Rex Mundi, Vol. 4: Crown and Sword

Rex Mundi #4

by Arvid Nelson, Juan Ferreyra

Paris, 1933. Europe is still in the grip of feudal warlords, the Catholic Church has all the power of a secret police force, and sorcerers stalk the streets at night. Welcome to the world of Rex Mundi. Master Physician Julien Sauniere stumbles onto a thousand year-old brotherhood dedicated to protecting the secret of the Holy Grail - a secret that threatens to drown the world in blood Sauniere digs deeper and deeper into the mystery of the Holy Grail and finally he uncovers the connection to the Duke of Lorraine. The Duke, meanwhile, is forced to make a bid for power when the king orders his arrest. If he can't succeed, he will surely hang

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Alternate History, Sequential Art

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2007

About the author

Arvid has worked on everything from film to video games, but he’s best known for his original comics title, Rex Mundi, published by Dark Horse Comics. The Band of the Crow has occupied his creative memory banks ever since Rex Mundi ended.

Reviews

[Revi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I think the series is very fun, but I'm finding some of it a little lazy - World War II but with the sides flipped, they even kept the same names except now Germany is with the allies and France and UK are with with axis. They even gave France a flag that's supposed to look like a swastika.
Plot-wise, it felt like the writer didn't know what to do with Genevieve and took her on a soap opera route which was disappointing.

[Danny'S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crown and Sword, the fourth volume of Rex Mundi, is where the saga reaches a point of no return. The deliberate investigation of the first three books gives way to political upheaval and crisis. Julien finds himself caught between the royal court, the Church, and a shadowy conspiracy that sees him as both a pawn and a threat. The title says it all: the Crown represents authority, the Sword represents force, and both are about to be tested.

[Exna Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series transforms from a simmering noir detective story to full-blown adventure. Julien’s
pursuit of the truth brings him face-to-face with royal corruption and the Church’s secret war for
control. Arvid Nelson’s storytelling is steeped in both history and razor sharp.

[Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Book 4, the monarchy, the Inquisition, and the secret societies slithering underneath it all
break out into open conflict, forcing Julien and Genevieve to go on the run. Rex Mundi is the
kind of story that demands (and deserves!) the reader’s full attention.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nelson’s writing has new urgency in this volume. The dialogue crackles, and every
revelation carries a cost for Julien Sauniere. He might be discovering the solution to the
grand historical puzzle he’s been chasing down, but it just leads to bigger questions and
problems.

[TheWord · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5

[El Shnookmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author Arvid Nelson has a new original book out called Band of the Crow. Check out the trailer https://youtu.be/Z16wRyYKl2A?si=RPB41...

[Amy Duc · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the threads and clues from previous installments start pulling together, while Julien’s search
for truth becomes dangerously personal.

[Braxton Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of the Dark Horse published issues of this excellent alternate history series.

[Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like mystery, alternate history, religious intrigue, and strong character work, this is for
you.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Crown and Sword, political intrigue erupts into all-out war. The mystery deepens, and the plot
thickens.

[Tom Cruise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arvid Nelson’s sharp storytelling and Juan Ferreyra’s evocative artwork combine to deliver a
darkly beautiful installment in this alt-mystery religious thriller.

[Abi Shake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marks the moment that Rex Mundi erupts from mystery into open conflict… and the chickens
start coming home to roost for Genevieve and Julien!

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series the more I read of it. In fact, I’m fairly breathless with anticipation about what will happen next now that I’ve finished volume four. Ferrayra’s art still bugs me. The story, however, ramps up several notches and things get out of hand. With Dr. Sauniere is on the run with both the Inquisition and Lorraine’s people in hot pursuit. It really does seem like everyone in this book is a sorcerer all of the sudden. The storytelling still strikes me as stunted but it’s such an excellent story I’m starting not to care. I hear there’s a Rex Mundi movie in the works and they’re getting Johnny Depp to play Sauniere. Interesting.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't understand why comic series need to change artists for every run--or sometimes even every issue. I liked the first collection immensely for the art was well-drawn, dark, and inventive. The change of artists changes the features of the characters, the look of the series' locations, and the general feel. So, you can tell that I didn't like the art as much in this one, right?

Which is too bad because the story accelerates after two mostly expository volumes and the stakes are raised.

[Donna D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first graphic novel series I've read. It is very well researched and great twists. I agree with others that didn't care for the change in illustrator from the earlier volumes. This book has a more comic book feel, and I agree that the illustrations don't fit the dark tone of the story. Having said that, I found it difficult to put the book down.

[David Schwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Europe is at war. The Duke of Lorraine is running France. Dr. Sauniere heads to the south of France for more clues. The Doctor finds himself with a new ally, the Duke's daughter. The story seems to me positioning itself for a conclusion. This volume has Juan Ferreyra's artwork only, his style while not detracting from the story certainly does not enhance it either.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very intriguing alternative history has been an element from the beginning of this series. The new-alternative-parallels to the events of the 1930s are really clever and make for a great backdrop. In the end, this series will probably be an overall 4 stars, even though the individual books were only 3 stars.

More to come.

[Christian Lipski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things is getting CRAZY. No matter how alternate the history in Europe, some things will always be the same...

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The action really picks up in this volume, and Juan Ferreyra's art has improved as the volume progresses.