Editorial Review

Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for T+ audiences. The Night Class at Cross Academy has been abolished. Zero still attends the Day Class while carrying out his duties as a vampire hunter. Yuki now lives hidden away at the Kuran residence with Kaname, but can she embrace the life of a pureblood vampire? ... Read more

Reviews

Yuki and Kaname with a side of Zero, December 2, 2010
I adore this series, and if you haven't, go watch the anime, while slightly different it's still amazing to watch my favorite characters come to life.

Unlike the last volume we get a little more of a story, though there isn't much action in the way of violence or fighting. This story takes place over the course of a year. In the beginning we see Kaname escort Yuki to their childhood home, and explaining how tainted his hands have become over the years, killing and winning the freedom to protect Yuki at all costs. The senate is gone and while most of the younger generation support Kaname's takeover not all vampires are sure that still having a pureblood reigning over them is a good thing. The story flashes to a year forward with Yuki still secluded at the Kuran residence and unable to fully satisfy her thirst. You see for purebloods the thirst can only be satisfied by the one you love. While Kaname is good with only Yuki's blood, half of Yuki's heart belongs to Zero still and so only half her thirst is quenched.

I really wish we could have seen more interaction between Yuki and Kaname, I adore him and though I like Zero, I was a Kaname fan from the first volume. Zero is rising in the Hunter's ranks, though his blood lust isn't under complete control. The school is still open, but most of the students had their memories erased and the Night Class no longer is there. The volume ends with the beginning of a Soiree, something to show that both the hunters and the vampires can be amiable, but how many of the vampires will show up to support Kaname? And what about Zero's promise to kill Yuki the next time he sees her? I can't wait for the next volume, and don't quote me (it's been a year) but I'm pretty sure that this isn't in the anime, I hope that they have a third season to continue with it, but I just remember watching Kaname and Yuki going off together while Yuki makes the promise that she'll run forever from Zero to ensure he has something to live for. Volume 12 isn't shown yet on Amazon but any details would be welcome!

Nice., December 6, 2010
Good condition. It was received on time like it said it would and I continue to purchase my manga here on amazon. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The thrilling BONE saga continues in book six. As war spreads through the valley, the Bone cousins join Gran'ma Ben and Lucius at Old Man's Cave to make a stand against the rat creatures.

But not everything goes as planned. By the end of the book, Phoney Bone is strapped to a stone altar and about to be sacrificed; Thorn is lying lifeless nearby; and the rumblings of an earthquake suggest that the Lord of the Locusts is about to be released. Fone and Smiley Bone must do something drastic to save their friends. ... Read more

Reviews

Tense, dark and epic - yet still for all ages, May 10, 2004
Jeff Smith's wonderful "Bone" series continues with this, the sixth of nine volumes (completing the second of three trilogies). "Old Man's Cave" continues the trend of previous installments, which have slowly grown less humorous and more grim.

Yet through the increasingly dark tone of the "Bone" saga, Smith manages to keep things friendly for all ages, a truly commendable task in this era of R rated comics.

"Bone" is an expansive story about three "bone creatures" (you'd have to see them to understand) that find themselves in a valley peopled with an assortment of crazy and interesting characters. Looming over it all is the menace of a great evil, revealed slowly over the course of nine volumes. The series starts off lighthearted, but grows less so as the story unravels itself.

"Old Man's Cave" is a good example of that. The tale is compelling and dark, letting unfold the tale of Thorn, grandma and the bones, showing us the rising tide of evil in the valley, and ultimately leaving us with a thrilling conclusion filled with despair and hopelessness. It is a great climax to the second of three interwoven trilogies, and without question a perfect end to the second act of this series. When finishing this, you'll reach for the next volume right away.

It all works because Smith combines the kind of classic storytelling perfected by the likes of the legendary Carl Barks (Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge) and Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) - gleeful cartooning with outrageously expressive faces and gestures - with the epic and engaging plotting of a sweeping fairy tale. "Bone" walks a tightrope and walks it well, managing to be something fans of both Donald Duck and Bilbo Baggins can enjoy.

Comic readers able to look past the lack of men in tights (superheroes) and color artwork will delight in this series. So, too, will those generally not accustomed to comics. Little doubt people will still be reading "Bone" 50 years from now. Broad in scope yet personal and quaint, this is a charming story in every way that will surely outlast 90 percent of other comic works on the shelf.

Jeff Smith's "Bone" series is a critically acclaimed but criminally overlooked epic. And that's too bad, because this deserves to be read.

A Great Leap Forward in the Saga, June 21, 2000
If you've gotten this far, you know what a kick the Bone series is. Strong, stylish and effective graphics (think Alex Toth) merges with writing that mixes grand epic fantasy with strong character work and riotous slapstick humor. What you need to know is that volume six carries more than its weight in the saga-- a whole raft of mysteries are cleared up here including yet more info about the royal family, the hooded bad guy, and the search for the one who bears the star. It's a masterpiece of plotting-- nothing is expected and yet Smith doesn't pull any of his solutions out of left field. Buy this (and any of the others you're missing), plunk down in a comfy chair, and read straight through all six!

Does anyone else agree . . . . ?, July 11, 2006
When I read ROCK JAW and DRAGONSLAYER, I thought nothing could compare.
I was wrong.
This book seems to be the most severely underrated of the whole series. I found it thrilling and heart-wrenching (the whole part about Thorn hating and not trusting Gran'ma Ben)even though the comedy was not truly up to Jeff Smith's usual. I also found myself satisfied at the amount of information (the identity of the hooded one, what makes the baddies think that Phoney will get them, and why Phoney was so stingy and moneystruck.) I loved this book and I can't see why others didn't.

Old Man Cave, November 29, 2002
Very vivid and strung with haunting points. This appealing tale cuts into polished humour. Nor young or old it caputers a promising audience. Many unanswered mysteries of the heroic series are unraveled in a solved puzzel. Linked colorful pictures are a delighted bounus.

A experienced reader will still run into suprising corners of the epic comic. Wild fansty creatures dominate the whole action terrain. I say this is a wonderful gift to present to someone.

Old Man's Cave..., February 20, 2006
OK, I'll get it out of my system now so I can focus on my review and summary. Here I go.... I LOVE BONE!! IT ROCKS!!! I'VE OBSESSIVELY (hmmm...maybe 'obsessively' is too strong.) SEARCHED FOR IT IN LOCAL LIBRARIES!!! whew. OK. I'm done. This is my favorite Bone so far. A lot of mysteries are cleared up, such as, who the hooded one is, why the Lord of the Locust is after Phoney, and what the Lord of the Locust was supposed to be. There is also some interesting Bone family history and valley history. Even though these big myseries are cleared up, there are some small ones still to be seen to, like, will Smiley and Bartleby ever be reunited? (You'll know what I mean if you've read Dragonslayer (Bone 4) and Rock Jaw (Bone 5))This series is my all time favorite one, along with the Clone Wars graphic novels, and Artemis Fowl. (I'm sure I've stated this several times now, but one more time can't hurt.)Start from the beginning and you have a better cance of 'getting' everything.

Old Man Cave, November 28, 2002
Very vivid and strung with haunting points. This appealing tale cuts into polished humour. Nor young or old it caputers a promising audience. Many unanswered mysteries of the heroic series are unraveled in a solved puzzel. Linked colorful pictures are a delighted bounus.

A experienced reader will still run into suprising corners of the epic comic. Wild fansty creatures dominate the whole action terrain. I say this is a wonderful gift to present to someone. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Winner of the Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Awards

The setting: suburban Seattle, the mid-1970s.We learn from the outset that a strange plague has descended upon the area’s teenagers, transmitted by sexual contact.The disease is manifested in any number of ways — from the hideously grotesque to the subtle (and concealable) — but once you’ve got it, that’s it.There’s no turning back.

As we inhabit the heads of several key characters — some kids who have it, some who don’t, some who are about to get it — what unfolds isn’t the expected battle to fight the plague, or bring heightened awareness to it , or even to treat it.What we become witness to instead is a fascinating and eerie portrait of the nature of high school alienation itself — the savagery, the cruelty, the relentless anxiety and ennui, the longing for escape.

And then the murders start.

As hypnotically beautiful as it is horrifying, Black Hole transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it- back when it wasn’t exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird.

To say nothing of sprouting horns and molting your skin… ... Read more

Editorial Review

The first book in the blockbuster best-selling series...like you've never seen it before.

Editorial Review

In a world full to bursting with would-be heroes, Jim couldn't be less interested in saving the day. His fireballs fizzle. He's awfully grumpy. Plus, he's been dead for about sixty years. When a renegade necromancer wrenches him from eternal slumber and into a world gone terribly, bizarrely wrong, all Jim wants is to find a way to die properly, once and for all.
On his side, he's got a few shambling corpses, an inept thief, and a powerful death wish. But he's up against tough odds: angry mobs of adventurers, a body falling apart at the seams and a team of programmers racing a deadline to hammer out the last few bugs in their AI.
Mogworld is the debut novel from video-game icon Yahtzee Croshaw (Zero Punctuation). Mogworld is a comic fantasy novel in the tradition of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, with a video-game twist: the main character is a minor character in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. ... Read more

Reviews

I will never be able to kill a skeleton in a dungeon the same way again..., September 23, 2010
I've loved Zero Punctuation for a long time now, so of course I expected Mogworld to be hilarious. What I didn't expect was that the book would be more than just funny--it would also be a compelling, well-written story with memorable characters, an incredibly fresh and original plot... and also one of the funniest things I've ever read.

The premise is simple: Jim is an undead mage living in an MMORPG called Mogworld (Multiplayer Online Game World) that is similar to World of Warcraft or any other mumorpuger out there. Death no longer exists in this world; adventurers or NPCs who die are simply resurrected, as is common in MMOs. Jim's goal is simple: die permanently. His story is not the story of a hero. It's about as far away from that as you can get! As Jim himself puts it, "I'd rather be a protagonist." The story is engaging and unique. Familiar fantasy set pieces appear, but are all twisted to poke fun at the standard conventions of both videogames and fantasy novels.

The characters are equally interesting. Each of the main characters has their own particular manner of speaking, to the point that if the entire book was written without dialogue tags, it would still be possible to follow the dialogue. All of the characters are well thought out and complex, with their own motivations and personalities. For a bunch of NPCs with all the trappings of traditional fantasy/game characters, they're surprisingly deep.

This all pales in comparison to the most important part: Mogworld is genuinely funny. Jokes are witty and rapid-fire, but are not overused. Some of the funniest jokes (the octopus eyeballs, Mr. Wonderful's little whatevers) are recurring, but are carefully spaced so they don't become tedious. Sure, there's jokes that could be considered crude in polite company. But while lesser writers may simply put in crude references for the reader to laugh at, Yahtzee makes actual jokes to laugh at, rather than just the crude reference itself. Even better, they are rare and never relied upon to carry the humor. The best jokes are the little ones that subtly poke fun at the conventions of videogames, the behavior of players, and a few sly references to Zero Punctuation that can only be caught by a dedicated ZP watcher. (and reader of Extra Punctuation, for a couple of jokes!)

Although the book may be somewhat inaccessible to those unfamiliar with Internet culture or the nature of MMOs like World of Warcraft, that's OK; writing for a niche isn't necessarily a bad thing, and considering how fast the numbers of Internet users who know about WoW are growing, Mogworld is probably accessible to most people anyway, because it is just so funny. Due to some swearing and other language, I wouldn't really recommend this book to children... but if that child already watches Zero Punctuation, trust me, they're not going to come across anything worse in Mogworld. In short, it is an excellent book immediately recommendable to any Zero Punctuation fan, videogame player, Internet user, or anyone else who appreciates a quick wit and solid writing.

Absolutely Sublime From Start to Finish..., September 24, 2010
Mogworld / 978-1-59582-529-2

I've been a fan of Yahtzee's humorous and scathing trademark review style ever since I saw my first "Zero Punctuation" video on The Escapist. When "Mogworld" was announced, I kept my enthusiasm in check with the remembrance that sometimes humorists don't transfer well to new genres, and there's a fairly vast difference of format between 5-minute first-person video game reviews and a 400-page third person fantasy novel, however I shouldn't have been worried - the sharp satire and sardonic wit of "Mogworld" put all my concerns to rest, and I absolutely loved this novel from start to finish.

Mogworld's decidedly unheroic (and undead) protagonist Jim is so delightfully fresh that it's impossible not to love him from the get-go. Jim doesn't take charge in a crowd, preferring to hang back and go along with whatever the majority decides, and there's something terribly refreshing and realistic about such a sensible attitude. Perfectly blending cheerful gallows humor and glum existential uncertainty, Jim is happy enough to go about his daily job as a dungeon rat-pit manager, with the occasional nightly fling off the nearest convenient tower in dogged suicide attempts.

A protagonist like Jim is inherently difficult to write, since the author will be forced to impel the character forward with the plot, as any such movement will only be undertaken by Jim against his better judgment and personal inclinations. Versatility and a surprisingly delicate touch are employed to great effect here - Jim's 'uncharacteristic' spurts of self-preservation are satisfactorily motivated by fear, annoyance, irritation, and pure animal instinct. Of course, it helps that Jim is burdened with an entourage of support characters who all have their own strong motivations for manipulating Jim's actions - and even the smallest ancillary support characters are thoroughly characterized with deep and hilarious dialogue and motivations - including the absolutely delightful inhabitants of Applewheat who look forward with anticipation to their weekly pillaging at the hands of the nearest undead horde.

It's difficult to say what I like most about "Mogworld". I truly enjoyed seeing Yahtzee's trademark style on full display; fans who are familiar with his speaking style will sink into his sarcastic and complex writing style like a warm blanket. Indeed, much of the writing reminds me of my favorite parts of Douglas Adams' novels, particularly what I can only describe as a preference for "antonymic" descriptions (*Is* there a word for the exact opposite of a mugging??). Readers will also appreciate the seamless joining of a "fantasy" plot with a "gaming" premise - the addition of the programmers is handled so cleverly that it's hard not to look forward to the next excerpts of communication from the outside world. And then there are the little touches of humor - running jokes that serve an actual plot purpose, like the adorable magic bunnies that want nothing more than to be cuddled. Perhaps most of all, I admire "Mogworld" for being brave enough to break the two cardinal rules of new authorship - firstly by eschewing the forced romantic relationships and mandatory line-dancing competitions that are so endemic in modern media today, and secondly by managing to find closure at the end instead of ending on a cliffhanger in a transparent grasp for a sequel.

I honestly can't say if everyone will love "Mogworld", but there's definitely a broad appeal here. The humor on display is imaginative and funny (and in several places delightfully dark), and the fantasy and gaming elements are handled perfectly. The dialogue and characters are wonderfully fresh, and while the most prudish may object to some of the innuendo-laden dialogue, I honestly think this is a novel that will appeal to all ages. As an American, I can't truly say whether all that makes "Mogworld" literary "Branston Pickle", but I loved reading it, and I imagine most others will too. I can't help but lament that it would have been more funny if I'd hated the novel and spent the review picking it apart, but I'll leave the satirical reviews to the Three Wolf Moon Shirt guys.

~ Ana Mardoll

This puzzles me!, December 16, 2010
Lol I love Yahtzee! This book was great, but there are parts missing from the preview copy I got ahold of months ago. There were these two characters who would appear as a counterpoint to the main dude, Jim. They had awesome banter back and forth. Their names were Rickfordson Billbottom, and Estefan Shipshank.

I remember this one conversation they had, that was like a "who's on first, who's on second" bit. It went something like this:


RB: "Tag."
ES: "Tag what?"
RB: "No, just tag, you're it."
ES: "What is it?"
RB: "Tag?"
ES: "No, it."
RB: "It's what a tagged person is."
ES: "So it IS tag?"
RB: "Uh, I guess."
ES: "So if it is tag, then tag has to be it, which means I can't be - sorry."
RB: "Uh.. What?"
ES: "Tag. You're it."

(Hours later)

The two corpses stiffened slowly on the stones below. In the end, both Rickfordson Billbottom and Estefan Shipshank were tagged in the worst way - through the skull at 50 yards. As their souls lifted up, they both undertook a new adventure. To find their way back to the place they had come from. To find themselves together. To seek the most important answers of all.

Tag, you're it.

For a first novel, this is excellent work., September 29, 2010
One of the most wonderful and terrifying things about becoming a novelist is there's no one "right way" to do it. It's wonderful because it means anybody with writing talent (and some without) can do it, and it's terrifying because it can be daunting to choose how to begin, where to go and what to do once you get there. Yahtzee Croshaw started out writing reviews of movies and games, short stories and freeware adventure games, and Mogworld is his first novel. After finishing it, I found myself hoping that it won't be his last. With Sir Terry Pratchett ill and Douglas Adams dead for almost a decade, someone had to step up and fill the shoes of the sarcastic British genre novelist.

Jim is an apprentice wizard, studying arcane magic and thankful to be away from his fathers' disgusting farm when his school is attacked by the neighboring war college. He's killed, only to wake up sixty years later as a zombie under the command of a necromancer. It's soon apparent that his world has become afflicted by some odd global condition that makes death a temporary inconvenience, but while some people wake up in a nearby church swathed in white robes when killed, Jim remains zombified. The prevailing sentiment among those still capable of coherent thought is that this condition needs to be fixed. Jim, however, could care less. Jim just wants to die permanently. Unfortunately, being an NPC in Mogworld, a massively multiplayer online game boasting revolutionary AI, this is easier said than done.

Yahtzee's writing shows evidence of subscription to two of the biggest rules for good writing: "show don't tell" and "less is more." Tackling the first, Yahtzee is careful to never just have his characters spout their feelings verbatim. They are shown through the timbre of the conversation, their expressions and actions, the decisions they make and so on. Likewise, Yahtzee avoids the tendency of many, many modern comics with his "less is more" mentality, using running gags sparingly and instead using circumstance, intelligence and sarcasm to maintain a high level of humor throughout the book. And make no mistake, this book is very, very funny.

Of course, this is Yahtzee we're talking about, so folks were probably expecting the humor. The existential angst, philosophical ramifications and metaphysical discussions, on the other hand, might catch some readers off-guard. The humor, in point of fact, begins to feel like something of a gateway drug. It's the hook that pulls you into the story so Yahtzee can drive home what he's really on about. The narrative goes some very dark places. It's well done and presented in a very interesting way, so it wasn't that jarring for me, but readers expecting the rapid-fire dirty jokes of Zero Punctuation may be filled with confusion.

If Mogworld has a flaw, it's the decision Yahtzee made to write the novel in the first person. While it does draw in the reader and underscores the sort of immersion Yahtzee is always discussing in his reviews, there are a few moments where it feels less like Jim is his own character and more a mouthpiece for Yahtzee's personal opinions and philosophies. Considering how much of Yahtzee's voice and humor permeates the novel, Jim comes dangerously close to becoming an Author Avatar. Thankfully, as the novel goes on it feels more like Yahtzee is flirting with that distinction rather than being completely ignorant of it or knowingly crossing the line to speak to us directly about how silly or stupid we are to believe whatever we do that he does not. It's gotta be hard to carry on a serious discussion on these subjects when your tongue is planted in your cheek, after all.

It's really hard to hold a flaw this minor against the overall result when the humor is this funny, the characters this memorable and the jibes this cutting. For a novel, Mogworld is very good. As a first novel, it's excellent, bordering on the fantastic. And for anybody out there struggling to put a novel together, it's a challenge. Yahtzee got this written, edited and published while maintaining his web series and opening the Mana Bar. It puts the following question to other writers: "What's your excuse?" ... Read more

Editorial Review

The ka-tet of Roland, Alain, and Cuthbert have returned safely to their home in Gilead. But all is not well. Roland has kept the evil Maerlyn's Grapefruit and has become obsessed with peering into its pinkish depths despite the deadly toll it's taken on his health. And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares. Meanwhile, Roland's father has led a posse in search of those who threatened his son's life in Hambry - John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters. And in this encounter, Stephen Deschain's life may be forfeit. This title collects Dark Tower: Treachery numbered 1-6. ... Read more

Reviews

Home sweet home, April 21, 2009
Roland Deschain has suffered a lot and lost a lot in the last two arcs of the "Dark Tower" graphic novels-- and unfortunately he doesn't have an easier time when he finally gets home.

Picking up after the end of the prior arc, Stephen King's "Dark Tower: Treachery" brings our hero and his embattled ka-tet back to Gilead and more trouble waiting for them. Between Jae Lee's gorgeously gritty, colourful artwork and King's almost Shakespearean tragedies, it's a moving piece of work that shows how Roland Deschain became the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love.

Alain and Bert are made official gunslingers, but are troubled by Roland's continuing obsession with the Grapefruit and the horrors it contains -- visions of the Crimson King, of a blood-coloured wasteland, and of his murdered father. In the meantime, their fathers set out to destroy Farson's gang, nearly costing one of the gunslingers his life; Cort's teenage niece embraces the life and practices of a gunslinger, even though she isn't allowed to technically become one.

Worst of all, Roland's disgraced mother Gabrielle (sent to repent in a nunnery) is seduced back into doing Marten's bidding, so he can destroy the "mighty beast that is the gunslingers." And after Roland almost shoots his best friends, he tries to do the right thing by handing the Grapefruit to his father -- but he already knows too much of the horrific danger approaching Gilead.

Most of "Dark Tower: Treachery" is the calm before the storm -- the forces of evil are approaching Gilead but most of the people there don't know yet. So while this is a slower-moving affair than "The Gunslinger Born" and "The Long Road Home," all the piece of an epic clash are clicking into place. And you can tell that this is not going to end well for the people around our tortured young hero.

As rewritten by Peter David, King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("Now there are some who simply equate riddles with jokes..."). And his simple dialogue has a powerful sound, mingling Old West and medieval styles ("I have the rest of eternity to feel no pain. I'll endure what I must until then").

And since this is a King story, there are moments of sheer horror: the killing of Charles and his poor little baby, and Steven's ka-tet stopping a fatal wound with gunpowder. The inside of the Grapefruit is relatively tame, but the close-ups of the Crimson King are pretty nightmarish.

Jae Lee weaves a colourful, hazy painting around the entire story as well, with plenty of striking artwork (a naked, emaciated Roland hugging the glowing Grapefruit). He splits much of the narrative between where the good guys are (the dusty, rather run-down citadel of Gilead) and the bad guys' domain (blood-red skies, twisted trees, all-engulfing mist and the suitably reddish domain of the King). It's lovely work.

Roland really gets put through the grinder here -- not only is he haunted by his torture inside the Grapefruit and the loss of Susan Delgado, but he basically becomes a Grapefruit junkie. Alain and Bert get to shine as newly-minted gunslingers and steadfast friends, and Aileen adds a strong female presence to the cast. They need it, since the only other surviving woman is Gabrielle -- and it's hard to see how a strong guy like Roland could have such a pitifully weak mother.

"Dark Tower: Treachery" is the windup for a devastating blow, and its lack of a central plot is its only weakness. Glorious art, a scarred teenage hero and plenty of eerie bad guys make this a great adaptation.

Treachery, May 2, 2009
I should state right away that I have not read Stephen King's book series "Dark Tower"; yet I do intend to buy the 7 books. I'm also very fond of this variant of books (graphic novels), so I did not hesitate to order. The book is split into six chapters, which corresponds to the individual 6 magazines the book is a compilation of. I notice that a lot of people were dissatisfied with the previous hardcover edition books in the series due to them having left out material, but since this is my first encounter with the Dark Tower-series, I can only recognize their grievances as probably valid, but not really concerning myself at this time. This particular book on the other hand, appears to contain a lot of new material, so not too much to complain about there in regards to "staying true". That they publish high-quality hard-covers is uncommon enough as it is, in this market of cheap paperbacks and low-quality publishing.

Since this is the third book of the series, I assume you've read the first, hence I won't tell much about the contents themselves. After the previous disaster where Susan Delgado died, Roland Deschain and his ka-tet return with Maerlyn's Grapefruit taken from the Crimson King, to reap their reward of full acceptance into the society of the Gunslingers, led by Roland's father. Being the rather gloomy series that it is, dark clouds quickly amass upon the horizon, and disaster follow disaster through the worst of treacheries, yet at the same time young love is kindled while old ones die out.

The story is quite the epic with its brooding heroes, evil forces, beautiful but troubled women, horrible creatures and all the various vicissitudes of life. The drawings themselves are simply breathtaking, and contain such amazing colouring, shading, drawing and storytelling that I can hardly wait for the next book in the series to come out come February, I believe.

All in all, epic storytelling for adults that I found appealing in every way and without the negative sides that I find King to sometimes espouse in some of his writing; a kind of soft-core horror that I can't really imagine thrill anyone but the occasional housewife back in the 80's. If you ever liked the type of graphic novel represented for example by "300", "Sin City", "Preacher" and so on, I think I can guarantee you'll find this to be enjoyable too. I read it in one sitting, if that is anything to go by. 5 stars.

To Short, May 18, 2009
The images are great, Mid World is very well presented. The only problem is that the story advances very slooooooooowly. I mean in 7 issues Roland and his ka tet are very introduced.

I expected more (this is the 3rd series in the comic after all). I think the guys at Marvel Comics are milking this story for all it's worth.

"In a world that has moved on...", July 2, 2009
To those not in the know, Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series began with one of the first stories he ever wrote, The Gunslinger, which would eventually be published in 1982 as a standalone tale in a post-apocalyptic world of a man in black who fled across the desert and the gunslinger who followed. But King had plans. Big plans. 33 years later, his magnum opus was completed with the release of the seventh and final book in the most epic undertaking of his extremely prolific career. His original notion was a The Lord of the Rings-inspired tale that would weave together genres of fiction and conglomerate them all into a single existing multiverse. I said "epic undertaking" already, right? Horror, science fiction, fantasy, and especially westerns served as jumping off points for the series' premise which then grew to include metafiction and eventually every possible work of fiction all existing simultaneously with our own world. You'd think the conclusion of the story would have been enough. But King is not only in the process of revising and rewriting the entire series to fix glaring errors that resulted from the long delays between books, but he has also teamed up with Marvel Comics to fill in the massive gaps in the origin of the series' protagonist, Roland Deschain, in style. The first arc in this prequel series, The Gunslinger Born, was little more then an abridged retelling of the tale told by Roland that takes up most of the fourth novel, Wizard and Glass, which set up the chain of events that would lead to the Fall of Gilead. It was excellent. The Long Road Home followed it up with a story that felt a bit uneventful and forced, but was visually as impressive as the first arc. Plus, there were mutant wolves. Awesome mutant wolves. With "Treachery" the event are now in full swing and writers Robin Furth and Peter David have really hit their groove and are back to doing the original series justice.

"Treachery" picks up with the young Roland and his band of friends (ka-tet) returning from an ill-fated mission that changed them all forever and set in motion the wheels that would eventually leave only a cold and broken-hearted Roland standing. With Roland being a mess and in the thrall of evil forces, much of the story revolves around the side characters which turns out to be a very good thing. Alain and Cuthbert receive their guns as payment for thier service, which causes a rift between them and their jealous compadres who have to face exile to earn that honor. Meanwhile the mentor of all of Gilead's gunslingers has a problem with a strong-willed niece who feels she is every bit the fighter as the men and dreams of being a gunslinger herself which is forbidden to women. Marten the sorceror, who is the ultimate Stephen King villain and has been in many books under many names (most famously Randall Flagg) concludes his complete seduction of Roland's mother, who is tapped while doing penance for her sins to commit the ultimate betrayal. Meanwhile, Roland's father, the leader of Gilead, and his company run into some serious trouble of their own. This is the most brutal entry into the series yet and features some seriously horrific imagery. Ever seen an unborn full-term child ripped from the mother's belly in a comic book? Damn. They are not messing around. This is definitely the strongest Dark Tower graphic novel to come out yet and is worth wading through the rehash of the first arc and the relative mediocrity of the second. Fans of sex and violence will be well-served and there is plenty for fantasy fanatics as well. With this set-up, the series conclusion "The Fall of Gilead" should be epic.

If you are unfamiliar with the Dark Tower series, you probably are not a legit Stephen King fan and I honestly can't tell you how much you'll get out of this comic series. The imagery is astounding at times and the story starts at the very beginning so I imagine so long as you begin with "The Gunslinger Born" you'll be fine, but there's no substitute for the original novels as far as groundwork for this comic goes. Mid World has it's own dialects, terminology, and culture that will make fans of the novels feel right at home, but the writers here were fairly accommodating in utilizing it in a way that is easy to catch onto so newcomers need not feel too intimidated. The big complaint with these collections is that they throw out the additional content found in the original comic issues. The stories and appendices are wonderful and do so much to flesh out the lore, culture, and history of Mid Land that I simply cannot believe that Marvel would leave these vital pieces of this series out. No way is any of these collection getting a perfect score like that. If you have not read the Dark Tower books, you really should. It's a remarkable series that sadly falters in the end, but is still an absolute necessity for King fans if for no other reason then it's sheer scope and ambition. Understanding those novels will certainly aid in your appreciation of this comic book series, but if you are like me and can't get a moment's peace to get into a full novel these days then give this series a try if your up for something different and cool that redefines classic western iconography and combines it with science fiction and fantasy.
4 1/2 stars, rounded down for skimping content.


"I do not aim with my hand.
He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my Eye.

I do not shoot with my hand.
He who shoots with his handhas forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my Mind.

I do not kill with my gun.
He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my Heart"
-Gunslinger's Creed

Beware of this Addiction, August 27, 2009
I picked up on the gunslinger series long ago when I was still in the military. The concept of the earth moving on and reverting to the old west intermixed tapped into my younger days watching westerns (which are no longer in vogue) and mysticism. I finished the last novel when it was released and felt a lot had been left out. Since then, I took a job in Iraq and was surprised to see that King decided to create a graphic novel that give more information about Roland's early years.

This is the third series I purchased. The first I purchased as individual comics and appreciated the sidebar information they provided in each issue. I purchased The Long Road Home and Treachery as combined novels. They didn't give the side bar, but the content is first rate. King has a way of building you up with anticipation for the next page then shattering all faith you have left in humanity.

I went home on vacation this past May knowing my son was just finishing up the first novel in the Gunslinger series and I told him I would bring my graphic novels so he could get a better understanding of the novel. Treachery arrived just prior to me leaving and I decided to read it once I got home.

If you are like me, since I had been away for so long there was a honey do list as long as my arm and so many people to see that I didn't get a chance to start reading until my last couple days home. This volume is very intense and provided more action and suspense than The Long Road Home. It also introduces Cort's niece who has fire and bravado. It gives quite a bit more information about Roland's mother and her tragic failings. I had to take the book with me to finish once I returned to Iraq.

When I called back to announce that I had arrived, imagine my shock when my wife was interrupted by my son asking what happened to the last book. He had read all the previous graphic novels and was dying to read how the third volume turned out. I ended up having to purchase him a copy and send it to him. I called him a few days later and we talked about the story for nearly an hour.

If that doesn't tell you how compelling these novels are, I don't have the capacity to explain it better. I am patiently waiting for the next volume The Fall of Gilead to be complete so I can find out what happens next. I now understand the crazed woman in Misery who went to such ends to force the writer to keep it going. Good luck dealing with your addiction should you start this journey.
... Read more

Editorial Review

A long-dormant volcano explodes, blacking out the sun, mowing down trees, and filling the land with soot and ash. The Lord of the Locusts has been released. Against this apocalyptic backdrop, the Bone cousins along with Thorn and Gran'ma Ben struggle to reach safe haven in the city of Atheia.

Meanwhile, Lucius Downs lies severely wounded and trapped with the villagers in the camp at Old Man's Cave.

... Read more

Reviews

Great series takes a turn into the grim, May 11, 2004
With "Ghost Circles," the seventh of nine volumes, the "Bone" saga gets very, very serious. While still appropriate for all ages (there is nothing here you wouldn't let your eight-year-old read), this is hardly kiddy fare. It's dark, grim and rarely funny.

"Bone" is an epic story about three "bone creatures" and their adventures in a valley peopled with an assortment of crazy and interesting characters. Looming over it all is the menace of a great evil, revealed slowly over the course of nine volumes, intent on unleashing itself over the world. The series starts off lighthearted, but grows less so as the story unravels itself, as is evident with "Ghost Circles."

In "Ghost Circles," despair rules over all. It begins with the death of a supporting character, leads into suffering for all, and sees the main characters trudge through hopelessness before leaving the reader lingering with the hope that maybe, just maybe, a good end will come for the good guys.

Here, several story threads move ahead independent of each other, the characters separated by a great calamity in the valley. Throughout the volume, the threads appear to be drawing together - even as evil grows. When finishing this, you'll reach for the next volume right away.

Smith combines the kind of classic storytelling perfected by the likes of the legendary Carl Barks (Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge) and Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) - pure cartooning with outrageous and expressive faces and gestures - with the epic and engaging plotting of a sweeping fairy tale. "Bone" manages to balance the two well enough to be something fans of both Donald Duck and Frodo Baggins can enjoy.

Jeff Smith's "Bone" series may be critically acclaimed, but it is also criminally overlooked. And that's too bad, because this deserves to be read.

And in the long run, it will be.

There is no doubt people will still be reading "Bone" 50 years from now. Broad and epic in scope yet personal and quaint, this is a charming story in every way that will surely outlast most other comic works on the shelf.

Great for pre-teen boys., January 11, 2009
bone is always a book I can get my boys (ages 11 and 9) to read. thank you

the pivotal volume, February 19, 2008
BONE volume seven is one of the greatest stories of BONE. Even though the first five are less grim, this graphic novel is an addition to the BONE series that the other books could not do without.

I tried reading volume eight: Treasure Hunters before this, mainly because my hold on Ghost Circles arrived after volume eight. I couldn't wait for volume seven, so I dove right into Treasure Hunters. To make a long story short, it was awful. After my hold arrived, I decided to reread them in order. Sure enough, volume eight made much more sense after having read volume seven, and now both have been added to my favorites list, along with The Great Cow Race and The Dragonslayer. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ravenpaw and Barley helped their friends in ThunderClan defeat the vicious BloodClan cats in Twolegplace. Now they're ready to fight to reclaim their home on the farm. Firestar has promised to send a warrior patrol to assist them, but Ravenpaw worries that it won't be enough to chase out the invaders. He knows that he must find his courage and fight like a warrior—or lose his home forever.

Reviews

this warriors book..., August 18, 2010
All of the Warriors raphic novels are pretty good. Here is my list of best to worst:
-Tigerstar & Sasha 1- Into the Woods
-Graystripe's Adventure 1- The Lost Warrior
-Graystripe's Adventure 2- Warriors' Refuge
-Tigerstar and Sasha 3- Return to the Clans
-Graystripe's Adventure 3- Warrior's Return
-Single manga- The Rise of Scourge
-Bluestar's Prophecy comic strip
-SkyClan's Destiny comic strip
-Tigerstar and Sasha 2- Escape from the Forest.

Then this series came along. I was very impressed by the whole series of Ravenpaw's Path for the manga books. It was very well done, from the art to the storyline. The problems with boring manga, such as Escape from the Forest, or Toklo's Story (Seekers manga #1, because I'm an avid fan of Seekers) is that they have too little storyline (and are overpriced) and they have too many ads at the back of teh book. But all 3 of these books were good. I did hear a rumor that Firestar loses a life in this manga series, but the rumor was false. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

The missing link between ancient paganism & modern religion, June 18, 1998
Frazer's classic "The Golden Bough" may justifiably be called the foundation that modern anthropology is based on. While it has been discredited in some areas since it's 1st publication, it has stood the test of time remarkably well. It's still the best book I know of to explain the origins of magical & religious thought to a new student of comparative religions. I would especially suggest it to anyone interested in mythology, supernatural magic or religion, especially any of the modern neo-pagan religions. More than one critic has said that it should be required reading for everyone.

Originally, Frazer sought to explain the strange custom at an Italian sacred grove near the city of Aricia. He wanted to know why it was custom there for a priest of Diana to continually guard a sacred tree with his life. Why was it required that this pagan priest murder anyone who dares to break a branch from the tree & why were so many willing to risk their lives to do so? What power did this broken branch have that made it a symbol of the priests own coming death? Why could the priest only be relieved of his position by being ritually murdered & who in their right mind would strive to take his place?

What Frazer discovered in his search for answers went well beyond what he expected to find. He very quickly found himself surrounded by ancient pagan beliefs & magic rituals that were as old as mankind & just as widespread. He slowly reveals to us, by way of hundreds of examples, that ancient or primitive man was bound up in a never ending web of taboos & restrictions that regulated his existence here on earth. Every move, spoken word or even thought could swing the powers of the divine for or against pagan man. Every action was bound by religious code & any mistake could invoke supernatural retribution. The entire world, it seemed, was a reflection of the mystic other world that pagan man worshipped & everything here was symbolic of something there.

While studying this idea Frazer covers many other perplexing questions about culture & belief that have affected our lives. For example, he explains the origins of many of our holidays. He reveals the original symbolism & meaning of the Christmas tree & mistletoe & tells us what they represent. He explains the pagan origins of Halloween & why it's necessary to placate the spirits who visit your home that night. He solves the question of why Easter isn't a fixed holiday but is instead linked to the Spring Equinox & just what colored eggs have to do with anything. In short he covers just about every known superstition or tradition & relates it back to it's pagan beliefs.

What emerges from this collection of superstition & folktales isn't a chaotic mess of mumbo-jumbo but is instead a fully expounded religious system. Frazer shows again & again that these traditional customs & continuations of ancient rites are the basis for a religious system pre-dating any of our own. We find that in this system man can not stand apart from nature or the world. Nor can he commit any action without it's usual equal but opposite reaction. Eventually, we learn of the powerful but frightening association between a king's fertility & his lands well-being. Lastly, we learn that it's not always "good to be king" & just what sort of horrible price one must pay to be "king for a day".

But more than all of this Frazer is commenting on our own times & our own beliefs. "The Golden Bough" isn't simply about ancient pagan religious ideas for their own sake. The book provides & explains these ideas so we can see how they are still in operation even today. Primitive pagan beliefs & symbolism are with us daily, besides the obvious Christmas tree & Easter eggs. Behind his exhaustive examples & explanations of mystic or secret magic rituals Frazer is actually commenting on our own Judeo-Christian religions. A careful reading between the lines reveals what Frazer was afraid to state bluntly in 1890. That idea is that all religions, even our own, are based on the same basic pagan ideas of "sympathetic" & "contagious" magic. Despite advancements in science & knowledge & even despite spiritual advancements in religion & philosophy, we're still trying to comprehend the divine with the same tools our ancestors used thousands of years ago.

For Myth and Anthropology, start here, December 6, 2003
This is Frazer's own abridgement of a mere 750 pages. The original work is 12 volumes. I've started in my lunch hour writing a few reviews here on Amazon of things which either really struck me deeply, or which I feel are underrated or overrated... or which I happen to have read recently and therefore are fresh in my mind. This one is of the deep-striking, perspective-altering kind.

The book feels to me somehow to be the most central work on mythology, ritual or anthropology that I have read. The reason for this, I think, is that Frazer had a clear vision of some central Fact which he needed to convey. The book is therefore very well organized, doesn't lose its focus amid the masses of data -- and I mean masses of data -- which he brings to bear. And this Fact which he conveys is not really about something external to man -- even something external which man has created; it is about something internal and fundamental to man. Its fundamental point concerns a changeless Fact about the nature of things, more than any myriad of facts -- however amazing -- which have resulted from historical circumstance.

After 100 or so pages, I was thinking, "All right already, I get the point about sympathetic magic and a dead guy in a tree. When's the next topic?" But he just kept going on, and about 300 pages into the book, I felt a sort of chill in the base of my spine... maybe I hadn't gotten it about the dead guy in the tree... and then Frazer just keeps going on and on and on for another 450 pages.

The sheer volume of data, and the effectiveness with which it is organized somehow sunk through. Had I read a yet more abridged volume, I might not have been left with this stunned sense of the unbelievable pervasiveness and power of this one central Myth which runs through all humanity.

There's a lot more one could write about that Myth and the evolution of religions and consequently societies, but I suppose I'll leave that to Frazer. However, for those who have been struck by the Myth or the Dream, I would say that this is the place to start... more than Freud, Jung or Campbell... all of which should be read at some point. I feel like what Frazer presents is fact more than a perspective or theory, which is why I wish I had read it prior to Freud or Jung. I read Joseph Campbell over and over more than Frazer, but his scholarly works are not as easy to penetrate or as unified as are Frazer's.

a century later and still going strong, October 26, 2005
This book is veritable attic full of folklore and ritual. But, like an attic, it is sometimes dusty and overstuffed. First published in 1922 and hardly out of print since, the author states it began as a study of a curious practice in a grove near Nemi, Italy in classical times of the killing of a local divine wood king/priest by his successor. His studies lead him to research one thing after another, which eventually became a multi-volume treatise on many of the ritual and folk practices of the world, especially in regards to gods of trees, vegetation and grain, and other resurrection myths.

At times it is a difficult read as the author does not have the current sense of treating other cultures as different, rather than "lesser", than ours, but despite repeated references to "savages" he presents practices and customs rather fairly and non-judgementally. It's only fault lies in it's length, perhaps, though this may be attributed to modern short attention spans, though it does seem to provide so many examples of a practice that I often thought five examples would have sufficed where he used twenty or more.

A curious thing, when I read this any shred of belief I might have had left in the Christ mythos was shattered with the detailed descriptions of other gods of resurrection. Undoubtedly without meaning to, Frazer presents such a clear picture of the rites and myths concerning Adonis, Attis, Osiris, among others, that you realize how little of the Christ myth (if anything) is original. This, of course, is not to disparage Christian believers, as my gods come as much out of myth as theirs, and so it is just as valid, but even when one has been a pagan as long as I have, there still remains some shred, I think, of a person that wonders if the original religion of our childhood might not be valid.

In any case, this is a long and interesting read. I originally picked it up after encountering numerous references in other pagan texts over the years to "Frazer's theory of the Divine King", etc., and finally wanted to read the work for myself. I don't regret it, and I don't think you will either, if you approach this book with patience when you have some time to devote to it.

Golden Bough is essential reading for any thinking person, August 6, 1998
The Golden Bough is a classic in the truest sense of the word. Well-written, compendious in its scholarship, profound in its influence, shocking in its implications, Frazer has penned one of mankind's great unread books. With the works of Darwin and Hubble, Frazer's hefty tome quietly demolishes traditional notions of the world and our place within it. His introductory study of magic in primitive societies, many sadly vanished in the intervening century, is fascinating reading for anyone interested in Wicca, the New Age, or the Occult. Frazer's scope then expands voluminously, to include such topics as totemism, divine kingship, tree worship, and, most significantly, dying and reviving gods. Without ever mentioning Jesus specifically, Frazer places him squarely in the midst of a long procession of resurrected Middle Eastern gods that include Osiris, Tammuz, Dionysus, and Attis, demonstrating amply that the Christ myth is a fairly typical example of the primitive religio! us beliefs characteristic of that locale and period. While hardly a quick read (Frazer's dignified style does require some self-acclimatization after the passage of nine undignified decades), The Golden Bough rewards both the careful sequential reading and the occasional random foray. Frazer's many thousands of examples of odd and provocative customs remain fascinating even as scholarly interpretation of their significance evolves. All in all, a book of which no genuine intellectual, and certainly no born-again Christian, can afford to be ignorant.

Inspiring, but not trustworthy, October 12, 1998
The Golden Bough is indeed a seminal work of early anthropology/folklore studies. However it's no longer held in high esteem in these fields, and for good reason. The major problem with Frazer is his source use. He took citations grossly out of context and made no effort to determine how reliable they were.

Moreoever he took myth literally, assuming that it was a distorted memory of actual events. If Pagan myths involved kings dying, then once upon a time Pagans must really have sacrificed their kings. By this 'logic', Christianity used to involve ritual cannibalism, since during the Eucharist believers eat the blood and body of Christ.

The holiday information is extremely poor, too. Like many 19th century folklorists, Frazer assumed that any "pagan-looking" customs were indeed pre-Christian. He did *no* research in the history of the holidays, and as a result the Golden Bough contains grievous amounts of misinformation. (I say this as a medievalist who's done significant amounts of research myself.)

For example, Frazer was responsible for the tenacious myth that Halloween is a Christianized version of the Celtic Samhain, introduced by the Celtic Church. If you check early Irish martyrologies, you'll find that the Celtic Church actually celebrated All Saints in April, not on Samhain. The October 31st date came from England and/or Germany, not the Celtic Church, making the connection between Samhain and Halloween somewhat obscure. Frazer assumes that Christmas trees are an ancient Pagan custom, when any historical research would reveal that the earliest mention of this custom comes from 16th century Germany.

The Golden Bough has had a tremendous impact on Neo-Paganism and many of the theories are inspiring. For that, for its poetry, I give it credit. But it's not a reliable work on Pagan history -- I'd give Ronald Hutton's _Stations of the Sun_ a much, *much* higher grade for that.

Magic, religion, and Science, November 28, 2004
James G. Frazer wrote an excellent book on the origins of magic called the Golden Bough.
The book describes a possible scientific model of how magic without dieties evolves into religion and myth. The basic theory that Frazer tries to prove is that there is something about human nature that preserves magical rituals over ans beyond the beliefs used to justify the magical ritual. According to him, the beliefs and myths that justify the ritual are completely replaceable, with the names of the gods, heroes, and even the fundamental storylines changing completely over the course of time. The rituals themselves are often generated by a fundamental belief in two types of belief that are hardwired into the human brain: sympathetic magic and contagious magic. He finds evidence for this in the myths and religious practices of people all over the world which according to him are not separated by any sharp boundary. The rationals and excuses people give to a ritual turns into myths and religion, not the other way around.
He gives thousands of examples of examples of rituals and the stories that he thinks started as excuses for rituals. An important example of a ritual is human sacrifice in its various forms. He follows the mythology of many cultures and shows how the mythology behind the ritual has changes with time, and how the ritual retains its main form even when the person is replaced by animals or animals are replaced with people. However, he gives lots of other examples. For example, he discusses food taboos (such as kosher laws), the songs children sing (step on a crack, break your mother's back) in terms of sympathetic magic.
The book is more descriptive than explanatory, having hundreds of examples for every ritual. The examples are fascinating. The theory is interesting, and perhaps has alot of truth in it. The model presented has been shown to be very plausible for specific archeological and historical events, such as the Mystery religion of Eleuisis, in ancient Greece.
He presents a purely secular, perhaps even atheistic, model that resembles the theory of evolution for ideas instead of organisms. The theory has similarities to the theory of meme evolution, presented decades later by biologist Richard Dawins. Frazer is very eloquent while being scientific, so that it can be read as either a technical monograph or a type of epic myth itself. I highly recommend the book.
Frazer's book has some major weaknesses in it, even though this reviewer still recommends it for its strengths. There was no bibliography, at least in the copy that I read. He comes out with these amazing stories about ritual which made the reviewer eager to explore in greater detail. With no references, there was no way to do explore further. The model he presents may not really apply to all the myths and rituals described. He overemphasizes human sacrifice, making it seem sometimes that it is a universal ritual when it is not. Some his myth associated rituals probably have a solid historical foundation that has nothing to do with ritual. Sometimes, the connection between fact and theory is not compelling and may not convince many readers. Many other reviewers consider Frazer's model as discredited, although this reviewer does not. This reviewer recommends reading it with a spoonful of salt ready.
The most important weakness is lack of organization. Often, Frazer goes into a long list of rituals and other examples without connecting it to the original theory. Some sectionss like fact dumps in places. However, lots of what he says makes sense after rereading the book more than once.
Some readers may be offended by his cultural bias. Contrary to what other reviewers have said, Frazer shows no bias toward the monotheistic religions, and puts Baldur on the same level as Jesus. In fact, a creationist can correctly complain that it has an atheistic bias. Frazer's theory is a solidly unreligious, and unmagical as a theory can get. Frazer emphasizes that religion eventually develops a morality and aesthetic around it, and that eventually the more inhumane aspects of religion go away leaving something very beautiful. Yet, his compiments toward primitive people being very smart sometimes appear condescending. He shows complete disbelief in magic and magical ways of thing, even while acknowledging that they will never go away. The psychologist Jung thought that Frazer's theory was too brutal to be accepted as an accurate theory of human nature. However, the brutality described by Frazer is not encouraged by the book and rituals of great beauty and morality are also described. Some particular types of human sacrifice described are so ugly, they mask all the nice rituals described. More nice, uplifting rituals would have been helpful. They are out there, Frazer ignored them.
The reviewer highly recommends this book. The reviewer also thinks that Frazer's theory has been discredited prematurely, and should be reexamined with new scientific and analytical tools that have been developed since Frazer's time.

An Indispensable resource, July 2, 2003
Although it is trendy to slam The Golden Bough for its author's assumptions, nothing can take away the magnitude of the scholarship or the impact of the text. It was the first time any work of religious anthropology had made any sort of cultural impact, and its signifigance to artists of the Jazz Age and later decades is tantamount. Picasso's work is filled with images from The Golden Bough, and all of Hemingway's obsession with bulls and bullfights is explained by reading Frazer.

The work itself is an exhaustive reference for thousands of relgious ceremonies around the world, and their interrelated symbolism and meaning. Flying directly in the face of the historical philosophies of parallel, isolated cultural development in vogue in the 19th century, the book shows that human spiritual belief orbits around the same ideas, needs and urges across the planet and through the ages. The symbolism of worship in Iron Age Norway is the same as Middle Ages Mirconesia, with all the interconnectedness this implies.

It is very easy to work around the author's 19th century cultural assumptions and glean the information. Reading The Golden Bough, along with Joseph Campbell, will give a very good baseline for any historical religious study. Frazer's work also dovetails beautifully with Jung's study of archetypal symbols. The combination of the two wil go a long way towards sorting out the symbolism in any 20th Century literature.

Aren't There Six Stars?, October 14, 2003
First of all, this edition I bought isn't the best one available to say the least. The pages are not well glued to the cover, and a few have even their margins off. So you may want to look for another slightly less economic edition, you won't regret it since The Golden Bough will be a valuable addition to your bookshelf. Now I'll discuss the content--the edition gets one star.

As can be seen from the title above, I did like The Golden Bough. I think that it is a great work of universal scientific literature. It shows the process by which mankind constructed its magical beliefs, and some of the religious and mythological ones, by a logical array of laws, using a truly scientific approach instead of relying on void rhetoric like so many other studies. And still it is not too difficult to read; only the examples are a little tedious to pass through, but they are a scientific imperative. Moreover, Frazer is not just one of the greatest historians of religions, but a very competent prose writer, and sometimes a philosopher: he explains his inductions with fine skill, and will surprise the reader with a couple of beautiful descriptions, and some deeply incisive considerations about society and human nature.

I am aware that this work has unfortunately come under some criticism, but I am confident that time will restore this work in its due place. It is very easy to discard any work with a few merely rhetorical comments, but not surprisingly it is not so easy to dismantle Frazer's reasoning. About the supposedly politically un-correctness of the work, actually Frazer shows us that "savagery", as he plainly calls it, is a necessary step in human progress, and he does not scorn primitive cultures at all, as can be seen in passages such as the chapter called "Our Debt to the Savage".

The Longest Book Ever about a Twig, November 23, 2004
The premise of this book is really simple: Why did the custom exist of the Priest of the Sacred Grove at Nemi having to be slain by his successor, who first had to pluck the fabled Golden Bough? From this premise, Frazer sets off on a course through anthropology and mythology to trace the course of human thought that ultimately culminated in this seemingly unspectacular, if barbarous, custom. While the book is long and often tedious, it is also often fascinating and always fabulously rewarding for those interested in mythology, anthropology, or literature.

...And then there's Mr. Frazer, June 27, 2000
If you are the type of person whose spirit gravitates to the simple (not simplistic, but simple)answers to some of the most complex and seemingly unrelated questions, and those answers desired consist of the type philosphers, poets and artists/scientists have been looking for (with varied success) for millenia, then you just might enjoy this book. Camile Paglia's SEXUAL PERSONAE, heavily indebted to this and the major works of Freud by her own proud admission, is what led me to this pretty staggering work for its time. It is relatively easy to make someone's brain hurt with a lot of scholar talk, where one is saying nothing; this book is great because it is *sensational*, in the truest sense of the word. This is one of the first of the many books about religion and the history of man that put my stomach up in knots, as it simultaneously gave me the power to look beyond the fabrication of ancient Greek philosophical society and Judeo-Christian heritage as the summit of man's knowledge. (Not that that was ever a problem for me consciously, but unconsciously I doubt anyone without reading a book like this has moved beyond it.) This is one of the books that made a new approach to the understanding of man and a paradigm shift as to how we have mentally, emotionally and spiritually developed not only possible, but inevitable.

What could keep this monument from receiving five stars will be fairly obvious to any reader: the prejudices of his time. It is actually hard to look at what he says objectively in that context; before him I doubt anyone put two and two together to come up with what he did during a time when his racism and trivialization of non-Euopean peoples, and for more than the past fifty plus years after him, anyone who has read his work has had that tempered by the embarrasing revalations of Nietsche and Freud. That, along with the egocentrism of Victorian Europe that he projects onto ancient and prehistoric man, serves to keep the book from being perfect (and are sometimes annoying), but do not serve to really take away its importance and incredible effect.

If you are a Joseph Cambell fan, you will be powerfully challenged by this book. Frazer was not attempting to come up with the same conclusions for myth and ritual that Campbell, though influenced by him, was. But you will love it, and respect it highly because of it. In a way, where Campbell seems to say "this is what it all means," Frazer says "this is what it all IS," letting the wonder of unexpected knowledge allow you to come to your own conclusions. This book will start you on a great spiritual journey if you never read anything of its kind before, and this edition is a very good one to have. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Excellent work by Jeff Smith, February 23, 2005
If you haven't read the work of Jeff Smith, you are missing out on not only one of the greatest series of comics in recent memory, but what may be the greatest fantasy epic since the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. I highly recommend picking up Bone in any of its editions, although I lean toward "The Complete Bone" myself. However, there is one significant advantage of the edition listed here that none of the reviewers have mentioned yet (that I've spotted, anyway): This is the first release of Bone in full colour, as opposed to the black-and-white art contained in the previous tomes of the Bone series (with the exception of Rose). This series is so excellent that I'm tempted to get this edition despite already owning the complete black-and-white edition, and I cannot think of higher praise than that.

An Epic For All Ages. The Wonder of Jeff Smith's BONE., June 1, 2005
For those who find the arena known as Comics to be a
field of endless narrative possibilities, Jeff Smith's
BONE is a wonderful adventure. Filled with sobering
peril and merciless laughter, the saga of three cousins
lost in a strange land offers rich characterization
and many an ethical turn with each page. For those
who still regard Comics as a hopelessly unworthy
field, fit only to encourage ignorance and delinquency,
I submit that one good read of this first chapter,
OUT FROM BONEVILLE, will alter your perceptions on
this matter, forever.
Since its debut in 1991, Smith's saga of camaraderie,
hi-jinks, and deeper responsibility has set high marks
for Fantasy literature, and stunned the world of the
Sequential Arts. A prodigious epic which spans nine
volumes (and an illustrious prequel, ROSE), BONE is
a captivating read; alluring in its charm and immediacy,
and warming in its ability to be genuinely cute without
succumbing to the artifice of cutesiness.
That Smith achieves this in a tale of dragons, lost
princesses, sibling rivalry and prickly innocence
marks BONE as an exceptional masterpiece for all
ages to enjoy.

With the time-honored Scholastic Press currently
issuing the 9-volume saga in color, the tale now
becomes available to a whole new audience. With
direct distribution into schools and libraries,
as well as other institutions which an independent
press (such as Smith's own Cartoon Books) might be
harder-pressed to reach, the opportunities for
BONE are more auspicious than ever before.

Those familiar with the Sequential field, as well
as those older newspaper strip readers, will see
Smith's immense mastery of the idiom. BONE's
blend of ticklish escapades and tense relationships
will call to mind both the cunning wit of Walt
Kelly's POGO and the flesh-n-blood nobility of
Harold Foster' PRINCE VALIANT.
Others who love the bright pugnacity of POPEYE's
E. C. Segar will delight in the rolling action
which frequently takes place here. Lovers of
J.R.R. Tolkien and Michael Moorcock will be
enthralled by Smith's thought-provoking forays
into the issues of Balance and Excess, and
how each character comes face-to-face with
the choices to be made.

Bottom line, however, is that Smith is very
much his own man, and BONE is very much his
hallmark upon the annals of great literature.
As humble in its presentation as it is majestic
in its unfurling, the tale of Fone Bone and
Thorn is a story which packs one thrilling,
thematic wallop.
Count on Jeff Smith's BONE to keep you
enthusiastically involved with each turn
of every page, from start to finish
throughout this volume, as well
as throughout the many chapters
to come......

Thank you for giving us this wonderful treat, March 27, 2005
This is one of the best comic books of all time. Read it and you will be undoubtably amazed by this funny and unforgetable tale of the three bone cousins. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and buy it.

A funny, entertaining trip from the world of reality, December 7, 2004
Jeff's Smith's Bone is an introduction book, a start with no finish. It sets up the situation and sends the reader into an unpredictable fantasy world, with characters both classic and ridiculous. Driven from their home, three bone creatures related by blood are lost in the desert and pushed off a cliff by a swarm of angry locusts and into a valley of mystery, danger, and even love.

Their diverse characters have all the markings of a standard comedy team. There is a care-free Smiley Bone, who casually points out impending doom and continues to smoke his cigar. Then there is the scheming and crafty Phoney Bone who causes all the trouble and ultimately gets his hand caught in every cookie jar he comes across. Finally you have the "hero" of the tale, Fone Bone, a veritable straight-man if there ever was one. His charming and honest nature sets the overall tone in the book, and it is his unerring moral compass that keeps the three of them bound by the same fate, both in and out, of hot water.
Separated from each other, the plight of his three varied and lovable "bone cousins" follows Fone as he struggles to reunite them as the story begins to unfold. Smith then uses picturesque, highly predictable behavior patterns and exaggerated reactions in and from the cousin's to draw the reader into to their characters. It is Fone's giving nature combined with Phoney's opportunism and Smiley's nonchalance that does this. It has the effect of giving the reader the sympathetic urge to smack Phoney, give Smiley a high five, and reassure Fone that everything will be OK in the end. To trap the reader in the tale, he uses a secondary group of characters ranging from a cigarette smoking red dragon to a muscle bound grandma, to a dainty, young vixen in a hot spring. With their animated qualities, the supporting cast leaves the reader wondering about the next event or laughing in amazement.

Unfortunately the ending has no resolution. It finishes on a cliffhanger, cunningly trying to draw you in to buy the next episode. The long and short of it: Don't buy this book for your 8-13 year old if you think you'll be able to get away with only getting him or her this one. Otherwise it's a funny, entertaining trip from the world of reality.

Reviewed by Mike Dorsey for Flamingnet Book Reviews

Please visit www.flamingnet.com for more preteen, teen and young adult book reviews and recommendations.

Bones Bones Bones!, March 9, 2005
Bone, by Jeff Smith, is an adventurous book about a lost trio that got split up in a dessert. Fone Bone has to find his friends before two furry monsters eat him! If you like funny comics and strange adventures this is your book! 138 pages of eye-pulling comics are a hysterical way to start your day. If you like this book you will LOVE Jeff Smith's others. Matt Groening (The creator of the Simpsons) says Bone is a great read! Heads up Garfield, you've got a rival!

Entertaining, October 5, 2006
The book Bone - Out of Boneville is about three cousins that get chased out of town by a mob of bones (bones are little creatures that look like ghosts). The cousins get separated in the woods and try to find there way back to each other.

The book is laid out like a comic book. It has colorful pictures and very detailed graphics which make it fun to read.

My favorite part of the book was when the Locusts attacked and they all fell down into a canyon and bumped their heads. It made me laugh to think of them rolling down and down.

I think that other kids my age would like this book because it was fun to read and I can't wait to continue with the series to see what other kind of trouble the cousins get into.

My 8-year-old went crazy over this book, September 29, 2005
I have been trying to find something new for my 8-year-old son that really grabs him. I found this book by accident and could not be happier. I have found him reading after bed time under his covers to find out what happens next after our nighttime reading ends. He has put all the remaining volumes on his Christmas list.

The Best Graphic Novel ever named, December 19, 2005
The first Graphic novel I ever read was some Pokemon one from Japan not the best to start out with...But kept seeing Bone: Out From Boneville and eventually bought it. It's a delightful tale about the wonderfully cartoony "Bone" Cousins who are dragged into a more serious and entricately drawn world filled with Rat Creatures and a "Hooded One." The main charcter Fone Bone is usually nude except for his cloak. He is seperated from his cousins in the desert while running from rioting villagers and locusts and soon finds himself in a mysterious valley with the help of a Map. He must survive the winter from Rat Creatures with his friend the dragon to find the Mysterious "Thorn." The other 'Bones' included are Phony Bone who wears a shirt with a black star and is a spoiled rich Scrooge without the Christmas bashing and Smiley who is just like Goofy from Mickey Mouse. The trio lead seperate adventures eventually crossing paths outwitting rat monsters (Stupid, Stupid Rat Monsters!), pulling cow racing scams at the local tavern and trying to get too Boneville desperately. I would recommend this to those of all ages, Graphic Novel fans and those interested in the art of it. This series is off to a good start.

Bone Out Of Boneville, February 9, 2006
This book is extravigent, vivid, and bright, but it is cliffhanger too. It is about 3 bones Smiley, Phoney, and FoneBone (he is talked about a lot) are chased from their hometown Boneville and stuck in the mountains. They are seperated in a swarm of locuses. FoneBone manages to get thro life in the woods but not Phoney. Fone is chased by these rat creatures but is saved. The rest you will have to read but listen to me...It Is Halarious!
C.C.

Parent and Child Review, October 14, 2008
A second-grade boy says, "Bone is the best book ever! It might have scary things, but it is fun too. It has a lot of adventures in it which makes it exciting. If you are a comic book lover, then you'll love these books."

His mother says, "This series absolutely captivated my son and was single-handedly responsible for helping him catch the reading bug. The 'to be continued' format meant that he couldn't wait to read on.
The one challenge to the fact that your child won't want to put these down is that you must have the next volume on hand, and sooner than expected.
Libraries have a very hard time keeping this series on the shelf. Learn from our experience that the suspense of waiting for the following book to be returned is simply too frustrating.
You might as well purchase the series. It will be worth it. Many friends have wanted to borrow them.
And I well imagine that my boy will want to read them all over again in the very near future, especially since the characters are fascinating on both simple and direct levels and with very complex depths.
ALERT: Parents should know that there are indeed dark plot lines and images, so the series may not be age appropriate for other 7 year olds. But, for kids such as mine, this is most appealing.
As should be clear from his critique, these do offer all the appeal of comic books. However, parents and teachers will be much happier about the literary merits in "Bone" than with the vast majority of graphic formats. " ... Read more

Editorial Review

Pok - mon is back in this fun book filled with mazes and puzzles. This is the second of two similar Pok - mon books from VIZ Media's VIZKids imprint. Young readers will enjoy mazes, finding differences and matching unique features to their favorite Pok - mon from original characters to those introduced in Pok - mon Ruby and Sapphire. Full-color, playful artwork showing Pok - mon playing on the beach, smashing rocks or in a park will appeal to preschool and younger grade school children. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland -- an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times Best-seller Peter David, this series delves deep into Roland's origins -- the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature! ... Read more

Reviews

Where are the stories from the individual issues, Marvel??, November 9, 2007
As a huge Dark Tower fan I was ecstatic when I first heard news of this comic series and, even though the story itself is mostly a re-telling of Roland's flashback story from WIZARD AND GLASS, it was still very enjoyable. I wish that I had just stuck with buying the individual issues instead of the hardcover in addition.
What I loved most about the individual issues were the stories that Robin Furth wrote at the end of each issue which were really interesting and really helped flesh out some of the mythology previously established in the book series (Arthur Eld's backstory, the forging of Roland's guns, the creation of Maerlyn's Rainbow, Rhea's backstory, Jonas's backstory, , Roland's TRUE relationship to the Crimson King, etc.). I enjoyed the story enough that I felt warranted in buying the hardcover so I could read it in one convenient collection.
HOWEVER, Marvel, for some reason I cannot imagine (other than to save money by cutting down on the number of pages) DID NOT include these stories in the hardcover. There is a nice collection of sketches and alternate covers but not a single one of the stories from the issues. GODDAMN is that annoying. I pretty much had no reason to buy this hardcover, since, if I want to read any of those nifty back stories I now have to dig up the individual issues, so I might as well read those instead.
Way to drop the ball, Marvel.
From now on, before buying any Marvel comic collection I'll have to wait until somebody else I know gets it first to find out if I'm being gypped on material that should have been in there in the first place. I'm sure you'll release the SUPER DELUXE EDITION FAN COLLECTION when the second comic series begins in February, containing those stories that should have been in this one, following the film studios in double-dipping popular comic releases instead of just releasing the better collection in the first place. I really hope that when the hardcover collection for the second series comes out the sales are as terrible as the duping of your fans because they realized how you suckered them the first time around.
Thanks for nothing.
To anyone interested in reading the story do yourself a favor and buy the individual seven issues so you can get the stories in the end. If you're a fan of the DT books you won't regret getting them over this abysmal hardcover.

Poorly done, Marvel!, November 19, 2007
This would have been a 4 star review, if it were for the series (NOT the hardcover). The series had wonderful prose and backstories on origins of Dark Tower events and characters, filling in many gaps. This 25.00 book doesn't include those. Most Marvel hardcovers are in the 30.00 range, which should have meant by boosting the price a bit, fans could get the prose (perhaps sequentially in the back), along with the interviews, and possibly the Gunslinger's Guidebook. In the end, Marvel's negligence should NOT be rewarded with anything over a one star review for screwing over Stephen's fans.

The Beginning of the Neverending, November 28, 2007
Shortly after graduating high school (too many years ago to admit to), I read my second Stephen King novel. I decided to take on King's 800+ page epic called The Stand (updated in the 90s to 1100+ pages!)...this after finishing his awesome story about young Ms. Charlie McGee called Firestarter. After those two novels I was hooked on anything King...couldn't wait for his next release.

In 1982 King brought back the main antagonist (albeit under a different name) of The Stand for the beginning of what turned into an awesome seven-part series called The Dark Tower. Flash-forward to 2007 and here we are with a new beginning to The Dark Tower series, a prequel, a graphic novel called The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born.

King worked closely with Marvel, his personal assistant of several years (Robin Furth) and an experienced comic book writer (Peter David) in order to deliver this inaugural graphic novel adaptation of his work. Jae Lee (another experienced comic booker) did the amazing artwork. And the result?...the beginning of what will hopefully go on for many years...a neverending adaptation to a neverending story one can only hope.

Unlike a King novel that takes a guy like me days (sometimes weeks) to finish, The Gunslinger Born takes about an hour. And readers are rewarded with King's signature prose and stunning images to accompany every word.

The story starts with Roland Deschain's Gunslinger School "graduation test" (rest assured this ain't no written test), then follows Roland and friends as they embark on their fisrt assignment by the elders.

Another chapter in the series titled Dark Tower: The Long Road Home is slated for release in October 2008, and I'm pretty excited about it. But I can say that I'd look forward much more to taking The Dark Tower novels and converting them with this writing/artistic crew into graphic novels for an amazing, refreshing re-read. After all...it's been 25 years since I read the first Dark Tower novel, and the way my memory has been working lately, a graphic novel adaptation would be like reading it for the first time.

Regardless, whether you've ever read a comic book, graphic novel, Dark Tower or Stephen King story for that matter, The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born is a great place to escape into a world that goes on forever. Do ya kennit?

Add it to your cart.

Old Ground, But Well-Covered, November 7, 2007
The first descriptions of this book gave me the impression that it would cover parts of the story that were left untold in the original books - most notably the infamous battle at Jericho Hill, or the mysterious Jamie whom we hear about in the series but never meet.

I was disappointed, then, to find out that what I was handed was a rehash of Roland's trial of manhood and a quick synopsis of Wizard and Glass. There is no material that is at all new to any reader of the series.

But my disappointment was offset by the care taken in presentation. An excellent adaptation, in my opinion; it allows the reader a more tactile glimpse of characters who were already well-fleshed in the mind and only needed a little nudge to reach the next level of realism. The artwork is splendid, very gothic with heavy emphasis on shadows and blood-spatter.

It puts one in mind of early Frank Miller with an airbrush stapled to his hand. After a night's heavy drinking. And a bar fight or two. Such a treatment is perfect for the story of a young man's descent into fate and tragedy.

The scripting is a little overblown in its attempt to recreate King's Outer Arc "patois" at times (I got a bit tired of seeing "do ye ken" and "may it do ya" and such) but adds to the overall flavor of the latter part of the series. The overall feeling is dark, and savage, and very bloody - which is appropriate. Richard Isoanove apparently took inspiration from the Tower work by Michael Whelan; his use of color and scale is similar enough to induce feelings of deja vu. A very nice touch, if not an all-out homage.

I do not think it would be an appropriate book for those who have not read the series, only because so much of the plot in Wizard and Glass had to be trimmed for length. Roland's (and Susan's) motivations may not be understood by someone who is exposed only to the outline given here. It may serve as an introduction, but I would hope that anyone who uses it as their first step in the direction of the Tower continues by reading the original series to understand things a bit better.

The book itself is a nice departure from the standard softcover format - good thick hardback binding, nice glossy dust jacket, and a ton of pages at the back that show all the various covers and alternates for the original seven-part comic series. While not quite heavy enough to qualify as a lethal weapon when thrown, it's still a volume with satisfying weight to it. Overall a high-quality offering that is a step above the usual graphic novel fare.

As an avid Tower buff since the first book twenty years ago, I am very glad I got my hands on this little project - though as I said, I was disappointed that I didn't learn any more about Roland than King himself has already given us. Still, for any collector of All Things Tower, it's most definitely a good purchase. I would recommend it to anyone who has the collecting bug. While it wasn't what I had originally thought it would be as far as story goes, I am certainly glad I bought it and would not hesitate to suggest it to anyone who enjoyed the series, particularly those (like myself) who enjoyed the fourth book's gentler treatment of a notoriously un-gentle protagonist.

Gunslinger born the movie, November 28, 2007
To compare this graphic novel to its paperback predecessor would be unfair. Similar to books that are translated to movies, certain elements won't or simply cannot translate. As someone who has an afinity for reading comics, graphic novels and books I can say I highly recommend this book. When this medium does a good job it sucks you in to its world. From the first turn of the page you will be engrossed in and become part of the world of the gunslinger born. The writing and artwok are amazing. I was never a huge fan of Peter David's writing but his work here is astounding. I have been a huge fan of Jae Lee's artwork since his early days on Namor. This is by far his best work. Richard Isanove completes this story with his beautiful coloring.
This is a great coming of age story with interesting characters, politics and action to spare. You will not be dissappointed with this book.

The Gunslinger Born, December 14, 2008
I should state right away that I have not read Stephen King's book series "Dark Tower", nor the individual magazines that I believed this hardcover graphic novel was a compilation of, yet. I do intend to buy the 7 books, but I'm also very fond of this variant of books (graphic novels), so I did not hesitate to buy this. The book is split into seven chapters, which I assume correspond to the individual 7 magazines. I notice that a lot of people are dissatisfied with this hardcover edition due to it having left out material, but since this is my first encounter with the Dark Tower-series, I can only recognize their grievances as probably valid, but not really concerning myself at this time. That they publish high-quality hard-covers is uncommon enough as it is, in this market of cheap paperbacks and low-quality publishing.

This excellent graphic novel contains the story of Roland Deschain's and his friends youth and eventual growth into gunslingers, a kind of medieval knight with the exoteric form of a gun wielding ranger. The story is quite the epic with its brooding heroes, evil forces, beautiful but troubled women, horrible creatures and all the various vicissitudes of life. The drawings themselves are simply breathtaking, and contain such amazing colouring, shading, drawing and storytelling that I instantly decided to buy the rest of the series published so far. Roland is the main protagonist, and is among other things fighting a man aptly named "The Good Man". The main story in this book is their gradual confrontation, and eventual fight at the end.

All in all, epic storytelling for adults that I found appealing in every way and without the negative sides that I find King to sometimes espouse in some of his writing; a kind of soft-core horror that I can't really imagine thrill anyone but the occasional housewife of the 80's. If you ever liked the type of graphic novel represented for example by "300", "Sin City" and so on, I think I can guarantee you'll find this to be enjoyable too. I read it in one sitting, if that is anything to go by. 5 stars.

Excellent Adaptation of Wizard & Glass, October 2, 2008
This is a very good adaptation of the best part of "The Gunslinger" and the entire "Wizard & Glass." I read the single issue first, but unlike some of my fellow reviewers, I did not miss the extra background material that has been cut out. It is not as good as some classic graphic novels (like "The Watchmen"); however, it is still an excellent telling of a classic story. This is fine work by both King and Marvel. I would recommend it to any fan of King, Marvel, or graphic novels in general.

Excellent graphic novel, June 20, 2008
This book is very good, and the story is really interesting, Jae Lee's art is awesome and strong, well this book tells the beggining of the gunslinger Roland, the only thing is that the story has not end, and of course I can't wait to read the next collection, I never read any Stephen King's novel, but this is good, it mixes cowboys and magic, well I think if you love adult graphic novels then this is a must have, and of course if you love Stephen King's novel then I am sure you will enjoy this adaptation.

A fantastic adaptation, but..., February 28, 2008
My biggest complaint about this omnibus edition is that they omitted the best parts: the stories Robin Furth wrote that expand on the mythos of Mid-World. These were my favorite parts of the original Marvel graphic novels.

That said, Jae Lee's illustrations, and the work by Peter David and Richard Isanove to create a lavish, stunning visual rendition of this part of Stephen King's magnum opus is a delight, and I can't wait to start reading the next set of adaptations.

PS: I am the author of The Road to the Dark Tower, the authorized companion to King's Dark Tower series.

Good for fans, great for newcomers, December 12, 2007
Let me start by saying I absolutely love anything about the Dark Tower universe. So obviously I had to buy this. I was going to buy the separate issues, and now i wish I had. Don't get me wrong it's great to have a hard copy version, but from what I heard a bit of the back story was left out and that was the whole reason for me wanting this. If you are new to the series this is great to catch you up with who's who in roland past. I admit that book 4 of the Dark Tower series was my least favorite and this is just a rehashing of the story with nothing added. I don't know what I was expecting but for $25 I was expecting just a little more. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Buffy's world goes awry when former-classmate-turned-vampire Harmony Kendall lands her own reality TV show, Harmony Bites, bolstering bloodsucking fiends in the mainstream. Humans line up to have their blood consumed, and Slayers, through a series of missteps, misfortunes, and anti-Slayer propaganda driven by the mysterious Twilight, are forced into hiding. In Germany, Faith and Giles discover a town where Slayers retreat from a world that has turned against them, only to find themselves in the arms of something far worse. A rogue-Slayer faction displaces an entire Italian village, living up to their tarnished reputation as power-hungry thieves. And finally, with the help of a would-be demon lover, Dawn addresses her unfaltering insecurities. ... Read more

Reviews

Wow! That really sucked ..., October 7, 2009
(warning: spoilers!)

Buffy Season 8 comics continue their downward spiral with this latest collection.

This is a series of one-shot stories designed to set up the environment for the next big arc. You can almost hear chess pieces being moved around on a board. The problem is that the chess players are on drugs.

Briefly, the episodes can be summarized as thus:
1) Harmony creates a reality TV show on herself as a vampire - and suddenly the world falls in love with vampires and considers the slayers a menace, who must go into hiding(!?). No, I don't understand it either.
2) Lesbian Slayers Kennedy and Satsu discover a race of robotic toy vampires created by Twilight who temporarily de-gay Satsu (no, I am not making this up)
3) In the only half-sane plot, Buffy and Andrew bond as they track down a cell of rogue slayers. There is a demon, among other things, and wackiness ensues.
4) Giles and Faith discover a town with a nasty secret concealed by the only other surviving Watcher.
5) Dawn is in trouble. Again. Buffy rescues her. Again. The Summers Sisters reconcile. Again.

The comic concludes with two short stories on Harmony and the robotic toy vampires. These are intended to be humorous but come across as completely lame.

In fact, that is the problem with this whole collection. The plots are so thin, weird and contrived I can't believe they were meant to be taken seriously. The writers must have been going for wry amusement instead. Strangely, I am not amused. I have seen better writing from teenage fanfic.

Oh, the art hasn't improved either. It remains passable at best.

I'm not sure what the problem is at Whedon enterprises. Was everybody having a bad couple of months? Has this little season 8 shindig run out of steam (and ideas, and credibility)? All I can tell you is that if the next collection is this bad, I will be sorely tempted to cut my losses and stop buying further issues.

I think people missed the point..., November 2, 2009
I actually thought the premise of Harmony getting her own reality-TV show was pretty hilarious. I think, rather than trying to cash in on the whole "vampires integrating into popular culture" thing like the True Blood series, Joss and Crew are generally poking fun at all the Twilight/True Blood fans who have suddenly gone... well.. vampire crazy! Everyone wants their own vampire, and everyone is sooo in love with Vampires that they fail to see that vampires would actually be dangerous. Harmony has always been a huge comic relief for me, she's absolutely silly and fails to feel like a threat, when in truth she totally is (well, okay mostly she's hilarious and ineffectual as a threat). I could totally believe that she took her Angel-certified recommendation, her former ties to W&H and her glowing/whacky personality and went straight to TV execs with her "woe is me! I'm a misunderstood vampire!" angle to cash in. What's even better is that they bring to light the damage that misrepresenting certain groups can do, and how easily people are swayed. I mean, vampires easily get people to turn against the "Slayer Threat" even though the Slayer "Threat" is their only real defense. I think it's more of Joss just poking at current pop-culture and maybe even the current political climate.

As for the rest of installment, I can see where this is setting up the plots for the next story arc, and that's fine. Just remember that exposition and pawn placement is always a little... dry.

Oh, and just for fun, "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday." <-- Oh how I miss Tuesdays with Buffy <3

Series slowing down but Vampy Cat rules!!, December 2, 2009
This collection has really proven that this can't possibly be how Joss Whedon saw the next season of the TV show because this is so all-over the place that viewers would have been disappearing super fast. I loved the Harmony Bites idea. Good stuff but threre was no follow through. Faith & Giles together is interesting but once again, not much happened. I hope the next trade amps up the story or I probably will stop reading this. :(

the worst issue ever..., June 4, 2010
The issue is a mix of short stories that should have been deleted from the beginning, they're not even funny. the only bit that is interesting is the reappearance of Harm's character.... but that's it. The rest gets underwhelming and dull...

Awful, awful, awful, October 21, 2009
I have enjoyed season 8 so far but this volume is just awful. Really not worth the read apart from the fact that some significant things happen. Mainly that thanks to Harmony, vampires are out and adored by the public. (Way to channel The Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood - Except that in Harris' universe the outing of vampires is dealt with intelligently and in this story it's nonsense). And thanks to a renegade slayer, slayers are hated and feared. (Perhaps Wheadon spent too long on the X-Men.)

This is a bad, bad book and I don't recommend anyone waste their time or money on it. I would give it "no stars" if Amazon would let me.

A step down, November 7, 2009
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 continues, and sadly in this fifth collected volume of the smash ongoing series finds things taking a bit of a step down for Buffy and her Scoobies. Things start out as the vampiric Harmony manages to become a beloved reality TV host, which leads to a nation-wide love of all things vampire, and hate for all things Slayer-related. After that, Buffy and her crew go into hiding and take on baddies all at once, Giles and Faith take down some themselves, and Buffy saves her sister Dawn. Yeah, Predators and Prey really doesn't offer what we haven't seen before. This may not be so bad, but considering that a majority of writers from the show are featured in Predators and Prey, including Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, and Doug Petrie, most of what you find here is just, well, for lack of a better word, meh. There's some somewhat humerous Harmony-featured shorts to end this TPB, but sadly compared to what came before with Buffy Season 8, Predators and Prey is sadly a step down.

What Happened?, October 20, 2009
Being a huge fan of season 8, this addition failed to please. I dont understand, it went from amazing to terrible. This volume did not even spark my interest one but. Nothing happened! What happened to the dark,futuristic creepy willow? Its like they started from scratch. Plus, it irritates me that Joss has to has his name on everything. I doubt he had anything to do with this garbage. I hope this was just a glitch and they come up with something better!
tisk tisk.

Filler, December 7, 2009
This arc felt like a filler to me. The main plotline slowly moves on but everything seems to fall apart far too quickly for the slayers. There are some funny moments in it but there is far too much Andrew in this storyline. At least we know where Giles & Faith are. Otherwise it's an ok book but that's about all it is.

season 8, vol 5, November 6, 2009
im just glad they decided to do these books. i still say theres a gap between tvs season 7 finale and these ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

We love Bad Kitty, September 2, 2009
Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty just arrived this afternoon. Although it is a children's book, it is very funny for adults, too, and my husband and I read it over each others' shoulders after work and had a much needed laugh. Especially on page 140.

Yes, it has over 140 pages, but they are short, and it took us only about 10 minutes to read silently. We haven't finished reading it to our daughter yet, but I am guessing it would take about 45 minutes to read aloud, or maybe longer if you can't stop laughing.

There are informative facts about cats in the book, such as their crepuscular nature (not many kids' books use that word), how cat's claws grow, and why they shouldn't eat chocolate.

The book is long enough, and the vocabulary complex enough, that one might wonder if kids would like it. The answer is yes. Our 5-year-old daughter loves all four Bad Kitty books, both the long and the short ones, and finds them hilarious. I asked her why, and she said it was the biting and destruction. She also likes the illustrations and the stories.

For those who read the previous Bad Kitty books, it didn't seem as wordy as Bad Kitty Gets a Bath. Also, although the alphabet makes a triumphant return in the early pages, it is mostly a story, not an alphabet book. For those who haven't read the previous books, give them a try!

Good Book, September 10, 2009
My 1st Grader purchased this book at the Book Fair and I really thought this was going to be a waste of time and money (the title and cover really didn't do it for me). But, my kid insisted that her teacher had it in their class library and that it would be a fun book. To my surprise, I really enjoyed reading this book with both of my kids (I also have a third grader). It is especially entertaining because we have a cat similar to Bad Kitty. The illustrations and layout, combine story, comic book, and interesting facts into one place, so there is even something for adults to learn. This is also one of the few books that does justice for both of my kids and they even read and laugh together with this one, and it doesn't even need stickers. If your family has a cat, kids will notice the similarities too, so I would really recommmend purchasing it. Plus, as an adult it is a little more enjoyable to follow.

Happy Birthday Bad Kitty is the Perfect Birthday Gift, September 15, 2009
Happiness is finding a book you know your child will love. And there is nothing like the perverse joy of having your child sneak off to read instead of doing what you `want' them to do. Thankfully, many of the great books my kids have relished such as
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1), Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1) (Bk. 1) come with sequels that satisfy as much as the first one does. This was never truer than with Nick Bruel's latest Bad Kitty book, Happy Birthday Bad Kitty.

Oooh, it is so good. My kids understandably fought over it when it first came. However, it is so delightfully funny that neither one of them has grown even slightly tired of it. Neither have I. Mr. Bruel has managed the seemingly impossible balance of simple sentences and repetition that early readers need with an entertaining and fast paced story that appeals to all ages. Plus, he teaches all of us some interesting things about cats in the process. This is particularly good for my younger daughter who is bored with the books at her level, but not quite able to read the books that really interest her - i.e. the books her older sister is reading. I highly recommend this book for your next birthday party gift for anyone from Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Now all we have to do is wait for the soon to be released Ivy & Bean Doomed to Dance (October 14th) and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma(October 9th).

We love you, Bad Kitty!, December 7, 2009
My seven year old got this book through a school book order today and she literally ran into the house to read it! She sat and giggled and kept running up to show me the illustrations! Within a few minutes, I was laughing right along with her! This book is hilarious!!!

Make a cake and celebrate Bad Kitty's birthday...it's that good!, September 30, 2010
My 7 year old daughter was introduced to Bad Kitty (the original picture book) in Kindergarten, and then we found Bad Kitty Gets a Bath on the shelf (at age 6). She sat down and read the whole thing that night, in absolute stitches the entire time. Our copy is now horribly abused and bent and well-loved from the time she spends with it.

Mr. Bruel did an excellent job aging the entire story style to the next level, and carrying an engaging and naughtily hilarious character along with it. Yes, we had NO hesitation in picking up a copy of this book (Happy Birthday Bad Kitty) when it released, and kiddo about had a melt down of joy when she saw Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray available on her Scholastic Book Order just last week. I'll lay you odds it'll be read before we even get home the day it arrives in class.

Great for Our Reluctant Reader, June 1, 2010
Our son says that he doesn't like to read. After spending time with Bad Kitty, he has changed his mind. The book is entertaining and has lots of comedy for kids and adults. Additionally, he's learned a few scientific things about cats from the book. The illustrations are amazing and add to the books comedic value. Also, my son liked it because he said that he could hear the author's voice while reading it. He also said that it did a great job of telling us how the cat feels as well. For my part, I like any book that makes me him read, and as a third grade teacher, I can tell you that my other students have enjoyed it as well!

Fun and educational!, May 20, 2010
I borrowed this book from the library and hated to give it back! It was so funny and had lots of educational tidbits about cats. We laughed out loud through most of the book and was fun comparing Bad Kitty's personality to our own cat. My seven year old really loved it and was cooperative going to bed cause it meant I would read this to her. I will most likely end up purchasing this as well as the ones geared towards younger children, as I have a preschooler as well.

good kitty, April 8, 2010
Bad Kitty is a great series. The story line is always hysterical and the illustrations really highlight the humor. This volume was great and I loved how in the end of the book they let you know the breeds of all the cats.

An all time favorite at our house!, January 16, 2010
If you have ever had pets you will appreciate the humor of this book. Truly laugh out loud funny. This book has become such a favorite at our house that we had to buy 2! ... Read more

Editorial Review

When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to determine if the killer is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.
AWARDS:
YALSA: 2004 annual recommended list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
·Willingham, Bill. Animal Farm (Fables series). DC Comics: Vertigo.
·Willingham, Bill. Legends in Exile (Fables series). DC Comics: Vertigo.
YALSA: 2007 Great Graphic Novels for Teens
·Willingham, Bill, Todd Klein, and others. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall. 2006. DC Comics/ Vertigo
As of 2008, Fables has won twelve Eisner Awards.
·Best New Series in 2003
·Best Serialized Story in 2003, 2005 and 2006 (Legends In Exile, March of the Wooden Soldiers and Homelands)
·Best Anthology in 2007 (Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall)
·Best Short Story in 2007 (A Frog’s Eye View, by Bill Willingham and James Jean, in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall)
Hugo Award Nomination 2009:
·Fables: War and Pieces was nominated for the first Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story ... Read more

Reviews

a great start, but not there yet..., August 7, 2006
i first read this collection a few months ago. i was delighted that willingham had this amazing idea...but the problem seems to be in execution for the first book...the story is kind of like a pulpy detective series...even down to a parlour scene in which the hero explains how he solved the crime...the reason i've only given it 3 stars and that i say it's a good start is because:

a) it is in fact enjoyable...
b) i've caught up and read the rest (and they get better each volume)
c) i want you to read it.

stepping away from this book for a moment, this series is entirely worthy of your time and money if you ever enjoyed fairy tales...willingham masterfully takes what were once 2 dimensional characters and gives them personality...the problem is that you can't (or shouldn't) read the story without starting here...i highly recommend the series, but this is the worst book in it...

The Truth About Fairy Tales, November 2, 2004
Fairy tales are real. They have a life of their own. Unfortunately, most of the fairy tale lands have been taken over by a villain known as the Adversary. As a result, the characters have fled to our world where they lead a hidden existence in New York. Most have been here for centuries. The main settlement is a colony on Bullfinch street. King Cole is in charge but Snow White really runs things. The sheriff is the Big Bad Wolf (a.k.a. Bigby).

At the start of the story, there is a crisis. Snow White's sister Rose Red has been murdered. Bigby must try and solve the murder while the community is planning for their annual festival where they raise the money needed to operate for another year.

Jack the Giant Killer, Prince Charming, the Three Pigs, Bluebeard. Little Boy Blue, Beauty and the Beast, and many others come together in this wonderful treatment of fairy tales. It doesn't hurt that the mystery is well plotted and developed. A very entertaining read.

Old Tales Revisited..., March 9, 2005
Recently, I have found myself being drawn closer and closer to the world of Graphic Novels. Now, I do not speak of the ones that the teenie boppers are clobbering themselves over, but instead the dark sinister tales that are being woven by some of the masters of the trade. I am speaking of Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Jamie Delano. Now, with the greatest of comfort, I can add Bill Willingham to that list. I know there are probably more (possibly better) graphic novel artists out there, but these are the foundation on which I am building up from. I know they can only get better from here.

But, back to Bill Willingham. After my wife graduated with a Master's in Children's Literature, and even sometime before, I began to see the utter chaos and darkness surrounding these tales that help the youth of our future sleep at night. They have been glossed over in years past by the subliminal corporation known as Disney, and lost that eerie creep factor that they long deserved. You cannot tell me that Alice in Wonderland is a colorful story that should be told to every three-year-old out there ... I don't think I could say that. In my eye I have always envisioned it as this dark hole that she falls into, a sinister nightmare that I think has only been captured well on film by famed director Jan Svankmajer. Now, with Willingham's writing, I can see that darkness emerge again.

Fables: Legends in Exile is a perfect introductory to the new world of infamous children's characters. After fleeing their homeland, these magical and mysterious people have been forced to find refuge in none other than NYC. Here, Willingham takes us through mazes of people as we learn their rituals, their magic, and their secrets. In this first book we learn about the murder of Rose Red, Snow White's sister, in a classic "who-dun-it" mystery with our very own gumshoe played by Mr. Wolf.

I enjoyed this graphic novel for several reasons. The first is the intermingling of classic characters with the real world. Those who use this as a central focus to their stories normally capture my attention quickly. For so long we have stared at these characters, watching their lives unfold as we sit on our couches or bed, it is nice to see them up and walking around in our world now. Also, by brining them into the real world you give them the opportunity to be more than just one-dimensional characters. They curse, lie, steal, have sex, and all those dark, gritty things that you would have never imagined as a child.

Second, the story was simple yet effective. While I thought the ending left a bit of cheese on the table, overall I was impressed with this first outing. The storied moved briskly, yet left enough open for more stories to follow. I loved this world Willingham created for me, and I cannot wait to go back into it with the second book. It was this sense that I was getting to know the characters and couldn't wait to revisit them again.

Finally, the artwork was perfection on paper. I am continually impressed by the work that graphic artists do to not bring in so much light on the page, but instead show the world in the dismal state of which we live. It is an honest novel that has just as much creativity and passion as you would see in any film.

I loved it, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get into graphic novels (like I am doing) or to anyone that just loves to read an original tale involving those characters that we assumed we knew. I cannot wait to read it again!

Grade: ***** out of *****

A unique, fun take on fairy tales, May 17, 2005
Fables: Legends in Exile reprints the first 5 issues of the Vertigo Comics' series, Fables. The concept of the series is well done, original, and interesting. The classic fairy tale figures of legend were driven from their lands by a mysterious creature named "the Adversary". Left with no choice but leave their lands or die, the Fables fled to New York City, living in secret, judging, policing, and governing themselves.

This volume centers around the question, ` Who murdered Rose Red?" The beloved sister of Snow White is violently murdered, her apartment soaked in blood, her body missing. Immediately Snow White, who is now the Deputy Mayor of the Fable community enlists the help of Bigby Wolf, who is now the Sheriff. Together, they sort through a very unusual list of suspects, including Bluebeard, Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk), and Prince Charming himself.

Personally, I love this volume and Willingham's take on the characters. Happy ever after rarely means just that, everyone has distinct personalities that are more mature and devolved than the original fairy tales had time to discuss, and the characters are flawed. It makes for a brilliantly fun read.

The only word of caution I have is this story has adult language and sexual situations, so keep that in mind when determining appropriateness. But for every adult out there, this is a great, fun graphic to read, with nice art and an original prose story by Willingham " A Wolf in the Fold".

A fun kick-off to the series, January 17, 2006
This reprint of the first few issues of "Fables" serves as an introduction to the Fables' world. All the characters of fairy tale and legend are real, and living in New York. They were chased from their alternate worlds where their fairy tale kingdoms were located, by a stock fantasy uber-villain, a vaguely-named "Adversary" with huge armies of orc-like creatures that overran the Homelands. We learn that those Fables who can pass for human live in New York City, while the inhuman ones live on a "farm" upstate. Their community is governed by Old King Cole, with Snow White as his deputy (and for all practical purposes, the real boss). The Big Bad Wolf (who can assume human form) is the Sherrif. The community sticks together under an agreement of amnesty for all deeds performed prior to their emigration from the Homelands.

In this first story, we mostly get a quick introduction to a lot of fairy tale characters cast in this modern setting. Some are central to the plot, like Snow White, Prince Charming, Rose Red, the Wolf, Bluebeard, and Jack (of Beanstalk fame). Others only make cameos this time around: Cinderella, Pinochio, the Witch (from Hansel and Gretel), one of the Three Little Pigs, Little Boy Blue, Beauty and the Beast.... The story itself is just a vehicle to introduce us to the setting.

The ending is not terribly surprising, but delivered with touches of humor, and some additional character development. Elements that were barely touched on (such as the upstate "Farm" for Fables that can't pass for human, the history of the Fables community, the current activities of the Adversary and what is happening back in the Homelands) will no doubt be revisited in future volumes, and of course, you'll be anticipating which fairy tale characters will appear that haven't been introduced yet.

You'll want more., May 21, 2007
Bill Willingham's FABLES series have received immense acclaim in the last few years as an original idea that appeals to all sorts of readers. The basic premise is that all of our favorite characters from the old fairy tales have been driven from their old homes and have taken up residence in New York City. These characters from legend do not always have the personality or history you'd expect from reading the old stories. Prince Charming is a notorious ladies man and moocher, who cheated on Snow White with Snow's own sister Rose Red. The prince who was cursed to live as a frog until a beautiful princess kissed him appears to have picked up some rather disgusting habits during his days as an amphibian (and thus earns the name 'Flycatcher'). Beauty and the Beast have some marital problems with rather dramatic effects on their happiness and the Beast's looks. And so on.. Willingham has created an intriguing world where he can develop characters from old tales into more believably fallible people. The rather risque behavior of some of the characters and the [almost] explicit nature of occasional sex scenes make these stories for a more mature audience than the tales these characters come from.

In this first volume, Willingham introduces a wide array of characters and hints at some extraordinarily entertaining stories to come. The only reason I'm giving this volume a 4-star rating is that the primary storyline (Who Killed Rose Red?) isn't very good, being predicable and non-engaging. It seems that Bill began with this rather dull story to give the reader the feel of day-to-day life in Fabletown and to allow introduction of many or its residents. Snow White and Bigby Wolf are especially well-developed here and will likely take on primary roles in the other FABLE titles.

The most attractive aspect of the FABLES series is the humanization of creatures and characters from storybooks that we read as children. Rose Red as a party girl and the Big Bad Wolf as a chain-smoking, no-nonsense detective are strangely attractive.

One of last year's revelations, February 15, 2004
Subverting expectations and inverting cliches is one thing, but Fables is also a book with heart underneath its undeniable style.

The art by Lan Medina is deceptively good: at first glance it looks fairly standard but covers all the basics of storytelling, creates some interesting visuals and is attractive to look at. More importantly it serves the story and is one of the major reasons it works so well.

But the book is all about the story. Willingham takes a good premise and runs with it. The characters are engaging and seem human, despite their origin. The climax of the story is a little staged and generic, but everything else about the story (including the actual explanation) sparkles. Overall, one of the best Vertigo books of recent years.

Snart fairy tale about fary tales, not for little ones, July 8, 2010
Well written story of Fairy tales called fables residing in New York city. I was unaware of the Fables graphic novel line until I happen upon the book Peter and Max, one of the best works I have read in many years, and decided to see what the Vertigo comic was all about. There has been a lot of praise already posted on this site for the work, but for those a little tepid about a fairy tale, well - this is not your "scare the kids straight" king of fairy tale. Very adult material, but not overly so, that you should have no fear of investing your time into. Warning: If you read one, you'll want them all.

Wonderful, November 15, 2009
Great Story! Great for anyone trying to get into comics, or is already into comics

Nice update of your childhood story characters, November 2, 2009
It was nice to see grown-up versions of Snow White, Cinderilla, the Big Bad Wolf many other characters taken from childhood stories. The plot was filled with intricate subtlties in addition to rhy references. The artwork was a nice return to the old realistic, straight-forward style, but with a lot of care. Not the blazare color scemes, extreme prespective and periscopic viewpoints of other modern comics. I plan to eventually buy and read all of them.Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile ... Read more

Editorial Review

Tim Burton has overseen and approved this wonderful deck of playing cards featuring his beloved characters. Cute and creepy Kings and Queens and skull-backed cards will keep you guessing.

Format: 52 plastic-coated cards, plus two jokers
... Read more

Reviews

Don't waste your money, November 9, 2009
I bought these cards thinking that there was a brilliant sketch by Tim Burton on every card. The reason they only show you these 4 illustrated cards is because they are the only four in the whole deck of cards. All of the number cards follow the standard appearance (4 red diamonds on a card of 4 diamonds). There are only illustrations on the 4 high cards: Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. Not only that, also each of the four queens have the same illustration on them, each of the four kings have the same illustration on them, and so on, and so forth. So there really are only 4 pictures in the whole deck. I was thoroughly disappointed; don't waste your money.

Disappointed, April 27, 2010
I agree with the everything the other reviewer, Eva, said, although I don't think they are entirely worthless. They'll still be more fun to play with than a regular deck.

Lot of Fun for Collectors!, April 19, 2010
Tim Burton's book "The Melkancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories" and the range of "Tragic Toys" derived from it demonstrate the wider imagination that make his feature films so unique.
This item is rather simple - it is a deck of playing cards with a typically carnivalesque burton reverse on all cards with Burton's "Melancholy" characters - such as Toxic Boy, the Pin Cushion Queen and all, used as the character cards. The number cards are not neglected though, with the hearts,spades, clubs and diamonds scratched out and couloured in his distinctive illustrative style.
This is fun and a must for Burton completists. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The shocking last storyline leading up to the issue #50 series finale! Mayor Hundred must navigate the most challenging hot-button issue of his career, while a powerful new archenemy reveals a terrifying plan that's been in the works since the very first issue of EX MACHINA!
 
Will Mitchell Hundred's new archenemy, a dogged reporter with powers far beyond those of the Great Machine, finally bring down the mayor's administration? Will the tragedies that Mayor Hundred warned about in the very first issue finally come to pass? ... Read more

Reviews

Fade to Black, December 12, 2010
Mitchell Hundred, aka the Great Machine, is coming to the end of his final term as Mayor of New York City and a former reporter turned evil supervillain thanks to an accident similar to Hundred's which turned him into the Great Machine, is threatening to turn the city into a death zone with her powers. It's up to Hundred to stop the villain, restore the city to peace, and set things up for his successor so that New York continues to have a mayor and a hero with a eye to civic duty.

Brian Vaughan is probably one of the best living comics writers working today. Not only did he create a fantastic series with Pia Guerra in "Y: The Last Man" but he followed it up with an equally original and brilliant series in "Ex Machina". This final part is no less than the best work Vaughan has done so far.

For those expecting a pat final chapter where everything gets wrapped up neatly? Wow, they are in for a shock. I can honestly say the final part is so utterly shocking that it made me reevaluate not just the series as a whole but the character of Hundred entirely. Vaughan does this through a short "years after" approach to where the main story arc ended in 2005. We see what Hundred does in 2006, 2007, and ends in 2008. It's very ballsy to end a long running series the way Vaughan does but fits in with the way he's written it so far - never predictable, always thought provoking, and original.

Ex Machina has been a fantastic series and I'm sad to see it end. Then again I'm excited to see what new series Brian Vaughan will start writing next. But for those fans nervous that the final chapter to this excellent comic book is a let down? Don't be, it's tremendous. Check it out.

Let down by the cynicism!, December 22, 2010
I have to respectfully disaggree with the bulk of the reviews here. Ex Machina (like Y-the last man was for the majority of its run) has been a fun ride up 'til now. At turns a civics lesson in post 9/11 alternate universe politics, at turns "go old retro, strap a jet pack to his back and away we go!" (but with a dollap of "Greatest American Hero", thrown in for good measure, just to sprinkle all the intrigue with). It's been a quircky, left of center, comic hard to pin down to any one particular genre.

It was a unique book, with a truly unique voice, and I'm glad I stuck through for the ride! If nothing else, I'm glad I got to read that panel, where, in planning for a memorial for the fallen Trade Center Tower (in this reality, only one of the two towers fell) they reveal the plans for the building and it's... another tower. Something inside me just cried "YES! That'll teach the S.O.B.'s"

But my problem comes in with the last two or three pages (this is the same sort of problem I had with Y-the last man, mind you. "Loved the book, hated the ending." In the film adaptation, I would demand liscence to change the ending, or find another director). There is this "cynical" point of view Brian K. Vaughn seems to have regarding the endings of his stories. He sets the premise up, puts the hero through all sorts of obstacles to reach his goal, and in the end... doesn't reach them. Or only reaches them by cheating. Or changes the character so that the thing that they wanted, is no longer palatable. Whatever.

If I want a cynical world view, all I gotta do is look in the mirror. I turn to fiction to believe in something better (however briefly) is possible. Because THAT'S the world I want to live in. Not this world of compromise and diminshed expectations.

The ending to Ex Machina (and Y-the last man) make me feel foolish for daring to dream. Which is about the worst thing I can say about a book. But as I say, the ride has been enjoyable up 'til now (specifically, the last three "controversial, shocking, you won't believe it even after you read it cause you never saw it coming pages).

Just slap another ending on the film adaptation and we're good to go! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Same great Tintin volumes, same 3-in-1 format, with a classy new look!

Join traveling reporter Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy, along with well-known friends such as Captain Haddock, as they embark on extraordinary adventures spanning historical and political events, fantasy and science-fiction adventures and thrilling mysteries.These full-color graphic novels broke new ground when they were first released and became the inspiration for countless modern-day comic artists.

This repackaged hardcover volume contains 3 classic Tintin stories, including: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Shooting Star, and The Secret of The Unicorn. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent in both French and English!, July 1, 1999
I read these books when I was a child, and loved them so much I cannot describe it here. They are not for everyone - some children find them confusing and don't get it completely, but the ones that do get it have tremendous affection for the books.

I still have a lot of love for the books as an adult, and now that my daughter is hooked on the adventures of Tinton and Milou (Tintin and Snowy), I often find myself engrossed in the copies we now have for her.

Also - The original French editions are great for teaching a child French, as long as you have the English version nearby to compare.

Excellent choice. . .

Watch out - Small Size, June 20, 2003
This 3-in-One volume is smaller size than the regular Tintin books, making it harder to read and lessens the enjoyment of the illustrations. I am not sure if a large-size 3-in-one series exists.

Tintin and Snowy meets up with Captain Haddock for their next three adventures, September 28, 2005
Be forewarned that the final adventure of Tintin collected in Volume 3 of Hergďż˝ is the first half of a two-part tale. However, this should not be a problem because by the time you get to Volume 3 of "The Adventures of Tintin" you should be committed to getting all seven books (and probably to tracking down the two earlier Hergďż˝ stories of the intrepid young reporter and his faithful canine companion Snowy):

"The Crab with the Golden Claws" has a simple beginning, when Snowy goes scavenging in the rubbish and gets his muzzle stuck in a can of crabmeat, which quickly leads our hero on a new adventure. Tintin is knocked unconscious aboard a mysterious ship and taken out to sea where the bad guys intend to send him to the bottom. Of course, but then he comes across the ship's drunken captain, who introduces himself as Captain Haddock. The rest, as they say is history, because this is the first of many adventures for Tintin and the person who, along with Snowy, becomes his almost constant companion in the years to come. Even though this is the good captain in his rawest form, Hergďż˝ knew he was onto something with the emotional, blustering, cursing (in his way) Haddock, while Snowy, he does manage to find some of the biggest bones in his long career. "The Crab with the Golden Claws" takes Tintin and his companions from the perils of the high sea to the burning sands of the desert. Of course, all those cans of crab are not actually filled with crab. This 1941 story is a traditional exotic adventure for the Tintin, filled with slapstick and narrow escapes in equal measure, which might indicate Hergďż˝'s desire to forget about what was happening in Europe at that point in history.

In 1942 the continent of Europe was totally embroiled in World War II, which may well explain why Hergďż˝ offers up the most fanciful of Tintin's adventures. In fact, nothing else comes as close to "The Shooting Star," which begins with the world about to end because of a collision with a giant comet and ends with Tintin dealing with giant mushrooms. In between there is a race to find a meteorite that contains a new element of great scientific importance (another case of Hergďż˝'s remarkable premonitions based on meticulous research no doubt). Tintin is aided and abetted in this adventure by Captain Haddock, who we first met in the previous tale, "The Crab with the Golden Claws." But I must say the supporting character who caught my attention was the seaplane pilot who helps our hero in the throughout the episode and in the thrilling climax. You do not usually see such as a realistic, levelheaded, intelligent person helping out Tintin. I find it to believe Hergďż˝ did not even give this fellow a name, who more than makes up for the eccentric college of eggheads whom Tintin is trying to help. "The Shooting Stars" is one of the best Tintin straightforward adventures and his adversary is more often the elements than the bad guys trying to beat the good ship "Aurora" to the meteorite. The contrast of Hergďż˝'s simple drawing of characters against more realistic backgrounds finds several excellent sequences in this story, the first to be originally printed in color.

As The Secret of Unicorn" opens, the Thom(p)sons are trying to solve a rash of pockets being picked and Tintin decides to buy on impulse a model of an old galliard ship. But suddenly two other gentleman want to buy the model from Tintin, who refuses because he intends the model to be a gift to his friend, Captain Haddock. Then Tintin finds a small piece of parchment that was hidden in one of the masts talking about a treasure and a ship called the Unicorn. The mystery deepens when it turns out that Sir Francis Haddock, an ancestor of Tintin's good friend, was the captain of the Unicorn. After the captain tells the exciting story of Sir Francis and his glorious victory over the dreaded Barbary buccaneers, Tintin races off to track down the final pieces of the puzzle that will tell where the treasure of the Unicorn can be found. By now Captain Haddock is as important to the story as Snowy. Nestor and Marlinspike Hall make their first appearance in "The Secret of the Unicorn" with Professor Calculus making his unforgettable first appearance in the second half of the tale, "Red Rackham's Treasure." Hergďż˝ is obviously staying as far away as he can from what is happening in Europe during World War II, but that does not take away from the fact this is a first rate tale of detective work by our intrepid hero and the second half is an equally fun adventure as Tintin and company race for "Red Rackham's Treasure." No wonder "The Adventures of Tintin" are one of the great comic book series in the history of the entire world.

VIVA TINTIN, October 12, 1999
Tintin is wonderful, delightful, fun, and as a 26 year old I sitll enjoy it as much as when I was 5 years old. I think everybody should get to know these wonderful stories. You can read them over and over again and it feels like you are with the characters. The stories are funny, witty and truly adventerous. I RECOMMEND TINTIN (ANY OF HIS ADVENTURES) HIGHLY.....

BEST Comic characters, June 9, 1999
Reading any Tintin book is a joyous experience. It feels as if you are actually watching a movie, such is the power of the pictures with appropriate short and long shots, immaculate detail. Tintin books are not only humorous, but have wit, intelligence and superb buildup of the plot. Time flies before you are already on page 62 !

A literary cartoon book, February 20, 2006
This book was recommended to me by a High School Literature teacher for my 11 year old son. I bought one, and he was hooked. These books are quirky, colorful and fun, and actually do have some literary value. It's hard to find books for comic book fans (who don't want to read anything else!), but my son loves these and always asks for the next one when he finishes one. I don't want them to end, but alas..

Introducing Captain Haddock, November 26, 2004
Tintin is the best comic ever and here you have three of his adventures together. The first of these introduces the captain who becomes a regularly appearing character in the series. He was my favorite character when I was a child, so this may be a good selection if you are new to the series:

The Crab with the Golden Claws - On a visit to his friends the detectives Thomson and Thompson, Tintin recognizes a piece of paper torn from the label of a can. Earlier in the day Snowy had found the can with the rest of the label attached on the street. The label shows a picture of a red crab on a golden background and is evidence in an investigation into counterfeit money. Written on the back is the name of the ship. When Tintin accompanies the detectives on a visit to the ship, he is kidnapped and held in the hold as the ship leave port for an unknown destination...

The Shooting Star - One night a star appears to get larger and larger and a strange heat wave strikes. Tintin goes to the observatory to inquire, where he finds that the falling star, a meteor, will soon strike earth and cause the end of the world. The meteor strikes but earth is still OK, and so a scientific expedition is launched to find and study the meteor. What will they find?

The Secret of the Unicorn - Tintin purchases a model ship at an antiques market. Just after he purchases it two strangers arrive who want to buy the ship. Tintin won't sell it to them even though they offer him ten times what he paid for it. It is a gift for his friend Captain Haddock. The captain is amazed to get the model ship. He shows Tintin a painting of his ancestor, a captain. The captain's ship is visible in the background, and is identical to the model Tintin purchased. The secret to buried treasure is hidden in the model ship, but other parties are also after it...

These are all good stories and have jokes for adults as well as children. They are printed on smaller size paper than the separately bound stories, which is more economical but makes them harder to read and doesn't do the graphics justice. This is an economic edition for families, but libraries should invest in the larger separately bound stories.

Tintin is Great for Children, December 29, 2000
My father and I accidently ran across Tintin whenI was 8. I'm 19 now and we both still hooked for the little guy and his cute little dog, Snowy. People who say that the type is to small should buy the larger book, there are 2 sizes, the small one with three books in one and indivisual ones. You can also find video tapes in many different languages that are superb. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Bone cousins, Gran'ma Ben,and Thorn finally reach the city of Atheia, where they reunite with old friends and plan to thwart The Lord of the Locusts. The Pawan army has joined forces with Briar and the rat creatures, and danger increases as Thorn's visions get stronger. Meanwhile, Phoney Bone is convinced Atheia is a city rich in gold, and he is determined to find it!

... Read more

Reviews

awesome, September 6, 2008
can't wait for the next volume...6 months is too long for a 14 yr old kid...you should carry some volumes signed by Jeff..it will be so kewl

Bone is a special kind of graphic novel, enjoyable for adults as it is for kids, September 11, 2008
Back in the early '90s, Bone became the little book that could. Written, drawn and independently published by Jeff Smith over the course of 12 years, Bone told an epic fantasy with wit and humor and not a small amount of suspense. Some thought it couldn't be done. The comics market wasn't healthy for such small ventures, and publishing and distributing a comic out of a garage --- as Smith did --- was risky at best. But it worked. In fact, it became a phenomenon.

It begins with three cousins --- Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone --- being unceremoniously thrown out of Boneville because of the scheming ways of Phoney, the richest (and most deceptive) man in town. Almost immediately, the three become separated, and Fone, the hero of the tale, sets out to find them. He first meets the charming and beautiful Thorn, who brings him back to stay with her Gran'ma Ben, a rough-and-tumble fighter who races cows and doesn't take backtalk from anyone. Good-hearted Fone befriends a dragon, bugs, other assorted creatures, falls head over heels for Thorn, and becomes the target of deadly rat creatures, who want to capture him and bring him to their evil master. And so begins an epic journey wherein our hero is unsuspecting of the dangers that face him as he reaches levels of greatness he had no idea were in store for him.

Bone's long tale unfolded in glorious black-and-white in its original form, but Scholastic has begun reprinting the series in color. Bone purists may have a hard time accepting this, but they needn't fear. These reprinted collections use color splendidly, actually giving Bone a new feel. And it may help this wonderful series reach a new audience. (One other side effect of the added color: The rat creatures look twice as terrifying as before, with beady red eyes filled with evil intentions.)

Something these reprinted collections would benefit immensely from, however, is a foreword or brief primer to fill new readers in on what has gone before. Bone is not easy to jump into this far into the series --- the eighth installment is the penultimate book in the tale --- and someone attempting to start here may be a bit thrown.

Even new readers would be hard-pressed to avoid being drawn into this charming world, though. Bone has a way of combining sweeping action with hilarious dialogue without ever descending into camp. Even better, Smith takes his work seriously, even when he's being seriously funny --- or when he's being downright frightening, as TREASURE HUNTERS often is. This far into his story, Smith has upped the stakes, and the action is fast and furious. As Fone, Thorn, Gran'ma Ben and the other characters get nearer to reaching their goal, answers begin to unfold with satisfying results, and the danger they're in escalates.

Bone is a special kind of graphic novel, a work that is as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids (and manages to tell its story without insulting the sensibilities of either group). It's in the grand tradition of Walt Kelley's Pogo and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, but it's distinctive and stands on its own. Five years after the series ended, it's reassuring to know that Bone is still managing to reach new readers in new collections.

--- Reviewed by John Hogan

Great book, August 16, 2008
My son cannot wait to get the newest version. Great graphic novel for
10-13 year olds. ... Read more