A version of this review was published on Lost in a Good Book - https://wp.me/p3x8rS-2V4
 

Every time there is a new book published I have no doubt I’m about to go on an incredible adventure. The team does a fantastic job translating this story from podcast to visual medium and they’ve smashed it once again. This a continuation of The Adventure Zone series and takes our trio of heroes onto their next adventure. For all the goofs, jokes, and magical D&D content, this a powerful story about consequence and how decisions we make impact our lives.

There is a quick and cute catch up if you can’t recall what happened in the previous book, helpful considering the early scenes reflect the events of The Crystal Kingdom. I am always amazed at how the introduction to each book and the reminder of our key players can be so seamless, clever, and funny. It’s a skill of the format and the layout, between McElroy’s adaptation and Pietsch’s illustrations, that creates the winning combination.

The interlude has been woven into the story again and we learn how the characters have levelled up and gained new items, but other interlude moments have also been slotted into other parts of the story is key moments which keeps the original story and character development without taking away from the new arc. 

 Spoiler free but the use of the layout in telling this story is remarkable. You get to keep all the moments that make the learning process and story unfold, each increment and bad choice, every cycle, all with the benefit of not taking up page after page and too much space. This happened with the podcast too, but the summarised version of the graphic novel makes it funnier and saves time without abridging the story.

Pietsch again has phenomenal illustrations. I love the hints and guides to let us know who is talking, with each character designated a symbol to help readers know who is speaking if they aren’t visible on the page. The colours are vibrant and the scale is beautiful. Large double page spreads that show vast caverns, the epic heights of temples, or the power of a detonation. Pietsch’s rough sketches and designs have also been included at the end of the book so you can pour over the process of creating the stunning visuals for the book and how layouts and town planning came about.

This arc has huge reveals in terms of overall story, but also, ironically, is a little patch of time by itself. There is a complicated story being told in between the humour and the stunning visuals which is what makes it such a beloved arc. We’re nearing the end and as more information is uncovered, more questions are asked and the cogs of conspiracy start turning in your brain.