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Northlanders #1 of New Edition
Northlanders, Book 1: The Anglo-Saxon Saga
The first of three volumes chronicling the entire NORTHLANDERS saga! Writer BRIAN WOOD (DMZ, REBELS, THE MASSIVE), with a lineup of acclaimed artists including DAVIDE GIANFELICE ( REBORN) and RYAN KELLY (LUCIFER), brings his modern, stylish sensibility a thousand years into the past.
The British Isles were a tempting target to the Vikings, who craved lush land to farm and rich monasteries to plunder, and the fractured Saxon kingdoms were barely able to resist. But as time progressed and the centuries-old pagan belief in nature, the fates, and a raucous warrior afterlife were gradually replaced by the rigid traditions of Christianity, a dark ages culture war took shape.
An exiled Viking warrior returns to Orkney to claim a family title in "Sven The Returned."
Collects Northlanders #1-16, 18-19, 41.
The British Isles were a tempting target to the Vikings, who craved lush land to farm and rich monasteries to plunder, and the fractured Saxon kingdoms were barely able to resist. But as time progressed and the centuries-old pagan belief in nature, the fates, and a raucous warrior afterlife were gradually replaced by the rigid traditions of Christianity, a dark ages culture war took shape.
An exiled Viking warrior returns to Orkney to claim a family title in "Sven The Returned."
Collects Northlanders #1-16, 18-19, 41.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
19 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Brian Wood
1,173 books962 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 64 reviews
September 16, 2017
Bullet Review:
With the exception of the "Thor's Daughter", which was hardly even a story, more like a tepid setup, this blew me away. Even the stories I was initially ambivalent about I grew to really appreciate ("Sven" and "The Cross and the Hammer").
With the exception of the "Thor's Daughter", which was hardly even a story, more like a tepid setup, this blew me away. Even the stories I was initially ambivalent about I grew to really appreciate ("Sven" and "The Cross and the Hammer").
August 19, 2018
Starts off a little slow but concludes with 2 amazing graphic violent and gripping stories. Definitely reccomend this series.
July 6, 2016
This is a collection of stories from Wood's Northlanders series. The first two were terrible. The first story is about a boy with an abusive Christian father who beats him and trains him to fight in case the pagan Vikings ever attack them. The boy prays to the Norse gods and they answer him with ships of Vikings which he directs to the local monetary and town where they slaughter the monks, his father, and older brother. He gets the Viking to take him with them where he grows to become a pillaging raping terror full of joy at escaping Christianity and reveling in the destruction he can bring on others.
The next story is about three woman fleeing a Viking raid with their husband's hoard of treasure. They hole up in an old Roman fort and kill several of the Vikings who retreat and then send a catholic priest to harangue them with King James bible verses about women needing to submit to their husbands. This makes no sense, as the translation he quotes was not invented yet, he would have used Latin which would not have made sense to the women, the women's husbands were, ostensibly, murdered by the raiders so arguing they needed to surrender using verses about men loving their wives and laying down their lives for them and wives submitting to their husbands made no sense, and it made no sense the raiders got a priest to try to help them. The first two stories appear to just be vehicles for the author to express hatred of Christianity with very poor respect for any sort of historical accuracy.
If you just skip these first two stories (about 100 pages) the rest of the book isn't terrible but it appears the author may not be very educated in the era he is writing in based on his issues with historical accuracy. A shame as this is a neglected era in comics for American readers.
The next story is about three woman fleeing a Viking raid with their husband's hoard of treasure. They hole up in an old Roman fort and kill several of the Vikings who retreat and then send a catholic priest to harangue them with King James bible verses about women needing to submit to their husbands. This makes no sense, as the translation he quotes was not invented yet, he would have used Latin which would not have made sense to the women, the women's husbands were, ostensibly, murdered by the raiders so arguing they needed to surrender using verses about men loving their wives and laying down their lives for them and wives submitting to their husbands made no sense, and it made no sense the raiders got a priest to try to help them. The first two stories appear to just be vehicles for the author to express hatred of Christianity with very poor respect for any sort of historical accuracy.
If you just skip these first two stories (about 100 pages) the rest of the book isn't terrible but it appears the author may not be very educated in the era he is writing in based on his issues with historical accuracy. A shame as this is a neglected era in comics for American readers.
November 28, 2021
This is a graphic novel containing five short stories set in the early medieval period, each of which involves to some extent the Anglo-Saxons (and Jutes)—that catchall term referring to the numerous Germanic tribes and peoples that originated from the Northern European continent.
I judged this book by its cover. The image of a bloodthirsty pagan pillager charging out of the sea caught my eye; “Northlanders” made me pick it up; “Anglo-Saxon Saga” sold me. It’s about damn time we had some comic book stuff featuring this period and the pagans in it—it is historically interesting and underrepresented.
The stories are decent enough for a graphic novel. I think some are definitely better than others were—but for me that’s kinda beside the point. For me, this is just about indulging in the period and the peoples in the beloved graphic novel form.
I have noticed that some reviewers have come to this work with all the wrong expectations—and that is their fault for being naïve, pretentious, or absurdly fundamentalist. This is a comic book collection, not the following: (a) a scholarly work on the early middle ages; (b) an espousal of Christian or pagan doctrine; (c) a retelling of early middle-ages myths, legends, or fables; (d) great literature.
There is nothing in these stories, furthermore, that indicates that the author advocates for or against any particular religious world-view or specific religious practice; moreover, some reviewers have stated that, for instance, the first story is merely an indulgent vehicle for Brian Wood to express his hatred for Christianity. This is utter nonsense, typical of Christian fundamentalists who view anything that does not explicitly support, espouse, or generally paint Christianity and Jesus in a positive light, as hatred towards Christianity. Sorry, you won't be persecuted here.
The first story centers on a young boy who witnesses the sacking of Lindesfarne. In this story, the boy happens to pray to Woden and other pagan gods to deliver him from his family who has abandoned the old gods for the new and seemingly weak “White Christ.” Not long afterward— a day or so— pagans come upon the boy from the sea who, with directions from the boy, proceed to sack Lindesfarne, presumably killing the male inhabitants, enslaving the women and children, and pillaging the monastery. That is a typical scenario for Viking raids until around 850AD when, for instance, Carolingian rulers could temporarily buy off Viking violence with the so-called “danegeld” payments.
The meatiest, and longest, of the stories is Sven the Returned, set in the Orkney Islands, 980AD, which provides the most background story of any of the characters in the entire book. The weakest story, and the shortest, is Thor’s Daughter, set in occupied Ireland (more like ‘re-occupied’ Ireland) in which a young girl is heir to her once powerful father’s retinue, all of whom are less than respectful of her new status.
The most interesting story, however, is The Cross and the Hammer, which contains the deepest psychological gloss of characters than the other stories, as well as some ethical fuzziness in their actions, all under the guise of hunting down a killer in pagan Ireland.
I judged this book by its cover. The image of a bloodthirsty pagan pillager charging out of the sea caught my eye; “Northlanders” made me pick it up; “Anglo-Saxon Saga” sold me. It’s about damn time we had some comic book stuff featuring this period and the pagans in it—it is historically interesting and underrepresented.
The stories are decent enough for a graphic novel. I think some are definitely better than others were—but for me that’s kinda beside the point. For me, this is just about indulging in the period and the peoples in the beloved graphic novel form.
I have noticed that some reviewers have come to this work with all the wrong expectations—and that is their fault for being naïve, pretentious, or absurdly fundamentalist. This is a comic book collection, not the following: (a) a scholarly work on the early middle ages; (b) an espousal of Christian or pagan doctrine; (c) a retelling of early middle-ages myths, legends, or fables; (d) great literature.
There is nothing in these stories, furthermore, that indicates that the author advocates for or against any particular religious world-view or specific religious practice; moreover, some reviewers have stated that, for instance, the first story is merely an indulgent vehicle for Brian Wood to express his hatred for Christianity. This is utter nonsense, typical of Christian fundamentalists who view anything that does not explicitly support, espouse, or generally paint Christianity and Jesus in a positive light, as hatred towards Christianity. Sorry, you won't be persecuted here.
The first story centers on a young boy who witnesses the sacking of Lindesfarne. In this story, the boy happens to pray to Woden and other pagan gods to deliver him from his family who has abandoned the old gods for the new and seemingly weak “White Christ.” Not long afterward— a day or so— pagans come upon the boy from the sea who, with directions from the boy, proceed to sack Lindesfarne, presumably killing the male inhabitants, enslaving the women and children, and pillaging the monastery. That is a typical scenario for Viking raids until around 850AD when, for instance, Carolingian rulers could temporarily buy off Viking violence with the so-called “danegeld” payments.
The meatiest, and longest, of the stories is Sven the Returned, set in the Orkney Islands, 980AD, which provides the most background story of any of the characters in the entire book. The weakest story, and the shortest, is Thor’s Daughter, set in occupied Ireland (more like ‘re-occupied’ Ireland) in which a young girl is heir to her once powerful father’s retinue, all of whom are less than respectful of her new status.
The most interesting story, however, is The Cross and the Hammer, which contains the deepest psychological gloss of characters than the other stories, as well as some ethical fuzziness in their actions, all under the guise of hunting down a killer in pagan Ireland.
June 27, 2018
Lindisfarne (9-10). A great chronological start to Northlanders, because it nicely portrays the violence of the vikings while also showcasing their humanity and questioning who the real monsters are. The art is also extremely beautiful [5/5].
The Shield Maidens (18-19). Three viking women fight off hordes. I had some problems with the believability of this story, but it's nonetheless a nice twist on standard Vikingology thanks to its concentration on women (and it once more has great characters) [4/5].
Sven the Returned (1-8). The (actual) first story of Northlanders is not its best. There's a compelling plot here, with a man returned to his home, and being changed by the experience. There's also a lot of fun Viking action-adventure, with Sven being a sword god. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough depth to the story, despite the twists toward the end. The plotting is overstretched for its length. The art is also interesting, but not as good as what would follow [3+/5].
Thor's Daughter (41). I liked the scope of this story, but it felt like pages were missing, because the dramatic resolution of the storyline isn't actually there [2/5].
The Cross & The Hammer (11-16). A good story of the oppressed and the oppressors, of the cost of rebellion, of family lost. But the conceit bugs the heck out of me: a murder mystery narrative in a Northlander saga is just annoying. Also, the running plot of escape dragged over four issues [3+/5].
Overall, Wood's stories of Northlanders are a lot of fun, and I love how this volume has carefully arranged them by locale and time. The first two long sagas aren't as good as the shorter sagas, but I'm thrilled to have them all together. They were a quick and enjoyable read for a tome of this length.
The Shield Maidens (18-19). Three viking women fight off hordes. I had some problems with the believability of this story, but it's nonetheless a nice twist on standard Vikingology thanks to its concentration on women (and it once more has great characters) [4/5].
Sven the Returned (1-8). The (actual) first story of Northlanders is not its best. There's a compelling plot here, with a man returned to his home, and being changed by the experience. There's also a lot of fun Viking action-adventure, with Sven being a sword god. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough depth to the story, despite the twists toward the end. The plotting is overstretched for its length. The art is also interesting, but not as good as what would follow [3+/5].
Thor's Daughter (41). I liked the scope of this story, but it felt like pages were missing, because the dramatic resolution of the storyline isn't actually there [2/5].
The Cross & The Hammer (11-16). A good story of the oppressed and the oppressors, of the cost of rebellion, of family lost. But the conceit bugs the heck out of me: a murder mystery narrative in a Northlander saga is just annoying. Also, the running plot of escape dragged over four issues [3+/5].
Overall, Wood's stories of Northlanders are a lot of fun, and I love how this volume has carefully arranged them by locale and time. The first two long sagas aren't as good as the shorter sagas, but I'm thrilled to have them all together. They were a quick and enjoyable read for a tome of this length.
January 13, 2019
Simply incredible!!
December 23, 2018
Overall a well written and interesting collection of stories with some incredible artwork and some ok art. At its best it’s moving and deep, and its worst it seems unfinished and incomplete.
May 30, 2023
An exceptional collection of stories. Very well written.
October 2, 2018
Northlanders agrupa varias historias que no se relacionan entre sí todas ambientadas en el norte europeo harán unos dos mil años.
De distinta extensión y forma narrativa, cambiando los dibujantes en líneas generales este primer tomo es un inicio mas que alentador.
Wood es un especialista en brutalidad y la época le encaja a la perfección para volcar toda su ira.
Voy al segundo tomo de cabeza!
De distinta extensión y forma narrativa, cambiando los dibujantes en líneas generales este primer tomo es un inicio mas que alentador.
Wood es un especialista en brutalidad y la época le encaja a la perfección para volcar toda su ira.
Voy al segundo tomo de cabeza!
March 22, 2023
Reading a Viking comic was a rare treat. The anthology type stories were all well paced and didn’t linger on for longer than they should have. My favorites are the ones with the three women which was pretty short and the one with Sven. The Sven story was great overall. Solid character building and backstories. The art fit the story well. Overall I had a good time reading this book.
June 21, 2017
One of the best graphic novels I've read in a long time.
May 2, 2017
Lindisfarne : 4 stars
The Shield Maidens : 5 stars
Seven the Returned : 3.5 stars
Thor's Daughter : 1 star
The Cross & The Hammer : 2.5 stars
The Shield Maidens : 5 stars
Seven the Returned : 3.5 stars
Thor's Daughter : 1 star
The Cross & The Hammer : 2.5 stars
July 10, 2018
Fantastyczna. To nie powiązane ze sobą historie o wikingach, dziejące się w różnych czasach i miejscach. Brutalne, czasami bezlitosne, zaskakujące.
September 23, 2021
(4,3 of 5 of proper historical adventures from a millennium ago)
I looked forward to this because I really like Wood. He's a great and competent (script) writer. And I love his historical works, because he really can, unlike Ennis, capture the historical aspect of that certain place and age and with help of some handy artist transfer the reader in the past like magic.
We have here 5 stories from different parts of northern Europe. Each with a different artist which is great. The stories are pretty cool, I can't complain and now I know from where Sword Daughter took a big inspiration. The last one is the biggest and most epic, The Cross & The Hammer, with pretty cool art, ink and colour as I like it (Kelly/McCaig).
But the rest is great too. Lindisfarne with Dean Ormston's art telling story of one boy who wanted to leave his village and become Viking, for which he was willing paid a terrible price. The Shield Maidens, who make their last stand in ruins next to sea with Žežejl's very stylized art making the atmosphere totally grim. Sven Returned about Viking stray, a boy who unlike in "Lindisfarne" wanted to be anything but a Viking. And after many years he decided to return to claim and pick up his heritage. Gianfelice's art is very fitting, but the story really got my attention and I love how it developed. Thor's Daughter is too perfectly coloured by Mccaig, but the main star here is my favourite Marian Churchland. His style is completely mesmerising for me. And the story is also cool, the type where only a brief moment of a bigger story is captured, leaving the rest for the reader's imagination.
I looked forward to this because I really like Wood. He's a great and competent (script) writer. And I love his historical works, because he really can, unlike Ennis, capture the historical aspect of that certain place and age and with help of some handy artist transfer the reader in the past like magic.
We have here 5 stories from different parts of northern Europe. Each with a different artist which is great. The stories are pretty cool, I can't complain and now I know from where Sword Daughter took a big inspiration. The last one is the biggest and most epic, The Cross & The Hammer, with pretty cool art, ink and colour as I like it (Kelly/McCaig).
But the rest is great too. Lindisfarne with Dean Ormston's art telling story of one boy who wanted to leave his village and become Viking, for which he was willing paid a terrible price. The Shield Maidens, who make their last stand in ruins next to sea with Žežejl's very stylized art making the atmosphere totally grim. Sven Returned about Viking stray, a boy who unlike in "Lindisfarne" wanted to be anything but a Viking. And after many years he decided to return to claim and pick up his heritage. Gianfelice's art is very fitting, but the story really got my attention and I love how it developed. Thor's Daughter is too perfectly coloured by Mccaig, but the main star here is my favourite Marian Churchland. His style is completely mesmerising for me. And the story is also cool, the type where only a brief moment of a bigger story is captured, leaving the rest for the reader's imagination.
October 29, 2025
Lindisfarne (Issues 1-2): 2/5
The Shield Maidens (Issues 3-4): 2/5
Sven the Returned (Issues 5-12): 3/5
Thor’s Daughter (Issue 13): 1/5
The Cross & The Hammer (Issues 14-19): 3/5
Art consistently delivers. I like how bleak most of these stories are, and how these characters do not have our modern moral compass.
Dialogue and characters tend to be sloppy and frustrating. The Cross & The Hammer probably has the best character development, although the multi-stage arc for Sven the Returned was nice. Giving it a 3/5 for now, maybe a reread will find me more kind.
The Shield Maidens (Issues 3-4): 2/5
Sven the Returned (Issues 5-12): 3/5
Thor’s Daughter (Issue 13): 1/5
The Cross & The Hammer (Issues 14-19): 3/5
Art consistently delivers. I like how bleak most of these stories are, and how these characters do not have our modern moral compass.
Dialogue and characters tend to be sloppy and frustrating. The Cross & The Hammer probably has the best character development, although the multi-stage arc for Sven the Returned was nice. Giving it a 3/5 for now, maybe a reread will find me more kind.
May 27, 2018
spændende antologi med varierende længder og kvalitet
November 27, 2018
Loved the artwork
November 30, 2018
Pretty awesome! Loved the artwork as well. Looking forward to the other books in this series.
September 29, 2018
Not for the faint of heart or mind.
I’m still in the aftershock. This was beyond powerful. I was gripped from the first page to the last.
Every single panel was so deliberate, so essential...
Before this review devolves into a maelstrom of adjectives, let me try to organize my thoughts.
First I’ll address the stories.
These were brutal vignettes, each one detailing a time and place in the early post-roman Europe. There was a focus on family... but not in the kind, loving, alphabet soup way that most fiction addresses family. This was brutal. Relationships were strained, the damage was allowed to fester, wounds were ripped open. This was an infected wound of a volume. Every story was steeped in violence, with the subtext often very grim. Few of the stories end with triumph (though at least one does.) The recurring lesson is that violence begets violence begets violence, and that brutal means lead to brutal ends. It WAS satisfying... but not in the way you want it to be.
TL;DR - the writing is superb and engaging
Now the art.
It’s magnificent. The images have the distinct feel of cathedral mosaic windows. The coloring enhances that vibe. It truly seems as though light is passing through painted glass in these renderings. The emotions are communicated through eyes. How someone can draw such expressive eyes is beyond my comprehension, but I’m not an artist. The gore, violence and sex is all visceral.
TL;DR - the pictures are great!
I highly recommend this brilliant work, it’s one of the best TPs I have ever read!
I’m still in the aftershock. This was beyond powerful. I was gripped from the first page to the last.
Every single panel was so deliberate, so essential...
Before this review devolves into a maelstrom of adjectives, let me try to organize my thoughts.
First I’ll address the stories.
These were brutal vignettes, each one detailing a time and place in the early post-roman Europe. There was a focus on family... but not in the kind, loving, alphabet soup way that most fiction addresses family. This was brutal. Relationships were strained, the damage was allowed to fester, wounds were ripped open. This was an infected wound of a volume. Every story was steeped in violence, with the subtext often very grim. Few of the stories end with triumph (though at least one does.) The recurring lesson is that violence begets violence begets violence, and that brutal means lead to brutal ends. It WAS satisfying... but not in the way you want it to be.
TL;DR - the writing is superb and engaging
Now the art.
It’s magnificent. The images have the distinct feel of cathedral mosaic windows. The coloring enhances that vibe. It truly seems as though light is passing through painted glass in these renderings. The emotions are communicated through eyes. How someone can draw such expressive eyes is beyond my comprehension, but I’m not an artist. The gore, violence and sex is all visceral.
TL;DR - the pictures are great!
I highly recommend this brilliant work, it’s one of the best TPs I have ever read!
June 19, 2019
This book is full of historical fiction short stories. If you expect historical accuracy in story then you have found the wrong book. The stories are set in the times of the Vikings in Britian with a believable history background regardless not really set on accurate history. This believable backdrop will allow you to get fully engrossed with in this Viking/Anglo-Saxon world and characters.
This book over all is long but overall doesn't matter as you will enjoy every minute reading it; finding yourself finishing it in not time unintentionally.
Individual stories rated in order:
Lindisfarne: 4 out of 5
About a boy who lives with his father and older brother in Lindisfarne. Conflict by his faith believing the old Saxon gods of the Christian one. Prays to Woden for help but will he get any...
The Shield Maidens: 5 out of 5
Group if Anglo-Saxon raid a Viking occupied settlement killing everyone. Apart from three women who liberated the Viking hoard. The story follows them to see if they survive.
Sven the Returned: 5 out of 5
A Viking turned Atheist after leaving his homeland to live his life in Constantinople. He returns after hearing the news of the death of his father and his inheritance has been stolen by his uncle.
Thor's daughter: 3 out of 5
This is too short of a story and leave a lot of questions as it a ends with a cliff hanger. A daughter is left with nothing after her father, the chief of the settlement, is murdered by the men he trusted.
The Cross and the Hammer: 4 out of 5
Vikings hunt a murderer across the hursh lands of Ireland. Leaving you a little twist at the end of a great story.
This book over all is long but overall doesn't matter as you will enjoy every minute reading it; finding yourself finishing it in not time unintentionally.
Individual stories rated in order:
Lindisfarne: 4 out of 5
About a boy who lives with his father and older brother in Lindisfarne. Conflict by his faith believing the old Saxon gods of the Christian one. Prays to Woden for help but will he get any...
The Shield Maidens: 5 out of 5
Group if Anglo-Saxon raid a Viking occupied settlement killing everyone. Apart from three women who liberated the Viking hoard. The story follows them to see if they survive.
Sven the Returned: 5 out of 5
A Viking turned Atheist after leaving his homeland to live his life in Constantinople. He returns after hearing the news of the death of his father and his inheritance has been stolen by his uncle.
Thor's daughter: 3 out of 5
This is too short of a story and leave a lot of questions as it a ends with a cliff hanger. A daughter is left with nothing after her father, the chief of the settlement, is murdered by the men he trusted.
The Cross and the Hammer: 4 out of 5
Vikings hunt a murderer across the hursh lands of Ireland. Leaving you a little twist at the end of a great story.
August 29, 2017
This is just a compilation of several issues of the series. It includes: Lindisfarne, The Shield Maidens, Sven the Returned, Thor's Daughter, and The Cross + the Hammer.
August 6, 2023
Brian Woods’ 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.
As I had read the series, I had been checking dropped names online to confirm that each of these stories have historical counterparts and inspirations (albeit more dramatized).
In Volume 1, the Anglo-Saxon saga, most of the smaller stories are interesting enough, but the two stories that will be remembered the most are “Sven of Orkey” and “The Cross and the Hammer”.
“Sven of Orkey” – story of a young man who left homeland to become a mercenary in Turkey – discovers that his father has passed away and that his uncle has stolen the birthright that was meant for him. This now stranger to his own lands finds that leadership is more than killing the absconder in bloody battle. The story was so obviously well received that Woods had penned a coda story for him in one of the later volumes.
The other main story here, “The Cross and the Hammer”, is what you would get if you dropped John Rambo in the form of a maniacal monk in ancient Ireland, with a young daughter (A la Mathilda from 1994’s Leon: The Professional). Father (with daughter in tow) travels the 1000AD Irish countryside, attacking and murdering any viking invaders who have settled the lands. Meanwhile, both are being pursued by a ‘bounty hunter’ sent out by the king to find who is making quick work of the viking citizenry. Very ultra-violent, with a sad ending.
I am by no means a historian, so I have to trust that Woods is doing a decent job maintaining historical accuracy – or at the very least, pulling stories that would have otherwise would have fallen through the cracks of time and bringing them to the forefront for the general public.
Stories included in this volume:
1 Lindisfarne
2 Three Shield Maidens
3 Sven of Orkey
4 Thor’s Daughter
5 The Cross and the Hammer
As I had read the series, I had been checking dropped names online to confirm that each of these stories have historical counterparts and inspirations (albeit more dramatized).
In Volume 1, the Anglo-Saxon saga, most of the smaller stories are interesting enough, but the two stories that will be remembered the most are “Sven of Orkey” and “The Cross and the Hammer”.
“Sven of Orkey” – story of a young man who left homeland to become a mercenary in Turkey – discovers that his father has passed away and that his uncle has stolen the birthright that was meant for him. This now stranger to his own lands finds that leadership is more than killing the absconder in bloody battle. The story was so obviously well received that Woods had penned a coda story for him in one of the later volumes.
The other main story here, “The Cross and the Hammer”, is what you would get if you dropped John Rambo in the form of a maniacal monk in ancient Ireland, with a young daughter (A la Mathilda from 1994’s Leon: The Professional). Father (with daughter in tow) travels the 1000AD Irish countryside, attacking and murdering any viking invaders who have settled the lands. Meanwhile, both are being pursued by a ‘bounty hunter’ sent out by the king to find who is making quick work of the viking citizenry. Very ultra-violent, with a sad ending.
I am by no means a historian, so I have to trust that Woods is doing a decent job maintaining historical accuracy – or at the very least, pulling stories that would have otherwise would have fallen through the cracks of time and bringing them to the forefront for the general public.
Stories included in this volume:
1 Lindisfarne
2 Three Shield Maidens
3 Sven of Orkey
4 Thor’s Daughter
5 The Cross and the Hammer
April 29, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
Northlanders: The Anglo-Saxon Saga
2007
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4/5
Northlanders: The Anglo-Saxon Saga is a masterful blend of gritty storytelling, rich historical detail, and stunning artwork. This volume collects several deeply human tales set against the brutal, shifting landscapes of early medieval Britain, a time when cultures clashed, kingdoms fell, and personal honour often stood at odds with survival.
Brian Wood’s writing is sharp and immersive, capturing both the grandeur and the brutality of the Anglo-Saxon era. Each story feels grounded, emotionally resonant, and respectful of the complexities of history without ever becoming dry or overly academic. The characters are vivid and flawed, making their struggles and triumphs feel immediate and real.
The artwork, featuring talents like Dean Ormston, Davide Gianfelice, and others, is dynamic, perfectly complementing the rough, dangerous world. The visual storytelling is just as compelling as the writing, with beautifully rendered battle scenes, haunting landscapes, and quiet, intimate moments of humanity.
“Sven the Returned,” is a highlight and it follows a disillusioned Viking warrior who returns home after years abroad to claim his inheritance. Sven is a fascinating protagonist, proud, cynical, and deeply flawed, and his story of confronting old loyalties, familial betrayal, and the cost of power plays out in brutal fashion.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, epic drama, or simply excellent comics, this is a must-read. It’s a testament to the power of graphic storytelling to bring history to life in a way that’s both deeply personal and epic. It’s a powerful story that transcends the medium to new heights.
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Northlanders: The Anglo-Saxon Saga
2007
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4/5
Northlanders: The Anglo-Saxon Saga is a masterful blend of gritty storytelling, rich historical detail, and stunning artwork. This volume collects several deeply human tales set against the brutal, shifting landscapes of early medieval Britain, a time when cultures clashed, kingdoms fell, and personal honour often stood at odds with survival.
Brian Wood’s writing is sharp and immersive, capturing both the grandeur and the brutality of the Anglo-Saxon era. Each story feels grounded, emotionally resonant, and respectful of the complexities of history without ever becoming dry or overly academic. The characters are vivid and flawed, making their struggles and triumphs feel immediate and real.
The artwork, featuring talents like Dean Ormston, Davide Gianfelice, and others, is dynamic, perfectly complementing the rough, dangerous world. The visual storytelling is just as compelling as the writing, with beautifully rendered battle scenes, haunting landscapes, and quiet, intimate moments of humanity.
“Sven the Returned,” is a highlight and it follows a disillusioned Viking warrior who returns home after years abroad to claim his inheritance. Sven is a fascinating protagonist, proud, cynical, and deeply flawed, and his story of confronting old loyalties, familial betrayal, and the cost of power plays out in brutal fashion.
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, epic drama, or simply excellent comics, this is a must-read. It’s a testament to the power of graphic storytelling to bring history to life in a way that’s both deeply personal and epic. It’s a powerful story that transcends the medium to new heights.
#northlanders#2007#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
March 7, 2024
This book was a compilation of 5 stories and they had some variance in quality, overall the book was pretty fun and a decent quick read at that. The art of each story is a bit different as well, all of the art was well done and conveyed mood and tone really well. One thing this collection of comics did right was the art. The best story is by far the last, the fifth one. Then the third one is second best. The other 3 can be put in any order, they were not really all that great I thought. The first was a story about a kid with a Christian father who abuses him into praying to the Norse gods, Vikings come and kill the boy’s family, it’s not very good. The second is about 3 women held up in an old Roman fort from an army of soldiers who wanna kill them, it’s also not very good and pretty not theologically sound. The author incorporates religion into his stories and while that’s okay, it’s pretty one sided making Christians look bad, except maybe in the 5th story but even then. It seems to be and comes off as some sort of pagan fantasy that just is dumb and lame to even try to cater towards. Idk it’s just my thoughts. The 4th story is like 20 pages or something and barely a story really so yeah maybe that’s the worst, idk? The length of the first 2 and the fourth definitely hurt it, the 3rd and 5th being longer by a lot.
I recommend it if you’re interested in the art and historical side, though not always 100% accurate in that regard. It’s still decently fun and engaging at least and it’s also quick. I’m being generous in the ratings, just because the last story redeemed it a lot I think, the third was decent as well. If the last one didn’t save the book then it’d be like a 2 at most. 4/5 for the fifth story, 3/5 for the 3rd and like a 1.5-2 out of 5 for the rest collectively.
3/5
I recommend it if you’re interested in the art and historical side, though not always 100% accurate in that regard. It’s still decently fun and engaging at least and it’s also quick. I’m being generous in the ratings, just because the last story redeemed it a lot I think, the third was decent as well. If the last one didn’t save the book then it’d be like a 2 at most. 4/5 for the fifth story, 3/5 for the 3rd and like a 1.5-2 out of 5 for the rest collectively.
3/5
March 11, 2023
An enjoyable series of stories about vikings with some great art and pretty loose grip on historical accuracy. The stories covered in this volume include: "Lindisfarne" "The Shield Maidens", "Sven the Returned", "Thor's Daughter" and "The Cross + the Hammer". Each story revels in the violence of the period, while telling a pretty compelling story about the impact of violence on their lives. "Lindisfarne" is the best example of this, taking a look at how perpetual violence shapes the young and impressionable into hardened killers in adulthood.
These stories also take some time to explore the political landscape of the time. The religious gaps between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes percoloate across some of these stories, though I do think they were a bit underexplored. There's also a bit of a pacing issue across some stories, where most of the longer stories like "Sven the Returned' and "The Cross + the Hammer" begin to feel repititive after a few issues, while the shorter (and better) stories like "Lindisfarne" and "The Shield Maidens" could have had more time to develop. They're all still enjoyable tales overall though. If you like historical fiction or stories about vikings, this is an easy recommendation.
Several artists take on each story arc and they're all solid contributers. I don't mind the artistic team changes between arcs since it does make it easier to navigate the various stories compiled in this volume.
These stories also take some time to explore the political landscape of the time. The religious gaps between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes percoloate across some of these stories, though I do think they were a bit underexplored. There's also a bit of a pacing issue across some stories, where most of the longer stories like "Sven the Returned' and "The Cross + the Hammer" begin to feel repititive after a few issues, while the shorter (and better) stories like "Lindisfarne" and "The Shield Maidens" could have had more time to develop. They're all still enjoyable tales overall though. If you like historical fiction or stories about vikings, this is an easy recommendation.
Several artists take on each story arc and they're all solid contributers. I don't mind the artistic team changes between arcs since it does make it easier to navigate the various stories compiled in this volume.
December 30, 2021
The collection of stories is somewhat ahistorical and is plagued by pervasive stereotypes of the early Middle Ages. There are some highlights of decent characters particularly in the Orkney section and to a lesser extent in the Ireland section, which in the earlier story at least depicts vikings/ early medieval peoples as more than just violent pillagers. The other sections are weak in that they are sparse and seem like incomplete anecdotes? Overall, the stories focus almost exclusively on the violence of the cultures that it depicts and does not seem to depart from other depictions of the early medieval world, nor do anything new or fresh. I would recommend other graphic novel depictions of the period over this one, namely the manga Vinlandsaga, but hopefully the later omnibus of this series will prove more insightful and at least nuanced.
December 29, 2018
Northlanders
is a big fat trip through the love, hate, war, and desperation of The British Isles circa 790-1000AD. Five awesome tales of Saxons and Vikings struggling to live and survive against all odds await you in these pages.
The writing is fantastic.
The art and ink is fantastic.
The world is so realistic and believable; It seems like 'someone' really did their homework while writing Northlanders.
Northlanders is not my normal cup of tea. I picked it up because I've read all the other graphic novels and comics available at my local library and I hate leaving the library empty handed. Now, I'm off to the library to pick up Books 2 and 3.
My rating: 4 pointy swords out of 5
The writing is fantastic.
The art and ink is fantastic.
The world is so realistic and believable; It seems like 'someone' really did their homework while writing Northlanders.
Northlanders is not my normal cup of tea. I picked it up because I've read all the other graphic novels and comics available at my local library and I hate leaving the library empty handed. Now, I'm off to the library to pick up Books 2 and 3.
My rating: 4 pointy swords out of 5
August 30, 2019
Northlanders was an anthology series from writer Brian Wood, dramatizing various Vikings living in and around, for this volume at least, the islands of Britain and Ireland. These stories range in length from one to eight reprinted issues. Most of them are fine if not good. Wood digs into the psyches of his different protagonists in a violent era. Aside from the single part "Thor's Daughter," these stories dig into the characters and give each a distinct personality. This was especially true to the two longest tales, the revenge-driven "Sven the Returned" and the tragically-tinted violence of "The Cross and the Hammer" where a Northlandish CSI type looks for a marauding killer/rebel in occupied Ireland. The book isn't perfect, but it mostly works.
December 2, 2021
Very violent, but compelling stories of the tumultuous years when Vikings and Saxons and others clashed in the British Isles. One story made less sense than the others, but was still intriguing as it was set up as a CSI type profiler from the conquering people searching for a insurrectionist native Celt. The best was the saga of Sven, a mercenary who returned home and moved from seeking only his inheritance to leading an insurrection against a corrupt and savage uncle, to uniting the people against an invading enemy before departing to seek his own way in other lands. The next best was about three women who fended off invaders, banding together and then finding each other again later in life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2021
This volume is very well done! Here are my thoughts on each story:
“Lindisfarne” was very good.
“Sven, The Returned” was very well written and compelling story. Same with “The Cross and the Hammer”. The latter had quite a twist!
“The Shield Maidens” was very slow. Couldn’t make out what was going on or who was who because of too much shadows and contrasts.
“Thor’s Daughter” - I loved the art in this one, but I think more should have been added in the end.
Over all, a very good series!
“Lindisfarne” was very good.
“Sven, The Returned” was very well written and compelling story. Same with “The Cross and the Hammer”. The latter had quite a twist!
“The Shield Maidens” was very slow. Couldn’t make out what was going on or who was who because of too much shadows and contrasts.
“Thor’s Daughter” - I loved the art in this one, but I think more should have been added in the end.
Over all, a very good series!
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