Broxo [Paperback]

Zack Giallongo (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2012 | Age Range: 10 and up

In this wildly entertaining fantasy debut we meet Broxo, the only surviving member of a tribe of barbarians who once occupied a now-desolate mountain. All alone in the world, Broxo spends his time on the mountain hunting and avoiding the man-eating walking dead that periodically drag themselves out of a fetid lake.

 

Everything changes when Zora, a foreign princess, arrives on the mountain seeking Broxo's lost tribe. Can the two young warriors together defeat the living dead?

 

With accessible and beautiful art, killer fight scenes, and a story that mixes humor, romance, and classic high fantasy, Broxo is a tale you're sure to enoy.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Nobody messes with Broxo, a young warrior with a wicked sword, a fierce horned-beast companion, and a fearless resolve. Which, to be fair, might be because nobody else lives on Peryton Peak. Except for that untrustworthy witch and those zombified corpses, who all kind of mess with Broxo. And Princess Zora of a far-off family, who comes to the mountain to find the lost Peryton clan and stirs everything up in Broxo’s solitary existence. Together they slash, stab, sneak, and snark their way through the mystery of what happened to Broxo’s people. Giallongo’s art sits somewhere between Jeff Smith’s Bone and Richard Pini’s Elfquest, which is about as ideal a spot for a fantasy comic as you could hope. While not exactly splashing around the page, there’s some serious bloodshed as a result of the intense, sword-swinging action sequences, though the violence never strays into the gratuitous territory. A strong graphic-novel debut that touches on ideas of loyalty, friendship, betrayal, and heritage with the crisp zing of a blade slicing the air. Grades 7-10. --Ian Chipman

About the Author

Zack Giallongo was born and raised in Massachusetts, although one half of his family lives in Indiana. Between New England and the Midwest, he's a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. He currently lives with two cats and enjoys playing the banjo. He also likes cheese, bowling, and writing in the third person. Broxo is his first graphic novel.

Product Details

• Age Range: 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: First Second; Original edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596435518
• ISBN-13: 978-1596435513
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent read, decent art April 3, 2013

By Jeff Bowman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The story wasn't fantastic, but it was still a good read for a rainy day. Art is OK. I kept it and
didn't sell it when I was finished, so I must have liked it pretty well. If you like a lot of deep thought and plot twist,
the story may not go deep enough for you. It had a plot and reveals it in good time, but somehow it isn't fantastic, just
"enjoyable".

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Reveiw. March 10, 2013

By Balin

Format:Paperback

I actually got this book at Comic-Con 2012. It's even autographed towards me. But that is besides the point.

This book is great,I mean the setting,plot,and characters. It fits all age groups. I really want this book to do good for a sequel. If you looking for a good read,pick this up.

5.0 out of 5 stars Broxo is creatively set, well-written, and beautiful! November 24, 2012

By rstewartist

Format:Paperback

This book features consistently well-rendered artwork: Galliongo exercises an excellent knowledge of human anatomy, natural scenery, mood lighting/color, and beautiful stylization that is both believable and creative.
The story and setting are very well-written, creative, and is actually unpredictable at some times, thought it is generally paced and plotted in a straightforward way. It is a bit of a viking/tribal/zombie flick, with some magic and monsters. The creation story and mythology/deity are essential to the story but also integrated very well for a graphic novel without heavy exposition.
A very well-rounded cast of characters, including lots of strong females, but all likeable regardless of gender.
Great pacing, doesn't go by too quickly, dramatic but not in a cheesy or fluffy way.

I'd recommend it for both a young and old audience, appropriate I think fir 13+, appeals to girls and boys (a lot of peril and bleeding, plus some scary fighting and zombies). As long as you aren't shy of some dark and mystical content.
Now I want to read some more Zack Giallongo, really well done!

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh and appealing November 24, 2012

By Mary Jane Richard

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The artwork was fantastic and the young characters believable and attractive.. It would appeal to any middle school/ high school fans of graphic novels.

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! November 1, 2012

By Nicola Manning TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

Reason for Reading: I seem to be taking a break from fantasy these days but this "classic high fantasy" appealed to me and I was hoping it would be suitable for my son.

I really enjoyed this novel. Not only on my own level but once I got into the story I also started reading with an eye out for my son's appreciation, as a struggling reader needing high-interest stories this fits the bill to a "T". Broxo is a wonderful "quest" fantasy. Set in an alien humanoid world, Zora sets off to prove herself to her family by helping to reunite the five realms in search of the lost tribe of Peryton. Here she meets Broxo, a warrior of her own age and his pet, a gigantic snow beast. They are not quick to make friends, both being quite self-centered and egotistical; but as events unfold and they come to realise they need each other's attributes to succeed they become friends. They meet up with a mysterious non-human woman whose status of evil or good is questionable, a horde of zombie-like people, the ghost of an ancestor and a beast out to get Broxo to revenge his mother's death. All the while, the mystery as to what happened to Broxo's clan which disappeared when he was a baby must be solved. An entertaining story with plenty of action. With both a male and female main character it should appeal to everyone but Broxo himself is the scene stealer along with his ginormous (yet somehow cute) pet. The battle scenes are intense with blood but no gore and the suspense of the story is maintained throughout. All the characters are sympathetic to the reader and this is a very satisfying read. Completely age appropriate to the recommended age group and well beyond.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner!: All About The Characters October 14, 2012

By Book Sake VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Graphic Novel Review by Chris for Book Sake
There is a really subtle brilliance with Broxo. The story is simple fare with an appropriate climatic ending, but the real power of this book is the moments in between the story. The characters feel alive in this book. The relationship that blossoms between the two main characters is tangible. Even the back story of secondary characters and the villain gain a life of their own. I could really see Broxo and Zoro being a kid's favorite new characters.

The book is very easy to read. It never feels heavy on the story, but it still seems to say so much. It has the feel of a classic about it. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I read these books that felt so real that I wanted to be in that world and I'd imagine myself there. That's what Broxo did. It transported me back to when I was kid and I pretend sticks were swords and trees were evil knights.

The artwork is expressive and character's emotions display vividly on the page. It ranges from humor to anger to embarrassment and delivers that all perfectly. The action sequences really carry a lot of speed and intensity.

You really can't go wrong with this book. I found myself wanting to snuggle up in bed with this book and be engulfed by it. Bonus points for zombies as well.

Graphic Novel Review by Kole for Book Sake
Broxo is all about the characters. The story may not be all that, but watching the characters and how they interact is a treat. Each one has their own personality and some you just hate. The author does a great job at pulling emotions from you for these characters. You root for the good guys and hate the baddies.... It took a little while for me to understand what was going on, just because of the use of family names and places we don't use, and the main characters constant curse word is different from ours. There are many parts of the story that will leave you wondering, not necessarily in the good way. There are just things that weren't explained enough for me. But I put that aside and tried to judge this book based more on the characters and their growth throughout this graphic novel. I really wish we could see them in another book, but we'll just have to settle for whatever new ones Zack Giallongo brings us. And by "settle for", I mean enjoy.

Book Received: For free from publisher in exchange for an honest review Read more ›