Record of Lodoss War: The Crown of the Covenant 1

ロードス島戦記 誓約の宝冠 #1

by Atsushi Suzumi, Ryo Mizuno, Zack Davisson (Translator)

A new era of adventure has begun in the fabled world of RECORD OF LODOSS WAR!

Thanks to “The Crown of the Covenant”, the accursed isle of Lodoss has seen peace for 100 years. However, the ambitious ruler of the kingdom of Flaim now threatens to return Lodoss to a state of war. Heroes appear once more, as the young prince Lyle of Marmo seeks the help of the legendary high elf, Deedlit. Will a new “Knight of Lodoss” arise to save all the kingdoms?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Comics, Action, Graphic Novels

192 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2023

About the author

鈴見敦

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read any of the original Lodoss war books or watched any of the anime, but I've heard of the series. This spin-off (sequel?) can be read without prior knowledge of the previous series.

I was hooked from the start. The main character is a prince with an unshakeable belief in justice who will do anything to stop a coming war, even fight against his own siblings. The story is filled with royal intrigue, including a crown prince who abdicates his throne to join a demon-worshipping cult, and another prince whose elder brother demands he break off his engagement with his fiancée when she is caught up in an indiscretion of his own making. You meet the royal families of multiple nations and see how they interact and manipulate one another. I love this sort of thing and was totally caught up in each character's story as you watch the saga begin to unfold.

The art is beautiful. You get to see a variety of locations, from royal palaces to desert cities, from temples to elven forests. There are battle scenes with action and magic at work, and the characters even ride gryphons for their mode of transportation!

This volume was a "read now" freebie on NetGalley and was 200 pages of a gorgeous fantasy story. This is one I want to keep up with so I'm going to buy this series!

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
Accessible for newcomers and longtime fans of the franchise. An intriguing intro to another adventure in Lodoss featuring a (mostly) new cast.

Thoughts
The original Record of Lodoss War franchise is considered a classic amongst anime fans (the artist of this manga even notes what a huge influence the series was on them). So how does this continuation hold up all these years later? Honestly? Pretty well. Fans of the original will likely be holding their breath to see Deedlit again, but the new characters all look very promising, and the storyline is an interesting one. We've got our usual tabletop-inspired party going on a quest, but the political twists and turns are what hooked me. The incredibly risky play that the siblings are making has me on the edge of my seat. The original story is covered in brief summaries for newcomers to follow along. It all moves pretty quickly, so newcomers have a bit of catching up, but shouldn't be lost overall. Art is attractive, with nicely balanced inks and tones, and some really lovely use of lighting with Deedlit's scenes. This book is clearly for longtime fans, but newcomers looking for a fantasy adventure with some political intrigue will have a good time here too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

100 years later and the flames of war are lit once more

I know this might age me a bit but I remember seeing the original Record of Lodoss War anime for rent on VHS back when the industry was getting its feet wet in the American markets and it immediately became one of my favorites with fantastic art style and a far more serious theme than things normally animated state side. Along the way with the popularity of the series (I believe it was the OAV and then the TV show Chronicles of the Heroic Knight) I see there have been an assortment of adaptations as well as certain manga based on this robust RPG inspired world. Now with this latest story brought to us by Udon Press we get to see what has become of the great continent of Lodoss after many years when the powerful mage, Wort, creates magical crowns to force a peace amongst the various countries offering a tedious peace. But when the king of the most powerful nation dies and his son declares his intentions to not take up the crown unrest begins to quiver as factions do what must be done in response to this outrageous defiance.

Now, being an old school RoLW fan and with Deedlit being one of my favorites before waifu was even a thing my opinion on this series may be a bit skewed in a favorable way but I really enjoyed the build up of the story which doesn't need prior knowledge of previous plot arcs but like many big RPG settings it couldn't hurt to learn some history. The only thing I found a little annoying (and it is minor I know but feels like Udon was cutting corners) is that the inside of the covers look like they should have been French fold covers but instead they printed the inside flap on the inside of the non folded cover. What more the print difference between inside and outer cover are a bit off but this is just a superficial thing I noticed and did not affect my enjoyment of the story set in the future after events in the original. Truly I am happy to see the series is getting new blood as trouble brews once more on the cursed island. :)

[Ashley M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have some very fond memories of watching the Record of Loddoss War OVA and TV series when I was in high school!

War has returned to Loddoss after decades of hard won peace brought about by the Knight of Loddoss and the Eternal Maiden. Now our protagonist, Lyle, must seek out the Eternal Maiden and convince her to join the war and being about peace once more.

The world building for this realm is so interesting and unique! The various countries all have different cultures and style of governance. The political structures are very intricate. This volume spends most of the time building up the political aspects of the war and why it’s happening.

Deedlit is just as beautiful as she was in the original series and I was so happy to see her again. There are callbacks to various characters from past series like Spark and Neese and Slayn. I will say I’m quite miffed that Shiris and Orson have not come up. They were my favourite characters and had such a tragic story. I hope they come up eventually.

If you love a good political fantasy or are a fan of the series then you’ll totally love this!

[V.ya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an epic fantasy with a complex worldbuilding, politics, and has a myriad of characters. It has a potential to be a great story, but I have to say this manga may not be the best medium for it. It might be the writing style, with too much info dump and political discussion right off the bat before I can even connect to the characters.

The Marmo Kingdom alone has 4 princes and 2 princesses, each was only introduced briefly before they all separated to pursue their own quest. The pace is a bit too fast. And because there's no depth--both in the characters background and readers' connection with them--serious scenes (like Lyle's bold declaration to stand for justice and become the knight of Lodoss) feel trite and comical instead.

I guess fans of the original story will still enjoy this story, but for a new reader like me, the first installment isn't enough to make me warm up to these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Curious Madra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for granting me this manga easily!

For the first time in a long time, I’m glad to admit this manga is pretty decent like the main characters who are a prince and elf seemed to be interesting enough, especially if you like your royalty and fantasy tags. Now I will admit, there’s a lot of new characters popping up every so often but it still wants you to read more and more. I have no doubt this will become an anime in the future since it is quite an interesting story that sucks you in. Since it’s only volume 1, there’s not much to talk about as you really need more to find out the full story, The art is nice and storyline again for the third time, sucks you in!

Definitely people who are fantasy and royalty heads should check this manga out!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Udon Entertainment and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this manga. Honestly, for me personally, it's not that I did not enjoy this, I did with the art and the characters... however, I think for me personally, I need to read more into the franchise this comes from along with other aspects. Its a dense read that I honestly wasn't prepared for. In addition, I will not be reviewing it on my platform other than Goodreads and amazon because I honestly cannot give it a proper review other than this. I think it's perfect for someone who is familiar with the series and wants to continue on with a new perspective. Because of these points, I have to give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent beginning to a series!

Review submitted to Diamond Bookshelf for potential professional publication.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome.
We have a lost legend and a boy who will do everything to take its place in order to defend his kingdom and its ways
A prince whom steps up to take his older brothers place on the throne
A traitor prince
A evil prince
A beautiful lady
A shy thief
Mythical creatures
Some Lord of the Rings feels

It is gorgeously illustrated
And I'm definitely buying this and the rest of the volumes!!!

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 1 of Record of Lodoss War - Crown of the Covenant is a very dense setup for the series. So many new characters from multiple kingdoms get introduced. This story takes place after the animated version most people are familiar with. If it doesn't sit well with you that only the elf from the old cast of characters will be in this series (and there is a whole lot of exposition before she shows up in this volume) this is not for you. If the thought of war returning to Lodoss depresses you, go listen to "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" instead. If you're ready for a new adventure through Lodoss War, then you're in for a treat. I'm still recovering from the information dump in this volume, so I am undecided if I want to read the second volume. (I received a free ARC of this volume from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.)

[Meredith Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so nice to see Lodoss back (though I know of course with Grancrest there's been other content recently). The politics are a bit overly complicated in this one (I'm not sure I fully understood why the four brothers are all doing totally different things here, at least yet) but it's charming and nostalgic, and the art is beautiful. I about cheered when my girl Deedlit showed up. She's looking a bit older and tireder here -- understandably -- but is still recognizably the same character after all this time. Interested to see how this all shakes out!

[Katelin Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

See more reviews at Spellbound Reviews

2.5 stars

Going into this manga, I didn’t realize it was a sequel. I have not read any of the other Record of Lodoss War or seen the anime. This didn’t matter, as I could still understand the story. I may be missing some of the history, but that is made up for within the storytelling itself.

I think this would be better as a Light Novel instead of a manga. There is so much info dumping, and the manga format seems not quite right. I found the cast of characters to be too broad. There are so many players that you can’t really build a connection to them. I know the antagonist, but I don’t have any strong feelings for those fighting against him. The story also feels redundant. It pulls from Tolkien lore and is just another fantasy world with a war. It’s not very original. Sometimes, I don’t need original content, but this was a little boring.

The art was beautiful. It is well-drawn and I enjoyed the style when I wasn’t overwhelmed by the text. The cover is beautiful, which pulled me in to read the volume. Unfortunately, good art and covers can’t carry this manga.

I probably won’t be continuing this series. There are others out there that are worth my time. This was too easy to put down and not pick back up again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Udon Entertainment for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about the stories or characters before Record of Lodoss War - Crown of the Covenant Vol 1 so I can only give my opinions on this specific story and its characters. There was a lot of information to take in and many characters to remember. It was a bit difficult to keep up with the storylines at times because I couldn't tell what each character's motivations and intentions were. I liked Lyle's character and saw this story as more of a setup for his journey to find Deedlit and for the impending war. The artwork was detailed but along with the story itself it felt a little rushed. I think they did a good job with the world building and I look forward to continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art style is my favorite part of this book. I am not familiar with the original book or anime. I was not even aware that there was an original before starting this book. That being said, I didn't feel lost while reading. I wasn't invested in the characters like someone who might be familiar with the original source material, but it didn't take long to become invested. It was well written and I am always a sucker for a fantasy war story.

4 stars

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

We were 70% through this book before any actions occurred. There was just walking and talking before that. It was so boring.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prince Lyle is on a quest to find the legendary high elf, Deedlit, hoping that she can stop a war from starting among the island nations. The ruler of each nation is magically bound to a covenant of peace when they are crowned with a special magic crown. However, their lords and nobles are not bound by any promise of peace, nor are their royal descendants who refuse the crown. War is looming on the island, and armies are mobilizing. Prince Lyle will do anything to stop the bloodshed, and his siblings have some plans of their own.

I was interested in the magical worldbuilding of this book, but the plot drags too slow. There is a lot of exposition that goes on for pages and pages about political history and this duke and that king and their allies, and their enemies who rebelled against that other ruler years ago, but now that other guy from the desert has control over the tribes and that other prince who claimed the throne is now amassing an army against that other guy from the small nation who used to have access to that city but now that city is flourishing because of the climate change where the desert receded allowing that other duke to take over this border, etc... etc... etc... until I want to die of boredom.
The expositional dialogue was just too much!

And then when the plot finally moves forward, it sets you up for a big action scene and disappoints nearly every time. Here we go into the big scary magical forest of no return where everyone gets lost, except we have elves to guide us, so never mind. It's not scary or dangerous after all.
Here we go into the big scary magical creature menagerie with the man-eating fire-breathing scary monsters where we will probably be killed, except we are best friends with the people who care for the monsters and the monsters are all asleep in cages, so never mind. It's not scary or dangerous after all. The plot was disappointing.

The only character that I cared about was Prince Lyle, so I was bored with the long scenes of his siblings talking to politicians and trying to worm their way into the good graces of their allies or enemies.

I liked the beautiful artwork though! Really pretty pages of gorgeous design!

Prince Lyle is a very inspiring character. I love that he has such a positive outlook. He's a dreamer and he truly believes that he can save his country with high ideals and courage. He has some friends who are really sweet and funny and they make a good team. I liked their scenes together!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

[Angel 一匹狼 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, this is pretty nostalgic for me, as the original was one of the first anime series I watched, and also my first fantasy anime. I had read "The Lord of the Rings" but I was pretty new to the fantasy world, and it was one of my best experiences reading/watching a story. So going back to that world would always be special.

"Record of Lodoss War - Crown of the Covenant" picks things up after a hundred years of peace, when one of the six kings/queens of Lodoss decides that six kingdoms are too many and that one is more than enough. Cue lots of plot exposition and (too many) characters' introductions, a typical trope of this kind of stories. It is not particularly original, but it is difficult to be very original in a 'nostalgic hero's journey story, as this seems to be'. It feels, at least in this first volume, even with the differences, like Mizuno is basically trying to retell the original story with new characters (again, nothing bad with nostalgia). It is fun, and it is great to revisit the world, but there is nothing that makes the story stand out, or make the reader want to get the second volume as soon as possible.

The art is pretty good, and replicates the original really well, maybe even too much, as here there is also a lack of originality. But, with an art so good, and taking into account that it continues a story from the past, is something easily forgivable.

All in all, not very original, but if you like fantasy (and particularly shônen manga fantasy) this might be a good afternoon read. I quite enjoyed it.

The best: Lodoss is a great world to revisit

The worst: it doesn't seem very original

Alternatives: the original story (I just watched the anime), there is so much fantasy (manga or otherwise out there...)

7/10

(English translation by Zack Davisson)

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy*

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Record of Lodoss War is a classic fantasy series I’d always meant to dive into, but never got the chance. I picked up Crown of the Covenant not knowing a thing about the Lodoss War franchise beyond the two most iconic characters, Parn and Deedlit, and I was surprised when I realized it is a sequel series that takes place a century after the conclusion of the last arc.

The first chapter had a bit of a heavy info dump about the world and I struggled a bit, but by the second chapter I was able to adapt and follow along. The story introduces a large cast of characters, centering on the descendants of Spark and Little Neese, on the even of an impending war. The plot quickly sends each of the siblings in different directions, and this story set-up reminded me a lot of A Song of Ice and Fire and the way that the Stark siblings were pulled to opposing sides in the conflict. There is a lot of potential for a complex story like this in the future, but for the first volume it’s a bit clunky. Most of the characters are given much time on the page, and I didn’t feel that invested in most of them.

Overall not a bad start to the series, it’s easy enough for newcomers to the Lodoss franchise to follow along while providing new story for old fans. The art style is good and I am curious to see the way that the conflict will play out in future volumes. More than anything though, reading this volume made me more interested in going back to read the earlier series first.

[Siina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Record of Lodoss War: The Crown of the Covenant is a trilogy and adapted from the novel. The plot moves quite quickly, so the trilogy form could work. The problem is that it's mostly political shenanigans and whatnot and thus really hard to follow, when we don't know all that much about the world or the characters. Perhaps this is a companion to the novel then? There's been peace on the isle of Lodoss for a hundred years, but now it's in turmoil and at the brink of a war. The King of Flaim wants to unite Lodoss under his rule and Lyle of Marmo wants to find the high elf to help him. Lyle needs the hero back, “Knight of Lodoss”, to unite the people and probably needs to be that himself eventually. So, your basic fantasy setting with a slightly annoying main character and his super pure heart. I would've liked to read more about the political situation, but then again, this is shounen.

The art is OK, but nothing special. The rhythm is very fast even art wise. I wish more pages had been used to everything, since the plot is too complicated to work like this. This isn't a bad manga per se, it just needs more time.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

So apparently this is a continuation of a series from the late 80s/early 90s. I had never heard of "Record of Lodoss War" before seeing this manga, so I had no idea what was going on. The series does a LOT of exposition in this first volume, but it gives you just enough information to understand how the world works. There is a lot of emotional weight that is lacking if you have never read the original series, however. It's not too terrible, I didn't even realize I was missing out on that until I looked up the series later. If it wasn't for the author's note, I wouldn't have known this was a continuation of an older series at all! This volume is very much a political drama, perhaps even more so then it is a fantasy. It's not a simple "Hero's Journey" type of story, though apparently that's what the original series was. I also enjoyed the art, it was very nicely done. Even though I haven't read the original, this first volume of the new series is compelling enough for a reader new to the world to want to continue reading.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The artwork in this manga is incredible. The story is fascinating and I love the fantasy world that is being created here. However, as this is my first foray into Lodoss, there is an excess amount of names, faces, and locations to keep track of. Thankfully the names are not all similar which helps a lot. But there is a lot dumped on the reader all at once so in manga format it's on the harder side to get connected to the myriad of characters.
As for the story itself, we have the four Princes of Marmo all going off to deal with the war in different ways. There's a bunch of political maneuvering to start the story. The brothers will be fighting one another in the future. Lyle, the youngest of the brothers believes strongly in justice and has set off on a quest to find the eternal maiden. His is the story we see the most of and it's interesting. I'd like to get to know him and his companions more though. With so many characters thrown at the reader it's hard to get a feel for personality.
Enjoyable, I'm curious about the other material out there and will likely give volume 2 a try.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, that was fun! There is some serious swashbuckling going on in this, and SO MUCH INTRIGUE!!! I'll be honest, it's been a long time since I watched the original series anime, and I never got around to reading any of the books, but I had no trouble following the story, even when referring to events from the first series. Was this infodumping? I mean, yeah, but it didn't feel like forced infodumping, if you get what I'm saying, it blended into the story well. This is taking place 100 years after the original series, and war is fixin' to be declared. The 4th prince of a poor nation goes on a quest to find Deedlit, the Eternal Maiden of legend, to help them win the war that has become inevitable. I won't say more than that, just know that if you're a fan of the original series, you're gonna love this, and if you're new to the story, this will make you read and/or watch the first series. I know, I'm gushing, but I really did enjoy this a lot, the story was very immersive for me, and art was gorgeous, and what a fun adventure I'm on now!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Udon Entertainment, Ryo Mizuno, Atsushi Suzumi, and Hidari for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Taking place nearly 100 years after the original story of "Record of the Lodoss War," this manga features a new cast of characters with the return of Deedlit, the millenial high elf who helped bring peace to Lodoss a century ago. Prince Lyle of Marmo knows war is coming, and he wants to take up the mantle of the Knight of Lodoss to return peace to the kingdoms once more.

With the other princes of Marmo plotting, and war raging with the Kingdom of Flaim, twisty plots and betrayals loom on the horizon.

Adapted from the new light novel, this volume is the first of Crown of the Covenant, which will be made up of three volumes. This is an incredible manga for long time fans of the Lodoss War series as well as new readers alike. Steeped in high fantasy action, this manga is an excellent tale.

[elfqueenvik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Record Lodoss War holds a special place in my heart, it was one of the first anime I watched and the Chronicles of the Heroic Knight manga series was one of the first manga series I collected. So when I saw this new series I was churros and a little hesitant. At first the story seemed pretty atypical, what won me over was how the royal family of Marmo decided to handle the upcoming conflict. At first glance it seems the new King of Flaim is a very stereotypical villain, but there are a couple moments and other characters' dialogue that make you question if he is kind of right .

Where this manga really shines is its theme of how the power that legends have over the heart of mankind. There are so many callbacks to previous Record of Lodoss War events that fills me with both nostalgia and bittersweet emotions. This lived up to the expectation and I can't wait to read the other volumes.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

[periwynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I expected when going into this was a profound feeling of adventure, meeting characters that I'd love, some lightheartedness even, but instead what I was met with was war and strategies, dense politics that I didn't really understand because way too many names of people and places were being dropped, everything was happening on such a grand scale and I could not form any attachment to the characters. I found everything very confusing and hard to follow. I'd give the book 2.5 stars since it just wasn't for me, but someone else who enjoys such themes more might enjoy it better. I did really like the art style though! What I also found interesting was finding out that this is not a new series, but rather a manga adaptation of older light novels, and there's even anime out based on this series which I might give a watch.

(I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.)

[Crimson Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I want to say a huge thank u to Netgalley for giving me an advanced Arc of this book

Secondly all thoughts and words said in this review are my own.

When I started to read this I was intrigued by the story but as the manga continued I loved the pacing, the characters and the message. I love the Main character because though his journey and inner strength and moral code, you see a young lad who is determined to do what's right no matter what it takes with a love for a hero he wants to follow in the foot steps of to save his land and the people from war.

Loved so much I cannot wait to read more from this series ❤️

Review for this will.be done on my booktube channel nearer release date

[MaguiWorld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un comic interesante, un poco tradicional en ciertas cosas, especialmente en cuanto a las mujeres y la manera de dibujar y de comportarse en ciertos momentos. Pero es algo con lo que peleo todo el tiempo.

Me interesó mas que nada la historia que hay detrás, las ilustraciones mucho no me gustaron (ojo, no son malas, simplemente no van con mi gusto) y creo que tiene mucho más para contarnos.

No tengo mucho más para decir, tal vez me interesaría leer la continuación... pero no es una segunda parte que espere con demasiadas ansias.

Gracias Udon Entertainment por el ARC que leí a través de NetGalley.

[IvyInThePages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.97 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 3/5
-Cover (+art): 4/5
-Story: 3.75/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shonen
-Action: 3/5
-Adventure: 3/5
-Fantasy: 5/5
-Shonen: 5/5
Type: Manga
Worth?: Yeah

Hated|Disliked|Meh|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

If you like Zelda and your basic fantasy, fighting, adventure manga/anime then you'd like this. It has all your components. Where as it didn't really stand out from the rest in the crowd it was still entertaining.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Record of the Lodoss War's basic theme is well done. Although it is quite wordy with too many names that make it hard to keep track of everyone/thing. The illustrations are quite good, especially the main characters. So far they talk about war but the action to back it up is lacking. The story starts to get interesting on page 82. The contrast of magic along with the wielding of weapons creates a believable essence of the conflict between kingdoms. The first volume has a very hopeful ending to a continuing series. Will there be a millennium of peace or will the knights start a new era of peace?

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like adventure then you will like the 'RECORD OF LODOSS WAR!' Here we learn about the 'The Crown of the Covenant', the island Lodoss and it 100 years of peace. War returns when a neighboring kingdom threatens Lodoss.

The drawings were good but the story didn't flow so smoothly. I had to go back a page to reestablish the story line to my understanding. The lettering was 'iffy' when it came to clear reading but overall I enjoyed the read..

Thanks NetGallery for this ARC.