The Broken Half

Verse #1

by Sam Beck, Rebecca Taylor (Editor), AndWorld Design

Fife is your typical apprentice blacksmith and he knows one thing for certain. Magic doesn’t exist anymore. Sure, there’s the Verse, but that’s not the same thing at all. Then he meets Neitya, who isn’t your typical girl, and everything he knows changes in a flash of… well… magic.

EVERYONE KNOWS MAGIC DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE, UNTIL MAGIC CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Fife's plans to become an expert swordsmith are interrupted when he meets Neitya, an extraordinary girl unlike any he's ever met before... primarily because of her horns and amnesia. Worryingly, she seems akin to the monstrous Vel who roam the countryside. but when Fife is attacked by the Vel, Neitya saves him by using a skill thought to be forever lost to everyone: Magic. Fife and Neitya decide to journey together, seeking the guidance they need to unravel the mystery of her origin.

Book 1 of the three volume series of original graphic novels.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Comics, LGBT, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Sam Beck is a writer and illustrator living in Toronto, and the author of the fantasy trilogy VERSE. She has worked with publishers like Dark Horse and Vault Comics on multiple series spanning across science fiction, fantasy and horror. When she's not working on her comics, you can find her admiring the forests of northern Ontario.

Reviews

[Jenna]

okay i am IN LOVE the art is so great and honestly the world-building and story is super compelling too!! love how diverse it is!!!!

[Lissibith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verse is a lovely book with expressive, emotional art, great characters (and charact4er designs) and aa world and plot that has me really excited for the next volume.

We follow Fife, whose dream is to apprentice to a blacksmith in another town and become a master himself. But on the way, he loses his horse and runs into a young woman named Neitya who can use magic. And that's a problem, because magic is supposed to be dangerous and evil. But she just seems lost and afraid.

Together, they travel on and find themselves tied up in rebellion, danger and a potential sea change that will leave the whole world scarred.

I really fell in love with Fife, Neitya and a lot of the people they run into. It's a world that feels like it's been happening since long before we arrived, will keep happening once the story concludes, and doesn't need our main characters for plot to happen. The coloring feels a little bit flat, but that may be on purpose. Overall, it's a general joy to read in all phases though.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic graphic novel with unique plot and magic systems.
I can't wait for volume 2.
Galley via Edelweiss.

[Frank Chillura (OhYouRead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Verse sitting on the shelf at Barnes & Noble one day and took a chance on it. I haven’t seen any friends reading it or heard anything about it. This has everything I love about classic Fantasy… Magic, mystery, and a lot of death.

Fife (whom I thought was female in the beginning, but is male) comes from a small town and while traveling to a large city to become a weaponsmith, he gets lost on his way. A stranger in the woods creates “verse” on his hand to help guide him (verse is magic). All he has to do is repeat it when it starts fading and it’ll reload the magic. But when he says the words, it cracks his medallion and a girl comes from the light within.

Neitya doesn’t remember anything other than her name. So when Fife mentions the horns on her head, she freaks out and takes off running. He finds her in the woods by a stream. After a conversation and rest overnight, they decide to journey together to the large city to find out who she is.

There is a lot that happens in less than 200 pages. It’s all magical and the story is so well done… I can’t believe I have to wait for another volume to find out what happens next😭
I obviously did not put the majority of the story, so to find out more… READ IT! 😂

[Deviki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read graphic novels in the Libby app, but it was too good to pass.

I'm glad I picked up this GN. I love the art style, the character design, etc. The story line is very mysterious without being overly complicated! So far, everyone is a likeable character.

From what we know of the world building so far, magic used to be the norm, high and mighty until it wasn't anymore, and people who no longer have that ability anymore... ....well unless you count demon Vels. But people are still able to conjure something close to magic called Verse. 

Fife is a wannabe young blacksmith apprentice from a small village very far away. He wants to make the journey to learn how to use the weapon he forges. I'm not sure how he has the pendent around his neck, but for some reason, the pendent and the verse provided by some random stranger conjured a mysterious girl with horns on her forehead. She has no memories of who or where she is but only her name, Neitya.

I like that Fife decided to help the girl, even though she may or may not be a different type of Vel species. Neitya's appearance will cause trouble for her, for people fear the Vels, and they will definitely try to kill her first before realizing she isn't a Vel at all. They made the journey together to go to the city to find answers, but ended up running into the Wraiths. There, we discover more about the girl's possible ability to conjure magic and banish the Vel without needing to use the Verse. 

Neitya, with her long hair and brown skin, reminds me of Inej, my god SOC had ruined me for girls with those looks! Neitya, I feel bad for her because not only does she not remember her past or what she is, but she seems to gain both good and bad attention for herself. We found out later in the story that Neitya may be 300 years old, meaning she might be from the race of people back when magic was alive and prosperous. That pendant that Fife had seems like it symbolizes the 12th royal family of the magical race.

There are so many questions popping up, and then there is a group of people who now feel like they're playing god because they can conjure up a Vel and control them like a puppet. Now that they have discovered about Neitya.....things are not looking good for her.

Also, who are the voices Neitya keeps hearing? Who is that man in the brim hat? What happened to Neitya and how did she come to the present time?


I can't wait to read Part 2 

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Broken Half is a strong start to something - we're dropped into a fantasy world where magical technology has fallen to pieces in a long past cataclysm. Some magic remains in short verses that can be spoken or written down, but these magics are barely useful against the magical revenants, the Vel.

Within this setting (which, admittedly, is very loosely sketched out in The Broken Half), we meet Fife, a young man off to hone his weapon-smithing skills in the big city. Before his journey can really begin, Fife's long-held medallion cracks in half, teleporting(?) Neitya into the world. Neitya has the horns of a Vel, but she can speak and act of her own accord.

From there, the story takes off. Neitya is swiftly rejected by society, though a band of rebels take her and Fife in. A researcher with the rebels is very curious about Neitya's abilities, while the head of a new religion seeks out Neitya for her powers. Perhaps Neitya can play a part in returning magic to the world?

The Broken Half gives characters room to breath, which means it's easy to sink in to the slower pacing. Affairs pick up right before the cliffhanger conclusion - a cruel twist to dump the reader off at such a crucial moment. The artwork is simple and clean. I appreciate that Sam Beck largely wanted to draw pleasant landscapes - this book is absolutely soothing to look at when magic and monsters aren't on the scene! Very intrigued to see where the Verse series goes after this.

[Allysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the art and the story and characters of very compelling. The books does a great job of setting up the magic system and the opposing sides, as well as the overarching mystery for the series. The characters of Fife and Neiyta were interesting and complex, with Fife feeling guilt over the loss of his brother and for bringing Neiyta, through a possible misuse of the Verse, to a time and place that puts her in danger due to her appearance. The Wraiths all seem very interesting, though underdeveloped, and appear to not only have strong motivations for their actions, but the true desire to protect everyone.

[Aura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this in two intense sittings. Wonderful, expressive art style (I love how this was inked), intriguing characters and a story that unfolds at its own pace, often wordlessly. I liked that there's breathing room given for the reader to just experience the world through images, and to observe without cluttering the panels with unnecessary dialogue or infodumping too much background lore at once. I'm very curious to see where the story goes from here and what more lies in story in this carefully, lovingly constructed fantasy world.

[Evan Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first encounter with Sam Becks work and I am blown away by her visuals. I regularly found myself going back to panels to admire the art, which in and of itself merits a read/look. BUT the story is also good! Which makes this truly something special. I can’t believe there are sub 200 ratings on this, and feel like I’ve found a hidden gem.

If you are a fan of fantasy comics or regular comics or fantasy books I highly recommend you check this out. The world building is so good and I think the character progression is about to ramp up in this next volume. Really cool stuff. :)

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this one. The magic system is easy enough to understand, and this volume ends with some questions answered and bigger ones raised, which I'm happy with in a planned trilogy. Also, the art is just beautiful.

[Amelia G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, not spectacular… I really, really enjoyed the art and the sprawling landscapes and color palettes BUT it didn’t make up for the bland dialogue and kind of boring plot

[Carly Rael · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Vlad Tepes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This moved too fast. I felt like I didn't get a grip on any of the characters or their motivations.

[Stephanie Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, compelling, and incredibly well done. From the story to the STUNNING art and colours, the whole book is an epic fantasy story about magic, power, and fighting for what you believe in.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the end of the book the author shares that this book started as some fun doodling and morphed into a great fantasy adventure story. Boy, did it ever. I was sucked right in. Turning the pages and devouring the illustrations. Action packed, with loads of suspense and some great characters and world building. The ending was a cliff hanger and I sure was glad I had the second book so I could jump right back in.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[mkhare · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/4.5 stars. This was really good - beautiful art and character design, a fantasy world that I immediately sank into, and story-telling that makes me immediately want to read more. I especially appreciate the dialogue, which feels so refreshingly realistic compared to some other graphic novels I’ve read. Conversations flow naturally and convey the personality of the characters. Solid work, I read this digitally from the library and will be seeking out a physical copy to add to my collection alongside volumes 2 and 3.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly phenomenal graphic series that delves you into a well rounded world with unique characters and a magic system that is just *chef's kiss* magnifico.

I have bragged about this comic to everyone who will listen, and I have forced many friends to read it, and they have all fallen in love with it too. So, you know, read it.

In a post-magic world, where "the song" has fallen silent to humanity, our protagonist: Fife, sets out to become a blacksmith and change his future. Little does he know just how much it will change. With the shocking introduction of Neitya, a being who was accidental summoned into Fifes plane, he is thrust into a new battle for magic and those who wish to wield it without limitations.

With a world that is tangible down to each blade of grass, and an art style that evokes the grey haze of a post-magnificent society, you will want to binge this comic.

https://www.versecomic.com/comic/chap...

READ THIS BOOK!

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Overall

I am always up for new dark fantasy graphic novels. It’s one of my two favorite types of graphic novel, if I’m honest, because magic and monsters is always fun and action-packed in visual form. The Verse series caught my attention because of how bright and vivid the art style is, despite having some darker subject matter.

The Verse series by Sam Beck is full of magic, monsters, and mystery. In a lush fantasy world, a girl who looks like a monster must remember who (and what) she is . . . and along the way, she finds a squad of fun, diverse characters.

I really enjoy the way Beck plays with color in this series, shifting between the bright, vivid scenery to darker, more starkly contrasted colors during all the death and destruction (as one might expect). It was so well done. Ultimately, while it took me a while to get into the story, I’ll be interested to pick up the third book of the series to find out how it all ends!

My Thoughts

- Enter a world where magic once existed and now has left behind only the Verse—a language that is a sad imitation of magic—and the Vel, which are demon-like entities hell-bent on destruction. In short, it’s a wonderfully fabulous dark fantasy world. If that’s your thing, you’ll likely enjoy this setting. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, and some of the illustrations can get mildly graphic. You know, as one might expect from a fantasy world such as this where humans are struggling to survive. While I did ultimately enjoy the world, it took a long time for me to understand the rules of it and to really understand it. I may go as far as saying it doesn’t become as clear, even, until book two. It was very difficult for me to slip into the world during this book, and I ended up confused in quite a few places because I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. One of the most interesting parts of this world, though, is the creation of Verse. I particularly appreciate the way Beck approaches this, as Verse is a written language that Beck has created, complete with an explanation in the back of the book that equates Verse symbols to the English alphabet. So if you’re curious, you can go back and decode the panels with Verse, which I thought was pretty neat!

- Meet Neitya, a mysterious women who looks an awful lot like a Vel but has the intelligence and personality of a human . . . and absolutely no idea where in the world she came from or what (let alone who) even she is. This is a pretty common trope, but one that I never really get sick of. I mean, there’s so much tension in this dilemma, right? Which is delicious. Especially when said mysterious person happens to look like a demon and is able to perform magic, which rightly shouldn’t exist anymore. Neitya isn’t on this journey alone. She’s joined by an utterly adorable (and terribly naive) swordsmith-in-training named Fife, who is the first to discover Neitya. Over the book, she finds more friends—a squad, even, one might say—of diverse characters, which I absolutely love to see. There’s nothing that specifically calls out their differences. Rather, these characters come in all different shapes, sizes, skin types, and hair styles, and they simply exist together (. . . or they don’t, because villains are a thing, but for valid reasons that have nothing to do with genetics).

- In a desperate world where humans are struggling to survive, it makes sense that people might turn to somewhat desperate measures. One of the things I especially enjoyed about this book is that the villains aren’t necessarily wrong. Misguided, sure, but at the end of the day, they’re doing their best to save humanity. The mythology and world-building in this book is just *chef’s kiss*. As I’ve said, I was very confused about it for most of the first book and had trouble getting a feel for the world, but by the end of this book? I was definitely hooked and wanted to know more. This is where Beck’s writing really shines. As I’ve mentioned, I enjoy what she does with the colors and illustrations, but since graphic novels have fewer words, the writing sometimes becomes all the more important than a prose book. I was utterly hooked to scenes like this, where the writing was just *chef’s kiss* and I had to know more.

[Madeline W · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW: Verse Book 1: The Broken Half, Sam Beck
RATING: 4/5 stars

One graphic novel was not enough for my evening, and I decided to once again flock to OverDrive to find something random. The cover of this text caught my eye, and when I read the description, I felt as though this would be a fun and fresh fantasy I could sink my teeth into. After plunging through nearly 200 pages of this new world, I can firmly say that I was not disappointed in the slightest! If we want to talk about underrated books of the 2020s, I believe that Verse deserves a firm spot at the top of the list!

While some of the artwork fell a tad flat for me and some of the events were dragged on a bit longer than what was necessary, the vast majority of this tale will leave you hooked. The subtle magic of the verse and the revitalization of the past through our female lead was so effortless and seemingly original. Yes, there were notes on the first few pages that referenced conventional fantasy, but everything bridging from there was so unique. I loved the characters and developed such a connection with them over the course of the story. One quote that truly resonated with me was when Neitya said "All I’ve done is rely on others. I feel helpless and lost." I had to take a pause after that. Even though I think the functionality of this book would have been better with less direct narrative focus on the other side (without sufficient characterization of the lead antagonist in turn), I do believe the diversity and spectrum of both people and motives is rather nuanced.

One other minor thing that I really appreciated was Fife's direct depiction of struggle, particularly as it is juxtaposed with Neitya's success. Even though he fights to improve in terms of his wraith status, he still finds himself suffering massively and experiencing flashbacks to his youth. I wish more pieces of media would portray this disparity with concepts outside of school because sometimes you can work super hard and not see much or any improvement. It made me feel seen when I think of my driving.

Put this on your TBR and give it a read. It deserves to have way more eyes on it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fife planned to leave home and become an expert swordsmith. However, his plans are interrupted when he meets a girl named Neitya. Fife has never met anyone like her before, because she has amnesia and horns. Fife thought Neitya was one of the Vel who attacked and hurt innocent people. When Fife is attacked by the Vel, Neitya unleashes a magic force to protect them. The decide to travel together to find out more about Neitya and her special abilities.

The graphic novel was an enjoyable read. I loved the illustrations but, some panels were too dark even though I was reading in a well lit room. The graphic novel was an engaging read and I love the world building elements. I would have liked if they had a more detailed appendix that explained a few more things but, the story was easy enough to follow along.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Review of volumes 1 & 2

I enjoyed these a lot, the second more than the first. I found the characters likable, and there is a lot of growth in the course of the story. I liked the artwork and color choices. There are also quite a lot of various representations. There are important characters of both genders (as well as numerous characters with indistinct genders), races, body types, and (though there is no actual romance or anything sexual beyond a single kiss in the bonus short story) hints at relationships of various pairings. I wish I had volume three on hand to finish it up.

[Pixie 🍜 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediocre artwork with interesting magic system that isn’t well explained.
Body proportions and movement seems slightly off and the action doesn’t have much flow to it.
Character design is nice because there’s a lot of poc characters and interesting distinctive characters but ironically the second less character Fife is very androgynous to the point that I thought they were NB or femme since no one had mentioned their pronouns for half the book, only to find out they’re a man. I’d been enjoying the slightly sapphic feeling the boom was giving me between the two MCs and then it just became a white knight so I lost interest.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a typical fantasy novel with fantasy adventure and situations, Verse Book 1: The Broken Half by Sam Beck is the graphic novel series you are looking for. However, there is some violence, but mostly it is there to move the story along, to show such things as characters' personalities and such, and not for shock. Still it is for mature audiences/older readers.

Lovely illustrations that are busy, physically dark in colors and shadows. It is a familiar story, with a few new twists and turns.

[Sarah Schanze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Verse for a couple of years, after randomly backing the first Kickstarter because it just looked cool. And I was right! The art is amazing and inspiring, and the story fun and intriguing. It dabbles in all the good stuff: unique magic systems, found families, a beautiful setting, and a villain with a great wardrobe. Can't wait for the next book!

[Rat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yessss this is such a beautiful graphic novel. I think I saw a tumblr or twitter post about this ages ago and preordered it on the description alone and I was not disappointed. The art is beautiful throughout, I love the character design, and the world building and plot is exciting and solid. Very excited for book two, what an effective cliff hanger I am dying

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book set in a fantasy world where magic has went away. What is left is controlled by mindless creatures called the Vel. A girl with horns who can speak unlike other Vel appears out of thin air when a friend accidentally brings her through a portal. There seems to be a lot of worldbuilding going on even though much of it isn't clear yet. The art and story so far is very good.

[Todd Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping story with wonderful visuals! But when a journey to reach the next town over is described as long and dangerous, I was a bit surprised by how quickly the story got through it. I just wish we could feel the weight of the journey a bit more, rather than just skip ahead to the destination

[Sara I · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for fantasy and this is one I picked up with no prior knowledge yet enjoyed and one that I am interested enough to keep reading! I liked the idea of magic as verses and how it was shown in the story.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I decided to give this a chance once I saw it on Libby through the Ohio Digital Library. The characters and the art are both great. I especially loved the look of the scenery even more than the character designs. I'm not sure if it hooked me enough to continue the series.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I beg your pardon? How have I never heard of this comic before? It's so good! Beautiful art style, engaging characters, hardcore magic system with monsters of both the human and inhuman varieties... so good. I'm glad I could find a copy.