What do you think?
Rate this book
Frontlines: Requiem #1-4
Frontlines: Requiem: The Graphic Novel
From acclaimed writer Ivan Brandon (Drifter, Viking), this four-issue comic book series features a new stand-alone story set within the action-packed military sci-fi world of Marko Kloos's bestselling Frontlines novels. Includes stunning artwork from Gary Erskine (Star Wars, Dan Dare, Doctor Who, Judge Dredd).
Colonel Soraya Yamin, commander of the battle-ravaged space control cruiser Phalanx, engages the Lankies, a merciless alien species, in an apocalyptic assault over Mars. The Lankies, who have outgunned, outmaneuvered, and outfought humanity at every turn, have been menacing Earth's colonies. But now they're suddenly in our solar system, decimating the NACS fleet and swarming toward Earth itself. Facing insurmountable odds, Soraya must make a fateful choice between her sworn duty and the loved ones she desperately wants to protect.
Colonel Soraya Yamin, commander of the battle-ravaged space control cruiser Phalanx, engages the Lankies, a merciless alien species, in an apocalyptic assault over Mars. The Lankies, who have outgunned, outmaneuvered, and outfought humanity at every turn, have been menacing Earth's colonies. But now they're suddenly in our solar system, decimating the NACS fleet and swarming toward Earth itself. Facing insurmountable odds, Soraya must make a fateful choice between her sworn duty and the loved ones she desperately wants to protect.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2016
42 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 21, 2025
Recent Reads: Frontlines - Requiem. A graphic novel side story set in Marko Kloos milSF series, during the Lanky invasion of Mars. A ship commander must make life or death decisions, even after she comes home carrying the burden of survivor's guilt. Honour and duty are all she has left. Very human.
April 4, 2018
It is rare that a graphic novel makes my eyes leak.
This one did.
I am very glad to have been able to learn more about this character and what led to the place you first meet her in the series.
This one did.
I am very glad to have been able to learn more about this character and what led to the place you first meet her in the series.
January 9, 2020
I am a long time fan of Marko Kloos and have read the Frontlines novels and short stories up through Chains of Command, so when I saw this on sale and had some Amazon credit to burn, it was a no brainer.
Overall, the graphic novel was passable. I felt that the artist's style was not really my cup of tea, but was not too jarring, and the story was not the most enrapturing I have read. That said, having Jackson and the Lazarus Brigade make a cameo was a nice touch. The depiction of the Lankies was not at all what my mind's eye had put together (I envisioned something much more along the lines of towering slugs), and the lines/aesthetic of the NAC ships and armor just didn't strike me as quite right. I was prepared to give it a 3-star rating, but in the final chapter, the plot got more emotionally loaded (or at least spoke to me more directly) and kicked things up a notch. It was a quick read, and entertaining, but I don't know that it added much to the Frontlines universe for me.
Overall, the graphic novel was passable. I felt that the artist's style was not really my cup of tea, but was not too jarring, and the story was not the most enrapturing I have read. That said, having Jackson and the Lazarus Brigade make a cameo was a nice touch. The depiction of the Lankies was not at all what my mind's eye had put together (I envisioned something much more along the lines of towering slugs), and the lines/aesthetic of the NAC ships and armor just didn't strike me as quite right. I was prepared to give it a 3-star rating, but in the final chapter, the plot got more emotionally loaded (or at least spoke to me more directly) and kicked things up a notch. It was a quick read, and entertaining, but I don't know that it added much to the Frontlines universe for me.
November 10, 2016
Space war.
I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.
Earth has been fighting an alien race. They really haven't been able to do much though, the aliens are too powerful. Now those aliens have made it to Earth.
This is a graphic novel collection of the first four issues of the comics. It covers the beginning of the battle for Earth. There isn't a lot of background given so if you aren't familiar with the series of novels, you might feel a little lost at times.
This seems to be a very good start to a series. There is plenty of action and the storyline is interesting. The characters are easy to like as well.
The artwork is nicely done. It is what I call realistic comic book. There is plenty of detail and consistency. Since it is a comic book, everyone is in great shape.
I can easily see this being a nice introduction to this world setting and readers wanting to explore more. Established fans of the series should also be happy with it.
I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.
Earth has been fighting an alien race. They really haven't been able to do much though, the aliens are too powerful. Now those aliens have made it to Earth.
This is a graphic novel collection of the first four issues of the comics. It covers the beginning of the battle for Earth. There isn't a lot of background given so if you aren't familiar with the series of novels, you might feel a little lost at times.
This seems to be a very good start to a series. There is plenty of action and the storyline is interesting. The characters are easy to like as well.
The artwork is nicely done. It is what I call realistic comic book. There is plenty of detail and consistency. Since it is a comic book, everyone is in great shape.
I can easily see this being a nice introduction to this world setting and readers wanting to explore more. Established fans of the series should also be happy with it.
July 19, 2017
Sci-fi 101
This volume was fairly generic. The story of humans leaving earth to find another home in the face of an insurmountable threat has been done before, and this particular attempt doesn't cover any new or interesting ground. The dialogue was unbelievable, and relied on cliche phrases that seemed out of place in a futuristic setting. That being said, I enjoyed the ship designs and the color choices. I also don't know how this book ended up in my collection, so I'm considering it a free read. There are worse ways to waste 15 minutes and perhaps this series gets more dynamic later on, but I don't really feel the need to invest in future volumes.
This volume was fairly generic. The story of humans leaving earth to find another home in the face of an insurmountable threat has been done before, and this particular attempt doesn't cover any new or interesting ground. The dialogue was unbelievable, and relied on cliche phrases that seemed out of place in a futuristic setting. That being said, I enjoyed the ship designs and the color choices. I also don't know how this book ended up in my collection, so I'm considering it a free read. There are worse ways to waste 15 minutes and perhaps this series gets more dynamic later on, but I don't really feel the need to invest in future volumes.
January 18, 2021
Knowledge of the Frontlines series is a must (I believe this describes events after the second book?), otherwise the story won't make much sense. I like the art style, was good to compare how I imagined the world versus how the authors did. No objection there.
However the story itself feels rather like just a teaser, not a full story. It all goes way too quick, there are not enough details about anything. Good fun but makes you wonder if you could have spend your time better doing something else.
However the story itself feels rather like just a teaser, not a full story. It all goes way too quick, there are not enough details about anything. Good fun but makes you wonder if you could have spend your time better doing something else.
October 21, 2020
Okay
I am torn about this comic, on one hand the graphics were great. They help me understand what the author was thinking of the fleet and the Lankies. On the other hand, the story line had something to desire. I wish there was more story to give to the reader.
I am torn about this comic, on one hand the graphics were great. They help me understand what the author was thinking of the fleet and the Lankies. On the other hand, the story line had something to desire. I wish there was more story to give to the reader.
September 10, 2022
Has a Starship Troopers feel to it.
A military science fiction story. Earth is losing against an implacable enemy. Traitors are backstabbing us. But, humans will rise again. Just like a Heinlein novel, but with different names.
A military science fiction story. Earth is losing against an implacable enemy. Traitors are backstabbing us. But, humans will rise again. Just like a Heinlein novel, but with different names.
October 15, 2023
A short story about the siege of Mars, during the Lanky War. in the Frontlines series. It centers on the conflict a starship commander faces whose desire to save the lives of her troops and civilians and the necessity of making the best decisions for the war effort.
December 26, 2017
It was interesting
September 13, 2019
You get to see what the aliens look like
May 30, 2025
3.25/5.
October 20, 2016
I received this book free from GoodReads first reads in kindle format. I have read several graphic books on the Kindle before, so I was used to the formatting. Being able to bring each panel up individually is nice when there's a lot of writing on a page. It makes them easier to read. The artwork looked very nice as well.
I have not read any of the other stories in the Frontlines world. This one did keep me reading though. The main character, Colonel Yamin, is faced with several life shattering changes within a short span of time. First, the ship she is on is the only survivor of a heretofore unsurvivable situation. Second, she must face the stark, certain knowledge of loosing her younger brother to the same situation. Next, she returns to Earth and must be the one to tell her parents of their collective loss. Then she survives rioters only to face the choice of who to save, her parents or her children.
With so much thrown at her so quickly, one might expect her to crumble, shatter even. She doesn't. She stands firm. People who can survive so many topsy-turvy flips are few and far between. They are a special breed unto themselves, and the main character proves her mettle. Whenever I come across more Frontlines books, I known I'll be checking them out.
I have not read any of the other stories in the Frontlines world. This one did keep me reading though. The main character, Colonel Yamin, is faced with several life shattering changes within a short span of time. First, the ship she is on is the only survivor of a heretofore unsurvivable situation. Second, she must face the stark, certain knowledge of loosing her younger brother to the same situation. Next, she returns to Earth and must be the one to tell her parents of their collective loss. Then she survives rioters only to face the choice of who to save, her parents or her children.
With so much thrown at her so quickly, one might expect her to crumble, shatter even. She doesn't. She stands firm. People who can survive so many topsy-turvy flips are few and far between. They are a special breed unto themselves, and the main character proves her mettle. Whenever I come across more Frontlines books, I known I'll be checking them out.
August 31, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
This is a decent space military story. I felt like I was reading a book inspired by Battlestar Galactica or something similar. However, I feel like there was too much crammed into this book. At times the story jumped forward, not in a jarring way, but I felt like the creators could have expanded on some aspects of the story that might have been pruned back because of the medium used.
Markos Kloos has a series of novels in the same setting and I would consider picking one up because what is present here is interesting. The alien invaders, known as Lankies, seem well thought out. And Col. Yamin is a relatable protagonist. She is put in some very tough positions. Her decisions don't always work out, but that makes the story more interesting.
The art is fine. Nothing too exciting. There are a couple panels that felt like they were repurposed though. Sort of as if the way the story was written was changed and the panels were already done so they were changed to fit the new path. Not sure if that is what happened here, but it is the impression that I get. I like stories that fit into this genre and this one holds its own.
This is a decent space military story. I felt like I was reading a book inspired by Battlestar Galactica or something similar. However, I feel like there was too much crammed into this book. At times the story jumped forward, not in a jarring way, but I felt like the creators could have expanded on some aspects of the story that might have been pruned back because of the medium used.
Markos Kloos has a series of novels in the same setting and I would consider picking one up because what is present here is interesting. The alien invaders, known as Lankies, seem well thought out. And Col. Yamin is a relatable protagonist. She is put in some very tough positions. Her decisions don't always work out, but that makes the story more interesting.
The art is fine. Nothing too exciting. There are a couple panels that felt like they were repurposed though. Sort of as if the way the story was written was changed and the panels were already done so they were changed to fit the new path. Not sure if that is what happened here, but it is the impression that I get. I like stories that fit into this genre and this one holds its own.
October 8, 2016
Not a new concept, but a very good execution.....
A quick read, this dumps you right into a future world where Earth is besieged by an alien force, the Lankys, who are trying to get our planet and transform it into something unbelievable for humans. They are 50 feet high, expressionless, and apparently don't use weapons, which I thought kind of odd for an advanced race. I really enjoyed the characters though, every believable and relatable. The nice surprise, when rioting starts on Earth (doesn't it always?) is that grandma and grandpa are kick ass highly decorated veterans! So they do more than cringe in terror, they attack, nice touch.
This appears to be the only offering to date in the series, I'm going to keep an eye out because I really liked the set up. The beginning was abrupt, and left a lot unexplained, but that was OK, I've read series that take the whole book to explain what the hell is happening. As I said in the title, it's not New territory anyway, so I didn't feel the need to have my obvious belabored. A good entry from a fellow N.H. resident, good graphics, and the part where the dad discovers his son is gone I found quite moving. More please?
A quick read, this dumps you right into a future world where Earth is besieged by an alien force, the Lankys, who are trying to get our planet and transform it into something unbelievable for humans. They are 50 feet high, expressionless, and apparently don't use weapons, which I thought kind of odd for an advanced race. I really enjoyed the characters though, every believable and relatable. The nice surprise, when rioting starts on Earth (doesn't it always?) is that grandma and grandpa are kick ass highly decorated veterans! So they do more than cringe in terror, they attack, nice touch.
This appears to be the only offering to date in the series, I'm going to keep an eye out because I really liked the set up. The beginning was abrupt, and left a lot unexplained, but that was OK, I've read series that take the whole book to explain what the hell is happening. As I said in the title, it's not New territory anyway, so I didn't feel the need to have my obvious belabored. A good entry from a fellow N.H. resident, good graphics, and the part where the dad discovers his son is gone I found quite moving. More please?
December 6, 2016
I won a copy of this from a Goodreads Giveaway.
First, let me say the artwork in this graphic novel is pretty good. The line work is clear and the colors are vibrant. The faces seemed a little boring to me - it was hard to read emotion on any of their faces, and it wound up looking like the same drawing pasted onto multiple pages.
The story passed by very quick - I read in it one half hour sitting. It's full of the cliche space travel ideas, which is okay, but not interesting enough to get me hooked into caring about any of the characters or their plight. I know this graphic novel is based off the Frontlines book series, which I unfortunately have never read nor have any knowledge of. This doesn't seem like something you can easily go into blind - I have no idea the backstory of any of the characters or what they're going through, and they aren't addressed enough where I even knew their names. Ultimately, I suppose this would be more enjoyable to someone who has more experience with the series. If this is going to be your first Frontlines book, I would hold off.
First, let me say the artwork in this graphic novel is pretty good. The line work is clear and the colors are vibrant. The faces seemed a little boring to me - it was hard to read emotion on any of their faces, and it wound up looking like the same drawing pasted onto multiple pages.
The story passed by very quick - I read in it one half hour sitting. It's full of the cliche space travel ideas, which is okay, but not interesting enough to get me hooked into caring about any of the characters or their plight. I know this graphic novel is based off the Frontlines book series, which I unfortunately have never read nor have any knowledge of. This doesn't seem like something you can easily go into blind - I have no idea the backstory of any of the characters or what they're going through, and they aren't addressed enough where I even knew their names. Ultimately, I suppose this would be more enjoyable to someone who has more experience with the series. If this is going to be your first Frontlines book, I would hold off.
August 14, 2016
Strong Female Lead
First, let me say that I do not like Graphic Novels on Kindle. I did not know this until I won this title from Goodreads. It may just be the size of the Kindle Fire, but a genre that is an integrated work of illustrations and short direct dialogue was difficult to do it justice on an electronic medium. That being said, I enjoyed this collection of comics about the Earth vs the Lankies. Col. Yamin is believable, caught between her position in the military and her family back on Earth. Ride along with the Col. as she navigates the battle, limps home on a damaged ship, and makes hard choices regarding her family's future.
First, let me say that I do not like Graphic Novels on Kindle. I did not know this until I won this title from Goodreads. It may just be the size of the Kindle Fire, but a genre that is an integrated work of illustrations and short direct dialogue was difficult to do it justice on an electronic medium. That being said, I enjoyed this collection of comics about the Earth vs the Lankies. Col. Yamin is believable, caught between her position in the military and her family back on Earth. Ride along with the Col. as she navigates the battle, limps home on a damaged ship, and makes hard choices regarding her family's future.
September 20, 2016
I received this as a Goodreads Giveaway, so I have not previously read any of the Frontlines comics, and I appreciated that I was still able to enjoy the story and feel like I knew what was going on without needing any background from them. I really enjoy this story, a strong character demonstrating leadership and a balance of loyalty to both military duty and her family. This was just a short first comic, but I'm hooked and would love to read more.
August 29, 2016
After reading Terms of Enlistment, I was pretty disappointed with this one. Honestly, I didn't understand a lot of what was going on, because it went too fast. We didn't get much character development or background or anything, which is probably partially because of it being a graphic novel, but I think that I will stick with reading Kloos's actual novels from now on.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
September 7, 2016
Another Hit From The "Frontlines" series
Interesting story set in the Frontlines verse . Major Jackson seems to have become the glue to link the Graphic and one off stories with the main series. I recommend this book and it helps fill the gap while waiting for the next novel.
Interesting story set in the Frontlines verse . Major Jackson seems to have become the glue to link the Graphic and one off stories with the main series. I recommend this book and it helps fill the gap while waiting for the next novel.
October 13, 2016
A nice tangent to the main book series
This fun read, though due to the format length lacked any characterization except for the main character. Still, I enjoyed revisiting this universe and would like to read more about this Colonel and where her ship went.
I suggest this for other readers of the Frontlines books.
This fun read, though due to the format length lacked any characterization except for the main character. Still, I enjoyed revisiting this universe and would like to read more about this Colonel and where her ship went.
I suggest this for other readers of the Frontlines books.
November 15, 2016
Lovely and depressing at the same time
The artwork is stunning. It truly shows you the darkness of war and shows you the difference between command and front line.
Though this volume doesn't complete the story it shows the reaction of a commander against a superior for.
I recommend this series for people who love space operas or military novels.
The artwork is stunning. It truly shows you the darkness of war and shows you the difference between command and front line.
Though this volume doesn't complete the story it shows the reaction of a commander against a superior for.
I recommend this series for people who love space operas or military novels.
December 14, 2016
Interesting Sci-Fi
This really is a good read. There is quite a bit personal development of the characters. I did find the pacing a little confusing at times, but it all comes together in the end. I would recommend this to readers who like Sci-Fi in the vein of say Dune or Aliens.
This really is a good read. There is quite a bit personal development of the characters. I did find the pacing a little confusing at times, but it all comes together in the end. I would recommend this to readers who like Sci-Fi in the vein of say Dune or Aliens.
January 31, 2017
a good read if you are a fan of the other works in the frontlines series, but if used as a first exposure to the universe its too condensed. i understand it is a four issue limited run, so lots of plot points and character moments to put in, but the action jumps too much at times from event to event with no real connective tissue (be it written or visual).
August 13, 2016
Fantastic graphics and great drawings. I got this as an Amazon e-book and it was easy to use and view. The story is ok, your typical alien sci-fi battle, but the images are incredible! Please note that I received this through Goodreads giveaways.
September 14, 2016
I may have enjoyed this a little bit more if it was in a physical form. However, regardless this was just not my cup of tea. It would abruptly move from one scene / location / conversation and I didn't care about any of the characters.
October 15, 2016
The art is clean and appealing (you can practically hear and smell the world), the story is standard Sci-Fi "humanity fights for its very existence against a virtually unbeatable alien menace" fare, and I loved every minute of it. I want it to be a video game or tv series so much that it burns!
February 4, 2017
More Please
Since this is based on the Frontlines series of novels I'm assuming this will be the first of a series of adaptations.
This has both great art and writing and I hope there will be more of this in the future.
Since this is based on the Frontlines series of novels I'm assuming this will be the first of a series of adaptations.
This has both great art and writing and I hope there will be more of this in the future.
Want to read
August 10, 2016I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. It is a Kindle book.
July 28, 2018
* Very enjoyable graphic novel. Lots of action, interesting characters, and the promise of more to come.
* I received a free copy of the book in a Goodreads giveaway.
* I received a free copy of the book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews