who is sick. This is the story of Hilda and Karin, mother and daughter who have to survive the long winter after their father & husband passes on. Not only do they have to brave the elements, but also other powers in the town.
Stories in this volume include:
1 The Viking Art of Single Combat
2 The Plague Widow
3 The Sea Road
4 Metal
5 The Siege of Paris
6 The Hunt
Generally, I found this volume to be the least ‘stirring’ as a whole (but this may only be because the action had shifted from the British Isles in volume 1 to Europe in General. Two stories of note for me:
“The Viking Art of Single Combat” – a single story focusing on a contest of champions between warring sides, slowing the clock to allow for a discussion and a dissection on the 1-on-1 battle between Snorri the Black and Egil the Sledge-Hammer
“The Plague Widow” – probably the biggest story in this volume, the saga-like-epic telling of a small town in Russia on the river Volga. The plague has come to the towns people and upon strong recommendation of a monk (with the foresight of germ theory), they have decided to close their gates to outsiders for the long winter, as well as to exile anyone in the town who is sick. This is the story of Hilda and Karin, mother and daughter who have to survive the long winter after their father & husband passes on. Not only do they have to brave the elements, but also other powers in the town.
Stories in this volume include:
1 The Viking Art of Single Combat
2 The Plague Widow
3 The Sea Road
4 Metal
5 The Siege of Paris
6 The Hunt
December 27, 2016
I'm not convinced that religion isn't still the enemy Wood cares most about casting as a baleful influence. But, it's not as much a obvious thing as it was in the first volume and we see people give in to evil with and without the Christian religion (which is pretty accurate after all). Nothing leapt out as being historically inaccurate in this volume like it did in the first volume and I enjoyed the story of Sven the Returned now as an older man and there are a couple of shorter stories about people coming to an unjust end.
There is so little writing in this type of time period which is a shame. Scholars are becoming more and more convinced there were no Dark Ages though there certainly were dark times during the middle ages, Wood's stories seem to reflect the older Dark Ages view. There were vibrant communities (yes, even with Christians) full of learning and life during the time Wood is writing about. Perhaps that is better reflected elsewhere in his writing.
There is so little writing in this type of time period which is a shame. Scholars are becoming more and more convinced there were no Dark Ages though there certainly were dark times during the middle ages, Wood's stories seem to reflect the older Dark Ages view. There were vibrant communities (yes, even with Christians) full of learning and life during the time Wood is writing about. Perhaps that is better reflected elsewhere in his writing.
July 18, 2017
Decent stories here including a return to the previous volume's Sven character, a few good stand-alone stories, and then the big Icelandic Trilogy, which was just okay. I'm giving it 3 stars, same as Volume 1 even though I enjoyed V.1 much more than this - Goodreads rating system lacks nuance.
I have to say I'm not super interested in the series' treatment of Christianity. I'm more interested in the preceding beliefs of these people. Continuously mining the conversion to Christianity in such shallow fashion seems a bit lazy.
I have to say I'm not super interested in the series' treatment of Christianity. I'm more interested in the preceding beliefs of these people. Continuously mining the conversion to Christianity in such shallow fashion seems a bit lazy.
October 23, 2017
I really like these books so far. I understand why others don't appreciate them as much. Mostly, I think, because there isn't a single overarching story but a lot of little stories that add up to tell about the land itself. Kind of like how the Martian chronicles were written. Anyway this one wasn't quite as good as the first one but still great. 4 stars.
October 3, 2018
5-. Początkowe historie były przeciętne, w porównaniu z tomem 1. Dopiero trzyczęściowa, mroczna opowieść o jedenastu pokoleniach islandzkiego rodu, przyniosła ten znakomity smak z tomu 1. Choć może zakończeniu nieco brakuje, to jednak cała historia dumnego i niezależnego rodu Haukssonów ma w sobie zimno, surowość, twardość, które mają smutny urok.
October 9, 2018
2018 is the year I first started reading Brian Wood. And I honestly can't get enough of his storytelling and well-chosen artistic collaborators. As a child I grew up in a PBS loving household and grew to enjoy watching the Brother Cadfael mysteries. The Northlanders is cut frm the same cloth as a series, albeit much bloodier and graphic in is depictions of life.
March 18, 2020
Though only 4 stories mostly told in 1 or 2 issues, there's more variety than in the first volume. I liked all of them on some level but didn't enjoy any as much as the prior stories, mostly because I felt the characters weren't as strong as in those other stories. Art was still consistently good throughout.
October 13, 2024
Review is for the entire series read in three large volumes
Not quite up to the standard of DMZ but still wildly entertaining. The tales are a little more uneven, and don't have the same impact in their repetition. There are only so many times you can read variations on 'lets go steal things' and 'o the poor womenfolk' without growing callous.
Not quite up to the standard of DMZ but still wildly entertaining. The tales are a little more uneven, and don't have the same impact in their repetition. There are only so many times you can read variations on 'lets go steal things' and 'o the poor womenfolk' without growing callous.
February 10, 2020
This one was also excellent just like the first book. It deals with the settling of Iceland and the ensuing power struggles. Not as grim or explicit as the first book. It is a good graphic novel for history buffs to check out.
March 16, 2020
Who knew Iceland could be so dramatic? Brian Wood and a bevy of artists deliver a very good anthology about the days of Iceland and their warring factions. The book is great for new readers and its a world that can always be revisited. Overall, some of Wood's best work.
September 27, 2017
The Sea Road - 3 stars
Sven the Immortal - 2 stars
The Girl in the Ice - 4 stars
The Icelandic Trilogy - 5 stars
Sven the Immortal - 2 stars
The Girl in the Ice - 4 stars
The Icelandic Trilogy - 5 stars
July 23, 2022
Rewelacja. Historia, narracja, fabuła. Wciąga jak chodzenie po bagnach.
July 21, 2024
An improvement on Book 1. There are still problems with pacing and unsympathetic characters, but overall it is more than solid entry into the series, and I love to see Declan Shalvey's impact.
October 20, 2018
Es impresionante esta serie, desconozco el nivel de veracidad histórica pero igual vale, en definitiva es un cómic que abre puertas para quien quiera ahondar en el tema y no son muchas las obras que se acerquen tanto a esta temática descontando las historias tales como Dago, Nippur y similares.
Todo Northlanders fue reeditado en tres tomos que originalmente se publicaron en cincuenta unitarios y reeditado en siete tomos. Esta división de tres tomos mas contundentes trajo el primero con historias enmarcadas en lo anglosajón, este tomo abarca Islandia.
Wood aprovecha el entorno para contar distintos sucesos y explorando nuevas formas narrativas a la par de varios dibujantes otorgando una ambientación fresca para cada arco argumental.
Una pequeña maravilla que sin ser obra maestra de lectura obligada sí resulta una excelente creación.
Todo Northlanders fue reeditado en tres tomos que originalmente se publicaron en cincuenta unitarios y reeditado en siete tomos. Esta división de tres tomos mas contundentes trajo el primero con historias enmarcadas en lo anglosajón, este tomo abarca Islandia.
Wood aprovecha el entorno para contar distintos sucesos y explorando nuevas formas narrativas a la par de varios dibujantes otorgando una ambientación fresca para cada arco argumental.
Una pequeña maravilla que sin ser obra maestra de lectura obligada sí resulta una excelente creación.
February 7, 2017
This second volume, out of an assumed three, collecting this Vertigo Viking series by Brian Wood and various artistic collaborators in its entirety, quickly reveals that my original assumption with regards to the organisation of the material was erroneous. As noted in my review of the first volume,
The Anglo-Saxon Saga
, that original assumption was that the material was organised by internal chronology in the fiction rather than following the publication order of the stories. While this principle is definitely true for the content in both volumes thus far, it does not hold between them. Whoever has edited these collections has also decided that geography is a factor. If the first volume collects the stories from England and Ireland between A.D. 793 and A.D. 1014, this one contains stories from the Faroe Islands and Iceland between A.D. 760 and A.D. 1260.
The first story is "The Sea Road" (from issue #29), with fine art by Fiona Staples. It is a decent enough single-issue story about a ship's captain off the coast of the Faroe Islands, trying to find new lands to the west for the sake of profit and survival. It is, in my opinion, a three and a half stars story.
The second story out is "Sven the Immortal" (#20), and here Wood reunites with Davide Gianfelice to present a single-issue sequel to their opening eight-parter arc Sven the Returned , which still remains the best story in the series I have read thus far. In this sequel, Sven is a much older man, who needs to protect his family on his new home on the Faroe Islands from younger warriors seeking to make themselves a reputation by killing an old legend. Both the art and story are really good, and the storycertainly earn its four stars; but it still cannot entirely match the brilliance of its forerunner.
Third out is the subtle and good story "The Girl in the Ice" (#35-36), set on Iceland with elements of a Viking age detective narrative. Here the art comes from Becky Cloonan, and I definitely like it. It is another clear a three and a half stars story.
Fourth out, and finally, comes the massive nine-parter: The Icelandic Trilogy (#42-50). This is an Icelandic family saga in three sequences.
The first sequence (covering chapters 1-3) is drawn by Paul Azaceta and deals with the arrival of Val Hauker on Iceland in A.D. 871, and how his son Ulf Hauksson was hardened by his father in order for him to be able to protect the family against newcomers and rivals, including the Belgarssons. Ulf, however, resents his parents for what they in effect turn him into, while at the same time laying the foundations for a lasting dynasty. Azaceta's art is decent enough, and the story is good: three and a half stars.
The second sequence of The Icelandic Trilogy (chapters 4-6) is set at the turn of the first millennium, A.D. 999 to A.D. 1000, as Iceland is slowly being converted to Christianity. The Haukssons, now on their fifth generation and led by the siblings Brida and Mar, are a force to be reckoned with on Iceland, but new winds are blowing, and Brida in particular must stand up to protect her family heritage and the Hauksson name. Declan Shalvey is the artist on this sequence and he certainly helps deliver a strong four stars story.
The last sequence in the trilogy (chapters 7-9) is set in A.D. 1260, and deals with a schism between the older tenth generation, represented by the tactic and careful Godar Hauksson, and the younger eleventh one, represented by his more battle hungry son, Oskar Hauksson, who is egged on by his wife Freya. With great art by Danijel Žeželj, this is the perfect closing to this family saga, and is the one Northlanders story I have read thus far that could give Sven the Returned a real run for the money, and earning four and a half stars in the process.
Unlike the preceding volume, which ended on its weaker notes, this one more or less works its way up to its high point, and while I early on strongly suspected that I would actually end up given this volume a lower grade than the first one, that suspicion was wiped away by the time I finished the volume. All in all, it is another highly recommended read for anyone interested in Viking Sagas and related comics material.
The first story is "The Sea Road" (from issue #29), with fine art by Fiona Staples. It is a decent enough single-issue story about a ship's captain off the coast of the Faroe Islands, trying to find new lands to the west for the sake of profit and survival. It is, in my opinion, a three and a half stars story.
The second story out is "Sven the Immortal" (#20), and here Wood reunites with Davide Gianfelice to present a single-issue sequel to their opening eight-parter arc Sven the Returned , which still remains the best story in the series I have read thus far. In this sequel, Sven is a much older man, who needs to protect his family on his new home on the Faroe Islands from younger warriors seeking to make themselves a reputation by killing an old legend. Both the art and story are really good, and the storycertainly earn its four stars; but it still cannot entirely match the brilliance of its forerunner.
Third out is the subtle and good story "The Girl in the Ice" (#35-36), set on Iceland with elements of a Viking age detective narrative. Here the art comes from Becky Cloonan, and I definitely like it. It is another clear a three and a half stars story.
Fourth out, and finally, comes the massive nine-parter: The Icelandic Trilogy (#42-50). This is an Icelandic family saga in three sequences.
The first sequence (covering chapters 1-3) is drawn by Paul Azaceta and deals with the arrival of Val Hauker on Iceland in A.D. 871, and how his son Ulf Hauksson was hardened by his father in order for him to be able to protect the family against newcomers and rivals, including the Belgarssons. Ulf, however, resents his parents for what they in effect turn him into, while at the same time laying the foundations for a lasting dynasty. Azaceta's art is decent enough, and the story is good: three and a half stars.
The second sequence of The Icelandic Trilogy (chapters 4-6) is set at the turn of the first millennium, A.D. 999 to A.D. 1000, as Iceland is slowly being converted to Christianity. The Haukssons, now on their fifth generation and led by the siblings Brida and Mar, are a force to be reckoned with on Iceland, but new winds are blowing, and Brida in particular must stand up to protect her family heritage and the Hauksson name. Declan Shalvey is the artist on this sequence and he certainly helps deliver a strong four stars story.
The last sequence in the trilogy (chapters 7-9) is set in A.D. 1260, and deals with a schism between the older tenth generation, represented by the tactic and careful Godar Hauksson, and the younger eleventh one, represented by his more battle hungry son, Oskar Hauksson, who is egged on by his wife Freya. With great art by Danijel Žeželj, this is the perfect closing to this family saga, and is the one Northlanders story I have read thus far that could give Sven the Returned a real run for the money, and earning four and a half stars in the process.
Unlike the preceding volume, which ended on its weaker notes, this one more or less works its way up to its high point, and while I early on strongly suspected that I would actually end up given this volume a lower grade than the first one, that suspicion was wiped away by the time I finished the volume. All in all, it is another highly recommended read for anyone interested in Viking Sagas and related comics material.
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