Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2018 Verified Purchase Thought this was a great collection of stories about the vikings (and about those in the areas they invaded/conquered like England and Ireland). I loved the historical details, including the one character that was a member of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire. Looking forward to more. Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019 Verified Purchase First of all the book is fantastic the story is really good. The reason of three stars is the book came ripped at the top of the spine down the middle. At first I thought it was the packaging but how would it rip right in the middle of the spine. It had to of been ripped or damaged at the manufactures warehouse before being shipped. Just a heads up. Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2017 Verified Purchase Never read much of Brian Wood's work, but enjoy the Vikings TV show & had a liking for the subject so when I saw Northlanders Book 1 on Amazon, decided to order it from my local library.
After slaughtering a Saxon scout they take shelter from the other fifty-odd warriors in an old Roman fort, abandoned by all because no one understood the craft of masonry enough in order to repair the stonework let alone build another. Surrounded by water, they are protected at high tide, only some are more resolute than others. Yet still they make preparations for the inevitable attack because they've just realised something vital about the numbers involved and it may just give them a fighting chance. That one's drawn by Zezelj, by the way, and its mists and silhouettes are as haunting as you'd expect, whereas Dean Ormston has gone for something completely different but no less striking in 'Lindisfarne' as crows circle and snow falls over the Holy Church. It's a life made all the bleaker for young boy Edwin by both his father and older brother whose 'cruel to be kind' philosophy in showing him how to defend himself with a sword he can barely lift manifests itself in a way we'd term abusive.