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World Reader #1-6
World Reader Vol. 1
Meet Sarah, an astronaut traveling from dead planet to dead planet, talking to the ghosts of the dead worlds...as she fights to discover the secret that’s killing the universe. But Death doesn't give up its secrets so easily, and as Death hunts her from planet to planet, Sarah struggles to maintain the trust of her crew and her own sanity in the endless ocean of lives. Every world has a story, and if she can find the secret tying them all together, she can save Earth from being the next world to die.
From Groot and Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer Jeff Loveness and AMERICAN MONSTER, THE RISE artist Juan Doe comes the chilling, epic new series that will be sure to appeal to fans of Arrival, Interstellar, and The Expanse.
Collecting all six issues from this hit AfterShock series!
From Groot and Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer Jeff Loveness and AMERICAN MONSTER, THE RISE artist Juan Doe comes the chilling, epic new series that will be sure to appeal to fans of Arrival, Interstellar, and The Expanse.
Collecting all six issues from this hit AfterShock series!
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 8, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 19, 2021
Big concepts, but slowly revealed, and with, maybe, a little too little exposition.
A ghost-whisperer is a last minute addition to an expedition hunting the interstellar cause behind the slow death of all known intelligent life. Does the crew recognize her perspective before it is too late?
Branded as "Volume 1", but since the last issue was released in 2017, I think it is safe to say that this is more like "The Complete Collection". On the third hand (!), the ending is open enough to allow for a sequel.
A ghost-whisperer is a last minute addition to an expedition hunting the interstellar cause behind the slow death of all known intelligent life. Does the crew recognize her perspective before it is too late?
Branded as "Volume 1", but since the last issue was released in 2017, I think it is safe to say that this is more like "The Complete Collection". On the third hand (!), the ending is open enough to allow for a sequel.
December 31, 2017
Future Earth is on its last legs from all of the man-made pollution. A secret team of astronauts have been sent to a group of planets to investigate signs of alien civilizations. All the worlds they've found so far are void of life. Among the astronauts is a psychic who can speak to the dead of the world. Now she must unravel the mystery of what happened to these civilizations.
A quite liked this dramatic tale from a typically comedic writer. I've hated what I've seen of Juan Doe's superhero art. (His work on Wolverines still haunts me.) The way he draws faces typically look like a balloon with a face on it. However, his art works quite well with the ethereal and surreal nature of the book. The tale itself reminds me of classic sci-fi novels of the 50's and 60's.
Received a review copy from Aftershock and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A quite liked this dramatic tale from a typically comedic writer. I've hated what I've seen of Juan Doe's superhero art. (His work on Wolverines still haunts me.) The way he draws faces typically look like a balloon with a face on it. However, his art works quite well with the ethereal and surreal nature of the book. The tale itself reminds me of classic sci-fi novels of the 50's and 60's.
Received a review copy from Aftershock and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2017
This comic drew my attention because of two things. The cover and the title. The cover shows us a very interesting color palette. You don’t very often see such bold orange/red on the cover for a science-fiction story. And the title is of course very interesting because of the word reader. I knew this wasn’t going to be about a bookish reader, but regardless it still caught my attention.
The idea that there is life on other planets is of course mighty interesting and still something that keeps us busy in real life at times. Will we ever find it? In this comic however many of these alien civilizations are already dead. Our main character can read the planet’s past through connecting with the ghosts of the aliens, something not everyone believes she can do. Sounds like a great solid start, right?
In the end I think the execution of this comic let itself down. I got the vibe this is a dystopian type of setting. While this is set in space, our planet apparently isn’t very well off. It is set into our future but however and what exactly our planet’s state is or what caused it, no idea. I missed that to be able to believe some of the side character’s reasons of decisions.
As this is a first volume I was honestly expecting this to be an overarching arc. However this was wrapped up in this volume. It felt rushed to me. I think there was room to go into details, to deepen a lot of things out. Like the supposed romance in this book that felt like it came out of nowhere. But also more on the aliens. More on everything, really.
The art throughout the comic was solid. Like the cover there was some very interesting use of color that was grabbing. Some of the full page illustrations were gorgeous. And I think they were clearly the strong point of this whole comic.
The idea that there is life on other planets is of course mighty interesting and still something that keeps us busy in real life at times. Will we ever find it? In this comic however many of these alien civilizations are already dead. Our main character can read the planet’s past through connecting with the ghosts of the aliens, something not everyone believes she can do. Sounds like a great solid start, right?
In the end I think the execution of this comic let itself down. I got the vibe this is a dystopian type of setting. While this is set in space, our planet apparently isn’t very well off. It is set into our future but however and what exactly our planet’s state is or what caused it, no idea. I missed that to be able to believe some of the side character’s reasons of decisions.
As this is a first volume I was honestly expecting this to be an overarching arc. However this was wrapped up in this volume. It felt rushed to me. I think there was room to go into details, to deepen a lot of things out. Like the supposed romance in this book that felt like it came out of nowhere. But also more on the aliens. More on everything, really.
The art throughout the comic was solid. Like the cover there was some very interesting use of color that was grabbing. Some of the full page illustrations were gorgeous. And I think they were clearly the strong point of this whole comic.
December 30, 2018
I picked up a number of graphic novels during a big holiday sale on Things From Another World, in hopes of finding one as a gift for a friend. I wanted to read through them first, to make sure she'd like whichever one I chose for her; this is the first.
The premise of World Reader is an interesting one: We're alone in the universe, but only because everything else is dead. Meanwhile, we're in the process of killing our own planet, and a group of astronauts is on a mission to find humanity a new home. They're not all scientists, however; one of the team is a woman with the ability to talk to ghosts--including alien ones. And she's along, to try and find an answer to why all these other worlds are dead.
The story plays out fairly well for a self-contained story (or at least that's how it seems, despite the fact that this is billed as "volume 1"). There's a bit of "who are the real monsters" trope-yness, some questions are left unanswered, and the whole plot does center around the questionable convenience of Sarah's psychic abilities, but all in all, World Reader makes for a decent high-concept sci-fi yarn.
As for the art, it's a mixed bag. The use of color is vibrant and lively, and there's some interesting architectural design here and there, but the character designs are somewhat lacking. Particularly with regards to the faces of the humans. Art is a matter of taste, though, so you might not mind it as much as I did.
If you're in the mood for a sci-fi story with some supernatural and metaphysical elements worked in, you could do worse than World Reader. Especially if you can find it on sale.
The premise of World Reader is an interesting one: We're alone in the universe, but only because everything else is dead. Meanwhile, we're in the process of killing our own planet, and a group of astronauts is on a mission to find humanity a new home. They're not all scientists, however; one of the team is a woman with the ability to talk to ghosts--including alien ones. And she's along, to try and find an answer to why all these other worlds are dead.
The story plays out fairly well for a self-contained story (or at least that's how it seems, despite the fact that this is billed as "volume 1"). There's a bit of "who are the real monsters" trope-yness, some questions are left unanswered, and the whole plot does center around the questionable convenience of Sarah's psychic abilities, but all in all, World Reader makes for a decent high-concept sci-fi yarn.
As for the art, it's a mixed bag. The use of color is vibrant and lively, and there's some interesting architectural design here and there, but the character designs are somewhat lacking. Particularly with regards to the faces of the humans. Art is a matter of taste, though, so you might not mind it as much as I did.
If you're in the mood for a sci-fi story with some supernatural and metaphysical elements worked in, you could do worse than World Reader. Especially if you can find it on sale.
Read
November 26, 2017"We've always wondered if we were alone. The naïve answer was "yes". The hopeful answer was "no". But now I know the truth. We weren't alone...but we are now." Opening with a melancholy vista of a dead alien city, this initially feels like a rare comic in going for an Olaf Stapledon vibe, as one psychic astronaut strives to know, remember and understand the many worlds doomed before we even knew them. And eventually it comes back around to that, and the ultimate question of whether the game of life is worth the candle. But in between there's a frustrating morass of fairly rote human drama, a red herring which seems to be Galactus minus the natty hat, and an anti-colonialist angle which sort of meshes with the rest of it but feels distinctly rushed. A frustrating book, in other words - but not bad at all for a comedy writer's first foray into drama. And as it concludes regarding life in general, in the end the good outweighs the bad.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
May 12, 2024
Sarah is an astronaut with a particular sensitivity. She can feel and even interact with the spiritual remains of civilizations that lived on the planets her team visits. Considering how little has come out of her readings, Captain Fields doesn't believe in her ability. Sarah herself sometimes believes herself crazy. That is, until she meets the one responsible for killing life on the planet. She barely gets away from the encounter. She worries that it may eventually get to Earth.
November 19, 2017
What a beautiful book, the artwork and use of colour in this is really outstanding and the highlight of the book as a whole. That being said I did like the story, especially in some of the turns it took, but felt it could have used just a little more explanation to really bring it to life. The ending was actually quite beautiful and moving.
December 27, 2017
BCDER: 40
The concept / premise of World Reader is very intriguing, but I felt the execution was lacking at times. There are runs of sparse dialog, which in itself is not a bad thing, but I believe it would have been a more enjoyable read if there had been a deeper dive into the story and background of the main characters.
The art also seemed to wander at times from detailed images to something that seemed a little rushed.
Even though this collection is designated volume 1 it felt like a conclusive ending was presented and I would not bet on seeing further issues produced. If I'm wrong, I'll probably give volume 2 a go.
The concept / premise of World Reader is very intriguing, but I felt the execution was lacking at times. There are runs of sparse dialog, which in itself is not a bad thing, but I believe it would have been a more enjoyable read if there had been a deeper dive into the story and background of the main characters.
The art also seemed to wander at times from detailed images to something that seemed a little rushed.
Even though this collection is designated volume 1 it felt like a conclusive ending was presented and I would not bet on seeing further issues produced. If I'm wrong, I'll probably give volume 2 a go.
March 25, 2018
Surprisingly and deeply philosophical -- this was not at all what I anticipated but I liked it more for that. I read the ending a few times over.
November 25, 2017
The concept of this book is fantastic-- an astronaut that is able to "read" the dead of the worlds they visit to learn how civilizations that once were died out. The execution is also quite good, but there were a few things I struggled with. Specifically, I felt like I had a hard time following and connecting with the emotional arc of the protagonist and even more so with a romantic sub-plot that, to me, at least, felt like it kind of came out of nowhere and then kind of just stopped mattering in the final volume or two of the book. I also had trouble understanding why the main character got so upset about something that served as a bit of a plot twist near the end as the details of the twist seemed fairly straightforward and generally positive as I understood it.
Anyway, a fun, unique read with good art, just a few things that could have used some polishing on the writing end of things. I did enjoy it and feel it's worthwhile to fans of sci-fi with a bit of a fantastic bent.
Anyway, a fun, unique read with good art, just a few things that could have used some polishing on the writing end of things. I did enjoy it and feel it's worthwhile to fans of sci-fi with a bit of a fantastic bent.
November 22, 2017
3 for writing, 4 for art.
This story of space exploration was abstract and of a well-beaten path. Aside from the lead, the characters lacked depth. The love interest doesn’t come across as someone the lead is especially drawn to, and our human antagonist is only someone we oppose after being overtly told to do so.
The aspect that saved this trade was the fantastic psychedelic art used throughout and especially when communicating with a planet’s previous inhabitants. The artist/colorist, Juan Doe, is now on my radar.
Read through NetGalley review request.
This story of space exploration was abstract and of a well-beaten path. Aside from the lead, the characters lacked depth. The love interest doesn’t come across as someone the lead is especially drawn to, and our human antagonist is only someone we oppose after being overtly told to do so.
The aspect that saved this trade was the fantastic psychedelic art used throughout and especially when communicating with a planet’s previous inhabitants. The artist/colorist, Juan Doe, is now on my radar.
Read through NetGalley review request.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2019
Sarah is a psychic astronaut that travels through space, only to find dead world after dead world. Through speaking with the ghosts of those worlds she tries to figure out what is happening and who is taking away all the spirits on every world.
The artwork is this comic was nicely done, I enjoyed the style a lot. I did think it could use a bit more details, just to give us a better look at all those different worlds.
The plot sounds interesting enough, however it does lack somewhat. The plot is quite thin and I read to whole thing in about half an hour. I think this shows that the story isn't complex at all, and there weren't too many details to look at.
I really liked the message at the end of those volume and that did save the whole comic a bit. I also liked Sarah as a character, even though you didn't learn that much about her. I liked the storyline about Paul the most, and think that part is why I like Sarah as our main character. I'm interested to see if there will be a second volume and what that would entail.
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More towards 3,5 stars. Liked the art work and the message in the story. However the whole story could've been a bit richer in the storytelling department. Full review will follow on http://thebookdutchesses.com
A free review copy was provided to me via Netgalley
The artwork is this comic was nicely done, I enjoyed the style a lot. I did think it could use a bit more details, just to give us a better look at all those different worlds.
The plot sounds interesting enough, however it does lack somewhat. The plot is quite thin and I read to whole thing in about half an hour. I think this shows that the story isn't complex at all, and there weren't too many details to look at.
I really liked the message at the end of those volume and that did save the whole comic a bit. I also liked Sarah as a character, even though you didn't learn that much about her. I liked the storyline about Paul the most, and think that part is why I like Sarah as our main character. I'm interested to see if there will be a second volume and what that would entail.
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More towards 3,5 stars. Liked the art work and the message in the story. However the whole story could've been a bit richer in the storytelling department. Full review will follow on http://thebookdutchesses.com
A free review copy was provided to me via Netgalley
November 23, 2017
4 shiny stars for this beautiful comics about life, death, and Us.
Sarah is a psychic, she can "read" memories and talk to ghosts. She is not a scientist or an engineer, but when Humanity is on the verge of dying, she is recruited on a spaceship and travels from planet to planet with her crew, looking for life and a place to settle in – only to find them all dead and empty. She seems to be the only one who can discover what killed all those civilizations.
To quote my own tweet to Loveness and Doe, World Reader touched my soul.
It starts off as a quite classic Sci-Fi story, but when the answers to Sarah's questions are not what she (we) expected, World Reader takes a new turn and explores subjects close to my heart. But I don't really want to list them here, it could spoil the story for you. Just a hint:
“Name one time in history when two civilizations met – and it went well.”
World Reader takes a hard look on "us" as a whole and the interconnection of life, yet not in a totally hopeless manner, and ends quite bittersweetly. The title says "Volume 1", but I do think that this story can work as a standalone, though I'd be interested in reading another story in this universe! I am also absolutely in love with the color palette used in this comics, it reminds me of (a less flashy) No Man's Sky.
Thank you Jeff Loveness, Juan Doe, Aftershock Comics and NetGalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah is a psychic, she can "read" memories and talk to ghosts. She is not a scientist or an engineer, but when Humanity is on the verge of dying, she is recruited on a spaceship and travels from planet to planet with her crew, looking for life and a place to settle in – only to find them all dead and empty. She seems to be the only one who can discover what killed all those civilizations.
To quote my own tweet to Loveness and Doe, World Reader touched my soul.
It starts off as a quite classic Sci-Fi story, but when the answers to Sarah's questions are not what she (we) expected, World Reader takes a new turn and explores subjects close to my heart. But I don't really want to list them here, it could spoil the story for you. Just a hint:
“Name one time in history when two civilizations met – and it went well.”
World Reader takes a hard look on "us" as a whole and the interconnection of life, yet not in a totally hopeless manner, and ends quite bittersweetly. The title says "Volume 1", but I do think that this story can work as a standalone, though I'd be interested in reading another story in this universe! I am also absolutely in love with the color palette used in this comics, it reminds me of (a less flashy) No Man's Sky.
Thank you Jeff Loveness, Juan Doe, Aftershock Comics and NetGalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2018
'World Reader Vol. 1' by Jeff Loveness with art by Juan Doe is a somber story told by someone who usually writes comedy. The result is a decent enough story.
Sarah is an astronaut with a weird gift: she can talk to the dead. She is on a mission to find a new home for the Earth, and while there are signs of habitation, the life on the worlds is gone. Sarah speaks to the former inhabitants and finds that one being seems to be behind it all. She wants to warn her crewmates, but they don't believe in her gift, or why she is even on the mission. It's up to Sarah to possibly save us all.
The story is told with minimal words. While we do get to know a little of Sarah's motivation, the rest of the crew are either setpieces or broad stereotypes. The story is good, if a bit depressing, but what shines here is the gorgeous art by Juan Doe, which is complemented by a bold color palette that makes everything a treat to look at. The story had a predictable twist, but offered further mysteries that kept me interested.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Aftershock Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Sarah is an astronaut with a weird gift: she can talk to the dead. She is on a mission to find a new home for the Earth, and while there are signs of habitation, the life on the worlds is gone. Sarah speaks to the former inhabitants and finds that one being seems to be behind it all. She wants to warn her crewmates, but they don't believe in her gift, or why she is even on the mission. It's up to Sarah to possibly save us all.
The story is told with minimal words. While we do get to know a little of Sarah's motivation, the rest of the crew are either setpieces or broad stereotypes. The story is good, if a bit depressing, but what shines here is the gorgeous art by Juan Doe, which is complemented by a bold color palette that makes everything a treat to look at. The story had a predictable twist, but offered further mysteries that kept me interested.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Aftershock Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
December 2, 2017
This is what you get if you replace the B-movie horror in Prometheus the movie with some actual forethought. A psychic is tagged on to a mission from Earth to look at lots of terraformable worlds, that all have extinct civilisations on, and begins to demand it of herself that she hunt down a kind of galactic serial killer. The ending is a little too wishy-washy (I had to read it twice to get anything from it at all) but it's a pretty good book - if only it hadn't lost the immediacy with which it opened. The artwork is ever commendable, although more could have been done at times to make people and character stand out; certainly the colourist has had a field day. I can see this connecting with the right audience for intelligent sci-fi - what I can't admit to is really loving it, and what I can't at all see is a reason for a volume 2. Still, three and a half stars for a fresh look at life as seen through the lens of billions of deaths.
November 9, 2017
World Reader works in a cinematic way, with a really interesting concept that creates a gripping visual experience. The book would make an effective novel, but I am glad that the author chose the medium of graphic novel to relate this story. The words and images take this science fiction concept, mixed with elements of horror, and combine to form a compelling work.
The "Volume 1" part of the title denotes that there is much more to this story, which I would be glad to explore. There is mystery here, elements of fantasy and science fiction, and an original concept at the core that captures the reader from the beginning.
Not since Virus in 1990s have I encountered a science fiction/horror graphic novel that has worked quite this well for my reading.
The "Volume 1" part of the title denotes that there is much more to this story, which I would be glad to explore. There is mystery here, elements of fantasy and science fiction, and an original concept at the core that captures the reader from the beginning.
Not since Virus in 1990s have I encountered a science fiction/horror graphic novel that has worked quite this well for my reading.
November 12, 2017
An interesting concept! It vaguely reminded me of one of the sub-plots in Thor: Ragnarok!
A creative story, with art that stands out a bit from other comics artwork. The coloring is really striking. Some of the writing was almost poetic. And I laughed at a few parts.
But the main thing that hits you is the commentary on us. I think that all good stories make us think about who we are and how we live our lives. And it’s a deep story. About now. About then. About before. About after.
In the end, God’s just another painter…looking at his work…knowing he could have done better.
It’s a beautiful story, really.
Worth reading.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond, and Aftershock Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
A creative story, with art that stands out a bit from other comics artwork. The coloring is really striking. Some of the writing was almost poetic. And I laughed at a few parts.
But the main thing that hits you is the commentary on us. I think that all good stories make us think about who we are and how we live our lives. And it’s a deep story. About now. About then. About before. About after.
In the end, God’s just another painter…looking at his work…knowing he could have done better.
It’s a beautiful story, really.
Worth reading.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond, and Aftershock Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
November 26, 2017
This futuristic sci-fi story with fantasy elements has an astronaut who can communicate with ghosts, searching for the end of life across galaxies. Sarah is not believed to be what she is by her team, even though their mission is apparently to find out what is causing all these dead planets across the universe. The answers lead us to a partly theological discussion of what is death and what is life, and what those mean on a cosmic scale.
The artwork on this graphic novel is beautiful, although sometimes it felt like it lacked imagination when it came to depicting all the different lifeforms on the other planets. Sure, if you go by the ending 's reveal, it would make sense for them all to be similar, but I still expected a bit more variety, ya know. I also felt the book was a little confused on what it wanted the central conflict to be - the Death stalking these planets or human colonization? Like, make up your mind, or maybe split those stories into different arcs than have a confusing chapter filled with both.
Overall, I would give it 3.5 stars. It had a good story, plotholes notwithstanding and some beautiful artwork.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Diamond Book Distributors, via Netgalley.
The artwork on this graphic novel is beautiful, although sometimes it felt like it lacked imagination when it came to depicting all the different lifeforms on the other planets. Sure, if you go by the ending 's reveal, it would make sense for them all to be similar, but I still expected a bit more variety, ya know. I also felt the book was a little confused on what it wanted the central conflict to be - the Death stalking these planets or human colonization? Like, make up your mind, or maybe split those stories into different arcs than have a confusing chapter filled with both.
Overall, I would give it 3.5 stars. It had a good story, plotholes notwithstanding and some beautiful artwork.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Diamond Book Distributors, via Netgalley.
May 18, 2018
Sarah is a reader. Instead of pages or screens, though, she reads the ether - transcending the barriers of language, of time, and of death. She’s been recruited to accompany a mission to faraway planets to decipher what's happened to the various life forms that have lived there, but can’t seem to find any ghosts to talk to. The mission continues anyway - people need a planet to inhabit. She does manage to communicate with the surviving ghost on a planet otherwise free of spirits. From this creature she learns of another - one that is clearing away even the memory of these civilizations. How? Why? Sarah is willing to go to ends of the universe to find out.
October 25, 2017
I was intrigued when I first found the series, the concept was interesting. The story is a large misdirection and ends with a very sombre conclusion. I had been hoping for an epic book but this never reaches the grand heights I had it pegged for. Loveness has crafted a love letter to science fiction and would make an interesting film, my only real issue was the simplistic panel work and dialogue, I wanted something in depth and ambitious. The artwork is amazing and the book art pops out with each page. I liked this, just wanted more but maybe there might be further stories.
April 6, 2018
Borrowed the individual issues of this from a friend. Really enjoyed the artwork and the ambitious premise of the story: God is not who we think he is and has created other civilizations of people (aliens) across the universe, all of whom have either failed to live up to expectations or killed each other off. I thought the writing and pacing could have been tightened up a lot - and it would have made this a phenomenal work of philosophical sci fi - but we get a pretty decent adventure comic with beautiful color work.
April 24, 2019
i can’t stress enough how gorgeous i found the art, particularly the coloring. pretty much every panel took my breath away. the concept is super interesting—a psychic/empath(?) is sent on an expedition to space because earth is dying, and they need to look into possible replacement planets to inhabit. there are some good moments and interesting themes that i won’t further get into due to spoilers, but i think the writing itself could’ve been more impactful, and the characters (even the protagonist) fleshed out more
November 8, 2017
I enjoyed this one!
December 11, 2017
really liked this!! I found the art a bit hit or miss (the best bits were the really surreal ones) but it was so colourful and neat
March 11, 2022
Beautiful.
July 27, 2023
This is the most Pieces book ever and I loved it a lot!
April 12, 2018
I received a copy of World Reader from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
World Reader is a new series from Aftershock Comics, and is the brain child of Jeff Loveness (Groot, Nova, Jimmy Kimmel Show) and Juan Doe (Animosity: The Rise, Iron Man: Legacy). It is a wonderful blend of stunning artwork and a different sort of space exploration story than we’ve typically been told. I originally picked World Reader up because of the artwork on the cover; it immediately caught my eye and made me want to know more about what was going on inside.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
World Reader is a new series from Aftershock Comics, and is the brain child of Jeff Loveness (Groot, Nova, Jimmy Kimmel Show) and Juan Doe (Animosity: The Rise, Iron Man: Legacy). It is a wonderful blend of stunning artwork and a different sort of space exploration story than we’ve typically been told. I originally picked World Reader up because of the artwork on the cover; it immediately caught my eye and made me want to know more about what was going on inside.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
April 30, 2020
World Reader starts pretty good; I liked the art, I liked the concept of being able to 'read' entire world's histories. Sadly, it quickly went downhill. The plot is all over the place, the characters are one-dimensional and annoying, and the story relies on many tropes: colonialist propaganda (barely challenged for my comfort) killing all its POC, treating women as unstable for disagreeing with figures of power, white woman saving the universe... The plot twists are predictable and weak. For the most part, there isn't sustain for the story and it's not toward the end that the plot picks itself up a little. However, it stills has a very weak, repetitive, tiresome message about life and death.
It definitely felt like there is more to tell, but I don't think I would jump once more. World Reader is not bad, but it isn't exactly good either.
Copy received through NetGalley in exchange an honest review.
It definitely felt like there is more to tell, but I don't think I would jump once more. World Reader is not bad, but it isn't exactly good either.
Copy received through NetGalley in exchange an honest review.
April 11, 2021
A psychic travels with a bunch of astronauts to read psychic impressions from dead worlds. Decompressed storytelling, barely serviceable dialogue, the science fiction aspects barely explored and the mystical aspects shallowly touched on,
December 1, 2017
This one was nice. Not bad, but nothing overly gripping about it. A few character tropes, but the premise was interesting. If I knew someone that liked sci-fi and pondered the meaning of life, I’d recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews