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barb4ry1 's review for:
Rise of the Zelphire: Of Bark and Sap
by Karim Friha
I absolutely loved it. Consider it a steampunk take on superpowered children and new adults, called Zelphires. Strange and fascinating abilities stem from childhood trauma.
Sylvan Khelmann is a Zelphire. He tries to live a normal life and hide the strange tree-like features that grow on his body. He doesn’t fully understand his abilities, nor does he want to explore them. Soon he pairs with an old adventurer, Professor Werns, who takes him on an expedition that’ll change everything.
The story is tropey and characterization of the bad guys could be better. BUT the art, reader-friendly lettering, great interactions between characters more than make up for this. I devoured this graphic novel yesterday and reread it today. And I’m sure I’ll repeat the process soon.
It’s a joy to read, to feast the eyes on a color palette and clean lines. While not particularly nuanced or deep, it never ceases to entertain and thrill with cool ideas. Marketing pitch is true - Rise of the Zelphire combines a Victorian steampunk, superpowered characters and their coming-of-age arcs with Tim Burton’s sensibilities and vision.
I need the sequel.
ARC through NetGalley
Sylvan Khelmann is a Zelphire. He tries to live a normal life and hide the strange tree-like features that grow on his body. He doesn’t fully understand his abilities, nor does he want to explore them. Soon he pairs with an old adventurer, Professor Werns, who takes him on an expedition that’ll change everything.
The story is tropey and characterization of the bad guys could be better. BUT the art, reader-friendly lettering, great interactions between characters more than make up for this. I devoured this graphic novel yesterday and reread it today. And I’m sure I’ll repeat the process soon.
It’s a joy to read, to feast the eyes on a color palette and clean lines. While not particularly nuanced or deep, it never ceases to entertain and thrill with cool ideas. Marketing pitch is true - Rise of the Zelphire combines a Victorian steampunk, superpowered characters and their coming-of-age arcs with Tim Burton’s sensibilities and vision.
I need the sequel.
ARC through NetGalley