The war continues
to rage in the latest Scion trade paperback. Ethan sees first-hand the
sufferings of the genetically engineered Lesser Races and is forced to
choose between his loyalty to his family and his loyalty to a greater good.
His decision is not only unexpected, it may well determine the course of
history for his entire world.
Fans of everything from
Star Wars to the classic Prince Valiant Sunday strips will love Scion.
Publisher's Weekly
If readers can manage to
wrestle their disbelief into submission, they'll find this series enjoyable.
The story's basic premise is monumentally silly, presenting a society where
futuristic science lurks underneath a medieval surface; as the publisher
says, it's a hybrid of Star Wars and Prince Valiant (which worked for the
1930s' Flash Gordon comics).The CrossGen Sigils, glowing chest brands that
convey enormous, almost uncontrollable powers, have been portioned out
to two young princes. Blond Ethan of the West, a dutiful, loving son and
intelligent, empathetic ruler-in-training, gets to use his Sigil's powers
for good. Representing evil is swarthy, scarred Bron of the East, who's
just killed his father so he can become king. Ethan has become tangled
in the plots of Ashleigh, Bron's fiery renegade sister, to help the kingdom's
oppressed, who happen to be superscientifically engineered mutants. Some
are cute, like Ethan's Yoda-like friend, Skink; some are intimidating,
like the towering bounty hunter, Exeter; and all are considered convenient
but disposable products rather than people. Naturally, Ethan has always
treated the Lesser Races decently, but now he's a full-fledged rebel forced
to do unpleasant things that test his innocent ideals. Despite lots of
sword-swinging action, the story moves slowly enough to accommodate Ethan's
growing realization of his commitment to the cause. The book's moody, anime-influenced
artwork makes the story's world vividly real. Proving that comics stand
outside the rules of mathematics, Scion is more than the sum of its parts.
Copyright 2002
Reed Business Information, Inc.
Dimensions (in inches): 0.29 x 10.18 x 6.64
|