Written by Brian Wood Art by Davide Gianfelice Cover by Massimo Carnevale In this first volume collecting NORTHLANDERS #1-8, DMZ writer Brian Wood stabs Viking lore in the face with a fresh take on what it means to be a warrior. Meet Sven, an exiled Viking prince who must return to the desolate lands of his birth to reclaim his vast inheritance upon the death of his father. See why Entertainment Weekly calls it "a well-reserched, richly realized world that illuminates politics and culture without getting bogged down in history-book stuff."
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..another creative victory for writer Wood... Northlanders takes you into a well-researched, richly realized world that illuminates politics and culture without getting bogged down in history-book stuff --Entertainment Week
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Brian Wood is the Eisner Award-winning writer of Demo, and the writer of the criticall acclaimed Local, Channel Zero, The Couriers and Jennie One. He is currently writing DMZ and Northlanders. Davide Gianfelice is an Italian-born artist whose work to date includes the massively popular Italian series Dylan Dog (to be filmed in 2009). Northlanders marks his debut ir American comics.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I stumbled upon this volume by chance in a comic store when I was browsing and based upon the quality of the artwork, the reasonable price and the subject matter decided to take a gamble and buy it on impulse. I was rewarded with one of the most original, well researched and satisfying experiences of reading a graphic novel I've had in a long time.
Rather than focusing on the Norse tradition of Viking raids on unfortunates in Europe, the reader is instead treated to a view of the complex society that existed amongst a people who have been maligned as barbarians for far too long.
Ranging from Byzantium to the Faeroe Isles, the tale follows Sven, a dispossesed warrior returning to his home to reclaim what he see as his birthright and take revenge on those who cast him out.
But rather than a raving berzerker, Sven is a cultured man who disdains the customs and religion of the people he was forced to leave behind. This allows the reader to see the Norse through the eyes of one who understands them but does not apologise for the flaws in their habits.
Read this if you want a violent, gritty, bitter but ultimately insightful and inspiring tale of betrayal, revenge and humanity.
Rather than focusing on the Norse tradition of Viking raids on unfortunates in Europe, the reader is instead treated to a view of the complex society that existed amongst a people who have been maligned as barbarians for far too long.
Ranging from Byzantium to the Faeroe Isles, the tale follows Sven, a dispossesed warrior returning to his home to reclaim what he see as his birthright and take revenge on those who cast him out.
But rather than a raving berzerker, Sven is a cultured man who disdains the customs and religion of the people he was forced to leave behind. This allows the reader to see the Norse through the eyes of one who understands them but does not apologise for the flaws in their habits.
Read this if you want a violent, gritty, bitter but ultimately insightful and inspiring tale of betrayal, revenge and humanity.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Cover art can be so important and sometimes it can be misleading. I'm of the opionion that cover art should reflect the style of art within the comic / graphic novel itself, in some way. I've picked up a comic on the cover alone only to put it straight back down again on seeing the inside pages.
Not this time.
A world-wise warrior returns to his homeland, but for what reason? Is it revenge? Or to claim his birthright? Does he care about these things at all? One thing is for sure, his return bodes for change for his old life, and ushers in a new.
While the tale follows some regular themes, it's well told and grounded. It portrays a harsh life for those of the north, to which Sven returns. His enemy, his uncle who has taken rulership of the clan as his own and abused this power, is a regular bad guy ruling by fear and intimidation.
Sven is no white knight however, with a sketchy past and an uncertain future and certainly morally challenged. However, there is a noble streak in him and this comes to the fore during the tale.
The story is well written and the art is very nice (in a gritty sort of way), helping set the atmosphere of the grim north in the hardy linework and the subdued colour.
It's a swords without the sorcery take on the viking way of life which is so common at the moment, but it is handled with style. The Bernard Cornwell of comics if you will. So if that's your bag then you'll probably rate it five stars over my four.
I do look forward to the second volume, though I'm guessing that it's a standalone story with different characters, as this first book rounds off rather well. Here's hoping it's the same creative team aswell.
Not this time.
A world-wise warrior returns to his homeland, but for what reason? Is it revenge? Or to claim his birthright? Does he care about these things at all? One thing is for sure, his return bodes for change for his old life, and ushers in a new.
While the tale follows some regular themes, it's well told and grounded. It portrays a harsh life for those of the north, to which Sven returns. His enemy, his uncle who has taken rulership of the clan as his own and abused this power, is a regular bad guy ruling by fear and intimidation.
Sven is no white knight however, with a sketchy past and an uncertain future and certainly morally challenged. However, there is a noble streak in him and this comes to the fore during the tale.
The story is well written and the art is very nice (in a gritty sort of way), helping set the atmosphere of the grim north in the hardy linework and the subdued colour.
It's a swords without the sorcery take on the viking way of life which is so common at the moment, but it is handled with style. The Bernard Cornwell of comics if you will. So if that's your bag then you'll probably rate it five stars over my four.
I do look forward to the second volume, though I'm guessing that it's a standalone story with different characters, as this first book rounds off rather well. Here's hoping it's the same creative team aswell.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Sven is a gritty hard bitten warrior who returns to Orkney to reclaim his birth right from his pagan uncle.
I very much enjoyed the artwork and there has obviously been a decent amount of research into the subject which makes a few of the art mistakes a bit hard to excuse. If you know a fair bit about the culture of the Norse lands in this time period you will probably see them they don't really detract from the story overly. The vikings look like kind of skate punk vikings which I really quite liked, it's vibrant well paced and well laid out. Four stars for the art.
The story is pretty standard stuff and fits in quite well with stories from the Norse sagas, the characterisation however is strikingly contemporary. This to me was a bit of a problem as Sven's opinions and motivation seemed utterly 21st century. His atheist, rational, realistic mind just doesn't fit in a medieval world and really seemed like poor piece of writing, or a clumsy attempt to get the audience to identify with him. I have to admit that I found much of the violence overdone and the swearing comes across as totally gratuitous and jarring. However I could see the germ of something good here and went on to buy more of the series.
I very much enjoyed the artwork and there has obviously been a decent amount of research into the subject which makes a few of the art mistakes a bit hard to excuse. If you know a fair bit about the culture of the Norse lands in this time period you will probably see them they don't really detract from the story overly. The vikings look like kind of skate punk vikings which I really quite liked, it's vibrant well paced and well laid out. Four stars for the art.
The story is pretty standard stuff and fits in quite well with stories from the Norse sagas, the characterisation however is strikingly contemporary. This to me was a bit of a problem as Sven's opinions and motivation seemed utterly 21st century. His atheist, rational, realistic mind just doesn't fit in a medieval world and really seemed like poor piece of writing, or a clumsy attempt to get the audience to identify with him. I have to admit that I found much of the violence overdone and the swearing comes across as totally gratuitous and jarring. However I could see the germ of something good here and went on to buy more of the series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vikings, Scots and Witches Done Beautifully
This just became my third-favourite graphic novel of all time (behind ABC Warriors: Khronicles of Khaos AND Hellbringer (2000 AD) and Slaine: The Horned God (2000 AD)). Read more
Published 17 months ago by HeavyMetalMonty
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blood and ice
It's the 10th century AD in the cold lands of the North, the Orkney Islands. Years after leaving his village of Grimness (haha, great name for a miserable place - nice to see some... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Noel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Man of Iron
A thoroughly entertaining tale of a returning anti hero. He isn't the nicest person in the world but unlike most characters in comics he does seem like a real person. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2011 by The Emperor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning
Picked this up at my local library, sucked in by the cover art (and also the fact that I love the author's other series; DMZ). Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2010 by R. McCardle
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worthy of your time
An interesting take on the vikings - the artwork is excellent and although the writing occasionally lets it down, it is definitely worth a read.
Published on 24 May 2010 by Mr. Robert Griggs
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