Customer Reviews

Elfquest #3: captives of blue mountain

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The present "Reader's Collection" version of the EQ series presents the first eight books (originally 37 issues) in their original black-and-white format. Despite the absence of color, this edition is valuable for its wealth of visual detail - some of which was unfortunately lost when Marvel Comics reissued the series (up to no. 20) in colorized form - blunt and unsubtle color, to say truth. (Beg, borrow or steal the Donning color versions from the mid-80s!) The point has been made repeatedly, of course, but rereading the original 20 issues reminds one, again, of the incredible amount of thought that went into the creation of the story - as LITERATURE as well as art. For an author to create not one but 17 protagonists - whose cares, fears and hopes virtually become our own - is not often acheived even in ordinary literature... certainly never in the comic industry! For all the magic-users, trolls, and insectoids featured in the series, it is the emotional realism - the use of the elfin to mirror the human - that has, and always will, make Elfquest what it is.

This is the third book out of four collections of the original quest which are, in my opinion, works of genius!! The first book is Fire and Flight, the second - The Forbidden Grove, and the last (In my opinion, as the stuff that follows doesn't really seem like Elfquest to me) is the Quest's End. I have been reading those same four books over and over again for 15 years and I feel that they have enriched my life.

If you are new to the world of elfquest this is the third book in the elfquest line.Before it comes the books Fire and Flight(book #1)and the Forbbiden Grove(book #2). In this book, you meet the Gliders, a group of elves that claims to be the High Ones. You also meet the dark and evil Winnowill, a healer but one which uses her powers for hurting rather then healing.Lastly you learn the secret of the Wolfriders... I won't give away the story but I do reccomend you buy this book for its art,story and feeling...

The Wolfriders are captured by the Bird Spirits and kept as slaves within their hollow and elaboratly rock-shaped mountain home. Cutter and the rest of his brave band must free them from the clutches of Winnowill.

This novel is not just about rescue. Integration of cultures and ideals is the ultimate goal. Exploration of what happens to a culture that not only stagnates, but does so for millenia, with the same population; until the Wolfriders upset the balance of power that is.

For those already won over by the fantabulous Pini(s) this novel version is a rare treat. You get indepth characters. And you thought they were rather complete before?

For those hesitant to try something called, "ElfQuest," you're really missing out. Although there is no drawing within these pages, the artwork is there nonetheless.

What Wendy Pini can usually convey with a single image, she proves able to do with a single word as well. Well written and characterized, this novel has earned a 10

For all of you Winnowill lovers out there, this is the book for you!! It is chock full of Gliders, Wolfriders and Adventure! I strongly suggest you read it. Then you can see: Lord Voll being killed Winnowill being partially healed Wolfrider caught in strangleweed!

Of course, being an ElfQuest fan, I love pretty much everything ElfQuest, including this book, and so will you if you like ElfQuest in general.

However, this is the paperback/black and white edition-don't buy it! Warp and Marvel comics are coming out with hardback, color editions of I believe all of the ElfQuest storyline, just slightly re-organized from the last hardcover/color edition of their graphic novels that they released- heads up, don't go paying fifty bucks online for someone's used old copy! Unless you're really impatient don't go buying this! The next one to be redone in color and hardback should be #3! They've done 1 and 2!

Although it will be more expensive that way, if you're going to bother getting into something that is primarily a visual medium, why not in color as it was meant to be seen? Nothing "artistic" about this kind of B&W, it just loses.

ElfQuest is a wounderful series for anyone whom reads it. It is full of some of the personal expierences from Wendy and Richard Pini's own life, it contains moral lessons, it has incredible insight, a dynamic story and georgeous artwork, do not pass this book up! IT ROCKS!!!

This EQ book is one of the best!! lots of our favorite villiness..Winnie, but it broke my heart! I rate this book the sadest of all the graphic novels. Seeing all those tears, Strongbow getting tourchered, and deserting the Wolfriders, and numerous deaths, (including a wolfrider who shall remain nameless) will bring you to tears...it did for me! You must read this book. Beautifully drawn and writtin. I salut the Pinis!

I thought the book was a little dull compared to other ElfQuest novels. It moved much too slowly, and the character Winnowill started off good and got to be one of those invincible hero types. The wolfriders never could have beaten her--she had to kill herself! I would have liked to see Cutter's cousin learn a better way of dealing with her and the glider elves. by being their prisoner for the longest. Recognition throughout the whole story was a cheat. You didn't get to see enough of the bond between the glider elf and the wolfrider elf. Not to mention, I thought it was an accepted fact of Wolfrider life that their mixing in with the wolves was essential to their continued survival -- they knew their physical bodies would eventually die. With each past novel, the Wolfrider chiefs before Cutter had to come to terms with this. Why was this knowledge such a shock to them in this book? I don't know, maybe I missed something. Anyone else read this book?

I thought this was one of the best books in the EQ series, and coming from me thats saying quite a bit, oh and Winnowill is a subject worth thinking about.