The Stone Heart

The Stone Heart is the second book in the eventual The Nameless City trilogy, and I know that second books can often feel like filler to get through before the dramatic conclusion, but this one left me breathless. So much happens in it that kept me wondering what was to come next that I really don't want to give much detail and spoil things for others. Let me just say that the political scheming gets complicated, there is a murder, and a new war for the city seems to be looming.

Pretty much the detail I will reveal is that a couple of new characters get introduced, friends of Rat. Iniko and Hannya are a couple of street performers. Iniko plays guitar (badly) in a band, and Hannya and her family are acrobats. They are not around for much of the book, but because of them we learn that Kai is pretty good as a musician.

 

Part of what makes this book so compelling is its interesting characters and their relationship dynamics. There are a couple of father/son conflicts, between Kai and his dad as well as between the General of All Blades and his son Erzi, which make for good points of juxtaposition. Also, we learn more about Kai's and Rat's parents. Still with all of this great character work, there is no shortage of action in this book. I cannot wait to see how all of it comes to a conclusion in the next volume.

This book's author Faith Erin Hicks has been an excellent, prolific comics creator, and she is one of my favorite artists. Among her growing list of graphic novel publications are Friends with Boys, Brain Camp, and Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong. She also has published webcomics, including The Adventures of Superhero Girl, which won an Eisner Award. She was joined by Jordie Bellaire who colored this book in beautiful fashion, adding lots of rich, lush flourishes to the detailed illustrations. Hicks speaks about her work on this book in this interview, where it is also announced that this trilogy will be made into a cartoon series.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and explained that it "introduces a few new characters but mostly provides a vital and enthralling closer look at those readers have already met as well as unfurling more of the Chinese-inspired city’s past, as colorist Bellaire brings all to stunning emotional life." Elizabeth Reid wrote that in addition to "its page-turning plot, every page of The Stone Heart has gorgeous, full-color artwork." Oliver Sava commented that it is full of "smart, evocative creative decisions."

The Stone Heart was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

The Nameless City

The Nameless City is the first book of a trilogy, and I must say it is an impressive introduction that left me eager for the forthcoming volumes. The narrative is set in a fictional Asian city that has no name, or rather it has so many names because it is constantly being conquered and overrun by warring factions that all they are meaningless. The main players are a couple of adolescents named Kaidu and Rat. Kaidu was born a Dao, one of the current occupiers of the city, and he is being trained to be a soldier. Rat is a native to the city, and she lives a hardscrabble existence.

These unlikely friends begin with a very utilitarian relationship: she will teach him to run across rooftops in exchange for him bringing her food and other necessities. Still, their friendship is forbidden, and he should not even be outside by himself in the city. Their secret gets complicated when the pair overhears an assassination plot and are moved to action, but so much of what I appreciated and enjoyed about the story was seeing how a weary partnership led to growing respect and an organic friendship. I foresee many readers growing to feel strongly for Kaidu and Rat in quick fashion.

Additionally, there is a lot of world-building going on here, with entire peoples, legends, classes, tribes, and places being established. But much of it feels very familiar and intriguing, and I was impressed by how quickly I got into the narrative and grew to like these characters. The artwork is impressive; the storytelling expert, and the entire enterprise is exceptionally well packaged. If there is any justice in the world, this book will be very popular.

This book's author Faith Erin Hicks has been an excellent, prolific comics creator, and she is one of my favorite artists. Among her growing list of graphic novel publications are Friends with Boys, Brain Camp, and Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong. She also has published webcomics, including The Adventures of Superhero Girl, which won an Eisner Award. She speaks about her work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book find it well crafted, and it already has garnered a number of starred reviews. One, from Kirkus Reviews, called it "A superb beginning" and stated that fans "will appreciate its mix of fun and adventure and its exploration of questions of identity, belonging, and history." Another, from Publishers Weekly, praised the "polished " artwork and "significant depth" of the story. Claire Thorne offered a contrary opinion, finding the book too neat, writing that "the simple and predictable nature of the plot left me searching for more intrigue, more tension, and more entanglements between the characters."

The Nameless City was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

The Divine

The Divine was inspired by God's Army, a group of Burmese dissidents led by twin 12-year-old boys, but it takes that seed of truth and spins it into a much broader and fantastic fiction that still manages to comment on contemporary issues. The plot follows Mark, an ex-military explosives expert from the US who is stuck in a crappy job, with a baby on the way and pressure to move on to better conditions. He gets contacted by his friend Jason to be a contractor on a lucrative mining job in the fictional southeast Asia country Quanlom. Soon, he finds himself surrounded by conflict and he is moved by the plight of the country's inhabitants, particularly the children who are caught up in the violence.

 

In this book, the dragons are both literal and figurative. Mark is astounded when he finds that two of these young soldiers he befriends can summon gigantic warriors and also control powerful, destructive supernatural forces. Jason is not so sympathetic, and much of this book is a debate/commentary on the nature of war and its consequences. Even though it is a work of fiction, it packs a powerful and realistic punch. There are a number of monsters in this book, and some of them are actually humans.

In discussing this interesting, gripping, and provocative tale, I have not even gotten to what I feel is the strongest part of this book, the artwork. Brothers Asaf and Tomer Hanuka have hit a home run with their expert depictions of human moments, frenetic action sequences, and broad vistas that call to mind classic Asian landscape paintings. The pages ripple with action, and I love how the coloring is used to convey mood with foreboding reds, soothing greens, and murky browns. As you can see in the splash page below, the art is wondrous to drink in.

Asaf is also known for his work on The Realist webcomic, and both brothers have impressive portfolios of commercial art work for major media outlets. Writer and filmmaker Boaz Lavie has written for many venues, and he is also known for his short film, The Lake. This interview with all the creators casts more light on their work on this book.

The reviews I have read of this book have been celebratory. Publishers Weekly called it "heady, hellacious, and phantasmagoric." Scott at the Open Book Society called it "one of the most perfect blends of word and pictures." Nathan Wilson called it "the latest installment in a catalog of award winning books."

The Divine was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here. Because of occasional swearing and a few scenes of graphic violence, I would recommend this book for readers mature enough to handle both.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!