Customer Reviews

Beowulf

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those who haven't read the 3183 lines of the epic poem*, and are unlikely to do so in the near future (or before the end of time), here's a précis version of the classic tale - with pictures!

Retold by Stefan Petrucha for the 8 - 12 age group, this graphic novel captures the basic elements of the story, keeping it short and simple, yet age appropriately creepy and gory.

1. Grendel, descendant of Cain, really hates human beings having fun and praising God.
2. He becomes the ultimate party pooper
3. Beowulf sails in with the tide and some good men to come to the aid of the party.
4. Beowulf and Grendel arm wrestle to the death
5. Beowulf faces the wrath of Grendel's mum (who looks nothing like Angelina Jolie in the novel, but strangely, not unlike Joan Rivers.)
6. Fifty years later, he has dragon trouble
7. Wyrd!

This historical superhero may have come back into fashion with a little help from Robert Zemeckis and Angelina Jolie, but unlike the recent movie, this version is one that Angie won't mind her kids having a peek at.

Recommended for young adults who need to take their literature medicine with a spoonful of sugar.



Amanda Richards, January 10, 2008


*puts up hand and waves

This is the epic tale of Beowulf, the world's first Superhero. The story was written over a thousand years ago, and is the world's first known English epic. What is different about this version of Beowulf is that this is a graphic novel version intended for young adult readers. The illustrations are fascinating, tell the story wonderfully, and manage to add a visual impact to the story that one would not get in just reading a regular Beowulf book. The images are also not overly graphic (very little blood, no guts or truly horrible images) so the book is perfect for a young person, or for an adult that does not like extremely graphic violence. The story is not in old english, but in regular english, and toned down slightly from the original which is ideal to keep the younger reader's interest.
The age recommendation is age 9 to 12 on the information provided on the book by Amazon.com. However, my 5 year old and my 7 year old have enjoyed this book immensely. I am glad that I discovered this version of Beowulf, as they are too young to enjoy a regular version, but this version is perfect for their age. I highly recommend this book.

Based on the classic story, this graphic novel tells the tale of Beowulf, an epic hero who bravely faces the most fearsome creatures.

In the kingdom of Hrothgar, men are being slaughtered by a godless creature. Grendel has proven that he cannot be defeated, even by the king's greatest warriors. He comes in the night and feeds on the men. After twelve years, Beowulf comes to the aid of Hrothgar. He defeats Grendel and earns himself fame. But his battle is far from over, for another monster has come to avenge Grendel--his mother.

BEOWULF is one of the most popular tales of heroism, being passed from generation to generation. Here it is presented in stark simplicity. The tale of brutal danger and the raw battles for life are coupled with sharp, dark images. The effect is a novel that is as ominous as the story itself.

Reviewed by: JodiG.

My 9 year old son hates to read and after starting this book was begging to be allowed to stay up and read. He even read it on his way to school the next day. I am definitely getting him more of these types of books!

My school teaches an adapted version of Beowulf in 7th grade. My advanced students in ESOL often have to read the book with their regular English class. It is very difficult for them as they aren't fluent in English and difficult for me to explain. This graphic novel is good reading and can help me with the the other book. I was glad to find this and hope more graphic novels come out in this fashion. Thanks!

A kid's graphic novel, it seems, with a bit of a simplified version of the Grendel story.

The art you could perhaps call somewhere between Miller and Oeming and Mignola, sort of darkly lit.

Beowulf himself looks quite a bit like how Oliver Queen is drawn, and when later on he is actually in green armor, it can be a little disconcerting.

However, the tale of Beowulf vs Grendel, then Grendel's mum, and the Dragon is not too bad at all, and older readers won't mind it either.


3.5 out of 5

I admit, I've never read Beowulf in poem form (though I hear Heaney's translation is phenomenal and that the Tim Murphy Alan Sullivan translation is the best there is), but I wanted to see the movie, and since my Beowulfs are in another state, I went ahead and bought the 'children's' graphic novel. I have to say, either it doesn't translate well to comic format, or maybe it is to a younger audience. Nothing phenomenal about it as a comic book, but you just know it stands important, if not in this format.