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These Savage Shores #1-5
Costas Salvajes
Edición integral de "Costas salvajes", uno de los mejores cómics de 2019 para la crítica en Estados Unidos. En 1766, dos siglos después de que el primer barco occidental llegara a la Costa Malabar, la compañía oriental de las Indias busca asegurar su futuro gracias a la lucrativa ruta de la seda. Un ser maligno viaja a bordo de un barco de la compañía con la esperanza de establecerse en esta tierra lejana. Pero pronto descubrirá que se trata de un territorio que cuenta con criaturas y leyendas más antiguas que él mismo. En estas costas salvajes, los días son largos y abrasadores, y las noches están llenas de dientes.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2019
34 people are currently reading
1568 people want to read
About the author
Ram V
485 books350 followersRam V (Ramnarayan Venkatesan) is an author and comic book writer from Mumbai, India. His comics career began in 2012 with the award-nominated Indian comic series, Aghori. A graduate of the City University of London’s Creative Writing MA, he has since created the critically acclaimed Black Mumba and the fantasy adventure series, Brigands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
May 18, 2025
A very cool spin on vampires and old gods set against the backdrop of India.
So an asshole-y vampire screws up and gets sent away from England to some compatriots in India. As I mentioned, he's an asshole. So he hits the ground running, immediately spying a woman by herself in the foliage and deciding she'd make quite a snack.
Unfortunately for him, there are worse things than vampires in those jungles. And that woman was his girlfriend.
This sets off trouble with England's vampires and it culminates in a very well-done conclusion at the end of the book. But the main storyline is about the battles fought on the shores of India between the British Empire and the rulers of Indian provinces. The alliances that were made, the trusts that were broken, and the way war changes everyone it touches.
It's a horror story, a love story, and a war story.
So. Something for everyone.
The art is just perfect. Perfect for this story. Man, this is one I'd love to own. Just gorgeous. I can't really say enough about These Savage Shores. If you're on the fence, go get it. You won't be sorry.
Highly Recommended.
So an asshole-y vampire screws up and gets sent away from England to some compatriots in India. As I mentioned, he's an asshole. So he hits the ground running, immediately spying a woman by herself in the foliage and deciding she'd make quite a snack.
Unfortunately for him, there are worse things than vampires in those jungles. And that woman was his girlfriend.
This sets off trouble with England's vampires and it culminates in a very well-done conclusion at the end of the book. But the main storyline is about the battles fought on the shores of India between the British Empire and the rulers of Indian provinces. The alliances that were made, the trusts that were broken, and the way war changes everyone it touches.
It's a horror story, a love story, and a war story.
So. Something for everyone.
The art is just perfect. Perfect for this story. Man, this is one I'd love to own. Just gorgeous. I can't really say enough about These Savage Shores. If you're on the fence, go get it. You won't be sorry.
Highly Recommended.
May 18, 2024
Absolutely stunning. Ram V's story execution, Sumit Kumar's gorgeous art, all of it is brilliant. This is the best thing I've read in awhile. Set in 1760's India where the English are trying to invade, a vampire is exiled from London to India where he comes across an Indian demon, a Rakshasa. The story spirals out from there. It's beautifully narrated through letters with perfectly paced art. Kumar's art looks like an old Rudyard Kipling illustrated novel. I can't say enough good things about it. Not only is it stunning, but his sequential art panel execution is perfect. I won't say anything else but go out and buy this. You won't regret it.
October 30, 2022
I’m not a Ram V fan and can’t fathom his popularity - I’ve read his Catwoman and Swamp Thing books at DC, his Laila Starr book at Boom, and they’re all terrible. But apparently These Savage Shores at Vault is supposed to be his best book, and it’s the one that got him those other titles, so maybe I’ll be all turned around on him if I give this one a shot? Uh, no. I won’t say it’s his worst book because they’re all this level of crappiness but it’s definitely not good.
Ram V is just so awful at communicating simply the basics of a story. I took my time reading this and I still didn’t get what was happening or why.
So it’s the 18th century and vampires, monsters, etc. are real. A vampire is banished from England to India where he’s beheaded by an Indian monster. There’s an Indian kid who wants to be sultan or something, and an older man who also wants to be a sultan, maybe, and the Indian monster is buds with the kid somehow. There’s fighting between some factions for reasons and the beheaded vampire’s family is after the Indian monster for revenge. Whatever. I didn’t care.
Incompetent writing across the board. Ram V can’t create memorable characters or establish even slightly coherent motivations so it’s impossible to follow or shiv a git about anything going on. Who knows if there’s even a point besides having vampires fighting in a historical context?
Sumit Kumar’s art is very good - he managed to bring colonial India to life convincingly with a high level of detail and many scenes, particularly the ones set in the countryside, look really beautiful. Vittorio Astone’s subtle colours helped portray this lost world powerfully too (who knew a stone could colour? Waka waka).
It’s a visually striking book but nothing else about it will have any kind of impact on the reader. I remain unimpressed with this writer’s output - These Stupid Shores is a boring, incoherent mess.
Ram V is just so awful at communicating simply the basics of a story. I took my time reading this and I still didn’t get what was happening or why.
So it’s the 18th century and vampires, monsters, etc. are real. A vampire is banished from England to India where he’s beheaded by an Indian monster. There’s an Indian kid who wants to be sultan or something, and an older man who also wants to be a sultan, maybe, and the Indian monster is buds with the kid somehow. There’s fighting between some factions for reasons and the beheaded vampire’s family is after the Indian monster for revenge. Whatever. I didn’t care.
Incompetent writing across the board. Ram V can’t create memorable characters or establish even slightly coherent motivations so it’s impossible to follow or shiv a git about anything going on. Who knows if there’s even a point besides having vampires fighting in a historical context?
Sumit Kumar’s art is very good - he managed to bring colonial India to life convincingly with a high level of detail and many scenes, particularly the ones set in the countryside, look really beautiful. Vittorio Astone’s subtle colours helped portray this lost world powerfully too (who knew a stone could colour? Waka waka).
It’s a visually striking book but nothing else about it will have any kind of impact on the reader. I remain unimpressed with this writer’s output - These Stupid Shores is a boring, incoherent mess.
January 11, 2020
A odd, slow paced, yet beautifully told and drawn tale.
This is basically 3 stories in one. The first issue revolves around a vampire who's been outed. He decides to leave his homeland, or forced out by his fellow vampires, and heads to new lands. Soon he discovers he is not alone. Next issue would be about the vampire hunter and his travel to the new land as well. Last but not least we have the creature of the new lands, something different than you expect, protecting a prince and a lady.
It sounds pretty weird, huh? Well that's because it is. It's slow at times, with big history dumps at points. On top of that you might be confused on how all these characters are even linking. So the hesitation of enjoying something like this might be there.
But it's drawn so lovely, with gorgeous land shots, vicious battles, and amazing character designs. The wording can be long-winded at times yet always has a point somehow. The characters are tragic, as they should be, and the weight of their motives can be felt for sure. The last issue sums up the entire 4 before it in a interesting way as well.
While it's not my favorite book of the year it's a very interesting one, and I think any comic fan should check it out. A 4 out of 5.
This is basically 3 stories in one. The first issue revolves around a vampire who's been outed. He decides to leave his homeland, or forced out by his fellow vampires, and heads to new lands. Soon he discovers he is not alone. Next issue would be about the vampire hunter and his travel to the new land as well. Last but not least we have the creature of the new lands, something different than you expect, protecting a prince and a lady.
It sounds pretty weird, huh? Well that's because it is. It's slow at times, with big history dumps at points. On top of that you might be confused on how all these characters are even linking. So the hesitation of enjoying something like this might be there.
But it's drawn so lovely, with gorgeous land shots, vicious battles, and amazing character designs. The wording can be long-winded at times yet always has a point somehow. The characters are tragic, as they should be, and the weight of their motives can be felt for sure. The last issue sums up the entire 4 before it in a interesting way as well.
While it's not my favorite book of the year it's a very interesting one, and I think any comic fan should check it out. A 4 out of 5.
March 6, 2025
Indian mythology with vampires!
December 21, 2021
This was excellent. Well written and exquisitely drawn, with some really creative use of frames. Would LOVE to see more of this, and more stories in a setting like this. Well done to all involved.
October 8, 2021
tldr: Vampires vs. Rakshasa
Blood suckers vs. man eaters. The simple idea of this secret history dark fantasy made me slap my head. I never ever thought that kind of idea.
The middle part of the story is a bit dragging due to historical setting. The final fight as if answered my mind.
Blood suckers vs. man eaters. The simple idea of this secret history dark fantasy made me slap my head. I never ever thought that kind of idea.
The middle part of the story is a bit dragging due to historical setting. The final fight as if answered my mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
Glorious, gothic and appropriately grotesque when called for- this graphic novel really lived up to the hype, thanks for the recommendation Anne!
Although the writing and story were both strong the absolutely splendid art easily elevates this to a 5-star read, such a lovely palette to drink in!🧛
Although the writing and story were both strong the absolutely splendid art easily elevates this to a 5-star read, such a lovely palette to drink in!🧛
April 17, 2022
As the British East India Company trying to gobble up the resources of the Indian subcontinent leads to the First Anglo-Mysore War, British vampires descending on India to gobble blood find themselves in a parallel conflict with a powerful, shapeshifting, mythological being called a rakshasa. The deliberate pace and ominous tone are spiked with thrilling moments of conflict. But I felt a little lost in the political intrigue due to my ignorance of Indian history and the real people featured in this historical fiction.
I'd been thinking of putting Ram V on my "don't bother" list of authors, but this and The Many Deaths of Laila Starr have given him a reprieve.
I'd been thinking of putting Ram V on my "don't bother" list of authors, but this and The Many Deaths of Laila Starr have given him a reprieve.
March 18, 2025
PT Uma leitura desapontante.
Este livro prometia, mas, para mim, não entregou.
A ideia era interessante, mas detestei a execução. Apesar de ter gostado bastante do primeiro capítulo, os seguintes foram uma desilusão.
Não senti qualquer ligação com as personagens. Aliás, a única que me despertou um mínimo de empatia morre logo no início.
A escrita de Ram V. deixa muito a desejar, com inúmeras passagens narrativas que poderiam ser removidas sem qualquer impacto na história.
Uma pena.
--
EN A disappointing read.
This book had promise, but for me, it didn’t deliver.
The idea was interesting, but I hated the execution. Although I really liked the first chapter, the ones that followed were a letdown.
I didn’t feel any connection to the characters. In fact, the only one I had even a slight attachment to dies right at the beginning.
Ram V.’s writing leaves a lot to be desired, with countless narrative passages that could have been removed without affecting the story in any way.
A shame.
Este livro prometia, mas, para mim, não entregou.
A ideia era interessante, mas detestei a execução. Apesar de ter gostado bastante do primeiro capítulo, os seguintes foram uma desilusão.
Não senti qualquer ligação com as personagens. Aliás, a única que me despertou um mínimo de empatia morre logo no início.
A escrita de Ram V. deixa muito a desejar, com inúmeras passagens narrativas que poderiam ser removidas sem qualquer impacto na história.
Uma pena.
--
EN A disappointing read.
This book had promise, but for me, it didn’t deliver.
The idea was interesting, but I hated the execution. Although I really liked the first chapter, the ones that followed were a letdown.
I didn’t feel any connection to the characters. In fact, the only one I had even a slight attachment to dies right at the beginning.
Ram V.’s writing leaves a lot to be desired, with countless narrative passages that could have been removed without affecting the story in any way.
A shame.
November 10, 2019
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This was a beautifully written and executed story with quite a punch. Using an urban fantasy tale to give strong metaphors as to the actual situation in 1770s India, there is a lot more here to enjoy that just a simple tale of new and old world monsters. The illustration, coloring, and lettering work are all superb, further enhancing the story. It can be difficult to create something truly original using the vampire genre but it is done extremely well here.Story: The old world vampires control the true power in England, including the extremely powerful East India Company. But they do so secretly for reasons of safety and security. When one aristo is caught indiscreetly supping on a servant, his brethren ship him off to India so the incident will be forgotten. But there are old world monsters in India, as well. Bishan is an immortal - a raakshas. When the aristo is killed after attempting to feed on a local girl, the aristos in England demand revenge. In the midst of the political machinations of sultans and the British, Bishan the raakshas and Count Jurre Granno the Vampire are about to clash.
The story is told directly and also through letters from various characters in the story. Although Bishan and his mortal love Kori are the two main characters, there is also the Aristo Vampire Pierre, a vampire hunter, a prince, and a Sultan sharing time. This isn't just an urban fantasy; rather, it's an exploration of the politics of India and the influence of the English as they began to take over the subcontinent. Their stories are all interwoven quite skillfully, never following one character too long and showing just how dangerous it is to be around the immortals. Most importantly, none of the characters are fools; some are arrogant and overconfident but this is shown to be a fault that often causes their downfall.
Most interesting for me was that there was a lot to say about the East India Company, a real entity at the time (they were the first corporation in the world) and extremely ruthless and powerful. In this story, the Vampires are a metaphor for what the Company really did to the people in South East Asia, especially India. Perhaps most telling was the fate of Kori in the story, which I won't go into here for spoilers but she is the embodiment of India. But this isn't a one-sided tale about the evils of England at the time; India's squabbling was shown to help create the perfect situation in which English greed could take root and flourish.
The illustration work is solid - clean, easy to follow, and intriguing. The color scheme is rich and layered, which a nightly blue-green for England and a vibrant sunny yellow for India. It is no accident that the Britain scenes are all at night while the India scenes mostly take place in daylight. Panels are interesting and there are some wonderful angles drawn that make you want to stop and explore that page. But most impressive is the strength of emotions conveyed, from surprise to despair, resignation to avarice.
If I have one issue, it's that once again the historical aspects as drawn are incorrect. For some reason, the artist has mixed 1770s Georgian male fashions with 1870s Victorian female gothic fashions. E.g., in later scenes Kori is wearing clothing that is 150 years too early and it just looks sloppy. Perhaps it was done for artistic reasons (pairing gotchic with vampires) but it makes no sense considering the men are all dressed in more era-appropriate clothing. Just imagine a story set in the 1950s where guys are wearing jeans and t-shirts while the women are decked out in American Revolutionary War era clothing and you get the idea of the mismatch.
The above issue aside, I really enjoyed this book a lot. It improves even more upon re-reading and when you have a grasp of the history of this era. There is a lot being said about the people of both England and India within. This volume one contains a complete arc; I am intrigued on where it will go from here. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
May 5, 2024
8'5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Alain Pierrefont es un vampiro que, tras ser descubierto alimentándose en Londres, debe ser exiliado. La supervivencia del clan depende de la discreción. Así que Jurre, muy a su pesar, embarca a Alain en un navío hacia las Indias Orientales. Una vez allí, no tardará en descubrir que en esas costas existen seres y criaturas más antiguas que él mismo.
“"En ese lugar, los días son largos y abrasadores. Y las noches están llenas de dientes"”
“Dime, Bishan, ¿cómo llegaste a este mundo?”
Desde que leí "Las muchas muertes de Laila Starr" intento leer todo lo del guionista indio Ram V. Con su narrativa me sumerge en el cómic y me atrapa fácilmente. Crea muy buenos personajes llenos de misticismo. Su tierra natal (India) es una protagonista más. Ya es uno de mis guionistas preferidos.
El dibujo de Sumit Kumar es impresionante. Consigue la narrativa visual, que deben tener los cómics, con el plano perfecto en cada viñeta. Rostros, expresiones y miradas a un altísimo nivel. Transición de viñetas espectaculares en las escenas de acción.
Tomo autoconclusivo de 160 páginas donde su único defecto es que se hace corto. Los personajes de estas costas salvajes dan para muchas más páginas.
Alain Pierrefont es un vampiro que, tras ser descubierto alimentándose en Londres, debe ser exiliado. La supervivencia del clan depende de la discreción. Así que Jurre, muy a su pesar, embarca a Alain en un navío hacia las Indias Orientales. Una vez allí, no tardará en descubrir que en esas costas existen seres y criaturas más antiguas que él mismo.
“"En ese lugar, los días son largos y abrasadores. Y las noches están llenas de dientes"”
“Dime, Bishan, ¿cómo llegaste a este mundo?”
Desde que leí "Las muchas muertes de Laila Starr" intento leer todo lo del guionista indio Ram V. Con su narrativa me sumerge en el cómic y me atrapa fácilmente. Crea muy buenos personajes llenos de misticismo. Su tierra natal (India) es una protagonista más. Ya es uno de mis guionistas preferidos.
El dibujo de Sumit Kumar es impresionante. Consigue la narrativa visual, que deben tener los cómics, con el plano perfecto en cada viñeta. Rostros, expresiones y miradas a un altísimo nivel. Transición de viñetas espectaculares en las escenas de acción.
Tomo autoconclusivo de 160 páginas donde su único defecto es que se hace corto. Los personajes de estas costas salvajes dan para muchas más páginas.
June 8, 2021
(4,7 of 5 for a refreshingly excellent comics story about monsters and humanity)
I tried to pinpoint the main trope, sum the story but it seems to be rather difficult. Maybe it's an absence of the main trope, the story is composite of few lines - the immortals - England's vampires, hunting and being hunted, Indian demon questioning the farce of his humanity on account of his immortality, the ruthless colonization effort of England in India and the power struggle between Indian royalty.
Huh, it seems a lot for five-issue comics? But I must admit it is perfectly executed, everything has its weight, space and time. I'm very pleased how Ram V and Sumit Kumar executed the things. The art is very nice, consistent, nicely drawn and coloured, well-composed. The comics can be done dynamically (more often with manga) or narrative and These Savage Shores are a great example of the latter. Author and artist excel in "sequential art", I love how they work with panels and scenes, both telling the story and creating surrounding and atmosphere. I love it. Just that kept me reading, kept me interested, submerged into the world and events of the story, whatever the story is.
I could go on what I liked, dissect every detail or some of the pages, but it's not necessary to be that wordy. The main thing is this is excellent comics craftsmanship. I enjoyed the story, how executed and balanced it is. I enjoyed the art, how good it looks and how good scenes and panels are, well arranged and perfectly working for the story behind them.
This was a perfectly splendid reading experience.
I tried to pinpoint the main trope, sum the story but it seems to be rather difficult. Maybe it's an absence of the main trope, the story is composite of few lines - the immortals - England's vampires, hunting and being hunted, Indian demon questioning the farce of his humanity on account of his immortality, the ruthless colonization effort of England in India and the power struggle between Indian royalty.
Huh, it seems a lot for five-issue comics? But I must admit it is perfectly executed, everything has its weight, space and time. I'm very pleased how Ram V and Sumit Kumar executed the things. The art is very nice, consistent, nicely drawn and coloured, well-composed. The comics can be done dynamically (more often with manga) or narrative and These Savage Shores are a great example of the latter. Author and artist excel in "sequential art", I love how they work with panels and scenes, both telling the story and creating surrounding and atmosphere. I love it. Just that kept me reading, kept me interested, submerged into the world and events of the story, whatever the story is.
I could go on what I liked, dissect every detail or some of the pages, but it's not necessary to be that wordy. The main thing is this is excellent comics craftsmanship. I enjoyed the story, how executed and balanced it is. I enjoyed the art, how good it looks and how good scenes and panels are, well arranged and perfectly working for the story behind them.
This was a perfectly splendid reading experience.
May 4, 2020
A terrific surprise, These Savage Shores is a Victorian-era melding of Vampiric feeding frenzy and Hindu monster myths. Vampires as a metaphor for English colonialism? Oh dang, yes please. The art is superb, intricate and nuanced, with spectacular coloring. I considered skipping These Savage Shores as a mysterious third-party title until I caught a glimpse of the pages - the art sold me.
And Ram V didn't let me down with his storytelling either. It can be a bit obtuse at times, but the broad strokes are fascinating and the parceled out action scenes are riveting. I could have spent a dozen more issues in this world.
And Ram V didn't let me down with his storytelling either. It can be a bit obtuse at times, but the broad strokes are fascinating and the parceled out action scenes are riveting. I could have spent a dozen more issues in this world.
October 14, 2020
3.5 stars. This was solid. The story deals with Vampires, a vampire hunter and a mystical demon in India protecting a young prince while enjoying time with his lover. Ram V does a decent job of taking you on the journey of how all these moving pieces collide all while dealing with the history of India during the mid 1700s. The standout is Sumit Kumar on the art. It’s really beautiful and he does a great job creating this world in India with the characters and the lush landscapes. Not extra great but solid, entertaining to say the least.
December 10, 2024
A compelling story worthy of Gaiman-era Sandman carried along by a steady hand at the drawing board. I really loved These Savage Shores and found myself much more enamoured with it than its more commonly recommend Ram V creation, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr. If you're on the hunt for an entertaining graphic novel, look no further!
April 5, 2021
Blew it away with this one. Great story, great context and amazing art
January 3, 2022
This is an amazing combination of Indian mythology and vampire lore set in colonial India with occasional scenes in London. This combination is pulled off very well, and it makes me hope for more cross cultural stories like this in the future. To make it even better, the art is stunningly beautiful. It draws the reader into the worlds that are depicted in this story. These are creators to watch in the future.
November 16, 2020
There are several interwoven threads here. The ruling class of colonial era England has been penetrated by wealthy vampires (a rather on-the-nose metaphor). They send one of their more careless number--he was caught killing in public--to India to represent the Crown while he hides out. His actions there provide the excuse for war and colonization as well as a personal conflict between opposed immortal beings.
This is not a particularly linear story; the narrative wanders and it doesn't become clear who the protagonist is until deep into the book.
That isn't necessarily a problem; I got everything I wanted out of These Savage Shores . It's gorgeous--I love the shifting background tones--it's engaging, it asks interesting questions (What does it mean to be a monster? And who are the monsters, really?) And it has badass monsters and a badass monster fight. Pretty good for an impulse purchase.
This is not a particularly linear story; the narrative wanders and it doesn't become clear who the protagonist is until deep into the book.
That isn't necessarily a problem; I got everything I wanted out of These Savage Shores . It's gorgeous--I love the shifting background tones--it's engaging, it asks interesting questions (What does it mean to be a monster? And who are the monsters, really?) And it has badass monsters and a badass monster fight. Pretty good for an impulse purchase.
January 5, 2020
Such a beautiful graphic novel. The art is... breathtaking. For me that was absolutely the strongest feature; in fact, I consider this the best art I’ve seen in a comic book this year. Mesmerizing. And I’m not talking only about the quality of the drawings, I’m referring specifically to how each panel is connected to the others and to the page's grid-structure. Incredible work.
The story is well written and well crafted although not something that resonated with me a lot, mainly because I do not like fantasy in general, and vampires are a huge turn-off for me. I loved the idea of linking the fantasy metaphors to the historic relationship between Great Britain and India, although I had the sense the whole work suffered from a bit of superficiality, especially about the characters. The fact that most of the story is told through letters is also a very original touch.
The story is well written and well crafted although not something that resonated with me a lot, mainly because I do not like fantasy in general, and vampires are a huge turn-off for me. I loved the idea of linking the fantasy metaphors to the historic relationship between Great Britain and India, although I had the sense the whole work suffered from a bit of superficiality, especially about the characters. The fact that most of the story is told through letters is also a very original touch.
February 6, 2023
I first came through Ram V in a superhero comic book, and in that first encounter I realised that he is a very talented writer. He certainly shows that in this graphic novel, set in British India, as Western and Eastern civilizations clash, along with their respective mythologies surrounding vampires and demons.
Sumit Kumar perfectly captures the beauty of India; the atmosphere and the setting are really engrossing, made alive by his art.
Sumit Kumar perfectly captures the beauty of India; the atmosphere and the setting are really engrossing, made alive by his art.
March 28, 2021
Muy buena novela gráfica, corta, concisa aunque posee un mundo tan enigmático que te deja con ganas de más.
November 10, 2019
1766. The East India Company seeks to secure the Silk Route. Among the English ships that arrive in Calicut, one is bringing along a being far more evil than the Englishmen who have settled here. But what the strange man doesn't know is that this land is full of its own creatures, some of which are far more evil and powerful than himself.
These Savage Shores is a masterfully narrated story that blends the history of the East India Company with various myths and legends. The result created is a suspenseful story. It's mysterious, atmospheric, and at times heartbreaking. The illustrations are a masterpiece on their own, creating more magic for the story. An absolutely recommended read.
These Savage Shores is a masterfully narrated story that blends the history of the East India Company with various myths and legends. The result created is a suspenseful story. It's mysterious, atmospheric, and at times heartbreaking. The illustrations are a masterpiece on their own, creating more magic for the story. An absolutely recommended read.
May 20, 2020
Vampires vs. demons. This could have been hokey, but Ram V did a fantastic job here. Great artwork, some interesting metaphors for colonialism, and an awesome story.
March 17, 2022
What a masterpiece this was. Easily among the best comics I've ever read. Depth, poetry, fantasy, action; the sins, guilt and burdens of war; love, politics and history, monsters and human nature. This has it all, packed in and expertly paced throughout a single volume. Truly amazing.
Also, vampires.
Also, vampires.
March 25, 2020
3,5/5
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
-Reseña completa: http://addicionaloslibros.blogspot.co...
January 12, 2020
I loved the artwork in this. Some of the panels reminded me of John Atkinson Grimshaw’s work, especially his moody nighttime pieces. The cover gallery at the end of the book is gorgeous.
Historical horror is one of my faves, and I really liked getting this story, set during the first Anglo-Indian Mysore War from 1766-1769, mostly from the perspective of the Indian characters. Some of the supernatural elements were new to me, and that made the story extra interesting. This volume felt like a completed story (the library marked it as volume 1, so maybe there will be more, but the ending was an ending and not a cliffhanger, which I appreciate).
Highly recommended.
Historical horror is one of my faves, and I really liked getting this story, set during the first Anglo-Indian Mysore War from 1766-1769, mostly from the perspective of the Indian characters. Some of the supernatural elements were new to me, and that made the story extra interesting. This volume felt like a completed story (the library marked it as volume 1, so maybe there will be more, but the ending was an ending and not a cliffhanger, which I appreciate).
Highly recommended.
January 13, 2021
Absolutely perfect. Every creator is putting their best effort in and it shows. Ram V users various elements of vampire folklore to tell a story about greed, colonialism, and identity. There's a whole subtheme about the main character's origin story, and how insidious the passing of time can be towards one's history. The art can go from beautiful settings to chilling monster designs in an instant, and I love the little touch that every character's narration has their own style of hand-writing and look to it. The whole volume is a wonderfully complex piece of work.
March 8, 2020
Vampires, demons, hunters and the East India Trading Company in the 18th century. The story tells of ancient evils woven with stunning artwork depicting savage acts in such a beautiful way.
December 20, 2020
This is one example of potential in subcontinent comic scene. It's beautiful story carrying elements of Indian and Western Mythology.
I think 'alternate history' genre had been missing in subcontinent literature. I just want to imagine that what could have been happened if we defeated The English in 1857. Ram V should move forward for some more for native readers like us.
I think 'alternate history' genre had been missing in subcontinent literature. I just want to imagine that what could have been happened if we defeated The English in 1857. Ram V should move forward for some more for native readers like us.
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