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satornroos's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
I actually enjoyed this more than the first one for some reason. It is a cute series with some good messages!
I actually enjoyed this more than the first one for some reason. It is a cute series with some good messages!
antlersantlers's review against another edition
2.0
This was a definite disappointment. I think perhaps [b:Explorer: The Mystery Boxes|12833770|Explorer The Mystery Boxes|Kazu Kibuishi|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327971266s/12833770.jpg|17984108] was so unusually strong and dark, that I expected more even though [b:Flight Explorer|1803934|Flight Explorer, Volume 1|Kazu Kibuishi|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347883832s/1803934.jpg|1803136] wasn't particularly great either. These were full of smiley, friehdship, work together, believe in yourself boring nonsense that it was actually pretty tiring. The one exception was [a:Chrystin Garland|7055316|Chrystin Garland|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png] (Lady Garland! She's great!). Her story was dark and weird and her art was absolutely stunning. It was also really really interesting to see [a:Jason Caffoe|4107843|Jason Caffoe|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], the lead production assistant on the Amulet series, drawing in a different style from Kibuishi. In the Mystery Boxes, their two stories were almost visually indistinguishable. Here they were quite different, but both were still beautiful.
bookhound36's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the first collection...these were kind of silly and not nearly as good.
ricksilva's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic novel anthology edited by Amulet creator Kazu Kabuishi.
This is an anthology of fantasy stories loosely themed around the idea of islands. It opens with Jake Parker's cute fable about an island of hardworking rabbitfolk and the discovery of a useful robot who proves to be a bit too useful.
A pair of stories hit the "stranded on a desert island" idea."Carapace" by Jason Caffoe is a cute tale of the friendship that develops between a castaway and the ghost of a giant crab. Featuring giant crab theology! Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier's "Desert Island Playlist" is an oddly surreal story that plays around with nonlinear time.
Michel Gagne's "Loah" is a mythic story of ancient fish seeking a way to escape disaster.
The amusing "Radio Adrift" by Katie Shanahan and Steve Shanahan involves a mage-in-training working to complete her pixie-hatching project and an unusual radio station that she tunes in to.
Editor Kazu Kibuishi contributes a classic fish story with "The Fishermen" that does a nice job of character development in the short space it has to work with.
My personal favorite was the very creepy "The Mask Dance" by Chrystin Garland.
All of these stories were good, and the artwork, while varied in style, was all fantastically colorful and imaginative. The tone of the stories varies a lot with the broad theme, but if you enjoy a general sense of myth and wonder, you will definitely find a lot to like in this volume.
This is an anthology of fantasy stories loosely themed around the idea of islands. It opens with Jake Parker's cute fable about an island of hardworking rabbitfolk and the discovery of a useful robot who proves to be a bit too useful.
A pair of stories hit the "stranded on a desert island" idea."Carapace" by Jason Caffoe is a cute tale of the friendship that develops between a castaway and the ghost of a giant crab. Featuring giant crab theology! Dave Roman and Raina Telgemeier's "Desert Island Playlist" is an oddly surreal story that plays around with nonlinear time.
Michel Gagne's "Loah" is a mythic story of ancient fish seeking a way to escape disaster.
The amusing "Radio Adrift" by Katie Shanahan and Steve Shanahan involves a mage-in-training working to complete her pixie-hatching project and an unusual radio station that she tunes in to.
Editor Kazu Kibuishi contributes a classic fish story with "The Fishermen" that does a nice job of character development in the short space it has to work with.
My personal favorite was the very creepy "The Mask Dance" by Chrystin Garland.
All of these stories were good, and the artwork, while varied in style, was all fantastically colorful and imaginative. The tone of the stories varies a lot with the broad theme, but if you enjoy a general sense of myth and wonder, you will definitely find a lot to like in this volume.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
As with every anthology, there are some gems and there are some duds. However, this one has mostly gems. I loved Loah's (Michel Gagné) story and illustrations and liked almost all of the other stories for various reasons. You may be asking yourself, "Why only three stars then?" Well, it is because, although the stories are good, I wonder how well I'll be able to remember them in the future.
elizabethlk's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first book in the series, but it still made for a fun little read. Best artwork was probably in The Mask Dance and in Loah. My favourite story was probably Radio Adrift, although I also had a soft spot for Carapace and Desert Island Playlist.
I would recommend it for anyone in need or want of a decent middle-grade comics anthology. I already have the next of the series checked out of the library.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first book in the series, but it still made for a fun little read. Best artwork was probably in The Mask Dance and in Loah. My favourite story was probably Radio Adrift, although I also had a soft spot for Carapace and Desert Island Playlist.
I would recommend it for anyone in need or want of a decent middle-grade comics anthology. I already have the next of the series checked out of the library.
theartolater's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the first Explorer collection, and this one is more of the same in a sense, but not quite what I wanted this time around. I think the concept in the first book was just better.
Still, a lot of good stories, and some that were unmemorable. Otherwise...
Still, a lot of good stories, and some that were unmemorable. Otherwise...
melaniegaum's review against another edition
5.0
Really fun comic anthology. My favorite stories were Radio Adrift by Katie and Steven Shanahan and Carapace by Jason Caffoe.
bibliophilicjester's review against another edition
A really fun and quick read, which is kind of obvious to say haha my favorites for this volume were carapace by Jason caffoe and loah by Michel gagné! The theme of lost islands made for some really beautiful art throughout