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Homestuck #1
Homestuck Book One
Contains the complete first act of the webcomic HOMESTUCK as created by Andrew Hussie on the site MS Paint Adventures.
162 pages, Paperback
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2040 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Hussie
94 books434 followersAndrew Hussie is the creator of MS Paint Adventures, a collection of webcomics that includes Homestuck, as well as of several other webcomics, books, and videos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 23, 2012
Well..Homestuck is awesome, but it a little awkward to translate flash into paper. You should probably save cash (for the cosplay you will want to do after like, act 3)
ANNND the first act is slow. So slow. It is the thing that separates the strong from the weak. Just kidding, the people who will actually read the thing from the ones who are just there for the trolls. It took me about one month (not including the 3 week break I took after my computer restarted and I lost my place). It's not as long as the act 4 or ACT FIVE but it feels like it because it is boring. Kinda like how Dave talks.
However if you want to read Homestuck and ruin anime conventions with your SUPER AWESOME COSPLAY (by the way, I don't cosplay Homestuck, but I do cosplay Hetalia soooo I know about people in my own fandom who "ruin conventions") you have to read act 1. You will not get anything unless you read it. In order to get to the wibbley-wobbley-timey-whimey stuff , John the "not homosexual", pushing someone down friendship stairs, and the entire house hearing you yell "HUSSIEEEEEEEEEEE!" whenever someone dies (A LOT) you will have to suffer through the first act.
ANNND the first act is slow. So slow. It is the thing that separates the strong from the weak. Just kidding, the people who will actually read the thing from the ones who are just there for the trolls. It took me about one month (not including the 3 week break I took after my computer restarted and I lost my place). It's not as long as the act 4 or ACT FIVE but it feels like it because it is boring. Kinda like how Dave talks.
However if you want to read Homestuck and ruin anime conventions with your SUPER AWESOME COSPLAY (by the way, I don't cosplay Homestuck, but I do cosplay Hetalia soooo I know about people in my own fandom who "ruin conventions") you have to read act 1. You will not get anything unless you read it. In order to get to the wibbley-wobbley-timey-whimey stuff , John the "not homosexual", pushing someone down friendship stairs, and the entire house hearing you yell "HUSSIEEEEEEEEEEE!" whenever someone dies (A LOT) you will have to suffer through the first act.
October 22, 2012
Ah. Homestuck. First off, I'm extremely pleased to see that Good Read's has this on their website (!!) Four for you, Good Reads.
Alright, let me say this much. I know a few comic book shops here and there have this book for sale. If this is your first time coming across Homestuck and you say: "Hey, I want to read this!" Don't go buy this, rather... go online, and enjoy the reading/viewing experience on there.
I say this because while everything is the same, the experience isn't. To be part of the fandom and re-read the first act either way is glorious and much more enjoyable. Act 1 first time around is something we all had to slog through (finding hidden gems here or there), and to revisit it is a lot of fun. The transition to print is...eh, well. I mean, what were we expecting. I love how Hussie has URL's at the bottom rather than page numbers, and his footnotes at the bottom are quite hilarious and give you much insight.
I could go on for hours about how much I love John, and Rose, and everyone. But I'll just let you all do that and not waste your time by fangirling. If you've heard about Homestuck and have been pondering it, go /RIGHT/ ahead. Hell, we're even getting our own video game.
Alright, let me say this much. I know a few comic book shops here and there have this book for sale. If this is your first time coming across Homestuck and you say: "Hey, I want to read this!" Don't go buy this, rather... go online, and enjoy the reading/viewing experience on there.
I say this because while everything is the same, the experience isn't. To be part of the fandom and re-read the first act either way is glorious and much more enjoyable. Act 1 first time around is something we all had to slog through (finding hidden gems here or there), and to revisit it is a lot of fun. The transition to print is...eh, well. I mean, what were we expecting. I love how Hussie has URL's at the bottom rather than page numbers, and his footnotes at the bottom are quite hilarious and give you much insight.
I could go on for hours about how much I love John, and Rose, and everyone. But I'll just let you all do that and not waste your time by fangirling. If you've heard about Homestuck and have been pondering it, go /RIGHT/ ahead. Hell, we're even getting our own video game.
October 10, 2013
Homestuck is a very, very, very good book. It is a very awesome science Fiction E book. It comes in 6 acts i think (this is act one). It takes place in a city, in a forest, in a town, and on a small island. This first book however is about a young boy named John who always goes on his computer and plays this game called Homestuck. The problem about this game is that it is in real life and can be very dangerous. John in this book is playing with his friend rose in the game while rose can build and control things johns there in real life. While all this is going on the worlds ending.
This book does not have a resolution because if you read it on the computer its one of six i think.
I really liked this book because i love sy-fi and this book is just great all together because of humor, action, suspense, and a little romance later when you get to other acts. The type of reader that would like this book is a reader who loves sy-fi (like myself) and loves a little mixture of things. And thats why this book is rated five stars. ♬you cant fight the Homestuck♪
This book does not have a resolution because if you read it on the computer its one of six i think.
I really liked this book because i love sy-fi and this book is just great all together because of humor, action, suspense, and a little romance later when you get to other acts. The type of reader that would like this book is a reader who loves sy-fi (like myself) and loves a little mixture of things. And thats why this book is rated five stars. ♬you cant fight the Homestuck♪
April 16, 2012
I didn't actually read the book version yet, but I did read the original online version, so I'll base my review on that for now.
Homestuck is an awesome story, that unfortunatly starts a bit slow. (I would give it nearly 5 stars overall, but 3 for ACT1 seems fair) I do like ACT1 and I even have read it twice. There are hilarious parts, and it's where everything starts, but I have to agree that sometimes all of John's fooling around with the sylladex could be quite tiresome. The humour makes up for it though!
It's sad that many people abandon the story because of the first ACT, because right after it, the story starts to build up to become great and deeper than one would imagine!
The music and animation are important and add a lot to the originality of Homestuck, what I hear is one of the disadvantages of the book version, but apparently the book version contains notes from the autor, so I am looking forward to get it too!
I recommend the online version to anyone who is patient enough to enjoy a long and complex story!
Homestuck is an awesome story, that unfortunatly starts a bit slow. (I would give it nearly 5 stars overall, but 3 for ACT1 seems fair) I do like ACT1 and I even have read it twice. There are hilarious parts, and it's where everything starts, but I have to agree that sometimes all of John's fooling around with the sylladex could be quite tiresome. The humour makes up for it though!
It's sad that many people abandon the story because of the first ACT, because right after it, the story starts to build up to become great and deeper than one would imagine!
The music and animation are important and add a lot to the originality of Homestuck, what I hear is one of the disadvantages of the book version, but apparently the book version contains notes from the autor, so I am looking forward to get it too!
I recommend the online version to anyone who is patient enough to enjoy a long and complex story!
January 12, 2025
Bro hat zum Geburtstag sein Dad geschlagen und Torte in Toilette geschmissen 😀
February 3, 2012
As most people that have read Homestuck, I think the first act is really slow compared to the other ones. that's why I was pleased to discover that it took me much shorter time to read this in printed form and it was a more enjoyable experience. One of the things I really liked was the humorous and interesting commentaries that Hussie had written on each page.
It's difficult to recommend this to people that haven't read Homestuck before. On one hand, those who don't like to read comics on a screen or have problems getting trough the first act, it could be a good investment. On the other hand, you do lose something by not reading the web version. You don't get to experience the gifs, flash animations and games, and the music. Plus,if you end up not enjoying the humor in the first act, you will not like it in the later ones.
The safest thing for a non- Homestucker is probably to check the comic out a bit before you consider buying it. But for a Homestuck fan, I do really think it's worth getting.
It's difficult to recommend this to people that haven't read Homestuck before. On one hand, those who don't like to read comics on a screen or have problems getting trough the first act, it could be a good investment. On the other hand, you do lose something by not reading the web version. You don't get to experience the gifs, flash animations and games, and the music. Plus,if you end up not enjoying the humor in the first act, you will not like it in the later ones.
The safest thing for a non- Homestucker is probably to check the comic out a bit before you consider buying it. But for a Homestuck fan, I do really think it's worth getting.
May 18, 2012
I read MS Paint Adventures ALL the time, and I loved it! My friend gave me this book to read one day, and it was all out AWESOME. I would recommend this book to my friends, but I don't think they'd be interested in this stuff....
But I sure as heck was!
For anyone who was read MS Paint Adventures, or is a fan of Homestuck, I'd recommend it!
But I sure as heck was!
For anyone who was read MS Paint Adventures, or is a fan of Homestuck, I'd recommend it!
April 13, 2024
hombe stunk
September 5, 2014
Homestuck isn't for everyone.
-The whole story is long. IT IS VERY, VERY LONG. I cannot adequately express to you its sheer length.
-It is, at it's core, a comedy. If you're looking for deep characters, well-realized romance, or drama without random interruptions by silliness for its own sake, you're looking in the wrong place. There are moments of high drama and a little bit of romance here and there but the bulk of Homestuck is unabashedly jokey.
-Homestuck spins it's wheels often. There's a lot of digression and large, dense text-chunks to mine for the core story. The density of material in later acts lends itself better to a weekly format than bulk reading. Reading it all at once is a headache.
****Sound awful? Bail now****
If none of those things deter you: Homestuck has some really great stuff to offer. The very best of it is available only online in fascinating collaborative multimedia presentations featuring original music, gameplay, and cinematics. The paperback format strips these highlights of a lot of their power, so be sure to look them up when you get to them if you're reading offline.
Even so, Homestuck is easier for me to digest in print than it is online. The complicated, meandering parts are less intimidating and the promise of a physical ending to each act keeps me moving. Closing one of these monsters feels like a real accomplishment. The paperback format helps me sit down with the comic and enjoy it in chunks without distraction.
Homestuck, in it's entirety, feels a bit like a game in itself. You find yourself playing for the achievements: a movie that will advance every single subplot at once and leave you emotionally destroyed, a character moment you've been pulling for, a joke that really hits the mark or just the joy of finally seeing those curtains pull closed at the end of an act.
-The whole story is long. IT IS VERY, VERY LONG. I cannot adequately express to you its sheer length.
-It is, at it's core, a comedy. If you're looking for deep characters, well-realized romance, or drama without random interruptions by silliness for its own sake, you're looking in the wrong place. There are moments of high drama and a little bit of romance here and there but the bulk of Homestuck is unabashedly jokey.
-Homestuck spins it's wheels often. There's a lot of digression and large, dense text-chunks to mine for the core story. The density of material in later acts lends itself better to a weekly format than bulk reading. Reading it all at once is a headache.
****Sound awful? Bail now****
If none of those things deter you: Homestuck has some really great stuff to offer. The very best of it is available only online in fascinating collaborative multimedia presentations featuring original music, gameplay, and cinematics. The paperback format strips these highlights of a lot of their power, so be sure to look them up when you get to them if you're reading offline.
Even so, Homestuck is easier for me to digest in print than it is online. The complicated, meandering parts are less intimidating and the promise of a physical ending to each act keeps me moving. Closing one of these monsters feels like a real accomplishment. The paperback format helps me sit down with the comic and enjoy it in chunks without distraction.
Homestuck, in it's entirety, feels a bit like a game in itself. You find yourself playing for the achievements: a movie that will advance every single subplot at once and leave you emotionally destroyed, a character moment you've been pulling for, a joke that really hits the mark or just the joy of finally seeing those curtains pull closed at the end of an act.
March 25, 2014
In the printed version of the comic, this contains the first act of Andrew Hussie's longer webcomic "Homestuck", in which in the beginning of act one, you meet John Egbert, a rather normal 13 year old boy, with a variety of interests that you see introduced in the first part of the story. He likes pranks and silly things, along with rather corny and horrible Nic cage movies. He dislikes cake and his father's obsession with baking, along with the various amounts of Harlequins that his father has collected.
Act one, you see John struggling to get a package from the mail, a birthday package in fact; which in a weird twist of events ends up in his father's car. As things keep moving that same day within the story, John ends up starting a game with a few of his friends online that pester him through a little program on his computer called 'Pesterchum' which is similar to that of a Instant Messenger. Of course, as it later shows, the game proves to be more than a thirteen year old can handle and a lot more to deal with than many people thought.
One thing I disliked with the start of homestuck was that it was rather slow paced and at first it seems really pointless to read, because of all of the strange and rather meaningless commands and actions done by John in the first place. But as it picks up, the thing I did like was it eventually just gets so ridiculous that I wanted to figure out what was going to happen next and left me constantly surprised when I thought it would lead somewhere and yet it switched dramatically.
I would probably recommend "Homestuck" to someone who has a lot of time on their hands and someone willing to read something online for quite some time, considering it's over 8000 pages and likely going to grow even further than it is now. More narrowly, I would recommend it to any teenager/young adult that likes a bit of Sci-Fi.
Act one, you see John struggling to get a package from the mail, a birthday package in fact; which in a weird twist of events ends up in his father's car. As things keep moving that same day within the story, John ends up starting a game with a few of his friends online that pester him through a little program on his computer called 'Pesterchum' which is similar to that of a Instant Messenger. Of course, as it later shows, the game proves to be more than a thirteen year old can handle and a lot more to deal with than many people thought.
One thing I disliked with the start of homestuck was that it was rather slow paced and at first it seems really pointless to read, because of all of the strange and rather meaningless commands and actions done by John in the first place. But as it picks up, the thing I did like was it eventually just gets so ridiculous that I wanted to figure out what was going to happen next and left me constantly surprised when I thought it would lead somewhere and yet it switched dramatically.
I would probably recommend "Homestuck" to someone who has a lot of time on their hands and someone willing to read something online for quite some time, considering it's over 8000 pages and likely going to grow even further than it is now. More narrowly, I would recommend it to any teenager/young adult that likes a bit of Sci-Fi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2012
okay, so Homestuck act 1 in a book....thats just....amazing. True, It's incredibly slow but if it wasn't I would have absolutely NO IDEA what the heck is going on. I think we all can agree that Homestuck is the Ulysses of the internet. Between the timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly time shenanigans and all the god tiers and the felt and spades slick and his crew....i could go on. It's just so confusing. So I think that it's important that Hussie made Act 1 long and slow because it gives readers a chance to understand what's going on. If Hussie didn't tell you that John's dad was obsessed with making cake, then all the "batter witch" comments wouldn't make sense. If Hussie didn't take FOREVER explaining captchlouge (hope I spelled that right) moduses, no one would know what he was talking about. So in a way, what he did with act 1 was very important. Five stars for sure. Also, come on guys, I'm not the only one who gets this pained expression and yells "HUUUUSSIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!" EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. SOMEONE. DIES. which, unfortunately, happens quite frequently. *sobbing* All in all, Go read homestuck. It's completely worth it. And once you get completely hooked, you can upload your cosplay to Facebook and twitter and deviantart for all the world to see!
May 29, 2012
How do I even review this book, it is literally the most amazing book in existence, I don't mean to sound like I'm being facetious but no this is really one of the most amazing books ever, but I'm going to review it in terms of the webcomic the book was based off of. First of all the fact that it was based off of a webcomic is already funny but more important Homestuck is a charming webcomic about a boy who plays a world destroying game with friends who he only knows online. The charm factor for me in Homestuck is that John Egbert cares for his friends so much even though he only knows them online, it's personal to me because I have online friends as well so the fact that Andrew Hussie can write about friendships and how they're so close and only knowing each other online has never even been an ISSUE with them at all, the first book is just John being a boy and things of that nature but the world it's set in is also a fascinating one. This is certainly a book I'd recommend to anyone, and I have!
November 8, 2012
It boring was a boring act, but it made act 2 really interesting, and turned act 3 into something unheard of. One of my favorite parts was in act one. You'd have to read act one in order to understand the other acts anyway. One of my other favorite acts was in act three. The only way to read Homestuck anyway is to get through the first act. If i hadn't gotten through the first act, I probably wouldn't have gotten to act three's intermission. I'm kind of late with Homestuck though. But being a fast reader, I got through act one.
August 31, 2016
Homestuck Book One; by Andrew Hussie is the most wonderful book I have ever read since Cat Wings. Same with the web comic. I love the description of the characters, introducing them one by one. Jade is my favorite human character. I used to not like her that much, but I really do like her now. I have a dog named Cato who actually looks the same as Bec (Jades dog/ guardian). I love the whole comic actually. It just get's me exited to see the next update. I hope he keeps doing the web comic longer.
February 28, 2021
i read all 8000-some pages over a year and have never regretted anything more. don't read homestuck. homestuck is great.
friend gave me the hardcover of the first act as a birthday gift last year. good gift for fans of the comic.
you should read online versions first though because of music/animations/interactive bits used.
friend gave me the hardcover of the first act as a birthday gift last year. good gift for fans of the comic.
you should read online versions first though because of music/animations/interactive bits used.
April 22, 2016
just...don't..trust me...your life will be better without....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2019
this book ruined my life and ive still read it eight times
10/10
10/10
September 18, 2019
I picked up the first volume of Viz edition of Homestuck (oddly not in the Goodreads database), which counts as my third time reading through the saga. And trust me, I will buy the rest of this series on paper, which (if you know anything about Homestuck) is really quite appallingly stupid. There's something about Homestuck nerddom that cultivates that level of obsessiveness. You can access the whole thing for free online at homestuck.com.
Oh and should you read this? The first volume is probably the most laid back. If you don't know, Homestuck purportedly follows a narrative game structure, so there's plenty of jokes about game mechanics. And there's just enough chatlog between the principal characters to presage the crazy snap and sparkle of dialogue in future volumes. While the overall tone is smartly inclusive, be warned that the humor is plenty profane. If you don't like that, bleat like a goat and piss on your turntable.
So as you may guess, this is a particularly eccentric mode of humor. If you don't think Con Air, Harry Anderson, or shitty wizards are funny, don't be reading Homestuck. Hussie does running commentary in these print editions, so you get to see some of his thought process, what was planned and what came by chance. It also made me realize how much fandom was already driving Homestuck, and how many inside jokes carried over from Problem Sleuth (thankfully replicated at https://www.homestuck.com/problem-sle...).
Not sure whether you like Homestuck? Check out the website for yourself, or if you're a tech troglodyte, I'll lend you my copy of the first volume. If that $20 means that much to you, don't blame me if you don't like it. And if you do like it, down the rabbit hole you go. See you on the other side.
Oh and should you read this? The first volume is probably the most laid back. If you don't know, Homestuck purportedly follows a narrative game structure, so there's plenty of jokes about game mechanics. And there's just enough chatlog between the principal characters to presage the crazy snap and sparkle of dialogue in future volumes. While the overall tone is smartly inclusive, be warned that the humor is plenty profane. If you don't like that, bleat like a goat and piss on your turntable.
So as you may guess, this is a particularly eccentric mode of humor. If you don't think Con Air, Harry Anderson, or shitty wizards are funny, don't be reading Homestuck. Hussie does running commentary in these print editions, so you get to see some of his thought process, what was planned and what came by chance. It also made me realize how much fandom was already driving Homestuck, and how many inside jokes carried over from Problem Sleuth (thankfully replicated at https://www.homestuck.com/problem-sle...).
Not sure whether you like Homestuck? Check out the website for yourself, or if you're a tech troglodyte, I'll lend you my copy of the first volume. If that $20 means that much to you, don't blame me if you don't like it. And if you do like it, down the rabbit hole you go. See you on the other side.
March 11, 2019
There are a lot of good books that I've been looking forward to, that came out here at the beginning of March 2019. Instead of reading them, though, my local library delivered to me the four extant Homestuck collections, and I've been bingeing those instead. Homestuck is an online comic/story that I missed out on while it was unfolding, and so I've had only second-hand peripheral knowledge as it's floated through my other fandom spaces; since the physical copies of the books have started appearing, I've been meaning to read them where I wouldn't have online. (Tangent - does the publication of three volumes last year make Homestuck eligible for Hugo Best Series nomination in 2019 now?) Two weeks, 1700 pages, and 2625 panels later, it's been an interesting experience, and I think I'd recommend this as a way for those curious to check it out -- the author's notes do a lot to carry you through, being written from the perspective of a finished series and explaining what's important and relevant about the often silly or trivial bouncing-about that's happening in each set of panels. I wouldn't say I understand it (especially since this appears to only be about a fifth of the total run of the series), but I can certainly get more of it, and why people are so attached to it. I'll definitely look for future volumes of these, if not immediately as they are printed, then at least at some point.
March 13, 2018
This book is about four main humans, often refered to as the "beta kids," who play a game called Sburb. Along their crazy journey, they meet 12 trolls. The beta kids and the trolls have to find a way to save Earth, and save the universe.
I, personally, love this book(plus the next two books). I do believe that this comic may be confusing for some, given that this story feels as if there are several plots. I felt very real emotions from this comic, even crying at times. Homestuck is a story that may or may not be loved. What others feel of this book depends on if Sci-fy is something they like, or if they are okay with gore. There are very strong themes within Homestuck that are easy to miss. The story is very lighthearted, but once looked at closely, the darker themes become apparent.
Anyone that loves Sci-fy, and/or a story with hidden meanings would fall in love with Homestuck. A story such as this is not meant for younger children(cursing, blood, and rather scary elements), nor those that cannot handle gore well(it's drawn is MSPaint, so it's not too bad).
I, personally, love this book(plus the next two books). I do believe that this comic may be confusing for some, given that this story feels as if there are several plots. I felt very real emotions from this comic, even crying at times. Homestuck is a story that may or may not be loved. What others feel of this book depends on if Sci-fy is something they like, or if they are okay with gore. There are very strong themes within Homestuck that are easy to miss. The story is very lighthearted, but once looked at closely, the darker themes become apparent.
Anyone that loves Sci-fy, and/or a story with hidden meanings would fall in love with Homestuck. A story such as this is not meant for younger children(cursing, blood, and rather scary elements), nor those that cannot handle gore well(it's drawn is MSPaint, so it's not too bad).
May 4, 2025
As someone who read homestuck online through the years of 2014 - 2020, the book doesn't give the same feeling in the SLIGHTEST. But, since HS is unnacesable in its original form now, this is a *fine* replacement. I do enjoy reading Hussies quippy garbage at the bottom of every page, especially since these are a refresher for me. But I'm sure anyone experiencing HS for the first time would be wildly confused by anything and everything he has to say.
But for what it is, it still triggers that nostalgia even without the flashing panels and sick ass music. I'll take what I can get - RIP flash.
5 stars. I love homestuck.
But for what it is, it still triggers that nostalgia even without the flashing panels and sick ass music. I'll take what I can get - RIP flash.
5 stars. I love homestuck.
April 2, 2019
I highly suggest that you all READ THE ORIGINAL WEBCOMIC ONLINE FIRST!
This may be the original webcomic in book form, but Hussie adds an extra special touch to them all by adding his own comments and thought-processes on each page.
This may be the original webcomic in book form, but Hussie adds an extra special touch to them all by adding his own comments and thought-processes on each page.
February 13, 2021
I read it. This webcomic was a defining part of my teenage humor. As an adult? Eh. Andrew Hussie made an interesting comic... But the later anti-Semitism is why I borrowed this from the library and definitely didn't buy it. A walk down memory road for me.
June 4, 2021
Going to be honest. As a series, I adore Homestuck. But the first three books are way too long and drawn out, and it's annoying. Then again Hussie was trying to break free from his previous stories. Guess you can't fault him for that.
May 1, 2025
My boyfriend is making me read homestuck. Outside of mentions from them, i basically have no major spoilers (question mark?) i’m enjoying it so far! not taking any major points off as i recognize chapter one is a lot of preamble!
November 2, 2018
I love Homestuck, I'm a huge nerd over the book!
March 15, 2019
A perfect adaptation of a classic webtoon epic. I recommend reading the story online, and picking up the book after to read from a new perspective and learn a little more about the author's vision.
June 14, 2019
I can't believe a human being can handle part one more than once, but god do I love those kids.
September 3, 2020
pls dont read this
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2021
GREATTTTTTTTTTTT I LOVE IT minus eridan
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