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Millennium: Sylvain Runberg's Adaptation #7-9
The Girl Who Danced with Death
The Millennium saga continues with a new collection of original stories based on the bestselling novel series by Steig Larsson!
Lisbeth Salander returns in this gripping English translation of the French comics. This time around, we find Lisbeth preparing to hack a gigantic data centre and expose the Swedish secret service's secret files. Unfortunately, nothing is simple, and Lisbeth once again finds herself in need of Mickael Blomkvist's help when her friend Trinity is kidnapped. In a world of conspiracy and mistrust, their investigation soon leads them to the obscure group known only as 'Sparta'...
Lisbeth Salander returns in this gripping English translation of the French comics. This time around, we find Lisbeth preparing to hack a gigantic data centre and expose the Swedish secret service's secret files. Unfortunately, nothing is simple, and Lisbeth once again finds herself in need of Mickael Blomkvist's help when her friend Trinity is kidnapped. In a world of conspiracy and mistrust, their investigation soon leads them to the obscure group known only as 'Sparta'...
176 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 24, 2019
Runberg's graphic novel adaptation of the Stieg Larsson's books ended in Volume 3. He has written his own continuation of the series, with two plots. The Swedish secret police (Sapa) is illegally collecting information about private citizens all over Europe while Lisbeth Salander and her hacker buddies are attempting to break into the system and expose this massive abuse of political power. Meanwhile, Millenium magazine is investigating a radical conservative politician who is a dangerous threat to the ruling government, and wants to gain control of the database too.
I liked this, especially the new graphic artist, Belén Ortega, whose work is less dark than his predecessors. At least, Mikael is finally decent looking in this installment since he is purported to be such a ladies man.
I liked this, especially the new graphic artist, Belén Ortega, whose work is less dark than his predecessors. At least, Mikael is finally decent looking in this installment since he is purported to be such a ladies man.
September 7, 2021
One of the major literary sensations of the early century was Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, which was a phenomenon of infinite complexity and yet known mostly for the general character of Lisbeth Salander. It is in fact safe to say that the general reading public that bought these books up paid little attention to anything but Salander.
Larsson’s ambitions covered everything from the state of Sweden to investigative journalism, hacking, the lingering effects of geopolitical intrigue, biking clubs, and last and most importantly violence against women. The successor trilogy written by David Lagercrantz tackled this legacy ably, while centering the storytelling on breakout character Salander and concluding her efforts to find personal justice.
Earlier this year I became aware that there was another attempt to revisit Larsson’s work, a comic book called The Girl Who Danced with Death, written by Sylvain Runberg, who had also written one of several graphic novel adaptations of Larsson’s books.
As only the second person to tackle original material based on Larsson’s work, Runberg had a tall task ahead of him. I’m not sure he succeeded, but he was certainly ambitious.
His story takes place in the Trump era (clearly he’s okay with fudging the Salander timeline, which originally began unfolding more than a decade before Trump’s election). Runberg also tackles the media leaks from the likes of Assange and Snowden, sort of recontextualizing Salander’s hacker interests. I would need to revisit Larsson and Lagercrantz, but it seems, at least to me, to be an aberration. If this were a goal of hers, it would seem she’d always be far more interested in working openly with Millennium magazine.
Anyway, the results are rapid (originally playing out in the span of three issues), not overly complex (which is the opposite of how Larsson and Lagercrantz tended to write), though covering thematic ground that at least feels connective, which is why I will say they’re worth considering in the overall legacy. Not essential by any means, and I would feel quite uncomfortable if anyone put forth the argument that Runberg truly grasps the material, the challenge left by Larsson to expose what so often feels as if the mainstream would vastly prefer to ignore, bury, dismiss, obfuscate, belittle, downplay…He doesn’t get any of that. At the heart of Larsson and Lagercrantz is the belief that these stories are about the people, like Salander, who have a chance to be something other than the victim, if things play out differently, if journalism truly does exist that looks out for them.
Runberg gets the surface elements down, what the general reading public was amused by, fascinated by, and then discarded and forgot, moving on to material that means less even as the world around it spirals ever deeper into matters Larsson and Lagercrantz wanted desperately to avoid, as these same readers lament this state but have no idea the complicity with which they help create it.
Something about a girl like Lisbeth Salander, if we just stopped turning away. She’s the accident we pass on the road, and forget all about later. Telling her stories is an attempt to change that. Someone like Runberg doesn’t get that, but at least he’s still reminding us that she exists.
Larsson’s ambitions covered everything from the state of Sweden to investigative journalism, hacking, the lingering effects of geopolitical intrigue, biking clubs, and last and most importantly violence against women. The successor trilogy written by David Lagercrantz tackled this legacy ably, while centering the storytelling on breakout character Salander and concluding her efforts to find personal justice.
Earlier this year I became aware that there was another attempt to revisit Larsson’s work, a comic book called The Girl Who Danced with Death, written by Sylvain Runberg, who had also written one of several graphic novel adaptations of Larsson’s books.
As only the second person to tackle original material based on Larsson’s work, Runberg had a tall task ahead of him. I’m not sure he succeeded, but he was certainly ambitious.
His story takes place in the Trump era (clearly he’s okay with fudging the Salander timeline, which originally began unfolding more than a decade before Trump’s election). Runberg also tackles the media leaks from the likes of Assange and Snowden, sort of recontextualizing Salander’s hacker interests. I would need to revisit Larsson and Lagercrantz, but it seems, at least to me, to be an aberration. If this were a goal of hers, it would seem she’d always be far more interested in working openly with Millennium magazine.
Anyway, the results are rapid (originally playing out in the span of three issues), not overly complex (which is the opposite of how Larsson and Lagercrantz tended to write), though covering thematic ground that at least feels connective, which is why I will say they’re worth considering in the overall legacy. Not essential by any means, and I would feel quite uncomfortable if anyone put forth the argument that Runberg truly grasps the material, the challenge left by Larsson to expose what so often feels as if the mainstream would vastly prefer to ignore, bury, dismiss, obfuscate, belittle, downplay…He doesn’t get any of that. At the heart of Larsson and Lagercrantz is the belief that these stories are about the people, like Salander, who have a chance to be something other than the victim, if things play out differently, if journalism truly does exist that looks out for them.
Runberg gets the surface elements down, what the general reading public was amused by, fascinated by, and then discarded and forgot, moving on to material that means less even as the world around it spirals ever deeper into matters Larsson and Lagercrantz wanted desperately to avoid, as these same readers lament this state but have no idea the complicity with which they help create it.
Something about a girl like Lisbeth Salander, if we just stopped turning away. She’s the accident we pass on the road, and forget all about later. Telling her stories is an attempt to change that. Someone like Runberg doesn’t get that, but at least he’s still reminding us that she exists.
March 6, 2026
Another installment in the Hard Case Crime catalong of Graphic novels. Here we have Lisbeth Salander (of GIrl with the Dragon Tattoo fame) chasing after right wing politicians, and the Swedish police who are acting like terrorists who want to take over the Swedish government. The story itself is okay, moving along with plenty of action even though it is mostly predictable. For me the artwork is the star. While I rated it 3 stars, it's more like 3 and one half stars. The art work is done very well.
April 12, 2021
I don't really have a proper review for this one. I started this back in March but stopped for a bit because I was a little burnt out on the Millennium stories. I'd just read the other 3 graphic novels prior. And I'd been reading a lot of graphic novels in general. So I gave myself a break. Then I FINALLY got back to it and finished it very quickly, as one does with graphic novels typically. But I don't really have a review for it. The plot easy enough to follow along with, probably because it was a plot designed as a graphic novel. A graphic novelization of a previously existing fully fledged novel. And the plot was interesting enough. I liked the emphasis on Hacker Republic, including Plague's role in all this. Poor guy deserved way better. And that ending was a bit bittersweet with Lisbeth. But if one doesn't count the newest 3 novels, this is actually a fairly fitting end for our characters. Also the art style was gorgeous.
December 17, 2021
Not bad. I see the same elements present. The characters are true to Stieg Larsson's creation. Blomkvist and Salander ring true in their self-doubt about what their lives have come down to.
Still, I liked the tension in the original books. The movies are good, but this graphic novel feels more like a storyboard for a movie, full color, but a storyboard nevertheless, even with all the good artwork and quality printing. Over too soon. Wrapped up pretty neatly. Granted I liked that, but I felt let down a bit when I finished it. Perhaps it's just me. I read a Chinese fable today that had more action and more emotional depth in 121 pages.
Still, I liked the tension in the original books. The movies are good, but this graphic novel feels more like a storyboard for a movie, full color, but a storyboard nevertheless, even with all the good artwork and quality printing. Over too soon. Wrapped up pretty neatly. Granted I liked that, but I felt let down a bit when I finished it. Perhaps it's just me. I read a Chinese fable today that had more action and more emotional depth in 121 pages.
August 26, 2024
(2.5 stars) The anti-hero returns, this time to take down far-right extremists. Kinda modern, political for Sweden. It pretty much follows the standard format/plot-type of the other three. So, if you want to see her take down people in person and in the cyber realm, with some help from friends and colleagues, welcome back. If you don’t, you can move along, and your life will be just fine. Art work works for this one as well.
August 1, 2022
Ending>climax>opening
November 21, 2022
3.5 rounded up as most of the story was good perhaps a little too political/preaching but definitely Lisbeth story/art.
April 2, 2019
Not as good as the original comic adaptations of Larsson's novels.
This book includes issues #7-9 of the Millennium comic series (about 184 pages, combined). The first six issues comprised Sylvain Runberg’s complete adaptation of the trilogy of source novels by Stieg Larsson. However, rather than adapting the book sequels (which were continued by David Lagercrantz after Larsson’s death), he instead chose to write all-new stories about the characters.
For the first time, Lisbeth Salander’s world in the graphic novels is departing significantly from the prose books.
There are 2 plot lines. The Swedish government is illegally collecting information about private citizens all over Europe; Lisbeth Salander and her cohorts are attempting to hack the system and expose the misuse of power. Meanwhile, Mikael and Erika are investigating a radical conservative politician who is a dangerous threat to the ruling government.
The artwork is bright and energetic, especially the action scenes, but this feels like a routine franchise installment rather than an organic continuation of the story. It adds little new texture to the core relationships between the three main characters Lisbeth, Mikael, and Erika. A minor character from the previous books meets an untimely demise, but the emotional resonance of the scene is minimal.
I give Runberg credit for trying to add some ethical nuance to what is basically the series formula.
He tries to highlight the dubious line of demarcation between “good guy” computer hackers, who mistrust the government and gleefully expose classified secrets in the name of freedom of information, and the “bad guy” anarchists who want to actually overthrow the government. Also, he makes the ruling pro-immigration Democratic party guilty of violating people’s privacy rights, not the neo-conservative lunatic fringe.
In the hands of skillful writer, this could have resulted in an insightful examination of society’s attitudes towards authority and the corrupting nature of even well-intentioned power.
Unfortunately, he succumbed to the temptation to paint every character with anti-immigration beliefs as a Nazi sympathizer, and he painted conservatives as frustrated men who endorse rape culture. The result was a simplistic, monolithic view of complex human rights issues.
This book includes issues #7-9 of the Millennium comic series (about 184 pages, combined). The first six issues comprised Sylvain Runberg’s complete adaptation of the trilogy of source novels by Stieg Larsson. However, rather than adapting the book sequels (which were continued by David Lagercrantz after Larsson’s death), he instead chose to write all-new stories about the characters.
For the first time, Lisbeth Salander’s world in the graphic novels is departing significantly from the prose books.
There are 2 plot lines. The Swedish government is illegally collecting information about private citizens all over Europe; Lisbeth Salander and her cohorts are attempting to hack the system and expose the misuse of power. Meanwhile, Mikael and Erika are investigating a radical conservative politician who is a dangerous threat to the ruling government.
The artwork is bright and energetic, especially the action scenes, but this feels like a routine franchise installment rather than an organic continuation of the story. It adds little new texture to the core relationships between the three main characters Lisbeth, Mikael, and Erika. A minor character from the previous books meets an untimely demise, but the emotional resonance of the scene is minimal.
I give Runberg credit for trying to add some ethical nuance to what is basically the series formula.
He tries to highlight the dubious line of demarcation between “good guy” computer hackers, who mistrust the government and gleefully expose classified secrets in the name of freedom of information, and the “bad guy” anarchists who want to actually overthrow the government. Also, he makes the ruling pro-immigration Democratic party guilty of violating people’s privacy rights, not the neo-conservative lunatic fringe.
In the hands of skillful writer, this could have resulted in an insightful examination of society’s attitudes towards authority and the corrupting nature of even well-intentioned power.
Unfortunately, he succumbed to the temptation to paint every character with anti-immigration beliefs as a Nazi sympathizer, and he painted conservatives as frustrated men who endorse rape culture. The result was a simplistic, monolithic view of complex human rights issues.
December 16, 2018
A worthy addition to the Salander mythos.
Runberg and Ortega are tops.
Runberg and Ortega are tops.
February 23, 2019
Nice to have a continuation of the Millenium series. The Graphic Novel format suits Lisbeth Salandar well. A good read
March 26, 2019
hope they adapt it for the movies
June 9, 2019
Artwork and text
Both the artwork and the text bring Lisbeth Salander into reality like nothing else. While ready, don’t forget to focus on the artwork.
Both the artwork and the text bring Lisbeth Salander into reality like nothing else. While ready, don’t forget to focus on the artwork.
September 30, 2019
I gave it 5 stars for the artwork. Frankly I am not in to comic books and didn’t realize that what is was until after I downloaded it. Lesson learned.
April 4, 2020
Es hasta el momento mi saga de libros favorita, la facilidad que tiene el escritor para meterlo a uno en la lectura y sufrir, reír o llorar con cada personaje es extraordinaria.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews