Barbarian Lord
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“Smith’s debut graphic novel has guts, gore, and glory set against a harsh, Viking-influenced backdrop . . . An easy summer reading pick.”—School Library Journal
“A sword untried is a sword untested,” says one raven to another as they set out to witness the fate of the finest farm in Garmrland and its owner, Barbarian Lord. When he is cheated out of his lands and banished, Barbarian Lord begins a quest for allies and for justice, encountering monsters, ghouls, gods, and mediocre poets along the way.
Combining the rich traditions of the Vikings and Nordic lore with sword-and-sorcery—and slyly understated humor—this graphic novel introduces an original hero with classic flair, brought to life in Matt Smith’s beautifully drawn, detailed, and action-filled black-and-white illustrations.
“An accessible, memorable thrill of a graphic novel.”—Bulletin
“This plot is nothing if not action-driven, the multitudinous battle scenes and abundant swordplay (and excellent sound effects) making this an excellent choice for readers interested in Game of Thrones but who perhaps aren’t quite ready for some of its more mature subject matter.”—Kirkus Reviews
“All bend knee and hail! Barbarian Lord!”—Previews
“Interesting callbacks to Norse mythology will make this graphic novel an easy pleaser for fans of Rick Riordan’s books and K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr’s Blackwell Pages series.”—School Library Journal
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
He may look like a musclebound lug who takes his style cues from Conan the Barbarian, but when it's time to wax poetic, Barbarian Lord shows he has brains to match his brawn. After sorcery and skullduggery drive him from his native Garmrland, Barbarian Lord journeys to the kingdom of Krigsland and earns the chieftain's favor with awesome displays of violence and verbiage. He returns with a mean-looking posse and delivers swift and permanent retribution. Indeed, battle is what Barbarian Lord does best, and whether he's exchanging blows with a troll or insults with a skull-headed bard ("Men will sing for ages beyond count of all your deeds... empty as your sockets, barren as your skull"), he proves an unrivaled warrior and wordsmith. Smith (who illustrated the graphic novel adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux) weaves lore and laughs into this bombastic saga; thanks to his dynamic art (the lack of color is but a slight disappointment) and cinematic staging, seeing his hero conquer every challenge that stands in his way never gets old. All hail Barbarian Lord! Ages 12 up.
