Review: DRESDEN FILES: DOWN TOWN by Jim Butcher & Mark Powers

Release Date: October 13th, 2015

Type: Series, Magic, Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Wizards, Between the Novels, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Talking Skulls and Such

About the Book: Chicago wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden and his new apprentice, Molly Carpenter, intend to end the havoc caused by a mad sorcerer - one whose ambitions would have the Windy City streets carved out as his own private kingdom. But when the magical upstart enters into an alliance with the notorious mob boss "Gentleman Johnnie" Marcone, will the fast-and-loose Dresden and his young charge survive unscathed? This graphic novel collects the critically acclaimed, six-issue series in one volume, and features a bonus section with Jim Butcher's original story outline, sketchbook artwork from Carlos Gomez, cover gallery with roughs from Stjepan Sejic, and more! [Description from Netgalley.com]

My Review: I like these "between the novels" stories because it lets me get a taste of Dresden's world for a short time. I really enjoy this series, in fact, I consider it a modern day classic in the field of Urban Fantasy. Dresden is a fascinating character, and his friends even more so. All the wacky members of his family (be they blood related or no), add so much to the series, and make it something special - and this graphic novel is no different. In fact, I think Mouse, Molly, and the ever interesting Marcone make this graphic novel more interesting than it would have been if it was just Dresden fighting the bad guy.

There was nothing wrong with this story. I didn't find any major faults. My only comment is that it wasn't so deeply fascinating and magical that I couldn't put it down. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. Maybe because this story is so short, it doesn't have the magic of the actual Dresden novels. But this was good enough to hold me over until Dresden gets his next book.

Cover Lovin': Looks good, and fits with the other Dresden Files graphic novels I have seen.

Recommendation: At least some familiarity with Dresden is recommended prior to reading this. Background information is included for those that might not be caught up, but there's a lot of little stuff that will leave the reader confused or unsure if they're not familiar with the series.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (3.5/5).

Check out some of the other Dresden Files Graphic Novels!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

REVIEW: "Jim Butcher's Dresden Files: War Cry" by Jim Butcher

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: November 11, 2014

Type: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Wizards, Wardens, Vampires, Series, Harry Dresden Mostly Knows What He's Doing (Or Not)

About This Book: A war is raging between the vampire forces of the Red Court and the White Council - a war that the wizards are losing. So desperate are the Council that they've dragooned the experienced and the outcast to reinforce their thinning ranks of Wardens. One of these draftees is one Harry Dresden, Chicago's only wizard-for-hire and a guy who's long been looked upon with suspicion by the supernatural authorities. Now, he's one of them, and his first big mission as a Warden is a doozy: take a small team of greenhorns to a frigid town in the middle of nowhere to rescue a handful of mortals who've been targeted by the Red Court. The question is, why exactly are these particular mortals so crucial to the outcome of the war? The answer will come only if Harry can keep them, and his team, alive for one very long night. This graphic novel collects the critically acclaimed, five-issue series in one volume, and features a bonus section with Jim Butcher's original story outline, sketchbook artwork from Carlos Gomez, cover gallery with roughs from Stjepan Sejic, and more!

My Review: I'm a busy person. I have a full time job, volunteer opportunities, plus plenty to take care of in my home life... so I don't always get the chance to re-read old favorites, and revisit old worlds. So I'm grateful that these graphic novels exist. War Cry is the perfect way to visit Dresden's world, to experience his life for a little longer, without having to commit to re-reading one of the books (which is something that should be savored, and can therefore take some time).

War Cry is a fantastic story, and I'm giving major kudos to the authors for managing to fit everything that happens into a book that is, what, a little over 100 pages? And they do it well - at no point did the story feel rushed, or get jumbled because too much was happening at once. My eyes were glued to the page, desperate to see how Harry would manage to get himself out of yet another bad situation (poor guy).

In short, this is a great read for fans of the series. It is not recommended for newbies to Dresden's world, since it requires some previous knowledge of the Wardens, the vampires, etc. I will say, for readers that have not caught up on Dresden's story, that this graphic novel does an excellent job of explaining what is going on now, why they are doing what they are doing, and where it fits in. So enjoy!

Cover Lovin': This is a great one. We see the team of four Wardens ready to do battle - with Harry front and center. The artist even manages to get each character's personality traits to shine in their expressions.

Recommendation: For fans of the series! The great story and wonderful artwork would make this a great read for anyone, but I doubt anyone but fans of the Dresden Files would get much out of this, as they don't have the extensive back story.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5).

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: "The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Ship That Sank Twice" by Mike Carey

Disclaimer: I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: September 18, 2013

Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Origin Story, Meta, Writing, Magic, Babies, Oh my!

About the Book: This exciting, original graphic novel explores the world of the Tommy Taylor novels in a visceral and direct way and is a great entry point for new readers.

Twenty-five years ago Tom’s father, Wilson Taylor, devised his subversive literary masterpiece. Now the blueprint of how a father gave his son vast power in order to accomplish a greater scheme is revealed. Partly told through Wilson’s own journal entries, juxtaposed with Tommy’s swashbuckling deep sea adventures with his trusty companions Peter and Sue, the story is at once a prequel and a parallel story to the ongoing series. [From Goodreads.com]

My Review: This book made me have faith in the Unwritten series again. I loved the first couple volumes, then it seemed to fall in my esteem.. but the previous volume and this one really made me excited about the series. Stuff is happening again! And in this volume specifically, we get to know more about Tommy Taylor's beginnings - both the character and the man. And while Tommy Taylor (the man)'s beginnings were quite fascinating, the font style chosen was difficult to read, especially on an electronic copy, at least in my opinion. Also, I found Tommy Taylor (the character)'s origins to be much more enjoyable to read. And only part of that was because the font was a better choice.

The art was very well done in this volume - and you could definitely see a difference between the world of Tommy Taylor within the book series and Tommy Taylor in the real world. The book world was almost comforting, and the real world felt a bit more harsh - which I found to be an excellent choice and well played. Over all, I can't wait to continue with this series. I'm sad that I have caught up now, because that means I'll actually have to wait between volumes. Sigh.

Cover Lovin': I really liked this cover, and I think it fits in incredibly well with the rest of the series. It also has a Harry Potter-like feel, which definitely makes sense considering the subject matter and history of the series.

Recommendation: For fans of graphic novels. If you love graphic novels, meta fiction, and Harry Potter, you will definitely want to check out the Unwritten Series. Fantastical beasts and wonderous stories await you, if you're up to the challenge.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Definitely worth a read, but only if you are already very familiar with the Unwritten series. As I mentioned above, this volume has done much to restore my faith in the Unwritten comics, and I cannot wait for the next volume to see what they come up with next!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Review will be cross-posted to Goodreads.com and Netgalley.com.

REVIEW: "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones

Why this book?: I was reading an article and this was mentioned as one of their favorite books of all time. I wanted to know why.

Type: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Witches, and Wizards, oh my!, Demons

About the book: Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Review: After reading this... I can definitely see why this book would be listed as one of someone's all-time favorites. It really was an excellent story, I have no clue why it took me this long to pick this book up and read it. But "Howl's Moving Castle" came at a great time for me. I was reading the emotional roller coaster known as "The Hunger Games" yet again, this time for a book club at work, and I needed something fantastical, something lighter, like this. There is great adventure to be had in this book, and it was just what I, and maybe even you!, needed.

Sophie is fascinating. She's sure she won't get a happy ending because she's the oldest daughter, and in fairy tales, the oldest never gets a Happily Ever After. So when the Witch turns her into an old woman, she decides to screw the stories and head out for adventure. Well, that, and she's hoping the crazy, mad, possibly evil wizard in the moving castle will be able to change her back.

The moving castle was one of my favorite parts. I love the idea that one door could open to so many different places. In my copy of the book, there was an interview with the author, and she mentioned her idea behind this door. She said just because the door to your bedroom has always opened into your bedroom before, doesn't mean you can't suddenly open it, and be facing something entirely different. She even mentioned leaving most of the doors in her home slightly ajar so the room doesn't disappear on her.

The characters were truly charming, even the grumpy ones. Michael, Howl's apprentice, was adorable.. and really felt his age - even the way he dutifully cared for Howl and Calcifer. And oh, Calcifer. Despite the fact that he was a demon and played up his grumpiness, you could tell he truly cared for Sophie.. and indeed everyone else as well. He was one of my chief comic amusements in this story.. well, him and Howl. There aren't enough words to properly describe Howl. Fantasy novels have certain conventions - an old wizard, wise beyond his years, bearded and fierce, yet gentle and kindly when they need to be. And then Howl comes along... he's young, vain, a coward.. at least 2 plus hours of his day are spent in the bathroom making himself look handsome. Despite Howl's many, many faults, his sense of humor and slitheriness (Sophie's word) is classic, and even lovable.

The anime movie based on this novel won several awards, and I'm eager to see how the two compare. Usually I try not to watch a movie too soon after I've read a book, because I will automatically dislike the movie.. so I'm trying to hold off as long as possible. But my love for this story is so great, I'm not sure I can hold it off much longer!

Cover Lovin': I loved it! There are several different covers for this book.. the original, later reprints, and even movie tie-in covers, and every one that I've seen looks wonderful.

Recommendation: For readers young and old, this is a fantasy tale that quickly moved to the top of my all time favorites list, and I'm sure it will for you as well!

 Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE (5/5)! I loved it, I practically inhaled it, reading it all in one sitting.. it was wonderful. Great story, great characters... and hopefully great movie, I'll see soon enough!

Have you read "Howl's Moving Castle"? Share your thoughts in the comments! Want to purchase a copy of your own? Get it from Amazon.com!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~