Defend the Grounds by Samuel Sattin
My rating: 5/5 cats
as much as i hate to use a word so overused that it has lost all its potency, there is no better: this here is the start of something epic.
and i do stress the word “start.” because you can already tell that this is going to be a slow burn. things happen here – boy, do they – but a lot of the narrative space in this first volume is taken up by backstory/mythology; establishing the relationships between characters and species and giving several creatures the opportunity to describe their memories of the time before the apocalypse, their adventures and their previous relationships with humans, both good and bad. the flashback sequences and the main story are illustrated by two different artists, which made for a richer texture and contrast throughout.
and daaaaaaamn, that art
i just love all of it. the bleak tone, the semi-defined threats, and even one of the dog’s sour opinion of cats:
oh, and did i mention these are armored cats? with arrows and badass combat training and a code?
the main focus of the story is on the dogs, but these cats, man:
they are stealing the show.
there is also a horrible bird, if that’s not redundant.
i am obsessed with the art, and i am desperate to see where this story is going. i already love it and it’s barely even begun, but i am very confident that it will deliver..
there’s also a bunch of backmatter after the story; art and also some additional stories which flesh out the world of legend in a way that makes me even more eager for the next installment, because people who are willing to take this much time building their mythology are my kind of people.
please tell me when there will be more. i hunger for it.
***********************************************
every bit as good as i had hoped!! review to come, but definitely go out and grab it while you wait. (that’s what she said)
***********************************************
Cormac McCarthy meets Watership Down??????
