Sigurd returns home to Iceland to face the horrible Halfdan, but a father and a king can only be as good as his word—a blessing he refuses to bestow to Sigurd without a fight. All the while, Gudrid joins Thorfinn and the crew on their journey to Thorfinn’s childhood home, where Halfdan’s presence looms mightily… However, with some help from fresh faces and promising volunteers, the day the ships set off for Vinland is imminent.
This omnibus subtitled Family Ties is set back home in Iceland, with the first volume seeing the return of Sigurd to face the wrath of his father Halfdan, and maybe, just maybe love! The second volume in this collection sees the return of Thorfinn with allies and a wife!!! This saga continues unabated and feature the organic and interesting addition of a rather familiar looking trans character, Cordelia (Halva).. Now all Thorfinn has to do is convince as many people as possible to seek Vinland with me, under one condition, no weaponry! The second volume really doubles down on Thorfinn's philosophy and tests it under the cold light of day with a group of people that have lived and died by the sword throughout their lives. The core concept that peace is not achieved by violence is laid out bare. This is the engine that drives this series giving it a solid core to build the rest of the stories around. This issue also critically raises the issue of the likelihood of 'Vinland' being prepopulated, so we will get to see the creators take and view on what could be considered colonialism. Oars down, it's off to Vinland we set sail. Overall a Three Star (7 out of 12) read as Sigurd's story/volume was a bit middling to be honest. 2025 read
After like a foot and a half of books -- thousands of pages -- the journey to Vinland is finally imminent as Thorfinn and his crew return to Iceland. Sigurd's father, Halfdan the Chainer is the final obstacle between Thorfinn and his dream of founding a peaceful country on the western edge of the ocean, far from the wars of the Eurasian continent.
Domestic drama is the word of the day in this nearly action-free volume. Relationships are made and remade as the characters confront each other emotionally or philosophically.
A transgender character is introduced, seemingly just for shock value and comic relief at first, but she is quickly and warmly welcomed and accepted by the main characters.
Vol 12 of Vinland Saga hints at the close of this excellent series. Thorfinn heads home to meet with family and to start planning on the journey to Vinland. The majority of this volume centers around tying up the story arcs regarding the families of Thorfinn and Sigurd.
While a necessary part of the story, this one lacks much in the way of action and is merely "good" versus excellent. Still, a necessary volume that helps to tie up many of the stories regarding Thorfinn and his family.
While I enjoyed this, it didn’t quite measure up to previous instalments. Perhaps the lack of action contributed to there being less engagement in my reading experience but I do understand that it’s good to slow things down and allow room for character and plot development. It’s was interesting to see Thorfinn’s scheming to outwit people in opposition to his ideas and I enjoyed Siggy’s storyline. It just sort of felt a bit like the book that’s a bridge between one exciting narrative and another. Still, a very good read and I’m looking forward to how this all resolves, though I’m sad that it’s coming to a close. So far it’s been an excellent series. The art, the characters, the story arc, have all been excellent and I’m going to miss Thorfinn and the gang when it’s all said and done.
Vinland Saga continues to be a impressive display of character growth for so many characters.
Thorfinn is trying to figure a lot out. Vinland is his main objective and finally, after all the fighting, he begins to gather people up to make this trip and change everyone's life. However, we also tie up things with Siggy. He has to face his failure but also make his own path. Lots of cute parts, bravery, and trying your best to be your own person.
Overall this was a quiet volume, this was kind of the calm before the storm. I can feel everyone growing in new ways, figuring out what they want in life. There's still some character clinging to the past. Demons that won't leave them. Amazing scenes of a husband and wife working through issues. Also, lots of adorable shots of kids being super cute.
So overall, some really great stuff. It sucks I have to wait another year (or longer) for the next volume!
A lot happened in the previous volume of Vinland Saga, which concluded the “War in the Baltic” arc, where Thorfinn had to confront his past from his war-fuelled uncle Thorkell to Floki, the man who orchestrated his father’s assassination. Following a bloody battle, Thorfinn has resolved the situation and leading the Jomsvikings, only to disband them, just to stop the fighting. The only thread left hanging is Sigurd, who has been through slapstick hell with his foolish companions to reclaim his wife Gudrid, who has suddenly confessed her love to Thorfinn.
Taking a break from Thorfinn and his group, the first few chapters of this volume push the focus towards Sigurd, who makes the decision to return to his home without his bride and confront his father Halfdan. Considering his sinister features that resemble his more sinister father, these chapters reveal the softer side to Sigurd, who felt trapped in trying to gain his father’s honour and so he makes the decision to confront him and to make himself a free man, which results in a battle with chains between father and son. Sigurd has learnt to grow up and is now free, resulting in Halfdan being proud of his son, even if he wouldn’t admit it.
Two years later, Thorfinn returns to his childhood home in Iceland and has married Gudrid and both have adopted Karli as their son. Following a fun family reunion, where his sister Ylva has to make dramatic gestures to difficult gestures, Thorfinn and his crew – with the wealth they acquired from selling the narwhal horns – go to Halfdan to get the resources that will support Thorfinn’s mission to journey into Vinland. However, there is the case of Thorfinn and Gudrid needing to confront Halfdan over their marriage.
Introduced in the first volume, Halfdan has always been this recurring antagonist, not least with his traditional weapon of a chain and no doubt Thorfinn has gone through a few obstacles with him, including the latest one about a slave who has run away from Halfden’s clan and Thorfinn is determined to free the slave. Considering how menacing Halfdan is, the story always finds a peaceful way to conclude the situation and even adds moments of levity, whether it is the lecturing his wife and meeting his grandson for the first time, which leads to a friendly reunion between Thorfinn and Sigurd.
Going back to the slave, this is an interesting addition to the cast as Hallvor, despite his tall, muscular figure, is very feminine as established in his backstory, is raised as a daughter named Cordelia to confuse her father, who is a military leader. This is not necessarily a criticism in how the character is written and is treated by Thorfinn’s crew, who encourage his female identity, though in the realm of manga/anime, we have seen this type of character, which is a muscular male with a feminine touch and I’m curious to see where this character will go in the next stage in the story.
This volume is pretty much actionless, with much of the drama done through characters talking and debating about what the next stage in their journey is and whilst it does set up new and continuing conflicts, which will be exciting to see, we will have to wait a bit for that next volume.
If you're a fan of historical fiction, intense action, and compelling characters, then "Vinland Saga Volume 12" is a must-read! With the manga saga inching closer to its goal of reaching Vinland, there's no shortage of excitement and intrigue in this latest installment.
Yukimura's talent for weaving together the intricacies of Viking culture and the personal struggles of its protagonists is on full display here. In fact, Thorfinn's character development is nothing short of remarkable as he grapples with his past and seeks to create a new future for himself.
But what really sets this series apart is the way it explores complex themes like honor, revenge, and true strength. Each page is filled with thought-provoking insights that will leave you pondering the story long after you've put the book down.
And of course, it wouldn't be "Vinland Saga" without Yukimura's incredible attention to detail. From the stunning artwork to the immersive storytelling, you'll feel like you've been transported to medieval Scandinavia with every turn of the page.
Almost a five star read. Finally, the story actually progresses. A time skip is employed to have the actual work of recruiting new people and seeing the beliefs of the crew continue, as they almost embark to Vinland. There is actual character growth and some heartwarming moments, some of which actually employ good comedic timing, for once. There is some small, albeit heavy handed inclusion for a character who is not gender typical. Nice to see, regardless.
The strange thing is the skip also including Gurid and Thorfinn having a relationship we never get to see. It implies his answer was ‘yes’ to her question—but I actually felt that work wasn’t ever done in the story? I never really got the feeling they were overly romantic, let alone anything more than that, so that aspect feels strange. Hild, though still cool, also feels slightly redundant, and so continues to be a one trick pony, narratively, acting the spectre of death should, somehow, Thorfinn suddenly change his mind, or whatever.
Overall, the reframe was much needed. The slog of that 23 issue battle thing was completely forgettable. If there wasn’t the development with Gurid and some development of chain boy, you could completely skip the entire arc and be better for it. As is, there is some -slight- payoff at the end with chain bow, and slightly more with Gurid, respectively.
Series Info/Source: This is the twelfth volume in the Vinland Omnibus series. I bought a copy of this book.
Thoughts: I continue to really enjoy this series. This series is less violent than previous volumes and the first part focuses more on Sigurd and Gudrid and how they resolve their issues. Then we move back to Thorfinn's hometown and watch Thorfinn work on finally (truly finally) starting his journey to start a new nation in Vinland.
This was one of the more upbeat Vinland Saga volumes and was also quite a bit shorter than previous volumes. We waited for this for two long years and, while I still really love where the story is going, I did expect a bit more progress. Hopefully we only have to wait a year between volumes for the next Omnibus.
I continue to love the detailed illustration and the history here. I also love the updates on Thorfinn's journey, which does a good job of recapping the rest of the series in a concise and easy to follow way.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really enjoyed being able to continue with this wonderful manga series and revisit this world. This is one of my all time favorite manga series. I would highly recommend this whole fantasy manga series if you are looking for an excellent historical fantasy series. The quality of this manga is amazing and Thorfinn's journey through life is highly entertaining and satisfying to read about.
A Very Calm Volume if Compared With Last Two Volumes, With Nothing Else Than Building Everything Things To Start The Final Saga!! “For our Farewell is Near” I Hope That The Final Saga Will Be End Well, a Lot of High Hopes For This Manga To End in a Great Way and There is a Lot I have in My Mind…I Hope That Makoto Yukimura Nails The Ending.
Really good book, it’s been about 3 years since I read the last book in the series so it took me a little while to remember what was going on with everyone.
Vinland saga is an immigrant story I get it now, Thorfinn is Mexican.
It’s bittersweet knowing I’m gettin closer to the end of this series. I’ve enjoyed every book so far, not one dull chapter. This is a series that I think deserves more praise outside of the manga industry. It’s story and meanings hold true value like I’ve never seen before.
Sigurd and Thorfinn (separately) return home to Iceland to curry favor with Halfdan. Thorfinn manages it better, naturally. His goal: move everyone from the rocky landscape of Iceland to the verdant shores of Vinland. A very different vibe from previous books in this series that were all fight, fight, fight!
There's basically no fighting here (though certainly some intrigue from those who disagree with Thorfinn's hard-and-fast rule that no swords will be coming to Vinland). Vinland Saga has lost some of its luster now that there are fewer twists and violent turns, but I'm sure all that will return before the end. This twelfth volume is pure table-setting.
For those that have followed this series from the bloody start of a youth joing the crew of his father's murderer to get revenge to this point there have been a lot changes though violence is ever stewing under the surface as main boi Thorfinn learns there is more to life than war as he finds himself on a path to a world where he can escape from the constant threat of violence and help the next generation from experiencing the soul crushing guilt he bears.
In this volume we see the end of Sigurd's story after finding Gudrid but deciding he can no longer just blindly follow his father's laws if he is to truly be happy. We also get to meet Thorkell's child who was raised as a daughter and thus identifies who must face her own challenges as Thorfinn and his crew gather up people willing to make the long journey to Vinland and set roots in the new world. The only problem is anyone that wants to come is forbidden to bring swords so time will tell if this edict is faithfully fulfilled in time.
Maybe I am just starting to accept that this series is very different than what it was in the first two arcs but I liked this volume better than the last. I liked Siggy finally standing up for something, the introduction of the gentle giant, Cordelia, Thorfinn and Gudrid's cozy relationship, and Half-Dan's ever obvious heart of gold. Everything feels too easily resolved still, but, now that it is clear that the story has shed much of the brutality it used to be known for, I am starting to be taken in by its vision of a world free from violence. Thorfinn believes that interdependence can prevent violence which is not wrong but many communities already were in history and violence still occurred anyway. I am not finding the series to be as interested in exploring morality in depth anymore, but I can appreciate its heart and perhaps can enjoy the calm atmosphere of this volume.
Osećaj čitanja pretposlednjeg dela “Vinland Sage” je sličan onom ushićenju koje je prisutno za vreme noći uoči nekog putovanja. Sve je spremno, stvari su spakovane, putne isprave su na sigurnom, budžet je definisan, isplanirano je šta će se na putovanju videti, posetiti i uraditi… Ostaje samo da se ta noć prespava i da se konačno… KRENE.
Prvi deo omnibusa vezan za Sigurda i Halfdana mi je bio manje interesantan od drugog, u kome vidimo Thorfinov povratak u priču. Kao sjajna zvezda ovog broja istakla se dirljiva i komična Cordelia koja je unela potpuno novu energiju u ovu vikinšku sagu.
Jako sam tužan što se u sledećem broju završava moje druženje sa likovima koje sam neverovatno zavoleo u prethodnih godinu dana… Thorfinovo putovanje ka novom, boljem svetu je bilo epsko, a uskoro me čeka da vidim šta će se desiti kada konačno budem kročio na tlo Vinlanda!
Vinland, here we come!!!! I love these characters so much. Safe to say Vinland Saga is a comfort manga for me; I just feel so happy in this little world. I thought Sigurd’s plotline was interesting, lots of good moments!! Thorfinn and Gudrid?? Eeee!!! I love them!!! Thorfinn getting the life he deserves!! I do wish we could have seen more of their relationship blossom into romance because the time skip felt a bit rushed. A lot of the main characters were in the background too like Einar and Hild. I’m excited for the next volume but sad this is ending soon!! 💚
I love this series. Possibly it is my favorite. In this volume we see the characters breathe, decompress, and prepare. And while it is a transition, it doesn’t mean things don’t happen. There is a sense of full-circle moments happening with Sigurd and Thorfinn and Halfdan and wow I loved it.
Also we have a canon trans character!! This series continues to surprise me in the best of ways.
To summarize how I feel in this quote, “It is true that having a sword enables ongoing peace. That’s how it was for all cultures of mankind. But swords also have a magical power that leads people astray. They whisper temptations in the ears who hold them.”
Definitely a great read, lots of the usual drama, action, suspense, and historical fiction with amazing art and illustrations. Looking forward to the next volume....
Gudrid and Thorfinn relationship, the voyage, the new people for Vinland, the continued exploration. This book was not action-packed but relationship-packed.
Incredible, super heartwarming! The story telling is awesome. I enjoyed this one a lot. Not surprised at the like world problem he threw in there. It was only a matter of time!