Alexander, The Servant & The Water of Life, Book 1: The Hero's Journey

by Reimena Yee

The 21st century edition of the Alexander Romance, a nearly 2000 year old literary tradition recounting the legendary life and accomplishments of Alexander the Great.

In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great begins to fear. Afraid to let go of his ambitions and hard-won glories after death, Alexander embarks on a quest for the legendary Water of Life while accompanied by his most trustworthy servant. As they experience a series of fantastical occurences during their journey, Alexander reflects on the life and deeds, and his beautifully horrific legacy, that will cement his transformation into one of the most unforgettable figures in world history.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

204 pages, Hardcover

First published June 21, 2021

About the author

A strange and fancy author-artist, born in the dusty city of Kuala Lumpur. Having once been an academia aspirant, she looks at the world with infinite awe and curiosity. She loves history, the beauty in the mundane, and whimsically spooky things.

Reviews

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so impressed by the scope, artistic skill, and inventiveness of this work! The author weaves together multiple, at times conflicting, tales of Alexander the Great. It's drawn in rich colors and a wide variety of styles, many of which reference specific historical manuscript traditions from medieval European to Islamic to East Asian. I love the way the flashbacks are worked into the frame narrative, I love the shifting art styles, I am awed by the size of this project. And you can read most of this first volume online for free here on the author's website.

[Lucille · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
J’aime toujours autant le style de Reimena Yee, j’adore les effets qu’elle incorpore à son récit !!
J’étais malgré tout parfois un peu perdue dans les diverses époques, je pense qu’au final ce sera un récit intéressant sur la thématique des histoires, des légendes et de ce qu’un grand homme laisse derrière lui, vrai ou faux, mais pour l’instant j’étais un peu trop perplexe sur certains points pour le noter plus haut

[Minharin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Reimena Yee's Alexander, The Servant & The Water of Life since I stumbled into a thread with her art in probably 2019. It's been a long wait until being able to crowdfund her book into something I can hold in my hands. There's two more books and I can't wait.

I have probably been fascinated by Alexander the Great since before 2004's movie and the Alexander Romance, the myths that follow Alexander - and many other "great men" from history have their mythic shadows... such as Alexander's teacher Aristotle ridden by a woman mocking him (her name is variously Phyllis or Campaspe) or the many mythic lives of Pythagoras, his dabbling of alchemy is something I have stumbled into by bits and pieces.

But rarely do any books use the Alexander Romance least his "history" be questioned.

Boldly and movingly, Reimena does just that, taking up a narrative of Alexander after his army stops at the ends of the world, as a lonely, raw king, older and powerful but suffering loss and seeing omens of his end, his death. Then he learns of the Water of Life and sets off on a journey to the ends of the world, first to paradise and then to conquer the world: earth, heaven and waters beyond and between.

[Maya Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stunning; visually, emotionally, thematically. It’s a story about Alexander the Great, yes, but more than that, it’s a reimagining of myth, empire, identity, and the meaning of legacy through a deeply human lens.

Reimena Yee’s writing is graceful and clever, and the artwork is full of color, texture, and symbolic richness. Every panel feels intentional, like a piece of ancient mosaic reassembled for something new.
What really stood out is how deeply researched it feels, not just historically, but culturally and philosophically. But it’s never heavy-handed.

I loved how the story focuses not on war or conquest, but on questions. On Alexander’s hunger for meaning, and his bond with his servant, who sees what others miss.
It’s reflective, tender, and quietly brilliant. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

[Sarah Holz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I’m stunned. ‘Alexander’ is the culmination of everything Reimena Yee has honed through her other work and is still very much the beginning of what feels like a gigantic leap forward for her as both an artist and a writer. This first volume manages to be both epic and intimate, and the artwork must be seen to be believed—kudos to Hiveworks for putting together a lush hardback edition that does justice to Yee’s rich use of color and embellishment. Both the art and story are a masterful blending of cultures and styles that perfectly encapsulates the multiplicity of Alexander mythos. Like Yee (initially), I don’t count myself specifically as a fan of Alexander the Great as a historical figure, but I can’t wait for volume two.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just terrific!
I am so happy that I decided to get the hardback version of this one - it is such a beautiful book. The story is great and the style is absolutely wonderful: the colours, the composition, how the styles change from Medieval period to Ancient Greece (the chariot race is brilliant - so dynamic, so fresh). I also love how Reimena Yee draws people - their faces are lovely and so expressive. One of the central images - an interpretation of the classic Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - is now my favourite image of Alexander the Great.
Absolutely looking forward to vol 2!

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. Very unique and beautiful art, with a great script to match it. I can't believe this had to be crowdfunded in order to see the light of day.

[mkhare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each page is a joy to sink into and a wonder to behold. This book has the fierce, bright energy of a story just beginning to unfold and I’m keen to read more.