Graphic Novel Review: Maximum Ride, Vol. 1 by James Patterson

Maximum Ride, Vol. 1 (Maximum Ride: The Manga, #1)

by James Patterson; NaRae Lee (Illustrator) 

Genre: Fantasy/Sequential Art (Manga)

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: January 27, 2009

Source: paperback purchase

Age Rating: 15+

| Amazon | | Barnes &Noble |

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it’s like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the “flock”—Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel—are just like ordinary kids—only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time... like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the “School” where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs.

Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare—this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf “Erasers” in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb—now her betrayed and greatest enemy—that her purpose is save the world—but can she? 

My Review

Just to start, I've never read the original books this manga is based on. I really wasn't expecting to like it, but I did. The story starts out with 14-year-old Max Ride living with her younger friends as she protects them all from the School they escaped from four years earlier. They are all experiments in genetic engineering, humans who have been given a bit of bird DNA in order to make them flight-capable. One day, they get attacked by a pack of wolf-men called Erasers and they take the youngest in Max's care, 6-year-old Angel. They all vow to get her back and decide to head out to the School in California from their hideout.

I really liked these characters. Max is kind of impulsive and does get herself into what appears to be a silly mess when she saves a helpless girl from some bullies, but she meets the girl's mother who is a sweet lady and even gives her some cookies and cash. Fang might just be the next oldest character at age 13, he being a very intuitive thinker type, quite the opposite of Max. Then, Iggy is 13 and blind, but can somehow fly around with no trouble, then Nudge age 11 or 12 who is way too talkative, but cute, then gassy Gasman is 9, and doll-like Angel is his little sister at age 6. Silly names, but all of them are unique and have distinctive personalities. Also, they each either have individual goals to achieve, or disadvantages to overcome.

The story is straight-forward and simplistic, but it works. It's just like shonen (boys) manga with a female main character, which is rare. I happen to love shonen manga, so I have to say I enjoyed it. It kept me entertained with plenty of action and scenes that revealed the characters' personalities and relationships with each other. Also, we find out a little about how these kids are able to fly. Just having wings alone wouldn't really allow for human flight.

The writing is done through captions and talk bubbles, and it's an effective way to tell a story as it's happening. I will say that the actual dialogue seemed a little unrealistic—too 'Hollywood.' I would have preferred that they talk like normal American teenagers, but it didn't ruin the experience for me. As for the art, the characters all look way older than they ought to and are super, super pretty, but that's the manga art style in play. Everything is quite beautifully illustrated and I have no complaints about it.

I can't compare it to the novels, but it was quite enjoyable and never took itself too seriously. There are a lot of silly moments meant for comedic relief, which is typical of manga. There's even an intriguing plot twist towards the end and it ends on quite the cliffhanger, although it's really an overused trope. Still, it makes me wonder what's going to happen in the next volume. And, just so you know, this manga volume comprises the first half of Volume 1 of the Maximum Ride novel series.

My score: 4/5 stars. 

 

  

Review: Death Note, Vol. 3 by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note: Hard Run (Death Note, #3)

by Tsugumi Ohba; Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

Genre: Urban Fantasy (Japanese Manga)

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publication Date: January 3, 2006

Source: Amazon.com

Age Rating: 14+

| Amazon | 

Light is chafing under L's extreme surveillance, but even 64 microphones and cameras hidden in his room aren't enough to stop Light. He steps up the game, but before the battle of wits can really begin, a family emergency distracts him. But even though Light isn't using the Death Note right now, someone else is! Who's the new 'Kira' in town?

My Review

This review contains spoilers for the first two volumes of Death Note, plus the third one, of which I'm reviewing here. Don't read this review unless you want to know what happens before you read it.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

This is the best volume so far! If Death Note had been moving along at a sort of slow pace up until now, that's all changed. So many exciting things happened, I was laughing my head off in some parts and freaking out during others. It goes to show you that it really is a high drama—very much a thriller.

It starts off with Light having Ryuuk, his shinigami death god, search for all the hidden cameras in his bedroom, so that he'll be able to feed him apples. That's Ryuuk's addiction, like humans and tobacco. Once all sixty-four cameras (OMG!) are discovered, Light configures how he'll sit at his desk, so as to block the view of the camera while he watches a mini TV hidden in a bag of chips. This way, he looks like he's just snacking while doing his homework, but he's really seeing criminals' names and faces, and writing them in the Notebook.

But, seeing this supposed normalcy really doesn't help L feel better about Light not being Kira. Then, Light enters college, and L is at the commencement ceremony, giving a speech right along with him. L looks so adorably creepy, with his huge bug eyes and the way he won't blink, nor look away from Light. How he manages to be cute and creepy I'll never know. But, L decides to tell Light that he is L. Totally shocked, Light doesn't know what to believe, thinking the real L would never reveal himself to anyone. But, it ties Light's hands behind his back, so that if L were to die suddenly after meeting Light, Light would be under immediate suspicion. Well played, L.

Then, they have a heated tennis match so L can get an idea of just how competitive Light really is. It's pretty intense, and afterward, L gives Light a series of questions meant to trap Light, and they very nearly work. L wants Light to work with his team on the investigation of Kira because, if Light is Kira, then he won't be able to make any moves on the police task force without giving himself away.

Suddenly, it looks as though Light is taking some seriously reckless measures by having Kira hold an entire TV news station hostage with video tapes meant to be broadcast to everyone in the region. Here, Kira proclaims he will create a new utopia where all evil people will be killed, or frightened into submission, and he wants the police to cooperate with him. Only thing is, L does not believe that these are the actions of Kira, but rather a stupider imposter Kira who can kill people without even needing to know their names.

Things are getting SO exciting! It's been a long time since I first got into Death Note, and I don't have the best memory, so this reread is almost as thrilling for me as it was when I first got into this series. This manga series is not to be missed….

My score: 5 out of 5 stars. (I loved it!)

Manga Review: Death Note, Vol. 2 by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note: Confluence (Death Note, #2)

by Tsugumi Ohba; Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Grade: Young Adult (Japanese manga)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

Source: Amazon store

Age Rating: 14+

| Amazon |

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. 
 

Light thinks he's put an end to his troubles with the FBI—by using the Death Note to kill off the FBI agents working the case in Japan! But one of the agents has a fiancee who used to work in the Bureau, and now she's uncovered information that could lead to Light's capture. To make matters worse, L has emerged from the shadows to work directly with the task force headed by Light's father. With people pursuing him from every direction, will Light get caught in the conflux?

My Review

Because this is a serialized story, it's hard not to write some spoilers of what already happened in the previous volume. If you haven't read Volume1, I'd suggest you NOT read this review. You don't want to get spoiled if you plan on enjoying it.

*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD*

Light has taken down the FBI agents with the Death Note because, at this point, he's starting to learn how to manipulate the people whose names he's written in the notebook before they die. Their actions can be controlled if he writes what they will do leading up to their deaths, so long as it's not humanly impossible. Light is so painstakingly careful about his actions, and thinks of just about every possibility in order to keep himself free of suspicion, it's like he's got OCD.

But, he encounters women's intuition in the form of Raye Penber's fiancee. Naomi Misora figures out Kira's involvement in Raye's death. She used to work for the American FBI, and had previously worked with L, so when she tells Light all this, it only makes him determined to eliminate her, since she poses his biggest threat to being caught, yet.

Meanwhile, L finally decides to show his face to the few Japanese police who are willing to risk their lives to catch Kira. L is a very socially awkward and eccentric fella, but you love him because he's so cute. Creepy for sure, but adorable, nonetheless. He's beginning to catch on to Kira killing Raye and the FBI agents, although, slower than Naomi. He decides Kira has to be one of the people Raye investigated before the bus-jacking incident, and that narrows it down to two families. One of them is Light's family.

Light, being the ridiculously perceptive kid that he is, notices right away that someone entered his bedroom while at school one day. The volume ends with him concocting a scheme to find all the surveillance cameras around his bedroom. So, we are left wondering how he's going to kill criminals in his home knowing he's being watched by the police, and not be able to do anything about it. It'll be interesting, indeed…

If you still haven't caught on to Death Note, do yourself a favor and get this manga right away. It is probably the BEST manga in existence.

My score: 5 stars out of 5.

Read My Guest Post on Manga

Some of may already know, or figured out, that I am an avid fan of Japanese manga. I really wasn't planning on reviewing any manga on my blog when I started out because I figured that was the job of the actual manga bloggers out there. But, I started to see a few other book bloggers reviewing manga titles and realized, if they can do it, I HAVE to do it, too, or it'd be a crime against humanity!

So, if you head on over to the AMAZING Dark Side of the Covers blog hosted by BJ, then you'll see the guest post I did for her on manga. I mention a few titles that are sure to please and are good places to start when you know nothing about it, and want an easy way to transition... 

Manga Review: Death Note, Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note: Boredom (Death Note, #1)

by Tsugumi Ohba, 

Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Grade: Young Adult (Japanese manga)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: October 10, 2005

Source: Amazon store

Age Rating: 14+

Amazon

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?

My Review

Death Note has to be one of the most brilliant stories ever conceived in human history. It's one of those that makes you wonder, 'why didn't I think of that?' I have already had the pleasure of reading this entire manga series, and I've seen the anime adaptation a few times—it just NEVER gets old. I'll read this manga till I'm old and gray (which is already happening!). And, yes, it is a comic book, but it could have so easily been a novel series. It is also being adapted into a Hollywood film.

This journey takes you to places you'll never expect to go. In the first volume, the story is very easy to follow, as the pieces need to be set on the board. But, once this thing gets going, it's the mental chess match of a lifetime. As for urban fantasy, you can't get much better than a magical notebook that kills the people whose names are written in it, no matter where they are in the world, and, all happening in modern Tokyo, Japan. Lots of police and detectives and criminals galore.

 Kinda evil lookin', ain't he?

Light Yagami is a serial killer-in-the-making, and this does take a long time develop throughout the story. He really is the only human being who could run from the greatest detective in the world, L, and not get caught immediately. This story is the battle of the big minds, and it's just getting started. Still, it is riveting, to say the least, even in volume 1. L will do something to ensnare Light, who is dubbed 'Kira,' and then Light will counter with something brilliant of his own. It is cat-and-mouse, Tom and Jerry, but between two geniuses who don't drop anvils on each others heads. 

The dynamic between these foes, as I already know, continues to grow in size and scope to proportions you cannot anticipate. Just know this story is a major thrill ride and you won't want to stop it anytime soon. I've already read it before and I can't put it down! It is addictive, so be sure you have easy access to the rest of the volumes because you will not be able to stop after finishing only Volume 1.

Recommended for everyone who loves psychological thrillers, mostly realistic urban fantasy, and cat-and-mouse chases. Even if you don't love any of these things, you still might like Death Note. It is THAT good.

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

* This goes toward my 2011 Spooktacular October Paranormal Reading Challenge!

Book Haul #1

So, here are the books I got recently that I really hope I get a chance to review on this blog someday. But, if not, then y'all know I got 'em, anyway...

Torn (Trylle Trilogy, #2)

by Amanda Hocking

Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.  

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is meant to lead.

I really liked Switched, the first book in the Trylle Trilogy series, so I definitely needed to get the next installment. I also bought a physical paperback book, rather than the e-book edition.

The Kensei

by Jon F. Merz

Meet Lawson. A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance between vampires and humans, he is part cop, part spy, and part commando — James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home. In The Kensei, a battle-weary Lawson heads to Japan for a little rest and some advanced ninja training. But he no sooner steps off the plane than lands in the midst of a Yakuza turf war orchestrated by a shadowy figure known as the Kensei. With the help of Talya, a former KGB-assassin, Lawson must put a stop to the Kensei’s organ trafficking networks, prevent the creation of an army of vampire-human hybrids, and save his own skin in the process.

My interest in this book comes from a few of my favorite things all wrapped up into one shiny book (well, not literally. It's a matte paperback). Vampires + Japanese swords (aka katana) + Japan. All that pretty much means = I'M GOING TO READ THE BOOK. You don't have to twist my arm, hun. Subarashii!

 Maximum Ride, The Manga, Vol. 1
by James Patterson & NaRae Lee (Illustrator)

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?

Well, I really love to read Japanese manga, so reading novels adapted into American mangas is a no-brainer for me. I haven't read the Patterson novel this is based on, but I'm sure I will if this story ends up interesting me enough. I look forward to what looks like very beautiful manga artwork in this book.

Aww... Book hauls are so addictive... If only they weren't so expensive! 

The Dark-Hunters, Vol. 1 by Sherrilyn Kenyon

& Claudia Campos (Illustrator)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Reading Grade: Adult

Publishing Type: traditional house

Publication Date: July 2009

Source: store purchase

Rated: Teen (14+)

Amazon.com

In the war against vampires, mankind has only one hope: The Dark-Hunters. Ancient warriors who died of brutal betrayal, the Dark-Hunters have sworn themselves into the service of the goddess Artemis to protect us.

Until Kyrian meets the most frightening thing imaginable. An accountant who's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. If Amanda Devereaux goes down, so does he and no offense, he doesn't want to die (hence the whole immortality thing). And he doesn't want humanity dead either which is a good thing for us since he and Amanda are all that stands between us and oblivion. Let's hope they win.

My Review

This review is for the MANGA version of Kenyon's adult novel Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter Novels), which encompasses the first half of the novel version of the first book. Or, so I've read, since I haven't read the book this manga was adapted from. So, I'm not able to compare it to the novel.

This story is about Amanda Devereaux, a young woman living in New Orleans who has quite a few “paranormal” relatives who all have supernatural abilities. Amanda's completely unimpressed with 'all things paranormal', and has chosen to be the black sheep of her family by taking a boring accounting job while searching for a normal husband.

She also has the tendency to date jerks, so she's not initially happy to meet the main male character, Hunter, aka Kyrian, who is a vampire called a “Dark-Hunter”. Hunter's not too polite, although he is extremely hunky and blond. Amanda and Hunter meet when they both get kidnapped by a vampire named Desiderus, who actually meant to kidnap Amanda's identical twin sister, Tabitha. Oops. She ends up hand-cuffed to Hunter for a while, and discovers his past and why he chose to become a Dark-Hunter. Hunter decides to stick around to protect her from Desiderus.

I'll just say that I think Amanda is funny and there's more to her than meets the eye. She has a good reason for choosing to lead a normal, dull life. And, at first, I thought Hunter/Kyrian was just a bit too annoying as he tried to act so cool, saying “babe” every other page, but he seemed to stop that about halfway through the volume, thank goodness. In fact, he becomes far more likable in the second half when his past is revealed as to what drove him to become a Dark-Hunter.

There is a lot of information crammed into this volume about the Greek gods and goddesses and the ancient Greeks and Romans. It all relates to these people who are gods living amongst us modern day humans. That concept is pretty cool, and the origin of these vampires is very unique. It might interest anyone into vamps just to discover how it all works in this series. But, all that info was overwhelming to me. It's probably easier to digest when reading the novel, since there's more room to go into.

Still, I thought this manga was enjoyable and funny in many places. It was very romantic comedy-like, but with a dangerous edge. Hunter kisses Amanda several times (it can get SO corny), but they don't go beyond that. The art is splendid (drawn by Claudia Campos), so if you enjoy manga-style art, you'll get a feast for the eyes. If you love bishounen (Japanese for “beautiful boys”), you'll no doubt find a few to ogle other than Hunter/Kyrian, although, he happens to be the most ogle-licious one.

My score: 3.5 out of 5 stars