Slower paced than a lot of graphic novels. It's nice to see a story really build it's materials and themes. Very clear with it's message of optimism and hope against the crushing realities of life. ( )

Graphic Novel Bookclub October:

A really great story but with some really problematic art that constantly confounds the reader to what is actually being shown. I'd love to read more, but that would require me to put up with the art and I'm not sure I can do that. (I did it for Dark Knight Returns, etc, and that was hard enough.) ( )

The synopsis for this story was right up my alley, but the execution of characters and plot fell flat. The artwork was nice but occasionally it was difficult to tell what was going on. The characters didn't really grow, just (constantly) changed their actions or viewpoints according to what message/tone the author wanted to send at any given moment instead of what made sense for the characters. There was a lovely reunion scene, but a couple pages later a massive backstab that made no sense, and then flimsy character motivations that tried to get around plot holes. The few flashback scenes that made me care about a character were blatantly included to strong-arm the reader's emotions at the bleak events that followed. Also there was a ridiculous amount of scantily clad or nude women for no reason. The theme of optimism is a nice sentiment, but the depiction of the main character's hope and positivity in the face of the horror she and her family encounters just comes off as naivety. I will not be continuing the series. ( )

Awful. Way too much 1930's sword-and-planet aesthetics and story elements. No true POV character to connect with and too many time skips anyway. Pirate characters that are harder to take seriously than the ones from Pirates of the Caribbean.
And on top of everything else its Mean. Which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, every Zack Snyder film is Mean but they're not all unenjoyable, however Mean and incompetent is enough to drop it to one star.

*Mean is not dark, Mean is not gritty or scary or even depressing. Mean is when vicious, nasty things happen to characters without any attempt (or an incompetent attempt) to provoke an emotional response from the audience.
Leaving you wondering if that was a failure to communicate, or whether the author is too jaded to actually notice what is and isn't messed up, or whether the author wanted you to have a sadistic thrill.

Edit: For those who don't know sword-and-planet is a genre combining the sci-fi and sword-and-sandals genres. Typified in the [b:Barsoom|40395|A Princess of Mars (Barsoom, #1)|Edgar Rice Burroughs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1332272118s/40395.jpg|1129624] series by Edgar Rice Burroughs which got a sanitized film version John Carter. The genre probably reached its most refined form with [b:Dune|234225|Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1)|Frank Herbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434908555s/234225.jpg|3634639] and Star-Wars.
The genres main conceit is a world with futuristic technology but in which people still end up fighting with swords for some reason.
Because it borrows heavily from the sword-and-sandal genre there will be many Roman-like elements, slaves, arenas, barbarian hordes, orgies etc. With clothing being reduced by about 30% for men and 90% for women, Leia in the gold-bikini being one of the more demure examples.
There will also usually be ancient forgotten tech which is important to advancing the story, also elements of Fate, or god-like beings and christ metaphors, probably imported from the various biblical sword-and-sandal epics.
Other common elements are multiple factions/tribes often brought together by the hero, and pirates/raiders etc. ( )

I read this a while ago but I can't remember anything about the story beyond what's in the summary. ( )