It all seemed so simple,

but don't you hate it
when life grows tentacles?

I was a little leary of this one, based on its cover. It reminded me of some of those other ones like this that are based off some video game and tend to not really be all that great. Or I don’t think so anyways.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. I loved the set ups style of the graphic novel, the images stretched out where the needed to and so didn’t feel stiff and rigid inside tight small square panels.

The action just kept moving forward so I didn’t really get bored. The characters were fun and it was a solid desert city story line. Of course, it’s only book 1, so the story tumbles out into the next unknown at the end but what can you do? I would definitely pick up the next volumes if I run across them.

The God of Luck and Shiny Things has poured down upon me! And another book trade has commenced! LOL

Here's to a book finding a new reader! Cheers! ;)

The box of books and bonus surprises arrived today - in the middle of the first snow of the season, yet. Many thanks! (Can't resist those tentacles!)

Later: subtitled "The Serpent Crown", this volume features a flashback to the meeting of human Irro and shapeshifting Hari (who's taken on the most-of-the-time form of a human female with a tail). They travel on their bull-bodied/robotic-headed beast Bok (OK, the head might be a magical construct and not a robot, hard to tell, but it's metal and the beast's body can live without it, so magic I guess?), until somebody steals Bok's head and kicks off another adventure. They steal the head back, along with some other spoils, and then have to flee the royal guards. While hiding out in some ruins they find a serpent that brings a healing gift, saving Irro's life - and then reveals that it's the sacred serpent crown that can read the minds of the kings who wear it. Having read the mind of Darga, the snake knew it needed to go find someone sane...

Cue another quest, this time to an oracle that can provide more guidance. Plenty of chases, battles, hazardous terrain, quips and roguery from Hari, and a pretty dramatic cliffhanger! I enjoyed the story and the setting, which had lots of touches indicating a complex back-story, but without being heavy-handed about it.

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in this newspaper-machine-turned-LFL-and-styled-as-a-robot; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2020 D for December challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2020 Keep Them Moving challenge. ***