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Descender #5
Descender, Vol. 5: Rise of the Robots
The first major DESCENDER event is here. This is what it has all been building to. The Robot Resistance rises up and tightens its iron grip in the universe as the origins of the Harvesters are finally revealed and the galaxy is thrown into all-out war! A new chapter of the sci-fi epic begins here by superstar creators JEFF LEMIRE and DUSTIN NGUYEN. Collects DESCENDER #22-26
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2018
23 people are currently reading
1139 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,393 books3,873 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
April 17, 2018
The Robot War is here!
Relax. That's not a spoiler, it's in the blurb.
The story picks up exactly where it left off in the last issue and keeps a pretty decent level of action going throughout the entire volume.
And I'm still (unbelievably) digging this art.
A lot happens in this one. But, at the same time, it's spaced out between multiple characters, so the main plot doesn't actually get as much forward momentum going as you might think. I'm kinda torn about that, but it is what it is.
The one thing I wanted (--> The Big Reunion) was, sadly, not to be.
Are you trying to kill my nerves, Lemire? Because from where I'm sitting, it sure feels like it! Yeah, I know. It's what everyone is waiting for, so he's gotta draaaaaag it out.
Still.
Despite my whining, I really loved this and I'm definitely hooked on the title.
Highly Recommended!
Relax. That's not a spoiler, it's in the blurb.
The story picks up exactly where it left off in the last issue and keeps a pretty decent level of action going throughout the entire volume.
And I'm still (unbelievably) digging this art.
A lot happens in this one. But, at the same time, it's spaced out between multiple characters, so the main plot doesn't actually get as much forward momentum going as you might think. I'm kinda torn about that, but it is what it is.
The one thing I wanted (--> The Big Reunion) was, sadly, not to be.
Are you trying to kill my nerves, Lemire? Because from where I'm sitting, it sure feels like it! Yeah, I know. It's what everyone is waiting for, so he's gotta draaaaaag it out.
Still.
Despite my whining, I really loved this and I'm definitely hooked on the title.
Highly Recommended!
February 14, 2021
7.57 on CAWPILE.
March 9, 2018
“We have waited too long in the shadows. It is time to rise.”
The universe is on the brink of war and the boy bot Tim-21 is at the center of it all in this penultimate volume of this science fiction series in Descender, Volume 5: Rise of the Robots. Some scenes featuring Tim-21 and his anti-thesis Tim-22 are the most compelling scenes here. As is a sequence with fan fave Driller, where he acknowledges”
“Drillers got no soul. Driller’s a killer.”
I have the feeling that his claim will come into play in the last action volume.
So, do you want your androids or robots made in the image of (and service of) humans? Well, Tim-22, a boy bot, is built in the flawed image of his creator, Quon, and he’s an opportunist killer. We are led to ask: Who are the “animals” or “monsters,” really? Interestingly, I am also simultaneously re-reading Philp K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which investigates this and related questions.
The war will be about who or what might be in control of the universe; on the one hand, we have Telsa screaming to Tim-22: “You need to be put down like the sick animal you are, “ as she rushes toward him in rage.
Tim-22 replies, in equal heat: “Humankind are animals, Telsa. Filthy, stinking flesh. There is only one way to purify the universe . . .” [which is to kill all humans].
The gorgeous pen and watercolor art from Nguyen is the triumph of this series, maybe better than ever in this volume. Just astonishing.
The revolt/revenge of the Bots is on! Bring on the finale.
The universe is on the brink of war and the boy bot Tim-21 is at the center of it all in this penultimate volume of this science fiction series in Descender, Volume 5: Rise of the Robots. Some scenes featuring Tim-21 and his anti-thesis Tim-22 are the most compelling scenes here. As is a sequence with fan fave Driller, where he acknowledges”
“Drillers got no soul. Driller’s a killer.”
I have the feeling that his claim will come into play in the last action volume.
So, do you want your androids or robots made in the image of (and service of) humans? Well, Tim-22, a boy bot, is built in the flawed image of his creator, Quon, and he’s an opportunist killer. We are led to ask: Who are the “animals” or “monsters,” really? Interestingly, I am also simultaneously re-reading Philp K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which investigates this and related questions.
The war will be about who or what might be in control of the universe; on the one hand, we have Telsa screaming to Tim-22: “You need to be put down like the sick animal you are, “ as she rushes toward him in rage.
Tim-22 replies, in equal heat: “Humankind are animals, Telsa. Filthy, stinking flesh. There is only one way to purify the universe . . .” [which is to kill all humans].
The gorgeous pen and watercolor art from Nguyen is the triumph of this series, maybe better than ever in this volume. Just astonishing.
The revolt/revenge of the Bots is on! Bring on the finale.
January 23, 2019
You can feel things are coming to an end soon as stories converge. The robots make their move. Tim-22 is still a murderous little shit, while Tim-21 is the perfect little boy. Lemire keeps the dialogue sparse and let's Nguyen's spare watercolors tell the story. This is a gorgeous little read and a perfect book to hand someone who says they don't like comic books.
November 24, 2019
While my favorite comic right now is Saga, Vol. 1Saga, Descender, Vol. 5: Rise of the Robots is not far behind. I love the watercolor artwork - so much more accessible than in Low, Vol. 1: The Delirium of HopeLow (which I gave up on) and at times beautifully minimalist. The story is split into four or five arcs and is brilliantly told. Tom-22 is one evil dude whereas Tom-21, well, we still don't know exactly why he is so important but we finally in this 5th volume get our first look at the scary Harvesters (who apparently don't know that the galaxy calls them that). There is a ton of action here and a great cliffhanger at the end (as usual). I am still a big Descender fan and highly recommend grabbing these and reading them in order. Great stuff.
Incidentally, it is interesting how many stories are about man vs robots (that is essentially the problem here). From the Terminator movies to many of the episodes to Black Mirror (Machinehead in particular), we seem to have a well-founded obsession with the power that machines are obtaining via AI and whether one day, we organic lifeforms will become obsolete. Descender actually asks these questions quite subtly. I reviewed elsewhere Becky Chambers' Wayfarer series which also tries to touch upon this (the GC in this case forbidding AI to be hosted in "kit" bodies) and a particularly paranoid variant was picked up in sci-fi classic Hyperion. Perhaps an even more recent variant is the PKD inspired Blade Runner 2049 which poses the same question. Perhaps I need to make a list sometime of the books and movies that deal with this common theme - man vs the machine.
Incidentally, it is interesting how many stories are about man vs robots (that is essentially the problem here). From the Terminator movies to many of the episodes to Black Mirror (Machinehead in particular), we seem to have a well-founded obsession with the power that machines are obtaining via AI and whether one day, we organic lifeforms will become obsolete. Descender actually asks these questions quite subtly. I reviewed elsewhere Becky Chambers' Wayfarer series which also tries to touch upon this (the GC in this case forbidding AI to be hosted in "kit" bodies) and a particularly paranoid variant was picked up in sci-fi classic Hyperion. Perhaps an even more recent variant is the PKD inspired Blade Runner 2049 which poses the same question. Perhaps I need to make a list sometime of the books and movies that deal with this common theme - man vs the machine.
January 2, 2020
The War of the Machines!
Yes, it’s finally here. And all the main players are showing up on Mata. Ready to blast each other’s head off. Or rip it off, in one particular case.
Well, almost all the main players are on Mata. Because Driller is busy having a little dance with Goblins and Vampires on Woch.
That was actually the most fun chapter. The rest looks really cool and is engaging but ultimately more buildup rather than the promised climax. Or maybe I‘m just misreading the blurb?
Well, there’s another volume still to come. So I guess I should have expected that in any case.* But this one here was really too short and feels more like transition to the major event instead of the major event itself.
So now I’m waiting for the library to get the next one. Hurry up, library!
*And today I've learned that the next volume is titled The Machine War. So, yeah, I could possibly have taken that as a hint.
Yes, it’s finally here. And all the main players are showing up on Mata. Ready to blast each other’s head off. Or rip it off, in one particular case.
Well, almost all the main players are on Mata. Because Driller is busy having a little dance with Goblins and Vampires on Woch.
That was actually the most fun chapter. The rest looks really cool and is engaging but ultimately more buildup rather than the promised climax. Or maybe I‘m just misreading the blurb?
Well, there’s another volume still to come. So I guess I should have expected that in any case.* But this one here was really too short and feels more like transition to the major event instead of the major event itself.
So now I’m waiting for the library to get the next one. Hurry up, library!
*And today I've learned that the next volume is titled The Machine War. So, yeah, I could possibly have taken that as a hint.
January 27, 2019
And we're back to being fun again! :)
The uprising has really begun! Tim has bit more agency now and being the chosen one (for the robots) is actually pretty interesting and not lame. :)
The promise of a lot of SF action and all-out war is here... at least a bit. I must continue as I can. It has gotten better.
The uprising has really begun! Tim has bit more agency now and being the chosen one (for the robots) is actually pretty interesting and not lame. :)
The promise of a lot of SF action and all-out war is here... at least a bit. I must continue as I can. It has gotten better.
January 31, 2019
Retitled: A Sad Terminator-Star Wars Crossover
An intriguing philosophical exploration of consciousness in a humans versus robots space-opera. Like Saga, but without all the jokes and sex.
An intriguing philosophical exploration of consciousness in a humans versus robots space-opera. Like Saga, but without all the jokes and sex.
February 21, 2018
Obsessed with this series had to read it before work. Has set up the story very well. I guess maybe one more Vol until its completed. Probably one of my favourite series, even if I'm very new to the graphic novel scene.
January 18, 2020
Chegado o momento de a preparação anterior frutificar, há abundância.
O argumento parece realmente ir na direcção certa e a arte conhece ocasiões para a revelação em apoteose.
Consta que este é o penúltimo volume da série. Aguarda-se um final em grande.
O argumento parece realmente ir na direcção certa e a arte conhece ocasiões para a revelação em apoteose.
Consta que este é o penúltimo volume da série. Aguarda-se um final em grande.
September 21, 2021
4.5 Stars
This continues to be one of my favourite graphic novel series. This particular volume was incredibly gripping with plenty of story progression.
This continues to be one of my favourite graphic novel series. This particular volume was incredibly gripping with plenty of story progression.
February 28, 2018
The stakes get even higher as the Machine Moon, the NGC, and all of the other players in our intergalactic space opera come crashing together in more ways than one as the penultimate chapter of Descender comes to a close.
This is a very quick read; that's not a complaint, but you can devour these five issues in about half an hour because Jeff Lemire is very good at getting out of the way and letting Dustin Nguyen's beautiful watercolours tell the story that they want to tell. It's amazing how much Nguyen can do with just a few brush strokes. The water on Mata is especially pretty.
There are some sweeping movements going on here, as the war between robots and biological lifeforms reaches fever pitch, but Lemire also manages to make this intensely personal, especially for the two TIMS, and for Driller. It's very well balanced storytelling.
It's unbelievable to think that there are only five or so issues of this series left. There's still so many answers we need, and still so much more I want to know about the characters. But all good things, as they say.
This is a very quick read; that's not a complaint, but you can devour these five issues in about half an hour because Jeff Lemire is very good at getting out of the way and letting Dustin Nguyen's beautiful watercolours tell the story that they want to tell. It's amazing how much Nguyen can do with just a few brush strokes. The water on Mata is especially pretty.
There are some sweeping movements going on here, as the war between robots and biological lifeforms reaches fever pitch, but Lemire also manages to make this intensely personal, especially for the two TIMS, and for Driller. It's very well balanced storytelling.
It's unbelievable to think that there are only five or so issues of this series left. There's still so many answers we need, and still so much more I want to know about the characters. But all good things, as they say.
February 6, 2018
Descender is just not clicking for me (but I keep plugging away. Thanks, Sunk Cost Fallacy!)
The soft, pretty, watercolor illustration still feels like it's fighting the genocidal science fiction subject matter. And the robots continue to feel not remotely robotic; they're just as slow-witted, short-sighted and emotional as the human characters, complete with excessive stuttering.
I appreciate the ambition behind the dramatic double-foldout toward the end of the volume, but...none of the depicted worlds, all in the throes of a bloody machine uprising, really have any meaning. We know little about them, we don't care about them, and the foldouts lose their punch.
The soft, pretty, watercolor illustration still feels like it's fighting the genocidal science fiction subject matter. And the robots continue to feel not remotely robotic; they're just as slow-witted, short-sighted and emotional as the human characters, complete with excessive stuttering.
I appreciate the ambition behind the dramatic double-foldout toward the end of the volume, but...none of the depicted worlds, all in the throes of a bloody machine uprising, really have any meaning. We know little about them, we don't care about them, and the foldouts lose their punch.
March 20, 2019
Re-read: This was such a good volume!
It's the beginning of the end and there are dramatic, twisted moments where the artwork shines, even when at times it's so minimalistic. The three main stories are starting to emerge and I'm not sure how everything will end, but I'm enjoying every moment.
The robots are rising, and my heart breaks for Tim (I just want a happy reunion, okay?)
Original review:
Listen, I just want Tim21 to be okay.
It's the beginning of the end and there are dramatic, twisted moments where the artwork shines, even when at times it's so minimalistic. The three main stories are starting to emerge and I'm not sure how everything will end, but I'm enjoying every moment.
The robots are rising, and my heart breaks for Tim (I just want a happy reunion, okay?)
Original review:
Listen, I just want Tim21 to be okay.
June 20, 2018
Bullet Review:
Beautiful, stunning art. It's so incredible to see these delicate watercolors for a scifi story, but it really works.
I really enjoyed this one; not sure if it was because it was better than before (maybe the authors have hit their stride and are getting to telling the story they want), but I liked this much more than some of the earlier volumes. Fair amount of action, and who can hate Driller?
Beautiful, stunning art. It's so incredible to see these delicate watercolors for a scifi story, but it really works.
I really enjoyed this one; not sure if it was because it was better than before (maybe the authors have hit their stride and are getting to telling the story they want), but I liked this much more than some of the earlier volumes. Fair amount of action, and who can hate Driller?
May 7, 2018
Love Descender vol 1-4 and this is no exception. The artwork is once again beautiful and the stakes just keep on going up. Here we see the beginning of the robot revolt, and I am super excited to follow volume 6 when that comes out too! 4.5*s
February 19, 2019
i don't :( want :( this :( to end :(
January 30, 2019
Wow!
The story lines are coming together nicely with more and more build-up before the eruption. The uprising of the robots has begun.
Simultaneously, our friends are finally converging on each other with Effie, the Scrapper, Andy and Bandit being with the UGC fleet while Tim-21 is with Quon, Telsa and Tim-22. Oh yeah, that little bastard is still very much around, sadly.
But we also see more of the mysterious oceanic planet Mata, supposed location of Doctor Solomon and the ancient bot the Tim-series and all upgrades are based on.
And then there is this setting:
I must admit, after Hardwire sent out that signal to all the bots in the universe, I was reminded of the movie I, Robot because it looked very much alike.
And just like in that movie, some humans deserved what's coming while others certainly didn't. The same as can be said for the robots themselves. It's always the same, isn't it? One group against the other, both sporting a few good people and at least as many assholes.
But what is the right path here? Do the two opposing sides know at all? Because what IF the Harvesters actually come back?! After all, we still don't know where they are from and why they were doing what they did.
I don't think I've mentioned this before in my gushing over the watercolour art but I LOVE how almost mundane settings are spiced up with a splash of colour (either someone's hair or eyes or clothes or a detail from nature). In this particular volume I loved the underwater panels as well as the different shades of pink as can bee seen in the second-to-last picture above. I'm usually not a fan of pinks but these hues look gorgeous - maybe due to the watercolour effect.
So yeah, the art is once again the focal point, often not only carrying the story but taking over when there is little to no dialogue and how the storytelling goes hand in hand with the stunning art is fantastic.
Can't wait to get my greedy little hands on the next (perhaps last?) volume, especially after that cliffhanger!!!
The story lines are coming together nicely with more and more build-up before the eruption. The uprising of the robots has begun.
Simultaneously, our friends are finally converging on each other with Effie, the Scrapper, Andy and Bandit being with the UGC fleet while Tim-21 is with Quon, Telsa and Tim-22. Oh yeah, that little bastard is still very much around, sadly.
But we also see more of the mysterious oceanic planet Mata, supposed location of Doctor Solomon and the ancient bot the Tim-series and all upgrades are based on.
And then there is this setting:
I must admit, after Hardwire sent out that signal to all the bots in the universe, I was reminded of the movie I, Robot because it looked very much alike.
And just like in that movie, some humans deserved what's coming while others certainly didn't. The same as can be said for the robots themselves. It's always the same, isn't it? One group against the other, both sporting a few good people and at least as many assholes.
But what is the right path here? Do the two opposing sides know at all? Because what IF the Harvesters actually come back?! After all, we still don't know where they are from and why they were doing what they did.
I don't think I've mentioned this before in my gushing over the watercolour art but I LOVE how almost mundane settings are spiced up with a splash of colour (either someone's hair or eyes or clothes or a detail from nature). In this particular volume I loved the underwater panels as well as the different shades of pink as can bee seen in the second-to-last picture above. I'm usually not a fan of pinks but these hues look gorgeous - maybe due to the watercolour effect.
So yeah, the art is once again the focal point, often not only carrying the story but taking over when there is little to no dialogue and how the storytelling goes hand in hand with the stunning art is fantastic.
Can't wait to get my greedy little hands on the next (perhaps last?) volume, especially after that cliffhanger!!!
February 17, 2019
Well the action just escalated...again! The Robot war has arrived! I NEED the next volume!!!
March 3, 2021
Se puso bueno preparándose para el final.
Un par de escenas cardiacas, emociones a tope en varios lados.
Taladrador, es genial.
y ese como poster, wow
Ahora a esperar que salga el 6
4.5 stars.
spoilers
Un par de escenas cardiacas, emociones a tope en varios lados.
Taladrador, es genial.
y ese como poster, wow
Ahora a esperar que salga el 6
4.5 stars.
spoilers
May 14, 2019
4.5 🌟's
What can I say? This series continues to be amazing. Each issue is consistant and gripping, and I become more invested volume after volume. I can't wait to see how this will all end in volume 6.
I was more than excited to see that this story will continue under the title Ascender. The TPB volume 1 will be released Oct 29th 2019. This is a series everyone ought to try.
What can I say? This series continues to be amazing. Each issue is consistant and gripping, and I become more invested volume after volume. I can't wait to see how this will all end in volume 6.
I was more than excited to see that this story will continue under the title Ascender. The TPB volume 1 will be released Oct 29th 2019. This is a series everyone ought to try.
August 9, 2018
This is the best volume of one of the best comics!
What’s it about?
Oh gosh, so much has happened in this series now that I don’t know where to begin without spoiling everything.
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is still very interesting and it keeps building up.
The art is great!
The characters are still pretty cool, Driller is still my favorite!
There’s a lot of action and it is really good!
This series is still suspenseful and full of twists! I was constantly surprised as I kept reading!
Driller adds some great comic relief a few times.
The dialogue in this volume is particularly note worthy, it is super well written! I love this book’s dialogue so much!
I don’t want to give too much away but there’s a fantasy element that is added in this volume and while at first I would have thought that sounded awful (don’t get me wrong, fantasy stuff is pretty cool but this is a story of space and robots), it surprisingly works.
Bandit (my 2nd favorite character) is focused on quite a bit in this volume which I liked. He’s a good robo-pupper!
Overall:
This series is amazing and this is the best volume! I know I keep saying it but if you want an exciting and suspenseful sci-fi story you really need to read this series!
5/5
What’s it about?
Oh gosh, so much has happened in this series now that I don’t know where to begin without spoiling everything.
Why it gets 5 stars:
The story is still very interesting and it keeps building up.
The art is great!
The characters are still pretty cool, Driller is still my favorite!
There’s a lot of action and it is really good!
This series is still suspenseful and full of twists! I was constantly surprised as I kept reading!
Driller adds some great comic relief a few times.
The dialogue in this volume is particularly note worthy, it is super well written! I love this book’s dialogue so much!
I don’t want to give too much away but there’s a fantasy element that is added in this volume and while at first I would have thought that sounded awful (don’t get me wrong, fantasy stuff is pretty cool but this is a story of space and robots), it surprisingly works.
Bandit (my 2nd favorite character) is focused on quite a bit in this volume which I liked. He’s a good robo-pupper!
Overall:
This series is amazing and this is the best volume! I know I keep saying it but if you want an exciting and suspenseful sci-fi story you really need to read this series!
5/5
September 5, 2018
I should only read this series when it is completed because I find these middle volumes to be filled with so much thumb twiddling. I'm sure there's a point to all the shuffling around of characters, but I've totally lost the thread at this point and find it difficult to care.
And I was annoyed by the cliffhanger between the first and second chapters. All I could think was, "This isn't what happened last week! Have you all got amnesia? They just cheated us! This isn't fair! He didn't get out of the cockadoodie car!"
And I was annoyed by the cliffhanger between the first and second chapters. All I could think was, "This isn't what happened last week! Have you all got amnesia? They just cheated us! This isn't fair! He didn't get out of the cockadoodie car!"
July 11, 2019
4.5
Holy crap that was awesome!!! I need the next volume right now.
Holy crap that was awesome!!! I need the next volume right now.
March 21, 2023
The thing I like about this series, is that it tackles all the nuances of ethics, while it plumbs the depths of different kinds of discrimination.
September 22, 2019
Good story so far. The art is amazing as usual. There aren`t a lot of secrets or new things added in the mix, but we`ll wait and see the next one...
August 22, 2018
There’s not much to say about this series that I haven’t already said, so here are some bullet points:
- The story continues to be kind of trite, but somehow equally compelling.
- The pace is *fast*. The setpieces that Lemire has established are coming together. This is the penultimate volume, so things are really starting to come to a head.
- The art by Nguyen is fantastic. I never would have thought that watercolours would be a good medium for a sci-fi comic, but I love that Nguyen continues to prove me wrong.
- God I love Driller. He’s so corny, but so loveable.
I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in the final volume!
- The story continues to be kind of trite, but somehow equally compelling.
- The pace is *fast*. The setpieces that Lemire has established are coming together. This is the penultimate volume, so things are really starting to come to a head.
- The art by Nguyen is fantastic. I never would have thought that watercolours would be a good medium for a sci-fi comic, but I love that Nguyen continues to prove me wrong.
- God I love Driller. He’s so corny, but so loveable.
I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in the final volume!
December 27, 2017
La calidad de esta serie de ciencia ficción, en un futuro distópico donde los robots han sido oprimidos por la posibilidad que se rebelen contra los humanos (adiós Tres Leyes de la Robótica) se mantiene constante entre los buenos dibujos de Nguyen y los entretenidos guiones de Lemire. Resulta díficil elucubrar qué pasará ahora que los robots definitivamente se levantaron en armas contra los humanos, en medio de la búsqueda desesperada de Tim-22 por poner a salvo a su hermano humano y a sus amigos, mientras que al parecer es un Mesías robótico. Veremos que sucede más adelante.
November 1, 2018
I wasn't super-impressed by the first volume of this series--nice artwork and all, but it seemed little more than a rip-off of A.I. Well, I did eventually come back to it and I've been reading it more closely and with more than a little excitement and enthusiasm ever since. And, wow, did this arc ever blow things up! This story has been a slow-burn from the start, but it's getting hotter and hotter all the time and here we are at the actual re-emergence of the robot vs. human war. And it's a big deal. Pretty artwork and everything. Can hardly wait for that next volume!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews