Titan Books

Indeed this book gives very deep insight and should be of interest to anyone who looks for an answer to the question what the matrix is.

The perfect Matrix book !
I wonder why they don't publish the same book for Reloaded and Revolutions... :-(

This book is a must have, no words, buy it!

Da avere, difficile spiegare a parole. Quando lo sfoglierete mi comprenderete. Compratelo!

Most "art of" movie books like star wars, lord of the rings, superman, ...the list goes on and on, have a lot of eye candy, great concept sketches, art, etc. You just don't get that here. The sketches have a lot of black and white comic book panels. Now, Wachowski bros are very into comics and saw this movie in that sense first and that made a great movie. It just doesn't make a great art of the matrix book.

It's interesting to note that no art of the matrix reloaded or revolutions has come out.

This is an inside look at the real visual minds behind the matrix style of action, innovative camera movements and conceptual designs by comic legends Steve Skroce and Geof Darrow. The Bothers were such a fan of their comics, they hired them to design almost every element of the Matrix films. For any fan of behind the scenes "making of" or just fans of cool artwork this book will blow you away. You get to see the genesis of one of the most influential action film ever! This book will keep you entertained for a long time, it takes forever to absorb it all. This is a must for any Matrix fan really, you won't be disappointed.

New Orleans style vampire and mystic shenanigans, and perhaps a tad less brutality here. There is some sort of Anne Rice parody thrown in as well, at a certain level, I think. Still, it is not for the squeamish, as monsters abound, and are dealt with in the usual way, with weapons that slice and dice.

The first three volumnes of this trade paperback collection of the "Preacher" comic series are absolutely fantastic. Full of humor, life, bizarre insights, and wild characters. The fourth volumne collects odds and ends, and then this collection starts the story line limping along again. Limping along is almost generous... while the characters are still bizarre and interesting, and the humor evident, the flame of life that resounded earlier in the series is but a simmering coal. I strongly recommend reading the first three issues of the "Preacher" series, they are absolutely fantastic. Now I hope that this is just a pause or something and the story starts into its intense run again in the sixth book.

The Preacher Series is by far the coolest group of graphic novels I have ever read. This book isn't the best of the series, but it is awesome all on it's own. The story of Cassidy finding another like himself makes the book alone. The tale of him schooling another vampire makes the book, and of course, sets up later action. Still though, who would believe Arseface could make it as a singer? Another Sanjaya..... And what ever happened to the cool forewords by the cool people? I know there are some interesting semi-celebs out there who read Preacher. The whole series is awesome - Check it out

The Preacher series is a "must have" for any collector of stories who likes a little extreme in their fantasy. Some of the greatest lines and characters are put forth by the incredible team of Ennis and Dillon. If one suspends disbelief on one's own feelings about God and the devil, one can enjoy lightheartedly this tale of servitude...or something.

Ah, at last, back on track and back to the high quality we missed in vol 3.

I looked at this for a long time, picked it up off and on, and kept dismissing it as looking way too girly or frilly. I was wrong. This is good. The use of myth and story is excellent, and the hero group in the city is hilarious, as can be the ex-Prometheas.

I'm up to Promethea Part IV by now so I should back up and rein in my thoughts on Volume 1 (which collects the first 6 comics from back in 1999 it looks like). Anyway hats off to Alan Moore for serving up another variation on his "superwoman" ideal, as if Mina Harker from LXG wasn't enough. Well she isn't enough of course. PROMETHEA wouldn't be as interesting as it is (and in fact it's captivated me for the past three days) without its back story, New York in the last days of the last century, but a different New York with far more elaborate architecture and a set of new technologies that makes it seem like something HG Wells prophesized. On top of this strange, baroque background, seeing Stacia and Sophie act like regular co-eds at a place like NYU is what gives it its special, endearing brand of gotcha.

It's a daring, risky book where many lesser talents would have come undone, and as a matter of fact Moore's storytelling here is not exactly his finest, and his allegorical sense isn't altogether on point. OK, so Sophie encounters Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf in her past-our-bourne travels into the underworld... Little Red is snarky and snippy, and the wolf is super terrifying, but isn't this a story Angela Carter did already like, a zillion times, not to mention the Stephen Sondheim of INTO THE WOODS? I feel like I'm missing the point from time to time... Also the "5 Swell Guys," five science heroes who swank around the skies of New York at night in their bubble car. Moore fans help me, did they appear in some other comic and so all of you know about them already? Lord love a duck, I haven't been able to distinguish them any better than my fingerprints, except for "Kenneth," the psychic one, who must be named after "Kenneth what's my frequency?"

Will evil and all seeing Marto Neptura be back later on in the saga? He's the one who scares me the most, him and his army of alligator men, they will haunt my nightmares forever! Or is he a false bogey, already vanquished, the way the great Wizard of Oz dwindles to insignificance once one goes beyond the screen? For myself, I used the anagram trick to take my mind away from the paralyzing fear. "Marto Neptura?" asked Alice. "Why, he's only "Our Apartment" spelled backwards, that's all!"

If you like Alan Moore's metatextual explorations of fiction, you'll love his creation of Promethea, a female archetype of power and imagination who exists primarily as a story, reflected in other artists and writers over the centuries.

My main quibble of this story is that Moore seems to get tired of Promethea after her newest incarnation appears and switch the focus to hermeticism and magickal philosophy. The development of the character gets lost in a horde of Goetic demons and otherworldly realms.

One thing that puzzles me is the idea that somehow Promethea is a more authentically female superhero than those who have gone before, instead of being a "man in a woman's body" like Roger of the 5 Swell Guys. How is Promethea/Sophie (created by two men) more a real woman than Wonder Woman (created by William Moulton and Charles Gaines) or Buffy the Vampire Slayer (created by Joss Whedon)? At least the Bride of "Kill Bill" was created by a man and a woman.

However, Moore on a bad day is still levels above plenty of other writers, so this is worth checking out.

First, I own every GN/collection from Moore. When he's on, he's the best story-teller, period. And this book held so much promise--an interesting idea, unique setting combining science and the fantistical, and intriguing support characters. All told, I'm forced to characterize it as a slippery slope, however, because the series just gets more and more abstract and unappealing.

An "action" comic this is not. Moore is a phenomenal writer--one of only a few that superbly combines heroics/action and complex myth-building. In this case, though, too much emphasis is on myth-building and not enough on storyline. The series ulitmately morphs into an surreal expose on tantric sex (Promoethia and a magical old man), the Tarrot, black magic, and the afterlife. It just gets too surreal (it's like reading Ursula LeGuin when you are accustomed to Tolkien). There are some interesting ideas, but all told, it just goes on and on, and on. This book is 4 stars--I'd buy it again--but then quit while I'm ahead. Unfortunately, I bought all 5 at the same time. First time I've ever felt I made a mistake on a Moore collection.

The plot: Promethea is an idea - the goddess myth that changes depending on who sees her and how. "If she didn't exist we would have to make her." Yes this plot is tenuous and mystic and intends to be deep. We follow the story of college student Sophie, who is doing a term paper on the Promethea character, who reemerges in literature, pulp fiction and comics. Strangely many of the people involved in creating the art that shows Promethea also claimed to have met her. Sophie soon finds an idea that can enter our world (or at least her world - a very technologically advanced 1999 in which cars fly through a world of neon billboards).

The plot and story here were surprisingly coherent. First of course Sophie meets Promethea and begins to understand how an idea can enter the realworld and become physically real. Interspersed are back stories on how Promethea originally came to be and on the artists she has touched in past manifestations.

The graphics: The artistic style is the normal comic booky style done very well. However the layouts are spectacular. Often there is a border surrounding the frames on a spread - and in that border part of the scene is taking place. Almost any spread of two pages hangs together as one coherent whole. Anyone interested in graphic design and comics should check this one out.

Overall Promethea was a good comic book. The graphics were spectacular. Even though the plot is a bit artsy and pretentious, by about half way through I was hooked. There is enough action and "good parts" to keep things flowing well.

Alternative to "First Contact" (movie). Vulcans arrive earlier and possible changes to Star Trek universe, could have been better written but still a good read. "Strangers from the Sky" can be read in a day and one night. Enjoy.

This is the rerelease of a book written in the early-to-mid 80's. It's still a great read. Bonanno brings the strengths of book-writing to a film property - flash backs, out-of-sequence story-telling and a wider landscape, and makes it all work.

Since it was written pre-almost-everything-else, there are a few anachronisms that must be forgiven, but I didn't find them distracting. The characters are spot on, the dillemma interesting, and the pace brisk. I remember reading this when it was first written and really enjoying knowing what was going on after the TV show and before the second movie. This time it takes a bit to re-orient where everything takes place (has this happened yet? No? Okay...)
The new characters are likable and instantly accessible. Of all the 40th Anniversary books, this is the one to read.

A controversial best seller has been sweeping through the Federation and the Enterprise was no exception but when Dr. McCoy offered his copy to Capt. Kirk, Kirk was oddly resistent to reading it. When he finally began reading though he found that he could not put it down, that it even began to invade his dreams and sent him on a pilgrimage to one of the locations of the story. Had Kirk's obsession with the book driven him to madness?

When McCoy called in Spock to help him save Kirk they discovered that Kirk was not the only one who had a strange reaction to the novel, leading them all to question what was fantasy and what was reality. After all, everyone knew when Vulcans and humans first made contact and it was long before Kirk and Spock were born. Wasn't it?

Bonanno has woven a compelling story, her characterizations of the Enterprise crew that we all know and love is excellent. They, and the rest of the characters in the book all come to life as reasonable, believeable and engaging. She also manages to keep the various threads of the story interesting as they begin to wind their ways towards the climax.

This is a definite 'don't miss' for fans of the series and would also be enjoyable to anyone with more than a passing interest in classic Trek, particularly the earliest episodes.

While the book is good, my problem with it is the new foreword by the author. She mentions that the book was written six years before the official first contact between humans and Vulcans depicted in the movie "First Contact" set in 2063 - wrong. That was not the first contact between humans and Vulcans in the STAR TREK universe. The TRUE first contact in the official cannon STAR TREK universe was depicted in the STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE episode "Carbon Creek" in which a Vulcan science vessel observing the launch of the Earth satellite SPUTNIK 1 on October 4, 1957, crashed and it's survivors had to interact with humans (the humans not knowing that they were aliens, of course) while waiting for a Vulcan rescue ship to come for them. A minor objection, of course, but MWB should have realized this.

You won't find a better book in the Star Trek genre. Well written, close to canon. Bonanno captures Kirk,Spock and McCoy thoroughly, you can hear their voices as you read the story. Excellent, if you are a Trek fan don't miss this classic.

Barnaby Rudge is one of Charles Dickens' lesser known and read novels--and that's a pity. The book is interesting, full of the kind of characters that Dickens is noted for, and full of action and exciting scenes. More significantly, it is one of his most thought provoking works, with a relevance that is applicable to today's world. It will leave you cheering for the good guys and grateful to see that the bad guys (and gals) get what coming to them. The book is divided cleanly into two parts, the first taking place in 1775, depicts the comings and goings of four families and their assorted relations and friends. The second occurs five years later and focuses on an historical event, the riots which shook London to oppose rights for Catholics.

The book begins at the Maypole, an inn located just outside London and presided over by John Willet, a pompous know-it-all who intimidates his friends and dominates his son, Joe, to the point that he leaves to join the army by the end of this part. Hugh, an uneducated and violent man works for Willet handling animals. Down the road is the residence of Geoffrey Haredale, a country gentleman, and his niece Emma, a beautiful and gracious girl. Her father was mysteriously killed 22 years previously and the mystery runs through the book. Haredale is a Catholic and an antagonist to John Chester, an oily, Machiavellian, highly ambitious character. The only thing the two men have in common is their mutual desire to keep Chester's son Edward from a romance with Emma. In this they succeed and Edward, too, leaves at the end of part 1. The third household contains the Varden family. Gabriel, the father, is a locksmith kindly and a moderating influence throughout the book. Ultimately he plays a hero's role. His wife, Martha, constants nags him, aided and abetted by their servant, Miss Miggs, a comical character given to hysterics. Their daughter, Dolly, is beautiful and vivacious, but flirtatious and at this point does not return the love that Joe Willet shows for her. Simon Tappertit, an apprentice to Mr. Varden, also resides there. He is a ridiculous person with an exaggerated sense of himself and the clandestine leader of a group of similar apprentices with designs on engaging in violence against their masters. Finally there is the residence of the title character, Barnaby Rudge, who is a mentally deficient but happy and charming young man. He lives in genteel poverty with his mother. Mr. Rudge, who was the steward to the murdered Mr. Haredale, was also allegedly a victim. The cast of characters interacts in typical Dickens fashion for the first 33 (of 80) chapters.

The scene and mood shifts abruptly in the second part which gives a detailed and graphic account of the so-called "anti-popery" riots that took place in London in 1780. The reader would do well to read an independent account of these events before reading Dickens' version. The above cast of characters is joined in part two by an additional group including some from actual life (Lord George Gordon, the instigator of the riots and Ned Dennis, one of the ringleaders to name but two). The riots bring out the best and the worst of all the characters. Barnaby is conned into joining the rioters and ends up in prison condemned to be hanged, the Maypole Inn is sacked and John Willet, humiliated, bound and gagged, the Haredale residence is set ablaze and Emma and Dolly taken prisoner, many houses are burned, people killed, Newgate prison is broken into, destroyed and all the prisoners released. The riots end with a harrowing scene is which dozens of people are burned to death by flaming alcohol.

The execution scene, where three of the "ringleaders" are to be hanged is one of the most powerful parts of the book. Dickens gives a vivid account of the conditions and circus atmosphere that surrounds this event. In Hugh's powerful and eloquent speech Dickens also gives a condemnation of British society that creates such persons. Hugh at this point is the most moral person in the book and goes to his death with bravery and courage. This scene alone is well worth reading the book for.

In the end, of course, everything is sorted out, justice is delayed but not denied and we have a happy ending.

If the book can be said to suffer it is from the lack of a strong central character around whom the plot revolves. There is no real hero here or even a singular villain. Joe and Edward, either of whom might have filled the former role are largely absent from much of the book and only show up again after the riots have ended. Gabriel Varden comes closest to that role but is more acted upon than actor until the closing chapters. The most likely candidate for villain, John Chester, likewise disappears at the end of part one. Hugh, Simon and Dennis emerge as a trio of rouges joined by Gashford, secretary to Lord Gordon and a blind man who cries plaintively, why must I be good just because I am blind? The murderer, of course, is also lurking around. But none of these individuals stands apart from the rest and the hero versus villain theme is muted. The book is really about events and how these events shape and change the life of the characters for better or worse.

In the end you will find yourself thinking about Barnaby Rudge for days afterward and it will leave a mark on your life. Nothing more positive can be said about any book.

Having left Dickens until later in life, I just completed Barnaby Rudge as part of my attempt to go through his novels in chronological order, starting with Pickwick. Barnaby Rudge is a very different animal from the 4 prior novels, patterned after it was on the swashbuckling historical style of Scott. It's so different from Old Curiosity Shop, which he was writing at the same time as Barnaby Rudge, that it's hard to believe it's the work of the same author, except for the quality of exceptionally vivid characterizations that pervade all the books.

I knew nothing of the historical events upon which the book is based, that, at the time of original publication, were well known to most Londoners, almost as well known as 9/11 is known by contemporary New Yorkers. Dickens seemed to have anticipated this problem, as the historical recreation is so beautifully folded into the melodrama that I never felt left behind. DON'T READ THE INTRODUCTION as too many plot points were given away and spoiled some of the dramatic impact for this reader. Save the introduction for afterward.

The characters are so memorable, it is painful to have to complete the book and say goodbye to them. Especially John Willet, and his double-chin, which almost deserves billing as a character in and of itself, Sir John Chester, a poetic achievement to whom Oscar Wilde and Shaw owed enormous debts, Maypole Hugh, and Grip the Raven (from whom Poe got his idea for the poem "The Raven), are high water marks of achievement.

While I preferred some of the intensely personal, experimental style of the latter half of Oliver Twist and much of Old Curiosity Shop, the confident and bold tone of the narration in Barnaby is a shot of adrenaline in every chapter, and the power of description in Dicken's cinematic viewpoint is incredibly powerful and pulse-poundingly entertaining, while the whole time maintaing a savvy, but never cynical outlook when it comes to the socio-political themes.

Don't miss it.

This is a review of the BBC Radio dramatization version of this book.

The story is a good one, filled with politics of religion, sympathetic characters and Dicken's inimitable prose.

However, this audio version is WAY over produced, with blaring, overly-dramatic music that seemed reminiscent of the worst grade B silent films.

The actors screamed, ranted, raved and wept hysterically more than they spoke. Unless someone already knows the basic plot and characters, they may have difficulty following the action (particularly, as a previous reviewer pointed out, the thick accents will be hard for Americans to decipher.).

The entire production needed to be toned down quite a bit for Dicken's voice to be heard above the clamor.

It might be better to read the book in this case.

This is the last of all the Dickens's novels (including the five shorter Christmas Books) that I have either read or attempted. I had saved it until the last because it has not been held in very high esteem either by the critics or the reading public. I was pleasantly surprised.

Whereas there are several Dickens novels that I was unable to finish (namely, The Old Curiosity Shop, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son, Little Dorrit, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and all the Christmas Books except A Christmas Carol), Barnaby Rudge never dragged even though it is one of Dickens's longer novels. Barnaby Rudge is as filled with memorable characters (especially the secondary ones - Miss Miggs, the Vardens, the Chesters, Hugh, Mr. Tapperttit, Dennis the hangman, etc.); places (the Maypole Inn, the locksmith's shop) and incident (the Gordon Riots) as any of his greater novels.

Stylistically, Barnaby Rudge is akin to Dickens's earlier picaresque novels (Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby). After those early successes of the 1830s, Dickens was struggling to find his mature style in my opinion. Most of the longer and shorter novels I was unable to finish come from the 1840s. (The Mystery of Edwin Drood is Dickens's last novel, but it was only half-finished at his death so it is really not fair to blame Dickens for my failure to respond to it.) Even though The Old Curiosity Shop comes between Nicholas Nickelby and Barnaby Rudge, Barnaby Rudge demonstrates all the strengths of Nicholas Nickelby and avoids the weaknesses of The Old Curiosity Shop. Barnaby Rudge is still early Dickens in my opinion.

G. K. Chesterton described a taste for early Dickens as similar to a taste for new potatoes as opposed to mature potatoes. Some people prefer new potatoes. Barnaby Rudge is not Dickens at his greatest. (I reserve that description for David Copperfield, Great Expectations and Bleak House. Along with the three novels of the 1830s already mentioned, I place Hard Times, A Tale of Two Cities and Our Mutual Friend and now, Barnaby Rudge, on the second tier of Dickens's novels.) We must remember, that Dickens at his worst is better than most writers at their best. If Barnaby Rudge were a newly discovered work by an otherwise unknown author, or by one of Dickens's contemporaries, it would be hailed as a masterpiece. As it is, Barnaby Rudge is an eminently enjoyable and readable effort by a great writer.

Barnaby Rudge (1841)originally appeared as a weekly serial in Dickens'
weekly newspaper Master Humphrey's Clock. The novel is the most obscure work by the master. The story is well worth reading. It is an exciting story of the Anti-Roman Catholic riots of 1780 led by the eccentric George Gordon a member of Parliament. The second half of the book focuses on the riots in a cinematic depiction of the mobs who ran amok in London during a hot summer of hatred, prejudice and murder.
Character rather than complicated Victorian plot is why we read Dickens. This book adds many memorable folks to the gallery of Dickens
characters. In this long novel we meet:
Barnaby Rudge-the title character is a feeble witted lad whose pet is the famed raven Grip. He lives with his mother. We later learn his evil father Rudge Sr. murdered Lord Haredale's brother. The father is hanged but Barnaby lives to spend time at the Maypole Inn. Years before Dostoevsky's novel "The Idiot" Dickens took a mentally ill person as his hero. Barnaby is pardoned for his participation in the Gordon riots.
Gabriel Varden, his shrewish wife and buxom daughter Dolly live in London where Mr. Varden is a locksmith. After Joe Willet leaves England to fight in the American Revolution he returns home to wed Dolly. A charming love story.
The Haredale family tells us of the love of Mr. Haredale's beautiful niece
Emma for Edward the son of John Chester. Chester is a Protestant and a sworn enemy of the Catholic Haredales.
Minor charactes such as Hugh (the illegitimate son of Chester); Dennis the hangman; Miss Miggs the man crazy maid to Mrs. Varden and others populate the pages of this fast paced tale of murder,mystery and intrigue.
Barnaby Rudge is a fine book which deserves to be better known. It is not Dickens best novel,his longest novel or his most famous novel. Yet it still appeals in its exciting look at the events of 1780. It and the much more famous Tale of Two Cities were the two historical novels the author produced.
YOu will never forget Grip the Raven (said to be the inspiration for Edgar Allen Poe's poem "The Raven") or Barnaby and his friends and enemies. Curl up with this good book and let your mind and heart wander back to the year of our Lord 1775 when the novel begins.
The book is well illustrated by George Cattermole and Hablot K. Browne
in charming art work.

A History of Violence is a graphic novel written by John Wagner with art by Vince Locke. It details the story of a simple man named Tom McKenna, who becomes a local hero after saving his store from armed robbers. This attention attracts the mob, who come after McKenna to make him pay for crossing them years before.

I'd heard good things about this novel, from friends, comic book aficionados, and press generated by the movie adaptation (which I have not seen). What I got though, was a pretty standard "movie of the week" crime drama. There's nothing here that hasn't been done in the genre before, and if you make up your own story about mobsters back for revenge, you'll likely come up with a similar story outline to what's presented here. Bad dialogue creeps in occasionally ("Then you best have your coffee first!"), and cliches are rampant - a man with a hidden past who turns into Rambo at all the right moments, boys with enough luck and guts to steal from the mob, the disfigured henchman, a crime boss who channels DeNiro's Capone from The Untouchables, etc. The level of violence is notable, but again on par with genre giants like The Godfather and Scarface. Heck, there's even some chainsaw action thrown in for good measure.

Locke's art is heavily sketchy/scribbled in, and it works in that "so bad it must be groundbreaking and artsy" kinda way to trick the reader into thinking they've got more than they actually have. If you're looking for notable comics to read outside of the superhero pool, you're best trying something else first. And if you want a crime drama to spend time with, there's 100 Bullets, Sin City, and numerous others to try first.

Like so many others, I only picked this up long after seeing David Cronenberg's film, and I must say, the film is superior in almost every way. As written by John Wagner, "A History of Violence" is the passable but generally lightweight (and emotionally inert) tale of Tom McKenna, a small-town soda-shop owner who thwarts a robbery, becomes a local celebrity, and draws the attention of mobsters who claim to know him from long ago; this triggers a new chain of violence that stems from a decades-old crime from Tom's youth and threatens the safety of his family. While the film follows this general outline, it wisely junked much of what Cronenberg called "not very believable mob stuff" in favor of a character study that, while sometimes flawed, was much more effective. The graphic "History" reads well and quickly, but the artwork (by Vince Locke) is another story; I once had a high-school art teacher who taught me how to discern between "shading" and simply darkening a drawing, and Locke's sloppy, scribble-heavy style (though I'd go out on a limb and say I can draw better) is not only confusing to look at (with a lack of consistency in character appearance and detail in hectic scenes), but seems like an incorrect tonal match for the story Wagner is telling. Even Cronenberg (well after he'd sculpted the "History" script into a different beast with Josh Olson) admitted that the graphic novel wasn't strong enough visually to have any bearing on his own directorial vision, and it's easy to tell why. Perhaps those who go into this "History" dry will have a better appreciation of it, but for me, it simply pales in comparison to the film.

The other night I was listening to old time radio and an episode of Suspense came on called "Night on Red Mountain". Listening to the episode I came to know that the author(s) of this graphic novel/film borrowed HEAVILY from this episode. You can listen to it yourself to find out. It's too funny really.

I found you out John Wagner!

I saw the film first and usually in an adaptation, there are things that are naturally lost such as internal thoughts. And so I read it with the idea that there would be nuances and depth that couldn't be caught on film. Instead of juxtaposing the killers actions against lazily checking out of a motel, Wagner just has them shoot down two kids. Yawn! And instead of the vast improvement Cronenberg took in making Tom's character a dangerous man, the novel's Tom is the good guy who got mixed up in a bad scene because of his allegiance to a friend. YAWN! All the other characters in the novel, including Tom, come across as uninteresting and wooden, the family adding no conflict to Tom's dilemma. All in all, a tepid, uninteresting, too long story gratefully remedied by an excellent film.

When I watched A History of Violence earlier this way, I was impressed. It took the "American Dream" family, and threw them into a terrible situation, yet wasn't entirely predictable. Unfortunately, it suffered from a bit of lack of interest, for lack of better term, about 2/3 through, and kind of lost itself. Regardless, I loved the movie, and made sure to check out the source material it was based on. Imagine my surprise when I read even 1/4 of the book and discovered that the movie took out TONS of things. Finishing the book, I've come to the conclusion that when placed next to it, the movie pretty much pales in comparison. But I'm not one of those people that freaks out and claims that one has to be better than the other- they're both good in their own right, offering things the other doesn't. Though I do admit, the book kept me interested 100% through, from beginning to end. A History of Violence is an extraordinary title, and as the intro by the author explains, is better than any fantasy epic could be if only for the fact that this sort of thing happens every day in real life. Unassuming normal, everyday people get tossed into terrible scenarios, and it's not pretty. That's scarier than some bald guy in purple and green trying to take over the world any day. Imagine getting death threats via someone next to you while you're taking a break at lunch getting shot right through the head, then a call later saying that it was just a warning, and they're watching your every move. What would you do? This book does just that, and then some.

Tom McKenna is your average Joe, living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else on a first name basis. He runs a small diner, and gets along with everyone quite well. It's a dream city if you ask me- never any trouble, everyone goes about their own business, has manners, etc. But one night, just as he's about to close up the shop, two men come in demanding coffee, despite being told that they're about to close. One of the people leaving the diner automatically knows that these two men are dangerous, and calls for the police. She was right- the two men just killed two people earlier that day, and have planned on a stickup for some quick cash. What better location than a town in the middle of nowhere? Unfortunately, for them at least, Tom knows how to handle the situation. Being held at gunpoint, he gives them their coffee alright- splashing some in one guy's face, then breaking the coffee pot over another's. He reverses the gun on one man and blasts him several times, shooting him right through the glass door. Who knew he had it in him? Certainly not the townsfolk, much less his family. News about the situation gets out, though Tom lays low and insists everyone go back to their daily lives. It's almost like he knew something bad would come of it, as soon after he's shown on tv, some very serious, shady characters begin to follow him around town in a black car. One of them says that he knows Tom, but calls him Joey. The man is clearly dangerous- missing an eye and covered in scars, and gives Tom a scare once he walks through the door. Yep, they know each other, especially since the man has Tom's finger that he claims was lopped off in a boating accident. From here on, it's Tom's word against theirs, as he tries to keep his family safe. But they're not safe- they're being followed around as well, and things go downhill from there. Even after the situation is seemingly taken care of, Tom still has to explain his past- who he really is and what it is that he did to make these people come after him...and come face-to-face with the root of the issue, involving someone who he thought was long dead.

A History of Violence is divided into three chapters- Tom dealing with the thugs, explaining his background, and the resolution of him dealing with the problem head-on. And each chapter keeps you excited, never wanting to put the book down. I made the mistake of bringing the book to work, reading it on my breaks, and often found myself taking somewhat extended ones all too often, and even a few extra ones. The book is that good. There's never a dull moment, the pacing moves fast yet steady, and there's always some new twist to spark your interest just in case you might have gotten tired. I actually recommend watching the movie first just so you don't get disappointed seeing it with the full book in your memory, and seeing that most of it is left out. Everything here blends together so well, it's hard to compare it to any other Stateside graphic novels. Some have claimed that the book is incredibly graphic in terms of violence, but I strongly disagree. Compared to a series like Sin City or Berserk, AHoV is nothing. Presented in black and white, most of the blood is done in a nice spotted ink look, which blends in with most of the scenery and characters. There are also a lot of cutaways from those especially violent moments, such as when a thug gets his hand removed via an elevator. Just as he realizes that it's about to be taken off, we go from a face shot of him screaming in agony, then immediately to another location. It would've been rather boring for them to stay on it for so long, wouldn't it? When people are shot, which happens frequently, they just get shot, and it's done. No multiple panels showing the wound or guts flying everywhere. Once it's done, it's done, like an old western movie. But, there was one panel, that took up an entire page actually, that literally had me say, "oh my god" when I saw it. It was something I didn't expect, and I sure won't spoil it here. When you think of someone being tortured, I'm sure you expect just a bunch of cuts, bruises, and maybe some broken bones. Trust me when I say that the torture results here are by far the most extreme I've ever seen. Also worth mentioning is how Tom and one of his buddies take care of a mob boss, literally wiping the smile off his face, ten fold.

If I had any complaints, and it really caused me to reconsider giving this a 5 star overall rating, it's the art style. It's not that it's BAD by any means, just...well, it looks like story boards done by a high school art student. Literally, the characters and scenery are all sketchy, and it's hard to tell some characters apart most of the time unless they're wearing distinctly different outfits. During Tom's flashback, I really couldn't tell the difference between him and Richie during close-up shots. In the book's introduction, the writer explains that the book was a bit rushed, done without any real thought aside from some quick inspiration. Not to insult his vision, but it shows through the art. But, at the same time, had anyone else done it, I don't know if it would've turned out as good, like what I just mentioned about the quick cuts from gun shots and everything. I don't know, it'd be interesting to see AHoV redone with a different artist, keeping each panel the same regarding content. Everything else though, such as the text, is easily readable and I have no other gripes...aside from the book ending. I really want to see more of these characters. They're all so real, especially the mob guys. The way they talk is somewhat typical, yet they're a blast to read.

AHoV is definitely worth your time and money, especially with how cheap it is now. It's a prime example of how comics aren't "just for kids" like some would have you believe. Again though, if you have any intention of watching the movie, watch it before reading so you won't end up hating it for everything it's worth. I can't wait to read this again, which I plan on doing multiple times.

I enjoyed this and remembered this from years ago and was lucky to come across it and collect and enjoy reading it and the great animation.

Morrison is not your grandpa's comics writer. Your standard superhero type origin, and gets whackier from there. Buddy Baker finds a crashed alien spaceship type device, and he does something to him. He finds that he has gained the ability to gain abilities. This can only be done from all the wildlife that surrounds him at the time, so this can of course be problematic. Then it gets weirder.

Morrison is one of the gods of comic book writing, and you can see why with the animal man series. The story is great and only hints at what is to come. And I can't wait to get ahold of the next two books. The art was a little disappointing though.

if you're reading this review, then chances are you've either:

a.) already read this book and are curious to see what others have to say about it. (like me. i spend most of my time on amazon.com checking out things i already have. curiosity rules!)

or...

b.) you've heard the tale of how Grant Morrison's "Animal Man" run was either "off the chain" or "bad to the bone" or "supremely overrated" or, at the very least, the unquestionable starting point at which to begin an education in Morrison's work, as this was the book that introduced him to most of us cross-Atlantic comic fans.

here's the deal: i'm not looking to give you a blow-by-blow account of why i love this story nor why i hope you'll check it out. (don't you hate reviews that give everything away?) instead, i will say only this: as enjoyable as the first arch (issues 1-4) was, as much as i wanted to tear into Vol. 2 immediately upon finishing issue no. 9, if "Animal Man" Vol. 1 was NOTHING but issue no.5 reprinted nine times, this book would be an absolute STEAL!

the single greatest comic issue i've ever read, surrounded on both sides by exciting, intense, occasionally hilarious, and always enjoyable yarns? worth every penny! enjoy!

One of the early titles that helped Grant Morrison make a name for himself in mainstream comics, Animal Man ended up being a hybrid of Morrison's love for classic comic storytelling, his views on animal rights, and above all, a shockingly brilliant series that broke the boundaries for what could be done in mainstream comic books. Without giving too much away of what else occurs in the later volumes, the first volume of Animal Man finds low level Justice League member Buddy Baker taking a new stance on animal rights as he makes some shocking discoveries at STAR Labs, as well as meets some very interesting characters along the way, including a run in with some of Hawkman's war-like people. There's also some very strange Looney Tunes-style antics going in the middle of the story that may seem not only out of place, but just plain mind boggling. However, once the realization dawns on you just what it all means, it's just another example of the brilliance on display from Morrison. Surprisingly violent (the collected graphic novels are now under DC's Vertigo title) and poignant to boot, what Buddy and his family go through are only hints and cues at things to come. The current Mirror Master is introduced here as well, and he will go on to play a pivotal role as things develop further, as will the mysterious, ghostly man that pops up now and then. If there's any negatives about the book, it's that the artwork doesn't always stand up as well as one would like, but that's only a minor complaint. All in all, Animal Man represents the fact that anything can be done in the comics medium, and if you've never given the series a look, you owe it to yourself to see just what helped make Grant Morrison the Alan Moore of his era.

This is when DC started delving into the Vertigo type arena of stories and storytelling. This is very far away from anything like The Black Orchid character portrayed in the Suicide Squad comic series, for example.

One of the earlier American gorgeous graphic novels, with its painted style. This will certainly surprise people that think comics are Archie and Donald Duck, with its lushness and mythology and dark storyline.

First, the good news. McKean's art is a real asset. It's varied, skilled, and very expressive.

The story just didn't work for me, though. It was a little too close to the super-hero-in-spandex genre, with character crossovers from Superman, Batman, and I don't know what all else. There's a market for SHIS stories, but I'm not in it.

Gaiman's done some incredible work. He's set a standard for thoughtful, unusual characters and settings. The problem is, he set the standard so high that not even he can reach that mark every time. I really expected something more mature from Gaiman and McKean - maybe next time.

I am not a DC comic fan or collector, so please bear with me in giving you this review from a non-comic owner perspective.

While not a follower of the comics, I do love Neil Gaiman. This is the story of how Black Orchid comes to life and seeks out a meaning for, literally, the life given to her. She wants answers to the questions "Who am I? Why am I here?" and is desperate to find a place that she will belong.

Her tale is told with cameo appearances by Batman, Swamp Thing, and Poison Ivy; and you should not miss the nightmarish visit to the Arkham Asylum where a skeletal, sleepless man spills his nightmares on the floor, and the x-ray man weeps burning tears onto the floor.

She awakens as the Black Orchid in the greenhouse at Dr. Phillip Sylvian, with the memories of a woman named Susan Linden. Phil tells her about a little of her background, and tells her of those who he went to college with, without whom she would not be alive; Dr. Jason Woodrue, Pamela Isley and Alec Holland.

But before he can reveal everything to her, Phil is killed and the Black Orchid is on her own. Her ex husband Carl Thorne finds out about her plant-reincarnation, and makes a visit to her, killing all but one of the smaller plants that Phil has been nurturing. Black Orchid takes the little one with her, "Suzy", to Gotham city where a tip from a friend sends her off along to Arkham Asylum to speak with Poison Ivy. Suzy is snatched by Lexcorp, but after a quick visit with Swamp Thing, Black Orchid rescues Suzy and they fly off to the Amazon Rainforest where Black Orchid can plant her seeds.

But there are still those who hunt her down; her ex husband who is trying to kill her again, and the Lexcorp minions sent into the rainforest to bring her back alive so that she can be dissected. What a girl...er...plant, to do?

Brief comic strip type prose does not stop Gaiman from bringing to life a fully fleshed out story, and the artwork of Dave McKean is to be applauded. Moving from shades of gray to brilliantly splashed pages of vibrant color, he paints brutality, horror, and the sereneness of nature in the same ethereal fashion. This is an excellent choice for those who are just starting to dip their toes and get their feet wet in the world of Graphic Novels. Enjoy!

Black Orchid, fresh as a daisy from her Adventure Comics appearances, had shown up as the resident mystery-woman of the Suicide Squad (series). She even did a flyby in the first Deadshot mini-series, saving his life. It looked like she had a bright future as a trad costumed crime-fighter. Then, someone put Neil Gaiman in charge of her, and that was the end of that. I know that Gaiman once intro'd a Doctor Who novella penned by another writer by saying that it was probably fortunate he never wrote for Doctor Who, as he would likely dismantle the existing mythos and start from scratch. Or words to that effect. When I read and re-read the Black Orchid mini-series turned graphic novel, I see what he means. Seldom has a character started her own mini-series by dying at the hands of a Lex Luthor flunky; it's a wonderfully moving exit. Enter the NEW Black Orchid, courtesy of some freaky greenhouse effect (ie. waking up from nothingness in a greenhouse), a birth so inexplicable that this purple plant-woman spends the rest of the story trying to find out why it happened, and what she is.
Unfortunately for her, Lex Luthor gets wind of the fact that when you send a malicious little yes-man rat--that would be Mr. Sterling--to kill a meddling super-heroine, powerful flower-women are born, grown, cultivated, whatever. So Sterling and a cadre of hired guns set out to find Orchid and her companion, Suzy--sort of the smaller version of our title character. So, while Black Orchid follows a trail of memories and hints that lead to Arkham Asylum's depths, featuring Poison Ivy and the Mad Hatter (among others), plus Batman, and Alec Holland and the Green, and ultimately, a paradisical patch of Rain Forest. Okay, okay, Alec Holland is Swamp Thing, that dude from a cheesy Wes Craven movie, played by a guy from Robocop when he's Alec, and some other guy who played an evil version of the Incredible Hulk in some old 2-part Hulk episode. Oh, and there are Swamp Thing graphic novels too. But I digress.
Ultimately, this Black Orchid tale--the one that reinvents her after destroying her--is not as simple as it seems after a first reading. There are many layers to explore, as we learn about the past of Susan, the woman who gave rise to all the Black Orchids. Her past is tragic and unfair, and some of it comes back to haunt the plant-woman created from her DNA and, uh, orchids. Susan's abusive ex-husband, Carl, who used to work for Lex Luthor until he failed him, is back, for a piece of the action. His methods for taking said piece are nasty, and bode ill for Black Orchid and anyone she cares for--or distantly remembers caring for in another life, or the life before that, or...well. I said it was complex.
And beautiful. If the story ends rather too neatly and cleanly, then this weakness is made up for by absolutely breath-taking art from start to finish. Another little criticism would be Batman's rather wooden, overdone dialogue--but again, erase all de-merit points thanks to the fantabulous Dave McKean visuals. The purples, the blues, the blue-greens, the orange, the black, the grey, the perfectly-captured smirks of the petty and violent versus the dazzling vibrancy of jungle colour. This is not comic-book art; this is chapel-wall stuff, stolen form some priceless exhibit somewhere and infused into some humble undeserving pop-art format. Revel in it.

This book, published originally in three installments, is regarded as a turning point in graphic fiction, like DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN, but I just don't see it. Generally speaking, I like Gaiman's story lines, but this time it's all just confusing. The title character, a crime fighter superhero trying to infiltrate a mob, is killed in the first few pages -- but there's more of her back in the greenhouse so all is not lost. Or something. A newly hatched flower-woman, who seems to share some of the dead one's memories, sets out to uncover her identity. I think. The mob is run by Lex Luthor (why?), who wants to capture her and/or her little sister (or whatever) for dissection. But Carl, just out of prison, who used to work for Luthor and who previously murdered his wife, upon whom the orchids were based, can't get his job back and wants to get even with everyone. This guy is a loser and screw-up -- but suddenly, in the last installment, the action having relocated to the Amazon Basin, he becomes a very talented and successful jungle killer. (How?) Other people from the back-story weave in and out of the plot, including one who became the Swamp Thing, but none of what they say or do makes much sense. And why does Batman get a cameo? (Not to mentioned assorted bad guys from Gotham?) McKean's artwork is interesting for its own sake, owing more to oil painting than the usual sort of airbrush work, but all in all, I have to give this a shrug.

Deadwood = Preacher, tv style? This is what happens here, pretty much. New sheriff in town, corrupt business types, etc., etc. Sherlock Holmes had something to say about small country towns and nowheresville type places.

There is an evil meat baron, and corrupt cop, a dominatrix accountant, a one armed relative, and a good looking deputy. So of course Jesse ends up with the sheriff job by default, and a whole pile of problems come with it.

Salvation is the weakest of the nine collections, but that isn't to say it is bad in any way, it's still a darn good book (and really, it is only weak compared to its own work, and not that much weaker). The real problem is that for a while we are taken completely out of Jesse's quest to find God. And Tulip and Cassady are both missing. Maybe for a one shot it would have worked, but we were too far from where we need to be, especially at this point.

I recently became interested in "Preacher" after reading "Gone to Texas," the first collection of issues. I thought it was a really interesting comic and I was retrospectively sad that I had missed out on it the first time around. After reading the second volume and becoming acquainted with the Grail and the inimitable Herr Starr, I was officially hooked. Garth Ennis's crisp, hilarious dialogue juxtaposed against (generally) serious subject matter in the context of a broader story arc made for a compelling combination of narrative elements that must come together in precisely the right way to work.

Unfortunately, in the seventh volume of "Preacher" graphic novels -- "Salvation" -- the combination is less precise and thus the overall work suffers. "Salvation" deviates from the main story arc of the Grail and Jesse Custer's quest to find God and make him answer for some less than stellar decisions. After the literally explosive events of the preceding collection (in which Starr detonates a nuclear bomb in the American desert in an attempt to kill the Saint of Killers, but succeeds only in separating Custer from Cassidy and Tulip) and Custer's shock and depression at seeing his girlfriend Tulip engaged romantically with his former best friend Cassidy, it was a good call on the part of Ennis to move the action of the story away from the main arc; to both build dramatic tension and to explore other sectors of the characters' personalities and motivations.

The problem is the manner in which Ennis went about this. Salvation, Texas, is a town where things fall into place all too conveniently in the context of the "Preacher" universe. Custer finds his long-lost mother as well as Lorrie, the sister of his one-eyed inbred childhood friend Billy Bob. Custer shakes the town up and quickly becomes sheriff, enraging Odin Quincannon, the more-than-slightly unhinged owner of a meat-processing plant in the neighboring town. The battle between Custer and Quincannon eventually envelops the entire town of Salvation and brings in the Ku Klux Klan, a sadomasochistic female neo-[...] lawyer (who, like every other woman in the "Preacher" saga, finds Jesse Custer irresistable), and sees Odin Quincannon repeatedly have sex with a statue made of meat. In other words, it's something of a jumble that goes on for entirely too long and introduces a ton of rather purposeless characters that we never see again in any meaningful sense (some of them reappear in an issue collected in the final "Preacher" volume called "Alamo"). I think a friend of mine summed it up really well when he said that "Salvation" read more like someone trying really, really hard to sound like Garth Ennis than Garth Ennis himself. Another non-writing complaint is that since this collection is the largest of the bunch, it was printed on stock paper instead of the better looking and more durable glossy paper of the other collections.

This collection isn't bad, but is vastly inferior to the ones that came before it. For the most part, it's skippable, but every "Preacher" completist probably already has it.

Garth Ennis, Preacher: Salvation (DC Comics, 1999)

If you've not yet found your way into the ever-growing cult of Preacher-worship, I'd advise you to do so at your earliest convenience by picking up a copy of Preacher: Gone to Texas. Ignore the wannabe rabblerousers and the like who will tell you how blasphemous the thing is and get yourself hooked.

As with most stuff the unthinking crowd denounces as blasphemy without having read it, there's a great deal of spiritual benefit to be found under the surface. In this seventh episode of the nine-book series, Jesse, now separated from Cassidy and Tulip, finds himself back in Texas, in a little town called Salvation. Through various machinations, he finds himself the sheriff of the town, and immediately at loggerheads with Odin Quincannon, owner of the local meatpacking industry. You've been reading. You know what's gonna happen.

Under all the grease and grime, Jesse Custer is the classic good guy. He stands for what's right, opposes what's wrong, and tries to get everything back on an even keel (though granted, lots of stuff blows up in the process). And what could possibly be blasphemous about that?

No surprise that, once again, Ennis and Dillon have put out a winner. Some folks seem to have missed a minor part of the point (here's a hint: the name of the book, and the name of the town, point the way to figuring out why "coincidences" pop up here). Another solid entry in an exceptionally solid series.

For the first time in the series, the Jesse-Cassidy-Tulip team is broken up, where Tulip and Cassidy are pushed completely into the background. "Salvation" focuses solely on Jesse Custer's experiences immediately after the cataclysmic events as depicted in "Tears in the Sun." Describing, appropriately enough, Jesse's stay in the racially polarized Salvation, Texas, Jesse's brawling talents land him the peachy job of town sheriff. Of course, being on the right side of the law for once only further encourages young Jesse to reach out and touch somebody. His rough and tumble ways seem to work, though, as his good conscience guides him to physically discipline only those who `deserve' it. Salvation eventually becomes a more just and humane town. Ennis is to be saluted for introducing the politics of race, here, and exploring small-town interracial relationships. As is unfortunately too often the case with other comic titles, African-Americans either don't exist or are the bad guys.

One thing I didn't like about this book was Ennis' excessive use of deus ex machina that makes the narrative creak - some of the volume's tenser moments are resolved rather dubiously (a fortuitous bolt of lightening, Jesse's dog Skeeter does his best impression of Lassie on several occasions). Also, there is one rather amazing coincidence/revelation that occurs soon after Jesse rolls into town involving one of Salvation's citizens. The sheer improbability of it really rubbed me the wrong way, and seemed like lazy, overly sentimental writing (which Ennis is almost never guilty of). Even more amazing was how this coincidence wasn't realized by the person even earlier than it was.

However, as always, this is immensely likeable reading. Ennis keeps churning out the freak show characters that demonstrate the diversity of the human condition. Although the stories have been better, Ennis nevertheless manages to confound, amuse, and perturb.

I completely disagree with all of the people putting down Kevin J. Anderson's work. Anderson is one of my favorite Star Wars authors. I felt Redemption was a fitting and tragic end to the Tales of the Jedi series, and features my favorite art yet - though I did enjoy the style of the series prior as well. Reading this was the first time I ever cried reading a comic book, (yes I admit) after reading all the way through the entire Tales of the Jedi series. I would sell my soul to see the series brought to film. I found the entire series to be nothing less than magic, even the prologue series Golden Age of the Sith/The Fall of the Sith Empire, which helped create a colorful backdrop for the ensuing epic storyline. So many great characters and monumental events transpire it is easy to get lost in the atmosphere Anderson and the others have created. I loved Redemption - Ulic's character is very powerfully portrayed - Vima has grown into a beautiful talented young jedi, Sylvar is redeemed, and Nomi can finally find peace. Also glad to see Tott Doneeta again. Such a tragic and epic series, I can't even get over it. I think the people who put this stuff down are missing the point and the soul of all that has been created here. My imagination runs wild with this stuff and I can't get enough. I highly recommend the entire series to anyone who can appreciate a beautiful Star Wars story.

My son loved his birthday present, he collect all kinds of STAR WARS stuff. He was pleased

This out of print and ultra-rare graphic novel, 'Tales of the Jedi: Redemption', is in my opinion a step forward from the previous 'Tales of the Jedi' (TOTJ from here on) storylines/graphic novels in terms of artwork. Actually, a step forward is incorrect: the artwork has progressed by leaps and bounds! However, as is usual with Star Wars, the storyline is the same ol', same ol' with little to offer readers and newcomers (although SW nuts and fanatics would eat this up, or anything George Lucas does for that matter).

One of my grumblings with this one is the writing style of the plot via Kevin Anderson. For some reason, Anderson's dialogue always feels rushed to me. While comics are not real life, a good creative team is able to force the reader to suspend their disbelief through an intriguing storyline, lucid dialogue, and beautiful colors. From panel to panel, a good artist knows which poses and facial expressions to put in each one to give the mind the illusion of continuous movement on, what are otherwise, stagnant frames on a page.

Normally, in terms of dialogue, the transition from panel A to panel B is a fluid motion; however under Anderson's writing, the action expressed via dialogue from panel A to panel B feels more like panels A, B, C, and D squeezed into two, A and B, thus giving the impression of a "rushed" feeling gleaned from Anderson's too fast-paced writing. The story in 'Redemption' literally goes by in one big blur, not ever really giving you a chance to focus on any one situation, develop any characters, or become situated with one area. (The latter, "planet-hopping", has always been a staple of Star Wars and while the oodles of worlds makes the SW Universe seem eternally vast, a negative side to this is you never really get to take in everything of one particular place because everyone's always moving around.)

As I mentioned earlier, the storyline found in 'Redemption' is the same old SW formula: a talented but arrogant and overzealous Jedi falls to the dark side (this time, Ulic Qel-Droma), commits evil acts, and later has the internal desire to redeem themselves. The Jedi archetype - a basically good person does evil but becomes good again - worked once, but any more than that and it becomes boring, stale, and...well...dumb. (SEE: The overuse of the `twin archetype' in Star Wars, e.g. Luke/Leia, Jacen/Jaina, Gav/Jori, etc.) If you're a Star Wars junkie, you'll eat this tasteless, drab, substanceless drivel up, but truly, if you've seen/read one SW movie/comic/novel, you've seen/read `em all really. How many ways can you flip the same formula without it getting monotonous?

While the story isn't great, it's slightly enjoyable if you have about half an hour to kill (the graphic novel is five issues long). However, some parts are laughingly far-fetched and unrealistic. For instance, the Jedi knight Nomi Sunrider (yes another cheesy SW archetype: the legendary surname; e.g. Sun-Rider/Sky-Walker...it worked once guys, not again.) fails to train her only daughter Vima because she's so caught up in politics (ooo exciting). Hmmm...okay, what about all the other Jedi knights that could've trained her, including the weird Jedi rhino-ankylosaurus Thon (who is supposed be close to Nomi because her husaband Andur was supposed to train under Thon)? And I just shook my head at the way Nomi and Cathar let the space pirate Hoggon get away at the end...weren't you guys going to chase him down or something??!?!?

While I thought Nomi sucked, Tott Doneeta's character was flat, Vima was basically an Anakin prototype in the form of a girl, and Ulic's flat dialogue got boring at times, I did think the cameo made by the Arkanian Jedi Master Arca was nice; actually, I think Arca's pretty darn cool (he looks like a character from WarCraft or something).

Like I said, if you have time to kill or are between graphic novels, this one'll serve as "filler reading". It's not very good but enjoyable under average circumstances. This is the only TOTJ graphic novel that had artwork worth paying attention to which probably makes up a small percentage of what the overall plot lacks. As this title is rare and out of print, it's not cheap, so in my opinion, I don't think it's worth spending your hard earned dollars on. Luckily, I found it in the comic section of my local library and saved some money.

This interesting book is the final book in the Knights of the Old Republic series. The series is a collection of graphic novels that takes the reader to the Old Republic, thousands of years before the events of The Phantom Menace.

This graphic novel brings the story to its conclusion. Ulic Qel-Droma is a broken man, blinded to the Force, and exiled from everything he has known or loved. But, Ulic's past is catching up with him. Nomi Sunrider's daughter, Vima, is looking for something missing in her life, and thinks that Ulic might just have it. And, Sylvar, mate of Crado, is looking for Ulic to gain the revenge that will allow her to release her hate. Ulic has walked a long hard road, and he has learned a thing or two...

My twelve-year-old son is a big Star Wars fan, and he picked up this series so that he could keep on learning about the Star Wars universe. Overall, we found this to be a great book, and a fitting end to a great series. The illustration work is very good, and the story is gripping. We enjoyed the action and the many different creatures and races that are the hallmark of Star Wars.

Yep, we both enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to you. We highly recommend the entire Tales of the Jedi series!