The Tea Dragon Society
By Katie O'Neill
Published by Oni Press
Summary:
This story focuses on Greta, a blacksmith in training who stumbles upon a rare and lost tea dragon on her way home. When she returns it to its owner, a dragon named Hesekiel, he offers her the chance to learn how to care for tea dragons herself. There she meets Erik and min, two other tea dragon owners, and the four of them slowly grow and learn.
Art:
The art is fantastic. The book is beautifully colored, with an art style that I quite like. The characters are lovely, though the designs are a bit simple in some cases. Panel structure and flow are excellent.
Characters:
The characters are all wonderful, but could use more. They are all interesting and enjoyable, but most of them could use a bit more fleshing out. I would love to learn more about who they are and where they came from, but this doesn't negatively impact the book. If anything it makes me want more.
Setting:
The setting it vague, but it's all it needs to be. There are hints of vast adventures throughout the story, but the plot doesn't go there. Instead we get a small, contained look at a fascinating world with hints of much more.
Plot:
This is a sweet slice of life story. The plot is slow and meandering, but it has its moments. The tea itself is an interesting way for us to learn about these characters. The story doesn't have anything flashy, but it works.
TL;DR:
The one problem I have with the book is that there is so much unexplored. The book is well contained within a fascinating world that I would love to see more of.
9/10
Dead Endia
Written by Hamish Steele
Published by Nobrow
Summary:
Our story stars Barney, who after leaving home finds a place to stay and work at an amusement park with the help of his friend Norma. Turns out the park is actually a gigantic portal to the many angelic and demonic realms, and after a particular incident with a demon lord and Barney's dog Pugsley, the three must keep the park moving as cosmic weirdness unfolds, and odd timeline shattering consequences loam forbiddingly.
Art:
The art is cartoony and colorful. Now, given the summary I gave, that may seem to clash, but in this case it works, lending a whimsical tone to the book as it weaves in the darker elements. The characters are great. They are all varied and expressive.
Characters:
The characters are great! Though I do feel like their mannerisms may feel dated in a few years, I can confirm they talk like young people. All of them are interesting and likable. I especially like Courtney, a devil who also works in the park. What can I say, I like goblin types.
Setting:
The setting is wacky and all over the place, but in a way where everything fits. There are very interesting ideas regarding the overall universe outside the Park. The zaniness can be off putting at times, especially at the start, but it lessens as the book goes on and you get a sense of place
Plot:
The plot gets dark. It's told in short vignettes with flashbacks, but gets more strung together as the chapters go on. It covers some dark topics like rejection, isolation, and fighting against the impossibilities of death. It does lack flow at certain times, with the story being as allover the place as the art.
TL;DR:
This is a really good book. The storytelling and setting may be too chaotic for some, but I loved it.
9/10
The Nameless City: The Divided Earth
By Faith Erin Hicks
Published by First Second
This is the third book in The Nameless City series (reviews Here and Here)
Summary:
The final book in the series, we return to the Nameless city and our main characters Kaidu and Rat. war is impending, and with new leaders in power, everything is unstable. Along with that, The secret of The Napatha, an ancient weapon of great destruction, has been found, and our heroes must infiltrate the palace in a last attempt to stop a war to end all wars.
Art:
The art is still great. The use of color is great, though some scenes look muted. The character design remains great. One thing I only now noticed is that some of the panels seem to go off the page, lacking borders. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but it was odd.
Characters:
The characters are still really good. Kaidu and Rat still have lots of chemistry, and all the other characters are interesting. The villains are also good, but one seems a bit too irrationally evil.
Setting:
The setting is the same. Not much is added here, though I didn't speak about it much in my previous reviews. It's good, contained to the one city. The factions are reasonable and logical, and over all it leaves a few mysteries to think about.
Plot:
The plot is a fitting end to the series, rapping it up well. There are a few moments where the plot is moved forward by a character revealing previously unknown information.
TL;DR:
Now that this series is finished, I'd recommend all three of them.
8/10
Castle in the Stars: The Moon-King
By Alex Alice
Published By First Second
This is a Sequel to Castle in the Stars (review Here)
Summary:
Returning exactly where the last book left off, we return to our five heroes as their spaceship is flung into space. With the schemes of Bismarck planning their demise, the only hope is to find a way back, to make sure that all nations have the knowledge instead of just the Germans.
Art:
The art is still fantastic, with great perspective shots and beautiful vistas. The character designs are still great, save one. One thing that irked me was layout and panel structure. A few pages felt rather cluttered, with too many text boxes clouding the pictures.
Characters:
The characters are all the same, but aren't quite as engaging as last time. The chemistry is still there, but none of them really grow throughout the story. The exception to this is King Ludwig II, having gone from social recluse to mad ideologue. His arc is understandable, but it could have been more, instead being a more generic anti-war message.
Setting:
There has been a major setting shift, and now we're on the moon! It's the moon, but with breathable air and fossils. Not to spoil, but there are some cool things there. Space also makes an appearance, and it's cool.
Plot:
The plot is no longer one of political intrigue, but now is our characters trying to get home, and it doesn't compare. The problems of long explanations and a lot of telling instead of showing return. Overall, the plot is lacking compared to the first.
TL;DR:
This book's story doesn't stand up on its own. It works as a continuation of the series though. The fabulous art and good characters are back, so it's work a read if you liked the first book.
6/10
