Well, hello there! Over the summer I got into a huge reading kick. I have this horrible tendency to start a book, get anywhere from a quarter to halfway through it, and then stop. It's a problem, I know, I'm working on it.
The only exception to this rule is graphic novels. Beautiful art paired with a page turning story is better than combining chocolate and peanut butter. (Coming from me, that means a lot.) I have read a few graphic novels in the past, but this summer I went a little nuts. I was asking around for recommendations and before I knew it, I had a huge stack of books friends had loaned to me. So, if you want to try something different, here are a few recommendations I have.
What happens when all of the classic fairy tale characters are forced out of their homelands and into New York City? Some happily ever afters don't stay so happy. Fables is a series that focuses on the clandestine community of these fairy tale characters. There's murder, mystery, betrayal, and some weird ass "love" stories. The style of these comics is very classic with a lot of bold outlines and colors. I absolutely love how dark this series gets, subverting all my childhood stories into something much more sinister.
I knew I had to read this when I read the tag line on the back cover: "Every ninety years twelve gods return as young people. They are loved. They are hated. In two years they are all dead. It's happening now. It's happening again." Hook, line, aaaaand sink. I've only read the first volume, but I am itching to get the next one. Again, beautiful art style, but very different from Fables. Like Fables, it's use of color is pretty damn perfect, but the lines and frames are much cleaner. (Not saying Fables is messy, but you'll catch my drift if you read them).
Imagine George Clooney when he was in Ocean's Eleven. Okay, now imagine he's got the attitude of Tony Soprano. Readers, meet Parker. Parker, say hi to the readers. This story has been adapted from the Parker novels written by Donald Edwin Westlake (sometimes seen as Richard Stark). Parker is a 1960's gritty, crime-committing genius. In the first graphic novel, The Hunter, Parker is out for revenge after he was betrayed by an old lover and double crossed by his partner. Parker is not the nicest person. He's relentlessly unforgiving, callus, and a bit of a womanizer. Yet, I still find myself rooting for him. He's an anti-hero at its finest. I have read the first three volumes, but I know more have been published. I would definitely recommend all my crime story lovers out there to give this a go!
My best friend gave me this graphic novel for my birthday. I haven't gotten too far into it, but I am already really invested in the story. Asterios is a professor at Cornell who needs to start his life over after his apartment goes up in flames during a lightning storm. He moves to Apogee and becomes a mechanic. The story (so far) has gone between flashbacks and present day. I also love the colors in this novel. Only the basic printer colors and black (and the occasional mixture of them) are used. It's amazing how the use of four colors can give you a frame as vibrant as one with full color. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!
Now, this one is particularly special because a good friend of mine wrote and drew this! Steph is an incredible person with an even more incredible imagination. Final Arcanum tells the story of Acacitli, a sky pirate who has fallen out of the sky. Without his crew, Acacitli gets into quite a bit of trouble while on the ground. Will he return to the sky or adapt to life with his feet on the ground? I cannot give this story enough praise. The world Steph has built is fun and enchanting and I cannot get enough of it. I've linked Steph's site and I highly recommend you check it out!
Now that I've given you some recommendations, give me some in the comments! I'm always interested in new stories and worlds to explore.
Until next time,
Rachel
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