The Golden Vine [Paperback]

Jai Sen (Author), Siejuro Mizu (Author), Umeka Asayuki (Author), Shino Yotsumoto (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

The dying words of Alexander the Great summon his son, Alexander IV, to the capital of the World Empire. There, the prince confronts a conspiracy that threatens his ascension to the throne.

To prevent the disintegration of Alexander's united world government, Alexander IV must travel the labyrinthine paths of memory, though his father's letters and the recollections of the emperor's beloved companion Hephaestion, to the center of mystery: What is the secret of the Golden Vine?

To rule the world, the prince must know...

The daring alternate history of a united world from the Xeric award-winning author of Garlands of Moonlight and The Ghost of Silver Cliff. Full color, gorgrously illustrated in three visual styles by artsits Seijuro Mizu, Umeka Asayuki, and Shino Yotsumoto.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...propel[s] the reader beyond the borders of history into the realms of mystery and imagination. -- Eric Shanower, writer-illustrator of Age of Bronze

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Shoto Pr (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971756414
• ISBN-13: 978-0971756410
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,632,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jai Sen spent his early years in India and Indonesia, and later lived in Japan. He is now based in New York, though he travels often.

He is the author of The Golden Vine, an alternate history of the empire of Alexander the Great illustrated by Tokyo-based artists Seijuro Mizu, Umeka Asayuki, and Shino Yotsumoto. He is also the lead writer of The Malay Mysteries, including the Xeric award-winning and Eisner-nominated Garlands of Moonlight; The Ghost of Silver Cliff, which he co-authored with Eric Bryden; Island of Glass and Ashes; and the newly published Sita's Shadow and Other Stories.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing alternate history, May 23, 2003

By 

fp01 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Vine (Paperback)

Alexander the Great seems poised to make a come-back among the general public with upcoming films which will remind everyone of the extraordinary life of this would-be world conqueror who died before reaching his goal.
But what if he'd succeeded? What if all the lands had been united by Alexander? This is the world of The Golden Vine. Writer Jai Sen has crafted a unique story, a fantasy all the more believable as his meticulous research brings back to life long-dead peoples and their customs.

The three artists who took part in this mammoth project each illustrate a part of the decades-spanning story, as seen through Alexander's son eyes (a son who in reality was assassinated after his father's death). Their work is visually rich and it is a testament to their skill that such different art styles compose such a coherent book.
The characters all come to life thanks to the non-melodramatic dialogues and believable relationships, from Alexander and his longtime companion Hephaestion to Philip, Alexander's short-tempered father, or Olympias, his mysterious and powerful mother.

It is obvious that The Golden Vine is a labor of love for all involved. The printing quality of the book (a golden ink is cleverly used throughout the book and shows that such a device can be used for something else than showing off) is another proof of that.
I'm sincerely impressed by this work. I read a good part of the current crop of mature graphic novels, and I can safely declare that The Golden Vine should be considered as one of the most original and engaging drawn books in recent times.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ingenious twist on a legend, June 19, 2003

By 

Leonard Chan (Irvine, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Vine (Paperback)

The Golden Vine is a wonderfully written and beautifully painted book. At first glance, I was suprised at just how thick the novel is, but did not notice it by the time I had finished reading it the same day it arrived on my door step!

Jai Sen's imagination is out of this world. The use of gold ink throughout the story is simply amazing. The artwork is nothing seen in todays realm of comics in the U.S. The details are microscopic and the panoramic pages simply flow perfectly from page to page. Words cannot describe how much I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Golden Vine. I picked up Garlands of Moonlight after all the buzz it received from winning the Xeric award and was pleasantly suprised by the story. The Golden Vine blows Garlands out of the water. For anybody who loves twists on past stories, japanese animation, comics, or just a great book, give The Golden Vine a browse.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too bad..., December 31, 2003

By 

rjones2818 "Rex A. Jones" (Somewhere in Indiana, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Vine (Paperback)

Ultimately, this is a story of the world as it might have been. Sure, we only see it around 300 bce, but it's a view as to what Alexander might have been able to do if he and Hephaistion would have lived. Of course, I'd be writing this is what would probably be a dialect of Greek. The story is fabulous and the art is amazing. The best thing, of course, is to realize that if the idea that every possiblility actually gets carried out in an alternate universe, we might someday be able to find somewhere that something similar to this actually happened.