An intriguing, confident first entry in what promises to be a riveting historical series.
The descendant of a murdered Mali king seeks revenge in Brown’s historical graphic novel series opener.
In the year 1300, the king (or Mansa) of the Mali Empire is betrayed by the rival Keita clan; they attack, and only the king’s daughter, the princess Yafa, and her newborn survive the massacre. She escapes the capital city of Niani swearing revenge. Roughly 120 years later, the young assassin Diata, Yafa’s descendant, arrives in Timbuktu seeking a route to Niani to exact vengeance. The Keita clan have maintained control of the empire amidst power shifts amid the ruling castes of Mali society, but their current leader, Foamed, believes that concentrating power within the warrior (Ton-tigi) and noble castes (Horon) impedes society. He has called for a national tournament to determine the next Sankar Zouma, a prestigious military position, and has opened it to men of any caste, including the artisans (Nyamakala) and the enslaved (Jonow). Diata convinces his family to let him compete, despite being only 19 years old. His name translates to “lion,” and, while his powers aren't explained, he possesses the strength, hyper-senses, and reflexes of his namesake. Illustrator Thy uses a manga comic style to render the rich visual world of 15th-century Mali with distinctive character designs and dynamic, bloody fight scenes. Brown orchestrates many moving pieces and creates opportunities for the brash and stoic Diata to grow throughout the series, even inserting humorous beats (“Watch out for the vipers tonight. They can get pretty aggressive around this time of year”) in the brisk, high-stakes plot. The work depicts many cultural and societal norms that are at times hard to keep track of, but breaks in the chapters provide more context, and Brown avoids overloading his dialogue with exposition. With many viable warriors in the mix, the tournament—and the empire’s future—is anyone’s game.
An intriguing, confident first entry in what promises to be a riveting historical series.Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9798988182801
Page Count: 148
Publisher: Black Sands Entertainment
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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