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L'Esiliato
Islanda, X secolo. Esiliato per aver ucciso il suo migliore amico, un guerriero vichingo torna a casa dopo molti anni. Vuole solo rifarsi una tranquilla vita da contadino assieme alla sua famiglia. Ma non tutti al villaggio sono contenti del suo ritorno. La quotidianità mite e semplice della comunità viene sconvolta dai sentimenti di rabbia e vendetta che la famiglia del suo ex amico nutre nei suoi confronti.
A metà tra un “western” scandinavo e un dramma dal sapore shakespiriano, Erik Kriek ci regala una storia avvincente che ci conduce nella complessità della società islandese medioevale. Realizzato a partire da un’accurata ricerca storica, L’esiliato mette da parte lotte e invasioni sanguinose tipiche dei racconti sui vichinghi e ci mostra uno squarcio di una società che pur vivendo in un paesaggio aspro e inospitale ci ha lasciato in eredità una ricca letteratura e una cultura raffinata.
A metà tra un “western” scandinavo e un dramma dal sapore shakespiriano, Erik Kriek ci regala una storia avvincente che ci conduce nella complessità della società islandese medioevale. Realizzato a partire da un’accurata ricerca storica, L’esiliato mette da parte lotte e invasioni sanguinose tipiche dei racconti sui vichinghi e ci mostra uno squarcio di una società che pur vivendo in un paesaggio aspro e inospitale ci ha lasciato in eredità una ricca letteratura e una cultura raffinata.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2019
1 person is currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Erik Kriek
34 books24 followersErik Kriek is an award-winning illustrator, designer and comic artist from Amsterdam. He is best known for his Gutsman comics, for which he won the Dutch award Stripschaprijis in 2008. In 2012 he published From Beyond and Other Tales, his collection of graphic reworkings of short stories by H.P.Lovecraft. Among his influences are US artists Daniel Clowes, Will Eisner, Charles Burns and Chris Ware, as well as the classic 1940s horror comics of E.C. Comics by such artists as Wallace Wood. He has also expressed admiration for Dutch artists including Peter Pontiac, Typex and Peter van Dongen. He lives in the Netherlands with his girlfriend and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 9, 2023
Even as its written a bit like an old newspaper comic, The Exile nonetheless draws you in with its evocative art and effective storytelling. The titular exile has returned to his Iceland home after seven years away a-viking. In the meantime, his step-mother has been wooed by a cruel neighbor who also happens to be the brother of the man the exile killed.
Its a strong setup that leads to some drawn-out interactions that, while slow going at times, firmly construct the world of pre-medieval Iceland. By the time of the big confrontation at the end, I was thoroughly sucked in to the story.
Its a strong setup that leads to some drawn-out interactions that, while slow going at times, firmly construct the world of pre-medieval Iceland. By the time of the big confrontation at the end, I was thoroughly sucked in to the story.
December 10, 2022
There are only a few simple ingredients required to make a graphic novel compelling and enjoyable to read—a clever and engaging story, realistic characters, and an art design that is both thrilling to the eye and easily interpreted. Erik Kriek’s ‘The Exile’ includes all three elements, and, while it may not be the most original story—it’s a rehash, basically, of every Viking Age epic ever told so far in the Western world—it is still absorbing enough to capture your attention, with Kriek’s illustrations, especially the artistry of them and the gorgeous color-scheme, helping to drive this story that has you guessing what will become of his anti-hero Viking main character up until the very last pages.
The story is simple—a man who looks like every Viking male character stretching back to the time of the Viking Age itself is exiled from Iceland for seven years after he kills a friend of his during an altercation over something that occurred with his sister (more on that later). The story starts with his arrival back to Iceland as he traverses with two other loyal companions back to his homestead, where he discovers his father has passed away recently and his step-mother now controls all land and property that was in his father’s name. The main thrust of the plot then begins, as the kin of the man our main character killed years prior discover he’s returned after assuming he would be gone forever, and chaos and violence ensues.
Like I said prior, this tale has been told many times—the main character gets exiled from his homeland, either because of war or strife or some other kind of criminal/war-ish behavior, and readers follow along as he returns to ‘claim what is his.’ While I wouldn’t say this story fits neatly into that last part, as the main character seems to have returned more because he’s tired of war than wanting to reclaim his father’s land and property, there’s mostly every other stereotype found in Viking Age epics, right down to the design of the characters and their brutish ways. However, that’s not entirely a bad thing—a Viking tale told well is still a stellar story, and there was just enough action and original set pieces included in the graphic novel that it held my attention entirely throughout, and the sequence cuts sprinkled in were always easy to understand and helped make the pacing of the story perfect.
The illustrations are what really shine here though—Kriek’s drawings are beautifully rendered, and many of them only consist of three or four colors for each panel, with blood-tinged reds, light greys, slate-like blues, and white and black making up almost the entire palette. The scenes are easy to see and understand, the lines are crisp, and the shading and tone of the drawings help deepen the emotional impact of what occurs on the page. The illustrations almost seem like a modern-day update of the kinds of comics you would see from the 1930s/1940s in regard to their sharp lines/deliberate focus, and it’s clear Kriek put an enormous amount of time and effort into creating the perfect visuals for each panel.
My one hesitation with this book, other than that it’s a little bit of a retread, is that of the main character. If you flip the story around and tell it from the viewpoint of the family of the man our main character killed off-page, he is clearly a villain, and I mean a villain to the point where you can’t even really call him an anti-hero. The crime he commits against the sister of the man he kills is extremely depraved with no excuse (think the most extreme form of sexual assault) and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable cheering for his success afterwards. While I felt slimy doing so during the climactic battle where the main character fights the brother of the man he killed, the ending was perfect in my opinion, and it made me feel a bit different looking back on the main character’s journey. At the same time, making us readers feel even an ounce of empathy for such a horrible man shows superior authorial skill, and Kriek is able to achieve it through baring it all to us readers, whether that’s showing what occurred during the main character’s exile, the crimes he committed that led to him being exiled, or his inner emotional turmoil. In other words, Kriek’s character’s are completely three-dimensional, and it helps solidify how good this graphic novel is.
If you’re looking for a literary companion to movies like ‘The Northman,’ or really any kind of graphic novel that helps get you in a wintry kind of mood, look no further than ‘The Exile.’ You’ll find vast late-autumn/early-winter landscapes, epic sword-and-shield clashes, and conflicted characters that are well-rounded and fully developed, something that is rather hard to do over the course of a 192-page graphic novel. I’ll be looking forward to whatever Erik Kriek puts out next in English translation after this stellar offering.
Thanks to NetGalley, Living the Line, and Erik Kriek for the digital ARC of 'The Exile' in exchange for an honest review.
The story is simple—a man who looks like every Viking male character stretching back to the time of the Viking Age itself is exiled from Iceland for seven years after he kills a friend of his during an altercation over something that occurred with his sister (more on that later). The story starts with his arrival back to Iceland as he traverses with two other loyal companions back to his homestead, where he discovers his father has passed away recently and his step-mother now controls all land and property that was in his father’s name. The main thrust of the plot then begins, as the kin of the man our main character killed years prior discover he’s returned after assuming he would be gone forever, and chaos and violence ensues.
Like I said prior, this tale has been told many times—the main character gets exiled from his homeland, either because of war or strife or some other kind of criminal/war-ish behavior, and readers follow along as he returns to ‘claim what is his.’ While I wouldn’t say this story fits neatly into that last part, as the main character seems to have returned more because he’s tired of war than wanting to reclaim his father’s land and property, there’s mostly every other stereotype found in Viking Age epics, right down to the design of the characters and their brutish ways. However, that’s not entirely a bad thing—a Viking tale told well is still a stellar story, and there was just enough action and original set pieces included in the graphic novel that it held my attention entirely throughout, and the sequence cuts sprinkled in were always easy to understand and helped make the pacing of the story perfect.
The illustrations are what really shine here though—Kriek’s drawings are beautifully rendered, and many of them only consist of three or four colors for each panel, with blood-tinged reds, light greys, slate-like blues, and white and black making up almost the entire palette. The scenes are easy to see and understand, the lines are crisp, and the shading and tone of the drawings help deepen the emotional impact of what occurs on the page. The illustrations almost seem like a modern-day update of the kinds of comics you would see from the 1930s/1940s in regard to their sharp lines/deliberate focus, and it’s clear Kriek put an enormous amount of time and effort into creating the perfect visuals for each panel.
My one hesitation with this book, other than that it’s a little bit of a retread, is that of the main character. If you flip the story around and tell it from the viewpoint of the family of the man our main character killed off-page, he is clearly a villain, and I mean a villain to the point where you can’t even really call him an anti-hero. The crime he commits against the sister of the man he kills is extremely depraved with no excuse (think the most extreme form of sexual assault) and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable cheering for his success afterwards. While I felt slimy doing so during the climactic battle where the main character fights the brother of the man he killed, the ending was perfect in my opinion, and it made me feel a bit different looking back on the main character’s journey. At the same time, making us readers feel even an ounce of empathy for such a horrible man shows superior authorial skill, and Kriek is able to achieve it through baring it all to us readers, whether that’s showing what occurred during the main character’s exile, the crimes he committed that led to him being exiled, or his inner emotional turmoil. In other words, Kriek’s character’s are completely three-dimensional, and it helps solidify how good this graphic novel is.
If you’re looking for a literary companion to movies like ‘The Northman,’ or really any kind of graphic novel that helps get you in a wintry kind of mood, look no further than ‘The Exile.’ You’ll find vast late-autumn/early-winter landscapes, epic sword-and-shield clashes, and conflicted characters that are well-rounded and fully developed, something that is rather hard to do over the course of a 192-page graphic novel. I’ll be looking forward to whatever Erik Kriek puts out next in English translation after this stellar offering.
Thanks to NetGalley, Living the Line, and Erik Kriek for the digital ARC of 'The Exile' in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2023
Una historia de intriga y venganzas en la tradición de las sagas. El argumento es muy bueno y el dibujo excelente.
March 7, 2023
Two great things about this graphic novel:
1) As a frequent traveler to Iceland, Kriek perfectly and evocatively portrayed it; often his images would take me right back there.
2) It is, in so many ways, a true saga; if you'd told me this was a story from the old 13th century sagas, I'd have believed you. The tone, the characters and their motivations, the plot; all ring true to the original style of the source material. Very well done.
1) As a frequent traveler to Iceland, Kriek perfectly and evocatively portrayed it; often his images would take me right back there.
2) It is, in so many ways, a true saga; if you'd told me this was a story from the old 13th century sagas, I'd have believed you. The tone, the characters and their motivations, the plot; all ring true to the original style of the source material. Very well done.
February 25, 2023
Starts out a little cliché-ridden, but the story gets more interesting as it goes on and the ending is quite unexpected.
October 27, 2022
received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This was excellent, full of ambiance and intricate storytelling. I found it interesting that from another perspective the "hero" of this story would have been the villain and I enjoyed how complicated the situation was. I think, because of all the moving pieces, I wanted the story to be more tightly told, but I do get that part of the charm of it is the setting and the FEEL of it, so I understand.
The story has no answers for the reader, which does make it feel very real. I wanted more from some characters. I think Vigdis has the potential of being the main character of her own story. I also wanted more from the son's (Ottar) story... his character seems like a setup that leaves you a bit unsatisfied. I guess it's a good thing to be left wanting more in this world. I enjoyed this read and will look for more by the author.
Wow. This was excellent, full of ambiance and intricate storytelling. I found it interesting that from another perspective the "hero" of this story would have been the villain and I enjoyed how complicated the situation was. I think, because of all the moving pieces, I wanted the story to be more tightly told, but I do get that part of the charm of it is the setting and the FEEL of it, so I understand.
The story has no answers for the reader, which does make it feel very real. I wanted more from some characters. I think Vigdis has the potential of being the main character of her own story. I also wanted more from the son's (Ottar) story... his character seems like a setup that leaves you a bit unsatisfied. I guess it's a good thing to be left wanting more in this world. I enjoyed this read and will look for more by the author.
June 6, 2019
Toen Erik Kriek 'De Balling' aankondigde wist ik dat dit een onmiddellijke aanschaf ging worden bij het verschijnen ervan. Ik bewonder het liefdevolle vakmanschap van Kriek en ben ook niet vies van een viking-strip (zie ook 'Vinland Saga', 'Northlanders', 'Thorgal', ...).
De verwachtingen waren hooggespannen en Kriek ontgoochelt niet : het is een meeslepende beeldroman geworden die ik gretig heb gelezen. Zowel qua verhaal als tekenwerk voelt het (in de meest positieve zin) zeer klassiek aan
De verwachtingen waren hooggespannen en Kriek ontgoochelt niet : het is een meeslepende beeldroman geworden die ik gretig heb gelezen. Zowel qua verhaal als tekenwerk voelt het (in de meest positieve zin) zeer klassiek aan
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August 3, 2022LovedlovedLOVED the look and feel of this one. Stunning style, almost a cinematic experience. Unfortunately the story was a bit too flimsy for my taste.
April 30, 2023
Konusu;7 yıl boyunca sürgün edilmiş bir vikingin baba topraklarında barışı arayışı tabi eski davalar rahat vermiyor ve olaylar gelişiyor.Büyük bir viking savasından daha cok bir adamın kendi iç savaşı Jeff Lemire tarzı küçük çevreleri etkileyen bir hikaye öyle Vikings dizisindeki gibi beklentileriniz olmasın.Çizimler ve renk paleti hikayeye cok uygun atmosferi veriyor Iceland'da geçiyor hikaye sayfaları da atıyorum anlarsınız atmosferi :).Kısa sürede okunabilecek bir cilt öyle ahım şahım bir hikayesi yok. Bence benim gibi vikinglere ve iyi sanata ilginiz yoksa para israfı diğer türlü çok keyif alarak okunur.
March 3, 2023
This graphic novel is inspired by Icelandic sagas, so be prepared for blood feuds and the will of the Norns to be a big part of the story. Most of the characters are pretty brutal people, yet few of them are without redeeming qualities.
The art is fantastic with a limited color palette that really enhances the story. Definitely a book worth seeking out.
Received via Edelweiss.
The art is fantastic with a limited color palette that really enhances the story. Definitely a book worth seeking out.
Received via Edelweiss.
August 10, 2023
‘The Exile’ with story and art by Erik Kriek is a graphic novel that takes place in ancient Iceland.
Hallstein Thordsson is returning home after years of being at battle, but he may not get the welcome he hoped for. It turns out he left as an exile and there are those who find it hard to forgive. There are other stories showing the conflict and culture, including the story of some wood thieves, and how sudden violence can change lives suddenly.
This story has a lot of characters, but I was able to follow things quite well. It’s well written and has some amazing art.
Hallstein Thordsson is returning home after years of being at battle, but he may not get the welcome he hoped for. It turns out he left as an exile and there are those who find it hard to forgive. There are other stories showing the conflict and culture, including the story of some wood thieves, and how sudden violence can change lives suddenly.
This story has a lot of characters, but I was able to follow things quite well. It’s well written and has some amazing art.
December 14, 2024
This is not classic Viking tale you would expect. This is intimate story from isolated village about redemption, evil and birth of law codex in the early middle ages.
Kriek's thick lines and limited color palette are really bringing up the cold atmosphere of whole story.
Kriek's thick lines and limited color palette are really bringing up the cold atmosphere of whole story.
February 7, 2023
I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Hallstein Thordsson has returned to Iceland 7 years after he was exiled for killing his friend. His arrival coincides with his stepmother being courted by the younger brother of the friend he killed while dealing with unknown wood thieves. Hallstein's return causes unrest and upset among many people.
The story follows two families as they deal with an unexpected arrival. The story was interesting. One issue that I had was the heavy and dark artwork. While it was beautiful, it did, at times, make it difficult to see what was happening.
This is a good story for anyone who likes historical fiction.
Hallstein Thordsson has returned to Iceland 7 years after he was exiled for killing his friend. His arrival coincides with his stepmother being courted by the younger brother of the friend he killed while dealing with unknown wood thieves. Hallstein's return causes unrest and upset among many people.
The story follows two families as they deal with an unexpected arrival. The story was interesting. One issue that I had was the heavy and dark artwork. While it was beautiful, it did, at times, make it difficult to see what was happening.
This is a good story for anyone who likes historical fiction.
October 20, 2022
Great art, interesting story. Mericulous setting and the historical names of things and places grant this comic air of beliveability. Even though Its almost totaly fictional. Read it in one sitting.
October 15, 2022
Loved the book. Read it in a wimp. It looks good, the drawings are superb and the difference between good and evil is obvious (the colour). Great story., It has everything one could want in an old Icelandic story. Violence, cruelty, shamanism, women, love and envie
January 16, 2021
I love this story and felt rather awe struck when closing the book. Its dialogues and drawn scenes offer a punch in the stomach and a refreshing injection with perspectives into the the mind.
There are a few specific features that make this Kriek graphic novel deserve the titel of 'classic quality' and earn it a place in the classic canon in my view.
One Leidmotiv that struck me, is the deep perspective we receive on the identity, talents and roles of the Male and Female human beings. Women in Erik's Iceland posses not much power in the strict sense. They may be overpowered upto the degree of unwanted sexual intercourse one day.
The main character is a former rapist indeed. One day in younger years, he let himself ben overpowered by his horny feelings. This leading to the whole tragedy of the story, in succesive stages of action and reaction. Of Revenge. Of trial and being sent in exile. Of slumbering hatred in the family of the victim and his deed of 'rücksichtlose' lust made of Hallstein the murderer of his best friend.
- Yet women play big roles in this saga. As providers of food, (in an extremely poor civilization in dire habitat!), as mothers, but as persevering, silent murderers and as autoritaire judges before the assembled Community.
Moreover, Kriek manages to shed light on essential features of any civilization of community like religiosity. He illuminates most of all, the innate mechanisms that reside in all of us. Mechanisms of want, desire, drive to excell, to do good and care for family and community, or just the urge to come out of a situation victoriously, disregarding the voice of your human Conscience.
Like in Shakespeare, Tolstoj or Sophocles, this story is in my view above all about eternal emotions and how people react to feelings as diverse as fear, pride, honor, guilt, shame, greed... driven by their intelligence or a degree of obtuseness. Impressive are the examples about the ways characters try and live with guilt and maybe find some form of redemption.
Most interesting too, I found on a deeper level, the Window Erik Kriek offers on "The World we have Lost". A world that knew only the basics in the area of economy and comfort; but a world too, where surprisingly, sobriety and an almost total lack of technology (of even clocks), brings out in People certain primeval talents and possibilities like religious, visionary capability, deep friendship, faithfulness to each other, to one self, to moral prinicples and in the case of some of the warriors, to the call of sheer courage.
The landscapes in this novel are particular: ominously dark and often empty in an eerie way, not to mention the battlefield visions, colored in a vivid read and black, but in general they are alluring too, and the wide & wild environmental scenes managed to make a convincing connection in my conscience to the well known tv-images about Iceland today and its free, stark, silent and glorious natural habitats alltogether.
I read reviews that found the book superficial and frustrating. Not my idea. De Balling is a worthy fruit in the oeuvre of this esteemed artist and a heavy grab of food for the openminded and alert spirit.
There are a few specific features that make this Kriek graphic novel deserve the titel of 'classic quality' and earn it a place in the classic canon in my view.
One Leidmotiv that struck me, is the deep perspective we receive on the identity, talents and roles of the Male and Female human beings. Women in Erik's Iceland posses not much power in the strict sense. They may be overpowered upto the degree of unwanted sexual intercourse one day.
The main character is a former rapist indeed. One day in younger years, he let himself ben overpowered by his horny feelings. This leading to the whole tragedy of the story, in succesive stages of action and reaction. Of Revenge. Of trial and being sent in exile. Of slumbering hatred in the family of the victim and his deed of 'rücksichtlose' lust made of Hallstein the murderer of his best friend.
- Yet women play big roles in this saga. As providers of food, (in an extremely poor civilization in dire habitat!), as mothers, but as persevering, silent murderers and as autoritaire judges before the assembled Community.
Moreover, Kriek manages to shed light on essential features of any civilization of community like religiosity. He illuminates most of all, the innate mechanisms that reside in all of us. Mechanisms of want, desire, drive to excell, to do good and care for family and community, or just the urge to come out of a situation victoriously, disregarding the voice of your human Conscience.
Like in Shakespeare, Tolstoj or Sophocles, this story is in my view above all about eternal emotions and how people react to feelings as diverse as fear, pride, honor, guilt, shame, greed... driven by their intelligence or a degree of obtuseness. Impressive are the examples about the ways characters try and live with guilt and maybe find some form of redemption.
Most interesting too, I found on a deeper level, the Window Erik Kriek offers on "The World we have Lost". A world that knew only the basics in the area of economy and comfort; but a world too, where surprisingly, sobriety and an almost total lack of technology (of even clocks), brings out in People certain primeval talents and possibilities like religious, visionary capability, deep friendship, faithfulness to each other, to one self, to moral prinicples and in the case of some of the warriors, to the call of sheer courage.
The landscapes in this novel are particular: ominously dark and often empty in an eerie way, not to mention the battlefield visions, colored in a vivid read and black, but in general they are alluring too, and the wide & wild environmental scenes managed to make a convincing connection in my conscience to the well known tv-images about Iceland today and its free, stark, silent and glorious natural habitats alltogether.
I read reviews that found the book superficial and frustrating. Not my idea. De Balling is a worthy fruit in the oeuvre of this esteemed artist and a heavy grab of food for the openminded and alert spirit.
June 5, 2020
Der niederländische Künstler Erik Kriek hat mit »Der Verbannte« nach Interpretationen von H.P. Lovecraft und einer Sammlung von fünf folkloristischen »Murder Ballads« mit »In the Pines« seine erste größere Geschichtskreation als Graphic Novel herausgebracht.
Erik Kriek schickt seine Leser*innen auf eine Reise zu den Wikingern, zurück in das 10. Jahrhundert nach Island, der Heimat des verbannten Wikingerkriegers Hallstein Thordsson. Noch vor Beginn der Geschichte gibt eine Doppelseite, ähnliche einer Dramatis Personae, Auskunft über die agierenden Charaktere des Werkes. Auf diese Seite habe ich während des Lesens immer wieder geblättert, da sich die Züge der Charaktere doch sehr ähnlich ausfallen und man durchaus ein zweites oder drittes Mal hinsehen muss, um erkennen zu können, wer sich da gerade im Panel bewegt.
Schauplatz der Geschichte ist die sagenhafte Landschaft Islands, mit der atemberaubenden Kulisse aus Vulkanen und Thermalquellen. Diese magische Atmosphäre hat Kriek mit Bravour auf die Seiten gebannt und beim Anblick der Felsen und Wiesen lässt sich nur zu Leicht nachvollziehen, warum gerade aus diesem Teil der Erde die Sagen um Elfen und Kobolde stammen.
Im Mittelpunkt steht Hallstein Thordsson, der aufgrund eines Mordes dazu gezwungen ist, sieben Jahre seines Lebens im Exil zu verbringen. Nach seiner Verbannung, die er als Krieger verbrachte, kehrt er mit zwei Weggefährten in seine Heimat zurück. Nach all den Jahren, die aus Kämpfen und Blutvergießen bestanden, möchte er nur noch eines: zurück zu seiner Familie und etwas Ruhe und Frieden finden. Dieses Vorhaben gestaltet sich jedoch schwieriger als gedacht, denn seit seinem Weggang hat sich einiges geändert.
Hallsteins Stiefmutter Solveig kümmert sich nach dem Tod seines Vaters um das Land und wird von Einar Ragnarsson umworben, der nicht nur seine Ländereien erweitern möchte, sondern auch nach Rache an Hallstein sinnt. Dieser persönliche Konflikt wird noch durch ein paar weitere Nuancen der rivalisierenden Familien erweitert. Während Hallstein mit seiner posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung scharf umrissen wird, bleiben die anderen Charaktere etwas blass zurück.
Die harsche mittelalterliche Welt, in der sich Kriek bewegt, wirkt äußerst authentisch und vermag durchaus an die Seiten zu fesseln. Bei der Koloration bediente sich der Künstler an einer Palette von kühlen Blautönen, die zu der rauen und gemächlichen Zeit der Wikinger sehr gut passt. Die brutale Seite wird an einigen Stellen mit alarmierendem Rot und düsterem Schwarz hervorgehoben.
Fazit
»Der Verbannte« berauscht mit der imposanten und magischen Landschaft Islands und belebt mit Detailverliebtheit die Zeit der Wikinger.
Erik Kriek schickt seine Leser*innen auf eine Reise zu den Wikingern, zurück in das 10. Jahrhundert nach Island, der Heimat des verbannten Wikingerkriegers Hallstein Thordsson. Noch vor Beginn der Geschichte gibt eine Doppelseite, ähnliche einer Dramatis Personae, Auskunft über die agierenden Charaktere des Werkes. Auf diese Seite habe ich während des Lesens immer wieder geblättert, da sich die Züge der Charaktere doch sehr ähnlich ausfallen und man durchaus ein zweites oder drittes Mal hinsehen muss, um erkennen zu können, wer sich da gerade im Panel bewegt.
Schauplatz der Geschichte ist die sagenhafte Landschaft Islands, mit der atemberaubenden Kulisse aus Vulkanen und Thermalquellen. Diese magische Atmosphäre hat Kriek mit Bravour auf die Seiten gebannt und beim Anblick der Felsen und Wiesen lässt sich nur zu Leicht nachvollziehen, warum gerade aus diesem Teil der Erde die Sagen um Elfen und Kobolde stammen.
Im Mittelpunkt steht Hallstein Thordsson, der aufgrund eines Mordes dazu gezwungen ist, sieben Jahre seines Lebens im Exil zu verbringen. Nach seiner Verbannung, die er als Krieger verbrachte, kehrt er mit zwei Weggefährten in seine Heimat zurück. Nach all den Jahren, die aus Kämpfen und Blutvergießen bestanden, möchte er nur noch eines: zurück zu seiner Familie und etwas Ruhe und Frieden finden. Dieses Vorhaben gestaltet sich jedoch schwieriger als gedacht, denn seit seinem Weggang hat sich einiges geändert.
Hallsteins Stiefmutter Solveig kümmert sich nach dem Tod seines Vaters um das Land und wird von Einar Ragnarsson umworben, der nicht nur seine Ländereien erweitern möchte, sondern auch nach Rache an Hallstein sinnt. Dieser persönliche Konflikt wird noch durch ein paar weitere Nuancen der rivalisierenden Familien erweitert. Während Hallstein mit seiner posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung scharf umrissen wird, bleiben die anderen Charaktere etwas blass zurück.
Die harsche mittelalterliche Welt, in der sich Kriek bewegt, wirkt äußerst authentisch und vermag durchaus an die Seiten zu fesseln. Bei der Koloration bediente sich der Künstler an einer Palette von kühlen Blautönen, die zu der rauen und gemächlichen Zeit der Wikinger sehr gut passt. Die brutale Seite wird an einigen Stellen mit alarmierendem Rot und düsterem Schwarz hervorgehoben.
Fazit
»Der Verbannte« berauscht mit der imposanten und magischen Landschaft Islands und belebt mit Detailverliebtheit die Zeit der Wikinger.
December 27, 2023
Una bellissima graphic novel che rispecchia l'ambientazione data alla storia. L'Islanda è un paese duro, crudo, reale, primordiale come il protagonista, un esiliato di ritorno alla sua terra dopo 7 anni. Incubi ricorrenti, disegni pieni di ombre ed estremamente profondi, il rosso che interviene in una monocromia come una cascata di sangue, questo fumetto a parer mio è una vera e propria opera d'arte, degna di un illustratore che si è cimentato con le storie di Lovecraft. Un vero e proprio western vichingo.
March 8, 2023
Hallstein Thordsson has spent the past seven years in exile after he killed his friend and neighbor over an attack on his neighbor's sister. He cam back to Iceland with two friends he gained while reeving around England and Ireland to find his step-mother being wooed and swindled by the same man - Einar, the brother of the man he killed. Despite all attempts to be peaceful, It all comes down to revenge, specifically who wants what the most. Will Hallstein manage to get the peace he wants or will the call of blood be too strong? An interesting tale.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!
April 26, 2022
Una historia sencilla: un vikingo exiliado que regresa a casa huyendo del pasado.
Me esperaba otra cosa pero no por ello me ha decepcionado. El dibujo, los personajes y sobretodo la excelente edición y calidad del cómic hacen que valga la pena.
Me esperaba otra cosa pero no por ello me ha decepcionado. El dibujo, los personajes y sobretodo la excelente edición y calidad del cómic hacen que valga la pena.
March 8, 2023
This bleak graphic novel follows the Viking-Age return of Hallstein Thordson to his Icelandic home. Seven years earlier, the Althing exiled him for his crimes. Now he's come back looking, if not for redemption, then at least for rest at his father's homestead.
Alas, he returns to find his father dead and his stepmother wary of his claim on her and her son's inheritance. It isn't that Solveig begrudges him a third of the land. She's a generous if stubborn soul, but knows that Hallstein's legal claim is tenuous, given the circumstances of his birth. She's happy enough to feed and house him and the two other soldiers he brought back with him from his travels tho. Someone has been cutting down her trees, and on an island where wood is more valuable than silver, this is a crime she cannot let stand. Hallstein, Bjarki and Ukko are welcome under her roof so long as they assist in safeguarding the living treasure that she, accompanied only by her nine year-old son and elderly thrall, has trouble protecting on her own.
But Hallstein's return is far from welcome news to others on the island. His arrival brings the tensions simmering just under the island's placid surface to a boil. Despite the interventions of cooler, more peaceable heads, war is coming to Iceland once more, a battle that threatens to tear the small society apart. What will the people of this island do in the heat of conflict and, perhaps just as importantly, in its aftermath?
Translated from the original Dutch in a collaboration between Erik Kriek himself and Sean Michael Robinson, this depressingly realistic -- if mystically-tinged -- tale of life in old Iceland is told as much in its words as in its distinctly European line work. The colors are almost entirely grayscale except for in Hallstein's visions, where the color red is splashed as liberally as the blood that soaks his dreams.
The Exile powerfully asks the age-old question of how much repentance is enough. What, one can extrapolate, is the value of rights if they're not universally applied? And perhaps most importantly, what is the point of punishment without restitution? These are only some of the thought-provoking questions raised by a book that, while entirely fictional, is rooted very much in fact. It's a great window into life in Viking Age Iceland, and honestly a great reminder of how far civilization has (mostly) come since then.
The Exile by Erik Kriek was published February 28 2023 by Living The Line and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
Alas, he returns to find his father dead and his stepmother wary of his claim on her and her son's inheritance. It isn't that Solveig begrudges him a third of the land. She's a generous if stubborn soul, but knows that Hallstein's legal claim is tenuous, given the circumstances of his birth. She's happy enough to feed and house him and the two other soldiers he brought back with him from his travels tho. Someone has been cutting down her trees, and on an island where wood is more valuable than silver, this is a crime she cannot let stand. Hallstein, Bjarki and Ukko are welcome under her roof so long as they assist in safeguarding the living treasure that she, accompanied only by her nine year-old son and elderly thrall, has trouble protecting on her own.
But Hallstein's return is far from welcome news to others on the island. His arrival brings the tensions simmering just under the island's placid surface to a boil. Despite the interventions of cooler, more peaceable heads, war is coming to Iceland once more, a battle that threatens to tear the small society apart. What will the people of this island do in the heat of conflict and, perhaps just as importantly, in its aftermath?
Translated from the original Dutch in a collaboration between Erik Kriek himself and Sean Michael Robinson, this depressingly realistic -- if mystically-tinged -- tale of life in old Iceland is told as much in its words as in its distinctly European line work. The colors are almost entirely grayscale except for in Hallstein's visions, where the color red is splashed as liberally as the blood that soaks his dreams.
The Exile powerfully asks the age-old question of how much repentance is enough. What, one can extrapolate, is the value of rights if they're not universally applied? And perhaps most importantly, what is the point of punishment without restitution? These are only some of the thought-provoking questions raised by a book that, while entirely fictional, is rooted very much in fact. It's a great window into life in Viking Age Iceland, and honestly a great reminder of how far civilization has (mostly) come since then.
The Exile by Erik Kriek was published February 28 2023 by Living The Line and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
December 16, 2022
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5
Hallstein Thordsson returns to his home in Iceland having spent seven years in exile . On his return he finds that all is not well and that his past still hovers over his family. He discovers that his stepmother has a suitor and she’s not interested but the man will not leave her alone. Hallstein’s return threatens the suitor’s power and all of Iceland may suffer with the weight of the Exile’s return.
I … I really don’t know what to make of this short graphic novel. I have such mixed feelings about this.
The story is quite compelling – it’s not an action/adventure story as one might think, given the title and the cover, but rather a human interest story. And I liked it. But … It grew dull. The pacing of the story is slow and methodical all the way through. And the art does not help this.
Imagine going to a movie and every single scene began the same way – with a long shot, slowly pulling in to a cottage on a shore, birds flying over the water. Every scene! That’s what this book is like. So – many- scenes- begin exactly this way. It’s so repetitive, and while, yes, it establishes both place and mood, we don’t need to establish it when it never changes.
The art otherwise was fine. I didn’t find it overly exciting, and the people as drawn were sometimes much more ‘cartoony’ than I generally like in a graphic novel, and I found the style to be a cross between realistic and a woodcut-looking stylized.
I’ve seen looked at some of the reviews of this book and other works by author/artist Erick Kriek (who seems to have a good following), and I must have missed something that others are finding, but I really found this to be tepid and it doesn’t make me want to rush out and read more works by Kriek.
Looking for a good book? The Exile is a graphic novel by Erick Kriek that could be a really interesting human interest story, but gets bogged down in its setting and mood.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Hallstein Thordsson returns to his home in Iceland having spent seven years in exile . On his return he finds that all is not well and that his past still hovers over his family. He discovers that his stepmother has a suitor and she’s not interested but the man will not leave her alone. Hallstein’s return threatens the suitor’s power and all of Iceland may suffer with the weight of the Exile’s return.
I … I really don’t know what to make of this short graphic novel. I have such mixed feelings about this.
The story is quite compelling – it’s not an action/adventure story as one might think, given the title and the cover, but rather a human interest story. And I liked it. But … It grew dull. The pacing of the story is slow and methodical all the way through. And the art does not help this.
Imagine going to a movie and every single scene began the same way – with a long shot, slowly pulling in to a cottage on a shore, birds flying over the water. Every scene! That’s what this book is like. So – many- scenes- begin exactly this way. It’s so repetitive, and while, yes, it establishes both place and mood, we don’t need to establish it when it never changes.
The art otherwise was fine. I didn’t find it overly exciting, and the people as drawn were sometimes much more ‘cartoony’ than I generally like in a graphic novel, and I found the style to be a cross between realistic and a woodcut-looking stylized.
I’ve seen looked at some of the reviews of this book and other works by author/artist Erick Kriek (who seems to have a good following), and I must have missed something that others are finding, but I really found this to be tepid and it doesn’t make me want to rush out and read more works by Kriek.
Looking for a good book? The Exile is a graphic novel by Erick Kriek that could be a really interesting human interest story, but gets bogged down in its setting and mood.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2025
Erik Kriek is een bekende Nederlandse striptekenaar en schrijver, die bekend staat om zijn unieke stijl en het vertellen van meeslepende verhalen. Hij heeft verschillende andere werken op zijn naam staan, waaronder “Grootste verhalen” en “De Kracht van de Verbeelding”. Kriek is vooral geroemd om zijn vermogen om moeilijke thema's te combineren met leuke tekeningen. Zijn boek “De Balling” gaat over het Viking leven op IJsland. Ik vond het een goed verhaal met leuke tekeningen en een meeslepende verhaallijn.
Het boek gaat over een man genaamd Hallstein Thordsson. Hij is verbannen uit zijn thuis land IJsland voor 7 jaar omdat hij zijn jeugdvriend, Hrafn Ragnarsson vermoordt heeft. Na 7 jaar keert hij terug naar zijn thuis land maar niet iedereen is daar blij mee Einar Ragnarsson de broer van de vermoorde Hrafn zint op wraak. Wanneer Hallstein terug is gaat hij naar zijn stiefmoeder Solveig om te vragen of hij daar mag verblijven. Wat later ontstaat er een ruzie tussen Solveig en Hrafn omdat hij haar hout steelt. Hout is op ijsland zeer waarde vol omdat het daar zo koud is. Wat later heeft Hrafn door de Hallstein terug is en daagt hem uit voor een holmgang(1 tegen 1 tot de dood) wat Hallstein uit eindelijk verliest. Het boek zelf leest zeer vlot wat ik wel leuk vond want als iemand met dyslexie schiet lezen meestal niet erg op maar nu wel. Ik vond de personages goed onderbouwt en er was een goed evenwicht tussen hoofdpersonages en nevenpersonages. Je krijgt genoeg informatie om de rol van nevenpersonages te bergrijpen. En over de hoofdpersonages heb ge genoeg informatie om hun achtergrond te bergrijpen. Wat ook zeer speciaal was was dat het hoofdpersonage Hallstein soms in dagdroom kwam, dat kon je goed zie doordat de kleur van de tekeningen veranderde, bv. alles is bijna in het zwart-wit maar als hij droomde werd het rood-zwart.
Je zou dit verhaal moeten lezen omdat het een leuke historisch verhaal is over iemand die verbannen is en waar je ziet hoe de re-integratie verliep na een verbanning. Het boek leest vlot met leuke personages. Waar ook magie een rol speelt met plannen achter mensen hun rug. Ik raad het boek dus zeker aan.
Het boek gaat over een man genaamd Hallstein Thordsson. Hij is verbannen uit zijn thuis land IJsland voor 7 jaar omdat hij zijn jeugdvriend, Hrafn Ragnarsson vermoordt heeft. Na 7 jaar keert hij terug naar zijn thuis land maar niet iedereen is daar blij mee Einar Ragnarsson de broer van de vermoorde Hrafn zint op wraak. Wanneer Hallstein terug is gaat hij naar zijn stiefmoeder Solveig om te vragen of hij daar mag verblijven. Wat later ontstaat er een ruzie tussen Solveig en Hrafn omdat hij haar hout steelt. Hout is op ijsland zeer waarde vol omdat het daar zo koud is. Wat later heeft Hrafn door de Hallstein terug is en daagt hem uit voor een holmgang(1 tegen 1 tot de dood) wat Hallstein uit eindelijk verliest. Het boek zelf leest zeer vlot wat ik wel leuk vond want als iemand met dyslexie schiet lezen meestal niet erg op maar nu wel. Ik vond de personages goed onderbouwt en er was een goed evenwicht tussen hoofdpersonages en nevenpersonages. Je krijgt genoeg informatie om de rol van nevenpersonages te bergrijpen. En over de hoofdpersonages heb ge genoeg informatie om hun achtergrond te bergrijpen. Wat ook zeer speciaal was was dat het hoofdpersonage Hallstein soms in dagdroom kwam, dat kon je goed zie doordat de kleur van de tekeningen veranderde, bv. alles is bijna in het zwart-wit maar als hij droomde werd het rood-zwart.
Je zou dit verhaal moeten lezen omdat het een leuke historisch verhaal is over iemand die verbannen is en waar je ziet hoe de re-integratie verliep na een verbanning. Het boek leest vlot met leuke personages. Waar ook magie een rol speelt met plannen achter mensen hun rug. Ik raad het boek dus zeker aan.
May 2, 2024
3,5*
Mooie tekeningen met een interessant plot. Bjarki was een karakter die er voor mij uitspringt; een grote kale karakteristieke kop, lange baard, onverschrokken en vertrouweling van de protagonist Hallstein. Het boek bevat mooie illustraties van het landschap, kleding, manier van leven en doen met woorden uit de oudheid, met een toffe blauw-rood erin verwerkt. Bij het lezen van dit boek was ik heel positief verrast en het is ook mijn eerste Kriek. Helaas wordt het verhaal op het einde door slechts enkele losse plaatjes plots een stuk minder wat echt een smet werpt op het anders zo mooie boek. Er komt een duel waarin iemand uit het publiek besluit een van de twee een handje te helpen via een voodoo popje... Waarom niet gewoon een gevecht een op een en de uitkomst maakt me niet eens uit, maar dit? Er komen in deze strip geen draken, trollen enz voor dus was het onverwacht en vind ik het hinderlijk in het verhaal. Wat ik mooi vond te zien in de strip is dat christenen en heidenen in vrede leven samen zonder veel problemen onderling. Toch lijkt de uitkomst van het gevecht dan toch een keuze te maken tussen godsdiensten. De christenen bidden voor een uitkomst, en de heidenen gaan aan de slag met hun zwarte magie. De uitkomst laat zich raden. Jammer want anders had ik het wel kunnen scharen tot mijn top 5. Misschien dat Kriek hiervoor gekozen heeft als een soort karma want Hallstein heeft een moord en verkrachting op zijn naam staan. En hoewel dat een volk als vikingen niet zou moeten afschrikken is dit natuurlijk wel anders als je het je eigen volk aandoet! De Ijslander moet hier alsnog voor boeten, boontje komt om zijn loontje zullen we maar zeggen. Ook jammer dat Hallstein wordt weergegeven op een manier om sympathie bij de moderne lezer te wekken. Vikingen stonden er om bekend dat ze moorden en verkrachten en vrouwen als sexslaven meenamen. Hallstein vind dit allemaal te ver gaan en doodt zelfs een viking die een vrouw aanrandt. Het krampachtige pleasen wat we in Hollywood terug zien zit ook in graphic novels.
Mooie tekeningen met een interessant plot. Bjarki was een karakter die er voor mij uitspringt; een grote kale karakteristieke kop, lange baard, onverschrokken en vertrouweling van de protagonist Hallstein. Het boek bevat mooie illustraties van het landschap, kleding, manier van leven en doen met woorden uit de oudheid, met een toffe blauw-rood erin verwerkt. Bij het lezen van dit boek was ik heel positief verrast en het is ook mijn eerste Kriek. Helaas wordt het verhaal op het einde door slechts enkele losse plaatjes plots een stuk minder wat echt een smet werpt op het anders zo mooie boek. Er komt een duel waarin iemand uit het publiek besluit een van de twee een handje te helpen via een voodoo popje... Waarom niet gewoon een gevecht een op een en de uitkomst maakt me niet eens uit, maar dit? Er komen in deze strip geen draken, trollen enz voor dus was het onverwacht en vind ik het hinderlijk in het verhaal. Wat ik mooi vond te zien in de strip is dat christenen en heidenen in vrede leven samen zonder veel problemen onderling. Toch lijkt de uitkomst van het gevecht dan toch een keuze te maken tussen godsdiensten. De christenen bidden voor een uitkomst, en de heidenen gaan aan de slag met hun zwarte magie. De uitkomst laat zich raden. Jammer want anders had ik het wel kunnen scharen tot mijn top 5. Misschien dat Kriek hiervoor gekozen heeft als een soort karma want Hallstein heeft een moord en verkrachting op zijn naam staan. En hoewel dat een volk als vikingen niet zou moeten afschrikken is dit natuurlijk wel anders als je het je eigen volk aandoet! De Ijslander moet hier alsnog voor boeten, boontje komt om zijn loontje zullen we maar zeggen. Ook jammer dat Hallstein wordt weergegeven op een manier om sympathie bij de moderne lezer te wekken. Vikingen stonden er om bekend dat ze moorden en verkrachten en vrouwen als sexslaven meenamen. Hallstein vind dit allemaal te ver gaan en doodt zelfs een viking die een vrouw aanrandt. Het krampachtige pleasen wat we in Hollywood terug zien zit ook in graphic novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
Starts off as a fairly conventional "hero returns" type of story but takes some really interesting turns along the way. The titular "exile" of this book serves as a pretty unconventional protagonist, making this a much more unique type of story overall. There's a lot of characters stuffed into this graphic novel, but there's a handy character guide at the beginning to help the reader out. Usually this kind of hand-holding is something I don't like, but it did help me out a couple of times. And while not every character feels completely fleshed out, Kriek's storytelling is economical enough to give each character something relevant to do with relation to the plot. For story alone, this would be a pretty worthwhile read.
But it is Kriek's cartooning that is really why I would recommend The Exile. The limited and deliberate use of spot colors achieves some truly gorgeous pieces. Kriek only uses a small handful of colors - some washed out blue tones and a sharper set of reds. The blues permeate across most of the book, creating an aesthetic not too disimilar from woodcuts. The red tones can be jarring at times, but the effect is intentional - Kriek is drawing your eyes to the more harrowing images this way. Kriek also implements the negative space of the pages magnificently, creating some wonderful contrasts between the moodier blue hues and the panel borders. The sense of design behind The Exile is just top-notch stuff.
But it is Kriek's cartooning that is really why I would recommend The Exile. The limited and deliberate use of spot colors achieves some truly gorgeous pieces. Kriek only uses a small handful of colors - some washed out blue tones and a sharper set of reds. The blues permeate across most of the book, creating an aesthetic not too disimilar from woodcuts. The red tones can be jarring at times, but the effect is intentional - Kriek is drawing your eyes to the more harrowing images this way. Kriek also implements the negative space of the pages magnificently, creating some wonderful contrasts between the moodier blue hues and the panel borders. The sense of design behind The Exile is just top-notch stuff.
December 17, 2025
After years of being away, a man comes back to Iceland, to hopefully live out his days in peace.
I never really read anything but Erik Kriek, but the artwork in this book looked so intriguing, I had to pick it up. I'm glad I did because not only is the art as good as I hoped, but the story is quite compelling as well. What makes it really interesting is the feel of it. It feels like an old legend, or a story told from generation to generation. With it's flashbacks, vision sequences, and fight scenes, the story takes on a mythic quality that is further enhanced by the art.
I think the art alone is worth an extra star because this book sure does look damn good. It's use of angular shapes and shadows was perfect to convey the harsh landscape of Iceland. It really did feel like a place that is isolated, dangerous, and very beautiful. The character work as well was really well done, with each character having their own unique design and thus - imbibing the people of this story with a personality even before they begin to speak.
This was an interesting read and one that goes by very quickly. If you like tales about vikings or just general Icelandic history - then this one is definitely for you.
I never really read anything but Erik Kriek, but the artwork in this book looked so intriguing, I had to pick it up. I'm glad I did because not only is the art as good as I hoped, but the story is quite compelling as well. What makes it really interesting is the feel of it. It feels like an old legend, or a story told from generation to generation. With it's flashbacks, vision sequences, and fight scenes, the story takes on a mythic quality that is further enhanced by the art.
I think the art alone is worth an extra star because this book sure does look damn good. It's use of angular shapes and shadows was perfect to convey the harsh landscape of Iceland. It really did feel like a place that is isolated, dangerous, and very beautiful. The character work as well was really well done, with each character having their own unique design and thus - imbibing the people of this story with a personality even before they begin to speak.
This was an interesting read and one that goes by very quickly. If you like tales about vikings or just general Icelandic history - then this one is definitely for you.
June 30, 2022
Psanec je moc dobře vyprávěný příběh o křivdě, vině a pomstě. Není to nic originálního, ale vůbec to nevadí. Tady je důležitá atmosféra, která si nezadá se starými ságami. Pokud si navíc ke čtení pustíte vhodnou hudbu (v mém případě Wardrunu), tak vás to doslova pohltí. Erik Kriek pěkně pracuje s dobovými reáliemi a je vidět, že se k psaní scénáře i ke kreslení dobře připravil. To je ostatně vidět i na seznamu knih, které použil k rešerši. Stejně tak je třeba pochválit souboje na meče, které má moc pěkně rozfázované.
Co se týče výtvarné stránky, tak musím říct, že ta mě fakt bere. K příběhu to dokonale sedlo. Místy to působí to jako rytiny a je to drsné jako islandská příroda a jako její osadníci. Ta syrovost z toho doslova trčí. K tisku jsou použity jen čtyři barvy - dva odstíny modré, červená a černá. Modrá je studená jako islandská krajina, vzduch a půda. Červená je zase rudá jako krev a je použita jen ve vzpomínkách a ve snech. Moc jsem si tu knihu užil.
"Byl jsem přesvědčen, že plujeme do Jötunheimu. Ale ona ta ledová země skutečně existuje. Netušil jsem, že na konci světa také žijí lidé."
Co se týče výtvarné stránky, tak musím říct, že ta mě fakt bere. K příběhu to dokonale sedlo. Místy to působí to jako rytiny a je to drsné jako islandská příroda a jako její osadníci. Ta syrovost z toho doslova trčí. K tisku jsou použity jen čtyři barvy - dva odstíny modré, červená a černá. Modrá je studená jako islandská krajina, vzduch a půda. Červená je zase rudá jako krev a je použita jen ve vzpomínkách a ve snech. Moc jsem si tu knihu užil.
"Byl jsem přesvědčen, že plujeme do Jötunheimu. Ale ona ta ledová země skutečně existuje. Netušil jsem, že na konci světa také žijí lidé."
November 2, 2022
I know a Dutch book cannot possibly have any say in what the publishers of a translation say about it several years down the line, but there is some indication here when you read press chat calling "The Northman" a "smash-hit film [that] grossed $35m". They also say there are hardly any Viking-era comics, so for those who realise $35m means it tanked big-time, and for all who dreamt their way through "Northlanders" comes this – and it's about as great as you'd think from such blurb. It's an overly-convoluted yet simple story of a man forced into exile for murder, who returns and thinks he might have justice and/or a fine life. 12 certificate sex, rampant flashbacks and driftings-off to the dreamlike world of the dead follow, before the truth of it all comes out in the wash. Except there are too many machinations going on from too many people for this to be clear, logical, and most importantly entertaining enough, meaning all the effort in the classily two-tone illustrations is more or less all we can come here for. Those and the world-building perhaps make this two and a half stars, but a lot else still keeps this a disappointment.
Read
February 20, 2023This is a tale of revenge, but not quite the way you think, or how we are lead to believe. Hallstein Thordsson has been exiled for seven years for killing his friend. We don't find out until later *why* he killed him. His time in excile has been a series of raids and killings, so if anything, he was just living out this slaughter. I'm quite sure that would mess with his head.
His step-mother is being courted by the brother of the man he killed. The way the story opens up, he is the underdog, and we are expected to like him for that. But as the story progresses we learn more about what he did, and why our sympathies should not be with him.
Not sure if I like having my sympathies thrown around, and makes for a very dark story. But good, as it all works, and all makes sense in the end.
The author did extensive research on this time period, and it shows. He lists the books he read to get him where he needed to be for this story collection. If you don't mind a bit of gore and blood, but want a good story, then this will work well for you.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
His step-mother is being courted by the brother of the man he killed. The way the story opens up, he is the underdog, and we are expected to like him for that. But as the story progresses we learn more about what he did, and why our sympathies should not be with him.
Not sure if I like having my sympathies thrown around, and makes for a very dark story. But good, as it all works, and all makes sense in the end.
The author did extensive research on this time period, and it shows. He lists the books he read to get him where he needed to be for this story collection. If you don't mind a bit of gore and blood, but want a good story, then this will work well for you.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews