Makoto Yukimura

Thorfinn's dream is a nonviolent, cooperative, and democratic village that coexists with the native people of what will one day be Prince Edward's Island. But despite his best intentions, it's still colonialism and that brings a boatload of troubles, some of them transported by the rats that stow away on supply ships. Meanwhile, people with their own agendas on both sides see disease and distrust as factors they can use to their own advantage.

History tells us how this is going to turn out, show more but I still hope Thorfinn can navigate the situation to avoid the worst possible routes to that destination. This volume shows just how hard that's going to be.

FOR REFERENCE:

First published in Japan in 2023, 2024 by Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo, as Vinland Saga, volumes 27 and 28.

Contents: Chapters 192-209 (Thousand-Year Voyage, Parts 1-18) -- Translation Notes show less

Prologue: I grabbed ten thick volumes of this series on my last day working at the library as part of a just-in-case cache, y'know, in case this coronavirus thing somehow lasted more than a couple weeks and I actually got through the other 80+ graphic novels I already had checked out. Two months later, and I'm all done with all those books, and now Vinland Saga, and I've already been using Hoopla and Libby for the first time to read dozens of digital graphic novels. I'm down to my last six show more just-in-case GNs, giant omnibuses for Stray Bullets, Ex Machina, Berserk, Planetary, and For Better or for Worse. Good thing I'm on the verge of returning to the library.

Anyone remember the old Charlton series, The Peacemaker, with its "A man who loves peace so much that he is willing to fight for it!" tagline? Pacifist Thorfinn Karlsefni feels the same way, spending a good chunk of this volume dueling unarmed against the spear-wielding psycho assassin named Garm. And that fight is the least violent one to occur in the battle to take the fortress of Jomsborg.

Despite all the gore, this outing is actually one of the more humorous in the series thanks to Thorkell the Tall's larger-than-life personality and the slapstick bum luck of spurned hubby and aspiring war hero Sigurd.

Great series! So unhappy I have to wait months until the next installment! show less

I adored this most recent volume in the Vinland Saga. Thorfinn is back home and trying to decide what to do with his life, he really wants to settle Vinland and goes about trying to find funding for that. Meanwhile Gudrid is supposed to marry Halfdan’s son and would rather be sailing.

This volume has a lot less war and action in it but it is still very engaging and entertaining. That being said we do still see how the war in the region has a huge impact in people’s lives. There is also show more more discussion on the lot women have in this region as Gudrid struggles against the expectations laid on her.

I love that this book has great characters, great dialogue, an epic story, and some humor. This continues to be an absolutely amazing series full of adventure. The illustration is phenomenal; there is so much detail and care.

Overall a spectacular continuation in this series. This is my absolute favorite manga series out there. Every aspect of this story is just so well done. I would recommend to everyone. This is one fantastic historical fiction manga series and has remained constantly awesome. show less

After 25 volumes (and 13 of these omnibus collections) Vinland finally becomes the setting for this series! At last Thorfinn can try to found the nation of bounty and peace of which he has been dreaming for so long.

This volume is a bit of an idyll as the Vikings find and start clearing the perfect spot to settle and make friendly first contact with the indigenous people who live there, the Mi'kmaq. But there are already little splinters happening amongst the Nords about division of land and show more the Mi'kmaq have reservations about the changes these colonizers are making to their beloved forest and concerns about how many more will be arriving on the next ship and the next one and all the ones thereafter.

Having begun so dark and swung around a full 180 degrees to hope and optimism, one can only await in dread for the story to come full circle as the inevitable end dictated by history approaches. show less