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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Builds on the excellence of the first vol., July 20, 2004
This review is from: Age of Bronze, Vol. 2: Sacrifice (Hardcover)
Here is the long awaited second volume of "Age of Bronze," the massive graphic novel covering the entire Trojan War story. The first collection carried the story to the launching of the first armada against Troy, while this one deals with the catastrophic results. The expedition is lost, mistakenly attacks friendly territories, and regroups... but what will the Greek army have to do to earn the gods' favor for a second assault?
As great as the first part of the story was, this one impoves on it considerably. Its fascinating to really *feel* the characters slowly come to realize the immensity of the struggle. The bravado of the first part is gradually turning to weariness, caution, and fear as the stakes become higher, and the sacrifices needed become greater. Characterization is impressive all around, and Cassandra's story is fully modernized and absolutely chilling. But its also fascinating to see how Shanower fearlessly takes on some of the classics of literature to tell his own story. The central part of "Sacrifice" is identical with Euripides's masterpiece, "Iphegenia at Aulis." Dangerous drawing so clear a comparison with such a classic, yet Shanower succeedes brilliantly, not simply rewriting it, but fitting it into the larger story.
This is not a good starting point -- anyone not reading vol. 1 will probably be lost -- but this volume is highly recommended, and not just for people who love mythology or graphic novels. Make no mistake... this is excellent literature.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!, March 18, 2005
This review is from: Age of Bronze, Vol. 2: Sacrifice (Hardcover)
This book is the second in a series by author and illustrator Eric Shanower. This series combines the Classic stories surrounding the Trojan War with modern archaeology, and uses a graphic novel format to bring those ancient stories to life. Everyone is here: Ajax, Paris, Odysseus, Menelaus, and (of course) the radiant Helen. This book begins with Helen's arrival at Troy, Kassandra's prediction of the destruction of Troy, and follows through to the story of the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter, and the preparation for the sailing of the Greek armada.
This is a wonderful graphic novel, one that really brings the old stories to life, and puts them together to form a complete and logical whole. I really liked the way the author used our present knowledge of ancient architecture and clothing to make the stories seem so realistic.
Now, I don't recommend this graphic novel for younger or more sensitive readers. If you are familiar with the Classical stories, you know that such topics as rape, incest, and homosexuality are an integral part of the story. As such, any book that deals with these stories *must* deal with these topics.
But, even with that in mind, I must say that this is an excellent book. If you are a fan of the ancient Greek and Roman stories, and would like to see them in a modern format, then this is the book for you. I am very glad that I read this book, and can't wait for the next one to come out!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Even Homer would get a kick out of this, January 29, 2005
This review is from: Age of Bronze, Vol. 2: Sacrifice (Hardcover)
This and the preceding volume of the projected seven-part series are an enjoyable, readable retelling of the story of the Trojan war with a brisk pace and well developed characters. Shanower does not limit himself to the material in Homer's works; he ranges throughout classic literature to tell the many interwoven stories that make up this greatest of all the epic tales. He tells the tale in a naturalistic manner: encounters with gods are depicted as dreams, and the supernatural events in Homer are rendered realistically. He adds credibility to many of the inexplicable aspects of the Homeric version. For example, whereas in Homer the Greeks have no motive for fighting a ten-year war other than to recover Helen, Shanower describes Troy's command of trade routes to the Black Sea and makes it clear that Agamemnon and his allies are after power and wealth, not just a runaway wife. Shanower adds dimension to many of the Homeric characters, especially Paris, whom he portrays as egotistical and foolish, and Agamemnon, who becomes an aggressive but canny politician. Although the violence is tame compared with superhero comic books, the characters are adults who do adult things, such as have sex with each other, and if you don't think children should see that sort of thing, don't buy this for them. (The sex is not explicit and the nudity very limited.) The dialog is not given an "ancient" or "classic" tone; rather, the characters speak in what would pass for everyday English. Although the drawings are black and white, they have a cinematic flair-Shanower changes the perspective from frame to frame to keep each page visually interesting. The many carefully rendered details of clothes, buildings, and everyday life give the story an even greater sense of realism. As I was reading it I thought, "This is really the way it might have happened."
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