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Troubled Waters

Free at last, Thorfinn sets off on an expedition to Vinland, to establish a place free of war and slavery. In an effort to fund his project, Thorfinn visits Iceland where Halfdan, a wealthy man who shared a dark history with his late father, awaits. Meanwhile, the marriage between Halfdan's son Sigurd and Leif's relative Gudrid is well under way, but Gudrid dreams of being a sailor not a bride. A battle soon breaks out as Gudrid attempts to escape aboard Leif's ship. With Sigurd hot on their tail, Thorfinn and the crew press eastward to the city of Miklagard, picking up an orphaned baby and a dog along the way...

390 pages, Hardcover

First published December 27, 2016

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Makoto Yukimura

123 books616 followers

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5 stars
1,749 (61%)
4 stars
894 (31%)
3 stars
185 (6%)
2 stars
8 (<1%)
1 star
9 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
Profile Image for Baba.
4,094 reviews1,557 followers
April 18, 2025
Thorfinn, to a degree at peace with his past and present seeks to actualise Vinland for real! He realises that he needs funding to achieve his goal and alongside his allies becomes a merchant. On Greenland they come across a possible investor, his son Sigurd, and his very reluctant 'wants to be sailor' wife-to-be Duguid:

The two volumes in this omnibus focus on testing Thorfinn's rejection of war and violence (yet again) and on Duguid's rejection of female roles in Viking society. There's something captivating about both the art and characterisations that has me so pulled into what is an overall great saga but dominated by slow and often mundane plotting, which in turn is maybe what makes the high points so good? Another Three Star, 7 out of 12 read.

2025 read
Profile Image for Rain.
2,604 reviews21 followers
December 21, 2025
What the hell was that ending and how fast can I grab the next in the series??!!

Watching Thorfinn’s journey unfold has been incredibly satisfying. Eight volumes in, and this series is still thoughtful, emotionally grounded, and surprisingly gentle for a story rooted in such a violent world.

Gudrid’s storyline was another highlight for me. Her desire to be a sailor instead of a bride totally mirrors Thorfinn’s own refusal to accept the life laid out for him.

Budding reading with my son. Poor guy had to listen to me complain about that ENDING for a bit lol. Talk about full circle.
Profile Image for Sawn.
182 reviews6 followers
May 14, 2018
I didn’t know that i’ll finish it in one sitting, i even prepared my cute little bookmark coz i thought i’ll stop eventually, BUT OH MY GODDDD THAT WAS SOOOO GOOOD EVERYONE NEEDDDSS TO READD THIIIS MANGGAAAA!
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,441 reviews288 followers
May 14, 2020
The action and drama of previous volumes is mostly discarded as the story veers into comic farce with Runaway Bride and Three Men and a Baby antics. It's nice to see some more female characters at least, but I wonder if we're starting to pull an Outlaw Josey Wales and gathering a quirky lot of potential settlers for Thorfinn's utopian settlement in Vinland.

Well, before that can happen, time for a two-year side trip to Greece. Strange choice, but I'm along for the ride.
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,206 followers
May 15, 2019
The next arc begins and somehow it still remains fucking great.

Thorfinn is ready to travel to Vinland. His mind is set on creating a new world, one with happiness and no war. It's nearly impossible of course but it still brings something new to the table that we're used to violence and pain. Before we get going through we are introduced to Lief, a woman who wants to be a sailor. Of course back in the day that was NOT allowed but she won't just get married off, will she?

This is a great chapter of a new adventure. It's more hopeful, some great humor, and the art as always is amazing. I loved the hell out of the new additions of Lief, as she has plenty of spunk. I do love Thorfinn's growth as a character. The ending is a "OH SHIT" moment and brings something new to the table. I once again love this series. A 5 out of 5.
Profile Image for Dhia Nouioui.
293 reviews155 followers
August 22, 2021
I’m so sad to see Askeladd go. He was a terrible person but a goddamn fantastic character. You have to admit that's a fucken badass way to go though.
Profile Image for Hanieh Sadat Shobeiri .
210 reviews6 followers
February 3, 2025
دانلودش کردم و گفتم یه چپتر بخونم و بخوابم. الان ساعت ۳ صبحه و من در حال دانلود کتاب بعدی که فقط یه چپترشو بخونم و بخوابم (⁠T⁠T⁠)⁩
Profile Image for Jenny.
910 reviews69 followers
November 1, 2022
And it's a new arc time, and I already cannot wait to see where the story will continue to develop. The continual character development of Thorfinn remains captivating and endearing to read. As he reflects more on his past and the man he used to be we see how this only drives and strengthens his resolve to become a better man and achieve his dream of creating a world of peace on Vinland. The layering and depth of his character never stop evolving, which makes me love him with my entire heart and create such a compelling narrative in general. Even if the pacing slows down, there never is a dull moment as the character dynamics are able to speak volumes.

"A woman has her own free will. She simply chooses to engage in the man's game most of the time. Do not forget this."


With the new addition of female characters, Gudrad and Hild, we see women who defy and challenge traditional gender norms and work to make their own path in life. I am liking this addition of these new characters and definitely want to see more of them in the future as I am always biased towards a badass strong female.
Profile Image for Doc.
1,959 reviews30 followers
December 24, 2018
In this volume we get to meet Halfdan the wealthy landowner and his son Sigurd as Thorfinn and his family reflect in his recent return. We also get to meet Gudrid who is betrothed to Sigurd but would rather sail with Leif Erikson rather then become a wife. She is an independent woman with the spirit to journey but being betrothed her dreams could not be realized. However at the moment of consummation she stabbed Sigurd with a dagger without thinking and fled into the night in hopes of boarding Leif Erikson's ship one last time just as he and his crew were to begin a long journey.

We get to see someone from Thorfinn's past connected to his many victims, the crew finding a baby in danger, and the great hunt of Sigurd as Thorfinn continues his quest for Vinland one day. I don't want to explain much more so you can pick up the volume and see this magnificent art and story for yourself without spoilers to bog you down. :)

My fave part would have to be Gudrid slicing her hair in defiance to the wedding and Sigurd's misunderstanding immediately afterwards. :)

Profile Image for Blake the Book Eater.
1,279 reviews409 followers
May 22, 2024
The story has shifted again in another beautiful and organic way. Before starting this volume, I was thinking to myself how much I loved this series but I was slightly disappointed that there weren’t any great female characters. Slightly understandable given the historical setting, but still a little disappointing.

AND THEN COMES GURDRID. I fucking love her so much. Her yearning for a life beyond the one laid out for her is palpable and recalls the innocent wonder of younger Thorfinn. I cannot wait to see where her story goes, and already the narrative is so much better for her presence.
Profile Image for Kylie.
55 reviews
July 1, 2023
I never see the direction this goes coming at all, what a wonderful volume. Wonderful!!!! And yes finally! More women, this manga is just chock-full of wonderful realistic fleshed out characters. I love you Gudrid
Profile Image for RG.
3,084 reviews
March 8, 2021
Is my current fave manga...loved this
Profile Image for Jennifer Hahn.
86 reviews3 followers
August 4, 2020
Tonen är (för det mesta) en helt annan i den här boken. Den är mer lättsam och det är fler skämt än vanligt vilket jag tycker fungerar bra. Jag är så fäst vid karaktärerna nu att det inte spelar någon roll vad de gör.

ÄNTLIGEN introduceras en kvinnlig main character också. Hon är lite vad jag trodde Ylva skulle vara. Jag hoppas att hon fortsätter att få lika mycket utrymme. Dessutom introduceras ytterligare en awesome kvinnlig karaktär i slutet och jag är så irriterad på mig själv att jag inte lånade hem alla tillgängliga delar på en gång. Nu måste jag vänta till imorgon innan jag kan läsa fortsättningen... .__.
Profile Image for Sud666.
2,343 reviews199 followers
July 15, 2018
The Vinland Saga continues the story of Thorfinn. Thorfinn visits his family and explains his goals of locating and settling in Vinland. He wants to build a world where there is no violence. Good luck with all that.

Thorfinn and his old friend Lief are joined by some newer characters- namely Gudrid, a young woman who wishes to be a sailor and flees her arranged marriage, and Hild, a young female hunter who uses a crossbow. As they attempt to make the voyage to Vindland, they have to run into several issues- Hild being one of them, as she shares a dark history with Thorfinn.

Meanwhile, Sigurd, Gudrid's spurned husband, is on the search for Gudrid. While this volume was not that violent, it had a marked increase in the humor. Gudrid is an interesting addition to Thorfinn's band. As usual, the artwork is among the best manga art I've seen in awhile. The story is still interesting and exciting with a good deal of humor in this volume. Overall an excellent addition to the Vinland Saga, one of the best Norse stories out there.
Profile Image for Rory Wilding.
804 reviews29 followers
July 17, 2021
SPOILERS

At the end of the last volume, Thorfinn and Einar got their freedom and thus set sail to Iceland, where Thorfinn is reunited with his mother and sister after so many years. With a new sense of hope, the two former slaves are preparing to settle Vinland and build a new life of peace, though they need to find funding for such a journey.

A new character introduced to the story basically sets up the next arc named Gudrid, Leif's sister-in-law. Having heard stories of the outside world from Leif and dreamed of becoming a sailor, the tomboy is not allowed to become one, due to her gender, as well as being engaged to Sigurd, son of the wealthy and powerful landowner and moneylender Halfdan. Right from the jump, Gudrid is an instant favourite as she may make reckless decisions and is rather incompetent on doing simple tasks, she is determined to not be pinned down by what society expects from her.

Exploring gender politics during this period of history, it allows Makoto Yukimura to delving into characters that are outsiders, including Thorfinn who is not your conventional Viking. During a somewhat disastrous wedding night, Gudrid escapes and seeks help from Thorfinn and the others, who are about to sail off to Greece, after making a deal with Halfdan to sell Narwhal horns at the distant country. Considering the hardship that Thorfinn went through so that he can choose a life for himself, he lets Gudrid on board as she gets her wish, though she must be dedicated and hard-working to become a sailor.

With a few obstacles along the way of the journey, including Sigurd, who is determined to chase down his wife and reclaim his honour for his family, there is the rest of the world as Thorfinn’s group travel through villages, some of which pillaged with very little life spared. When they reach the Shetland Islands, where they travel into a pillaged settlement, the only life they can find is a dog and a baby, whose mother dies before saying her last breath, which is her son’s name, which is Karli. Now with two new crew members on the ship, this creates a dilemma of what to do with the infant as none of them have parenting skills and are hoping to find a foster family that would take care of Karli.

Towards the end of the volume, Thorfinn’s crew arrives at the south of Bergen, where a couple of surprises arrive, such as the arrival of a black bear, which leads to an incredible action sequence between the beast and Thorfinn, drawn to such ferocity by Yukimura. And then there’s Hild, a badass female hunter who turns out to have a personal connection to Thorfinn, which leads to one hell of a cliffhanger. The journey into building a new life of peace can definitely have its challenges.
Profile Image for marko.
663 reviews
January 29, 2024
Oduševljava me činjenica da Makoto Yukimura uspeva da održi ovakav kvalitet iz broja u broj. Priča, razvoj likova, građenje sveta, emocije, crtež, crtež, crtež… Sve je na toliko visokom nivou da se već sada potajno plašim trenutka kada budem završio čitanje poslednjeg broja i ne budem imao naredni omnibus ispunjen novim avanturama.

Osmi omnibus “Vinland Sage” je predivan i spolja i iznutra. Stilska promena dizajna naslovnice nagoveštava promene, a novi likovi poput Gudrid (devojka sa naslovnice) i njenog nesuđenog i okrutnog muža, unose svežu energiju u Thorfinov i Einarov bratski odnos.

Profile Image for Darien Springer.
165 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2024
A refreshingly calmer chunk than the full-throttle pacing of the last volume. In volume 8, we explore the logistics of Thorfinn's goal to establish a community in Vinland as well as the exploration of his philosophy to get there. His non-violence stance is explored well in his conversation with Gudrid where he expresses how impossible it may be to stick to it when the threat of retributive murder is a consequence that does incentivize people to not initiate violence in the first place.
Profile Image for Nikki in Niagara.
4,401 reviews176 followers
February 7, 2017
Fantastic! This series just doesn't quit. The story is so fluid it is quickly picked up after waiting for the next volume to print. We have a new main character; a female who wants to be a sailor. Lief and Thor plan their mission to settle in Vinland but can't get anyone to invest the money. They are gifted Narwhal horns though and decide a trip, taking about two years, is needed to cash in on the horns thus financing their trip.A bit of battle in this volume but heavy on plot and character development. The art continues to be brilliantly detailed.
Profile Image for Relstuart.
1,248 reviews112 followers
August 28, 2019
Relationships adjust as Thorfinn returns home and looks to figure out how to built on his dream of a nation built on personal freedom without war. We see a bit less action and more social interplay but the book ends on an intense cliffhanger.

If you've read this far, you'll be glad to have volume 9 on hand for when you finish this one so you can see what happens next pretty quickly.
Profile Image for mayday.
435 reviews11 followers
July 9, 2022
"A father. What would a father know about raising a baby?"

"Because...because a war is a part of politics! the outcome of a battle is merely the grist for the next engagement! Now is the time to quickly withdraw and prepare for post-battle negotiations."

read this right when the Russian Invasion of Ukraine started.
Profile Image for Loay Mohammed.
170 reviews8 followers
June 10, 2022
As The Previous Arc Exactly With No Huge Big Moments or Big Fight Scenes Makoto Yukimura have pulled me into his amazing world and story through it’s interesting Journey…I sit down to read a chapter and I end up reading 4.

A slow but well explained arc beginning, and a totally unexpected ending.
Profile Image for Aritra  Dasgupta.
527 reviews12 followers
August 11, 2022
Probably the first time the plotting seems a little unsure. It is still excellent but this part still feels like the midlife crisis of Thorfinn, as he completes his journey of reconciliation with the past and planning out his future now.
Profile Image for Kerrie-Ann ✨ bookishlybesotted.
240 reviews15 followers
February 22, 2023
I’m obsessed, I can’t get enough of this Vinland Saga! The plots and character developments are masterful. I’m loving the strong female characters being introduced and the cliffhanger is a powerful one! Wow!!
Profile Image for Dani (ダニ ¦ 다니).
296 reviews11 followers
November 16, 2017
I love all the female-centred plots in here. Such great characters. Also, the book ended on a cliffhanger so I'm off to read Omnibus 9 now
Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews

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