What do you think?
Rate this book
Unfinished Tales
Not yet published
Expected 8 Dec 26A shocking new original graphic novel from the legendary team of Brubaker and Phillips!
Finnegan Blake is one of the most successful authors in the world, but he can't enjoy all the fame and fortune anymore. Because Finn is ten years past his deadline on the final book in his epic fantasy series, and has no hope of ever finishing it. Until an old friend shows up with the perfect solution to his writers block. But their pact soon turns dark, as egos clash and old secrets emerge, leading Finn to wonder exactly what kind of deal he's made, and how far he's willing to go to get this final book onto the bestseller list. Most writers would kill for Finn's life... will he?
The Lord of the Rings meets The Talented Mr Ripley in this paranoid thriller by the grand masters of comics noir. UNFINISHED TALES is the must-have graphic novel for the Christmas season, from the red hot creators of RECKLESS, THE FADE OUT, KILL OR BE KILLED and CRIMINAL (coming in 2026 to Prime Video).
Finnegan Blake is one of the most successful authors in the world, but he can't enjoy all the fame and fortune anymore. Because Finn is ten years past his deadline on the final book in his epic fantasy series, and has no hope of ever finishing it. Until an old friend shows up with the perfect solution to his writers block. But their pact soon turns dark, as egos clash and old secrets emerge, leading Finn to wonder exactly what kind of deal he's made, and how far he's willing to go to get this final book onto the bestseller list. Most writers would kill for Finn's life... will he?
The Lord of the Rings meets The Talented Mr Ripley in this paranoid thriller by the grand masters of comics noir. UNFINISHED TALES is the must-have graphic novel for the Christmas season, from the red hot creators of RECKLESS, THE FADE OUT, KILL OR BE KILLED and CRIMINAL (coming in 2026 to Prime Video).
144 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 11, 2026
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,826 books3,102 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Image Comics, and Ed Brubaker / Sean Phillips for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Unfinished Tales is a dark, clever, and increasingly twisted graphic novel that takes something as familiar as writer’s block and turns it into a paranoid noir thriller.
I really enjoyed the premise. There’s something especially fun about watching the glamorous image of a famous author unravel into desperation, ego, secrets, and increasingly questionable decisions.
Brubaker and Phillips are such a strong pairing for this kind of story. The noir atmosphere works incredibly well, and the artwork gives the whole thing a gritty, uneasy quality that makes you feel like something is wrong even before you know exactly what it is. There’s tension, dark humour, and enough unpredictability to keep the pages turning.
Dark, strange, and compulsively readable, Unfinished Tales is a great pick for readers who enjoy morally messy characters, crime comics, psychological thrillers, and stories about writers behaving very badly.
Unfinished Tales is a dark, clever, and increasingly twisted graphic novel that takes something as familiar as writer’s block and turns it into a paranoid noir thriller.
I really enjoyed the premise. There’s something especially fun about watching the glamorous image of a famous author unravel into desperation, ego, secrets, and increasingly questionable decisions.
Brubaker and Phillips are such a strong pairing for this kind of story. The noir atmosphere works incredibly well, and the artwork gives the whole thing a gritty, uneasy quality that makes you feel like something is wrong even before you know exactly what it is. There’s tension, dark humour, and enough unpredictability to keep the pages turning.
Dark, strange, and compulsively readable, Unfinished Tales is a great pick for readers who enjoy morally messy characters, crime comics, psychological thrillers, and stories about writers behaving very badly.
Read
July 21, 2026Brubaker & Phillips' latest is the story of the world's biggest fantasy writer, his next book massively overdue, not helped by the TV adaptation overtaking the novels and having an ending everyone hated. And sure, I get them wanting to retain the very tiniest fig-leaf of deniability by not calling the author Phil RR Spector, but Finnegan Blake? Both ridiculously action hero and an overloaded literary reference? Really? It doesn't stop there; rather than a funny little hairy hobbit guy, Finn is grizzled but still leading man handsome, more of a Michael Chabon type, because that's what Phillips likes to draw. And when the art gets outside that rut he and Brubaker encourage in each other, there are a couple of shocking panels here, particularly the one where Finn's amiable dog, I'm pretty sure unintentionally, suddenly looks like a blazing hound of death, yet retains exactly the same gormless expression as usual. If the story had pursued that direction, it might at least have been more interesting, but as is, at every turn it does the shitty Hollywood biopic thing and changes the source facts in ways which make them less particular, more bog-standard. Finn is stuck on the final book of his series, not the penultimate; fame split him and his wife up, because that's what wealth and fame does, right, or at least what the non-famous find it consoling to believe. Finn isn't a veteran writer and showrunner when he begins the series as a second act, but a debut novelist – and one who really wants to be literary and serious, only thinks of fantasy as slumming it. I wonder if this might be the creators' own snobby little prejudices showing, especially since Finn's books sound like absolute dreck, generic single-hero fantasy where, yes, it would be baffling that anyone couldn't just churn one more out, much as B&P do with their noir books like this one, which, careful not to upset the applecart, even tacks on an entirely unnecessary crime subplot in the final act. There were moments I enjoyed – the difficulties of having a roommate again in middle age, one genuinely funny reveal right before the denouement. But for the most part it feels like production line workers impertinently demanding to know why a craftsman is so much slower than them.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to the authors Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, Image Comics, and Net Galley for the early look at this graphic novel, to be published 11/11/26.
My favorite comics event of the year thus (2026) year thus far had been Five Gears in Reverse by this same team, so as soon as I saw Unfinished Tales was available to view early, and that Sam Quixote had already five-starred it (as he is stingy with those stars, so I knew he was probably right, but I already guessed it would likely be special, anyway). And it is special, also one of my faves of the year for sure, and though still crime comics, it is different than anything they have yet done. The cover is great, a throw-back to fifties-style covers, that tear in the surface there so we can expect we will eventually see what really is going on underneath the surface. Then we get a surprise, an advert for a book by a guy named Finnegan Blake, entitled Knights of November: Book 6 of the Knight Fires Tapestry series, which immediately makes one think only of George R. Martin’s unfinished tale, The Game of Thrones, which is stuck at, uh, book five. Though Tolkien also has a collection of stories also titled Unfinished Tales set in his Lord of the Rings universe.
“Fucking writers and their fucking egos.”
Finn is stuck and has been for years. He’s been widely successful and then he is almost a pariah as he continues to not write the last book of his series as a successful tv adaptation of the series passes him by. The process of Finn FINishing is one of the most straightforward narratives Brubaker and Phillips have yet produced, until it becomes a little less straightforward, at about the 3/4 mark, but it's worth the wait.
What transpires is in part yet another exploration by Brubaker of writing and fame, as the boys did in The Fadeout (about a writer in Hollywood, where Brubaker is also now working as showrunner of the tv adaptation of his Criminal series) and Bad Weekend, (featuring old comics icon Hal Adams and a recurring comics guy, Jacob Kurtz).
How will Finn finish the series (I liked that one so much I had to use it twice)? Pierre, the aforementioned old pal, once a peer his writing program, comes to rescue him, and I'll say what happens after that entertainingly works, though one might question the credibility for Pierre's motivation and what he does with his writing students. But okay. Much of wha happens before that seems like a kind of romantic writer’s fantasy, maybe as shleppy George R. Martin might have found his own climb to fame: Finn gets mega money, fame, happy marriage, until as often happens in real life, you take a bite of fame and it bites back, hard. So after a pretty straightforward and recognizable and relatively unsurprising rendering of rags to riches to (emotional) rags (he’s still way rich), surprises occur in the story that are entertaining.
PS:
*Entertainingly ironic that the team that apparently seems to never have had anything like writer’s block writes a kind of “solution” to the most famous writer’s block story of our age. That’s a fun thing to do.
*Two problems need to get solved; in the Knight Fires series--how to get the main character out of prison, and then, in the book Brubaker is writing, he needs to figure out how to get Finn out of his writer’s block. Story, and story within a story, both requiring clever narrative interventions, and they work, both solutions coming from sudden, unexpected blasts from the past. Cool!! There’s more of that double intervention stuff going on at the finish, what to do with Finn's Knight Fires series--essentially still unfinished!--and then what actually happens at the end of Brubaker's Unfinished Tales--also unfinished, though we pretty much know what is going to happen.
I really love it, so fun. For Brubaker-Phillips fans AND for George R. Martin fans. And fans of stories about writers who don't write (cf. Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon).
My favorite comics event of the year thus (2026) year thus far had been Five Gears in Reverse by this same team, so as soon as I saw Unfinished Tales was available to view early, and that Sam Quixote had already five-starred it (as he is stingy with those stars, so I knew he was probably right, but I already guessed it would likely be special, anyway). And it is special, also one of my faves of the year for sure, and though still crime comics, it is different than anything they have yet done. The cover is great, a throw-back to fifties-style covers, that tear in the surface there so we can expect we will eventually see what really is going on underneath the surface. Then we get a surprise, an advert for a book by a guy named Finnegan Blake, entitled Knights of November: Book 6 of the Knight Fires Tapestry series, which immediately makes one think only of George R. Martin’s unfinished tale, The Game of Thrones, which is stuck at, uh, book five. Though Tolkien also has a collection of stories also titled Unfinished Tales set in his Lord of the Rings universe.
“Fucking writers and their fucking egos.”
Finn is stuck and has been for years. He’s been widely successful and then he is almost a pariah as he continues to not write the last book of his series as a successful tv adaptation of the series passes him by. The process of Finn FINishing is one of the most straightforward narratives Brubaker and Phillips have yet produced, until it becomes a little less straightforward, at about the 3/4 mark, but it's worth the wait.
What transpires is in part yet another exploration by Brubaker of writing and fame, as the boys did in The Fadeout (about a writer in Hollywood, where Brubaker is also now working as showrunner of the tv adaptation of his Criminal series) and Bad Weekend, (featuring old comics icon Hal Adams and a recurring comics guy, Jacob Kurtz).
How will Finn finish the series (I liked that one so much I had to use it twice)? Pierre, the aforementioned old pal, once a peer his writing program, comes to rescue him, and I'll say what happens after that entertainingly works, though one might question the credibility for Pierre's motivation and what he does with his writing students. But okay. Much of wha happens before that seems like a kind of romantic writer’s fantasy, maybe as shleppy George R. Martin might have found his own climb to fame: Finn gets mega money, fame, happy marriage, until as often happens in real life, you take a bite of fame and it bites back, hard. So after a pretty straightforward and recognizable and relatively unsurprising rendering of rags to riches to (emotional) rags (he’s still way rich), surprises occur in the story that are entertaining.
PS:
*Entertainingly ironic that the team that apparently seems to never have had anything like writer’s block writes a kind of “solution” to the most famous writer’s block story of our age. That’s a fun thing to do.
*Two problems need to get solved; in the Knight Fires series--how to get the main character out of prison, and then, in the book Brubaker is writing, he needs to figure out how to get Finn out of his writer’s block. Story, and story within a story, both requiring clever narrative interventions, and they work, both solutions coming from sudden, unexpected blasts from the past. Cool!! There’s more of that double intervention stuff going on at the finish, what to do with Finn's Knight Fires series--essentially still unfinished!--and then what actually happens at the end of Brubaker's Unfinished Tales--also unfinished, though we pretty much know what is going to happen.
I really love it, so fun. For Brubaker-Phillips fans AND for George R. Martin fans. And fans of stories about writers who don't write (cf. Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon).
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
What if George R. R. Martin was given a secret ghost writer with a bag full of great ideas for how to finally end A Song of Ice and Fire - would he accept it, if it meant keeping the ghost writer’s identity a secret? And, if after delivering the finished manuscripts, what would he do if the ghost writer threatened to expose their secret - would he resort to murder?
Before I start, let me just say: thank fucking god for Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Not just the best creative team in comics, but dependable and prolific too. There are precious few good comics being published each year and there’d be even less without these two around. This is their second book I’ve read this year (the other was Five Gears in Reverse) and both were absolute knockouts. As a fan of quality comics, thank you both and I don’t know how you’re doing it at this pace but please carry on!
Now onto Unfinished Tales. Obviously Brubaker’s not using George R. R. Martin’s real name but his proxy - “Finnegan Blake” - is clearly modelled on Martin’s career as it relates to his hit fantasy series. Blake too has a bestselling swords and sorcery series that got made into an even bigger TV show, but the show outpaced his publishing and they had to make the final series based on his notes, rather than an actual book. The final series was panned by all and Blake’s writing has stalled. It’s years later now and fans are still waiting for the final book in the series, but Blake can’t bring himself to complete it.
So yeah, if you know anything about Martin and ASOIAF, it’s the same thing but with different names.
And relating that story alone is compelling. Brubaker provides credible insight into the life of a popular writer with the fan signings and editorial meetings that I’m sure he’s experienced firsthand (maybe not on the same scale but still), and posits a convincing theory for why Blake/Martin is unable to finish the series: the TV show finale was his real finale and he doesn’t want to write it because he knows the fans will hate it and he hasn’t come up with a better alternative.
Brubaker then throws a crime element (of course) into the mix which is basically a version of Strangers on a Train where two people enter into a secret pact which can only end badly. I won’t go into the details but suffice it to say I was totally enthralled with every aspect of this story - I read it through in one effortless sitting because it’s just that damn good a comic.
The title is a partial nod to Tolkien, the creator of the fantasy genre, who has a book called Unfinished Tales. I wonder if Finnegan Blake is a reference to Finnegans Wake, famously a novel without an ending (the final line is the first half of a sentence with the book’s first line being the second half of that sentence; the implication being that the book is a never-ending loop), while Finn is a writer in search of an ending.
I’m just glad that Brubaker doesn’t have what George R. R. Martin has and he’s able to put out high quality stories at an unreal rate. An absolutely wonderful standalone comic from Brubaker/Phillips that’s very contemporary and a superb read to boot. You’ll probably never read The Winds of Winter/A Dream of Spring (unless someone like Brandon Sanderson finishes them years after George’s death) but Unfinished Tales is real and definitely worth reading.
Before I start, let me just say: thank fucking god for Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Not just the best creative team in comics, but dependable and prolific too. There are precious few good comics being published each year and there’d be even less without these two around. This is their second book I’ve read this year (the other was Five Gears in Reverse) and both were absolute knockouts. As a fan of quality comics, thank you both and I don’t know how you’re doing it at this pace but please carry on!
Now onto Unfinished Tales. Obviously Brubaker’s not using George R. R. Martin’s real name but his proxy - “Finnegan Blake” - is clearly modelled on Martin’s career as it relates to his hit fantasy series. Blake too has a bestselling swords and sorcery series that got made into an even bigger TV show, but the show outpaced his publishing and they had to make the final series based on his notes, rather than an actual book. The final series was panned by all and Blake’s writing has stalled. It’s years later now and fans are still waiting for the final book in the series, but Blake can’t bring himself to complete it.
So yeah, if you know anything about Martin and ASOIAF, it’s the same thing but with different names.
And relating that story alone is compelling. Brubaker provides credible insight into the life of a popular writer with the fan signings and editorial meetings that I’m sure he’s experienced firsthand (maybe not on the same scale but still), and posits a convincing theory for why Blake/Martin is unable to finish the series: the TV show finale was his real finale and he doesn’t want to write it because he knows the fans will hate it and he hasn’t come up with a better alternative.
Brubaker then throws a crime element (of course) into the mix which is basically a version of Strangers on a Train where two people enter into a secret pact which can only end badly. I won’t go into the details but suffice it to say I was totally enthralled with every aspect of this story - I read it through in one effortless sitting because it’s just that damn good a comic.
The title is a partial nod to Tolkien, the creator of the fantasy genre, who has a book called Unfinished Tales. I wonder if Finnegan Blake is a reference to Finnegans Wake, famously a novel without an ending (the final line is the first half of a sentence with the book’s first line being the second half of that sentence; the implication being that the book is a never-ending loop), while Finn is a writer in search of an ending.
I’m just glad that Brubaker doesn’t have what George R. R. Martin has and he’s able to put out high quality stories at an unreal rate. An absolutely wonderful standalone comic from Brubaker/Phillips that’s very contemporary and a superb read to boot. You’ll probably never read The Winds of Winter/A Dream of Spring (unless someone like Brandon Sanderson finishes them years after George’s death) but Unfinished Tales is real and definitely worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Image Comics and NetGalley for the advanced copy of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ latest collaboration Unfinished Tales. I haven’t read too much by Ed Brubaker and I’m still relatively new to non-horror comics, but I was absolutely blown away by this tale of fame, fortune, and severe writer’s block (or procrastination). Unfinished Tales might be one of the best books I’ve read about the challenges of creativity and creating art in a market that values commercial success. The story focuses on Finnegan Blake, whose Knights of the Sun series is widely considered one of the most popular and best-selling fantasy series of the 21st century. The series, which generated a multi-season television show, has fans that follow Blake to various conventions and talks, despite (or maybe in spite of) the fact that Blake hasn’t completed the final book in the series. The last book was published many years ago, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the final entry. While many fans are hopefully anticipating Blake’s last entry, others are growing restless, with one fan even confronting Blake at a talk, with his public rebuke of Blake’s delay in completing the book going viral.
One of the great aspects of this book is how Brubaker’s writing and Phillips’ excellent artwork allow for a slow reveal where we begin to see how Finnegan Blake’s success and popularity are not exactly what they seem, and have created a kind of prison or weight that he carries around with him, continually reminded about the impending deadline that continuously pushed further and further back. Anyone whose struggled with writer’s block or procrastination should be able to relate to Blake’s struggles of just being unable to produce. Even Blake’s longtime editor, who tries some different approaches to get Blake to finish, never sees the book, as he passes away prior to retirement and years after having a stroke that was probably hastened by Blake’s failure to finish. On the way back from the funeral, Blake encounters a friend (or possibly a writer rival) from college, and they catch up over drinks. Although he experienced some success in college and after, Pierre never had the same kind of success and acclaim that Finn experienced. Nevertheless, Pierre ends up staying with Finn, offering him the possibility of finishing his series, although it comes with a catch. Will Finn agree to Pierre’s plan? Or will his ego get in the way? I won’t ruin the ending, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun and surprising ending, and despite being a book about writer’s block and procrastination, the plot continually moves forward, occasionally revisiting Blake’s past to better understand how he got stuck and was unable to move ahead with his story. Furthermore, Phillips’ classic, realistic artwork provide a sense of gravitas to the story, elevating it to something more literary. I highly recommend this book, and I’ll be looking for more great stories from Brubaker and Phillips.
One of the great aspects of this book is how Brubaker’s writing and Phillips’ excellent artwork allow for a slow reveal where we begin to see how Finnegan Blake’s success and popularity are not exactly what they seem, and have created a kind of prison or weight that he carries around with him, continually reminded about the impending deadline that continuously pushed further and further back. Anyone whose struggled with writer’s block or procrastination should be able to relate to Blake’s struggles of just being unable to produce. Even Blake’s longtime editor, who tries some different approaches to get Blake to finish, never sees the book, as he passes away prior to retirement and years after having a stroke that was probably hastened by Blake’s failure to finish. On the way back from the funeral, Blake encounters a friend (or possibly a writer rival) from college, and they catch up over drinks. Although he experienced some success in college and after, Pierre never had the same kind of success and acclaim that Finn experienced. Nevertheless, Pierre ends up staying with Finn, offering him the possibility of finishing his series, although it comes with a catch. Will Finn agree to Pierre’s plan? Or will his ego get in the way? I won’t ruin the ending, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun and surprising ending, and despite being a book about writer’s block and procrastination, the plot continually moves forward, occasionally revisiting Blake’s past to better understand how he got stuck and was unable to move ahead with his story. Furthermore, Phillips’ classic, realistic artwork provide a sense of gravitas to the story, elevating it to something more literary. I highly recommend this book, and I’ll be looking for more great stories from Brubaker and Phillips.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you're like me, you've probably given up any and all of the time you've spent reading George R.R. Martin's SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series as a complete waste. He's never going to finish the series. The TV show ended, and I was happy with that ending, and now I give zero shits about the books anymore. If he finishes them, great, if not, I know the ending already.
It has honestly never occurred to me "Why doesn't he get a ghost-writer?"...I mean, yes, I wondered if someone would finish the series after he died, but then he shot that down. Luckily for us, Ed Brubaker HAS wondered why Martin hasn't just hired a ghost-writer, and that scenario plays out wonderfully here, in UNFINISHED TALES.
Our G.R.R.M stand-in is Finnegan Blake, whose seventh and final book in the KNIGHT FIRE TAPESTRY is over a decade late; The hit TV show based on the series has already ended, using his story notes, and the ending was almost universally hated. Blake, like Martin, travels the world doing conventions, interviews, and appearances...doing everything but writing. Blake has written himself into a corner, and the ending he had envisioned was hated by all. He's stuck...what to do?
Enter his old college friend, Pierre. A failed writer himself, he offers to help Finn by ghosting/assisting with the final book. An agreement is reached, work begins, and Pierre is filled with solutions and great ideas. Pierre has been promised a healthy slice of the book's profits, but no credit...What are the odds that that agreement is going to stick? (Come on, this is a Brubaker book we're talking about, here!)
I am a huge fan of the billion or so other Brubaker/Sean Phillips collaborations, so I knew I'd love this, as well. My usual complaint about their work is that, while extremely well-told, there are never any surprises...anyone who has read enough books or seen the right films will see the end coming a mile off. Always a fun journey, but the destination is totally predictible.
Well, they surprised me here. So extra kudos for that. Great, great ending. Pick your side...Finn and Pierre both have valid points. But the ending was a clever, nasty little poke in the guts with a sharp knife. This jaded reader didn't see it coming, and I loved it.
Brubaker keeps what is essentially a talking heads book moving along briskly, and Phillips does his usual job of killing it, artwise. The Game of Thrones satire was strong, and fans of the books and TV show will find a lot to enjoy in that regard.
As always, Brubaker and Phillips are THE noir comics masters, and this one was a cut above their usual excellence. Highly recommended.
It has honestly never occurred to me "Why doesn't he get a ghost-writer?"...I mean, yes, I wondered if someone would finish the series after he died, but then he shot that down. Luckily for us, Ed Brubaker HAS wondered why Martin hasn't just hired a ghost-writer, and that scenario plays out wonderfully here, in UNFINISHED TALES.
Our G.R.R.M stand-in is Finnegan Blake, whose seventh and final book in the KNIGHT FIRE TAPESTRY is over a decade late; The hit TV show based on the series has already ended, using his story notes, and the ending was almost universally hated. Blake, like Martin, travels the world doing conventions, interviews, and appearances...doing everything but writing. Blake has written himself into a corner, and the ending he had envisioned was hated by all. He's stuck...what to do?
Enter his old college friend, Pierre. A failed writer himself, he offers to help Finn by ghosting/assisting with the final book. An agreement is reached, work begins, and Pierre is filled with solutions and great ideas. Pierre has been promised a healthy slice of the book's profits, but no credit...What are the odds that that agreement is going to stick? (Come on, this is a Brubaker book we're talking about, here!)
I am a huge fan of the billion or so other Brubaker/Sean Phillips collaborations, so I knew I'd love this, as well. My usual complaint about their work is that, while extremely well-told, there are never any surprises...anyone who has read enough books or seen the right films will see the end coming a mile off. Always a fun journey, but the destination is totally predictible.
Well, they surprised me here. So extra kudos for that. Great, great ending. Pick your side...Finn and Pierre both have valid points. But the ending was a clever, nasty little poke in the guts with a sharp knife. This jaded reader didn't see it coming, and I loved it.
Brubaker keeps what is essentially a talking heads book moving along briskly, and Phillips does his usual job of killing it, artwise. The Game of Thrones satire was strong, and fans of the books and TV show will find a lot to enjoy in that regard.
As always, Brubaker and Phillips are THE noir comics masters, and this one was a cut above their usual excellence. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy.
I was riveted as soon as I started reading, because the art is wonderful, truly top notch, and the character was interesting. Brubaker really rakes this guy over the coals, and I suspect more than one current author is going to see himself in this character, so that's an interesting choice. I didn't know how I felt about that.
Phillips' art is perfect. The characters' emotions are drawn perfectly, each character is easy to identify, the action is always clear. All the stars for this perfect example of comic book art.
The author, Finn, gets himself into a massive slump, and that part goes on too long. I wish Brubaker had cut to the chase a bit sooner. As Berry Gordy and many others have said: "don't bore us, get to the chorus." It applies to books, too! The ending is clever, it's sort of like a Twilight Zone ending, but it took a little bit too long to get there, with not enough in the middle to carry my interest.
The blurb promised us a Highsmith-worthy downward spiral, and that's not at all what we get. If my expectations had not been torqued up so much by the blurb, I might have enjoyed this for what it is: a character study of an author struggling with sudden fame and then struggling with a 15-years-long writer's block. What do you do when you're suddenly famous? Who do you become? And, when you lose that high, what do you do to get it back? Finn doesn't do anything truly shocking here, he's just a regular guy dealing with regular emotions. This is a spectacular character study, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed, because it's not what I was expecting based on the blurb.
I was riveted as soon as I started reading, because the art is wonderful, truly top notch, and the character was interesting. Brubaker really rakes this guy over the coals, and I suspect more than one current author is going to see himself in this character, so that's an interesting choice. I didn't know how I felt about that.
Phillips' art is perfect. The characters' emotions are drawn perfectly, each character is easy to identify, the action is always clear. All the stars for this perfect example of comic book art.
The author, Finn, gets himself into a massive slump, and that part goes on too long. I wish Brubaker had cut to the chase a bit sooner. As Berry Gordy and many others have said: "don't bore us, get to the chorus." It applies to books, too! The ending is clever, it's sort of like a Twilight Zone ending, but it took a little bit too long to get there, with not enough in the middle to carry my interest.
The blurb promised us a Highsmith-worthy downward spiral, and that's not at all what we get. If my expectations had not been torqued up so much by the blurb, I might have enjoyed this for what it is: a character study of an author struggling with sudden fame and then struggling with a 15-years-long writer's block. What do you do when you're suddenly famous? Who do you become? And, when you lose that high, what do you do to get it back? Finn doesn't do anything truly shocking here, he's just a regular guy dealing with regular emotions. This is a spectacular character study, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed, because it's not what I was expecting based on the blurb.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There are some few misses with the Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips I've read, and this one is just fine but as a fantasy reader I enjoyed it a lot. Especially since there's quite a lot of fantasy series that was still unfinished, not just *that* popular unfinished series. I thought it would be not that obvious which series The Knight Fire Tapestry by Finnegan Blake is being compared to, but as it goes on the more obvious it becomes.
There's a lot of fantasy Easter eggs here and there and it's quite fun to spot them... I'd also say since the previews for this book already showed it, I'll just say that Knights of November feels like a bad book title.
The blurb for this one is quite misleading, it mentions that this one is The Lord of the Rings meets The Talented Mr Ripley. This one is so far from being The Lord of the Rings, this one is not fantasy in any kind of way. There's would be snippets from the book series of the author, but it's too few to be considered as fantasy.
This one is quite focused more on the writer having a roadblock finishing the series, we learned more about him, then we meet his friend who help him (all I'm saying is included in the blurb). This one is light on the thriller aspect.
There's a lot of fantasy Easter eggs here and there and it's quite fun to spot them... I'd also say since the previews for this book already showed it, I'll just say that Knights of November feels like a bad book title.
The blurb for this one is quite misleading, it mentions that this one is The Lord of the Rings meets The Talented Mr Ripley. This one is so far from being The Lord of the Rings, this one is not fantasy in any kind of way. There's would be snippets from the book series of the author, but it's too few to be considered as fantasy.
This one is quite focused more on the writer having a roadblock finishing the series, we learned more about him, then we meet his friend who help him (all I'm saying is included in the blurb). This one is light on the thriller aspect.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🖋️ Author: Ed Brubaker
📖 Title: Unfinished Tales
🖌️ illustrator(s): Sean Phillips
📅 Pub Day: December 8, 2026
💌 Publisher: Image Comics
📚 Format: Digital
🏷️ ISBN: 9781534330122
⏱️ Length: 144 pages
📌 Genre(s): Noir, Mystery, Thriller
⭐ Star Rating: 4
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Finnegan Blake is one of the most successful authors in the world, ten years past his deadline on the final book in his epic fantasy series and completely out of hope, until an old friend shows up with what seems like the perfect solution. But their pact soon turns dark as egos clash and old secrets emerge.
The beginning hooked me immediately and the premise is genuinely compelling. A famous author making a deal to overcome writer's block, set against the cutthroat world of publishing and fame? I was in. The middle stretched a little too long for my taste and I had some trouble staying focused during those sections, which kept this from a full five stars. But the ending absolutely picked back up and stuck the landing in a way that made the slower stretch worth pushing through.
One formatting note: a couple of the chat panels earlier on had words cut off. It was still readable, just slightly annoying.
That said, this was still a fun, twisted read.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ noir graphic novels
✔️ publishing industry drama
✔️ shady deals
✔️ morally grey protagonists
✔️ twisty endings
✔️ authors behaving badly
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Thank you to NetGalley, Ed Brubaker, and Image Comics for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
This review is cross‑posted across multiple platforms.
📖 Title: Unfinished Tales
🖌️ illustrator(s): Sean Phillips
📅 Pub Day: December 8, 2026
💌 Publisher: Image Comics
📚 Format: Digital
🏷️ ISBN: 9781534330122
⏱️ Length: 144 pages
📌 Genre(s): Noir, Mystery, Thriller
⭐ Star Rating: 4
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Finnegan Blake is one of the most successful authors in the world, ten years past his deadline on the final book in his epic fantasy series and completely out of hope, until an old friend shows up with what seems like the perfect solution. But their pact soon turns dark as egos clash and old secrets emerge.
The beginning hooked me immediately and the premise is genuinely compelling. A famous author making a deal to overcome writer's block, set against the cutthroat world of publishing and fame? I was in. The middle stretched a little too long for my taste and I had some trouble staying focused during those sections, which kept this from a full five stars. But the ending absolutely picked back up and stuck the landing in a way that made the slower stretch worth pushing through.
One formatting note: a couple of the chat panels earlier on had words cut off. It was still readable, just slightly annoying.
That said, this was still a fun, twisted read.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ noir graphic novels
✔️ publishing industry drama
✔️ shady deals
✔️ morally grey protagonists
✔️ twisty endings
✔️ authors behaving badly
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Thank you to NetGalley, Ed Brubaker, and Image Comics for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
This review is cross‑posted across multiple platforms.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the advanced copy.
This was good but not this duo's best - so don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips but this story surprisingly didn't really draw me in like they usually do.
I honestly thought a story about an author struggling to write a book would be more oomph for me, because that is a topic I enjoy reading about, but it felt like this dragged a bit. A lot of contemplative stuff about life and writing, all good and thoughtful but nothing really new.
There are, of course, a few twists, which is where the story really shines. That final twist was a gut punch and SO good.
Sean Phillips art is great as always too.
A decent comic worth the read but I don't know if it's one for my shelves, personally. I can see this speaking to quite a few people though, particularly frustrated fans of George RR Martin, the obvious inspiration for Finnegan Blake lol
This was good but not this duo's best - so don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips but this story surprisingly didn't really draw me in like they usually do.
I honestly thought a story about an author struggling to write a book would be more oomph for me, because that is a topic I enjoy reading about, but it felt like this dragged a bit. A lot of contemplative stuff about life and writing, all good and thoughtful but nothing really new.
There are, of course, a few twists, which is where the story really shines. That final twist was a gut punch and SO good.
Sean Phillips art is great as always too.
A decent comic worth the read but I don't know if it's one for my shelves, personally. I can see this speaking to quite a few people though, particularly frustrated fans of George RR Martin, the obvious inspiration for Finnegan Blake lol
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ll read pretty much anything Brubaker and Phillips put out at this point. They’re ridiculously prolific, and they keep delivering.
Unfinished Tales is another very good one. It’s an interesting take on writer’s block, fame, ego, and what happens when a hugely successful author can no longer finish the thing that made him famous. The George R. R. Martin parallels are obviously impossible to miss, but this isn’t really a satire of Martin. It uses that very recognizable situation as the starting point for something rather dark.
As always with these two, the writing and art are excellent. Phillips’ art fits the noir atmosphere perfectly, and Brubaker keeps things moving without overcomplicating the story.
Not my favorite Brubaker/Phillips book, but still a very easy recommendation. These two really do make it difficult to have a bad time.
ARC through NetGalley
Unfinished Tales is another very good one. It’s an interesting take on writer’s block, fame, ego, and what happens when a hugely successful author can no longer finish the thing that made him famous. The George R. R. Martin parallels are obviously impossible to miss, but this isn’t really a satire of Martin. It uses that very recognizable situation as the starting point for something rather dark.
As always with these two, the writing and art are excellent. Phillips’ art fits the noir atmosphere perfectly, and Brubaker keeps things moving without overcomplicating the story.
Not my favorite Brubaker/Phillips book, but still a very easy recommendation. These two really do make it difficult to have a bad time.
ARC through NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An author who is years behind in finishing his best-selling fantasy series accepts an offer of help from an old friend with ulterior motives.
Within just a couple of pages it's very clear that Brubaker is writing about George R. R. Martin and the unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire series. There are obvious fictional elements, but the first half of the book is just recounting the real world story. There's nothing original and it is about as exciting as listening to a bunch of fantasy fans bitch about Martin.
Unfinished Tales picks up in the second half when the original story begins, but by then I was already disengaged and ready for the book to be over. I won't give away the ending, but I found it petty and kind of mean-spirited.
Received via NetGalley.
Within just a couple of pages it's very clear that Brubaker is writing about George R. R. Martin and the unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire series. There are obvious fictional elements, but the first half of the book is just recounting the real world story. There's nothing original and it is about as exciting as listening to a bunch of fantasy fans bitch about Martin.
Unfinished Tales picks up in the second half when the original story begins, but by then I was already disengaged and ready for the book to be over. I won't give away the ending, but I found it petty and kind of mean-spirited.
Received via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ed Brubaker could write a medical journal on the causes of mumps among chimpanzees and I think I would read it. He is absolutely brilliant.
“Unfinished Tales” writes about the rise and potential fall of a hit fantasy writer. Everyone is clamoring for that final novel of a hit series. But the worst thing has happened to the author…writer’s block.
The journey to find at what links he is willing to go to complete his life’s work is so engaging. I loved every page of this graphic novel.
The problem with writing a review is I don’t want to spoil where it goes. Let’s just say, this is going to be an adventure you don’t want to miss.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
“Unfinished Tales” writes about the rise and potential fall of a hit fantasy writer. Everyone is clamoring for that final novel of a hit series. But the worst thing has happened to the author…writer’s block.
The journey to find at what links he is willing to go to complete his life’s work is so engaging. I loved every page of this graphic novel.
The problem with writing a review is I don’t want to spoil where it goes. Let’s just say, this is going to be an adventure you don’t want to miss.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
A nice standalone, although not that much striking.
The protagonist and his dilemma strike me as a clear reference to George R.R. Martin and that now infamous series that will probably never end (although it is certainly not the only unfinished series; there are plenty of them in the fantasy genre). It was interesting to see how the story unfolds when, thanks to a veritable deus ex machina – albeit a rather sinister one – help finally arrives. I was a bit disappointed by the ending, because I think it would have been intriguing to see the consequences of all those (wrong) decisions as well.
The synopsis is misleading in the literary comparisons it draws, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable read.
A nice standalone, although not that much striking.
The protagonist and his dilemma strike me as a clear reference to George R.R. Martin and that now infamous series that will probably never end (although it is certainly not the only unfinished series; there are plenty of them in the fantasy genre). It was interesting to see how the story unfolds when, thanks to a veritable deus ex machina – albeit a rather sinister one – help finally arrives. I was a bit disappointed by the ending, because I think it would have been intriguing to see the consequences of all those (wrong) decisions as well.
The synopsis is misleading in the literary comparisons it draws, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ed Brubaker serves up some George R. R. Martin writer's block fanfiction, spinning the never-ending gap between novels in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series into a dark tale of Faustian bargains and karmic justice.
I meant to read just the first half before turning in for the night but of course had to keep going until I finished.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
I meant to read just the first half before turning in for the night but of course had to keep going until I finished.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
What a crazy and amazing tale. I had a hunch of the possible track in this story, but what an incredible, creative ending! It reads a little bit of what the life of George R Martin with his own G.O.T. fandom and series. This book is a complete page turner. Read it in 2 days. An author is writing a 7-part sci-fi adventure. This story cover a great deal of what a writer has to experience all highs and lows.
Definitely worth the read!
What a crazy and amazing tale. I had a hunch of the possible track in this story, but what an incredible, creative ending! It reads a little bit of what the life of George R Martin with his own G.O.T. fandom and series. This book is a complete page turner. Read it in 2 days. An author is writing a 7-part sci-fi adventure. This story cover a great deal of what a writer has to experience all highs and lows.
Definitely worth the read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Like always with this creative team, I could guess at my rating for this graphic novel before I even read the first page and this one was no exception as I loved the hook immediately as we enter the world of long form fantasy fiction and the expectations and consequences of not finishing what you start with its excellent and decidedly Brubaker/Phillips narrative.
Special Thanks to Image Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Image Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh man, wait until Martin sees this one...
The dog-eat-dog/author-eat-author/ world of publishing. Not my favorite Brubaker. Not a character in the thing I liked. Not that that makes it a bad book, just made me bitterly remember my own grad school experiences etc etc.
The dog-eat-dog/author-eat-author/ world of publishing. Not my favorite Brubaker. Not a character in the thing I liked. Not that that makes it a bad book, just made me bitterly remember my own grad school experiences etc etc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to the publisher, the creators, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this title.
This is another fantastic book from Brubaker and Phillips. I am guessing this is based mostly on the life of George RR Martin. To my knowledge Martin never caused a collage friend to OD and blackmail him, but we don’t know for sure. Great art, and a pulse-pounding narrative. Good read!
This is another fantastic book from Brubaker and Phillips. I am guessing this is based mostly on the life of George RR Martin. To my knowledge Martin never caused a collage friend to OD and blackmail him, but we don’t know for sure. Great art, and a pulse-pounding narrative. Good read!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I think I need to just buckle down and read everything from Brubaker and Phillips at this point. The pacing of this was electric. The denouement grips and shakes you. Spectacular work.
I think I need to just buckle down and read everything from Brubaker and Phillips at this point. The pacing of this was electric. The denouement grips and shakes you. Spectacular work.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝗔 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗳𝗳.
This was my first modern graphic novel, and it was quite the introduction. The artwork is exceptional, with every panel perfectly capturing the noir atmosphere.
The behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world, the pressure of finishing a wildly successful fantasy series, and the weight of trying to satisfy a devoted fanbase really stood out to me. Some of the parallels are hard to miss.
Unfortunately, I never connected with the characters. Despite gradually revealing more of Finn's past, I always felt like I was watching him rather than rooting for him. The final act was much stronger, and while I appreciated the twist, it felt more clever than impactful after such a slow build.
A visually stunning graphic novel with an intriguing premise, but one that never fully pulled me in.
Thank you to Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Image Comics, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was my first modern graphic novel, and it was quite the introduction. The artwork is exceptional, with every panel perfectly capturing the noir atmosphere.
The behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world, the pressure of finishing a wildly successful fantasy series, and the weight of trying to satisfy a devoted fanbase really stood out to me. Some of the parallels are hard to miss.
Unfortunately, I never connected with the characters. Despite gradually revealing more of Finn's past, I always felt like I was watching him rather than rooting for him. The final act was much stronger, and while I appreciated the twist, it felt more clever than impactful after such a slow build.
A visually stunning graphic novel with an intriguing premise, but one that never fully pulled me in.
Thank you to Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Image Comics, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 8, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was amusing to read as a fantasy reader and writer, both at how things got a little too real in places (a writer's life isn't easy, y'all) and knowing the real life author and series it's paralleling. But because this is fiction, the story took a dark turn. The ending had me squinting a bit, if only because I'm a writer, but again, not real life, so maybe it would work out there, who knows?
I know of Brubaker because of Marvel, though I've been putting off reading those comics for no reason other than a massive TBR; this has gotten me interested in checking out those other works sooner rather than later. Phillips, too.
This was amusing to read as a fantasy reader and writer, both at how things got a little too real in places (a writer's life isn't easy, y'all) and knowing the real life author and series it's paralleling. But because this is fiction, the story took a dark turn. The ending had me squinting a bit, if only because I'm a writer, but again, not real life, so maybe it would work out there, who knows?
I know of Brubaker because of Marvel, though I've been putting off reading those comics for no reason other than a massive TBR; this has gotten me interested in checking out those other works sooner rather than later. Phillips, too.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews