For today's review, I stretched into a totally new direction. Well, a new direction for me. While I always enjoy a good fantasy and have been trying to include more graphic novels in Bookworm for Kids' list, this one takes a much more serious direction...and darker...than I've gone in the graphic novel area before. While I won't recommend this to the younger end of the YA world, older ones won't have a problem with it. It does hit the violent side of things, though.
So, are you ready for something new?
DARK ONE
VOLUME 1
by Brandon Sanderson, Jackson Lanzing, and Collin Kelly
Diamond Book Distributors
YA Fantasy / Graphic Novel
224 pages
ages 16 and up
COMING...
MAY 18th!!!
From #1 New York Times Bestselling, Hugo Award-winning author, Brandon Sanderson (The Mistborn Trilogy, The Stormlight Archive series), along with Nathan Gooden, Jackson Lanzing, and Collin Kelly, comes Dark One, the first book in a series of original graphic novels, from Vault Comics. Some worlds are made to be broken. Paul Tanasin is a young man haunted by visions of a dark and fantastic world?visions he initially believes are hallucinations. But when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he's destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he'll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. Dark One examines the dual roles we often take on in life-the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer.
B&N / BOOK DEPOSITORY / AMAZON
BOOK BLINK
* hits several points of view
* fast-paced
* intriguing characters and plot
* for older YA due to violence and gore
MY TIDBITS
Worlds collide with prophecies, narratives, heroes and certain evil only to turn everything on its head and launch into what promises to be an exciting series.
A monster hides inside Paul, but nobody truly believes him. He's not so sure he believes it himself and is determined weekly psychologists visits might finally help him become normal. But when a warrior appears on horseback in the doctor's office and beheads a man, Paul realizes he might not be so crazy after all. Soon, he's swept into another world, one where evil always rises and is defeated by a chosen one again and again. And Paul's at the center of the entire thing.
This read was darker and harsher than I expected it to be. So, I'd definitely recommend this one to the upper YA end due to violence and gore. But it's nothing which doesn't fit the story or go completely overboard, either. Paul's life isn't nice and neither is the world and adventure he's about to face. The first pages are calm enough and allow the reader to get to know Paul. The story isn't only seen from his point of view, though. Rather, it switches between Paul, the other world and his mother, who's a top-notch prosecutor. This switch from one perspective to another was well done, never grew confusing, and allowed the two worlds to become a bit familiar before they collide.
The graphics are well done and definitely kept the story racing along. While there are more than a couple violent and bloody scenes, this does not overshadow or weaken the character depth and general plot. Rather, it supports how horrible the situation is, in which Paul finds himself. And I especially appreciated the character arc. Paul is a character to cheer for and full of surprises. He battles with himself, and has an amazing balance of light and darkness inside. I can't wait to grab up the second volume because there is so much more to come.
2 comments:
Glad you liked this so much. I'm actually going to read my first ever graphic novel. I'm not sure I'll like it, but if I do, I'll definitely consider this one.
I wasn't sure about my 1st graphic novel, either. Especially since I was never a comic fan. But since then, I actually enjoy them and pick them up every now and then. (As said, this one was just a bit more serious than the ones before)
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