Wake, Vol. 1: Fire and Ash [Paperback]

Jean-David Morvan (Author), Philippe Buchet (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wake | Publication Date: January 2003

A formidable convoy named Wake launched in search of new livable planets is about to run into Navee, a feisty young girl shipwrecked on a lush uninhabited planet who¹s grown up and fended entirely for herself. Contrary to all on Wake who are either mind controllers or controlled, she is neither and that makes her very dangerous!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. The first chapters of this French graphic novel, a postnuclear sf saga, introduce personality-rich key characters playing out a struggle between good and evil revolving around high-tech, golemlike creatures. Beautiful Navee, a human girl who has had a lush Earth to herself, is discovered by a space probe from a world dominated by a mind-controlling entity. The ensuing standoff between her human reason and the rigid mindset of the invading "army" is nuanced and moving, with the story concluded by the proverbial cliffhanger to be resolved in the next installment. The publisher's typically color-drenched reproductions are particularly appropriate for Navee's jungle home. Buchet's artwork is lively, comical, and sinister by turns, lending dimension to Morvan's characterizations and narrative flow. There is one big flaw in the package: illustrations of Navee have been adulterated with small black "censor bars" across her pubescent chest, which, unfortunately, draw the eye from the real action. This book will appeal to both girls and boys, whether they are sf fans or not. To reach the boys, however, booktalking may be needed. Francesca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561632678
• ISBN-13: 978-1561632671
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 8.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #315,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beginnig which promises, March 4, 2007

By 

Matko Vladanovic (Zagreb, Croatia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wake, Vol. 1: Fire and Ash (Paperback)

I am great admirerer of French comic books. Much of my growing up was influenced with numerous French comics whose english titles I do not know and cannot state them here. Stating them doesn't mean much, it's just a figure of speech :)

I have first heard of Wake (or Sillage, which is original title) on a local web forum which deals with comic-books. From what I have read, it seemed to me that I should give it a try. After all, I't has been some time since I actually bought any comic book at all, and introductional story seemed interesting enough. So, I wen't to a local comic-book store and few moments later emerged form whithin with a brand new issue in my hand. That is all irrelevant...

What matters is that we're dealing with a classic 48-pages long french comic book whose main fault is that it comes first in the series. It wouldn't be a problem if we weren't dealing with an entire universe which nedeed to be presented. That caused scenario to be pretty irregular and shifty in highlighting various aspect in various time, making entire story rather shallow. Many of it's emptinesses are left to be filled in later books. What is shown in this one comes down to half-naked Navee (which is quite erotic so if you mind that kind of drawing, I suggest that you avoid this one) and interesting enough setting with cliffhanger which can be exploited in numerous ways in upcoming issues. (I am aware that nine of them are already out, but, since I don't read french, I am bound to croatian issues. That means this one.)

Story itself doesn't seems to be naive, and it looks like Morvan will be able to pull out few surprises form his sleeve. Looking at this album as an isolated incident it is quite bad. Unexplained, quick paced, lacks motivation. Looking at it as the beginnig of a series, one must admit that it hooks it's reader to await eagerly for other issues that follow.

What will ome next remains to be seen.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Discovery and Freedom at the Edges of the Universe, July 7, 2004

By 

Joshua Koppel (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wake, Vol. 1: Fire and Ash (Paperback)

Fire and Ash is the first in the Wake series. Young Navee is the only survivor of a crash on a forest world. There she has lived in harmony with HooYoo (a tiger-like being). But her world suddenly changes with the arrival of the star-spanning convoy called Wake.

A surveyor is accidently brought down by Navee's slingshot. The alien Majestee has arrived to raise surface temperatures to help his race. Navee's presence could end it all.

Action and intrigue combine as Navee tries to save herself and her world. She is also introduced to the cloned Migers, powerful work drones who live to serve.

A fast-paced tale of a lone human looking for keys to her past. Navee's strong moral code makes for an excellent driving force in the tale. Space opera at its best.

4.0 out of 5 stars First original scifi story in a long time, July 17, 2011

By 

Michael W. Fisher "Michael" (Mesa,AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wake, Vol. 1: Fire and Ash (Paperback)

It has been a while since I've read a scifi graphic novel or book that wasn't a rip off of someone else's idea. But 'Wake' was original, fast paced and exciting. Of course since the main protagonist is a fifteen year old girl they had to block out her bared breasts. It took me a while to realize what the black line was. But the story of a girl who grew up alone on a jungle world which she was to defend from alien developers was great.