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solstjohn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
pensandpicks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jessaca_with_an_a's review against another edition
2.0
Dang it! Dusu: Path of the Ancient had the potential to be something great. Deeply enriched lore, eye-catching artwork, but for some frustrating reason, the authors decided to set the pace of the story to 100.
I felt like I was running a marathon trying to keep up with the events unfolding in Dusu.
WARNING This review contains spoilers.
I couldn’t enjoy this story because half of the time I didn’t know what was happening. We’re blasted through hunt scenes to ceremonial storytelling circles to stranger encounters to unknown cities and to love scenes to everyone’s dead, and it all happens faster than you can blink.
I made excuses for the first issue and chalked my lost-ness up to massive world-building and backstory that would make sense the more I read. But it became clear in the second and thereafter issues that this was just the way Dusu was gonna unravel. One second we see Dusu encounter a woman, Idanya, and her injured brother, the next they’re tumbling in the sheets!
We aren’t given enough time to get to know Idanya or even Dusu, or to see their relationship develop. There’s not enough dialogue to help the story unfold, and the panels don’t give the reader a sense of any amount of time that’s passed.
Oh yeah, and then Dusu is suddenly part cougar. Let me clarify. There are lots of stories where the MC discovers they have powers or can shapeshifter, and the reader discovers it with them. And then there are other stories that begin with the MC already being magical or is already a shapeshifter and the reader knows its. Both of those work, both of those are compelling and exciting.
This wasn’t either.
We were led to believe that Dusu is just a normal human, although we know his father/adoptive father believes him to be something more. So we’re anticipating that moment where he discovers his power for the first time. Nope. We don’t get that. Halfway through vol 1, we just get slapped in the face with a transformation that seems normal to him.
IT’S LIKE EVERYTHING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT IN THIS BOOK HAPPENS OFF-SCREEN!
Oooo, look at me. My name is Waso and I’m mad at Dusu because all of our people are dead now and I blame him. Wait... when did they all die!?! *wah* I can’t keep up with this graphic novel!
I am aware that Dusu: Path of the Ancient is a companion to The Untamed series, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the author expected the readers of Dusu to have read The Untamed first, so maybe some of these holes would’ve been filled. But in my opinion that’s terrible writing. If a reader can’t pick up one of your graphic novel and understand it and be immersed in its world on its own, then you have a problem.
I felt like I was running a marathon trying to keep up with the events unfolding in Dusu.
WARNING This review contains spoilers.
I couldn’t enjoy this story because half of the time I didn’t know what was happening. We’re blasted through hunt scenes to ceremonial storytelling circles to stranger encounters to unknown cities and to love scenes to everyone’s dead, and it all happens faster than you can blink.
I made excuses for the first issue and chalked my lost-ness up to massive world-building and backstory that would make sense the more I read. But it became clear in the second and thereafter issues that this was just the way Dusu was gonna unravel. One second we see Dusu encounter a woman, Idanya, and her injured brother, the next they’re tumbling in the sheets!
We aren’t given enough time to get to know Idanya or even Dusu, or to see their relationship develop. There’s not enough dialogue to help the story unfold, and the panels don’t give the reader a sense of any amount of time that’s passed.
Oh yeah, and then Dusu is suddenly part cougar. Let me clarify. There are lots of stories where the MC discovers they have powers or can shapeshifter, and the reader discovers it with them. And then there are other stories that begin with the MC already being magical or is already a shapeshifter and the reader knows its. Both of those work, both of those are compelling and exciting.
This wasn’t either.
We were led to believe that Dusu is just a normal human, although we know his father/adoptive father believes him to be something more. So we’re anticipating that moment where he discovers his power for the first time. Nope. We don’t get that. Halfway through vol 1, we just get slapped in the face with a transformation that seems normal to him.
IT’S LIKE EVERYTHING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT IN THIS BOOK HAPPENS OFF-SCREEN!
Oooo, look at me. My name is Waso and I’m mad at Dusu because all of our people are dead now and I blame him. Wait... when did they all die!?! *wah* I can’t keep up with this graphic novel!
I am aware that Dusu: Path of the Ancient is a companion to The Untamed series, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the author expected the readers of Dusu to have read The Untamed first, so maybe some of these holes would’ve been filled. But in my opinion that’s terrible writing. If a reader can’t pick up one of your graphic novel and understand it and be immersed in its world on its own, then you have a problem.
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