Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades

There are about a million books based on concepts from mythology, and I think that 99% are not as enjoyable as this one. Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades mashes together a good many concepts and universes in a story that is inventive and funny with just the right touch of mystery and suspense. Nico is a young orphan who works at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop. Vulcan makes all sorts of items that appeal to the mythological crowd, and he caters to pretty much every monster, god, demigod, and adventurer from all pantheons and folklore.

Joining Nico in stocking shelves, counting inventory, and running the cash register are Lula, a sphinx, and Buck, a unicorn. The first few pages of this book give us insight into the workings of this establishment, but after Vulcan whips up a new batch of items, including one giant magical sword, things take a turn toward adventure. Eowulf, a young descendant of Beowulf, buys the sword and sets out in the world to make her name. Her first task is do vanquish a mythical beast and she sets her sights on Cerberus. Nico 1.) does not think she's worthy of the weapon and 2.) wants to defend the three-headed dog as it is not so vicious and also maintains a vital role in keeping the dead in the underworld. He leaves the store to stop her and ends up on his own epic adventure. Along the way he learns some curious things about his past, meets one of his heroes, and runs afoul of some real monsters.

This book is chock full of cool variations on mythological themes. There are funny scenes in the shop, such as when potential customers Thor, Zeus, and Iskur squabble over the last jar of lightning. There are inventive artifacts like a bottomless backpack (that comes complete with wings that help its wearer travel). It also plays with the tropes of the hero's journey, and features lots of cameos from notable figures. It is a real smorgasbord for any fan of myths and legends.

This book is also a feast for the eyes, with the artwork being a huge reason why everything works so well. Many panels are crammed full of interesting and arresting details, in the vein of classic Mad Magazines, so there are multiple gags, references, or other cool things to observe. The characters are very expressive and colorful, and the storytelling is bold and extremely easy to follow. I also love how this book handles so much exposition in an economical way through of clever devices like trading cards.

Collect them all!

I was very impressed with this book as it features great characters, a plot full of twists and turns, and lots of mythological hi-jinx. It juggles all sorts of stories and players (I did not even mention the plot to avoid a dystopian future following the Unicorn Wars), and it does so with panache. I loved reading this book, and I am psyched that there will be two sequels, making up a trilogy.

Mike Cavallaro created this book, and he is no stranger to drawing graphic novels. He illustrated the YA sci-fi book Decelerate Blue written by Adam Rapp as well as the Foiled series written by Jane Yolen. He also drew the comic book series Impossible Incorporated written by J.M. DeMatteis. He spoke about his work on the Nico Bravo books in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Lori Henderson wrote, "Middle grade readers will love the adventure and humor this graphic novel offers." Publishers Weekly praised the "bright, psychedelic illustrations." Megan Rupe called it "a delightful fantasy comic...[that] has a lot going for it."

Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades was published by First Second and they offer a preview and more information here.

Decelerate Blue

The mark of a great book may be just how long it sits with you after you have finished reading it. I read this book and was pretty dissatisfied with the ending, but it keeps cropping up in my thoughts. Decelerate Blue is a science fiction tale set in a not-too-distant future where speeding up to keep up with societal and technological change is not just necessary, it's the law. Angela, a teenage girl, does not quite fit in here, and she resists many of the required "hyper" requirements, such as reading special novels, watching special movies, and going to a special mall. People even speak in rapid style, ending each speaking turn with a marker "Go." (This last feature was pretty maddening for me to read at the start of this book, but I eventually got used to it.) In this future, trying to slow life down is an act of resistance.

Angela's actions lead to some attention, unwelcome from some (like her parents) and welcome from others (like the mysterious person who drops her a copy of Kick the Boot, a novel that becomes the manifesto for an underground movement). Soon, she literally drops out of society, joins the resistance, and finds a potential romance in an unlikely place. Still, the establishment is very well organized and relentless, and things do not go well for the resistors in the end. I am not going to spoil it, but the ending was pretty bleak and left me with small feelings of hope and large feelings of despair. Still, it is a very affecting book, and that it stirred such emotions up in me is the hallmark of something done right. I have to say that the combination of artwork and narrative is pitch perfect for this sort of tale, though I was largely dissatisfied with some of the character work.

This book is a collaboration between writer Adam Rapp and artist Mike Cavallaro. Rapp is a Renaissance man who has worked on movies, music, novels, and play writing, and he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2006. Cavallaro has worked in comics for a couple of decades now, with a number of graphic novels to his credit, including Foiled, Curses! Foiled Again, The Life and Times of Savior 28, and Parade (with fireworks).

All of the reviews I have read for this book have been glowing. Kirkus Reviews summed up, "This is a strikingly illustrated book set in a potentially massive world, and readers will hope this isn't the only story to come from it." In a starred review from the School Library Journal Jordeana Kruse gave this verdict, "Fans of George Orwell’s 1984 and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 will find much to ponder in this notable graphic novel." April Spisak wrote that even though it is not happy "the conclusion remains complex and poignant."

Decelerate Blue was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here. There are some language and sexual situations that might not play well with younger readers, but I think that this book would be appropriate for older adolescents.

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

Curses! Foiled Again

Curses! Foiled Again is the cleverly titled sequel to Foiled, wherein Aliera, a high school student, competitive fencer, and our heroine, finds out she has become the guardian of the faeries on Earth. Also, she has learned that Avery, her cute, popular lab partner, is actually a troll. Literally. That much gets tidily summed up at the start of this volume, where we learn that Aliera's new guardian role is attracting all kinds of unwanted attention. First it comes from Avery, who is beholden to her for saving his life, and second from Baba Yaga, the fearsome witch from Russian folklore.

As the story progresses, there are many twists and turns. It becomes unwise to trust appearances because some seeming allies are anything but, and help comes from some unlikely places. There is also a soap opera quality to the characters' relationships that makes for some convoluted drama and intrigue.

This book is a collaboration between Jane Yolen and Mike Cavallaro. Yolen is a huge figure in children's and YA literature in the past century, having authored more than 300 books and won multiple awards and accolades. Her most famous works are probably Wizard's Hall, Owl Moon, and The Devil's Arithmetic. Yolen spoke about her work on this volume in this interview with the School Library Journal.

Cavallaro has been making comics since the 1990s and he is known for his work on Parade (with fireworks), The Life and Times of Savior 28, and more recently books starring Batman and Superman for younger readers. He has a clear, bold storytelling style that propels this tale of warriors and fantasy creatures briskly. I also like his depictions of the various magical creatures, including witches,  faeries, and trolls. He gives them fun details and expressions. Also, the way they are colored makes them pop on the page.

Reviews I have read about this book have been positive but measured. Kirkus Reviews gave it high marks, stating "the book offers a lot of fast-paced fairy-tale fun, and Aliera is both admirable and easy to relate to for her fierceness and foibles." Eric Henrickson enjoyed the first book but wrote that he found "there’s too much yelling and not enough story in this one," which left him disappointed. The teen reviewer at Publishers Weekly had mostly praise for the book, "The story line has heart and intelligence, and Yolen successfully weds faerie lore to cinema-style plot twists; the only weak spot is the occasionally clunky dialogue."

A preview and more is available here from the publisher First Second.

Thank you to Gina for the review copy!