I came across this graphic novel at the library and decided to check it out just based on the cover and the fact that Steve Niles was involved.

I’m a little torn on this one. On one hand it has all the right beats of conflict and emotion, relatable characters, and cool black and white illustrations.

On the other hand, it’s pretty straightforward and simplistic. You read it, it does what you expect, and then it ends. Not a bad experience, but not what the hype online and from pull quotes would have led me to believe.

It’s one of those that people are either going to say is heartbreaking and deep…and others will say it’s kind of boring. You know those kinds of books I’m talking about? Normally I side with the critics, but on this one not so much.

I’ve been meaning to read this book for over a decade, and I finally made it a priority a few weeks ago (mainly cause of the new movie). I found it to be every bit as epic, engrossing, compelling, and confusing as I expected.

As with any good sci-fi epic, there are many layers to this story. But the world building that author Frank Herbert has done is some of the most complex I’ve come across in awhile (a lot of it thanks to the numerous philosophical/sociological musings, ideologies, and histories). This was a SLOW read for me as there was a lot to process and mule over.

That being said, I LOVED it! All of it. Even when it started to wane some around the middle I couldn’t stop reading. Other than the multiple storylines and characters, I really enjoyed the writing. Herbert does a fantastic job of putting you in the mind of various characters, and the way characters would have whole conversations just through facial expressions and body language was very interesting. And of course I enjoyed the spice planet, giant sand worms, mind powers, brutal villains, and all the sci-fi paraphernalia.

After reading DUNE I can see why it would be exceptionally challenging to translate well on the silver screen. I haven’t seen the David Lynch version, but I did go see the recent Denis Villeneuve release. I was a big fan (I’m a fan of all his movies) and I especially loved the sound and cinematography. But I can also see why my wife, who hasn’t read the book, was confused for a lot of the film. It asks the viewer to do a lot of heavy lifting.

I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one. The writing flows nicely, it tackles a lot of heavy themes, and I didn’t want to put it down. The characters are richly textured (absolutely love the main character Virgil - so wonderfully flawed and complex) and there are some shocking moments of violence. It’s crime fiction that is both slow burn and character driven (two of my FAVORITE descriptors), but the storyline also goes in directions I didn’t anticipate. That being said, once I got a handle on what was happening in the first half then some events in the second half were kind of predictable.

I’m trying to read more works by indigenous authors, and that’s one reason I picked this one up (plus my wife read it and loved it; she generally has good taste

Before reading this all I knew of Harlan Ellison was that he’s a big name in sci-fi/speculative fiction and that his story “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” was a super intriguing title.

After reading it I can safely say I’ve become a huge Harlan Ellison fan! Such inventiveness, creativity, and originality

Don't you hate when a book starts as a 5 star read, and then somewhere along the way it breaks down and ends up at a 3 or less? Unfortunately, that was my reading experience with this book.

REST OF THE REVIEW HAS SPOILERS SO I CAN VENT!

I was so excited to read this one when I chose it from Book of the Month club. I'm a big fan of dark fantasy, magical realism, and mystery thrillers - as well as cults and strange hidden communities - so this sounded right up my alley. But...not so much this time.

I understand why we didn't get to stay with Travis the whole time, but dang if he wasn't the most compelling character. I was so on board for his cool ghost-memory tracking abilities, as well as his jaded past and cynical outlook. I wanted him as my protagonist, but instead I got one-track mind "Theo," fearful "Clara," and blind-but-not-really Bee. Meh.

I just couldn't really connect with these characters. They had relatable motivations, but somehow they still fell flat for me. They didn't feel fleshed out enough or something. I didn't mind our antagonist being the very human Levi, and I actually appreciated there was a bit of moral complexity to his character. But it was faint, and the whole hypnotism angle was a huge turnoff for me. It actually made me angry when I realized that's what had been happening all along haha. I felt tricked, and not in a good. I think it would have been a much better story if we'd had chapters from Levi's perspective and been clued into the hypnotism stuff no later than halfway through the book. Much more to work with then.

I was on board for about the first half of the book. I thought the whole "trees splitting open" and "rot" parts were pretty creepy at first, and I was intrigued by the mystery of the missing outsiders. I also really enjoyed the writing style, with its beautiful, evocative language, vivid imagery, and poetic phrasing. It would have taken some big changes, but there's definitely a fantastic story here.

But then the writing and story began to get pretty repetitive around the halfway point. People kept wanting to leave, trees kept splitting, the rot was still a big deal, and not much more seemed to be happening. I felt like the same thoughts/phrases were being repeated over and over, and it tuned me out of any excitement I'd felt previously. And like I said, once all was revealed by the end I just didn't really care much anymore (oh and the last-minute twists involving Maggie's mother also made me angry).

Immortelle is a haunting, woeful, beautifully written novella that resides in the nexus of two of my favorite sub-genres: grief horror and quiet horror. Though it's a story involving ghosts, it's much more on the slow-burn side of things, taking its time to build its characters, deepen its dread, and finally bring it all to heel in a shocking, decisive act of violent revenge.

McCarthy weaves an interesting story of strained relationships, loss, taboo delights, and hidden wickedness, but what really had me flying through the pages are the wonderfully realized characters and the author's strong writing style. I was concerned with Rowena, wondering what was bothering her and if she'd ever be able to talk to her mother about it. I felt for Elinor, who was balancing a desperate line of trying to help her daughter without pushing her further away, and I was intrigued at the lengths she would go to set things right after Rowena's death. Elinor's pain and grief is palpable, and there are numerous literary gut punches that hurt my heart (especially being a parent myself).

The book is written in an easygoing style that immediately draws you in and keeps you captivated. McCarthy writes with a quiet assurance and grace that I found compelling, and she knows just when to dip the story into darker waters to build the tension. I also really enjoyed the many uses of personification, and I felt like her gendering of the various natural elements - moon, sun, sea, wind, etc - really helped connect the role of Mother Nature with the overall topic of motherhood in the story.

I really appreciate that the author didn't feel the need to be explicit with the horror elements here. It's a testament to the power of quiet horror and it feels like a throwback to an older style of horror from the likes of Poe, Blackwood, Wharton, and James (both M.R. and Henry). Definitely recommend this book if you're in the mood for realistic, engaging characters and a more mournful sort of ghost story.

Magic, talking animal, robots, dark elves, beautiful artwork, and a story full of humor and heart - what's not to love? This first book does a great job of setting up the cast of characters, giving us the inciting incident, and propelling us off on what appears to be an epic quest in the making. Can't wait to read more!

Now THIS is what I want in a Middle Grade fantasy graphic novel! I absolutely devoured this book with my kids and didn't want it to end. The artwork is stunning, the storyline is compelling, and the characters are all fantastic. I love the dynamic between the Bea and Cad, and I can't wait to see where their epic quest takes them next!