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Northlanders #3 of New Edition
Northlanders, Book 3: The European Saga
Brian Wood's NORTHLANDERS BOOK 3 is the final of three volumes chronicling the entire NORTHLANDERS saga!A collection of Viking stories taking place across the Europe. An isolated Viking settlement falls prey to violent contagion just as the Northern winter starts to set in.
Mixing equal parts crime, history and survival fiction, this is the most brutal NORTHLANDERS story to date!
Collects NORTHLANDERS #17, #21-28, #30-34, #37-40.
Mixing equal parts crime, history and survival fiction, this is the most brutal NORTHLANDERS story to date!
Collects NORTHLANDERS #17, #21-28, #30-34, #37-40.
424 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
4 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Brian Wood
1,174 books961 followersBrian Wood's history of published work includes over fifty volumes of genre-spanning original material.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 8, 2025
Dark stories!
August 29, 2018
Read this in one sitting tonight. Ive loved this series so far but I felt this book had the weakest stories. None really amazed me like the previous books. Fun informative viking stories but this one just felt like it ran out of steam.
December 28, 2024
La calificación más alta va para toda la saga en general. Desconozco si el rigor histórico es fiel, pero las historias, la ambientación, la problemática, todo es muy creíble y ajustado a esa época.
Las historias cortas mucho no dicen y las largas quizá se estiren demasiado y no es un problema ya que se se aprovecha la mayor extensión para un mejor lucimiento del dibujo y una narrativa compleja y dramática.
Brian Wood hace gala de su moderna narración secuencial dándole el ritmo adecuado para que se vuelva adictivo.
Los dibujantes podrían llamarse de la rama del feísmo que encajan de manera inmejorable en toda la saga.
Excelente lectura.
Las historias cortas mucho no dicen y las largas quizá se estiren demasiado y no es un problema ya que se se aprovecha la mayor extensión para un mejor lucimiento del dibujo y una narrativa compleja y dramática.
Brian Wood hace gala de su moderna narración secuencial dándole el ritmo adecuado para que se vuelva adictivo.
Los dibujantes podrían llamarse de la rama del feísmo que encajan de manera inmejorable en toda la saga.
Excelente lectura.
December 16, 2019
There were some good bits, but largely too damn grim even for Viking tales.
March 15, 2018
Following
Northlanders Book 1: The Anglo-Saxon Saga
, which collects the stories set England and Ireland between A.D. 793 and A.D. 1014, and Northlanders Book 2: The Icelandic Saga , collecting those from the Faroe Islands and Iceland between A.D. 760 and A.D. 1260, Northlanders Book 3: The European wraps these collected editions of Brian Wood's intriguing Viking comics and contains narratives taking place on the European continent (including Scandinavia).
The book opens with a prelude, the single issue story, "The Viking Art of Single Combat" (from issue #17), with art by Vasilis Lolos. Set in Northern Europe, AD 790-1100, the story in many ways reads like a historian's description of traditions and techniques spanning some 200 years, while illustrating it with a battle between two champions. The result is interesting if not by any means mind-blowing. I would say it is a solid three stars story.
Next up us a five part narrative entitled Metal (#30-34) and with very nice art by Riccardo Burchielli. The tale takes us to Norway in AD 700, and opens quite interestingly, but then takes a left turn into fantastic fiction. Now, do not get me wrong here, I am by no means a hater of speculative fiction in its various forms, but it seems a mismatch with the overall series. In fact, these elements initially suggests themselves as drug hallucinations, which works quite well in narrative terms, but the further into the plot we are taken, the less likely or even possible such explanations seem. And quite frankly, despite my really liking Burchielli's art, and not finding any faults in the storytelling per se, it entirely collapses my suspension of disbelief to the point where I simply become annoyed with the story. In terms of stars, this pushes it down to somewhere between two and a half stars, and a very weak three stars rating. Sadly.
The three-parter The Siege of Paris (#37-39) picks things up a notch again. With art by Simon Gane, we are tossed straight into a siege of Paris in AD 885, and follow one of the Vikings, Mads, outside the walls. The story is told by Mads, and this works very well to convey the sensations and disappointments of the siege, as it slowly wears down both parties. Three and a half stars.
In the single issue narrative, "The Hunt" (#40), there are two narrators: a distanced third person narrator setting the story up, and the protagonist's internal monologue in differently coloured captions. Set in Sweden, circa AD 1000, we follow a hunter obsessively tracking a deer through a frozen wilderness. The resulting tale is quite existential, and Matthew Woodson's art is highly suitable to drive this short piece all the way home and earn four stars.
Finally, the volume ends with the epic eight-parter The Plague Widow (#21-28), with art by the great Leandro Fernandez. Here we follow a small community by the Volga in AD 1020, as plague sweeps through the country. In order to save the community, the priest Boris convinces the old Lord to close the gates to outsiders until the contagion has passed. The narrative is an ensemble piece in which the aforementioned priest and his opposite number, Gunborg, who is the strong man in the village, serving directly under their Lord and the council (but perhaps mostly serving his own interests), are central to the narrative. The protagonist position, however, is arguably held by narrator Hilda, the eponymous widow, who is trying to survive together with her daughter, Karin, in the wake of her husband's passing in the plague. This is a strong story to close with, and like the second book in this series, it leaves off on a tremendously high note and four and half stars.
On the whole, the overall grade lands on the same as the preceding volumes, four stars, and the I am very happy to have read this Viking series in full.
The book opens with a prelude, the single issue story, "The Viking Art of Single Combat" (from issue #17), with art by Vasilis Lolos. Set in Northern Europe, AD 790-1100, the story in many ways reads like a historian's description of traditions and techniques spanning some 200 years, while illustrating it with a battle between two champions. The result is interesting if not by any means mind-blowing. I would say it is a solid three stars story.
Next up us a five part narrative entitled Metal (#30-34) and with very nice art by Riccardo Burchielli. The tale takes us to Norway in AD 700, and opens quite interestingly, but then takes a left turn into fantastic fiction. Now, do not get me wrong here, I am by no means a hater of speculative fiction in its various forms, but it seems a mismatch with the overall series. In fact, these elements initially suggests themselves as drug hallucinations, which works quite well in narrative terms, but the further into the plot we are taken, the less likely or even possible such explanations seem. And quite frankly, despite my really liking Burchielli's art, and not finding any faults in the storytelling per se, it entirely collapses my suspension of disbelief to the point where I simply become annoyed with the story. In terms of stars, this pushes it down to somewhere between two and a half stars, and a very weak three stars rating. Sadly.
The three-parter The Siege of Paris (#37-39) picks things up a notch again. With art by Simon Gane, we are tossed straight into a siege of Paris in AD 885, and follow one of the Vikings, Mads, outside the walls. The story is told by Mads, and this works very well to convey the sensations and disappointments of the siege, as it slowly wears down both parties. Three and a half stars.
In the single issue narrative, "The Hunt" (#40), there are two narrators: a distanced third person narrator setting the story up, and the protagonist's internal monologue in differently coloured captions. Set in Sweden, circa AD 1000, we follow a hunter obsessively tracking a deer through a frozen wilderness. The resulting tale is quite existential, and Matthew Woodson's art is highly suitable to drive this short piece all the way home and earn four stars.
Finally, the volume ends with the epic eight-parter The Plague Widow (#21-28), with art by the great Leandro Fernandez. Here we follow a small community by the Volga in AD 1020, as plague sweeps through the country. In order to save the community, the priest Boris convinces the old Lord to close the gates to outsiders until the contagion has passed. The narrative is an ensemble piece in which the aforementioned priest and his opposite number, Gunborg, who is the strong man in the village, serving directly under their Lord and the council (but perhaps mostly serving his own interests), are central to the narrative. The protagonist position, however, is arguably held by narrator Hilda, the eponymous widow, who is trying to survive together with her daughter, Karin, in the wake of her husband's passing in the plague. This is a strong story to close with, and like the second book in this series, it leaves off on a tremendously high note and four and half stars.
On the whole, the overall grade lands on the same as the preceding volumes, four stars, and the I am very happy to have read this Viking series in full.
October 24, 2021
(4 of 5 for this great "Nordic saga" finale)
I would say the third compilation is the weakest one, but it's more complicated.
The first short story about fight duels is neat. Vasilis Lolols carries some Becky Cloonan vibes in his art and I like it. The "story", which is more like Discovery documentary's observation, is nice, but it could be boring for someone.
Second, Metal, which has nice art With a very "Europe comics" feeling, leans a bit to the fantasy (but not compromising the "historical take") and even it's fun and adventurous, it's somehow weak.
With Siege of Paris, it takes better quality. The art is fun, more cartoonish but still cure enough to fit the theme, the story is fun, engaging and I loved the ending.
And then The Hunt came. First, I disliked the art. The scenes and compositions are perfect, but the colouring wasn't my cup of tea. But then the story took me - it's one of that "man tears" stories which hits right into my underbelly. The story of survival in the dark moment of the life shared between one desperate hunter and one lone stag is just touching. It's something which is directly aimed at men's feelings and for me it worked. Shamefully except the art...
The last one is Plague Widow - is a story with very "Vikings" (the TV series) vibes and very fine art. The story is great - plague, dead cold and power struggle torments the one lonely settlement on Volga river. The story unveils in perfect tempo and it's very engaging. I would say this is the best story in this volume, by far.
Overall, European saga is a great comic, especially if you're into medieval/Viking themes. The cover arts included here are beautiful wallpaper material, as in the previous book.
Underline for the whole series - if I missed Northlanders in my reading, it would be a great loss. I love the theme, Wood is a great writer and many fine artists lend their hands to his goal ant the result is magnificent.
I would say the third compilation is the weakest one, but it's more complicated.
The first short story about fight duels is neat. Vasilis Lolols carries some Becky Cloonan vibes in his art and I like it. The "story", which is more like Discovery documentary's observation, is nice, but it could be boring for someone.
Second, Metal, which has nice art With a very "Europe comics" feeling, leans a bit to the fantasy (but not compromising the "historical take") and even it's fun and adventurous, it's somehow weak.
With Siege of Paris, it takes better quality. The art is fun, more cartoonish but still cure enough to fit the theme, the story is fun, engaging and I loved the ending.
And then The Hunt came. First, I disliked the art. The scenes and compositions are perfect, but the colouring wasn't my cup of tea. But then the story took me - it's one of that "man tears" stories which hits right into my underbelly. The story of survival in the dark moment of the life shared between one desperate hunter and one lone stag is just touching. It's something which is directly aimed at men's feelings and for me it worked. Shamefully except the art...
The last one is Plague Widow - is a story with very "Vikings" (the TV series) vibes and very fine art. The story is great - plague, dead cold and power struggle torments the one lonely settlement on Volga river. The story unveils in perfect tempo and it's very engaging. I would say this is the best story in this volume, by far.
Overall, European saga is a great comic, especially if you're into medieval/Viking themes. The cover arts included here are beautiful wallpaper material, as in the previous book.
Underline for the whole series - if I missed Northlanders in my reading, it would be a great loss. I love the theme, Wood is a great writer and many fine artists lend their hands to his goal ant the result is magnificent.
December 26, 2017
These Northlander graphic novels are some of the best stories I've read.
September 8, 2019
The Viking Art of Single Combat (#17). Two men fight for their clans. Wood does work to make this a foundational story by giving some great details and on how their clans and lands work, but ultimately it's just fighting mixed with infodump [3/5].
Metal (#30-34). This is a good story of the Christians slowly taking over the Viking lands, demonstrating an inevitable shift of powers. It takes the somewhat delusional form of a young blacksmith who believes that the gods are really talking to him, and that he's really fighting an undead horror. It's kind of tough to figure out what to make of all of that, but nonetheless it's a strong story with good characters [4/5].
The Siege of Paris (#37-39). A pretty personal look at a Viking "hero": who he is, what he does, why, and what the results are. It really shows how Wood's Northlanders is an innovative war comic, demonstrating its horrors and lack of humanity, but in a very different setting. And, Wood does a great job of portraying our main characters here [4/5].
The Hunt (#40). A simple but touching story of a hunter and his prey [4+/5].
The Plague Wife (#21-28). One of Wood's best stories. It tells about how humanity reacts in the worst of conditions: how some of us become monsters and some heroes, and how most fight to survive. The gradually changing circumstances during the Plague Winter tell a nicely episodic story in eight parts that keeps the reader ever wanting to learn what happens next [5/5].
Metal (#30-34). This is a good story of the Christians slowly taking over the Viking lands, demonstrating an inevitable shift of powers. It takes the somewhat delusional form of a young blacksmith who believes that the gods are really talking to him, and that he's really fighting an undead horror. It's kind of tough to figure out what to make of all of that, but nonetheless it's a strong story with good characters [4/5].
The Siege of Paris (#37-39). A pretty personal look at a Viking "hero": who he is, what he does, why, and what the results are. It really shows how Wood's Northlanders is an innovative war comic, demonstrating its horrors and lack of humanity, but in a very different setting. And, Wood does a great job of portraying our main characters here [4/5].
The Hunt (#40). A simple but touching story of a hunter and his prey [4+/5].
The Plague Wife (#21-28). One of Wood's best stories. It tells about how humanity reacts in the worst of conditions: how some of us become monsters and some heroes, and how most fight to survive. The gradually changing circumstances during the Plague Winter tell a nicely episodic story in eight parts that keeps the reader ever wanting to learn what happens next [5/5].
May 26, 2020
Super violent and masculine, but that's not unexpected in a story about vikings.
I picked it up for my husband because the art style is beautiful in a bleak sort of way. The writing is dark and poetic; violence is treated with weight and depth. The moral landscape isn't exactly divided into heros and villains, but rather opposing warriors--still, it's interesting that the christians as a group oppose the POV protagonist in the first story.
A hunter tracks a majestic deer through the frigid north. Beautiful and sad. A settlement closes its gates against a plague in a desperate winter. If you're trying not to read anything with disease/pandemics because of recent events, warning that this is pretty gruesomely situated in that sort of thing. It's just one story in the book but it's the longest story.
Pretty, but somber set of short stories. I enjoyed it but I'm not running out to chase down other books by this author.
I picked it up for my husband because the art style is beautiful in a bleak sort of way. The writing is dark and poetic; violence is treated with weight and depth. The moral landscape isn't exactly divided into heros and villains, but rather opposing warriors--still, it's interesting that the christians as a group oppose the POV protagonist in the first story.
A hunter tracks a majestic deer through the frigid north. Beautiful and sad. A settlement closes its gates against a plague in a desperate winter. If you're trying not to read anything with disease/pandemics because of recent events, warning that this is pretty gruesomely situated in that sort of thing. It's just one story in the book but it's the longest story.
Pretty, but somber set of short stories. I enjoyed it but I'm not running out to chase down other books by this author.
October 1, 2021
** Review for all three volumes of this collection **
Well-drawn graphic novel with original setting. Very promising premise, somewhat disappointing execution. All the characters are essentially modern people put in Viking era. They speak, think and behave like modern people. Some degree of historicity here and there, overall much more fiction than history.
Well-drawn graphic novel with original setting. Very promising premise, somewhat disappointing execution. All the characters are essentially modern people put in Viking era. They speak, think and behave like modern people. Some degree of historicity here and there, overall much more fiction than history.
August 9, 2022
Great end to this series. Gritty, ruthless, first hand look at Viking life. I would have preferred more Norse mythology (there were some stories throughout the series) but a solid 4/5 8/10 for the whole series.
August 7, 2022
3 tom słabszy od dwóch pierwszych, ale warto poświęcić na niego trochę czasu.
December 2, 2023
just when you thought it couldn't get grimmer, it does!
May 7, 2025
A nawet 4,5* - za ostatnią opowieść "Morowa wdowa", najlepszą z całego tomu.
July 7, 2019
The sickness came with first snow. The dead bodies followed soon after.
The Plague Widow, The Volga, 1020AD: The plague comes to a large settlement. A woman and her child struggle to survive after her husband, one of the Settlement Heads, dies. Without the protection of her husband, the woman struggles to survive the machinations of the power hungry town muscle. To prevent the spread of plague, the town is placed under quarantine for the duration of winter. Foodstores and wood supplies run low, things get desperate. The only friend she has is murdered. The men go mad ...
The Hunt, Sweden 1000AD: A hunter follows a stag far beyond the bounds of his normal hunting grounds. He won't return home without the kill, He can't return home without food to take his family through the harsh winter. The hunter nearly freezes to death while following his prey. And when the hunter finally catches up to the stag
There are a few stories in Book 3, but it's The Plague Widow & The Hunt that really stood out for me. Both stories highlight the lengths that we can go to in desperate times. The horrors and feats we are capable of if put in the right circumstances. These stories explore how, sometimes, in an effort to survive we have to step right up to the edge of the abyss, look directly into its big black eye and tell it to fuck right off.
My rating: 3.5 plague ships out of 5
The Plague Widow, The Volga, 1020AD: The plague comes to a large settlement. A woman and her child struggle to survive after her husband, one of the Settlement Heads, dies. Without the protection of her husband, the woman struggles to survive the machinations of the power hungry town muscle. To prevent the spread of plague, the town is placed under quarantine for the duration of winter. Foodstores and wood supplies run low, things get desperate. The only friend she has is murdered. The men go mad ...
The Hunt, Sweden 1000AD: A hunter follows a stag far beyond the bounds of his normal hunting grounds. He won't return home without the kill, He can't return home without food to take his family through the harsh winter. The hunter nearly freezes to death while following his prey. And when the hunter finally catches up to the stag
There are a few stories in Book 3, but it's The Plague Widow & The Hunt that really stood out for me. Both stories highlight the lengths that we can go to in desperate times. The horrors and feats we are capable of if put in the right circumstances. These stories explore how, sometimes, in an effort to survive we have to step right up to the edge of the abyss, look directly into its big black eye and tell it to fuck right off.
My rating: 3.5 plague ships out of 5
December 31, 2018
4.5
This had moments of sublime brilliance.
I loved the prelude. It set the stage very well. When I read it, I was kinda thinking this would be the best one in the series.
The second chapter was “Metal.” I really liked it, even though it seemed almost like a carbon copy of some of the stories in earlier volumes.
The siege of paris was an overly long, bland let down. I had to slog through it. I lost interest in the story.
That’s ok though, because the next story, The Hunt, was really neat.
The real gem was the final story, “The Plague Widow.” I LOVED this. It is one of the best stories of the whole series. I was glued to the pages. It was dramatic, nerve wracking, exciting, emotional, and it didn’t even leave me feeling depressed, like every other Northlanders tale! It was great!
Once again, like every book in the series, the art was beyond top notch. The matte pages added to the feeling of quality and the color work was engaging.
This series is a comic book diamond. It’s brilliant. If you like pictures and words... this is a must read. I’m gonna miss this series. I may have to reread it soon.
Luckily, I haven’t read Brian Wood’s Black Road yet, so I have that to look forward to! This guy is a genius!
This had moments of sublime brilliance.
I loved the prelude. It set the stage very well. When I read it, I was kinda thinking this would be the best one in the series.
The second chapter was “Metal.” I really liked it, even though it seemed almost like a carbon copy of some of the stories in earlier volumes.
The siege of paris was an overly long, bland let down. I had to slog through it. I lost interest in the story.
That’s ok though, because the next story, The Hunt, was really neat.
The real gem was the final story, “The Plague Widow.” I LOVED this. It is one of the best stories of the whole series. I was glued to the pages. It was dramatic, nerve wracking, exciting, emotional, and it didn’t even leave me feeling depressed, like every other Northlanders tale! It was great!
Once again, like every book in the series, the art was beyond top notch. The matte pages added to the feeling of quality and the color work was engaging.
This series is a comic book diamond. It’s brilliant. If you like pictures and words... this is a must read. I’m gonna miss this series. I may have to reread it soon.
Luckily, I haven’t read Brian Wood’s Black Road yet, so I have that to look forward to! This guy is a genius!
December 5, 2017
I love these books. Not necessarily every story in them, but as a whole I think it’s incredibly well done and also consistent. Brian wood has a great imagination and his take on what life was like for a northlander gave me great perspective. Add on the great artwork and it really lets you imagine their life and hardships. Great work. 5 stars.
March 7, 2020
Jako całość zbiór prezentuje się całkiem dobrze, mimo że zawarte w nim opowieści są trochę nierówne. Z pewnością stanowi bardzo dobre zwieńczenie całej serii. Fanom Wikingów gorąco polecam wszystkie tomy. To też dobry pomysł na rozpoczęcie dorosłej przygody z komiksem
Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2020/02/l...
Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2020/02/l...
June 28, 2020
Another solid mix of Viking tales. I enjoyed the two single issue stories of a deer hunt and a duel. The Plague Widow was the standout, while The Siege of Paris was enjoyable and Metal was maybe the weakest of the entire Northlanders series. Doesn't quite match the highs of the previous volumes, but still better than any other Viking comics I've read so far.
October 9, 2018
Giving this volume that 4th star because I thought the writing was better here than v2 and I enjoyed the series in its entirety. Plague Widow conclusion had been done before and was not done cleverer here.
October 19, 2018
Not quite as thoroughly amazing as the previous volume, however exquisitely drawn and plotted. My only complaint is that the plague Widow story ended very abruptly after an almost epic run. I highly recommend this series.
April 8, 2019
5-.
Trochę nie przypadło mi do gustu zakończenie ostatniej opowieści. Ale i tak całość jak i poszczególne historie wygrywają mrokiem i brakiem nadziei. Być może Wood nieco z tym klimatem przesadzał. Jednak chyba potrzebowałem takiej smoły na moje czarne serce.
Trochę nie przypadło mi do gustu zakończenie ostatniej opowieści. Ale i tak całość jak i poszczególne historie wygrywają mrokiem i brakiem nadziei. Być może Wood nieco z tym klimatem przesadzał. Jednak chyba potrzebowałem takiej smoły na moje czarne serce.
August 13, 2024
Not every story or artist fully convinced me, but it was refreshing to see narratives that didn't focus on heroic men and conquest.
The one about the hunter pursuing the deer was the most impressive.
The one about the hunter pursuing the deer was the most impressive.
December 30, 2017
Gripping stories, gorgeous artwork. Nuff said.
November 25, 2018
Grim reading but very good.
July 15, 2019
Great. Especially the final story, the 8 part "The Plague Widow".
December 7, 2020
Did not finish, way more wars than the previous books...
August 8, 2023
I've mostly enjoyed Brian Wood's anthology on Vikings, but "The European Saga" collects the weakest of all the stories in my opinion. Collected here are "The Viking Art of Single Combat", "The Plague Widow", "Metal", "The Siege of Paris" and "The Hunt".
Of these, "Metal" was perhaps my favorite. It follows a Dane blacksmith who steals away a Christian woman who has been enslaved by corrupt missionaries. Erik and Ingrid evade their pursuers in the hopes of making a better life for themselves, but Erik finds that he has to go full scorched earth to achieve salvation. Riccardo Burchielli's artwork is pretty solid throughout, allowing for the action to shine and the expressiveness of the characters to really come through.
"The Viking Art of Single Combat" was pretty decent as well, and it mostly works because it's a single issue story about two warring clans who each send out a warrior to settle the blood feud. Though this is the biggest moment in both these champions' lives, it's apparent to everyone else that the feud will continue irrespective of the outcome. Probably the most poignant of the stories collected here.
"The Siege of Paris" follows a regular grunt's perspective of the conflict and it does feature some nice artwork by Simon Gane, but the story was pretty drawn out and got dull quickly. "The Plague Widow" is about the harsh environments in which the Danish settlers had to carve out a life in, which seems like an interest avenue to explore, but was a chore to get through. The artwork by Leandro Fernandez here didn't really evoke the bleakness of the land all that well. "The Hunt" was also pretty forgettable all around.
Overall though, I'd give the series a positive review even if these stories weren't the strongest. An anthology style approach to historical fiction comics was a refreshing take, even if the quality varied significantly across the 50 issue run. I can easily see myself coming back to some of the better issues down the line again.
Of these, "Metal" was perhaps my favorite. It follows a Dane blacksmith who steals away a Christian woman who has been enslaved by corrupt missionaries. Erik and Ingrid evade their pursuers in the hopes of making a better life for themselves, but Erik finds that he has to go full scorched earth to achieve salvation. Riccardo Burchielli's artwork is pretty solid throughout, allowing for the action to shine and the expressiveness of the characters to really come through.
"The Viking Art of Single Combat" was pretty decent as well, and it mostly works because it's a single issue story about two warring clans who each send out a warrior to settle the blood feud. Though this is the biggest moment in both these champions' lives, it's apparent to everyone else that the feud will continue irrespective of the outcome. Probably the most poignant of the stories collected here.
"The Siege of Paris" follows a regular grunt's perspective of the conflict and it does feature some nice artwork by Simon Gane, but the story was pretty drawn out and got dull quickly. "The Plague Widow" is about the harsh environments in which the Danish settlers had to carve out a life in, which seems like an interest avenue to explore, but was a chore to get through. The artwork by Leandro Fernandez here didn't really evoke the bleakness of the land all that well. "The Hunt" was also pretty forgettable all around.
Overall though, I'd give the series a positive review even if these stories weren't the strongest. An anthology style approach to historical fiction comics was a refreshing take, even if the quality varied significantly across the 50 issue run. I can easily see myself coming back to some of the better issues down the line again.
April 30, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
Northlanders: The European Saga
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4/5
Northlanders: The European Saga is a powerful and thought-provoking addition to Brian Wood’s acclaimed series, diving deep into the brutal, often bleak realities of Viking-era Europe. This volume shifts the spotlight across various European settings, weaving together standalone stories that explore identity, honour, conflict, and survival in an unforgiving age.
Wood’s writing continues to shine with gritty authenticity, blending historical research with sharp, human storytelling. Each narrative feels fresh, yet thematically unified by the series’ overarching exploration of Norse life beyond the typical pillaging stereotypes. The characters are complex, morally conflicted, and grounded in the harsh environments they inhabit.
Artistically, the book is a triumph. With contributors like Leandro Fernández and Riccardo Burchielli, the visuals range from stark and raw, capturing both the desolation and beauty of medieval Europe. The artwork enhances the emotional resonance of each story, whether it’s a tale of vengeance, family, or doomed resistance.
The European Saga stands out as both a historical drama and a work of literary depth. It doesn’t romanticise the past, it confronts it. And in doing so, it offers something rare, a Viking story with heart, tragedy, and insight. It’s the finale to a great series, only bettered by the previous books. I found this book a little disjointed, and the larger story that concludes this book, lacks the intensity required to create a masterpiece series.
#northlanders#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#brianwood#book#vertigocomics#graphicnovel
Northlanders: The European Saga
2009
Graphic Novel
Rating: 4/5
Northlanders: The European Saga is a powerful and thought-provoking addition to Brian Wood’s acclaimed series, diving deep into the brutal, often bleak realities of Viking-era Europe. This volume shifts the spotlight across various European settings, weaving together standalone stories that explore identity, honour, conflict, and survival in an unforgiving age.
Wood’s writing continues to shine with gritty authenticity, blending historical research with sharp, human storytelling. Each narrative feels fresh, yet thematically unified by the series’ overarching exploration of Norse life beyond the typical pillaging stereotypes. The characters are complex, morally conflicted, and grounded in the harsh environments they inhabit.
Artistically, the book is a triumph. With contributors like Leandro Fernández and Riccardo Burchielli, the visuals range from stark and raw, capturing both the desolation and beauty of medieval Europe. The artwork enhances the emotional resonance of each story, whether it’s a tale of vengeance, family, or doomed resistance.
The European Saga stands out as both a historical drama and a work of literary depth. It doesn’t romanticise the past, it confronts it. And in doing so, it offers something rare, a Viking story with heart, tragedy, and insight. It’s the finale to a great series, only bettered by the previous books. I found this book a little disjointed, and the larger story that concludes this book, lacks the intensity required to create a masterpiece series.
#northlanders#2009#comics#comicbooks#comicbookcommunity#comicbooklover#booklover#bookworm#comicbookreview#comicbookcollection#comicbookcollector#comicbookcollecting#dupreewenttothemovies#books#bookrecommendations#readingtime#readingaddict#readingcommunity#readinglist#readingbooks#readingisfun#alwaysreading#ilovereading#lovereading#readreadread#readersgonnaread#brianwood#book#vertigocomics#graphicnovel
August 6, 2023
Brian Wood's Northlanders is meant to render half a century’s worth of Viking history into packed vignettes dealing with the struggles of the Angles, the Saxons and eventually the Christians.
Even though this is the second volume of Northlanders, it would be the 3rd chronologically.
We are treated to a concluding story to the Sven of Orkney saga (from Northlanders, Vol. 1: Sven the Returned) with “Sven the Immortal”, with an older Sven defending his island against Viking pillagers who wish to test their mettle against a retired legend.
However, if you are coming to Volume 3, it is for the Icelandic trilogy: 300 years of generations of mainlanders migrating to Iceland to find a refuge from the King of Norway. Enmities between families start to flare up and we find ourselves following the Hauksson lineage and their multigenerational rivals, the Belgarssons. Eventually Christianity starts to drive its way into Iceland, polarizing each side further.
Through the trilogy we meet Ulf, Brida and Oskar – Haukssons of their respective eras.
The themes of sons exiling fathers to wrest control , as well as the argument of slowly gaining power for the Haukssons versus the abrupt wresting of it through warfare are repeated over generations.
The Icelandic Trilogy is clearly the best storytelling in all of the Northlanders series.
Stories in this volume
1 The Girl in the Ice
2 Sven the Immortal
3 Icelandic Trilogy
Even though this is the second volume of Northlanders, it would be the 3rd chronologically.
We are treated to a concluding story to the Sven of Orkney saga (from Northlanders, Vol. 1: Sven the Returned) with “Sven the Immortal”, with an older Sven defending his island against Viking pillagers who wish to test their mettle against a retired legend.
However, if you are coming to Volume 3, it is for the Icelandic trilogy: 300 years of generations of mainlanders migrating to Iceland to find a refuge from the King of Norway. Enmities between families start to flare up and we find ourselves following the Hauksson lineage and their multigenerational rivals, the Belgarssons. Eventually Christianity starts to drive its way into Iceland, polarizing each side further.
Through the trilogy we meet Ulf, Brida and Oskar – Haukssons of their respective eras.
The themes of sons exiling fathers to wrest control , as well as the argument of slowly gaining power for the Haukssons versus the abrupt wresting of it through warfare are repeated over generations.
The Icelandic Trilogy is clearly the best storytelling in all of the Northlanders series.
Stories in this volume
1 The Girl in the Ice
2 Sven the Immortal
3 Icelandic Trilogy
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