Impure Blood Volume 2

Impure Blood #2

by Nadja Baer, Nathan Lueth (Illustrator)

Roan follows Dara back to Turien to keep an Ancient device out of the hands of those who would use it for evil. There they find an army has risen up out of the earth and the sea to attack the city state, leaving death and destruction in its wake. When Mac, a teenaged girl with more sense for mechanics than keeping out of trouble, is captured by the leader of the invading army, Roan is once again presented with a choice between his human and his Ancient Blood. Even on the brink of ruin, Turien holds no welcome for her would-be heroes. Caspian's father has put out a bounty on his son's head that ensures the city guard will be on the lookout. Tension mounts as each member of the company finds their loyalties shifting, their secrets exposed, their questions unanswered. Who is Auhle, why is he after the device, and what does an old hermit cast out of the Watchers' society have to do with it?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Steampunk

100 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Nadja thinks there aren't enough smart, sassy heroines in speculative fiction. Her speculative fiction is full of smart, sassy heroines.

Coincidence?

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Reviews

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compendium of the webcomic.

Volume 2 opens with them in a conflict torn city. Dara goes to rescue someone, and Caspian goes to retrieve a device, and Elnor goes to weasel out of a deal. Roan meets another of his kind, and Mac is ebullient and accidentally insensitive. A man with a grudge against Caspian appears, failure sends them off on another path.

[Jonas Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the sequel, getting more of a feel of the division between classes and even the group itself. Love the little mechanic. Onto the 3rd!

[Robert Defrank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having gained his freedom at the cost of an oath of service, Roan finds himself roped into a mission with some unlikely allies (and some unlikely costumes and transportation), trying to unravel a conspiracy and find a secret weapon of mass destruction.

We also learn quite a bit more about Dara, his mysterious rescuer and another half-ancient, and her own reasons for pursuing the quest.

And everything would go much smoother if they just listen to Caspian.

But I digress. While our heroes have shown courage and no small amount of skill, they're still lacking in trust at this point, which they're going to need: the enemies take it up a notch, and the machinations and mechanical monstrosities on the move and a world-ending weapon at stake.

The artwork remains phenominal, depicting a wide range of characters, uncanny magic, outlandish steampunk tech and strange and beautiful settings.

While I personally found Roan's role a bit too passive in this installment, the worldbuilding, action and revelations make up for it. Definitely a story to check out.

[Nerdy_Bee_Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this volume more than the first but there is something about the tension in the group that doesn't seem to be working for me. I'm very much into what's going on with the plot but getting so irritated with the secrets. Hoping there will be more revealed and the secrets will make sense in the end and that would make that part worth it. Will continue on with the series.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

see volume 4 review

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woo! Fights! Mysterious double dealing! Learning more about secret backgrounds raising even MORE questions! Pretty art!
Loved it.