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kjmoulton's review against another edition
2.0
I LOVE the Fables series - but this all-text story falls flat. The writing is overwrought and the antagonist's motivation is never compelling enough to push the conflict forward. Not to mention that the love story we're supposed to be rooting for is never developed further than "because the author says so." Somehow, without the lively graphic component of the Fables - and the occasional breathtaking illustration by James Jean - this novel is at best one-dimensional. (I gave it a second star because of my fondness for the Black Forest Witch and for the larger series.)
mandikaye's review against another edition
5.0
This was incredible! I've never read any of the graphic novels, so everything I know about Fabletown comes from this book. I loved the story. It was an inspired retelling of a classic story.
And the narrative performance by Wil Wheaton in the audio book was superb. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the book quite as much had I read it in print.
And the narrative performance by Wil Wheaton in the audio book was superb. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the book quite as much had I read it in print.
kaigairg's review against another edition
2.0
http://greenmanreview.com/book/book_willingham_peterandmax.html
catseye6773's review against another edition
5.0
great book ,well read. now I have to get more fables
fishgirl182's review against another edition
4.0
Peter & Max is a stand alone novel set in the Fables-universe of author Bill Willingham. Fans of Fables will be familiar with the folk and fairy tale personalities that show up in the story. However, those who haven't read the series need not worry. You don't need to be a fan of even very familiar with Fables in order to enjoy the book (though you should be so do yourself a favor and pick up Fables asap).
Peter & Max is the story of Peter and Max Piper of Pied Piper fame. Their entire family is part of a traveling minstrel show. One dark night, soldiers invade their lands the family is torn apart. Alone and scared, Peter becomes a thief to survive. Max, having gone down a dark path, works to perfect his dark magic. He vows that one day, he will find and kill Peter, taking the flute which he believes should have rightfully been passed down to him. Hundreds of years pass and Peter is living a quiet life in a new world with his wife, Bo Peep, when he learns that Max has been spotted. Knowing the death and darkness that Max brings, Peter leaves on a quest to find his long lost brother and end their feud once and for all.
I didn't know much about the legend of the Pied Piper before reading this book. Most of what I remember is from an old Tom & Jerry cartoon. However, I was quickly pulled into the story of Peter Piper and his brother Max. The story shifts perspective between Peter and Max and we see through each of their eyes the events that end up shaping them and eventually pulling them apart. Max's descent into darkness is fascinating to watch and he definitely creeped me out.
Willingham does a fine job of translating the Fables world into a full length book. He blends what we already know about a story with his own ideas so that it is one seamless world. Like many traditional fairy tales, Peter and Max is at times dark and violent. It's a world where wondrous and terrible things happen and where not every ending is a happy one. Lovely black and white illustrations by Steve Leialoha add to its storybook quality. For Fables fans it's a nice addition to the Fables universe. For fans of dark fairy tales or modern retellings of classic tales, it's a quick and fun read.
Peter & Max is the story of Peter and Max Piper of Pied Piper fame. Their entire family is part of a traveling minstrel show. One dark night, soldiers invade their lands the family is torn apart. Alone and scared, Peter becomes a thief to survive. Max, having gone down a dark path, works to perfect his dark magic. He vows that one day, he will find and kill Peter, taking the flute which he believes should have rightfully been passed down to him. Hundreds of years pass and Peter is living a quiet life in a new world with his wife, Bo Peep, when he learns that Max has been spotted. Knowing the death and darkness that Max brings, Peter leaves on a quest to find his long lost brother and end their feud once and for all.
I didn't know much about the legend of the Pied Piper before reading this book. Most of what I remember is from an old Tom & Jerry cartoon. However, I was quickly pulled into the story of Peter Piper and his brother Max. The story shifts perspective between Peter and Max and we see through each of their eyes the events that end up shaping them and eventually pulling them apart. Max's descent into darkness is fascinating to watch and he definitely creeped me out.
Willingham does a fine job of translating the Fables world into a full length book. He blends what we already know about a story with his own ideas so that it is one seamless world. Like many traditional fairy tales, Peter and Max is at times dark and violent. It's a world where wondrous and terrible things happen and where not every ending is a happy one. Lovely black and white illustrations by Steve Leialoha add to its storybook quality. For Fables fans it's a nice addition to the Fables universe. For fans of dark fairy tales or modern retellings of classic tales, it's a quick and fun read.
saroz162's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second of two novels I've read by Willingham - the first being the more recent Down the Mysterly River - and it directly follows my reading of the first ten volumes of his comic series Fables, which features the same world as Peter & Max. Despite an unusually hand-holding introduction bringing readers into the reality of Fables, the novel is almost entirely standalone from the series; it has little consequence on, and barely involves, the regular characters.
I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that Willingham really can't write prose. Peter & Max, like Mysterly River, is plagued with awkward sentences and strangely bitty writing; they both feature fairytale environments with sudden, shocking, and sometimes off-puttingly grim violence (which, in fairness, can occur in Fables as well); and there's a damn weird streak of misogyny that I'm sure is intended to demonstrate the unpleasantness of certain characters, yet mostly serves to reflect badly on the author himself. (Hint: there is nothing quite like being privy to the innermost thoughts of a violent teenager as he contemplates assaulting ten-year-old girls.) Again, like Mysterly River, I was struck by the relative richness of the scenario Willingham composed at the beginning, as well as how it all seemed to descend into an almost trite conclusion. This really doesn't bode well for any future novels Willingham writes. In fact, it makes me worry about the second half of Fables.
Although I don't think it ultimately impacted my frustration with the book too much, I should also point out that I found Willingham's depiction of a disabled character - self-pitying, self-loathing, and of course, anxious to be cured - not just wildly inappropriate but remarkably out of date. It's a little thing, but as a high-functioning disabled wheelchair user, I found his depiction extremely distasteful.
I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that Willingham really can't write prose. Peter & Max, like Mysterly River, is plagued with awkward sentences and strangely bitty writing; they both feature fairytale environments with sudden, shocking, and sometimes off-puttingly grim violence (which, in fairness, can occur in Fables as well); and there's a damn weird streak of misogyny that I'm sure is intended to demonstrate the unpleasantness of certain characters, yet mostly serves to reflect badly on the author himself. (Hint: there is nothing quite like being privy to the innermost thoughts of a violent teenager as he contemplates assaulting ten-year-old girls.) Again, like Mysterly River, I was struck by the relative richness of the scenario Willingham composed at the beginning, as well as how it all seemed to descend into an almost trite conclusion. This really doesn't bode well for any future novels Willingham writes. In fact, it makes me worry about the second half of Fables.
Although I don't think it ultimately impacted my frustration with the book too much, I should also point out that I found Willingham's depiction of a disabled character - self-pitying, self-loathing, and of course, anxious to be cured - not just wildly inappropriate but remarkably out of date. It's a little thing, but as a high-functioning disabled wheelchair user, I found his depiction extremely distasteful.
mehitabels's review against another edition
4.0
my husband didn't exactly appreciate waiting for me to finish so we could, ahem, have some valentines, but this little book had me pretty well entranced. I love the comics and the transition to just written word worked fine.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
I actually borrowed this one before I read my first Fables graphic Novel. And after reading this book I sure want to read those graphic novels. Because the world is wonderful.
This is then a novel based on the graphic novels. It is a standalone and it is about Peter and Max. The book takes place in this world, because the Fables (all those famous fairytale stories we know and love) fled to this world to get away from the war. Here they settled in new York. Peter is happy with this wife, but then he learns that Max is back. His evil brother. The book deals with his journey to find Max, and flashbacks to how Peter grew up in fableland, and and why his brother went crazy. It also has some lovely illustrations here and there.
I have only read one Fables graphic novel, and that one dealt with things before they came to New York, but I had no trouble with this book since it is about Peter's life, and we also meet the famous Pied Piper of Hameln.
I just love these stories, they are so much fun, and yes dark. The reason why we have fairytales is cos these Fables came to our world and magic kind of rub off and stories spread, not the real ones though. The story is cool, and I read and read, and still wanted more.
The world they come from is just like ours but with talking animals, evil orcs, or was it ogers, and magic. A fun novel, and you sure do not know what is gonna happen next.
rick_k's review against another edition
4.0
My previous experience with Bill Willingham was limited to the first trade of Fables, which along with Gregory McGuire's Wicked (or perhaps Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods) paved the way for the entire sub-genre of re-imagined fairytales in books, television and movies. I remember enjoying the those first comics, but did not continue with the series. I saw all the winks and nods towards the fairytale origins, but did not connect previously with the characters in a meaningful way. This novel (illustrated, but not a graphic novel) makes me want to revisit that series now over a decade since my last reading.
Peter and Max is a great fairytale. We start off in a rural village at the edge of The Dark Forest. Peter and Max Piper along with their parents are traveling minstrels visiting their long-time friends, the Peeps, when their reunion is interrupted by war in the kingdom. The resulting tale spans hundreds of years of betrayal, love, and revenge. To reveal any of the references and tie-ins would steal their charm. The darkness in this story is palpable and the threats are dire, but equal are cute, funny and loving moments which offset the tragedy. The prose is at times uneven and pacing stumbles slightly, but this is a fun read and recommended to fans of the genre.
Peter and Max is a great fairytale. We start off in a rural village at the edge of The Dark Forest. Peter and Max Piper along with their parents are traveling minstrels visiting their long-time friends, the Peeps, when their reunion is interrupted by war in the kingdom. The resulting tale spans hundreds of years of betrayal, love, and revenge. To reveal any of the references and tie-ins would steal their charm. The darkness in this story is palpable and the threats are dire, but equal are cute, funny and loving moments which offset the tragedy. The prose is at times uneven and pacing stumbles slightly, but this is a fun read and recommended to fans of the genre.