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klsteel's review
4.0
More like 4.5 stars. My only issue with the Foundation series is that I wish the back stories, or dossiers rather, would have went into more detail with each character. At least it made me like Jacob a little better. Not by much though.
jenny_d's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The writing isn't too bad, but the art is... something. Each individual panel is fine, but the faces are really inconsistent at times. Feels like a different artist drew each panel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Slavery
rinn's review
4.0
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Also posted on my book blog, Rinn Reads.
If you know me, you know the Mass Effect series of video games is one of my favourite things. You may also know that I’ve been slowly working my way through all related books and graphic novels, and so far have been sadly disappointed. So it is with great delight that I proclaim this particular volume my favourite Mass Effect related book so far!
This is, in a similar way to Mass Effect: Homeworlds, an origin story. Whereas Homeworlds focused on Tali, Garrus and James Vega, Foundation takes a look at the original companions of Commander Shepard: Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko, as well as featuring other well known figures such as Kai Leng, the Illusive Man and Wrex (Wrex, I’m so sorry…). Continuing Mass Effect‘s brilliant streak of tough, bad-ass female figures, Foundation opens with a mysterious red-head (yay!) who is not quite as she seems – but neither is her young companion. A shocking and surprising first chapter sets up the rest of the book.
One thing I really liked about Foundation was how it tied into the first Mass Effect game. Remember the very first mission on Eden Prime, where you find Ashley? On the way you encounter some of her team – well here you find out exactly how they managed to get themselves into that situation. It was really fun recognising all these minor characters and tying the plot pieces together. The artwork was generally of a great quality, although there were a couple of frames where I had to wonder whether the artist had really considered the angle – the character faces looked a bit odd. Ashley didn’t look quite like her virtual counterpart, although admittedly her image does change a little between games – but she was wearing her classic pink and white armour! The full pages at the beginning of the book were absolutely gorgeous, wonderfully dark and fitting for the series – and to me the characters even looked like they could be a variety of Commander Shepards (for all that have not played Mass Effect: you can customise Commander Shepard to look how you want. Also, for all that have not played Mass Effect: do it NOW!).
Overall, definitely a recommended read for fans of the Mass Effect series. I always love reading origin stories, and Kaidan’s even made me feel a little sorry for him – and normally he’s one of the characters I don’t really care about all that much. The artwork was generally of a very high standard, with some really standout pieces and perfect colour scheme.
If you know me, you know the Mass Effect series of video games is one of my favourite things. You may also know that I’ve been slowly working my way through all related books and graphic novels, and so far have been sadly disappointed. So it is with great delight that I proclaim this particular volume my favourite Mass Effect related book so far!
This is, in a similar way to Mass Effect: Homeworlds, an origin story. Whereas Homeworlds focused on Tali, Garrus and James Vega, Foundation takes a look at the original companions of Commander Shepard: Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko, as well as featuring other well known figures such as Kai Leng, the Illusive Man and Wrex (Wrex, I’m so sorry…). Continuing Mass Effect‘s brilliant streak of tough, bad-ass female figures, Foundation opens with a mysterious red-head (yay!) who is not quite as she seems – but neither is her young companion. A shocking and surprising first chapter sets up the rest of the book.
One thing I really liked about Foundation was how it tied into the first Mass Effect game. Remember the very first mission on Eden Prime, where you find Ashley? On the way you encounter some of her team – well here you find out exactly how they managed to get themselves into that situation. It was really fun recognising all these minor characters and tying the plot pieces together. The artwork was generally of a great quality, although there were a couple of frames where I had to wonder whether the artist had really considered the angle – the character faces looked a bit odd. Ashley didn’t look quite like her virtual counterpart, although admittedly her image does change a little between games – but she was wearing her classic pink and white armour! The full pages at the beginning of the book were absolutely gorgeous, wonderfully dark and fitting for the series – and to me the characters even looked like they could be a variety of Commander Shepards (for all that have not played Mass Effect: you can customise Commander Shepard to look how you want. Also, for all that have not played Mass Effect: do it NOW!).
Overall, definitely a recommended read for fans of the Mass Effect series. I always love reading origin stories, and Kaidan’s even made me feel a little sorry for him – and normally he’s one of the characters I don’t really care about all that much. The artwork was generally of a very high standard, with some really standout pieces and perfect colour scheme.
nightxade's review
2.0
Mass Effect fans know Maya Brooks from the Citadel DLC. In Mass Effect: Foundations, we learn how she came to be an agent of Cerberus, compiling dossiers on Shepard’s eclectic crew. Issue one was a very interesting look into that very process, but when the next issues began shoehorning Maya into what should simply have been origin stories for our favourite characters, things started to fall apart. I suspect the idea was to make Maya the Mara Jade of the Mass Effect world, but her presence lacked the subtlety of the Emperor’s Hand. I found Kaidan Alenko’s story particularly disappointing. Anyone who took the time to talk to him in the original game already knew this story, so the issue felt more like an excuse to show Kaidan’s teacher being excessively mean and shouting a lot, within panels literally flooded with biotic powers, without telling anything new.
inlibrisveritas's review
4.0
Foundation Vol.1 is kind of like a prequel and connector book for Mass Effect 1. We have a new character Rasa, who works for Cerberus, a bit of back story for Wrex, just what happened to Ashley on Eden Prime, and Kaidan’s rather odd training as a biotic.
Mass Effect is one of those game franchises that just keeps giving and even when the stories are only so-so it’s still really fun to read them. Rasa is an agent for Cerberus, a pro-human group, and she’s willing to do nearly anything to get the information she needs. Her own back story is interest enough, but not the most riveting, she’s just another down and out person who had to carve out a space for herself in the universe. However she does give reason to learn more about the characters and she adds a bit of mystery to the overall story. The story surrounding Wrex is alright, but I don’t really feel it added too much to what we already know. He’s after Fist and we get to see how the mission starts. Then come two of my least favorite characters Williams and Alenko. I did really like seeing Williams before she meets Shepard and just how her and her squad end up on Eden Prime. Alenko’s story is probably the most interesting though. It shows his life in a biotic training facility, where the lessons are tough and unorthodox…and Alenko is pushed the edge.
The art in this series is not my favorite though and I found some of the pictures a bit hard to comprehend upon first glance. I’ve never been fond of the more sketchy type art, but there are some scenes in which the artwork really shines.
I do look forward to seeing more of Rasa and her mission to gather info on the crew of the Normandy, it seems like it has a lot to offer and I’m always look for an excuse to get re-absorbed into the ME world.
Mass Effect is one of those game franchises that just keeps giving and even when the stories are only so-so it’s still really fun to read them. Rasa is an agent for Cerberus, a pro-human group, and she’s willing to do nearly anything to get the information she needs. Her own back story is interest enough, but not the most riveting, she’s just another down and out person who had to carve out a space for herself in the universe. However she does give reason to learn more about the characters and she adds a bit of mystery to the overall story. The story surrounding Wrex is alright, but I don’t really feel it added too much to what we already know. He’s after Fist and we get to see how the mission starts. Then come two of my least favorite characters Williams and Alenko. I did really like seeing Williams before she meets Shepard and just how her and her squad end up on Eden Prime. Alenko’s story is probably the most interesting though. It shows his life in a biotic training facility, where the lessons are tough and unorthodox…and Alenko is pushed the edge.
The art in this series is not my favorite though and I found some of the pictures a bit hard to comprehend upon first glance. I’ve never been fond of the more sketchy type art, but there are some scenes in which the artwork really shines.
I do look forward to seeing more of Rasa and her mission to gather info on the crew of the Normandy, it seems like it has a lot to offer and I’m always look for an excuse to get re-absorbed into the ME world.
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