Customer Reviews

Kingdom of the Winds Volume 1 (v. 1)

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The first thing that will strike you about "Kingdom Of the Winds" is the powerful imagery, with lavish drawings of ancient Korea, beautiful characters, and menacing beasts. The next thing that will pull you in is the strong character relationships, and the rich history--a combination of factual and mythological--that is told. Kimjin's use of stark black and white pulls you into the drama of what is going on, and is particularly beautiful in the sections depicting battles and interaction with the mythical creatures.

The story itself is compelling as well, for it is both an epic tale, as well as one that touches upon things which normal families struggle with. A clear theme where this is depicted is that of fathers and sons. For example, the hatred King Yuri shows his very children is simultaneously fascinating and frightening, and something which has made Muhyul vow to never be like his father. Yet, how is he going to be any different? When Muhyul cannot bear to fully acknowledge his own son, Hodong, because of the unfortunate fact that Hodong was born on the same day that Muhyul lost his brother? Relationships in this story are very complicated, and will keep you turning the pages to see what destiny seems to have laid out, who is falling in love, and who�s destroying someone in his way--even if that someone is his own flesh and blood.

All in all, while long novels with many historical elements can easily seem daunting, this is a beautiful story worth delving into and giving a chance! Easily a favorite for those enamored of the fantasy genre.

As with any historical retelling, Kingdom of the Winds is brimming of intrigue and tragedy, and does an amazing job of bringing the past to life in the retelling of this epic romance. The narrative that frames the chapters and snakes through the story brings it all together with a vivid and poetic language. Its mournful overtones set the stage for this impressive drama as demons from the past reemerge, mythology and reality blend, and a young prince fights to save his disjointed kingdom and family.

Kingdom of the Winds really floored me with its artwork. The black and white contrasts are used so well, with the subtle details coming out in the stylized sections of the chapters. From the harshness of the rainfall, to the intricacy of the portraitures, to the polished and misty demons, the art style shows its strong spirit and is truly a joy to behold. Kimjin showcases his artistic talents as it shifts gears from the sweeping vistas to the more tender moments where the actions and posing of the characters convey more emotions than words ever could, drawing you deeper into the complexly woven web they exist in.

The characters alone are reason enough to read Kingdom of the Winds. The noble Muhyun and the vindictive King Yuri highlight the extreme range of personalities and mentalities that run throughout the story. Even the demons and the mythology, which are so often passed off as generic monsters or mindless beasts, have their own characteristics and agendas, driving the story along at a feverish pace. I would definitely take dletterese's advice when she tells you to read the primer on the characters. KotW has drawn me in and brought me along on a whirlwind ride through a very small fraction of the history it wishes to explore. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

A cruel king rules over Goguryeo, an ancient kingdom in Korea. It is the year 18 A.D. In the past, King Yuri caused the death of his eldest son and no one would put it past him to kill more of his children. Lately, Yuri's son Yeojin has been missing and must be found before it's too late. Unless it's already too late...

That brings us to another one of Yuri's sons. Muhyul is a handsome and well-meaning young man who goes in search of his missing younger sibling. He asks the Lady of the Serpents if she's seen Yeojin, and the Lady rises up out of the waters to answer him. She's a beautiful, divine woman. He continues his search, and she's far from the first otherworldly being he'll come in contact with.

Kingdom of the Winds has an interesting blend going on. It has many moments of Asian high fantasy. There's talk about demons. However, it is also a historical book grounded in reality. King Yuri was real. Muhyul was real. Where do fact and fantasy meet?

That means that both fans of historical fiction and fantasy might be very interested in Kingdom of the Winds. (The only issue might be fans of historical fiction who want everything to be as accurate as possible, and not sometimes based on a writer's fancy.) Pages are sometimes footnoted to explain the historical people in the story, and several pages at the end of the book discuss the history more thoroughly. This manhwa might be an excellent tool in history classes. No, it doesn't tell outright history, but it brings the historical parts more alive and could get students interested in learning the real details.

The artwork is sometimes fairly complex and it's often lovely. This manhwa was originally published in Korea in 1992, though it was only recently brought to America by NetComics. It does have that 1980s-to-early-1990s feel in manhwa. Despite the fact it takes place 2,000 years ago, there's something about the way people are shown that can be reminiscent of 1980s fashion. Be that as it may, it doesn't mean that the fashion is shown inaccurately. The clothing people wear is quite detailed.

Other than fans of manhwa, history, and fantasy, fans of Kimjin ought to also flock to this title. She's also the writer and artist behind NetComic's Lethe series and The Starry Night. While Kingdom of the Winds gives an interesting take on historical people, it doesn't have to be read in an educational way. That's a bonus. It can just be read for the sake of a good story.
-- Danica Davidson

I've only read the first book, but I'm in love. The art is simply stunning, and I love the interweaving of fantasy and history. The dialogue is also beautifully written, and I love the integration of poetry into the text of the story. It reminiscent of the Tale of Genji. I wonder if they're from the original text? The story is a bit difficult to follow, but I love the different layers of romance, adventure, political intrigue, fantasy, mythology, and actual historical incidents. I can't wait to read more!

Note: I've only read the first two chapters. This is my first net comic. I was a bit disappointed that everything was in black and white, but it actually worked to the comic's advantage. The comic begins the story in this rainstorm and conditions the reader to expect to see rain in every page. The rain, being water, and the darkness seem to be emphasized so much that I felt there was some symbolic meaning to them. The rain makes its first appearance with the mentioning of the Biryu river, which is apparently dangerous because it is on the frontier of the kingdom. Perhaps this dangerous frontier is meant to be associated with the rain. I thought the textures where very nice. I also really enjoyed how the illustrations would alternate between positive and negative film images, at times. It was an interesting use of black/white illustration. Family relationships really drive the plot and are complex.