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893 reviews for:
The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour
Griffin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy
893 reviews for:
The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour
Griffin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
This is my favorite arc TAZ: Balance and the graphic novel was just as good as the podcast arc! I appreciate the care they put into the plot/character changes they made, how the story feels more cohesive but still has the same vibrancy as the podcast.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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.
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know why they changed the bit about Taako's guilt - it used to be much more powerful in the podcast, almost as sad as Magnus' story. But Magnus man.... it made me tear up :(