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The Stringer
Suffering from budget cuts, layoffs, and a growing suspicion that his search for the truth has become obsolete, veteran war correspondent Mark Scribner is about to throw in the towel on journalism when he discovers that his hard-earned knowledge can save his career and make him wealthy and famous. All he has to do is pivot to social media and, with a few cynical twists, abandon everything he cares about most.
152 pages, Hardcover
First published April 20, 2021
1 person is currently reading
1087 people want to read
About the author
Ted Rall
50 books98 followersTed Rall is a prominent left-leaning American political columnist, syndicated editorial cartoonist, and author. He draws cartoons for the news site WhoWhatWhy.org and the email newsletter Counterpoint, and writes for The Wall Street Journal opinion pages.
His political cartoons often appear in a multi-panel comic-strip format and frequently blend comic-strip and editorial-cartoon conventions.
The cartoons appear in approximately 100 newspapers around the United States. He is a former President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and twice the winner of the RFK Journalism Award.
He is the author of 20 books.
His political cartoons often appear in a multi-panel comic-strip format and frequently blend comic-strip and editorial-cartoon conventions.
The cartoons appear in approximately 100 newspapers around the United States. He is a former President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and twice the winner of the RFK Journalism Award.
He is the author of 20 books.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 8, 2022
A dark thriller about a war correspondent who goes rogue and starts making the news happen so he can boost his reputation and profitability. It's all a bit too aloof and cold, much like the anti-hero at its center, to provide any heart or excitement. And then it just goes over the top, too unbelievable to follow.
I like the desire to draw attention to the failing state of journalism in the world today, but this just comes off as petty nose-thumbing from the self-righteous.
I like the desire to draw attention to the failing state of journalism in the world today, but this just comes off as petty nose-thumbing from the self-righteous.
August 13, 2021
A story that rides the keen edge of plausibility right up the end. It's only drawbacks being how painfully, accurately, ugly and selfish the main character is - he's so easy to dislike you have to pull back and examine your own prejudices for a moment - and the necessarily large but underdeveloped cast of minor characters - they are given long, grandiose titles and locations but little personality beyond that to the point that they are easily confused.
October 2, 2022
Where journalism goes to die, I suppose… filled with satiric, dark, wtf moments. Was not boring!!
April 22, 2021
Everything about this is great.
April 17, 2021
Exciting, clever & politically complex commentary on the current state of war and journalism. Stick with it for some didn’t-see-them-coming twists at the end. Hoping for a sequel!
May 13, 2021
Stringer is a kind of second best reporter on the scene, not the actual journalist, but someone who collects quoters, etc. to assist the journalist with the article. That’s how the main character in this book gets his start, but he is a second generation newspaperman, the news are in his blood. Alas, wrong sort of family business, with newspaper circulations steadily in decline since the 60s, by now social media has all but killed it.
The only options seem to be adapt to the new paradigm and learn to survive in a world determined to stay under or wrongly informed by memes and tweets or quit. Or…reinvent the game altogether and yourself along with it.
The protagonist chooses the latter option, abandoning all of his morals and journalistic integrity and becomes a newsmaker, a clever behind the scenes presence, manipulating forces of evil to…well, do evil, but of a predictable and reportable variety.
Then comes power, fame, acclaim, money…question is, will it be enough at the end of the day to make a man happy?
Very clever commentary on not only the status of reporting in this day and age, but on the very nature of news. No time like the present, when facts and truth are no longer empirical or real or even important and liars have been upgraded from soapboxes to worldwide platforms to shout their vitriol into the universe.
Also, since this is a graphic novel, it stands to mention it is a very well drawn one, switching seamlessly from black and white to color and comfortably landing somewhere between a classic comic book art and elaborate cartoons. The art compliments the story, though the story definitely outshines the art and is the real star of the show here. Very good read. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
The only options seem to be adapt to the new paradigm and learn to survive in a world determined to stay under or wrongly informed by memes and tweets or quit. Or…reinvent the game altogether and yourself along with it.
The protagonist chooses the latter option, abandoning all of his morals and journalistic integrity and becomes a newsmaker, a clever behind the scenes presence, manipulating forces of evil to…well, do evil, but of a predictable and reportable variety.
Then comes power, fame, acclaim, money…question is, will it be enough at the end of the day to make a man happy?
Very clever commentary on not only the status of reporting in this day and age, but on the very nature of news. No time like the present, when facts and truth are no longer empirical or real or even important and liars have been upgraded from soapboxes to worldwide platforms to shout their vitriol into the universe.
Also, since this is a graphic novel, it stands to mention it is a very well drawn one, switching seamlessly from black and white to color and comfortably landing somewhere between a classic comic book art and elaborate cartoons. The art compliments the story, though the story definitely outshines the art and is the real star of the show here. Very good read. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
August 14, 2023
A well laid out story plot-wise, dialogue-wise and artistically.
Though Rall certainly has a very strong political view, this story does not appear to come from a strong political mind. A very hard accomplishment and VERY impressive. But, that is Rall. He can objectively views issues, unlike most with political views. Better, he can Write objectively, too.
Makes me crazy how so much produced today in all forms of Media tends toward some political slant. Even seemingly innocent children's content. Yet, Rall can create a volume stuffed with politics and come out unclear where the writer stands.
The story is a series of flashbacks. This is usually a disaster these days. Rall manages it well, with great help graphically. Each intriguing and getting the pages turning. I really like how Rall builds the main character as one type and then takes that character in a very different angle.
The artwork matches perfectly. I stopped a few times and considered how other artists might illustrate different parts of the story. Eisner, Adams, Kane, Romita, etc. The drab approach by the artist selected was the best to depict a rather stark story.
I believe the sequential storytelling would've been applauded b, the master, Eisner.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of 10 points.
Though Rall certainly has a very strong political view, this story does not appear to come from a strong political mind. A very hard accomplishment and VERY impressive. But, that is Rall. He can objectively views issues, unlike most with political views. Better, he can Write objectively, too.
Makes me crazy how so much produced today in all forms of Media tends toward some political slant. Even seemingly innocent children's content. Yet, Rall can create a volume stuffed with politics and come out unclear where the writer stands.
The story is a series of flashbacks. This is usually a disaster these days. Rall manages it well, with great help graphically. Each intriguing and getting the pages turning. I really like how Rall builds the main character as one type and then takes that character in a very different angle.
The artwork matches perfectly. I stopped a few times and considered how other artists might illustrate different parts of the story. Eisner, Adams, Kane, Romita, etc. The drab approach by the artist selected was the best to depict a rather stark story.
I believe the sequential storytelling would've been applauded b, the master, Eisner.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of 10 points.
June 4, 2021
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for The Stringer. Being new to graphic novels, I found this book totally fascinating. I did struggle with it at first, because the story is so depressing. But soon I found myself reading more and more to the exclusion of my obligations. The art by Pablo Callejo while dark was nothing short of amazing. The interplay of black/white and colored art really complemented the plot. Ted Randall had me reevaluating my new sources and being more analytical on information I read and hear.
The Stringer is not my last graphic novel. I look forward to reading many more.
The Stringer is not my last graphic novel. I look forward to reading many more.
May 2, 2021
*I received a copy of this current events graphic novel through the Goodreads Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review*
I am not typically a fan of graphic novels, but was so glad I entered this giveaway - the plot focuses on an out-of-work war reporter who "repurposes" himself as an arms dealer and intermediary as he becomes increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with the dying field of journalism. The author describes the story as a cautionary but also very realistic depiction of current events.
I am not typically a fan of graphic novels, but was so glad I entered this giveaway - the plot focuses on an out-of-work war reporter who "repurposes" himself as an arms dealer and intermediary as he becomes increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with the dying field of journalism. The author describes the story as a cautionary but also very realistic depiction of current events.
May 17, 2021
Wow, this was an amazing book to read. It really needed to be in the graphic novel format just to give the visual emotional depths of this. That ending... This is definitely an adult book.
Also, my 16 year old foster son picked this up to read after me, and he couldn't put it down...and he hates reading. He said this was a "really good book."
Also, my 16 year old foster son picked this up to read after me, and he couldn't put it down...and he hates reading. He said this was a "really good book."
September 9, 2021
Although this is fiction, fiction is often based on some real characters and situations, but I hope in this case there aren't journalists that can, using the vast connections that they have, turn to the dark side of arms dealing, etc. on a dime. So this is a pretty depressing read and I am not convinced the main character deserves what he ends up with.
However the art is fabulous.
However the art is fabulous.
July 30, 2021
A sort of cartoonishly outrageous thriller of arms trading and surveillance. Lacking the wit I expect from Rall, but fully delivering the bile and pores on houses all around. A bleak geopolitical Horacio Alger tale if that is your thing.
May 7, 2021
This is a really depressing read.
The art is great and the story is well-developed and interesting. For me personally, I just found this more dark than informative.
The art is great and the story is well-developed and interesting. For me personally, I just found this more dark than informative.
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August 10, 2021not for me!
November 7, 2021
Informing and provoking questions of one's worldview, Ted Rall always makes me think.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews