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Drowntown: Book One
The first part of the exciting graphic novel by two of the UK’s very brightest talents
The world has changed forever, ravaged by climatic upheaval. The flooded metropolis of London has adapted to the rising sea levels: the elite gaze out over the Thames from their ivory towers, while the inhabitants of submerged pubs peer into the streets like specimens in an aquarium.
Hired by a notorious underworld figure, Leo Noiret uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that stretches from the depths of Drowntown to the highest echelons of power. Meanwhile, aqua-courier Gina Cassel learns that young love can be a dangerous game when she becomes romantically involved with the heir to the Drakenberg Corporation. There’s a storm brewing in Drowntown, with Gina and Noiret at its heart…
The world has changed forever, ravaged by climatic upheaval. The flooded metropolis of London has adapted to the rising sea levels: the elite gaze out over the Thames from their ivory towers, while the inhabitants of submerged pubs peer into the streets like specimens in an aquarium.
Hired by a notorious underworld figure, Leo Noiret uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that stretches from the depths of Drowntown to the highest echelons of power. Meanwhile, aqua-courier Gina Cassel learns that young love can be a dangerous game when she becomes romantically involved with the heir to the Drakenberg Corporation. There’s a storm brewing in Drowntown, with Gina and Noiret at its heart…
56 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2013
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70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 15, 2024
You can tell how much I enjoy a book by the number of times I end up re-reading a title especially since really I was only out there looking for another title - oh well such is life - still as much fun as the other times I read it I just wish they would get around to releasing the next installment.!
So rather than add more notes here - I will post a simple question. Do you have books that when you see them (be it move them or looking for something else) you have to pick up and read. Well I have to say that this is one of those titles. I am moving several of my book cases and this was the next shelf to be sorted and low and behold everything had to stop.
Well I went and did it again however I will not apologise as I had as much fun reading this book for the 3rd time as I did for the first. Can you think of a better way of demonstrating the success of a book by the number if times it has been read?
This was one of those titles that I did a total gamble on. It basically came up as an automated recommendation after I entered the Batman verse Dread book. I was intrigued when I saw the names from Drowntown (I do wish my auto correct would stop trying to change that - I dread to think the fun the writers had when they created this book).
After a little digging I decided to take the plunge and here I am about to give it a glowing review (minus of course the spoilers) totally out of the blue. Well there you go I guess that is the joy sometimes of just the random strike out.
The book itself has some amazing artwork in it - a minute of the caricature, grotesque and humorous. TO me this epitomised early 90s 2000AD - and yes I know it has nothing to do with it apart from like I say the artistic team worked on Judge Dread.
I think my only criticism and its really my own fault is that this is the first in a developing series, there is no indication of when the next one will be out as it appears that there is a volume 2 but there are no details. At a sub 100 page book it does leave you wanting more - but if there are more volumes coming out and they are to this standard I can see a classic in the making. I guess I will just have to be patient and pay attention. Not my strong points!
Okay update from May 2019 still no sigh of the sequel and if anything it looking less likely that there will be since all the material I can find refers back to the original publication in 2013. I will admit though its still great fun to re-read as I discovered after finding a home for latest addition to my collection I stumbled across it again. Yes you guessed it I had to re-read it again. Got to stop doing that or at least slow down as there are so many great books out there I still need to read.
So rather than add more notes here - I will post a simple question. Do you have books that when you see them (be it move them or looking for something else) you have to pick up and read. Well I have to say that this is one of those titles. I am moving several of my book cases and this was the next shelf to be sorted and low and behold everything had to stop.
Well I went and did it again however I will not apologise as I had as much fun reading this book for the 3rd time as I did for the first. Can you think of a better way of demonstrating the success of a book by the number if times it has been read?
This was one of those titles that I did a total gamble on. It basically came up as an automated recommendation after I entered the Batman verse Dread book. I was intrigued when I saw the names from Drowntown (I do wish my auto correct would stop trying to change that - I dread to think the fun the writers had when they created this book).
After a little digging I decided to take the plunge and here I am about to give it a glowing review (minus of course the spoilers) totally out of the blue. Well there you go I guess that is the joy sometimes of just the random strike out.
The book itself has some amazing artwork in it - a minute of the caricature, grotesque and humorous. TO me this epitomised early 90s 2000AD - and yes I know it has nothing to do with it apart from like I say the artistic team worked on Judge Dread.
I think my only criticism and its really my own fault is that this is the first in a developing series, there is no indication of when the next one will be out as it appears that there is a volume 2 but there are no details. At a sub 100 page book it does leave you wanting more - but if there are more volumes coming out and they are to this standard I can see a classic in the making. I guess I will just have to be patient and pay attention. Not my strong points!
Okay update from May 2019 still no sigh of the sequel and if anything it looking less likely that there will be since all the material I can find refers back to the original publication in 2013. I will admit though its still great fun to re-read as I discovered after finding a home for latest addition to my collection I stumbled across it again. Yes you guessed it I had to re-read it again. Got to stop doing that or at least slow down as there are so many great books out there I still need to read.
January 23, 2020
The quality in here comes through from the very first page, we get to feast our eyes on that rich, detailed art work. It really is bloody impressive. The story is nicely written and largely manages to avoid most clichéd pitfalls, though the female lead bares a suspicious resemblance to Lara Croft.
There is a refreshing Englishness to this, which makes a change from the run of the mill American ones which get churned out time after time. There maybe echoes of the likes of “The Invisibles” and “V For Vendetta” which is some impressive company to be keeping.
There are all sorts of colourful and violent characters in here, animal and otherwise. The hyper-trophic hero (of sorts) is well-written and this book finishes far too soon, leaving you aching for the follow up.
March 8, 2022
Gorgeous art. Great dialogues and dark humor.
Non-stop action.
Unfortunately, it appears the story will never be finished.
Anyway, this graphic novel is a quick-but-wild-and-fun read.
Non-stop action.
Unfortunately, it appears the story will never be finished.
Anyway, this graphic novel is a quick-but-wild-and-fun read.
Read
June 27, 2014The story (noir PI in a post-global warming London) is nothing new, and the layouts and speech bubble placement make some parts needlessly tough to follow, but in terms of individual panels Jim Murray gives some great scuzz.
May 22, 2013
one of the best graphic novels to be published by Jonathan Cape. The story and art are of the highest standars and wonderfuklly british in nature. I can't wait for the next chapter in this trilogy :)
August 20, 2013
Loved it! The artwork is fantastic and the story is unique. Set in a futuristic flooded London. Definitely recommend it.
October 3, 2020
This seedy solar punk London is drenched in filth and rising sea levels and I absolutely love it. Murray's art is stunning. A hell of a lot of research has been put into the city scapes, which I think are the strongest part of the book. I spent a good ten minutes poring over the inside jacket art of a submerged and slimy Trafalgar Square. Vast futuristic spires hazy in the sky behind, stone lions just visible in the murk below, and Pret a Manger on the corner of Cockspur presumably drowned to fuck. DELISHUSH!!
The story started strong, but didn't quite keep up the pace. I wasn't as interested in Leo's detective work down rat infested sewers as Gina's exciting chase sequences through the city's water ways. The latter really showed off the conceptual and visual strength of Drowntown (which is what I was there for), and also, Gina looks fucking excellent in her courier wetsuit. At times the script became a bit ham fisted, (eg. a Gina voicing her surprise that she doesn't hate her rich and privileged boyfriend, a New Conservative politician painstakingly explaining his power grubbing motives -- mate, he's a Neo Tory, that's already implied) which took away from my immersion in the world.
Overall however, this is a really strong graphic novel (again, largely thanks to the stunning, intricate art) and probably my favourite sci-fi depiction of London that I've seen like.....ever. Give me more British solar punk. MOAR!!
It's a shame that 7 years on there doesn't appear to be a sequel 😭😭 because we're left with the beginnings of a good mystery, and Drowntown itself is a setting I'm desperate to see more of. Maybe if Jim Murray has come concept art and sketches tucked in a draw somewhere which he could release into the world....please? Pretty please??
The story started strong, but didn't quite keep up the pace. I wasn't as interested in Leo's detective work down rat infested sewers as Gina's exciting chase sequences through the city's water ways. The latter really showed off the conceptual and visual strength of Drowntown (which is what I was there for), and also, Gina looks fucking excellent in her courier wetsuit. At times the script became a bit ham fisted, (eg. a Gina voicing her surprise that she doesn't hate her rich and privileged boyfriend, a New Conservative politician painstakingly explaining his power grubbing motives -- mate, he's a Neo Tory, that's already implied) which took away from my immersion in the world.
Overall however, this is a really strong graphic novel (again, largely thanks to the stunning, intricate art) and probably my favourite sci-fi depiction of London that I've seen like.....ever. Give me more British solar punk. MOAR!!
It's a shame that 7 years on there doesn't appear to be a sequel 😭😭 because we're left with the beginnings of a good mystery, and Drowntown itself is a setting I'm desperate to see more of. Maybe if Jim Murray has come concept art and sketches tucked in a draw somewhere which he could release into the world....please? Pretty please??
December 29, 2022
This is beautiful, you can see the roots of the European album format in here, but with the sensibility of something like 2000AD.
In a near future, London is half flooded. Bike couriers have been replaced with aquabikes, which to be fair look really cool. Half the story revolves around Gina Cassel, a courier with a small independent courier, who manages to get hooked up with the Drakenberg family, quite possibly the most powerful family in the country.
The other half follows Leo Noiret, former police officer, with no luck whatsoever. How hiring himself out as a body guard. He ends up getting involved with one of the most powerful women in the world, who wants him to go back to being an investigator for him.
At some point both these worlds will collide.
the world building is wonderful. You can almost smell the sewers, and as it's taken from London, so much of the sights merge in to create a realistic back drop.
The Drakenberg are mentioned as being heavily involved in genetic mutations, so there are panda bears used as heavys and mice used as pickpockets, and you can hear the cockney accent.
my only complaint is this is book 1, and it looks like book 2 never appeared. This means the story is left hanging on a thread, which is really irritating.
Is beautiful though
In a near future, London is half flooded. Bike couriers have been replaced with aquabikes, which to be fair look really cool. Half the story revolves around Gina Cassel, a courier with a small independent courier, who manages to get hooked up with the Drakenberg family, quite possibly the most powerful family in the country.
The other half follows Leo Noiret, former police officer, with no luck whatsoever. How hiring himself out as a body guard. He ends up getting involved with one of the most powerful women in the world, who wants him to go back to being an investigator for him.
At some point both these worlds will collide.
the world building is wonderful. You can almost smell the sewers, and as it's taken from London, so much of the sights merge in to create a realistic back drop.
The Drakenberg are mentioned as being heavily involved in genetic mutations, so there are panda bears used as heavys and mice used as pickpockets, and you can hear the cockney accent.
my only complaint is this is book 1, and it looks like book 2 never appeared. This means the story is left hanging on a thread, which is really irritating.
Is beautiful though
November 16, 2023
First of all, the disgusting crap shelf refers to the sludge that is covering most of the world, not the story itself. Typical Robbie Morrison darkness, and the artwork is fabulous. I will look forward to Book Two if it ever comes out.
November 21, 2025
Nice artwork but the story was painful. could not bring myself to finish - a first for me
September 16, 2013
The art work is awesome and reminds me a little of "the goon". The story is alright, but as it is only volume one then it is hard to tell where it is going. Refering back to "The Goon' although a different style and different genere that suffered from the first couple of volumes from being amazing, you could see the potential and later it got amazing. This maybe true here but we shall see when we finally get the other volumes.
July 28, 2013
Overall, it was ok.
The art is gorgeous, blending caricature and realism, while the scenery is superbly designed.
The plot is a bit cliche and the writing has its failures, but I'd rather talk more about it when the trilogy comes to and.
The art is gorgeous, blending caricature and realism, while the scenery is superbly designed.
The plot is a bit cliche and the writing has its failures, but I'd rather talk more about it when the trilogy comes to and.
January 16, 2016
We are plunged(!) straight into the soaking world around London underwater. The artwork is rich and worth looking at carefully and the storyline and characters leave me wanting more. Great graphic novel
September 20, 2013
A good if slim start to a sci-fi series set in a submerged aquatic London. What stands out here, is the art work. It's lush and really brings the wet city to life.
December 4, 2013
Totally loved. It reminded me of the Fifth Element.
September 28, 2014
I picked this up on recommendation and i haven't been disappointed, it's a good read but I don't know how long the next book will be
January 28, 2015
What a beauty! Much too short, of course. :) I'm completely in love with the art work. Could pour over it for hours.
April 10, 2015
Perhaps other books might improve, but only the art was good.
August 25, 2015
This was great fun. Excellent flooded London setting. Interesting characters. Intriguing plot and sadly it ended too soon and now I have to look for the follow up volume.
April 20, 2016
Wets the appetite but is far too short. As it gets good it's to be continued.
June 28, 2016
A good graphic novel set in a near-future, flooded London.
An abrupt ending to the first volume left me wanting more.
Recommended.
An abrupt ending to the first volume left me wanting more.
Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews