As Tor’s first-ever graphic novel, THE BOOK OF BALLADS finds World Fantasy Award-winning illustrator Charles Vess (THE SANDMAN) bringing ancient folk tales to life in comic-book form, with a little help from his famous writer friends – Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint and Jane Yolen among them.
If your love of fantasy lies in the fairy-tale realm, you’ll find BALLADS rather enchanting in its adaptations of songs from another era dealing with demon lovers, elf lands, witch sex, love triangles, worm creatures, horse scams and crow girls. Unless you’re a scholar of Irish and Scottish traditions, it’s unlikely these tales will hold any degree of familiarity to you, which makes your introduction into their worlds all the more pleasurable. Readers of the FIREBIRDS anthology from 2003 will recognize “The Black Fox”; it was a highlight of that collection just as it is a highlight of this one.
The 13 adaptations are fairly strict (as the source lyrics following each story prove) and well done, with the exception of “Twa Corbies,” which just doesn’t make a great deal of sense – perhaps a casualty of its modern-day updating. One thing’s a constant, however, and that’s Vess’ art. Rendered in thin strokes and extraordinary detail, his style is perfect for these fantasies. Even his unmistakable lettering style seems tailor-made for this kind of project.
THE BOOK OF BALLADS is not your average, everyday graphic novel. Quite clearly, this is something far more special. –Rod Lott
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