Customer Reviews

Northlanders Vol. 2: The Cross + The Hammer

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The second volume of Northlanders is good, enjoyable and a worthwhile pick up. The main flaw is that even though I know Northlanders to be an anthology I think the second arc is not nearly as good as the first one. Mainly I am not sure if I missed something but this seemed to just be page after page of them main character killing, no real reason and no pay off. Also the end left me confused to what actually what happened right up before the end.

After vol 1 (which is EXCELLENT), this is a giant let-down. Both the writing and the art are so lackluster I'm honestly surprised by these other reviews.

The story doesn't draw you in, there's no backstory, no context, no reason to care about the characters at all. And the art is sloppy with backgrounds left blank. It is seriously just poorly done.

I'm heartened that the original artist is coming back for vol. 3. I will definitely read vol 3 based mostly on the strength of vol 1. But skip vol 2. It's just...bad.

Like the best fiction, The Cross + The Hammer, the second long-form story arc of Brian Wood's Northlanders, works on the reader in several different ways. Historical drama, police procedural, political allegory, character drama: this volume brings all of these to mind and wraps up in a twist that would make Hitchcock proud. To give away much more about the writing would risk spoiling it. Ryan Kelly's artwork is gorgeous; evoking a fantastic earthy vibe that I haven't seen from him before and that fits this tale perfectly. Wood's work can be hit or miss for me, but so far Northlanders has been a great showcase for his strengths and The Cross + The Hammer the best the series has been.

"Northlanders Hammer and Cross" is no "Sven Returns". Sven was a great book and with solid art and a pretty decent storyline. Hammer and Cross just seems like a let down. The art is cartoon-y (not sure if that is a word) versus Sven's intense hardcore drawing. Example A) The panels with dogs). The story as well seems like a let down. I know Brian Wood can bring a better story out. Lets hope the next installment bounces back.

This book is another intense & violent depiction of the Viking period. It is enthralling. Once the hunt for Magnus begins you do not want to put this book down. The fight scenes are very brutal & no quarter is asked or given. The main story is set against the backdrop of the Battle of Clontarf & there is a brilliant double page spread depicting the horrorific nation of battles. The twist at the end of the story is interesting & very unexpected although you are sort of thinking something isn't right for most of the book. This book is a well worth a read.

This is the second installment in Brian Wood's Northlanders series put out by Vertigo comics. I have been reading these in the paperback format because the stories are so intense that I don't want to wait a month for the next installment to arrive at my comic shop. In volume two, the Cross and the Hammer, we see a tale of a conquered Ireland, and the story of two men with equal determination to serve their respective countries. On one side, you have Magnus, Irish born and bred, fighting ruthlessly to protect his daughter and defend his homeland. On the other side, you have Ragnor, serving his Norse king as a brutal detective who is bound to capture the man who continues to evade him time and time again. The ending to this one will shock you and wondering as to the question of where does a man draw his line in the sand in reference to duty and morality. Wood is a great writer who is expanding on his potential at greatness by trying history in his writing, not that DMZ is a bad book. And the art by Massimo Carnevie (Lucifer) is great. Check this book out if you are interested in historical fiction or just like great art. Peace and Love, Jake.

Occupied Ireland, 1014AD, and one Irishman, Magnus, is killing every single Norseman he can find with his young daughter Brigid in tow. The man tasked with capturing him, Ragnar, and bringing him to justice is always one step behind him but he knows something disturbing about this killer - something that will stop this rampage once and for all.

Brian Wood's second, book long story in the excellent Northlanders series takes the action from the North to the Emerald Isle and sees him telling an exciting chase story in Dark Ages Ireland. The action is intense and makes for a fast-paced read while the character of Magnus is a sympathetic one, and the art beautifully captures the best of the Irish countryside as well as the darkness of battle and death.

The one thing that stopped this book from being flawless is the ending - I think Wood tried too hard in trying to have an amazing twist at the end and wound up confusing what was a perfectly fine story into a bit of a mess. There are also a couple of moments where you wonder how the story came to that point (I'm thinking of the child's footprints early on in the book and then later how Magnus escaped). It doesn't kill the enjoyment of the book but it does feel a bit clumsy from as gifted a writer as Wood is.

Despite this the journey was worth it and most of the book makes for a visually breathtaking and well written chase thriller and an excellent read. "Northlanders" continues to be an incredible series and "The Cross and the Hammer" is a fine part of it.

I understand that this is a stand-alone story set in Ireland during the time of the Viking Invasion.

The story is about a monk named Magnus who goes on a killing rampage against any Viking settlement. He is accompanied by his daughter Birgid (or Brigid?) and is being hunted down by a Viking lord with a retinue of armed men and hunting dogs. Although meant as a period piece, the coarse language with modern parlance seems very much out of place in this tale.

I can't follow thru the plot as there are constant flashbacks to some Viking battle and the running plot. Finally, the ending is very confusing. How many daughters does Magnus have?

2 stars for the great looking cover!

The first arc was great, but this one isn't bad either. The art is gritty but matches the story well. It's just as dark and tragic as the first story. Definitely worth reading.

vol.1 was decent this volume is much more complex focusing on new characters and leaves you with an ending that is completely ambiguous and either way gut wrenching.