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Icarus
Entrances, I tell you. That kid sure knew how to make an entrance!
The Longest Fall Book One
Icarus is a graphic novel about two unlikely heroes: a winged young man who falls into a dormant volcano with no memory of anything but his name, and a flamepetal prospector down on his luck (and everything else). Together, they must discover the secret of Icarus’ identity if they are to save their worlds from those who want his powers for themselves. We are proud to present this story of wonder, of friendship, and of a battle to overcome tyranny, with creatures who discover that what unites them at the core is more important than what divides them on the surface.
"A modern fable about friendship and self-discovery. Wilson has crafted a beautiful maze of a story, with surprises around every corner, brought to beautiful life by Fabbio's striking art." — Michael R. Underwood, author of Annihilation Aria and the Genrenauts Series
72 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2020
22 people want to read
About the author
Gregory A. Wilson
15 books19 followersGregory A. Wilson is the author of The Gray Assassin Trilogy, the fantasy novel The Third Sign, the award-winning graphic novel Icarus, called “fluent, fresh, and beautiful” by critics, and the 5E adventure and supplement Tales and Tomes from the Forbidden Library, along with a variety of short stories, academic articles, and books. He is also Professor of English at St. John’s University, where he teaches courses in speculative fiction, creative writing, and Renaissance drama. He is the co-host of the critically acclaimed podcast Speculate!, and under the moniker Arvan Eleron he runs a highly successful TwitchTV channel focused on story and narrative. He lives with his family in a two-hundred-year-old home near the sea in Connecticut; his virtual home is gregoryawilson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 6, 2022
An interesting twist to the myth, Icarus is seen in a whole new light in this graphic novel. The story is compelling, the characters are interesting, and the plot moves in a way that makes it hard to stop reading. My favorite part was the artwork; it’s absolutely gorgeous. The details, the colors, the scenery. If you like graphic novels you will love this one for sure.
June 24, 2021
This was interesting. It was something of a reimagining of the Heaven and Hell mythos as a fantasy tale. Icarus falls to a Hellscape where he's helped by a firepetal prospector and his solar (a two tailed dog that can swim in lava). There almost immediately beset by the magisters who rule the land while Icarus slowly gets his memory back.
I really liked the character designs and inventive creatures.
Received a review copy from Athis Arts and NetGalley.
I really liked the character designs and inventive creatures.
Received a review copy from Athis Arts and NetGalley.
December 12, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Icarus is a fast paced graphic novel based on the ancient myth. Firstly - the graphics in this novel are amazing - so detailed and entertaining.
The story itself was great. I did feel a lot was crammed into this in too short of a book and would have been better bring lengthened either into one book or across two installments.
The book was a fascinating and fresh take on the myth of Icarus and I loved this take on the myth.
Icarus falls from the sky into a volcano and has no knowledge of who he is or how he's come to be there, he only knows his name. He saves Jellinek who is being attacked by a flame devil. Jellinek takes Icarus back yo his home to recover but the pair end up fleeing the village as they get into some trouble. I enjoyed the main characters friendship and time together and especially loved the dog Rig who I felt was five such a small part in the novel.
Icarus is a fast paced graphic novel based on the ancient myth. Firstly - the graphics in this novel are amazing - so detailed and entertaining.
The story itself was great. I did feel a lot was crammed into this in too short of a book and would have been better bring lengthened either into one book or across two installments.
The book was a fascinating and fresh take on the myth of Icarus and I loved this take on the myth.
Icarus falls from the sky into a volcano and has no knowledge of who he is or how he's come to be there, he only knows his name. He saves Jellinek who is being attacked by a flame devil. Jellinek takes Icarus back yo his home to recover but the pair end up fleeing the village as they get into some trouble. I enjoyed the main characters friendship and time together and especially loved the dog Rig who I felt was five such a small part in the novel.
August 28, 2020
Once again, I have mixed emotions. On one hand, can we talk about the gorgeous cover of this graphic novel, and the art style? WOW! It is top notch! But, on the other, I’m not really sure this is my thing. Let me explain briefly:
Whilst the synopsis looked quite promising, the execution didn’t do much for me. The characters are interesting and different from each other, the ambience and the world building did entertain me but since this is only the first volume, we’re only scratching the surface.
Icarus seems to have forgotten his own past and when he falls from the sky, he saves a red-skinned man called Jellinek. Right after that, they get into trouble and somehow, they discover places that wouldn’t even dreamed of. Was this destiny? Was this fate? Only time will tell.
Now, the art style is SUPERB and I’d love to see more works of the artist, but story-wise… it kind of lacked something, at least for me. I really wish we can see the next volume to get some answers.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion via NetGalley.
Whilst the synopsis looked quite promising, the execution didn’t do much for me. The characters are interesting and different from each other, the ambience and the world building did entertain me but since this is only the first volume, we’re only scratching the surface.
Icarus seems to have forgotten his own past and when he falls from the sky, he saves a red-skinned man called Jellinek. Right after that, they get into trouble and somehow, they discover places that wouldn’t even dreamed of. Was this destiny? Was this fate? Only time will tell.
Now, the art style is SUPERB and I’d love to see more works of the artist, but story-wise… it kind of lacked something, at least for me. I really wish we can see the next volume to get some answers.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion via NetGalley.
May 5, 2016
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Do you enjoy reading graphic novels? Are you intrigued by ancient myths? If you answered 'yes' to both questions, Gregory A. Wilson's Icarus will be of interest to you, because it features a good story based on an ancient myth.
I consider Gregory A. Wilson Icarus to be an excellent graphic novel, because it has an epic story arc. I found it fascinating, because it's a fresh and original take on an ancient and well-known myth about Icarus. It's great that the author has written an original story and gives his readers an opportunity to experience something new. I have a feeling that this graphic novel will interest many readers.
When you read Icarus, you'll notice that it's a labour of love. There's a fine balance between the story and the illustrations, because the author and the illustrators have worked hard to make everything as perfect as possible.
Icarus is basically a fantasy adventure story, but it's also much more than that, because it's a story about change. Just like the best graphic novels, it's simultaneously entertaining, intriguing and thought-provoking.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
- The story is divided into two parts (Part I: The Arrival and Part II: The Turning).
- Icarus falls from the sky to the world of Vol where he meets Jellinek. Jellinek is digging for flamepetals when he sees Icarus falling from the sky. Icarus saves him from a flame demon and passes out. Jellinek takes Icarus to his home village to recover. When Icarus recovers, he and Jellinek get into trouble and have to flee from the village...
This is the beginning of an epic story arc that grows increasingly interesting and mythic as the story unfolds. During the story, the protagonists' lives become entwined with each other.
Here are a few words about the characters:
- Icarus is a young man who doesn't remember anything about his life. He doesn't know who or what he is and he uses his powers by instinct. He finds out that he will be a catalyst in the turning that will change everything.
- Jellinek is a prospector like his father and harvests flamepetals, but unlike his father he's not good at crafting. He lives in the village of Vesu. He befriends Icarus and begins to help him. Jellinek's companion, Rig, is a solar (a dog-like creature with two tails).
Worldbuilding is interesting, because the world of Vol has a lot of wonders in store for readers. Vol is a stunning feast for the eyes, because the evocative illustrations bring it to life. Vol is ruled by brutal and ruthless magisters (they have enslaved the people). They're not afraid to administer brutality when they deal with others. Such amazing beings and creatures as flame demons and salamander kings can be found in the world. The flame demons are extremely dangerous beings and kill those who come into contact with them. The mysterious salamander kings who live in the lava pits are interesting creatures, because they see visions and are able to sense things.
The beautiful illustrations by Matt Slay and Mark Dos Santos emphasise the epic and strong story in an excellent way. The artists' slightly different visual styles compliment each other and bring freshness to the artwork. The first part of the story is illustrated by Matt Slay and the second part by Mark Dos Santos.
I seldom read graphic novels, but graphic novels like this one are very much to my liking. Because I found this graphic novel original and liked the story, I give it 4.5 stars on the scale from 1 to 5 stars.
Gregory A. Wilson's Icarus is a rewarding graphic novel that invites readers on a magical journey into the world of Vol and its amazing wonders. It's a fluently written and fresh fantasy story with beautiful illustrations. If you like beautiful artwork and epic stories with a mythic feel to them, you'll enjoy Icarus.
Do you enjoy reading graphic novels? Are you intrigued by ancient myths? If you answered 'yes' to both questions, Gregory A. Wilson's Icarus will be of interest to you, because it features a good story based on an ancient myth.
I consider Gregory A. Wilson Icarus to be an excellent graphic novel, because it has an epic story arc. I found it fascinating, because it's a fresh and original take on an ancient and well-known myth about Icarus. It's great that the author has written an original story and gives his readers an opportunity to experience something new. I have a feeling that this graphic novel will interest many readers.
When you read Icarus, you'll notice that it's a labour of love. There's a fine balance between the story and the illustrations, because the author and the illustrators have worked hard to make everything as perfect as possible.
Icarus is basically a fantasy adventure story, but it's also much more than that, because it's a story about change. Just like the best graphic novels, it's simultaneously entertaining, intriguing and thought-provoking.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
- The story is divided into two parts (Part I: The Arrival and Part II: The Turning).
- Icarus falls from the sky to the world of Vol where he meets Jellinek. Jellinek is digging for flamepetals when he sees Icarus falling from the sky. Icarus saves him from a flame demon and passes out. Jellinek takes Icarus to his home village to recover. When Icarus recovers, he and Jellinek get into trouble and have to flee from the village...
This is the beginning of an epic story arc that grows increasingly interesting and mythic as the story unfolds. During the story, the protagonists' lives become entwined with each other.
Here are a few words about the characters:
- Icarus is a young man who doesn't remember anything about his life. He doesn't know who or what he is and he uses his powers by instinct. He finds out that he will be a catalyst in the turning that will change everything.
- Jellinek is a prospector like his father and harvests flamepetals, but unlike his father he's not good at crafting. He lives in the village of Vesu. He befriends Icarus and begins to help him. Jellinek's companion, Rig, is a solar (a dog-like creature with two tails).
Worldbuilding is interesting, because the world of Vol has a lot of wonders in store for readers. Vol is a stunning feast for the eyes, because the evocative illustrations bring it to life. Vol is ruled by brutal and ruthless magisters (they have enslaved the people). They're not afraid to administer brutality when they deal with others. Such amazing beings and creatures as flame demons and salamander kings can be found in the world. The flame demons are extremely dangerous beings and kill those who come into contact with them. The mysterious salamander kings who live in the lava pits are interesting creatures, because they see visions and are able to sense things.
The beautiful illustrations by Matt Slay and Mark Dos Santos emphasise the epic and strong story in an excellent way. The artists' slightly different visual styles compliment each other and bring freshness to the artwork. The first part of the story is illustrated by Matt Slay and the second part by Mark Dos Santos.
I seldom read graphic novels, but graphic novels like this one are very much to my liking. Because I found this graphic novel original and liked the story, I give it 4.5 stars on the scale from 1 to 5 stars.
Gregory A. Wilson's Icarus is a rewarding graphic novel that invites readers on a magical journey into the world of Vol and its amazing wonders. It's a fluently written and fresh fantasy story with beautiful illustrations. If you like beautiful artwork and epic stories with a mythic feel to them, you'll enjoy Icarus.
January 14, 2022
The artwork is amazing! The story is not bad but it wasn't for me. There was a lot of info dumping, a lot of traveling scenes and some illogical for me events.
September 19, 2020
• Icarus (by Gregory A.wilson)
First and foremost: gorgeous
The cover, the art, the graphic, the mythical creatures, the style.
Everything is so good. I loved it.
Now if we talk about the plot and the story line, there was a lot of potential. It was even such a visual pleasure to read this novel but then again it felt shirt on the story part
It could have been a 250-300 pages graphic novel with a bit more story I would have bought it from store in paperback.
The characters were well built. But that might be what didnt fit with me, they were so well built already there was no chance of much character development
But I did love "RIG" the two tailed beast dog. I love him. Really.
So I recommend this graphic novel to anyone who wanna dive in some mythical period with Angel's and hell and heaven without any proper knowledge of starting or end cause that's what will hit you hard
Also last but not the least kudos to the graphic artist. You did good and brilliant and great and the beat work.
• Character development- 2.5☆
• Story Plot- 3.5☆
• Side characters- 3☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Graphic design- 10/5☆
• Overall - 4☆
First and foremost: gorgeous
The cover, the art, the graphic, the mythical creatures, the style.
Everything is so good. I loved it.
Now if we talk about the plot and the story line, there was a lot of potential. It was even such a visual pleasure to read this novel but then again it felt shirt on the story part
It could have been a 250-300 pages graphic novel with a bit more story I would have bought it from store in paperback.
The characters were well built. But that might be what didnt fit with me, they were so well built already there was no chance of much character development
But I did love "RIG" the two tailed beast dog. I love him. Really.
So I recommend this graphic novel to anyone who wanna dive in some mythical period with Angel's and hell and heaven without any proper knowledge of starting or end cause that's what will hit you hard
Also last but not the least kudos to the graphic artist. You did good and brilliant and great and the beat work.
• Character development- 2.5☆
• Story Plot- 3.5☆
• Side characters- 3☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Graphic design- 10/5☆
• Overall - 4☆
August 22, 2020
In a flaming hellscape full of volcanoes, flamepetal prospector Jellinek and his two-tailed, lava-resistant not-quite-dog Rig are saved from being killed by a flame demon when a winged young man falls from the sky and crashes straight into it. As they start on a journey to discover the secret of Icarus' identity, their quest may end up saving the world, too...
This truly is an extremely entertaining, gripping and completely original story! The art style is incredible, and the world completely immersive and innovative. If you are looking for a (very) new spin on the original Greek myth, definitely pick this one up!
This truly is an extremely entertaining, gripping and completely original story! The art style is incredible, and the world completely immersive and innovative. If you are looking for a (very) new spin on the original Greek myth, definitely pick this one up!
November 27, 2020
This graphic novel is a quick read full of adventure and with expressive graphics. In a very short time, the reader is immersed in some impressive worldbuilding. The story is action-filled, with some familiar tropes but also a twist I hadn't seen coming. It was a very enjoyable dive into this world.
June 10, 2021
I must say I appreciated the original story and the way it ascended, this was a fun short read!
The art was pleasing and it was so uniform!!!! The character of the dog is so beautiful and gives the book a new angle.
I'm excited to read the next book!
My rating 3.5 stars
The art was pleasing and it was so uniform!!!! The character of the dog is so beautiful and gives the book a new angle.
I'm excited to read the next book!
My rating 3.5 stars
October 13, 2020
| Read on Reader Fox |
I remember a flash of light...and then falling.
Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson and illustrated by Áthila Fabbio is one of those books that I probably shouldn't have picked up. And it's not that the story is bad or that the artwork is hard to look at, cause it's not. I think, ultimately, the worst thing about this book is it wasn't what I expected. I think a lot of us have preconceived notions about what to imagine when we hear the word Icarus and thus I was kind of expecting something rooted in Greek Mythology. That is not the book I got.
A Note On Icarus
The only thing Icarus in this novel shares with the myth we know and love is that he fell from the sky. And while, sure, this is a great theme to pull from to make your own, I found myself rather bored with the story as a whole once I realized that was the only recognizable piece. I couldn't connect with any of the other characters in this novel, either. And that honestly took a lot away from it.
So, I think it's a mixture of things. I didn't care for the plot and I certainly didn't care about the characters involved. But my unmet expectations definitely played a role in how I felt about the story as a whole. While I won't say it was everything, it diminished the impact of the moments. I also just kind of hated the narrator, despite him being a decent person. I'm not sure what it was about his voice, but I just couldn't get into it.
Red
Okay, I get it. They live in the center of a volcano. But why was there so much creepy red on everyone? I don't think the artwork was bad, exactly. But I definitely didn't like it, either. In the end, I kind of chalk this up to the burnt nature of everything being out of my preferences. And while I loved the way Icarus looked, everyone around him just kind of made me cringe a bit. I mean, the dog had red legs and horns in his head that made him look disfigured. I couldn't stand the red skin. It was just...hard to look at.
Considering this is a graphic novel, that was a problem for me.
Count Me Out
I feel torn in a way because I don't know if I'd classify this story as terrible. But it definitely wasn't for me and I couldn't personally recommend it to anyone. I'm sure there is an audience who will love this story, but I'm not sure it's the majority of people who pick this book up because of its title.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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I remember a flash of light...and then falling.
Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson and illustrated by Áthila Fabbio is one of those books that I probably shouldn't have picked up. And it's not that the story is bad or that the artwork is hard to look at, cause it's not. I think, ultimately, the worst thing about this book is it wasn't what I expected. I think a lot of us have preconceived notions about what to imagine when we hear the word Icarus and thus I was kind of expecting something rooted in Greek Mythology. That is not the book I got.
A Note On Icarus
The only thing Icarus in this novel shares with the myth we know and love is that he fell from the sky. And while, sure, this is a great theme to pull from to make your own, I found myself rather bored with the story as a whole once I realized that was the only recognizable piece. I couldn't connect with any of the other characters in this novel, either. And that honestly took a lot away from it.
So, I think it's a mixture of things. I didn't care for the plot and I certainly didn't care about the characters involved. But my unmet expectations definitely played a role in how I felt about the story as a whole. While I won't say it was everything, it diminished the impact of the moments. I also just kind of hated the narrator, despite him being a decent person. I'm not sure what it was about his voice, but I just couldn't get into it.
Red
Okay, I get it. They live in the center of a volcano. But why was there so much creepy red on everyone? I don't think the artwork was bad, exactly. But I definitely didn't like it, either. In the end, I kind of chalk this up to the burnt nature of everything being out of my preferences. And while I loved the way Icarus looked, everyone around him just kind of made me cringe a bit. I mean, the dog had red legs and horns in his head that made him look disfigured. I couldn't stand the red skin. It was just...hard to look at.
Considering this is a graphic novel, that was a problem for me.
Count Me Out
I feel torn in a way because I don't know if I'd classify this story as terrible. But it definitely wasn't for me and I couldn't personally recommend it to anyone. I'm sure there is an audience who will love this story, but I'm not sure it's the majority of people who pick this book up because of its title.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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July 12, 2021
**Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.
Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson is a sci-fi fantasy graphic novel. It's about a different kind of society, and a young man who literally falls from the sky and into a greater conspiracy. The book was published on November 10th, 2020. I rated it three stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
Entrances, I tell you. That kid sure knew how to make an entrance!
The Longest Fall Book One
Icarus is a graphic novel about two unlikely heroes: a winged young man who falls into a dormant volcano with no memory of anything but his name, and a flamepetal prospector down on his luck (and everything else). Together, they must discover the secret of Icarus’ identity if they are to save their worlds from those who want his powers for themselves. We are proud to present this story of wonder, of friendship, and of a battle to overcome tyranny, with creatures who discover that what unites them at the core is more important than what divides them on the surface.
"A modern fable about friendship and self-discovery. Wilson has crafted a beautiful maze of a story, with surprises around every corner, brought to beautiful life by Fabbio's striking art." — Michael R. Underwood, author of Annihilation Aria and the Genrenauts Series
This book had an interesting premise, but I'm not sure it was my particular type of book. This was a bit of a retelling of the myth of Icarus, but I wanted it to be more of an adaptation of the myth. I recognize that it's probably not fair of me to mark it down for that, but I just wanted it to be something different.
I will clarify that that's not the only reason the book got three stars. I adapted quickly to the different setting, but I was very confused by the world. Some details were included but it wasn't enough for me to really feel rooted and invested in the world. I really just wanted more information about why the world was this way. I will acknowledge that it's the first in a series, but I was just too confused by the world to really want to read more after this first one.
I did like the main characters and I especially liked the animal sidekick. In my opinion, you really don't get enough of Rig.
I liked the book well enough, but I just didn't feel a lot of passion for it. If you're interested in the premise then I would recommend you check it out, but I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson is a sci-fi fantasy graphic novel. It's about a different kind of society, and a young man who literally falls from the sky and into a greater conspiracy. The book was published on November 10th, 2020. I rated it three stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
Entrances, I tell you. That kid sure knew how to make an entrance!
The Longest Fall Book One
Icarus is a graphic novel about two unlikely heroes: a winged young man who falls into a dormant volcano with no memory of anything but his name, and a flamepetal prospector down on his luck (and everything else). Together, they must discover the secret of Icarus’ identity if they are to save their worlds from those who want his powers for themselves. We are proud to present this story of wonder, of friendship, and of a battle to overcome tyranny, with creatures who discover that what unites them at the core is more important than what divides them on the surface.
"A modern fable about friendship and self-discovery. Wilson has crafted a beautiful maze of a story, with surprises around every corner, brought to beautiful life by Fabbio's striking art." — Michael R. Underwood, author of Annihilation Aria and the Genrenauts Series
This book had an interesting premise, but I'm not sure it was my particular type of book. This was a bit of a retelling of the myth of Icarus, but I wanted it to be more of an adaptation of the myth. I recognize that it's probably not fair of me to mark it down for that, but I just wanted it to be something different.
I will clarify that that's not the only reason the book got three stars. I adapted quickly to the different setting, but I was very confused by the world. Some details were included but it wasn't enough for me to really feel rooted and invested in the world. I really just wanted more information about why the world was this way. I will acknowledge that it's the first in a series, but I was just too confused by the world to really want to read more after this first one.
I did like the main characters and I especially liked the animal sidekick. In my opinion, you really don't get enough of Rig.
I liked the book well enough, but I just didn't feel a lot of passion for it. If you're interested in the premise then I would recommend you check it out, but I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
August 24, 2020
"Icarus" has been one of my first graphic novel, and my feeling towards it are a bit of love and hate.
First of all, I thought the title and the cover were a bit misleading: I thought I was going to read a modern take on the Greek mythological story of Icarus, the son of Daedalus, the designer of the minotaur’s labyrinth. After being locked in the labyrinth together with his son by Minos, as punishment for having given the famous ball of string to Ariadne, Daedalus molds wings in wax for him and his son to escape from the island. Unfortunately, Icarus flies to close to the sun, his wings melt and he dies, falling into the sea. Do not despair, I am not spoiling anything here: the only things in common between the protagonist of the graphic novel and the Greek myth are his name, a pair of wings, and a long fall.
Secondly, I thought the story was too short, or at least the plot had not developed much yet by the end of the novel. I do not know if this is something common among graphic novels, because, as I said, I am a bit of a neophyte. The plot, was, however, very promising and it surely got me hooked on the next chapter of "The Longest Fall" series. I feel like I barely got to know and understand the structure of the society on this weird barren and hot planet where lava pools are a pretty common thing, and now I just want to know more about the actual adventure that Jellinek, Icarus and a the dog/solar Rig are starting together.
Finally, the artwork is simply magnificent. I could stare at some pages for what felt like forever: some amazing watercolor landscape views had almost a cinematic feeling.
I would like to thank Atthis Arts and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.
First of all, I thought the title and the cover were a bit misleading: I thought I was going to read a modern take on the Greek mythological story of Icarus, the son of Daedalus, the designer of the minotaur’s labyrinth. After being locked in the labyrinth together with his son by Minos, as punishment for having given the famous ball of string to Ariadne, Daedalus molds wings in wax for him and his son to escape from the island. Unfortunately, Icarus flies to close to the sun, his wings melt and he dies, falling into the sea. Do not despair, I am not spoiling anything here: the only things in common between the protagonist of the graphic novel and the Greek myth are his name, a pair of wings, and a long fall.
Secondly, I thought the story was too short, or at least the plot had not developed much yet by the end of the novel. I do not know if this is something common among graphic novels, because, as I said, I am a bit of a neophyte. The plot, was, however, very promising and it surely got me hooked on the next chapter of "The Longest Fall" series. I feel like I barely got to know and understand the structure of the society on this weird barren and hot planet where lava pools are a pretty common thing, and now I just want to know more about the actual adventure that Jellinek, Icarus and a the dog/solar Rig are starting together.
Finally, the artwork is simply magnificent. I could stare at some pages for what felt like forever: some amazing watercolor landscape views had almost a cinematic feeling.
I would like to thank Atthis Arts and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.
May 12, 2021
This is a story about two peculiar men who stumble upon each other, who come from opposite worlds and yet share the same sincere heart. A story about friendship, adventure, and saving the world.
It's not, however, a sci-fi Greek retelling of Icarus. Or if it was, then it failed to be. So I recommend going into this book with an open mind, leave what you know about Icarus behind, and let this story take you to the depths of volcanoes.
Here's what to expect from this book:
» the art was absolutely beautiful.
» there's a two tailed lava dog who would do anything for its human, and he carried this graphic novel on his back.
» the character design for all the beasts in the book was gorgeous. i wanted to adopt all of them. petition to make a beast hotel where all of these mythical creatures just interact together with riddles.
there were only two things that kind of put a dent to my enjoyment of this book:
» there's a LOT of info dumping. side characters going on random rants to tell you what is or was happening in the world. i wish we were left to navigate the world with the equally oblivious two main characters instead.
» there were a lot of "convenient plot devices" meaning our characters would find themselves in a very hard situation and then something bizarre would get them out of it very easily.
however, i understand that it might have been so packed with dumps and convenience because its still the first volume, and there's so much to unpack, so many things we need to learn about the world and the characters.
i think a younger target audience that's still being introduced to sci-fi might enjoy this!
I would like to thank Netthis ART and Netgalley for giving me a digital ARC in exchange of an honest review!
It's not, however, a sci-fi Greek retelling of Icarus. Or if it was, then it failed to be. So I recommend going into this book with an open mind, leave what you know about Icarus behind, and let this story take you to the depths of volcanoes.
Here's what to expect from this book:
» the art was absolutely beautiful.
» there's a two tailed lava dog who would do anything for its human, and he carried this graphic novel on his back.
» the character design for all the beasts in the book was gorgeous. i wanted to adopt all of them. petition to make a beast hotel where all of these mythical creatures just interact together with riddles.
there were only two things that kind of put a dent to my enjoyment of this book:
» there's a LOT of info dumping. side characters going on random rants to tell you what is or was happening in the world. i wish we were left to navigate the world with the equally oblivious two main characters instead.
» there were a lot of "convenient plot devices" meaning our characters would find themselves in a very hard situation and then something bizarre would get them out of it very easily.
however, i understand that it might have been so packed with dumps and convenience because its still the first volume, and there's so much to unpack, so many things we need to learn about the world and the characters.
i think a younger target audience that's still being introduced to sci-fi might enjoy this!
I would like to thank Netthis ART and Netgalley for giving me a digital ARC in exchange of an honest review!
August 23, 2020
I have very mixed feelings about this. I think that in concept this story is very interesting but the execution was kind of boring.
Our main characters meet when Icarus falls from the sky. He has no memory of his previous life.
Jellinek is a prospector and has a fun side kick in a dog named Rig. He falls into the grumpy outcast archetype, which I don't mind. The trio come back to Jellinek's home where they encounter some sort of town official. They end up needing to escape and are on the run for the rest of the book. It seemed like there were a number of things to explore in this, especially about Icarus' past and with the tower in Jellinek's town, but the main focal point of this was the escape, which was a bit of a let down in my opinion. I wanted more depth to the characters and a richer world.
The issues I had with this was I felt like there was very little set up explaining the world, which feels very sci-fi, Mars-esqe. I also felt like the story itself was kind of boring. I didn't feel any tension during scenes because I had no connection with the characters. It felt very rushed, like there was too much story, too many plot points, crammed into a short graphic novel.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the art, but that's just my style preference. There were some scenes that I liked, but some looked a little too cheesy for my taste, especially the fire salamanders.
*Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review*
Our main characters meet when Icarus falls from the sky. He has no memory of his previous life.
Jellinek is a prospector and has a fun side kick in a dog named Rig. He falls into the grumpy outcast archetype, which I don't mind. The trio come back to Jellinek's home where they encounter some sort of town official. They end up needing to escape and are on the run for the rest of the book. It seemed like there were a number of things to explore in this, especially about Icarus' past and with the tower in Jellinek's town, but the main focal point of this was the escape, which was a bit of a let down in my opinion. I wanted more depth to the characters and a richer world.
The issues I had with this was I felt like there was very little set up explaining the world, which feels very sci-fi, Mars-esqe. I also felt like the story itself was kind of boring. I didn't feel any tension during scenes because I had no connection with the characters. It felt very rushed, like there was too much story, too many plot points, crammed into a short graphic novel.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the art, but that's just my style preference. There were some scenes that I liked, but some looked a little too cheesy for my taste, especially the fire salamanders.
*Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review*
July 30, 2021
I think I might be guilty of reviewer sin no. 1- judging a book by it's cover.
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I think the cover and title sets up expectations for the graphic novel that don't play out. Firstly the cover and title suggests the story will have similarities with the original greek myth. However, the only connection here is that both stories contain a character with wings. There are no spaceships or rayguns, but as soon as I began to read this book I got very sci-fi vibes- it's full of alien looking landscapes and cool creature designs. I think if the title and character name had been different this would have really helped to manage reader expectations.
I thought the cover design is cool- the image is eye catching image and is what initially drew me to the book. The inking throughout the novel is great and so are the panel layouts (especially during the scenes describing Icarus's fall). Personally, I'm not a fan of some of the colour choices. I would have prefered to see more complimentary colours, but I do like the use of watercolour effects. The unusual colours choices do add to the interesting alien looking landscape and character designs even if (for me personally) the colours are aesthetically pleasing. I do prefer Mark Dos Santos illustrations for the second half of the story.
So, you may enjoy this book if you have different expectations and assumptions- but unfortunately it didn't live up to mine.
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I think the cover and title sets up expectations for the graphic novel that don't play out. Firstly the cover and title suggests the story will have similarities with the original greek myth. However, the only connection here is that both stories contain a character with wings. There are no spaceships or rayguns, but as soon as I began to read this book I got very sci-fi vibes- it's full of alien looking landscapes and cool creature designs. I think if the title and character name had been different this would have really helped to manage reader expectations.
I thought the cover design is cool- the image is eye catching image and is what initially drew me to the book. The inking throughout the novel is great and so are the panel layouts (especially during the scenes describing Icarus's fall). Personally, I'm not a fan of some of the colour choices. I would have prefered to see more complimentary colours, but I do like the use of watercolour effects. The unusual colours choices do add to the interesting alien looking landscape and character designs even if (for me personally) the colours are aesthetically pleasing. I do prefer Mark Dos Santos illustrations for the second half of the story.
So, you may enjoy this book if you have different expectations and assumptions- but unfortunately it didn't live up to mine.
September 3, 2021
Rating: 3/5
I received this eARC from Netgalley for my honest review
Icarus is a graphic novel about two unlikely heroes: a winged young man who falls into a dormant volcano with no memory of anything but his name, and a flamepetal prospector down on his luck (and everything else). Together, they must discover the secret of Icarus’ identity if they are to save their worlds from those who want his powers for themselves. We are proud to present this story of wonder, of friendship, and of a battle to overcome tyranny, with creatures who discover that what unites them at the core is more important than what divides them on the surface.
Overall a great Graphic Novel, it is a retelling of Greek mythology. With this being the first vol. There wasn’t a lot of character development, it was definitely plot development and I would be happy to be able to read the 2nd volume when it comes out. The art was amazing and really brought the world to life. I really enjoyed the two artists of this Vol, Matt Slay and Mark Dos Santos did an amazing job making sure that their art portrayed the world and compliant the words written.
I really liked the instant bond that Icarus and Jellinek had right away, it reminded me of a fatherly bond, and Rig is to die for! He is the best sidekick character ever.
I want to Thank NetGalley for my eARC and Gregory Wilson
I received this eARC from Netgalley for my honest review
Icarus is a graphic novel about two unlikely heroes: a winged young man who falls into a dormant volcano with no memory of anything but his name, and a flamepetal prospector down on his luck (and everything else). Together, they must discover the secret of Icarus’ identity if they are to save their worlds from those who want his powers for themselves. We are proud to present this story of wonder, of friendship, and of a battle to overcome tyranny, with creatures who discover that what unites them at the core is more important than what divides them on the surface.
Overall a great Graphic Novel, it is a retelling of Greek mythology. With this being the first vol. There wasn’t a lot of character development, it was definitely plot development and I would be happy to be able to read the 2nd volume when it comes out. The art was amazing and really brought the world to life. I really enjoyed the two artists of this Vol, Matt Slay and Mark Dos Santos did an amazing job making sure that their art portrayed the world and compliant the words written.
I really liked the instant bond that Icarus and Jellinek had right away, it reminded me of a fatherly bond, and Rig is to die for! He is the best sidekick character ever.
I want to Thank NetGalley for my eARC and Gregory Wilson
August 20, 2020
An epic and original story featuring Icarus and amazing artwork
Key words: Icarus, myth, fantasy, graphic novel, epic, adventure, change
First, I would like to thank the publisher for accepting my request on Netgalley in exchange of my honest opinion. And honestly, I loved it. It is a bit short and I would have liked it even more if it had been longer but I still had enough time to develop an affection for the three main characters. From almost the beginning, I knew I liked them. The story is nice as well; I was a bit lost at the beginning at its set in a fantasy universe and I didn’t know what a solacycle was (which is a day) for example. Hence, a few more explanations would have been more than welcome. Apart from that, the story was really enjoyable, with a lot of action and suspense and with a lot of interesting characters. It uses the myth of Icarus and gives it a new and completely different life. It is really original. I can’t wait to read the next one. But above the story, what I loved the most were the drawings. The art is absolutely amazing; it is so colourful and so detailed, it’s really breath-taking. So, thank you @athilafabbio for those illustrations that match so well the story.
Key words: Icarus, myth, fantasy, graphic novel, epic, adventure, change
First, I would like to thank the publisher for accepting my request on Netgalley in exchange of my honest opinion. And honestly, I loved it. It is a bit short and I would have liked it even more if it had been longer but I still had enough time to develop an affection for the three main characters. From almost the beginning, I knew I liked them. The story is nice as well; I was a bit lost at the beginning at its set in a fantasy universe and I didn’t know what a solacycle was (which is a day) for example. Hence, a few more explanations would have been more than welcome. Apart from that, the story was really enjoyable, with a lot of action and suspense and with a lot of interesting characters. It uses the myth of Icarus and gives it a new and completely different life. It is really original. I can’t wait to read the next one. But above the story, what I loved the most were the drawings. The art is absolutely amazing; it is so colourful and so detailed, it’s really breath-taking. So, thank you @athilafabbio for those illustrations that match so well the story.
June 3, 2021
This book is about Icarus, who falls from the sky and lands in a kind of hellish land. He doesn't remember who is is or why he's there but he has wings, looks completely different to everyone else living there.
Even though the book is named after Icarus the only thing he and the one from greek mythology have in common is the name and that they have wings and fell from the sky. I wished for some kind of retelling, but that is not what this is.
Still I really enjoyed the story. The drawings are really pretty and it's a very interesting world and story. Even though it was a quick read it didn't feel rushed and I liked the characters.
The ending and the way Icarus gets his memories back was a bit strange though. It is only the first book in a series though so I hope some of my questions will be answered in the following volumes. Besides that I really enjoyed it and it was an interesting read!
I am grateful to have received an e-ARC through NetGalley.
Even though the book is named after Icarus the only thing he and the one from greek mythology have in common is the name and that they have wings and fell from the sky. I wished for some kind of retelling, but that is not what this is.
Still I really enjoyed the story. The drawings are really pretty and it's a very interesting world and story. Even though it was a quick read it didn't feel rushed and I liked the characters.
The ending and the way Icarus gets his memories back was a bit strange though. It is only the first book in a series though so I hope some of my questions will be answered in the following volumes. Besides that I really enjoyed it and it was an interesting read!
I am grateful to have received an e-ARC through NetGalley.
January 3, 2022
The artwork is gorgeous throughout this book, full of colour, expression and imagination. The change in theme when focusing on power from different individuals and during flashbacks was really good.
This is a quick read, easy to get through which is always good. A graphic novel that's too heavy never works and this felt light and an easy introduction to a new series.
I love Greek mythology and that's what drew me to this graphic novel. A spin on the mythology, what happened after Icarus fell? I thought there was going to be more of a link but this appears to be as much as we get.
Outside of the above I felt there was little new or original to keep excited about. We see so many creatures they kind of blur together, some characters are difficult to distinguish. The setting and plot are nothing new. It's a mix of so many well known sci-fi and fantasy stories we all know well.
Love Rig, protect him at all costs.
This is a quick read, easy to get through which is always good. A graphic novel that's too heavy never works and this felt light and an easy introduction to a new series.
I love Greek mythology and that's what drew me to this graphic novel. A spin on the mythology, what happened after Icarus fell? I thought there was going to be more of a link but this appears to be as much as we get.
Outside of the above I felt there was little new or original to keep excited about. We see so many creatures they kind of blur together, some characters are difficult to distinguish. The setting and plot are nothing new. It's a mix of so many well known sci-fi and fantasy stories we all know well.
Love Rig, protect him at all costs.
November 8, 2020
Icarus falls from above with no memory of his identity or why he fell. He lands at the feet of a firepetal prospector called Jellinek and his Solar(twin tailed dog) Rig, just as a flame demon is about to kill them. After Iccy destroy them flame demon, the trio go on a quest to discover Icarus’ identity.
I liked this graphic novel. I liked the friendship formed between Icarus and Jellinek, and the loyalty of Rig. I liked that Icarus pushed Jellinek out of his comfort zone and in doing so Jellinek discovers parts of his world he never knew existed. The artwork by Athila Fabbio is beautiful. I will be looking out for the next one in the series.
Thank you to Atthis Arts for this advanced copy.
I liked this graphic novel. I liked the friendship formed between Icarus and Jellinek, and the loyalty of Rig. I liked that Icarus pushed Jellinek out of his comfort zone and in doing so Jellinek discovers parts of his world he never knew existed. The artwork by Athila Fabbio is beautiful. I will be looking out for the next one in the series.
Thank you to Atthis Arts for this advanced copy.
November 4, 2020
Art 5/5
Premise 4/5
Storytelling 3/5
Icarus falls from the sky and meets an unexpected friend and shenanigans happened. This was an interesting idea and it has so much potential! I loved the art style and felt it suited the story well. As far as the storytelling goes, it's... okay.
I wish there had been more worldbuilding and less action, honestly. We're led from one action sequence to another without a lot of time in between to recuperate or digest the last one. I also wish the author had utilized the "Show, don't tell" thing we're always being told.
I think this has a lot of potential and this story deserves to be read!
ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
Premise 4/5
Storytelling 3/5
Icarus falls from the sky and meets an unexpected friend and shenanigans happened. This was an interesting idea and it has so much potential! I loved the art style and felt it suited the story well. As far as the storytelling goes, it's... okay.
I wish there had been more worldbuilding and less action, honestly. We're led from one action sequence to another without a lot of time in between to recuperate or digest the last one. I also wish the author had utilized the "Show, don't tell" thing we're always being told.
I think this has a lot of potential and this story deserves to be read!
ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
August 23, 2020
This was a decent start to a graphic novel series, but I'm not sure its for me and will likely not continue. Icarus finds himself in what appears to be hell and starts a quest with Jellink, who appears to be a demon. I wished there had been more included about the lore surrounding Icarus, because I find that story fascinating. If you're interested in fantasy adventure stories, I think you'd enjoy this!
I received an advanced reader copy of this title as a PDF from the publisher and Netgalley for review, all opinions are my own.
I received an advanced reader copy of this title as a PDF from the publisher and Netgalley for review, all opinions are my own.
September 5, 2020
"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I am a fan of using graphic novels to retell older stories that can not be appealing to youth. Icarus is a fantastic Greek myth and I think this work captured the essence of the story.
I am a fan of using graphic novels to retell older stories that can not be appealing to youth. Icarus is a fantastic Greek myth and I think this work captured the essence of the story.
July 19, 2021
The art is super cool and the story is pretty interesting! I like how Icarus is introduced, and the progression of the plot is pretty solid. My only issue is that the pacing felt too fast, and some exposition was needed in order to make some of the settings clear. I felt like I was being tossed from situation to situation, which is not ideal in a story.
August 26, 2021
I couldn't enlarge the text in order to read this on my laptop at home and it wouldn't load onto my large screen computer at work. But I looked at the illustrations and they were very impressive. Crisp linework and all pages were coloured. We have some students who are keen on both graphic novels and Greek mythology, so I believe this will be worth buying for our library.
March 27, 2022
This was an interesting and original story about Icarus and the land of Vol. I like the way that this graphic novel ended, it made me look forward to future volumes.
As I read an advance reader's copy I do not know if the final product has a glossary of terms but I would have really appreciated one to help me understand the terms used to describe units of time.
As I read an advance reader's copy I do not know if the final product has a glossary of terms but I would have really appreciated one to help me understand the terms used to describe units of time.
January 8, 2021
Definitely feels like a novelist writing comics for the first time: very wordy and moves at an absolutely breakneck pace with no time to breathe. The world is interesting but the characters aren’t really and the plot is kinda generic. It’s fine.
October 21, 2020
Icarus is boldly illustrated, inventive, and enjoyable. I enjoyed this collision of artwork and storyline immensely, and appreciated the otherworldly aesthetic.
October 28, 2020
Colourful opening but the pacing was wrong for me and not enough intrigue.
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