Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge ( Volume 1 ) [Paperback]

Masamune Shirow (Author), Toren Smith (Author), Dana Lewis (Author), Masamune Shirow (Author)

Book Description

Series: Appleseed | Publication Date: April 4, 2000

Functional simplicity, structural complexity: the best life for all. That's the maxim of Olympus, the utopian city that sprung from the ashes of World War III. But Deunan and Bri, a young woman and her cyborg companion just entering the rose-tinted society, find that so long as there are different kinds of people there will be differences among them. Such is the story of Appleseed, the masterwork of manga storyteller Masamune Shirow. Beautiful art and a complex and fully realized future world rank this title among the best comics available.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Even if Masamune Shirow is more widely known for creating Ghost in the Shell, it is for his magnum opus Appleseed that he became known as a master comics storyteller. And it's easy to see why. The fiction world that Appleseed takes place in--a near-future, post-WWIII utopia--is exquisitely crafted and detailed. Into this new utopia come Deunan Knute, a nomad street-smart soldier, and her cyborg partner, Briareos. This book moves at a leisurely pace as we are introduced to the characters and their new home on the island of Olympus. But once the stage is set and the pieces are in place, an action scene erupts that carries through the rest of the book. From here the central thematic conflict of the series is established: the human race's two options of (1) pursuing their every desire, thereby dragging their whole world into destruction, or (2) changing their very nature to preserve the present sterile utopia forever. This is essential reading for anyone interested in science fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; 2nd edition (April 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569710708
• ISBN-13: 978-1569710708
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,752,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Master at work, July 15, 1998

By 

Xian([e-mail]) (Farview Hts. Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge ( Volume 1 ) (Paperback)

These books have to be some of the best storylines on the market. Shirow delivers a indepth, vibrant and not-so-perfect view of the future. With all of the advances in genetics and technology, will humanity ever find true happiness? These books look at this and other issues that might face humanity in a eutopian society. This book is a must for those who either love Shirow's work, or are looking for a more intense, and thought provoking story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to the golden cage..., March 27, 2004

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge ( Volume 1 ) (Paperback)

World War Three is over. Nuclear weapons were not used, but just about everything else was. Old nations have died out and new powers have replaced them. A nomad soldier, Deunan Knute, and her cyborg partner, Briareos, have been taken from the ruins, out of the wastes, to utopia. A utopia called Olympus, the central city of the new Earth.
Yet, even utopia has power struggles. Will mankind be changed and became something better IF nonhuman or embrace total peace at the cost of his spirit? Or will it all be destroyed again by uncontrolled emotions such as hate and greed?
Or will mankind be able to find a way, a path that combines it all? Shirow is the best artist to help us ask the question and maybe the only one who can help us answer it.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection, May 8, 2003

By 

Q. Campion "hellequinjester" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge ( Volume 1 ) (Paperback)

Masamune Shirow's works are THE standard by which all sci-fi/cyberpunk mangas are written, and Appleseed is no exception. This first book is filled with action, amazing technical designs, and great characters, all of which is rounded off by a nice dose of humour (which is sadly lacking from books three and four). A highly recommended purchase.