Review: The Chase by Balak, Sanlaville, and Vives

Last Man: The Chase by Balak, Sanlaville, and Vives
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: October 6th, 2015

Richard Aldana, the mysterious stranger who entered the Games in the first volume of Last Man, continues to defeat all of his competitors, despite his outlandish refusal to use any magic, and to rely solely on martial arts. With young Adrian fighting at his side, he's beginning to look like a likely contender for the Royal Cup. But in a breathtaking twist, everything changes: this world is not what you thought it was, and Richard Aldana is certainly not who he claimed.

With the same fast-paced, action-oriented storytelling and gorgeous art asThe Stranger, the third volume of Last Man changes all the rules, and will leave readers eagerly awaiting Book 4!

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review from the publisher. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for this.

I've become invested in this series in a way I didn't expect, but here I am, back reviewing the third book to the Last Man series. I still find myself a tiny bit shocked by the graphic-ness of the books in this series, but it's not a bad thing, just something you don't see often, at least in what I'm used to reading/seeing.

I think every book in this series just gets better and better, building off of the books before it. The Chase is no exception. My favorite aspect of this installment, however, is how it finally gets to the female empowerment. Finally, finally, finally Marianne gets her time to shine. And how badass is she? She sticks up for herself, takes care of Adrian, and kicks butt all at the same time. She shows that she doesn't need someone to take care of her. In a male-dominated world, she's so underestimated, but she finally steps out of the shadows and takes the leading role.

On a different note, I feel as though this installment didn't really give any answers the way I hoped it would. Marianne seems to have gotten the part of the map from Aldana, but what about the bike? I feel like she had that there the whole time, so who did she get it from? How does she know about these other worlds? And of course, the book ends with yet another confusing Aldana scene. Just when I thought I was starting to get a better sense of the story, they throw this curveball, and I'm left trying to figure out what just happened! I guess that's how they get us to keep reading, though. ;)

Another great installment! I can't wait to find out what happens next.

The Chase: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Review: Last Man: The Royal Cup by Balak, Michael Sanlaville, and Bastien Vives

Last Man: The Royal Cup by Balak, Michael Sanlaville, and Bastien Vives
Publisher: First Second
Release Date:  June 23rd, 2015

Richard Aldana, the mysterious stranger who entered the Games in the first volume of Last Man, continues to defeat all of his competitors, despite his outlandish refusal to use any magic, and to rely solely on martial arts. With young Adrian fighting at his side, he's beginning to look like a likely contender for the Royal Cup.

But in a breathtaking twist, everything changes: this world is not what you thought it was, and Richard Aldana is certainly not who he claimed.

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review from the publisher. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for it.

I enjoyed The Royal Cup much more than The Last Stranger (review), but I also found parts of it problematic in my mind. Starting with the positive, this installment was much more action packed. It was so exciting to see Adrian fight and to see him on his own. You never lose the sense that Adrian is just a young boy, but I think it's refreshing to see him on the backdrop of the more experienced, older, and physicially bigger opponents. It keeps the story grounded and interesting in dynamic, setting it apart from similar graphic novels.

A lot more was going on in this book, but it never felt like too much or too rushed. We learn a little bit more about Richard but bearly. There's still the compeition going on. There's still the reation to Richard and to the duo being in the running for the Cup. The illustrations continue to complement the story well, drawing readers in and including just enough detail without showing too much.

What stuck out to me in particular about this installment, however, was the female characters. I still can't decide if I like what they've done with Marianne's character, but I loved that twist at the end. I can't wait to learn more about her and about her past. She's so badass! But at the same time, I didn't like how she sort of gave in to Aldana. I mean, maybe she really does have feelings for him, but gahhh. I didn't get the sense that she felt anything more than gratitude towards him for everything he's done for Adrian.

Then there's Adrian's friend Elorna, who is one of my favorite characters in this series. I am so happy that she stood up against her partner and did what she felt was right. She didn't care about the criticism. She didn't care about what others thought. She knew what she wanted to do, and she did it. She cared more about supporting a friend and being loyal than about winning, unlike Gregorio. She stands up to him and defends both Adrian and herself. And then even once she's done, she pulls a Hermione and punches him, showing him that she's in charge of her own actions and that she won't stand being insulted and being treated the way he was treating her. Yes, girl!

Then there's Alyssa, one of the other contenders for the cup. I was disgusted by this quick story line. I couldn't stand how women were being portrayed--which was only heightened when Marianne got together with Richard. I don't know...maybe there was a reason behind it, but I couldn't find it. It felt completely unnecessary and so undignified for women. It sexualized women without needing to, making us seem like rabid, sex-driven animals. Like no. I refuse to believe that such a tough contender would ever fall to that, even with the mysterious Richard Aldana.

Lastly, there's the mysterious Miss Sakova and the Queen (?), Elfira. I can't figure out which side she's on because at one point, I thought she was working against Richard, but then she was working with him. We don't know almost anything about her, but I'm hoping we'll learn a bit about her in later installments. And I liked how Elfira probably went against the rules to give some help. I don't know how I feel about it being yet another woman helping Richard, but I kind of like that she probably broke the rules to do so.

So mostly, my issue was with the mixed portrayal of female characters. The plot was interesting and engaging, even more so than in the first book. This was a really solid sequel, and I look forward to The Chase.

The Royal Cup: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Review: Last Man: The Stranger by Bastien Vives, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak

Last Man: The Stranger by Bastien Vives, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak
Publisher: First Second Books
Release Date: March 31st, 2015

The Games are already underway when Richard Aldana arrives in town. This mysterious stranger seems to have more in common with our world than the world where the Games are held. He smokes cigarettes and wears a leather jacket while everyone else in this medieval realm is casting spells and weaving tapestries. Nobody knows what to make of him, but when Aldana enrolls in the games he quickly becomes a top contender. Eschewing magic and using only his martial arts prowess, Aldana also befriends and protects a small boy for reasons as mysterious as his origins.

Who will win the games? Who is Richard Aldana, really? And what is the ultimate purpose of this gruelling gladiatorial contest?

With its intricate fantasy setting and heart-pounding action sequences, Last Man has become the smash hit comics series in France. Combining compelling character-driven storytelling with fast-paced adventure, Last Man is an addictive series with a cliffhanger at the end of each volume that leaves readers panting for more.

"This is definitely an action graphic novel, and the story translates well throughout the book."

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review from the publisher. This doesn't affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for this.

Originally, I wasn't really interested in this book. It sounded interesting, but it wasn't really something I thought I would like. But one day, I received the book in the mail and decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did!

The Stranger is fast-paced and action-packed. There are a few plots happening at once, but they connect and intertwine quickly. This is definitely an action graphic novel, and the story translates well throughout the book. The setting is very well done, and it's definitely an interesting one. What's even more interesting is seeing Aldana in the setting he's obviously not used to. It's exactly what I imagine it would be like if someone such as myself were suddenly plopped down in a foreign country with a very different culture.

However, for all the questions surrounding Aldana, we get very few answers. Perhaps that's the point, especially seeing how there are two other books to come. But I was hoping to learn more about Aldana and how/why he was there in the first place. I wonder about his motives and about his past. I thought it'd be explored much more, but it really wasn't.

Other characters also felt very loosely fleshed out, with me wanting to know more about them, their motives, and their history. While not all of it is needed, nor does it need to be in great detail, it felt very much as if I was being plopped down in the middle of a story rather than at a good starting point, if that makes sense. I also would have liked to see more development of Adrian's character, but I can see that happening more in the next book.

But the one character I found to be extremely well done is Adrian's mother. She stood up for her son and took no sh*t from anyone, no matter who they were, how powerful they were, or what they said they could do for her and her son. She stood her ground, and she was subtly fierce. While we don't learn much about her, I really enjoyed her character, and I really liked how she wasn't thrown in there. While there weren't many females in the book and the one other prominent female is treated badly by her male "companions," I'll say, Adrian's mother really stood out above the rest of the cast for me.

Overall, the book surprised me but in a good way. I enjoyed the pacing, the plot, and the characters. I'm excited to read more and get to explore the world and the story much more. Maybe I should try to expand my reach more from now on!

Last Man: The Stranger: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository