Hyde & Closer, Vol. 2
3 journalers for this copy...
Went into my Manga/Manhwa bookbox.
I'm taking this book from AlterEgoZoe's Manga/Manhwa bookbox. I'd never heard of this one before so I thought I'd give it a try; boy-wizard with teddy-bear protector sounds... interesting!
Later: The book opens with a story-so-far paragraph that helps set the scene. Apparently our hero, Closer, is from a bloodline that's very, very appealing to sorcerers, as they would gain great power by devouring his heart! Luckily for him, his grandfather provided the enchanted, tough-talking teddy bear Hyde as his protector. (Part of Hyde's plan involves making Closer watch tough-guy TV shows by way of teaching him how to be a tough guy himself, but Closer's really not into that...)
The story's full of slapstick humor, but when the bad guys start showing up at Closer's school things get rather scary - and there are some interesting twists, as when one villain takes the form of a wayang kulit shadow-puppet, very stylized and creepy.
Later on Closer learns some lessons about the difference between thinking he's being cool and actually doing something worthwhile, when he tries to save a small child from bullies (and winds up taking some damage himself); nice little moments there (with some flashbacks to his early childhood with his grandfather). That's not the only how-to-be-a-man lesson, either; Hyde tries to teach a low-level yakuza member how to protect his family without leading a life of crime. [Remember, these lessons are coming from a cigar-chomping teddy bear in a fedora.]
Near the end of this volume, another bad-guy battle turns up a surprising ally - apparently a sorcerer that Closer fought in the previous volume - and whose beloved curse-doll he spared - is now willing to defend Closer.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, and will definitely pick up more volumes if they come my way!
[The TV Tropes page has some entertaining info on the series.]
Later: The book opens with a story-so-far paragraph that helps set the scene. Apparently our hero, Closer, is from a bloodline that's very, very appealing to sorcerers, as they would gain great power by devouring his heart! Luckily for him, his grandfather provided the enchanted, tough-talking teddy bear Hyde as his protector. (Part of Hyde's plan involves making Closer watch tough-guy TV shows by way of teaching him how to be a tough guy himself, but Closer's really not into that...)
The story's full of slapstick humor, but when the bad guys start showing up at Closer's school things get rather scary - and there are some interesting twists, as when one villain takes the form of a wayang kulit shadow-puppet, very stylized and creepy.
Later on Closer learns some lessons about the difference between thinking he's being cool and actually doing something worthwhile, when he tries to save a small child from bullies (and winds up taking some damage himself); nice little moments there (with some flashbacks to his early childhood with his grandfather). That's not the only how-to-be-a-man lesson, either; Hyde tries to teach a low-level yakuza member how to protect his family without leading a life of crime. [Remember, these lessons are coming from a cigar-chomping teddy bear in a fedora.]
Near the end of this volume, another bad-guy battle turns up a surprising ally - apparently a sorcerer that Closer fought in the previous volume - and whose beloved curse-doll he spared - is now willing to defend Closer.
I enjoyed this quite a lot, and will definitely pick up more volumes if they come my way!
[The TV Tropes page has some entertaining info on the series.]
Journal Entry 4 by 
GoryDetails
at Monadnock Plaza (see notes for details) in Peterborough, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, March 23, 2013
GoryDetails at Monadnock Plaza (see notes for details) in Peterborough, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Released 11 yrs ago (3/23/2013 UTC) at Monadnock Plaza (see notes for details) in Peterborough, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I plan to leave this book in or near one of the restaurants in the plaza at around 5 or so; hoe the finder enjoys it!
*** Released as part of the 2013 Places We Can Go release challenge, for Hyde Park. ***
*** Released as part of the 2013 Places We Can Go release challenge, for Hyde Park. ***
Found this outside as I was getting my lunch today. Found it entertaining that a book was outside like that. I definitely plan on passing it on once I'm done reading.
