Barbarian Lord

July 21, 2014
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 12âup.

May 15, 2014
A mix of Icelandic lore and Norse mythology-and maybe a smattering of the Incredible Hulk-makes up this action-packed adventure of the barrel-chested Barbarian Lord's struggle to defeat his skull-headed enemy. With a face devoid of most expression and seemingly locked into a permanent grimace, the Barbarian Lord maintains "the finest farm in Garmrland." Aided by a ruthless but somewhat hapless witch, nefarious neighbor Skullmaster seeks to destroy him and take over that farm. As the two lock horns in a power play, the Barbarian Lord finds himself battling a variety of foes, from sea monsters to ghosts to trolls. Though the lines between good and evil are distinctly drawn, the Barbarian Lord is a complicated kind of hero who certainly doesn't shy away from killing (or impaling or slashing...) any opponent who dares cross his path; his personal motto seems to be "[t]here is more honor in battle than in trickery." 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. An intriguing and interesting mix of mythology, folklore and fantasy makes for what is in effect a graphic-novel introduction to the sword-and-sorcery genre. (author's note) (Graphic fantasy. 13-17)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 7-10-Smith's debut graphic novel has guts, gore, and glory set against a harsh, Viking-influenced backdrop. After being exiled from his home and stripped of his lands by his enemies, the Barbarian Lord has but one goal: revenge and victorious return to his kingdom. He's got the anger and the muscle to take back his territory, but to get there, he'll have to go through snowstorms, face down trolls, and outwit skull-faced poets. With furrowed brow and clenched jaw, the Barbarian Lord is a scowling, merciless warrior of a bloodthirsty era. 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 (Little, Brown). Clean, blunt lines and unapologetic vicious (if mostly bloodless) fight scenes make for a unique art style choice, but the illustrations often seem out of sync with the narrative. An easy summer reading pick for middle-grade graphic novel aficionados and reluctant readers.-Clair Segal, Horace Mann School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
That he's hard to get along with is quite the understatement when it comes to Barbarian Lord, the flawed hero of this energetic, epic black-and-white graphic novel. Using his mind and muscle he exacts revenge on villain Skullmaster for stealing his farmland. Battles with trolls, witches, and man-beasts are knitted with Icelandic lore, making this book appealing to lovers of heroic fantasy stories.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)