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Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath
 
 
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Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath [Paperback]

Alexis E Fajardo (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

Price: $15.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Book Description

9 and up4 and upKid Beowulf
The Adventure of a Childhood Gone Heroic!

Discover the extraordinary origin of twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel!

The heroes destiny is tied to the past, as a prince named Hrothgar begins a quest for power one that leads him to a fiery dragon, an enchanted sword, and an oath sworn in blood. But when Hrothgar breaks his oath he breaks his kingdom, and the only thing that will save it is a family he s forgotten and heroes not yet born...

Inspired by the epic poem BEOWULF, the Kid Beowulf series follows the adventures of 12-year-old twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel as they travel to distant lands and meet fellow epic heroes therein!


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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–In the standard Beowulf story, the character appears as a full-fledged hero, with little concept of how he actually became one. Fajardo tells the backstory, using a blend of humor and soap-opera plot twists. The book opens with a prologue that admirably and entertainingly sums up the classic story in just seven pages of poetry and panel art. This section contains several warnings that men twist the truth, and the rest of the book purports to show just who Beowulf really was. Part One tells the story of his ancestors, including how several of them meet the dragon that is waiting for someone else from their bloodline for his ultimate battle. This dragon makes a deal with Hrothgar to help him rule the land, but the combining of their blood causes unforeseen problems when Hrothgar's wife becomes pregnant with what will one day become Gertrude. Part Two covers the events leading up to Beowulf's birth–as Grendel's twin brother. It isn't until Part Three that readers finally see Beowulf as a boy who has no idea of his convoluted family heritage. When he rescues another boy by killing a sea serpent, his abilities become apparent to those around him. The cartoon-style illustrations are lively and contain lots of visual humor. This book will be most enjoyable to readers familiar with the original story as they'll be able to understand all of the references and appreciate the jokes.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

In the standard Beowulf story, the character appears as a full-fledged hero, with little concept of how he actually became one. Fajardo tells the backstory, using a blend of humor and soap-opera plot twists. The book opens with a "prologue" that admirably and entertainingly sums up the classic story in just seven pages of poetry and panel art. This section contains several warnings that men "twist the truth," and the rest of the book purports to show just who Beowulf really was. Part One tells the story of his ancestors, including how several of them meet the dragon that is waiting for someone else from their bloodline for his ultimate battle. This dragon makes a deal with Hrothgar to help him rule the land, but the combining of their blood causes unforeseen problems when Hrothgar's wife becomes pregnant with what will one day become Gertrude. Part Two covers the events leading up to Beowulf's birth-as Grendel's twin brother. It isn't until Part Three that readers finally see Beowulf as a boy who has no idea of his convoluted family heritage. When he rescues another boy by killing a sea serpent, his abilities become apparent to those around him. The cartoon-style illustrations are lively and contain lots of visual humor. This book will be most enjoyable to readers familiar with the original story as they'll be able to understand all of the references and appreciate the jokes.
--Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library --School Library Journal / Graphic Novels, 9/1/2008

Originally self-published under the imprint Lexpress in 2005, Kid Beowulf was recently picked up by Bowler Hat Comics and then redone and re-imagined. While the original Kid Beowulf was good, the newer is really good. Alexis Fajardo, writes and draws a fun and whimsical what if? comic inspired by the epic poem Beowulf which is studied in most high school literature classes.

The comics starts off with a modern translation of the epic poem, but the rest of the tale focuses on who Grendel and Beowulf really are and much of the story seems to stem from this this one stanza: Then Grendel saw this Beowulf, he looked different from the others, something odd... something amiss... in a another life, they could be brothers.

While many readers struggle with the poem in their high school literature classes, there is nothing difficult about following the story of Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath, which is filled with magic, intrigue, betrayal, and all the other good stuff that makes for a good story.

Hrothgar nearly drowns on his way to propose marriage to a woman from the waring Heathobard clan. He is saved by a dragon and given a second chance at life if he promises to serve and protect his people when he becomes king. Upon his return, Hrothgar discovers he has been gone for 3 years and that his father is long dead. He assumes the throne, but instead of fulfilling his oath, Hrothgar seeks wealth and power, and takes what isn t his. His actions result difficult consequences that he and his people must live with for years to come.

Classroom teachers can pair this story with Gareth Hind s Beowulf. It could fuel a lot of disucssion as students compare the artwork. Hind s stark and life like drawings, to Fajardo s fun cartoonish style. But best of all, younger children who may have just heard the name Beowulf (there was a movie not long ago), might be curious enough and pick it up on their own and they won't be disappointed. --Good Comics for Kids

The Prologue summarizes the epic poem in short verse, a helpful reminder to those of us who know we ve read it but don t remember it. The book s divided into three sections, past, present, and future. The first shows how bullying Prince Hrothgar goes adventuring in preparation for a hoped-for marriage to Yrs.

The second follows Hrothgar s half-dragon child Gertrude, who yearns to know more about her father and his human village. Arrogant Hrothgar is consumed with the desire to build the world s greatest celebration hall, a grandiose fantasy inappropriate for his times and people.

It s the third part where we finally meet Beowulf and Grendel, reimagined as 12-year-old twins (only one s human and the other s green with horns). By that point, we know little about their characters, but plenty about their family and heritage.

I don t normally read fantasy because there are frequently too many characters running about fighting over tribal differences and squabbling over whose father s legacy land belonged to whom. I felt a little of that in the beginning, but the humor and interactions drew me through. I also liked the talking sword, Nagling, for comedic relief.

This doesn t really have much to do with the poem; instead, it s teen fantasy adventure with plenty of soap opera. Future volumes are planned in which Beowulf and Grendel will meet the heroes of other epic poems. --Comics Worth Reading


Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Bowler Hat Comics (July 1, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0980141915
  • ISBN-13: 978-0980141917
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,038,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A humorous, readable and anachronistic retelling of an olde saga, August 21, 2008
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath (Paperback)
I love it when a classic tale gets revamped and retold so when I saw Alexis E. Fajardo's readable re-working of the northern European epic of Beowulf into his own graphic novel Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath, I knew I had to pick it up.

Like a modern, American version of Astérix, Fajardo imbues his tale with humorous anachronism, archaic invocations of the Norse gods: "by Odin's eye!" and a character list long enough to fill a mead hall. However, his quick-handed illustrations and flowing narrative never lose the reader in a mire of swamp snakes as they try to sort out where these ancient people's allegiances lie in a constantly shifting landscape of survival and migration. I think his mix of old and new should appeal to readers young and old alike.

Neither as violent nor as graphic as the original saga, this graphic novel diverges widely from the original text while managing to remain faithful to the general atmosphere of the era. The characters of Gertrude (the half-dragon mother to twins Grendel and Beowulf) and the jaded, world-weary Dragon are perhaps some of the most humorous and well-developed characters though younger readers should easily be able to relate to the impetuous actions of hormone-driven the Geats, Danes and Heathobards.

With an ambitious twelve-part series in the works, Fajardo sets the stage in Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath for Grendel and Beowulf's travels across Europe and all the great civilizations of the old world, like China, Mesopotamia, Hellas (Greece) and the Kievan Rus (Russia). For each subsequent graphic novel he proposes a retelling of these cultures' classic sagas, all with our two twin heroes at the center of the action, of course. The next title in the series is set for a voyage to medieval France and a few centuries' jump to the future in Kid Beowulf and the Song of Roland.

An illustrated Cliff's Notes version of the Beowulf passages you were assigned to read in incomprehensible Olde English for your English Lit course, this isn't; you certainly won't be able to write your term paper on the original after reading just this.

However, if you've got a passion for the classics and medieval European culture and enjoy seeing them updated in a humorous light, then this graphic novel is for you. I see more and more graphic novels being used to teach the classics today, both at the high school and collegiate level; so if you find yourself railing against the fact that "kids these days" never pick up a book anymore, much less one of the classic epics that comprise a part of European culture, then this comic is a great way to get them hooked. I for one was ready to jump into the next in the series, but unfortunately I'll have to wait until it's published!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome back, Mr. Beowulf, October 26, 2008
This review is from: Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath (Paperback)
What a joy to see a historic story line with age-old concepts and character studies re-introduced to a rather jaded public - both young and old! Alexis E. Fajardo as author and artist has taken a very large bite of the apple in bringing Beowulf back to the fireside. His ideas for future such books is very encouraging, and I look forward to seeing his wonderful illustrations and reading his marvelous dialogues. All in all a brilliant start on what I hope will be a very successful series. I wish Alexis a very long career in his writing and illustration.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story and artwork alike!, September 1, 2008
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This review is from: Kid Beowulf and the Blood-Bound Oath (Paperback)
I was amazed at the original twist on this ancient tale. The illustrations are gorgeous! I can't wait for the sequels.
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