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ヴィンランド・サガ [Vinland Saga] #9-10
Saga winlandzka, tom 5
Los rzuca Thorfinna do Danii, gdzie jego życie jest zupełnie odmienne od tego, które wiódł do tej pory. Nie oznacza to jednak, że jest łatwiejsze czy przyjemniejsze, wręcz przeciwnie, tutaj też każdy dzień jest tak naprawdę dla bohatera niekończącą się walką - nie tylko z innymi, ale również z samym sobą i demonami przeszłości.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2014
112 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
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September 6, 2025
In my solitude, you haunt me / With reveries, of days gone by / In my solitude, you taunt me / With memories, that never die (Solitude – Billie Holiday).
Hey, I have a serious problem... I can’t stop reading this manga, send help! Don’t worry though, I won’t write a review for every single installment, because flooding people’s timelines isn't something I'm trying to do, I wouldn't do you like that, but just know that my “books read” page on here is just going to be a thousand volumes of Vinland Saga. It’s aaa~aaalll about Vinland Saga right now! Anyway, as much as I’m still enjoying this manga and really commend the author for his ability to switch up the genre without things seeming too jarring, my selfish brain is wondering if it’s too late to take back all I said last time about pacifism being the way to go? Because I wouldn’t be unhappy if Thorfinn just decided to go ham on some of these people. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, because where we’re at in the story is markedly different than the first arc (spoilers, but not really considering the blurb outright states this fact) as the man Thorfinn set out to kill, Askeladd, was taken out of the picture by somebody other than him, thus removing his sense of purpose. And because the pure hatred that fueled him for over ten years had nowhere else to go, it all fizzled out like a popped balloon. In this aimlessness, our main man basically becomes a mindless husk and ends up as a slave to some farm dynasty guy who the story tries to portray as a “benevolent slave owner” (yeah, no) who will give his slaves freedom and their own patch of land if they work hard to clear it themselves. Good deal or not, at this point Thorfinn couldn’t give less of a shit seeing as he’s just going through the motions, and I can’t lie that this part of the story got a little tiresome for me. People always talk about “not wanting anything bad happening to their favs” and blah blah blah, but I’m the exact opposite, put that man in an situation, I say! This is still a story, and things need to happen! Preferably with the main character being somewhat involved in the narrative, right? Because as it stands, right now Thorfinn is like the historical predecessor of a “react Twitch streamer!” You know the ones, the blood sucking parasites that just spend nine hours of their stream watching other people’s content with their only additions being a little “oh damn” here or a “that’s crazy thrown in every now and then. Brainless autonomous like Thorfinn at this point in the story, and you just want scream at them… DO something! Anything!! Of course, that’s not to say I don’t enjoy this manga’s writing anymore, because I actually did think it was an inspired choice to take Thorfinn’s arc in this direction even if the presentation wasn’t all to my liking. Anybody can write a John Wick revenge story, but the more important question to ask is who this character is afterwards. It’s that classic story telling 101 thing, where if you’re writing a character, then take away the one thing that makes them… them, and then see where to go from there.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed how Askeladd has become this kind of twisted Obi-Wan force ghost in Thorfinn’s haunted nightmares, guiding him on the path of the “true warrior” (which is a common motif in throughout the narrative), because it’s like, that’s definitely not the kind of man Askeladd was in life. I mean, I thought it was an odd choice at first to have him dole out advice rather than his father, who was, you know, the actual true warrior within the setting, but I guess it just further highlights the pointlessness of revenge seeing as Thorfinn spent ten years trying to kill Askeladd and never paid enough attention to at least learn what kind of man he was. Now, as for the whole “I shall not fight” bullshit, I know the author is trying to make a point about how foolish pride is… but come on now! There’s got to be a middle ground between “I want to kill everything” and “I will literally lick boots for nothing,” right? There was too much of a switch in Thorfinn’s personality, and I get that his whole arc is about atoning for his sins, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a much less interesting main character if he just constantly reacts to things and takes hits like he’s some kind of martyr. And I guess that’s the beating heart of the issue for me, because even though I said last time that I appreciated Vinland Saga’s ability to stick to its themes no matter what without preaching… I think maybe I hadn’t read enough of the manga to make such a statement, because damn, we definitely got to the preaching by now! Whenever there’s a monologue about forgiveness, it almost always feels like the writer is justifying why the story is this way rather than sending a message they’re passionate about. Remember Ip Man 2 where Ip Man beats up the racist boxer and it's a great moment... but then he has this dumbass speech about how the fight wasn't about which style was the strongest? Um, yeah dude, it really was! And you beat that racist ass boxer so you're the best! Don't give me that "woe is me, I'm just a serene guy who doesn't have any pride in anything" bullshit. HAVE SOME SELF RESPECT! Since I'm still angry about it, in season six of The Walking Dead they had the return of a beloved character named Morgan, who shows up as a born again pacifist, and let me tell you… he sucked ass. Walmart Book of Eli looking mf walking around like he's the messiah or some shit, and the thing is, the worst thing about him is that he would always give endless grace to all the terrible murderers who constantly endangered his friends only to then sanctimoniously admonish all of his allies whenever they would want to do the practical thing and take these bad guys out. This of course only made him seem like not only an idiot, but an idiot with bad judgement. I know that this is the whole point of forgiveness and yada yada, but it just feels like there’s a discrepancy in that the people who are given the most patience in these “revenge is bad” stories are the ones who not only do nothing to deserve it, but continue to do terrible things!?
Say what you will about Quentin Tarantino (I feel like I'm going to be saying this a lot), but even though Christoph Waltz's character causes much more pain for Django than necessary by killing Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained, it's still a moment of great catharsis and one of the highlights of the movie. Which I suppose leads me to the next example… The Last of Us: Part 2 (which a lot of people love and a lot of people hate, and I tend to dislike the story in general), where in an attempt to force a morally gray narrative, Ellie is given the most morally dubious actions throughout the story in order to make sure the villain, Abby, is seen in a more sympathetic light by the audience. It's very transparent that the only reason she's written to be more unlikable than ever before is all done to satisfy the “there are two sides to every story” narrative. And you know what? Boo~ooo, I hate that shit! I don’t know, these kinds of stories always have the "nuanced" character that we’re supposed to change our opinions on start out doing the most terrible things a person could do (both Negan from The Walking Dead and Abby do this) to another person. And then the writers always try to gloss over it as if it’s a normal thing to attack people with baseball bats. Why do post apocalypse stories always copy each other's stories and then pretend like they're the ones subverting the genre? Like, they're all the same. Then there’s a game series called Assassin’s Creed featuring fictional assassins across history, and the main character’s main goal is usually to take out real life historical figures and whatnot (it's a series that benefits greatly from historical hindsight). And sometimes a problem arises where there’s a discrepancy between the gameplay and actual history where the assassin gives mercy to their target, but the real reason is because that’s not when they died in real life, but then it’s like… don’t write that historical character as the main villain then!? Anyway, what’s my point? Well, I know that forgiveness is a very popular theme for writers, to the point where it's a bit tiresome at this point, but it never makes for the most entertaining or satisfying story for me. I'm okay with a story telling me that revenge is bad and pointless, but this is still a story and it should be somewhat entertaining, no? If catharsis isn't found in the revenge, then as an author, at the very least you owe it to the reader to find it somewhere else in the narrative. Look, I still enjoy Vinland Saga and will continue reading it, it's trying to say something and that's never a bad thing, but I just wish there was a better balance of its “revenge is bad” theme without the author just repeating the same talking points over and over.
I sit in my chair, I'm filled with despair / There's no one could be so sad / With gloom everywhere, I sit and I stare / I know that I'll soon go mad.
Hey, I have a serious problem... I can’t stop reading this manga, send help! Don’t worry though, I won’t write a review for every single installment, because flooding people’s timelines isn't something I'm trying to do, I wouldn't do you like that, but just know that my “books read” page on here is just going to be a thousand volumes of Vinland Saga. It’s aaa~aaalll about Vinland Saga right now! Anyway, as much as I’m still enjoying this manga and really commend the author for his ability to switch up the genre without things seeming too jarring, my selfish brain is wondering if it’s too late to take back all I said last time about pacifism being the way to go? Because I wouldn’t be unhappy if Thorfinn just decided to go ham on some of these people. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, because where we’re at in the story is markedly different than the first arc (spoilers, but not really considering the blurb outright states this fact) as the man Thorfinn set out to kill, Askeladd, was taken out of the picture by somebody other than him, thus removing his sense of purpose. And because the pure hatred that fueled him for over ten years had nowhere else to go, it all fizzled out like a popped balloon. In this aimlessness, our main man basically becomes a mindless husk and ends up as a slave to some farm dynasty guy who the story tries to portray as a “benevolent slave owner” (yeah, no) who will give his slaves freedom and their own patch of land if they work hard to clear it themselves. Good deal or not, at this point Thorfinn couldn’t give less of a shit seeing as he’s just going through the motions, and I can’t lie that this part of the story got a little tiresome for me. People always talk about “not wanting anything bad happening to their favs” and blah blah blah, but I’m the exact opposite, put that man in an situation, I say! This is still a story, and things need to happen! Preferably with the main character being somewhat involved in the narrative, right? Because as it stands, right now Thorfinn is like the historical predecessor of a “react Twitch streamer!” You know the ones, the blood sucking parasites that just spend nine hours of their stream watching other people’s content with their only additions being a little “oh damn” here or a “that’s crazy thrown in every now and then. Brainless autonomous like Thorfinn at this point in the story, and you just want scream at them… DO something! Anything!! Of course, that’s not to say I don’t enjoy this manga’s writing anymore, because I actually did think it was an inspired choice to take Thorfinn’s arc in this direction even if the presentation wasn’t all to my liking. Anybody can write a John Wick revenge story, but the more important question to ask is who this character is afterwards. It’s that classic story telling 101 thing, where if you’re writing a character, then take away the one thing that makes them… them, and then see where to go from there.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed how Askeladd has become this kind of twisted Obi-Wan force ghost in Thorfinn’s haunted nightmares, guiding him on the path of the “true warrior” (which is a common motif in throughout the narrative), because it’s like, that’s definitely not the kind of man Askeladd was in life. I mean, I thought it was an odd choice at first to have him dole out advice rather than his father, who was, you know, the actual true warrior within the setting, but I guess it just further highlights the pointlessness of revenge seeing as Thorfinn spent ten years trying to kill Askeladd and never paid enough attention to at least learn what kind of man he was. Now, as for the whole “I shall not fight” bullshit, I know the author is trying to make a point about how foolish pride is… but come on now! There’s got to be a middle ground between “I want to kill everything” and “I will literally lick boots for nothing,” right? There was too much of a switch in Thorfinn’s personality, and I get that his whole arc is about atoning for his sins, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a much less interesting main character if he just constantly reacts to things and takes hits like he’s some kind of martyr. And I guess that’s the beating heart of the issue for me, because even though I said last time that I appreciated Vinland Saga’s ability to stick to its themes no matter what without preaching… I think maybe I hadn’t read enough of the manga to make such a statement, because damn, we definitely got to the preaching by now! Whenever there’s a monologue about forgiveness, it almost always feels like the writer is justifying why the story is this way rather than sending a message they’re passionate about. Remember Ip Man 2 where Ip Man beats up the racist boxer and it's a great moment... but then he has this dumbass speech about how the fight wasn't about which style was the strongest? Um, yeah dude, it really was! And you beat that racist ass boxer so you're the best! Don't give me that "woe is me, I'm just a serene guy who doesn't have any pride in anything" bullshit. HAVE SOME SELF RESPECT! Since I'm still angry about it, in season six of The Walking Dead they had the return of a beloved character named Morgan, who shows up as a born again pacifist, and let me tell you… he sucked ass. Walmart Book of Eli looking mf walking around like he's the messiah or some shit, and the thing is, the worst thing about him is that he would always give endless grace to all the terrible murderers who constantly endangered his friends only to then sanctimoniously admonish all of his allies whenever they would want to do the practical thing and take these bad guys out. This of course only made him seem like not only an idiot, but an idiot with bad judgement. I know that this is the whole point of forgiveness and yada yada, but it just feels like there’s a discrepancy in that the people who are given the most patience in these “revenge is bad” stories are the ones who not only do nothing to deserve it, but continue to do terrible things!?
Say what you will about Quentin Tarantino (I feel like I'm going to be saying this a lot), but even though Christoph Waltz's character causes much more pain for Django than necessary by killing Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained, it's still a moment of great catharsis and one of the highlights of the movie. Which I suppose leads me to the next example… The Last of Us: Part 2 (which a lot of people love and a lot of people hate, and I tend to dislike the story in general), where in an attempt to force a morally gray narrative, Ellie is given the most morally dubious actions throughout the story in order to make sure the villain, Abby, is seen in a more sympathetic light by the audience. It's very transparent that the only reason she's written to be more unlikable than ever before is all done to satisfy the “there are two sides to every story” narrative. And you know what? Boo~ooo, I hate that shit! I don’t know, these kinds of stories always have the "nuanced" character that we’re supposed to change our opinions on start out doing the most terrible things a person could do (both Negan from The Walking Dead and Abby do this) to another person. And then the writers always try to gloss over it as if it’s a normal thing to attack people with baseball bats. Why do post apocalypse stories always copy each other's stories and then pretend like they're the ones subverting the genre? Like, they're all the same. Then there’s a game series called Assassin’s Creed featuring fictional assassins across history, and the main character’s main goal is usually to take out real life historical figures and whatnot (it's a series that benefits greatly from historical hindsight). And sometimes a problem arises where there’s a discrepancy between the gameplay and actual history where the assassin gives mercy to their target, but the real reason is because that’s not when they died in real life, but then it’s like… don’t write that historical character as the main villain then!? Anyway, what’s my point? Well, I know that forgiveness is a very popular theme for writers, to the point where it's a bit tiresome at this point, but it never makes for the most entertaining or satisfying story for me. I'm okay with a story telling me that revenge is bad and pointless, but this is still a story and it should be somewhat entertaining, no? If catharsis isn't found in the revenge, then as an author, at the very least you owe it to the reader to find it somewhere else in the narrative. Look, I still enjoy Vinland Saga and will continue reading it, it's trying to say something and that's never a bad thing, but I just wish there was a better balance of its “revenge is bad” theme without the author just repeating the same talking points over and over.
I sit in my chair, I'm filled with despair / There's no one could be so sad / With gloom everywhere, I sit and I stare / I know that I'll soon go mad.
April 8, 2025
Welcome to the world of Viking farming! As the newly crowned King remakes the Viking approach to war in Briton; our hero Thorfinn has lost his purpose and maybe losing himself, after seeing his lifetime goal being snatched away from him during the King's ascension. Slave(!) Thorfinn works really hard, (sweating out his demons?) alongside Einar, buy they are ever at the mercy of both do-gooders and bad faith characters. I'm really enjoying this ride with such completely different story arcs, I can't even begin to imagine what's next. In case I haven't mentioned it before, this is my all-time favourite manga art-wise so far :). A Four Star, 8 out of 12 read.
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2025 read
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2025 read
November 8, 2025
There will be spoilers from the previous volumes in this review!
🛑
🛑
🛑
What if you are left without a path, your vengeance ripped away? What is the purpose of life?
Thorfinn continues to struggle after the death of Askeladd and his new path in slavery. He is riddled with nightmares. There is the most horrifically beautiful dream sequence with all of the men young Thorfinn has killed in previous battles.
I believe he is only a teenager in this volume, he has lived so much life in his few years.
Tropes/themes:
Historical fiction
Found family and loyalty
Thoughtless violence
Fate and free will
Honor and legacy
New alliances
Personal growth
This series is a masterpiece of storytelling. Brutal, emotional, unforgettable.
Buddy reading with my son.
🛑
🛑
🛑
What if you are left without a path, your vengeance ripped away? What is the purpose of life?
Thorfinn continues to struggle after the death of Askeladd and his new path in slavery. He is riddled with nightmares. There is the most horrifically beautiful dream sequence with all of the men young Thorfinn has killed in previous battles.
I believe he is only a teenager in this volume, he has lived so much life in his few years.
Tropes/themes:
Historical fiction
Found family and loyalty
Thoughtless violence
Fate and free will
Honor and legacy
New alliances
Personal growth
This series is a masterpiece of storytelling. Brutal, emotional, unforgettable.
Buddy reading with my son.
December 31, 2025
I am loving the start to the Farm Arc.
November 25, 2018
So we take a break from war to get more personal time with Thorfinn and his purpose in life.
To not give much spoilers on the last 4 omnibus, a lot of people around Thorfinn have died. The boy, ever since a little kid, has not had a easy life. He filled his life with revenge and then when he never got it, he lost all his motive to do anything. He became a slave and decided to work on the fields, or not decided, but forced to with another farmer. That farmer would be Einar, who declares himself Thorfinn's first real friend. Together they try their best to become free of slavery by creating their farm and selling it to the land for their freedom.
Canute is shown as devious as ever. Using his mind to overcome England and become king. It's only one chapter but it shows the progress of him through the years in a quick and satisfying way.
Good: The art is still some of the best around. Everyone looks different, which sounds silly to be a plus, but it helps with so many characters. The fights, while a lot smaller here, and just as well done. Thorfinn's journey is dark yet hopeful. I liked the change in the character and his evolution. I also enjoyed learning more about the farm, the masters, and their kids. Oh and Einar finally becomes a character I really enjoyed here.
Bad: There's scenes closer to the end where Thorfinn slips into a sleep and visits his version of hell. It's a little too similar to every other comic/manga that does this. I didn't really enjoy this part that much.
Overall, this series is great. Vinland Saga truly is proving itself as being different than most Mangas. A step above most. A easy 4 out of 5. Worth checking out for sure.
To not give much spoilers on the last 4 omnibus, a lot of people around Thorfinn have died. The boy, ever since a little kid, has not had a easy life. He filled his life with revenge and then when he never got it, he lost all his motive to do anything. He became a slave and decided to work on the fields, or not decided, but forced to with another farmer. That farmer would be Einar, who declares himself Thorfinn's first real friend. Together they try their best to become free of slavery by creating their farm and selling it to the land for their freedom.
Canute is shown as devious as ever. Using his mind to overcome England and become king. It's only one chapter but it shows the progress of him through the years in a quick and satisfying way.
Good: The art is still some of the best around. Everyone looks different, which sounds silly to be a plus, but it helps with so many characters. The fights, while a lot smaller here, and just as well done. Thorfinn's journey is dark yet hopeful. I liked the change in the character and his evolution. I also enjoyed learning more about the farm, the masters, and their kids. Oh and Einar finally becomes a character I really enjoyed here.
Bad: There's scenes closer to the end where Thorfinn slips into a sleep and visits his version of hell. It's a little too similar to every other comic/manga that does this. I didn't really enjoy this part that much.
Overall, this series is great. Vinland Saga truly is proving itself as being different than most Mangas. A step above most. A easy 4 out of 5. Worth checking out for sure.
June 7, 2023
The tone of this volume was so different, but I love it
March 31, 2023
Loving Thorfinn in his farmer era.
September 26, 2024
Straciłam z oczu cel, podobnie jak Thorfinn, i czekam razem z nim aż go odnajdzie.
January 24, 2023
This had a very slow start and it meandered a lot and truthfully I got bored a time or two but overall this was a solid volume.
4.25/5
4.25/5
August 22, 2021
No bullshit shounen stuff, just pure grit and what I feel is pretty good character writing. You gotta love and hate Askeladd, he's great. Thorkell is absolutely terrifying yet hilarious. Thorfinn is hungry for vengeance and it definitely shows. This manga keeps getting better!
April 17, 2020
One of the best manga runs at the moment. This breaks from the war story the others have provided. More a character study and deals with self growth.
October 25, 2018
Ένας μεταβατικός τόμος. Στον 4ο έκλεισε ένα κύκλος και τώρα ανασυστήνονται οι παλιοί χαρακτήρες, ενώ καινούριοι έρχονται να προστεθούν, συνθέτοντας την πραγματικότητα της "επόμενης" μέρας. Λόγω αυτού του προλογικού χαρακτήρα δεν γίνονται φοβερά πράγματα. Φυσικά, διαβάζεται άνετα, οι χαρακτήρες προχωρούν ακάθεκτοι στο δράμα τους. Και εξάπτεται το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη για τη συνέχεια.
Ισως χρειάζεται μια τέτοια ανάπαυλα. Ειδικά όταν ο ήρωας ωριμάζει και διερωτάται που θα πάει από ΄δω και πέρα, αμφισβητώντας τον δρόμο του αίματος στον οποίο βάδιζε τόσο καιρό.
Ισως χρειάζεται μια τέτοια ανάπαυλα. Ειδικά όταν ο ήρωας ωριμάζει και διερωτάται που θα πάει από ΄δω και πέρα, αμφισβητώντας τον δρόμο του αίματος στον οποίο βάδιζε τόσο καιρό.
May 12, 2020
In the aftermath of last volume's bloody climax, we withdraw from England and jump a couple years to follow Thorfinn, broken and enslaved and working on a farm in Denmark. The scale is pulled back dramatically, but even this idyllic agrarian setting has its share of secrets, intrigue and violence. Still, it goes on for most of the book, with only a couple tantalizing chapters to show us what Prince Canute is up to in England. Here's hoping Thorfinn's soul searching takes him away from extended dream sequences and back to the center of the action soon.
November 29, 2022
The story and pacing take a major shift while Thorfinn’s character undergoes a change of heart.
There’s a lot of farming.
New characters are introduced but not developed or interesting enough at this point to feel enthusiastic about them yet.
My least favourite so far but probably really important to set up for what is to come in plot and character development in the next instalments.
Still feeling engaged with the series despite not feeling entirely enthusiastic about the new direction.
There’s a lot of farming.
New characters are introduced but not developed or interesting enough at this point to feel enthusiastic about them yet.
My least favourite so far but probably really important to set up for what is to come in plot and character development in the next instalments.
Still feeling engaged with the series despite not feeling entirely enthusiastic about the new direction.
January 19, 2020
Very different from the first four volume, lot less action, but solid character development through it so that make it really interesting. I like it a lot!
July 8, 2017
The Vinland Saga takes a very interesting turn. Thorfinn having lost his desire to fight with the death of Askelaad has moved to Denmark and is working on a farm as a slave. The other big change is the grown Canute. He has become ruthless and calculating. Very impressive.
I really enjoyed the large scale battle of some of the other volumes and the transition to the conflicts of life as a slave on a farm is a bit underwhelming. Still there is a good secondary story there between Thorfinn and the new slave Einar. I am thinking Einar's knowledge of farming will rekindle Thorfinn's memory of his father's passion. But he is certainly in a funk and off the map for the main story..for now, I'm sure.
Meanwhile watching Canute develop into a ruthless King and in a strange way fulfilling his father's prophetic advice about the cost a crown takes from the wearer. Still his utter ruthlessness coupled with a gifted intellect will make him a formidable character. Interested to see his development.
So far I have really enjoyed this great action series. How can you go wrong with a gory Viking tale in a manga style? Short answer- you can't.
I really enjoyed the large scale battle of some of the other volumes and the transition to the conflicts of life as a slave on a farm is a bit underwhelming. Still there is a good secondary story there between Thorfinn and the new slave Einar. I am thinking Einar's knowledge of farming will rekindle Thorfinn's memory of his father's passion. But he is certainly in a funk and off the map for the main story..for now, I'm sure.
Meanwhile watching Canute develop into a ruthless King and in a strange way fulfilling his father's prophetic advice about the cost a crown takes from the wearer. Still his utter ruthlessness coupled with a gifted intellect will make him a formidable character. Interested to see his development.
So far I have really enjoyed this great action series. How can you go wrong with a gory Viking tale in a manga style? Short answer- you can't.
April 14, 2021
Vol. 9- 4 stars
Vol. 10- 5 stars
Very different now compared to the first few volumes. But still very good and interesting!
Vol. 10- 5 stars
Very different now compared to the first few volumes. But still very good and interesting!
March 5, 2024
What a great series. Definitely a lot different from the previous volume but great themes and philosophy
August 21, 2025
400 pages of dudes farming and it’s incredible
February 4, 2018
I was worried after what happened to Askeladd in the previous volume seemed to break Thorfinn now that he no longer had a deep hatred and need to avenge his father after so many years of violence. Now feeling empty inside Thorfinn must learn to live again as he must find what he needs to fill the void where his overwhelming hate once filled his heart. It looks like my worries were unfounded however as the series takes a new turn (though I imagine there is plenty of violence to come still.)
One of my fave moments of the book might just be when an unconscious Thorfinn finally realizes his nightmares and accepts his past at last. You'll have to see how scary what he thought was Valhalla can get as zombie like beings fight and dismember each other gleefully undying.
One of my fave moments of the book might just be when an unconscious Thorfinn finally realizes his nightmares and accepts his past at last. You'll have to see how scary what he thought was Valhalla can get as zombie like beings fight and dismember each other gleefully undying.
January 1, 2017
This volume felt different than the others and moved the story in a different direction. It was still fun. I was glad to see Thorkill, funny as always. I also enjoyed the introduction of "the master". Most of my favorite anime has the wise old man passing sage advice to those that, even if they don't listen, need it.
September 19, 2017
I don't know why I love this so much, but I do really love this Manga. Such a great story and characters.
April 28, 2024
This is brilliant.
Vinland Saga is shaping up to be one of my favorite story across all media formats.
Vinland Saga is shaping up to be one of my favorite story across all media formats.
October 24, 2023
Peti omnibus “Vinland Sage” je svojevrsni preporod priče, transformacija krvoločne akcije u meditativni pacifizam, gde je rast likova prikazan direktno, kroz posao koji rade, i metaforično kroz unutrašnje i mentalno sazrevanje. Makoto Yukimura ovim nastavkom dokazuje da je vrlo lako nadomestiti manjak akcije kada je pisac sposoban da na ovako sjajan način izgradi likove, kako one sa kojima se družimo od starta, tako i nove koji su u podjednakoj meri interesantni. Prijateljstvo Thorfinna i Einara je nešto čemu se jako radujem da vidim kako će sazrevati u nastavku priče.
Za kraj bih izdvojio fenomenalan citat koji je suština Thorfinnovog lika: “Being empty means anything can fit inside you. If you want to be reborn, empty’s the best way to be.”
“Vinland Saga” nastavlja da me oduševljava.
Za kraj bih izdvojio fenomenalan citat koji je suština Thorfinnovog lika: “Being empty means anything can fit inside you. If you want to be reborn, empty’s the best way to be.”
“Vinland Saga” nastavlja da me oduševljava.
February 26, 2024
This actually gets fairly interesting. I didn’t expect for it to navigate to where it’s not just the same old battles and its seeming inability to confront meaningfully the graphic depictions of peoples being subjugated. But it seems to be going toward doing exactly that, less the violence.
It does make more a somewhat slow storyline and the annoying tonal shifts sometimes still happen. But it’s much more interesting and the art is still fantastic. A warrior who becomes a slave, attempting to find a reason to go on without revenge driving him, still has to reckon with his past. It’s not exactly new ground but I appreciate it going in this direction. Especially because the only inkling of it was with his father, but that was basically a blip, compared to the massive amounts of Vikings killing and raping and pillaging and relying on the revenge angle to keep things interesting.
It does make more a somewhat slow storyline and the annoying tonal shifts sometimes still happen. But it’s much more interesting and the art is still fantastic. A warrior who becomes a slave, attempting to find a reason to go on without revenge driving him, still has to reckon with his past. It’s not exactly new ground but I appreciate it going in this direction. Especially because the only inkling of it was with his father, but that was basically a blip, compared to the massive amounts of Vikings killing and raping and pillaging and relying on the revenge angle to keep things interesting.
August 20, 2023
Vinland Saga Volume Five is the beginning of a new story arc but also a continuation of the previous volume. This story is all about Thorfin’s character development. Mainly combating the emptiness when the revenge you seek slips through your fingers. The results are a lot less action, whilst various story strands are set up. Essentially, it is Thorfin’s journey into adulthood, whilst another main focus is slavery. There are many pivotal and important plots set in motion, it is for me, the weakest volume. With that said, it is still high-quality manga. Especially coupled with the artwork, which has never dipped in quality throughout. I am looking forward to where volume six takes us, now we have a more mature and reflective Thorfin.
November 11, 2024
Not to be dramatic, but this arc changed my life when I watched the anime. I love the change, the growth, the realization from Thorfinn, having been so filled with hatred and vengeance from a young boy to an empty shell of a man trying to feel something - anything. As a Christian, I see so much of God’s work and love in this arc especially through Thorfinn. The reflection Thorfinn has of his past violence and realizing those he killed were men, husbands, fathers… Thorfinn is the epitome of how God cradles the broken in His hands for rest. I just adore this arc so much and the new characters too. Sigh. Such an emotional one and I love it. ❤️
“Being empty means anything can fit inside you. If you want to be reborn, empty’s the best way to be.”
“Being empty means anything can fit inside you. If you want to be reborn, empty’s the best way to be.”
September 18, 2022
4.5/5 stars
Following the prologue, the whole storyline has shifted in a new direction and I love every second of it. I am very much a character-driven reader, so to focus on Thorfinn and the person he has become following his childhood provides a very deep dive into how broken and empty he is. It's heartbreaking to read and see him reach rock bottom; however, it is setting up the foundation for an incredible character journey; one that has already begun. This volume provided so much insight into Thorfinn's mental state and I am really looking forward to seeing Thorfinn be reborn again. Because when he made that declaration, I got emotional.
Following the prologue, the whole storyline has shifted in a new direction and I love every second of it. I am very much a character-driven reader, so to focus on Thorfinn and the person he has become following his childhood provides a very deep dive into how broken and empty he is. It's heartbreaking to read and see him reach rock bottom; however, it is setting up the foundation for an incredible character journey; one that has already begun. This volume provided so much insight into Thorfinn's mental state and I am really looking forward to seeing Thorfinn be reborn again. Because when he made that declaration, I got emotional.
July 27, 2022
Definitely my least favorite of the series so far. The story dragged and I did not enjoy the shift from war to Thorfinn’s life as a slave on a farm. I didn’t care for the other characters on that farm, either, as most felt flat and dull. I’m invested in the series though, so I’ll certainly read the next one.
February 8, 2025
Personal notes: Series continues to exceed my expectations. Vol. 5 explores the position of slaves in a medieval Scandinavian farm, interwoven with chapters depicting (historically accurate) Viking activity in 10th- and 11th-century England, which mainly revolve around Cnut, the son of Danish King Sweyn. Thorfinn makes a friend and comes to terms with his violent past.
4.5 stars.
4.5 stars.
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