Buy used: $1.47

$3.98 delivery September 15 - 18. Details

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by glenthebookseller

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Have one to sell?

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

Queen & Country, Vol. 1: Operation Broken Ground Paperback – December 1, 2002

by Greg Rucka (Author), Steve Rolston (Illustrator), Warren Ellis (Introduction),

4.2 72 ratings

Part of: Queen & Country

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Paperback

"Please retry"

$1.47

$9.10

$1.47

Paperback
$1.47

28 Used from $1.47 3 New from $9.10

As part of the Special Section of Britain's Ministry of Intelligence, Tara Chace is one of a handful of operatives they call when they need to clean up a mess, or to make a new one. It's a world of questionable morals. For instance, is it better to assassinate a general in the Russian mafia rather than allow him to peddle more guns and drugs in underprivileged countries? Tara's bosses seem to think so. But the Russian mafia ask their own question — once someone has taken the life of one of their officers, can they continue to let that person live? Greg Rucka peels back the lid on the traditional espionage story to see the nastiness inside, and Steve Rolston brings it to life with stunning clarity.

Part of Series

Queen & Country
Print length

120 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Oni Press
Publication date

December 1, 2002
Reading age

16 years and up
Dimensions

6.5 x 0.3 x 10.2 inches
ISBN-10

192999821X
ISBN-13

978-1929998210
See all details

Greg Rucka
63
Paperback
43 offers from $4.59

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The more screwed-up the protagonist, the better a spy story tends to be, and Rucka (who's also written a series of prose mystery novels) has come up with a memorably dysfunctional antiheroine in Tara Chace, a burned-out, amoral "minder" (i.e., agent) for Britain's Ministry of Intelligence. This volume, which collects the first few issues of the Q&C comic book, opens as Chace carries out an unauthorized assassination in Kosovo to the consternation of higher-ups, her boss orders her to off a former Russian general running arms to Chechen rebels then makes a complicated getaway after being wounded. Chace soon learns she's become a pawn, now with a bounty on her head, in a seemingly endless game of international reprisals and counterreprisals. Newcomer artist Rolston combines bold outlines, expressive body language and clean, cartoonish lines for his characters, with detailed, realistic backgrounds; it's a trick often used in European comics, and he makes it work here. In fact, nearly everyone in this taut and violent drama seems to sag, physically and emotionally, under the psychological and moral weight of their grim profession. Together with Rucka's clipped, spare dialogue, the work offers the sense that espionage is just another job, exactly as grinding and tedious as any other except that interoffice politics can get people killed. The action sequences are fast-paced and exciting, but the truly engaging part of the book is how sharply Rucka and Rolston are able to define even minor characters.Award as best serial.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

From Publishers Weekly:

"The more screwed-up the protagonist, the better a spy story tends to be, and Rucka (who's also written a series of prose mystery novels) has come up with a memorably dysfunctional antiheroine in Tara Chace, a burned-out, amoral "minder" (i.e., agent) for Britain's Ministry of Intelligence. This volume, which collects the first few issues of the Q&C comic book, opens as Chace carries out an unauthorized assassination in Kosovo to the consternation of higher-ups, her boss orders her to off a former Russian general running arms to Chechen rebels then makes a complicated getaway after being wounded. Chace soon learns she's become a pawn, now with a bounty on her head, in a seemingly endless game of international reprisals and counterreprisals. Newcomer artist Rolston combines bold outlines, expressive body language and clean, cartoonish lines for his characters, with detailed, realistic backgrounds; it's a trick often used in European comics, and he makes it work here. In fact, nearly everyone in this taut and violent drama seems to sag, physically and emotionally, under the psychological and moral weight of their grim profession. Together with Rucka's clipped, spare dialogue, the work offers the sense that espionage is just another job, exactly as grinding and tedious as any other except that interoffice politics can get people killed. The action sequences are fast-paced and exciting, but the truly engaging part of the book is how sharply Rucka and Rolston are able to define even minor characters.Award as best serial." Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Fourth Rail:

"One of the fascinating things about Queen & Country is that Tara Chace is not James Bond. She doesn't get the guy, drink the martinis and go home to a fabulous hot tub and swanky lifestyle. Her job wears on her, and in fact her home life is the kind that would make most of us consider putting a bullet in our own brain."

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oni Press (December 1, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 120 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 192999821X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1929998210
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 16 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 0.3 x 10.2 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,219,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #10,430 in Mystery Graphic Novels

Customer Reviews:
4.2 72 ratings

Important information

To report an issue with this product, click here.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

72 global ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Good art, good dialogue, plot insults readers intelligence

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2012

Verified Purchase

Pros:
The art style is done well. Facial features and setting convey a believable world. I was really looking forward to reading this one. This was dispelled by the writing.

Cons:
The forward starts by bashing authors like Tom Clancy for not being serious enough with the villains. So I thought, the writer should have some concept of political espionage? Right...
This comic is about an agent who assassinates a Russian Mob associates. The British intelligence agency is so incompetent that not only do the Russians have the address of the where the British agents work but also where they live, they also know the layout of the British intelligence headquarters building and where everyone works. Really...
The main character's boss spends his time trying to get back at the Russians, feels more like a gang war then political intrigue. He's petty but author tries to make him come off as competent.
I despise authors who try to write on political intrigue and fail so miserably. This books is about the main character, not what she does, not her work, but her, and the silly drama at the office between co-works and boss, and bosses boss.

The British "Alias" (without the soap-opera drama)

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2005

Verified Purchase

I was a little skeptical at first about this book. Rucka is not a Brit, but he tries writing for English characters. Surprisingly, Rucka deftly handles the dialogue without sounding like he's just sticking in a "bloody" or a "sod off" here and there. He successfully immerses the reader in the world of British black ops.

This book reminds me of the American TV show "Alias," but without the romance and convoluted relationships. This is a straight-forward spy book, with believable action and well-crafted character development.

Many people have complained about Steve Rolston's simplistic artwork style. It doesn't bother me. I wouldn't say he's my favorite artist, but it doesn't get in the way of Rucka's brilliant story.

5 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

A Perfection of realism and fiction mixed into one.

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2020

Verified Purchase

If you want a realistic spy story mixed with enough fiction to be believable, then you found the right book.

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2015

Verified Purchase

Promising set up. Only slightly dated. Chace is certainly a modern female Bond interpretation. Curious to see where Rucka takes this.

Maggie Maggerson

one of the best writers working in comics

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2015

Verified Purchase

Greg Rucka is, by far, one of the best writers working in comics. This book is great, and I recently picked up the omnibus editions so I have even more Queen and Country to get through!

Most Excellent Realistic Spy Stories. NOT James Bond.

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2021

I am familiar with most of Greg Rucka's work. It's all good & usually better. But Q&C is my favorite. Seeming Real world British spies, minders, allowed to be armed in foreign countries. The same are ordered disarmed when attacked in their own country. Really well written book. The art is also 1st rate. Thank you Kindle Unlimited.

Real, gritty, and exciting!!

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2011

Greg Rucka welcomes readers right away to the real world he has created in Queen & Country. I don't know how the English would take this book but everything I read seemed very believable to me. Every panel was so very real. The art by Steve Rolston, while not dynamic, is everything this book needs. Realism and significance. Overall, I look forward to delving into this world more often.

"That's my girl"

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2008

Once I figured out how to tell the characters apart, this became a much better story. I enjoyed the realistic (I assume - not being a CIA spook) portrayal of the world of espionage - the politics, the bureaucracy and the backstabbing.

Still, there's something always a bit awkward with a female super-agent ("That's my girl," boasts her boss), written and drawn by men, but this is better than most. Tara Chace doesn't have the impossible Catwoman body and manages to hold her own in a male-dominated genre with a minimum of awkward moments.

The plot is fast-paced and absorbing (again, once you get past the art).

Shades of Gray Written in Black & White

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2007

Greg Rucka's excellent spy series follows the members of the Special Section of Britain's Ministry of Intelligence. This black and white series explores the moral ambiguities that flow in and around the dirty deeds done in the name of duty, patriotism, and having a job. The "Minders", or field agents, are not James Bond pretty, but are rather professionals in the field of espionage, often held fast by the peculiar rules of their trade. Eminently readable, it was one of those series that had me buying all of the trades as soon as I finished the previous. Also, look for the "prequel", Whiteout, also by Rucka!

2 people found this helpful

Michael K. Smith

VERY high quality work

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2005

This is an "adult" graphic novel, not in the sexual-content sense but because the plot does not involve superheroes, fantasy, or magic. In fact, it's much more gritty and topical than even most adult thrillers I've read. The Secret Intelligence Service, based in London, is (apparently) an MI-6 kind of operation, chartered to carry out assassinations and other operations abroad but whose agents are not even allowed to be armed at home. Tara Chace -- "Minder Two" -- is their best shooter and the story opens with her involved in an unauthorized Special Operation in Kosovo to take out a rogue Russian officer now running with the Russian mafia. Her success, followed by an iffy escape from the scene, leads the Russians to put a bounty on her head -- and to fire a shoulder-launched rocket at the SIS headquarters, just to show they can. Paul Crocker, Director of Ops, wants not just to catch the perpetrators of the attack, he wants them dead. The Kosovo operation was a favor owed to the CIA, who now decline to help in his vendetta. And so on, in a nicely complicated plot that revolves on personalities and the rules of the game in a changed world as much as on action sequences. The art is straight black-and-white line drawing that emphasizes facial expression and body language -- which fits well with the rather talky style of the narration. My only complaint is that the story doesn't so much end as simply stop -- obviously only the first episode in a continuing series (which I haven't seen any sign of).

4 people found this helpful

A comic book not for kids

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2003

Queen and Country by Greg Rucka is on my short list of Comics you should be reading right now but probably aren't. No super-powers or super-villains bent on world domination (except the ones CNN reports on), just a look at the fictional British secret espionage group the Minders. Protagonist Tara Chace is written like a real person whose job it is to go through extra-ordinary situations.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because some may be slightly put off by the artwork. However, the art team is rotated with each story arc which gives each one its own feel.

3 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2003

Greg Rucka's acclaimed spy series starts here. From the word go, Rucka doesn't let up, doesn't slow the pace down, nor does he bore the reader or make the series seem too OTT. The spy genre has had a misconception that it's all glam and gadgets, no thanks to the recent SFX obsessed Bond films, but Rucka crushes all that, he brings the genre right back to it's origins and makes it a dark and violent and very realistic, good vs. bad scenario. The main charm about the book though is the amount of characterisation in the book, from Paul Crocker the moody, arrogant, commander in chief type character to Tara Chace's professionalism with a hint of "f**k you" attitude. Rolston's crisp, clean, sharp artwork adds a deeper depth, concentrating on facial expressions and pushing his sequential talents to the max. Using panels of different size and space he never bores the reader or repeats himself. A true talent.
Queen and Country is an original, down to earth spy story. But it's more than that, it grips the reader from the first page to the very last one. It gives American comics a different edge and the reason it stands out so much is because there's literally nothing else like it on the market. Check it out, it'll be worth the money and the time.

6 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

THe name is Chase, Tara Chase

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2003

Greg Rucka is one of the authors, who can write believable Batman stories. Imagine how real he can get qithout the restrains of spandex-clad characters!
This is a realistic spy thriller, full of real life and politicla situations. This is le Carre of comic books, really.
Tara Chase is a British agent, sent to assasinate a rogue Russian general, who turned into an arms dealer.
This book doesn't give you high-reaching conspiracies and years-old secrets, the conflict plays out much like it would in real life. But it doesn't make it less exciting.
The art is very good. It seems cartoony at first, but it somehow manages to conway emotions very clearly, in fact, more clearly than realistic art, found in most action-adventure comics.
Queen & Country started as a mini-series, but was turned into an ongoing comics. After reading this, you'll see why it's so.
And you'll be glad, that there are other missions you can observe.

2 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Absolutely, unbelievably good!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2004

Every once in a while a comics series comes along that is so far ahead of the curve, you wonder how anything else could possibly measure up. Ennis' Preacher is one. Ellis' Transmetropolitan is another. Queen & Country is definitely one of the greats!! This is one of those series that shows, in graet detail, that there is some incredibly strong writing going on in comics today. Rucka's dialogue and pacing are so spot on and realistic! This is a book that transceds the perception that comics are for kids and are of no real value as "literature". Rucka has created a stunning work of art with Queen & Country, one that is continually being perfected month after month.

One person found this helpful

Get to Know Us

Make Money with Us

Amazon Payment Products

Let Us Help You

English United States

© 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates