Take a photo of a barcode or cover
peyjturner 's review for:
Vinland Saga, Volume 4
by Makoto Yukimura
There will be spoilers in this review, so be warned before you read onwards.
Now that I've made that clear that there's spoilers in this review, let's continue. Yukimura's continuing use of the plot twist is brilliantly displayed in this volume of Vinland Saga. In volume three, Prince Canute suddenly gains a clarity of kingly purpose after experiencing the horrors of war in the battle between Askeladd's and Thorkell's men, and unites the two warring parties to take the Danish crown from his father. In this volume, Askeladd takes center stage as he plots with Prince Canute to overthrow the Danish king. More of Askeladd's backstory is revealed, as Bjorn, then Thorfinn unsuccessfully try to best him in successive duels: apparently, Askeladd's heritage that guided him through Welsh territory is through his mother, a slave of a formidable Viking raider, a plot point that is used very well later in the book. After some well-written and paced mystery, intrigue, assassination attempts, subterfuge and buckets of blood and mayhem, Askeladd's plans almost fall into place...until Sweyn uses Askeladd's own personal history against him, leading to the death of the Danish king and Askeladd himself. Prince Canute becomes King Canute, and Thorfinn's life is thrown into confusion because of Askeladd's death, leaving him without any sense of purpose. The volume ends with Thorfinn as a slave on a farm, leaving readers to wonder how the next volume would start.
Summaries aside, this was a damned good piece of fiction. It doesn't break any new ground in terms of both the genre and the medium, but Yukimara's viking tale is nothing short of entertaining. His characters and the chemistry between them are believable and, more importantly, more morally ambiguous than the regular viking stereotype. A lot of research went into this series, and it shows a lot in the details in the characters and setting, right down to the fucking weaponry of the series. It's mad impressive! It's another worthy volume in the entire series. I can't wait for more!
Now that I've made that clear that there's spoilers in this review, let's continue. Yukimura's continuing use of the plot twist is brilliantly displayed in this volume of Vinland Saga. In volume three, Prince Canute suddenly gains a clarity of kingly purpose after experiencing the horrors of war in the battle between Askeladd's and Thorkell's men, and unites the two warring parties to take the Danish crown from his father. In this volume, Askeladd takes center stage as he plots with Prince Canute to overthrow the Danish king. More of Askeladd's backstory is revealed, as Bjorn, then Thorfinn unsuccessfully try to best him in successive duels: apparently, Askeladd's heritage that guided him through Welsh territory is through his mother, a slave of a formidable Viking raider, a plot point that is used very well later in the book. After some well-written and paced mystery, intrigue, assassination attempts, subterfuge and buckets of blood and mayhem, Askeladd's plans almost fall into place...until Sweyn uses Askeladd's own personal history against him, leading to the death of the Danish king and Askeladd himself. Prince Canute becomes King Canute, and Thorfinn's life is thrown into confusion because of Askeladd's death, leaving him without any sense of purpose. The volume ends with Thorfinn as a slave on a farm, leaving readers to wonder how the next volume would start.
Summaries aside, this was a damned good piece of fiction. It doesn't break any new ground in terms of both the genre and the medium, but Yukimara's viking tale is nothing short of entertaining. His characters and the chemistry between them are believable and, more importantly, more morally ambiguous than the regular viking stereotype. A lot of research went into this series, and it shows a lot in the details in the characters and setting, right down to the fucking weaponry of the series. It's mad impressive! It's another worthy volume in the entire series. I can't wait for more!