1439 ( )

Brilliant. Translated really well to graphic novel and in color it's simply gorgeous!!!! More please!! ( )

Quick & Dirty: This is a graphic novel based off of the urban fantasy book, Storm Born.

Opening Sentence: I’d seen weirder things than a haunted shoe… but not many.

The Review:

I have to come clean to all of you. I was a little worried about a graphic novel version of Eugenie’s world, the Storm Born series. Fae realms and magic portrayals in books leave a lot to the imagination and I believe that is in part the lure of them. Having the world of Storm Born recreated with a set look made me hesitant to read it. I am so glad my editor made me. Thank you, Angela! Grant Alter and Dave Hamann took Mead’s vision and created something for those that are not yet fans of the books to sink their teeth into.

Eugenie Markham is a shaman that banishes spirits and other beings that are not a part of our world. When she takes a case to rescue a 14 year-old-girl from the fae, referred to as the gentry, she not only puts her body at risk, but her future as well. Eugenie doesn’t know why the gentry suddenly know her real name or have started making sexual overtures to her, but she is aware of the vulnerable position it puts her in. How can she rescue a girl from the very people who want to imprison her as well? When she discovers that her biological dad was a seriously scary and powerful gentry, she denies it. Really, how can she not? She has spent countless years despising the very people that she can now count herself a part of. Now there are gentry who want an heir for her father’s legacy, Eugenie’s future son, and there are gentry that will do whatever it takes to prevent it. Only after her inherent power manifests and goes out of control, is she willing to accept her magical heritage and the need to control it.

The style is in first-person narrative which is consistent with the original book. Her prejudice against the gentry, fae, is communicated very well in both her facial expressions and remarks. Though the novel does not come across as light hearted and playful, the graphic version does. The artwork itself is slightly whimsical but without giving up the hard edge of the serious nature of the story. I especially enjoyed the renditions of the spirit advisors to Eugenie. All of the spirit manifestations in the human realm were well done. I had hoped to see more artwork done for the fae realm, but maybe that will come in later volumes.

Overall, I think that this graphic novel is an excellent blend of art and story. I would recommend this to those of you that are interested in the Storm Born series but have yet to take the plunge. It is a good representation of the actual story and I look forward to seeing more.

The Storm Born Graphic Novel Series:

1. Dark Swan ~ Storm Born Vol. 1

FTC Advisory: Sea Lion Books provided me with a copy of Dark Swan: Storm Born Volume 1. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys. ( )

Reviewed by Jennifer at: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Review Source: Sea Lion Books
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers

Normally I’m pretty choosy about the graphic novels I read, and even those are few and far between. But when I stumbled across Storm Born, I was hooked. Storm Born started out as an urban fantasy novel by bestselling author Richelle Mead in 2008. Because of its enticing plot line and unique view of the paranormal world, it was made into an equally enticing graphic novel.

Storm Born Vol.1 stars Eugenie Markman a “shaman-for-hire” known to the supernatural world as Odiel. Her arsenal includes a gun, two athames and a wand which she uses to either kill or banish her enemies back into the Otherworld. After working a normal case, Eugenie’s world begins to take a drastic turn as members of the supernatural world learn her real name. Things only worsen when she is approached with the case of rescuing a missing girl from the Gentry, known to us as fairies.

Storm Born Vol. 2 begins exactly were Vol. 1 leaves off. After a world wind night with the perfect stranger, Eugenie’s night comes to a screeching halt when she is once again attacked by a creature from the Otherworld. In lieu of this, our heroine continues to consider the case of the missing girl and the puzzle continues to unravel from there.

Though the plot was incredible, the artwork in this particular story is what truly drew me in. The pictures do not have a “high end, hang me in a museum” feel to them that most books turned graphic novels have. While I am a fan of those, this work is detailed, yet grungy. It looked exactly like a comic book should.

Overall, Storm Born issues #1 and #2 are one action-packed kick-butt start to a great series. It starts with a bang, and ends with the same high-spirited momentum. There is magic, mystery and a lot of flare. So whether you have read the previous novels or not, you can still fall in love with the Dark Swan story and it’s interesting, yet lovable characters. Eugenie is a smart, sexy, tough-as-nails, intelligent heroine, and her story is one that fans of Richelle Mead should not want to miss! ( )

Originally posted at http://mycutebookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-storm-born-1-by-richelle-mead...*Warning* Storm Born is meant for older audiences as it includes sexual content & violence. This review is meant for the comic issue #1.Storm Born #1 tells the story of Eugenie Markham, a freelance shaman who takes jobs dealing with otherworldly creatures. The comic starts right in on the action with Eugenie battling a Keres, one of those creatures. This Keres propositioned her to have sex. It turns out this is not going to be the only creature who will proposition such a thing. Eugenie is later asked to do another job, which is to save a young girl who was kidnapped by the gentry (known to humans as fairies). She knows it’s a tough job as she will have to travel with her whole body and not just in spirit to the Otherworld. While Eugenie is thinking about it, she meets Kiyo, a handsome man. They hook up and afterwards they are attacked by a monster.When I was asked to review Storm Born, I knew I had to do it. It’s not a mystery that I am a huge fan of manga and western graphic novels. Plus, this is a series by Richelle Mead. I had never read anything by her so I wanted to give her work a try, as I’ve heard amazing things about her series. The first issue of Storm Born starts action-packed and ends in the same way. It is full of magic & mystery too. There is not a moment of boredom.I really enjoyed Eugenie’s character. She is the type of girl I like to read about—kickass and independent. She’s pretty famous among the creatures from the Otherworld. They know her real name and they want her. I love the mystery surrounding the story as I would love to know what’s happening in the Otherworld regarding Eugenie.I also loved reading about Kiyo. He’s a mysterious character who acted pretty well when the monster attacked. It made me think about what he could be and I cannot wait to learn more about him. Plus, he’s really hot. I don’t judge a character by appearances, but he’s not bad to look at.Regarding the artwork in this graphic novel, it is beautiful. I am picky when it comes to art but I loved this comic. I really liked how the characters were portrayed.Overall, this was a great start to the series and I cannot wait to read more about Eugenie’s adventures. If you are a fan of graphic novels or the Storm Born books, you might want to give this series a try. ( )