Graphic Novel Review: The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part 1

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part 1

by Gene Yang; Brian Konietzko 

Genre: Fantasy/Sequential Art/Graphic Novel

Reading Grade: Middle Grade

Publication Date: January 25, 2012

Source: NetGalley

Age Rating: 10+

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The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, its millions of fans have been hungry for more—and it's finally here! 

This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity! 

 

My Review

I have been a huge fan of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Nickelodeon cartoon series for a number of years now, so when it ended with so many of my questions still unanswered, I was miffed to say the least. Not to mention I just didn't want all the exciting adventure to end. This new comic book series, though late in getting out into the world, picks up where the TV series left off, after Aang has defeated the evil Fire Lord Ozai, and has restored peace and balance to the world. Well, he sort of has…

In this first serialized comic book installment, Zuko is now the new Fire Lord, and he and Aang, now acting as the world's ambassador Avatar, decide that all the Fire Nation colonies located within the Earth Kingdom need to be displaced back to the Fire Nation homeland. They believe there can be no real peace if those colonies remain where they are because they were built as a result of the Fire Nation's occupancy of the Earth Kingdom. Earth Kingdom peoples are wanting them gone.

But, Zuko finds some of the Fire Nation colonists are resistant to this displacement. The Fire Nation people of this colony have been living there for over one hundred years, and feel that Fire Lord Zuko is a traitor to them for making them leave their prosperous home. Someone makes an attempt on his life, and he winds up spending some time there with the colonists and realizes he has to go back on his word to support the Earth King in removing the people. This makes all his trusted friends, Aang, Katara, and Sokka believe he's becoming like his father, who is still in a Fire Nation prison.

Mostly what fuels the plot is a big misunderstanding between Zuko and Aang, and this time Zuko is in the right. Aang doesn't even realize just how hard this displacement will be on the citizens of the colonies, so they try to talk things out, as world leaders ought to. They are only able to get the Earth Kingdom protestors who want the colonists to leave to stop protesting, but that's about it. It ends with Zuko doing something quite shocking in regards to his imprisoned father, evidence that Zuko is continually haunted by him and his wicked legacy.

Zuko is the ultimate bad boy trying to change, but is constantly backsliding again and again. Despite the fact that he fought on the side of the Avatar during the war, and helped to defeat his sister, Azula, along with his father, he still has a lot of darkness within him. He's still a teenager who has a lot to learn about running an entire country. So, too, does the Avatar gang have a lot to learn about maintaining the world in a peaceful, balanced way. They are learning it's not as easy as it seems. Heck, even grown-ups can't get it right!

This new installment to the canon story felt like watching an episode of the cartoon series, in how it looked and felt on the story, dialogue, and characterization levels. The creators of the series are part of creating this comic book, so it ought to feel that way. The artwork is spectacular, as all the characters look just as they do in the cartoon. And, it leaves you with quite the shocking cliffhanger at the end! Somehow, this series is supposed to link up to the new Avatar Korra cartoon that will debut on Nickelodeon later this year, but exactly how is still not clear. I can't wait to read the next installment.

*I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 4 stars out of 5. (I really liked it!)

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Review: The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

The Emerald Atlas (The Books of Beginning, #1)

by John Stephens 

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Reading Grade: Middle Grade

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: April 5, 2011

Source: local library (hardcover)

Age Rating: 13+ (a bit of violence)

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John Stephens' aptly-titled new fantasy trilogy begins auspiciously with a nimble, fast-paced tale of three siblings. Kate, Michael, and Emma have suffered through ten years of odious orphanage "care"; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, disturbingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and decidedly less attractive zombie-like Screechers.

My Review

I decided to read this book because it has been getting a lot of hype since it was published. People have been claiming it's going to be the next 'Harry Potter' series, but I won't make comparisons to Harry Potter. It is a high fantasy type of book that deals with time-travel and all the interesting things that can change, and how dangerous that power is in the wrong hands.

There are an abundance of fantasy characters, like dwarves, witches, zombie-like ghouls, ferocious monsters, and lots of battling going on with plenty of the need for the main characters to save the world from total ruination. The characters are well-drawn up and very exaggerated, which I like. My favorites were Dr. Pym, Michael, Emma, and the witch's Secretary. There are lots of funny and entertaining characters here, even if Kate, the main character, isn't as interesting as the rest.

The premise is fascinating, in that there are these three books and they were all written by ancient wizards long ago about the magic of the universe. They all possess great power and the one that is the subject of this volume is the Altas. It is the book that allows for passage through time and space, giving that traveler immense power to manipulate any point in time. Of course, an evil character wants the book, so the children have to stop this character from succeeding with the help of the old, eccentric Dr. Pym.

It would be best suited for younger teenagers—not elementary school-aged children. There is a bit of violence and even a little light cursing, so I'd recommend it for middle school kids and older. Although, I'm not the in target audience for this book, I think it would be a big hit with those who love reading Middle Grade adventure/fantasy fiction. I look forward to the next installment in the series. There is still much the children need to accomplish, and I need more of that capital fellow, Dr. Pym.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod, #1)
by Heather Brewer

Genre: Paranormal/Vampires

Reading Grade: Middle Grade

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: March 13, 2008

Source: local library (paperback)

Age Rating: 12+

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Vlad has to keep his vampire urges under control while dealing with the pressures of middle school.

Thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod really hates junior high. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: He's being hunted by a vampire killer.

My Review

For some reason, I had high expectations about this book and I assumed I'd love it. But, that really wasn't the case after reading it. (I need to stop having high expectations!) It is a well-written story, and I think perfectly targeted for its intended Middle Grade audience. It's plenty safe reading material for children, but, isn't particularly original.

I figured I'd love a story about an adolescent teen vampire who has to learn to hide his true identity from most everyone in his small hometown, but I suppose I just didn't find Vladimir as endearing as I had hoped I would. Not that there's anything bothersome about him, but there isn't much making him stand out above the crowd of male teen vamps that has him shouting, “Hey! Check ME out! I'm totally different from those other emo boys.”

For the record, Vladimir isn't “emo.” Just a very normal thirteen-year-old boy, excluding the fangs, of course. He has to deal with bullies in school and has some triumphant moments over them, using his unique vampire abilities. He has a crush on a certain girl at school, but suffers from the typical shyness and insecurities found in most human teen boys. But, he has to hide the capsules of blood in his lunch that his aunt packs for him everyday.

This is a good story—just nothing new. Vampires live amongst the unknowing humans in their world, the humans only knowing of them via cultural superstition. The vamps have their own secret organization which is something akin to a cult, and they seek to punish members of their own organization who break the rules by execution. It's intriguing stuff and a young audience unfamiliar with this trope may suck it up like a vampire dying from his thirst for blood. If that's you or some youngster you know, then you should give this series a try. It's fun for kids.

My score: 3 out of 5 stars.

Review: Raggedy Chan by Camille Picott

"Raggedy Chan" 

by Camille Picott

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Reading Grade: Middle Grade (short story)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: May 7, 2011

Source: Smashwords.com

Rated: Children+

Amazon.com

Emma Chan-McDougal receives a special gift from her Auntie Gracie: a rag doll named Raggedy Chan. But Raggedy Chan is no ordinary doll. She is a beautiful Chinese princess who lives in a jasper palace on the enchanted isle of Kunlun. The peace of her island home is threatened when Drought Fury steals Winged Dragon, bringer of rain. Without Winged Dragon, Kunlun will wither and die.

To save her stricken homeland, Raggedy Chan sets forth alone. Her quest leads her to America, where she meets people who distrust her because she’s different. Can Raggedy Chan adapt to the strange ways of this new land and rescue her beloved dragon?

In this 10,000-word modern fairy tale, Chinese-American author Camille Picott draws on her heritage to weave a story of magic, adventure, and sacrifice. 

My Review

I didn't know what to expect from this very short story. I was able to get it for free (from Smashwords.com), so I decided to take a chance on it, and it turned out to be a really wonderful read.

The story begins with a little half-American/half-Chinese girl named Emma who is being babysat by her Chinese immigrant aunt Gracie. Gracie gives her a rag doll named “Raggedy Chan” and proceeds to tell her the fairy tale behind the doll. It weaves back and forth between the story and the scenes of Emma being sat by her aunt.

The story-within-the-story is about a princess named Yao-chi who lives on an enchanted island in China, and decides to go after a mythical rain dragon that has been stolen by an evil sorceress. If she doesn't bring it back, her land will dry up, and everything and everyone will die. She travels to San Francisco through the Pacific Ocean and has to enter a large golden gate. But, before she can enter, she has to give up her real name. Think of Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” Disney movie when she has to give up her voice to Ursula. It's a physical removal from her body, and it's the same thing for Yao-chi. She pulls her name out of her mouth and it's in the form of a small ball.

She is given the name Raggedy Chan, since everyone's names are “Raggedy” something-or-other. It's so interesting how she has to physically transform into what the Americans look like, and they all look like rag dolls: yarn for hair, button eyes, silk/cloth skin. She deals with discrimination while in the U.S., and, later, the difficulty of returning to her homeland after changing so drastically in order to fit in with the Americans. She ends up no longer feeling like a Chinese person any longer.

It's very telling for those who have had to leave behind their home countries for a new world and shuffle off their original skin for the new skin of their foreign home. I don't have any personal experience with this, but I can only imagine how hard this is for people moving from one culture to an extremely different culture. It must make one change forever, unable to be exactly the same person ever again.

This is a great story for kids and adults alike, as it not dumbed down in anyway. Nor is it written in a complex way, but it has an incredible depth to it that more analytical readers will love to plunge into, especially those interested in fictional analogies of discrimination.

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.