Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
One of the more far-fetched Tintin entries. It's fun, it's entertaining and that scene on the Sirius where all of the scientists develop sea-sickness still has me in stitches. But it's missing something, even with the inclusion of Captain Haddock and his earthy epithets. Verisimilitude? Yeah maybe, and I also wanted to use that word in a review, so there is that.
The background behind this installment makes for interesting reading, with its original anti-American bias that was removed for international release.
Whatever the case, Hergé and his creations were to hit full stride with the next book.
The background behind this installment makes for interesting reading, with its original anti-American bias that was removed for international release.
Whatever the case, Hergé and his creations were to hit full stride with the next book.
Tintin's first science fiction adventure is a great one, although Hergé's better with the fiction than with the science! Nonetheless, the story is exciting and atmospheric, particularly the initial "Armageddon" sequence. There's a real feeling of desperation at the impending destruction of civilization. Was this an expression of Hergé's angst at the Nazi occupation of Belgium? However that may be, it's certainly his most effective piece of work in Tintin's adventures to this point.
The story has resonances with [a:H.G. Wells|880695|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1201281795p2/880695.jpg]'s [bc:The Food of the Gods|3034360|The Food of the Gods|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1315440448s/3034360.jpg|50414] [b:The Food of the Gods|3034360|The Food of the Gods|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1315440448s/3034360.jpg|50414] and [a:Jules Verne|696805|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1322911579p2/696805.jpg]'s [bc:Journey to the Center of the Earth|2287204|Journey to the Center of the Earth (Enriched Classics)|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255628375s/2287204.jpg|1924715] [b:Journey to the Center of the Earth|2287204|Journey to the Center of the Earth (Enriched Classics)|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255628375s/2287204.jpg|1924715] and [bc:The Mysterious Island|8152416|The Mysterious Island|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327350382s/8152416.jpg|1167706] [b:The Mysterious Island|8152416|The Mysterious Island|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327350382s/8152416.jpg|1167706]: giant growths of vegetation and animals; scientific expeditions in search of strange lands, etc. I don't know that Hergé had these books in mind, but I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least aware of the works of Wells and Verne, and the correspondences are there.
Although only introduced in the previous album, [b:The Crab With The Golden Claws|2520301|The Crab With The Golden Claws|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1342474740s/2520301.jpg|185664], Captain Haddock already seems to be a well-established part of Tintin's world and he adds an extra dimension of unpredictability to the adventures. Hergé relegated Thomson and Thompson's roles to a single-panel cameo, which was a good decision as it gave him the opportunity to get the Captain well bedded-in.
I did feel, however, that Tintin's use of whisky to manipulate the alcoholic Captain was morally suspect, but I guess we're dealing with a story written in simpler times as far as attitudes to substance abuse is concerned.
The story has resonances with [a:H.G. Wells|880695|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1201281795p2/880695.jpg]'s [bc:The Food of the Gods|3034360|The Food of the Gods|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1315440448s/3034360.jpg|50414] [b:The Food of the Gods|3034360|The Food of the Gods|H.G. Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1315440448s/3034360.jpg|50414] and [a:Jules Verne|696805|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1322911579p2/696805.jpg]'s [bc:Journey to the Center of the Earth|2287204|Journey to the Center of the Earth (Enriched Classics)|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255628375s/2287204.jpg|1924715] [b:Journey to the Center of the Earth|2287204|Journey to the Center of the Earth (Enriched Classics)|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255628375s/2287204.jpg|1924715] and [bc:The Mysterious Island|8152416|The Mysterious Island|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327350382s/8152416.jpg|1167706] [b:The Mysterious Island|8152416|The Mysterious Island|Jules Verne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327350382s/8152416.jpg|1167706]: giant growths of vegetation and animals; scientific expeditions in search of strange lands, etc. I don't know that Hergé had these books in mind, but I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least aware of the works of Wells and Verne, and the correspondences are there.
Although only introduced in the previous album, [b:The Crab With The Golden Claws|2520301|The Crab With The Golden Claws|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1342474740s/2520301.jpg|185664], Captain Haddock already seems to be a well-established part of Tintin's world and he adds an extra dimension of unpredictability to the adventures. Hergé relegated Thomson and Thompson's roles to a single-panel cameo, which was a good decision as it gave him the opportunity to get the Captain well bedded-in.
I did feel, however, that Tintin's use of whisky to manipulate the alcoholic Captain was morally suspect, but I guess we're dealing with a story written in simpler times as far as attitudes to substance abuse is concerned.
A very humourous adventure. Nice read although it was not one of my favourite Tintin books.
The Shooting Star is so much fun because:
1) Captain Haddock is starting to evolve and get funnier as a character,
2) There are lots of nerdy and crazy scientists around and who doesn't love that? (Well, some people don't, but as junior scientist raised by a physicist dad, both of us always found this book particularly hilarious).
3) Phillipulus the Prophet, who's a delusional dude who thinks he's Jesus,
4) It seems like everyone is high on drugs, especially the experience on the Island seems to me to resemble a psychedelic trip (Hello, Giang Mushroom?) and it's so funny. Although, I never noticed this as a child and it is only recently that I started to notice this resemblance.
Anyway, it's fun.
Also, L'étoile mystérieuse was one of the first volumes that I completed in french.
The text below is included in ALL of my reviews for the Tintin series. If you've already read it, please skip it.
I am a lifelong fan of Tintin and Hergé. Tintin was the earliest memory I have of being exposed to books and stories, my dad started to read Tintin to me when I was less than three years old and continued to do so until I learned to read on my own. I have loved these stories my whole life, and I know all of them by heart, in Persian, in English, and in French.
But, as a devout fan, I think it's time to do the hard but right thing: confess that these books are far from perfect. They are full of stereotypes, racist, whitewashed, colonialist, orientalist, you name it. Not to mention a complete lack of female characters (Bianca Castafiore is a mocking relic of the poor dear Maria Callas that Hergé hated, her maid Irma is present in approximately 20 frames, Alcazar's wife also, anyway, there aren't any significant female characters in these books).
In the past few years, I've struggled to decide how I feel about these books. Will I dismiss them? Consider "the time they were written in" and excuse them? Love them in secret? Start disliking them? I don't know. So far I haven't reached a fixed decision, but I will say this: I am aware that these books are problematic. I acknowledge them. I don't stand for the message of some of these books. At the same time, I won't dismiss or hide my love for them because they were an integral part of my growing up memories and fantasies and games, and I do, still, love captain Haddock very much, stupid and ridiculous as he is.
1) Captain Haddock is starting to evolve and get funnier as a character,
2) There are lots of nerdy and crazy scientists around and who doesn't love that? (Well, some people don't, but as junior scientist raised by a physicist dad, both of us always found this book particularly hilarious).
3) Phillipulus the Prophet, who's a delusional dude who thinks he's Jesus,
4) It seems like everyone is high on drugs, especially the experience on the Island seems to me to resemble a psychedelic trip (Hello, Giang Mushroom?) and it's so funny. Although, I never noticed this as a child and it is only recently that I started to notice this resemblance.
Anyway, it's fun.
Also, L'étoile mystérieuse was one of the first volumes that I completed in french.
The text below is included in ALL of my reviews for the Tintin series. If you've already read it, please skip it.
I am a lifelong fan of Tintin and Hergé. Tintin was the earliest memory I have of being exposed to books and stories, my dad started to read Tintin to me when I was less than three years old and continued to do so until I learned to read on my own. I have loved these stories my whole life, and I know all of them by heart, in Persian, in English, and in French.
But, as a devout fan, I think it's time to do the hard but right thing: confess that these books are far from perfect. They are full of stereotypes, racist, whitewashed, colonialist, orientalist, you name it. Not to mention a complete lack of female characters (Bianca Castafiore is a mocking relic of the poor dear Maria Callas that Hergé hated, her maid Irma is present in approximately 20 frames, Alcazar's wife also, anyway, there aren't any significant female characters in these books).
In the past few years, I've struggled to decide how I feel about these books. Will I dismiss them? Consider "the time they were written in" and excuse them? Love them in secret? Start disliking them? I don't know. So far I haven't reached a fixed decision, but I will say this: I am aware that these books are problematic. I acknowledge them. I don't stand for the message of some of these books. At the same time, I won't dismiss or hide my love for them because they were an integral part of my growing up memories and fantasies and games, and I do, still, love captain Haddock very much, stupid and ridiculous as he is.
A formulaic but fun Tintin adventure, with some classic Haddockisms.
Pretty much same story as previous ones. I admire Herge for dipping his feet into sci-fi which is fun in its own way. Its much muted story compared to others and is an admirable stand alone.
Well. That all got a bit strange. I like my scifi, but nothing was explained and it's a bit of a departure from the series so far... Hmm.