The Moon-King

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