Meet Army Shanks - crusty old sea dog and legendary brawler of the high Arctic seas! He's got just one mission: to find the mythical island paradise known as Far Arden, which lies hidden (so they say) in the wintry oceans of the far North. But there's more than just water standing between Shanks and his goal: he'll have to contend with circus performers, adorable orphans, heinous villains, bitter ex-lovers, well-meaning undergraduates, and the full might of the Royal Canadian Arctic Navy! Not to mention he's not so sure how to get to Far Arden in the first place... In his first solo graphic novel, Kevin Cannon (Top Ten; Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards) proves himself a master spinner of yarns with Far Arden.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In this fanciful tale set in arctic Canada, disparate characters struggle to find a mythic paradise island, Far Arden. Despite far-fetched aspects like the evil, bureaucracy-controlled Royal Canadian Arctic Navy, a half-man/half–polar bear and a conniving university professor of psychology, the story becomes mundane through the intertwining character relations and attention to detail in constructing the world. The protagonist, a stoic, rugged arctic pirate, Army Shanks, searches for the island to reunite with his mentor, Simon Arctavis, but is hindered by old acquaintances and ill-fortune. Slowly, the reader becomes immersed in this alternate arctic world. Commonplace and strange are fused, as rants on the dangers of global warming transition into a battle with a polar bear. The thick crosshatched backgrounds and simple fluid characters further ground the story. As the entwined pasts of Army, his ex, her current husband, a college couple and an orphan bent on revenge for his father's murder are revealed, entwining pasts become clear and the full range of this engrossing story is revealed. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up—Known best for his prowess in illustration, Cannon has written a fun and exciting modern-day pirate tale. Army Shanks, a rugged sailor, is infatuated with locating Far Arden, a mythical haven in the Arctic, complete with lush fruit trees and flowers, waterfalls, and exotic women. His quest to find this elusive paradise is filled with twists and turns, trials and tribulations as he meets an odd assortment of seemingly unrelated characters, including an ex-lover, two college students, undercover "environmental cops," an orphan, a corrupt circus warden with his captive "man beast," and a ruthless professor who will stop at nothing to discover Far Arden. Cleverly weaving together his extraordinary cast of characters through past histories and present events, the author neatly ties everything up in a satisfying ending. The images in each panel skillfully match the tone of the story and beautifully support the characterization of individuals and events as they unfold. Cannon has proved himself to be a riveting storyteller with this fast-paced adventure that features polar-bear fights, kidnapping, conspiracy, misinterpretations, and double-crosses.—Lara McAllister, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Mark McGinty
Format:Hardcover
I first started reading Kevin Cannon's graphic novel Far Arden while about halfway through another book. I'm usually pretty good at reading two books at once, alternating whimsically as my mood dictates. I could not do that with Far Arden. Ten pages in and I set it aside and finished the other book. I knew Far Arden was already a fascinating adventure story that I wanted to immerse myself in completely and without distraction.
The reader would benefit from knowing the story of how this book was produced: Cannon was challenged to draw one 24-hour comic (24 pages drawn and completed in 24 hours) each month for an entire year. The result if Far Arden, an epic adventure story set in the Canadian Arctic.
Enter the hero, Army Shanks. Imagine Indiana Jones reincarnated as a renegade Arctic pirate who looks like John Lennon but dresses like the guys from Whale Wars. It is Shanks' mission in life to discover the tropical utopia of Far Arden but before he gets there he must navigate through a delightful gang of eccentric characters that include a Russian businessman, a burly man in chains and a circus warden, a pair of nosey journalism students and a little Short Round who wears a fox pelt while searching for his father's killer. Sound original? You bet!
The story is great fun and it moves rather quickly. Every time I finished a chapter, I promised to read just one more and ended up pressing on because the story was just so damn interesting. Shanks doesn't put up with any BS and watching him fight, trick and luck his way through a series of amusing obstacles makes you root for him more and more.
The artwork is minimal yet striking which works to the story's advantage. The action scenes are highlighted with hilarious and very straightforward sounds and special effects such as "KICK OPEN!" "DRAG OUTSIDE" and "MID-AIR GROIN GRINDER!" that make you chuckle and nod with appreciation.
Kevin Cannon has created and populated a world of his own. Cannon's imagination transcends any Arctic legends of the mystical land and creates its own magic. Filled with humor, adventure, surprises and a villain that reminds you of Count Rugen, the mad scientist with the death machine from The Princess Bride, Far Arden has everything I love in a story.
Mark McGinty is the author of "Elvis and the Blue Moon Conspiracy"
The reader would benefit from knowing the story of how this book was produced: Cannon was challenged to draw one 24-hour comic (24 pages drawn and completed in 24 hours) each month for an entire year. The result if Far Arden, an epic adventure story set in the Canadian Arctic.
Enter the hero, Army Shanks. Imagine Indiana Jones reincarnated as a renegade Arctic pirate who looks like John Lennon but dresses like the guys from Whale Wars. It is Shanks' mission in life to discover the tropical utopia of Far Arden but before he gets there he must navigate through a delightful gang of eccentric characters that include a Russian businessman, a burly man in chains and a circus warden, a pair of nosey journalism students and a little Short Round who wears a fox pelt while searching for his father's killer. Sound original? You bet!
The story is great fun and it moves rather quickly. Every time I finished a chapter, I promised to read just one more and ended up pressing on because the story was just so damn interesting. Shanks doesn't put up with any BS and watching him fight, trick and luck his way through a series of amusing obstacles makes you root for him more and more.
The artwork is minimal yet striking which works to the story's advantage. The action scenes are highlighted with hilarious and very straightforward sounds and special effects such as "KICK OPEN!" "DRAG OUTSIDE" and "MID-AIR GROIN GRINDER!" that make you chuckle and nod with appreciation.
Kevin Cannon has created and populated a world of his own. Cannon's imagination transcends any Arctic legends of the mystical land and creates its own magic. Filled with humor, adventure, surprises and a villain that reminds you of Count Rugen, the mad scientist with the death machine from The Princess Bride, Far Arden has everything I love in a story.
Mark McGinty is the author of "Elvis and the Blue Moon Conspiracy"
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I couldn't put this book down. Kevin Cannon made an amazing book. I couldn't set it down (seriously -- I did not set it down until I finished it) and immediately after finishing it I wanted to move onto another book. Can't wait for the next story..
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Kevin Cannon, Far Arden (Top Shelf, 2009)
For some reason, I was expecting Far Arden to be one of those hip-cynical, all-too-self-aware comics when I picked it up. So when I ended up with a hare-brained adventure story, to call it a pleasant surprise would be something of an understatement. It's kind of slight in the final analysis, but it's often humorous, the characters are a lot of fun to hang around with, and the story, however simple, is a compelling one that's powered many a quest narrative over the centuries (the search for Utopia, in this case in the guide of Far Arden, a tropical paradise hidden in the arctic). It's a fun book, even if it does get a tough heavy-handed at times. Graphic novel fans will want to pick this one up. *** ˝
For some reason, I was expecting Far Arden to be one of those hip-cynical, all-too-self-aware comics when I picked it up. So when I ended up with a hare-brained adventure story, to call it a pleasant surprise would be something of an understatement. It's kind of slight in the final analysis, but it's often humorous, the characters are a lot of fun to hang around with, and the story, however simple, is a compelling one that's powered many a quest narrative over the centuries (the search for Utopia, in this case in the guide of Far Arden, a tropical paradise hidden in the arctic). It's a fun book, even if it does get a tough heavy-handed at times. Graphic novel fans will want to pick this one up. *** ˝
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fun Thoughtful Adventure Yarn
It's interesting watching all the disparate threads intertwine as the book progresses, and Armitage Shanks is one of the most compelling self-unaware characters in comics. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Donn Ha
4.0 out of 5 stars
* throw up a little in mouth *
Great story, great characters, great art, a fun and touching read all the way. Some people complain about the sound effects, some people complain about the ending, but ignore the... Read more
Published on January 30, 2011 by Daniel Werneck
2.0 out of 5 stars
Absurdly grim and manipulative second half ruins fun pulp story
The first half or so of this graphic novel is a pretty good time: the odd characters, humorous writing, fun pulp plot, and a neat little alternate Artic universe are definitely... Read more
Published on February 28, 2010 by pataphysismo
5.0 out of 5 stars
That comic made want to slap my momma!
"I'm kidding momma, sorry I love you bye..."
I'm not going to tell you the plot, but it amazing. I love the art style and the humor mostly. Read more
I'm not going to tell you the plot, but it amazing. I love the art style and the humor mostly. Read more
Published on August 24, 2009 by Denise O'Malley
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