'Northlanders Book One: Sven the Returned' – Brian Wood & Davide Gianfelice (Vertigo)

My random comic book buying habits are a mystery to some, including myself it has to be said, but every now and then they pay off. I picked up my copy of 'Sven the Returned' in a charity shop, a few years ago, more or less on a whim, and then left it on my shelf to be completely forgotten about... until now. These last few days, I've been craving an adventurous read where burly north men batter each other with axes and as luck would have it, I remembered my copy of 'Sven the Returned' and thought I'd give it a go.

I'm very glad that I did, 'Sven the Returned' was just what I was looking for but so much more at the same time. My overcrowded bookshelves will not thank me but I think I've found another series to collect.

Sven is living the high life in Constantinople when he learns of his father's death and sets out to the frigid islands of the North Sea to reclaim his birthright. Intending only to take his money and run, he discovers far more than he bargained for back at home. What follows is a bloody quest to free his people, a struggle to discover his place in a rapidly changing world, and an introduction to the awful sacrifices required to transform from a prince into a king.

When I picked this up yesterday, I thought I'd be looking at maybe a couple of hours of vikings being vikings, mostly involving pillaging but also a little murder at the same time. I'm glad to say that I couldn't have been more wrong. 'Sven the Returned' has all of that but a whole lot more as well. It's a character study, the likes of which you don't come across often, as well as a commentary on the transitory nature of life in those times. You may take land to rule but you'll never keep it, just hold it until the next person comes along to rule it. It's a sobering thought that really throws the efforts of our players into a whole new light.

But I'm getting ahead of myself a fair bit...

Sven's tale of revenge and reconnecting with his roots is not a new tale, by any means (we all know the story of the return of the prodigal son who's out for revenge) but Wood makes it feel new with his exploration of Sven's character and how he takes to a homeland that never really felt like home.

Sven is badass enough to carry every fight scene that he's in; you know he's going to win (main character and all that) but watching him do it is something else entirely and all credit to Davide Gianfelice for drawing scenes that just hum with power. At the same time though, Sven is thoughtful enough that there is so much room for Wood to really explore the clash between Mediterranean and Viking cultures and where someone who has never really been a part of either can fit in. This is even more the case when Sven realises that he can no longer go back to Constantinople (and what a scene that was...) The answer isn't a surprise in some ways but the story still makes that answer resonate with, well... I can't say without spoiling it and it is worth reading on for.

What also makes this tale so compelling is that just as Sven realises there is more to his fight than just revenge, he suddenly realises that he cannot hope to hold on to what he wants to win. This realisation feels like a real curve ball (thrown at the best possible time) and watching him put others first (or has he just given up by this point? I'm not sure...) adds another layer to a character that is already a real pleasure to read about. It's also indicative of the changing nature of those times, something painfully rendered in Enna being the last of her people.

There is so much to pick out of 'Sven the Returned' but if you haven't read it already then I'm going to do you a real favour and bring things to a close here so there will still be some surprises for you. Lets just say that Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice and come up with something special here, a Viking tale that needs to be read by everyone.