The Sky Is Yours

author: Chandler Klang Smith
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2018/12/16
date added: 2018/12/16
shelves:
review:
'The Sky Is Yours' by Chandler Klang Smith would seem to have lots of elements I would like a story: a decaying futuristic city, a group of characters from different social structures, and dragons. When it was all done, it felt like lots of ideas that didn't really go anywhere.

In the futuristic city of Empire Island, things are not going well. Dragons circle overhead, a reality star named Duncan is sitting in the remains of her crumbling empire, and a young girl named Abby is trying her best just to find food and shelter.

The ideas and setting were grand. The writing was decent. I just didn't actually care what happened to these characters in the least. When the book was done, I felt like I would remember the interesting setting, but soon forget anything that happened.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Hogarth, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Joylandia

author: Tronchet
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/15
date added: 2018/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Joylandia' with art and story by Tronchet is a darkly comic story about a town run by a dystopian government where every day is Christmas.

In Houppeland, every day is Christmas because the government says so. Gift giving, holiday dinner parties and cheerfulness are all enforced and checked. A bad gift or attitude can lead to oppressive prison sentences. A man and a woman meet, but are separate when she is inprisoned for sneezing in a department store. A resustance overthrows the government, but now the new leader gets to decide the next holiday. Welcome to a town where it's always Mardi Gras.

This book has some interesting things to say about oppressive governments, and even the kind of false cheer we feel like we need to have during the holidays. I liked the art and story. I felt it ran a bit on the long side, but the ending didn't disappoint.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Watersnakes

author: Tony Sandoval
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2018/12/15
date added: 2018/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Watersnakes' with art and story by Tony Sandoval is a weirdly beautiful book, but somewhere along the way lost coherence for me.

Mila is a loner. One day during summer vacation she meets a strange girl named Agnes. She is attracted to Agnes, but Agnes is a ghost who has a mouth full of teeth that used to be the guardian warriors of a king. Mila follows Agnes on a quest to return a strange octopus back to the sea and fight off other evil.

The book has a sort of dreamlike look and story, and if I'd been able to stay in that place, I might have liked the book a bit more. I think the story loses it's way, then tries to be more important than it is. Still, that art by Tony Sandoval is probably better than anything else I've seen him do, and that's saying something.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Spirou - Le journal d'un ingénu

author: Émile Bravo
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/14
date added: 2018/12/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Spirou: The Diary of a Naive Young Man' with art and story by Emile Bravo is a new story of a classic character by a new artist.

Spirou is an orphan who works as a bellboy in a hotel. He heads up sports with other boys and has a pet squirrel. The hotel job keeps him busy and the hotel is full of interesting people. There is a famous boxer and a famous fashion designer having an affair. There is also a negotiation between a Nazi and some folks from Poland. The outcome of these talks could mean war is coming, but could it come for Belgium as well?

It's done in a clever style. There are TinTin jokes, but they run a bit thin. Spirou is pretty naive about a lot of things in this comic, so the title fits well. I liked the adventure and humor of this title.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Summit Vol. 2: Price of Power

author: Amy Chu
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.00
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2018/12/09
date added: 2018/12/09
shelves: graphic-novels
review:



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All-Rounder Meguru Vol. 1

author: Hiroki Endo
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/09
date added: 2018/12/09
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'All-Rounder Meguru Vol. 1' with art and story by Hiroki Endo is a sports manga about mixed martial arts.

When Meguru Takayanagi was young, he made friends with a boy named Takashi Segawa. They both had some things in common, but Meguru finds that wasn't really true. Years later, Meguru lives in another city and he decides to get in to martial arts fighting. He's surprised to meet his old friend in the ring, but things have changed. Events in Takashi's life have made him angry and focused.

I'm not sure where this story will eventually go, but I can imagine. It's still different enough from other sports stories I know to make it interesting. The art is solid, and the characters are interesting.

I received a review copy of this manga from Kodansha Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.


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Summit Vol 1: The Long Way Home

author: Amy Chu
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/12/08
date added: 2018/12/08
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Summit Vol. 1: The Long Way Home' by Amy Chu with art by Jan Duursema is, so far, the best title I've seen out of the Catalyst Prime universe. That's still not saying a ton, but it gives me hope.

Val Resnick-Baker is the sole survivor of the space mission that spawned The Event. She is found on Earth, having fallen from space. She also has some interesting energy casting powers now, if only she can figure out how to use them. With the help of her friends at M.I.T., she creates a suit to help her manage things. She is plagued by ghosts from the past, but they seem to help her free her powers, so maybe that's not a bad thing.

This whole series is really bad with time jumps. It's hard to tell what is now ans what is the past. I'm still not crazy about the latter third of these books and the story about The Event. The story hasn't held my interest and feels really repetitive. I'd rather have had more Summit storyline in the present. What I did like quite a lot is the art by Jan Duursema. It's the best of the line so far.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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