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Dark One #1
Dark One Book 1
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2021)Some worlds are made to be broken.
Paul Tanasin is a young man haunted by visions of a dark and fantastic world?visions he initially believes are hallucinations. But when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he’s destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he’ll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. Dark One examines the dual roles we often take on in life―the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer.
Paul Tanasin is a young man haunted by visions of a dark and fantastic world?visions he initially believes are hallucinations. But when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he’s destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he’ll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. Dark One examines the dual roles we often take on in life―the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2021
505 people are currently reading
8527 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Sanderson
460 books278k followersI’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.
The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.
During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.
During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
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March 12, 2021
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
ARC provided by the publisher—Vault Books—in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Dark One is Sanderson’s new graphic novel, and it’s better than White Sands.
Let me first clarify that Sanderson is one of my top favorite authors; what he achieved with his Cosmere novels is truly special to me. However, reading his White Sands graphic novel adaptation was a tormenting experience, and I honestly was scared of giving Dark One a try. Now, there’s one problem with reading any graphic novel with Sanderson’s hand in it: I will always want a prose version of it. As interesting as Dark One is, it’s unfortunately not an exception to that.
Dark One definitely felt like it’s designed specifically for it to be a graphic novel, and the story that Sanderson told with the Dark Lord premise actually worked nicely for the medium. But I can’t help but feel that it would’ve been much better if Sanderson wrote a prose version of it.
I enjoyed reading the first volume of Dark One, and I do hope this graphic novel won’t end at three or four volumes; there’s potential for it to immensely grow. Knowing Sanderson’s storytelling style, I assume the twists of dark versus light here will have an intriguing execution to it in the future. It might be a while before I dive into the next volume, but I will be keeping this series on my radar.
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Zoe.
ARC provided by the publisher—Vault Books—in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Dark One is Sanderson’s new graphic novel, and it’s better than White Sands.
Let me first clarify that Sanderson is one of my top favorite authors; what he achieved with his Cosmere novels is truly special to me. However, reading his White Sands graphic novel adaptation was a tormenting experience, and I honestly was scared of giving Dark One a try. Now, there’s one problem with reading any graphic novel with Sanderson’s hand in it: I will always want a prose version of it. As interesting as Dark One is, it’s unfortunately not an exception to that.
Dark One definitely felt like it’s designed specifically for it to be a graphic novel, and the story that Sanderson told with the Dark Lord premise actually worked nicely for the medium. But I can’t help but feel that it would’ve been much better if Sanderson wrote a prose version of it.
I enjoyed reading the first volume of Dark One, and I do hope this graphic novel won’t end at three or four volumes; there’s potential for it to immensely grow. Knowing Sanderson’s storytelling style, I assume the twists of dark versus light here will have an intriguing execution to it in the future. It might be a while before I dive into the next volume, but I will be keeping this series on my radar.
You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Sarah, Seth, Shaad, Summer, Zoe.
![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1593184464i%2F98245866._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 7, 2023
“What if you find out Narnia is real and it’s trying to kill you.“ That little nugget is part of the catchy pitch Brandon gives on Dark One; a book he wanted to write for twenty years. “It’s the idea of: teenager finds out that he‘s the prophesied person from a fantasy world that he’s gonna get to go to, except he‘s prophesied to be the Dark Lord who‘s going to destroy them and they’ve decided to preemptively try to assassinate him so that he can’t come take over the fantasy world” (Intentionally Blank, episode 71).
I’m not gonna lie, even if I hadn’t liked this pitch, I’d still have read it since it’s Sanderson. But I did like it, found it intriguing, really, and was thus pleasantly surprised that I ended up enjoying this graphic novel, not just for the story but also because I found the aesthetics more appealing than those of White Sand. I can’t speak to how it compares to other graphic novels because, like I said, they aren’t my usual thing.
“Thinking on the past only cheats one of his future.”
This portal fantasy, as Brandon explains in his short YouTube video on “The long history of Dark One”, takes a modernist deconstructionist approach on the “hero’s journey” – a core idea of epic fantasy. Our protagonist Paul Tarasin is the subversion of stories where “the young man born to a peasant family […] has a noble heritage […] goes on a quest, becomes a king, gets magic objects, saves the world”, as in Wheel of Time, for example. He explains how many times he has tried different versions of this over the years until it worked. If you’re interested in the genesis, watching the 8-minute video is really illuminating. (Or you can peruse part of the transcript I typed up at the end of my review.)
Now back to my reading experience. My main thought reading this was that it’s so weird I chose to read Dark One after finishing the Wheel of Time because the key concept is so similar. In Dark One, there is an ever repeating cycle of a so-called Destined One opposing a Dark One – only here, instead of Rand as the hero of the Light, Paul is the hero of the Dark. Furthermore, this repeating cycle is called the “Narrative”, which is very much reminiscent of the Wheel of Time: “The narrative is the bedrock upon which our world is built. It is not a book – it is the web of all life, time, fate, and destiny.” The difference, however, is that in the Narrative, the Kingdom of Light always wins. Or does it? “Their magic is not a weapon, no paltry trick or distraction. It is to weave the world in your favor.”
In case you haven’t read this graphic novel yet, I’d recommend listening to the audio serial Dark One: Forgotten first. I know I appreciated that foreknowledge. It’s not strictly necessary, but it helped me enjoy this more.
*******
Excerpts from The long history of Dark One
“You see me deconstructing the heroic journey in fantasy; Mistborn was doing this to an extent. After doing Mistborn, I found that I really wanted to explore another version of this and it started to take shape in my mind is just being called dark one, a nod to the WoT and also to a lot of these stories who have the dark lord who is the antagonist of this sort of monomyth. I really wanted to do a story about what if you found out that instead of being prophesied to be Harry Potter, there was a prophesy that you would become Voldemort, how did you deal with that and what did that do to your life.”
Brandon tried this story multiple times over the years before it worked (YA/middle grade in a fantasy world – Harry Potter was one of the inspirations for this – , later: still an old middle grade/young YA: “What if I did this as a portal fantasy where you start on earth and then transition into the fantasy world.”
Years later: “What if I tried setting this in the Cosmere? I got three or four chapters in and it still didn’t work. The story works way better if you share in this foundational myth. I realized I needed to write this as an adult property (or old YA), sat down, wrote the treatment (plot outline pretty detailed), decided it probably would work best as a television show. I outlined it episode by episode … it just sang to me, it worked, it really clicked. […] Hollywood found it amazing; that is when I decided to do the graphic novel. The graphic novel is taking my original outline for the TV show, which does include like chunks of dialogue. Meanwhile, the television show started to take on a different life, graphic novel turned into the way to express my vision for what this would be. I don’t know what will happen with the TV show; there’s a chance we’ll just rename the property into something else. […] The graphic novel is the actual outline that I wrote.”
I’m not gonna lie, even if I hadn’t liked this pitch, I’d still have read it since it’s Sanderson. But I did like it, found it intriguing, really, and was thus pleasantly surprised that I ended up enjoying this graphic novel, not just for the story but also because I found the aesthetics more appealing than those of White Sand. I can’t speak to how it compares to other graphic novels because, like I said, they aren’t my usual thing.
“Thinking on the past only cheats one of his future.”
This portal fantasy, as Brandon explains in his short YouTube video on “The long history of Dark One”, takes a modernist deconstructionist approach on the “hero’s journey” – a core idea of epic fantasy. Our protagonist Paul Tarasin is the subversion of stories where “the young man born to a peasant family […] has a noble heritage […] goes on a quest, becomes a king, gets magic objects, saves the world”, as in Wheel of Time, for example. He explains how many times he has tried different versions of this over the years until it worked. If you’re interested in the genesis, watching the 8-minute video is really illuminating. (Or you can peruse part of the transcript I typed up at the end of my review.)
Now back to my reading experience. My main thought reading this was that it’s so weird I chose to read Dark One after finishing the Wheel of Time because the key concept is so similar. In Dark One, there is an ever repeating cycle of a so-called Destined One opposing a Dark One – only here, instead of Rand as the hero of the Light, Paul is the hero of the Dark. Furthermore, this repeating cycle is called the “Narrative”, which is very much reminiscent of the Wheel of Time: “The narrative is the bedrock upon which our world is built. It is not a book – it is the web of all life, time, fate, and destiny.” The difference, however, is that in the Narrative, the Kingdom of Light always wins. Or does it? “Their magic is not a weapon, no paltry trick or distraction. It is to weave the world in your favor.”
In case you haven’t read this graphic novel yet, I’d recommend listening to the audio serial Dark One: Forgotten first. I know I appreciated that foreknowledge. It’s not strictly necessary, but it helped me enjoy this more.
*******
Excerpts from The long history of Dark One
“You see me deconstructing the heroic journey in fantasy; Mistborn was doing this to an extent. After doing Mistborn, I found that I really wanted to explore another version of this and it started to take shape in my mind is just being called dark one, a nod to the WoT and also to a lot of these stories who have the dark lord who is the antagonist of this sort of monomyth. I really wanted to do a story about what if you found out that instead of being prophesied to be Harry Potter, there was a prophesy that you would become Voldemort, how did you deal with that and what did that do to your life.”
Brandon tried this story multiple times over the years before it worked (YA/middle grade in a fantasy world – Harry Potter was one of the inspirations for this – , later: still an old middle grade/young YA: “What if I did this as a portal fantasy where you start on earth and then transition into the fantasy world.”
Years later: “What if I tried setting this in the Cosmere? I got three or four chapters in and it still didn’t work. The story works way better if you share in this foundational myth. I realized I needed to write this as an adult property (or old YA), sat down, wrote the treatment (plot outline pretty detailed), decided it probably would work best as a television show. I outlined it episode by episode … it just sang to me, it worked, it really clicked. […] Hollywood found it amazing; that is when I decided to do the graphic novel. The graphic novel is taking my original outline for the TV show, which does include like chunks of dialogue. Meanwhile, the television show started to take on a different life, graphic novel turned into the way to express my vision for what this would be. I don’t know what will happen with the TV show; there’s a chance we’ll just rename the property into something else. […] The graphic novel is the actual outline that I wrote.”
January 31, 2024
Brandon Sanderon's graphic novel Dark One takes place on two parallel worlds. It is both a low fantasy based in New York and a high fantasy on the fictional planet of Mirandus.
The story is a twist on the classic "chosen one" trope, with main character Paul filling the role of the titular Dark One. The story alternates between Earth and Mirandus to give Paul's backstory as well as his ascent as the Dark One.
The art is beautiful throughout the volume. I particularly enjoyed the use of different color schemes on the two planets.
Overall this is a fun, short read.
The story is a twist on the classic "chosen one" trope, with main character Paul filling the role of the titular Dark One. The story alternates between Earth and Mirandus to give Paul's backstory as well as his ascent as the Dark One.
The art is beautiful throughout the volume. I particularly enjoyed the use of different color schemes on the two planets.
Overall this is a fun, short read.
March 24, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley
I did not know about this book until I saw reviews and ratings of the ARC going around lately. I found out that it was available on Netgalley so I got it immediately. The Current rating this ARC has is 3.75 which happens to be my exact rating too I (In another language 7.5/10).
Graphic Novels are always a challenge to read because there is the plot, the world-building, the characters which all are found in the typical novel format but the authors have also to account for the illustrations, colors and text. I think the graphic novel format was very well done. It had beautiful illustrations and it was easy to read.
On the content itself, I think I am not mind-blown but I did not expect to be so. It is just Sanderson likes to flip the narratives so I kind of knew where this was going. I like the contrast between our world and the other fictional world. I expect something fast when it comes to novels and this was exactly that. For me, this worked pretty well and I don't think it would have been much different had it been a novel. I am looking forward to Vol2!
"Our Chapters end. The narrative does not."
I did not know about this book until I saw reviews and ratings of the ARC going around lately. I found out that it was available on Netgalley so I got it immediately. The Current rating this ARC has is 3.75 which happens to be my exact rating too I (In another language 7.5/10).
Graphic Novels are always a challenge to read because there is the plot, the world-building, the characters which all are found in the typical novel format but the authors have also to account for the illustrations, colors and text. I think the graphic novel format was very well done. It had beautiful illustrations and it was easy to read.
On the content itself, I think I am not mind-blown but I did not expect to be so. It is just Sanderson likes to flip the narratives so I kind of knew where this was going. I like the contrast between our world and the other fictional world. I expect something fast when it comes to novels and this was exactly that. For me, this worked pretty well and I don't think it would have been much different had it been a novel. I am looking forward to Vol2!
May 23, 2021
Sanderson has always been a great world builder. That trend continues here. There's this fantasy world of light and dark. Both sides have always followed The Narrative. killing one another each generation as new chosen ones rise. Partly the story is about leaving the path laid out before you. Partly it's about embracing your destiny. The fantasy world is also connected to our world somehow. Anyway, the art's good. The story is intriguing. I'm in. Looking forward to reading the rest of this story.
Received a review copy from Vault Comics and NetGalley.
Received a review copy from Vault Comics and NetGalley.
March 18, 2022
I liked this! I like how it's almost old fashioned in its epic scale, and I like how the art harks back to 70s and 80s fantasy art, think Conan and Heavy Metal, but without the sexist overtones.
Our protagonist, a young man called Paul, has visions of a fantasy world, and also of the ghost of a sister he's never had. Quickly turns out he's not hallucinating, there is a lot of truth to his visions. Turns even more out that he is the prophecied Dark One in this other world.
It's wordy, and a bit of a slow read (I originally thought it was adapted from a novel), but that pacing actually worked with the story's epicness, I think.
Two volumes to follow, and I am here for it.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
Our protagonist, a young man called Paul, has visions of a fantasy world, and also of the ghost of a sister he's never had. Quickly turns out he's not hallucinating, there is a lot of truth to his visions. Turns even more out that he is the prophecied Dark One in this other world.
It's wordy, and a bit of a slow read (I originally thought it was adapted from a novel), but that pacing actually worked with the story's epicness, I think.
Two volumes to follow, and I am here for it.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
March 16, 2021
I love a good graphic novel. I like books that are easy to read and come with lots of pictures. This though... I don’t just like it. I love it!!!
It’s seriously intense. You jump right out of the gate and this story keeps going, which, personally left me trying to grasp what in the heck is happening. You get a handle by the end, but that’s why I took off half a star. Four and a half stars rounded up.
The art is sooo great!!! Very detailed and dark and twisted. Partly why I love this so much. The things you see in this are not pretty, they’re so evil or just plain intense. Add in the dialogue and you’ve got yourself an insanely crazy read down the darkness rabbit hole I’ve been in for a while.
I recommend this to those who like reading about the underworld or hell, in this world or the next. There is nothing cute in this read. Everything is rough and there’s lots of death.
Thanks so much for NetGalley and Vault Comics for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion. Keep em coming!, 😁
It’s seriously intense. You jump right out of the gate and this story keeps going, which, personally left me trying to grasp what in the heck is happening. You get a handle by the end, but that’s why I took off half a star. Four and a half stars rounded up.
The art is sooo great!!! Very detailed and dark and twisted. Partly why I love this so much. The things you see in this are not pretty, they’re so evil or just plain intense. Add in the dialogue and you’ve got yourself an insanely crazy read down the darkness rabbit hole I’ve been in for a while.
I recommend this to those who like reading about the underworld or hell, in this world or the next. There is nothing cute in this read. Everything is rough and there’s lots of death.
Thanks so much for NetGalley and Vault Comics for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion. Keep em coming!, 😁
March 14, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher, Vault Books, in exchange for an honest review.
Trust Sanderson to take the light vs dark narrative, and subvert it in an interesting manner.
As I've said time and again, I'll read anything Sanderson writes. Dark One was written for the graphic novel format, and I could see how it worked so much better compared to White Sand which did not translate well from prose (which I've read in its rough draft stage and still enjoyed). The artwork here is also pretty good.
The concept of a world that is caught in never-ending cycles of destiny and outcomes called The Narrative is fascinating. Sanderson literally seized the trope of the chosen ones of good vs evil and made it into commentary about blindly following what was dictated as absolute. Not surprisingly, I found myself sympathizing with the 'dark side' and questioning the morality behind the actions of the 'light side' all in the name of fulfilling The Narrative.
I anticipate Sanderson taking this 'narrative' on an intriguing journey and am looking forward to more.
Trust Sanderson to take the light vs dark narrative, and subvert it in an interesting manner.
As I've said time and again, I'll read anything Sanderson writes. Dark One was written for the graphic novel format, and I could see how it worked so much better compared to White Sand which did not translate well from prose (which I've read in its rough draft stage and still enjoyed). The artwork here is also pretty good.
The concept of a world that is caught in never-ending cycles of destiny and outcomes called The Narrative is fascinating. Sanderson literally seized the trope of the chosen ones of good vs evil and made it into commentary about blindly following what was dictated as absolute. Not surprisingly, I found myself sympathizing with the 'dark side' and questioning the morality behind the actions of the 'light side' all in the name of fulfilling The Narrative.
I anticipate Sanderson taking this 'narrative' on an intriguing journey and am looking forward to more.
September 21, 2020
It's got potential! Though, as much as I enjoy graphic novels, I think Brandon Sanderson's worlds and characters are truly not meant for this medium.
March 8, 2022
3.5 ⭐
داستانش جالب بود، انتهاشو دوست داشتم اما تصویرسازیش از اون مدل تصویرسازیایی نبود که دوست داشته باشم. قطعا وقتی ادامهش بیاد میخونم چون جای خاصی تمام شد.
داستانش جالب بود، انتهاشو دوست داشتم اما تصویرسازیش از اون مدل تصویرسازیایی نبود که دوست داشته باشم. قطعا وقتی ادامهش بیاد میخونم چون جای خاصی تمام شد.
June 1, 2021
I think the idea was better than the execution. As usual, the Sanderson comics would be better off as novels. The art was nice to look at, but a lot of the story, in my opinion, was lost in translation from page to comic and I think a prose narrative would’ve helped that a lot.
October 10, 2022
I've never read graphic novels before, but I like mangas so I've always wanted to try their western counterparts. I've also almost never read Brandon Sanderson before (probably unlike most fantasy readers), only a few chapters of the Mistborn series before I lost interest, though that was a few years ago and I was curious if my taste has changed. So, Dark One was quite a different venture for me.
The result of that venture, is ... interesting?
I can't say that I was impressed by the plot. It's pretty much exactly what the blurb already suggests: the MC finds out that he is the chosen one to fulfill a prophecy. He travels to a different world, gains power, and saves his people. Yay! It's not a bad story but ... it feels like something from the 90s? Except for a couple of small side plots, I could already guess where everything was going after 10 pages. The fact that the whole plot is driven by a prophecy instead of characters is also a bit unappetizing. I'm not sure if this is a typical Sanderson thing though or if it's lost in translation from words to pictures, and considering this book is only the first volume of a series, I'm going to give it the benefit of doubt and hope that there will be better twists to come.
Another thing that didn't seem to translate well is the pacing. There are a few scenes where the MC goes through some emotional conflicts or revelations, but they all seem too abrupt and unrealistic. I'm tempted to say that this is somewhat expected, since we can't get inside the character's head as easily in graphic novels as we can in prose, but I've seen plenty of monologues done in mangas and they usually work quite naturally. Looks like graphic novels still have a ways to go to catch up.
On the other hand, the writing (aka. dialogues) is great. I love that pretentious medieval tone! Dialogues are one of my favorite parts of medieval high fantasies and I'm glad to see that it survived the graphic novel medium.
The art is also good in general, and there are a couple of spreads that are especially stunning. I wish the characters' faces could be more consistent from page to page though, since the drawing changes so much sometimes that it's hard to recognizable who's who if not for their hairstyle and clothes.
All in all, I hoped for better but this wasn't bad for a first experience with graphic novels. I'd be interested in reading the second installment to see what happens next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The result of that venture, is ... interesting?
I can't say that I was impressed by the plot. It's pretty much exactly what the blurb already suggests: the MC finds out that he is the chosen one to fulfill a prophecy. He travels to a different world, gains power, and saves his people. Yay! It's not a bad story but ... it feels like something from the 90s? Except for a couple of small side plots, I could already guess where everything was going after 10 pages. The fact that the whole plot is driven by a prophecy instead of characters is also a bit unappetizing. I'm not sure if this is a typical Sanderson thing though or if it's lost in translation from words to pictures, and considering this book is only the first volume of a series, I'm going to give it the benefit of doubt and hope that there will be better twists to come.
Another thing that didn't seem to translate well is the pacing. There are a few scenes where the MC goes through some emotional conflicts or revelations, but they all seem too abrupt and unrealistic. I'm tempted to say that this is somewhat expected, since we can't get inside the character's head as easily in graphic novels as we can in prose, but I've seen plenty of monologues done in mangas and they usually work quite naturally. Looks like graphic novels still have a ways to go to catch up.
On the other hand, the writing (aka. dialogues) is great. I love that pretentious medieval tone! Dialogues are one of my favorite parts of medieval high fantasies and I'm glad to see that it survived the graphic novel medium.
The art is also good in general, and there are a couple of spreads that are especially stunning. I wish the characters' faces could be more consistent from page to page though, since the drawing changes so much sometimes that it's hard to recognizable who's who if not for their hairstyle and clothes.
All in all, I hoped for better but this wasn't bad for a first experience with graphic novels. I'd be interested in reading the second installment to see what happens next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2021
4.5 stars
I'm a major fan of Brandon Sanderson's storytelling prowess, so when I saw he was coming out with a new graphic novel, I was interested right away. And I must say, Sanderson's narrative genius has struck again, well-supported by the writing and illustration team.
Dark One immediately thrusts us into a dual setting—that of our own Earth, and the world of Mirandus, a fantastical land which our main character Paul initially thinks is a hallucination, but he soon learns is quite real...and which he is prophesized to destroy. This instant dive into the dual setting with minimal setup means the reader needs a bit of time to figure out what's happening, but the slight confusion passes quickly into immersion into the storyline. I found this to be a very successful plot device, as we're able to learn the story of Mirandus and Paul's destiny right alongside him. The subversion of the Good vs. Evil and the Chosen One tropes was quite clever, and added a refreshing, intriguing layer to the story.
The world of Mirandus was fascinating and unique, and it was interesting seeing the connection with the Earth storyline. Though currently the world-building and magic system isn't quite on par with Sanderson's novels, I anticipate it will continue to grow and develop as the series progresses. This is, after all, only the first volume of a graphic novel series, rather than a 1,000+ page epic.
The gritty, moody illustration style was very fitting for the narrative. The use of a limited color palette, with distinct coloring for each world/scene, not only offered a unique look and feel to each scene and helped create some separation between each setup, but also added an interesting layer of intrigue and depth to the novel as a whole. My only minor issue with the illustrations was that sometimes the way the mouths were drawn looked strange or misaligned with the rest of the face or the emotion attempting to be portrayed; this was most prevalent with Paul's facial expressions.
I'm very intrigued to see how this narrative will expand in future volumes and look forward to continuing with this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a major fan of Brandon Sanderson's storytelling prowess, so when I saw he was coming out with a new graphic novel, I was interested right away. And I must say, Sanderson's narrative genius has struck again, well-supported by the writing and illustration team.
Dark One immediately thrusts us into a dual setting—that of our own Earth, and the world of Mirandus, a fantastical land which our main character Paul initially thinks is a hallucination, but he soon learns is quite real...and which he is prophesized to destroy. This instant dive into the dual setting with minimal setup means the reader needs a bit of time to figure out what's happening, but the slight confusion passes quickly into immersion into the storyline. I found this to be a very successful plot device, as we're able to learn the story of Mirandus and Paul's destiny right alongside him. The subversion of the Good vs. Evil and the Chosen One tropes was quite clever, and added a refreshing, intriguing layer to the story.
The world of Mirandus was fascinating and unique, and it was interesting seeing the connection with the Earth storyline. Though currently the world-building and magic system isn't quite on par with Sanderson's novels, I anticipate it will continue to grow and develop as the series progresses. This is, after all, only the first volume of a graphic novel series, rather than a 1,000+ page epic.
The gritty, moody illustration style was very fitting for the narrative. The use of a limited color palette, with distinct coloring for each world/scene, not only offered a unique look and feel to each scene and helped create some separation between each setup, but also added an interesting layer of intrigue and depth to the novel as a whole. My only minor issue with the illustrations was that sometimes the way the mouths were drawn looked strange or misaligned with the rest of the face or the emotion attempting to be portrayed; this was most prevalent with Paul's facial expressions.
I'm very intrigued to see how this narrative will expand in future volumes and look forward to continuing with this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2021
Dark One was a much better foray into the medium of graphic novels than the White Sands entry. It showed a better understanding of how to tell a story through the medium instead of just trying to cram a novel into picture format, which fails to play to the strength of either medium. Dark One was much more parsimonious with text, avoiding long prose passages which jkust slows down the reading experience, causing the reader's eyes to linger on single frame instead of being drawn into the flow of the art.
The story itself was pretty neat, with Sanderson once again coming up with a novel and unique fantasy world. This one is based upon a religion of the Narrative where the same events transpire over and over again, unfolding like a story told and retold (in this case the forces of light defeating the forces of darkness). Naturally Sanderson subverts the hell out of this expectation and throws in his trademarked twists on top of it all without cluttering the page with too much exposition.
I liked the art a lot as well. It had a rough, dark look to it that I thought fit the story quite well. A story I am eager to see the next installment of even if it does take place outside the Cosmere.
The story itself was pretty neat, with Sanderson once again coming up with a novel and unique fantasy world. This one is based upon a religion of the Narrative where the same events transpire over and over again, unfolding like a story told and retold (in this case the forces of light defeating the forces of darkness). Naturally Sanderson subverts the hell out of this expectation and throws in his trademarked twists on top of it all without cluttering the page with too much exposition.
I liked the art a lot as well. It had a rough, dark look to it that I thought fit the story quite well. A story I am eager to see the next installment of even if it does take place outside the Cosmere.
July 17, 2024
Good - but not mindblowing. The art is good , but the story is a bit basic. I've read better stories by Brandon Sanderson
3,5 🌟
3,5 🌟
April 5, 2021
Having another go at Branson Sanderson, thanks to Netgalley. So far he has not been a winner for me. The previous comic, White Sand, Volume 1, was not bad though.
We have a portal fantasy of some sort here, jumping back and forth between New York and another world. There are good and evil champions and a narrative that drives them along. Our presumed hero is a teenager from New York, with a mum working as a lawyer.
“Visions of a dark and fantastic world haunt Paul Tanasin, but when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he’s destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he’ll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. Dark One examines the dual roles we often take on in life―the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer.“
So Paul, our main character, is destined to be a dark force and his opponents in that other world are the Light, the supposed force for good. Which makes it slightly unusual, because Paul feels like the good guy and the opposing force more like the bad guys in this narrative. We get to see a lot of grey shades. I am actually curious to see where Sanderson will take this next.
The artwork is not much to rave about. There were one or two moments where I really liked depictions of unusual animals in Mirandus. The rest was flat and pretty middle-of-the-road.
*+*+*
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
We have a portal fantasy of some sort here, jumping back and forth between New York and another world. There are good and evil champions and a narrative that drives them along. Our presumed hero is a teenager from New York, with a mum working as a lawyer.
“Visions of a dark and fantastic world haunt Paul Tanasin, but when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he’s destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he’ll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. Dark One examines the dual roles we often take on in life―the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer.“
So Paul, our main character, is destined to be a dark force and his opponents in that other world are the Light, the supposed force for good. Which makes it slightly unusual, because Paul feels like the good guy and the opposing force more like the bad guys in this narrative. We get to see a lot of grey shades. I am actually curious to see where Sanderson will take this next.
The artwork is not much to rave about. There were one or two moments where I really liked depictions of unusual animals in Mirandus. The rest was flat and pretty middle-of-the-road.
*+*+*
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
June 10, 2021
3.5 / 5
As much as I like the idea that you’re following the ‘bad guy’ around, it’s a bit boring and tropey how this story is neatly separated into light and dark. There aren’t many morally grey characters that make it interesting beyond surface level. I got the impression that the dark are the ultimate good guys and the light are the enemy oppressors, so you can just flip the colors and suddenly it’s not as subversive as it initially appears.
It’s still a fun premise and I like the supporting cast more than the major characters so far. The artwork is monochromatic by panel and it’s a little tough to figure out what’s happening in the corners, but the writing is strong and clean and it leaves the door open for a lot more to come.
As much as I like the idea that you’re following the ‘bad guy’ around, it’s a bit boring and tropey how this story is neatly separated into light and dark. There aren’t many morally grey characters that make it interesting beyond surface level. I got the impression that the dark are the ultimate good guys and the light are the enemy oppressors, so you can just flip the colors and suddenly it’s not as subversive as it initially appears.
It’s still a fun premise and I like the supporting cast more than the major characters so far. The artwork is monochromatic by panel and it’s a little tough to figure out what’s happening in the corners, but the writing is strong and clean and it leaves the door open for a lot more to come.
October 4, 2021
the fact that I didn't give this 5 stars is killing me.
I love Brandon Sanderson's work, he's definitely my favourite author. But this story felt kinda basic? I don't know, I just wanted more.
I think the whole "are the bad people really the bad people?" concept was quite interesting. But it is something we've already seen before with Sanderson. It felt like Sanderson had recycled elements from all of his other books, and put it in graphic novel format? Idk.
The art was very good though, and I will continue but yeah, kinda meh for me 🥲
I love Brandon Sanderson's work, he's definitely my favourite author. But this story felt kinda basic? I don't know, I just wanted more.
I think the whole "are the bad people really the bad people?" concept was quite interesting. But it is something we've already seen before with Sanderson. It felt like Sanderson had recycled elements from all of his other books, and put it in graphic novel format? Idk.
The art was very good though, and I will continue but yeah, kinda meh for me 🥲
August 9, 2021
Never thought I'd rate a Sanderson book so low. But, for such a cool premise, this was . . . not good.
December 3, 2022
So far, we all have read many stories where the protagonist is the chosen one. Such is the case here. Only difference is, here he is chosen to be the dark one.
Brandon Sanderson delivers a fantasy story with a new take on "the chosen one" and "fate vs free will" tropes. The world building is great, and the narrative promises much more to come. There are times, though, when the story feels a bit rushed. The art is good, with dynamic expressions and beautiful colouring.
Really looking forward to what happens next.
3.5/5 stars.
Brandon Sanderson delivers a fantasy story with a new take on "the chosen one" and "fate vs free will" tropes. The world building is great, and the narrative promises much more to come. There are times, though, when the story feels a bit rushed. The art is good, with dynamic expressions and beautiful colouring.
Really looking forward to what happens next.
3.5/5 stars.
May 5, 2021
I loved the world building and the plot and the engaging characters. With one (very notable) exception, Sanderson has created characters that are sympathetic. You can understand their motivations and how their actions, even if disagreeable, spring understandably from those motivations. And the plot is INREDIBLY propulsive - the world building is doled out in equal measures with action and I never felt I was being exposition dumped on. I was actually surprised how well the author who is know for writing such doorstopper fantasy novels did in his pacing of a comic story. Not too wordy at all. There also seems to be a theme developing around narrative and fate and changing stories. Will be interesting to see where that goes. I did have a bit of an issue with a major plot point I was also disappointed that the story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger although I know there are two more volumes to come!
**Thanks to the author, artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the author, artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2021
I am a big fan of stories that are told from the villain's perspective. Give me a good corruption arc over a standard hero's journey any day. So logically, Dark One should have been perfect for me. I feel like the story itself actually is perfect for me and anyone who feels similarly. I also greatly enjoyed the art style. It's very dynamic and some of the frames had me go "whow, I kinda wanna put this on my wall".
However, the pacing is really, really off in my opinion. This whole first volume / first part of the story is told so incredibly fast, we as the readers do not really have time to get invested in anything or take any of the dramatic events or the characters seriously. Least of all Paul, which I believe is a crucial point for a story centered around a villain though.
Paul himself acts and seemingly adapts so incredibly fast to being thrown into this strange new invironment that is Mirandus ... I don't want to say it's unrealistic, it's fantasy after all, but I cannot for the life of me suspend my disbelief THAT much.
I think the basic material would have lent itself more to a full-length written novel rather than a graphic one (even if it is incredibly fun to look at. Kudos to the artist).
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
However, the pacing is really, really off in my opinion. This whole first volume / first part of the story is told so incredibly fast, we as the readers do not really have time to get invested in anything or take any of the dramatic events or the characters seriously. Least of all Paul, which I believe is a crucial point for a story centered around a villain though.
Paul himself acts and seemingly adapts so incredibly fast to being thrown into this strange new invironment that is Mirandus ... I don't want to say it's unrealistic, it's fantasy after all, but I cannot for the life of me suspend my disbelief THAT much.
I think the basic material would have lent itself more to a full-length written novel rather than a graphic one (even if it is incredibly fun to look at. Kudos to the artist).
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
May 27, 2023
great start, drew me in
3.5 stars
Graphic novelas are not my usual medium, and it takes a special graphic novel (not counting middle school ones, many of which I love) to draw me into the story. Part of it is that the author has far fewer words to convey the story, and the graphics are just as important as the writing when it comes to drawing us in. This combination of Sanderson and Gooden is a good one, although I feel that perhaps I lost something because I went into this completely blind, with no experience of The Dark One episodes (I’m waiting on the audiobook from my library) , and I haven’t read the Wheel of Time, which supposedly has a similar cycle with dark and light. That said, this is an interesting premise because you have the trope of the destined one, except in this story, Paul is not destined to be Harry Potter, but rather Voldemort.
I always find following the story of adult graphic novels to be a challenge, because I need to figure out the order of the panels and how the graphics and the words together tell the story. I usually have to reread pages just to make sure I’m following the story correctly and even when I form an interpretation in my mind, I’m never entirely sure that I understood the message the author is conveying. This one was pretty good and by the time I got to the end (which ends on a cliffhanger, by the way), I was ready to read the next one. But wait—it hasn’t come out yet!
Well played, Sanderson.
Which means I am now waiting for the next one with anticipation. At least I have the audiobook to look forward to!
May 27 thoughts:
I just finished the audiobook which serves as a prequel to this graphic novel and I came back to it and it makes so much more sense! I don't listen to podcasts that often, but the podcast format of the audiobook was pretty interesting!
3.5 stars
Graphic novelas are not my usual medium, and it takes a special graphic novel (not counting middle school ones, many of which I love) to draw me into the story. Part of it is that the author has far fewer words to convey the story, and the graphics are just as important as the writing when it comes to drawing us in. This combination of Sanderson and Gooden is a good one, although I feel that perhaps I lost something because I went into this completely blind, with no experience of The Dark One episodes (I’m waiting on the audiobook from my library) , and I haven’t read the Wheel of Time, which supposedly has a similar cycle with dark and light. That said, this is an interesting premise because you have the trope of the destined one, except in this story, Paul is not destined to be Harry Potter, but rather Voldemort.
I always find following the story of adult graphic novels to be a challenge, because I need to figure out the order of the panels and how the graphics and the words together tell the story. I usually have to reread pages just to make sure I’m following the story correctly and even when I form an interpretation in my mind, I’m never entirely sure that I understood the message the author is conveying. This one was pretty good and by the time I got to the end (which ends on a cliffhanger, by the way), I was ready to read the next one. But wait—it hasn’t come out yet!
Well played, Sanderson.
Which means I am now waiting for the next one with anticipation. At least I have the audiobook to look forward to!
May 27 thoughts:
I just finished the audiobook which serves as a prequel to this graphic novel and I came back to it and it makes so much more sense! I don't listen to podcasts that often, but the podcast format of the audiobook was pretty interesting!
March 2, 2021
Paul is the Dark One. But the question is: does he want to be one and even if he is, is he going to act on it?
That is one of my favorite tropes: how a person becomes a villain. I always fall for it and this was no exception. I loved how unfair it is to Paul. He is supposed to be this great evil but no one asked him if he even wants that. Moreover, the evil in this world always loses. So, Paul is destined to become the big bad and fight the good guy only to loose in the end, as did every bad guy before him. I mean, how unfair is that? So this time around, there are going to be some changes.
The concept of the Narrative was really cool. The idea is that there is a way the history is supposed to go, everyone in their destined spot, be it good or bad, and the cycle repeats over and over. It was briefly touched upon in this first volume, but I am sure it will further developed as the series continues.
Paul was a great main character. You know he is bad, but you also see him struggling with that. He goes to therapy in the beginning of the book, because he wants to understand himself better and because he is afraid that he might hurt people. So, when he was pushed into this role he doesn't want to play, I had so much sympathy for him.
This is a good start to a new fantasy series. It has a good plot, interesting moral dilemmas, a pretty cool magic and, of course, some secrets. I wish volume two was already out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Edelweiss+ for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That is one of my favorite tropes: how a person becomes a villain. I always fall for it and this was no exception. I loved how unfair it is to Paul. He is supposed to be this great evil but no one asked him if he even wants that. Moreover, the evil in this world always loses. So, Paul is destined to become the big bad and fight the good guy only to loose in the end, as did every bad guy before him. I mean, how unfair is that? So this time around, there are going to be some changes.
The concept of the Narrative was really cool. The idea is that there is a way the history is supposed to go, everyone in their destined spot, be it good or bad, and the cycle repeats over and over. It was briefly touched upon in this first volume, but I am sure it will further developed as the series continues.
Paul was a great main character. You know he is bad, but you also see him struggling with that. He goes to therapy in the beginning of the book, because he wants to understand himself better and because he is afraid that he might hurt people. So, when he was pushed into this role he doesn't want to play, I had so much sympathy for him.
This is a good start to a new fantasy series. It has a good plot, interesting moral dilemmas, a pretty cool magic and, of course, some secrets. I wish volume two was already out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Edelweiss+ for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2024
Trust Brandon Sanderson to come with a concept that, even when illustrated, has characters, settings, and magic that is both convoluted and confusing at times; yet also engaging, elaborate, and elevated above (almost) any other graphic novel I’ve ever read. And I’ve certainly read my fair share of fantasy, horror, and science fiction graphic novels. With a cast of characters that span across timelines and worlds, real attention has to be given to not only what is being said, but what is drawn on the page and, thus, not being said through this first volume in the series.
Be forewarned, volume 1 ends on a cliffhanger. There are (at least) two more volumes to come; but nothing is said about publication timelines as of yet. Given Sanderson is heavily in the midst of a million projects (or so it seems) and has just released book five of ten in his penultimate Cosmere series, it seems fool hardy to hope for another instalment of The Dark One anytime soon. Therefore I suggest readers go into this one knowing that you may be just starting to unravel what is happening, and getting into the characters when everything comes to a twisting halt.
That’s not to say this isn’t worth a read, because it is. It’s merely the heads up that this is epic, elaborate fantasy. At this point I suppose we should all expect nothing less from the current reigning (and writing) master of epic fantasy.
I LOVED seeing some of Jackson Lanzig’s (co-writer) hidden references throughout. Something I’ve seen in all of Lanzig’s writing. The nod to Nirvana, when one characters says “all right now, entertain me”, was my favourite pop culture reference amongst a slew of tiny nods to rock music and known fantasy lore. I just can’t get enough of anything Lanzig has worked on; especially since meeting him at a local con. He is easily one of the most engaging guys out there in comic book writing. A super fun, really nice guy with a big outgoing personality, something not often seen in a writer.
I definitely look forward to volume 2, whenever that may be, continuing this story. In the meantime I’ll be sure to keep on watching anything and everything Sanderson does, in any format, as he has been establishing himself as this century’s Tolkien. The Dark One is just one more piece of what I believe will be a long lasting legacy of fantasy stories that people will never forget.
Be forewarned, volume 1 ends on a cliffhanger. There are (at least) two more volumes to come; but nothing is said about publication timelines as of yet. Given Sanderson is heavily in the midst of a million projects (or so it seems) and has just released book five of ten in his penultimate Cosmere series, it seems fool hardy to hope for another instalment of The Dark One anytime soon. Therefore I suggest readers go into this one knowing that you may be just starting to unravel what is happening, and getting into the characters when everything comes to a twisting halt.
That’s not to say this isn’t worth a read, because it is. It’s merely the heads up that this is epic, elaborate fantasy. At this point I suppose we should all expect nothing less from the current reigning (and writing) master of epic fantasy.
I LOVED seeing some of Jackson Lanzig’s (co-writer) hidden references throughout. Something I’ve seen in all of Lanzig’s writing. The nod to Nirvana, when one characters says “all right now, entertain me”, was my favourite pop culture reference amongst a slew of tiny nods to rock music and known fantasy lore. I just can’t get enough of anything Lanzig has worked on; especially since meeting him at a local con. He is easily one of the most engaging guys out there in comic book writing. A super fun, really nice guy with a big outgoing personality, something not often seen in a writer.
I definitely look forward to volume 2, whenever that may be, continuing this story. In the meantime I’ll be sure to keep on watching anything and everything Sanderson does, in any format, as he has been establishing himself as this century’s Tolkien. The Dark One is just one more piece of what I believe will be a long lasting legacy of fantasy stories that people will never forget.
March 7, 2021
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first graphic novel by Sanderson that I have had the chance to try out and my first thoughts are somewhat conflicted on the entire project.
First things first the graphic novel did get a lot of it right - I liked the aesthetics and the art. The fantasy world looked really interesting and I would be down to experience more of it. In addition to that, the story does have a great premise. I believe the original sales pitch for it was "Harry Potter from the eyes of Voldemort" which just sounds awesome. Being in the shoes of a reluctant Dark Lord is a very compelling idea and something that Sanderson should definitely explore more of. I thought the main character was quite an interesting guy and someone whose journey would be truly fun to follow. I also liked the different factions and the supporting cast.
So why did I not absolutely love it? My first thought out of the gate was that this felt rushed. The graphic novel spans over 200 pages and I just felt that things were moving way too quickly at the expense of proper character growth (I am aware we are getting 2 more volumes but this applies even just looking at what has transpired here). The most painful part about it is that the promise is all there but in the end, I am just left feeling that maybe it should have been a novel instead. The events that went on here could have easily been padded out more in my opinion and this goes for most plot points that occurred during the journey.
I will definitely be continuing with the other two volumes but I have to confess I am looking forward to experience the story in another medium (which is potentially also in the works).
This is the first graphic novel by Sanderson that I have had the chance to try out and my first thoughts are somewhat conflicted on the entire project.
First things first the graphic novel did get a lot of it right - I liked the aesthetics and the art. The fantasy world looked really interesting and I would be down to experience more of it. In addition to that, the story does have a great premise. I believe the original sales pitch for it was "Harry Potter from the eyes of Voldemort" which just sounds awesome. Being in the shoes of a reluctant Dark Lord is a very compelling idea and something that Sanderson should definitely explore more of. I thought the main character was quite an interesting guy and someone whose journey would be truly fun to follow. I also liked the different factions and the supporting cast.
So why did I not absolutely love it? My first thought out of the gate was that this felt rushed. The graphic novel spans over 200 pages and I just felt that things were moving way too quickly at the expense of proper character growth (I am aware we are getting 2 more volumes but this applies even just looking at what has transpired here). The most painful part about it is that the promise is all there but in the end, I am just left feeling that maybe it should have been a novel instead. The events that went on here could have easily been padded out more in my opinion and this goes for most plot points that occurred during the journey.
I will definitely be continuing with the other two volumes but I have to confess I am looking forward to experience the story in another medium (which is potentially also in the works).
April 25, 2022
I haven't delved too deep into Brandon Sanderson's shared universe, but I did read his previous ghost-written graphic work, White Sand, and that was dull, ugly, and forgettable. Dark One is a step up: it's much more engaging, is often quite attractive, and swings for a fences (in a way that devolves into incoherency).
Dark One is a portal fantasy with a neat twist: what if you stepped through the portal to a fantasy realm where you're the ultimate villain? Sanderson's ghost-writers slip this idea into the bigger, more Sandersonian concept of "the Narrative," which guides the fantasy realm through endless cycles of violence and reconciliation. To follow the Narrative or not follow the Narrative? It's up to Paul, the unassuming kid from New York City, and his counterpart in the "good" nation, Feotora.
If Dark One stuck to a plot as simple as that, I think it might have succeeded. But this is a graphic work by a guy who writes doorstop novels, so naturally we've got about a half-dozen B plots to contend with. Paul's mom is a defense attorney in New York City and she's been tasked for a very unusual serial killer. Paul's mom's boss is...also a guy jumping through portals to the fantasy realm? And Paul's dad plays a role too. Not to mention all the minions Evil Paul acquires who seem to have lives and goals of their own.
The book is the most fun when it's following a confused Paul through his new world. As soon as Paul must choose whether to become the great evil or denounce his role, Dark One loses steam. There are battles, there are pronouncements, there are events that might be twists? I'm honestly unsure what happened in the end. I'd grab the next volume, but this one started strong and left me entirely cold.
Dark One is a portal fantasy with a neat twist: what if you stepped through the portal to a fantasy realm where you're the ultimate villain? Sanderson's ghost-writers slip this idea into the bigger, more Sandersonian concept of "the Narrative," which guides the fantasy realm through endless cycles of violence and reconciliation. To follow the Narrative or not follow the Narrative? It's up to Paul, the unassuming kid from New York City, and his counterpart in the "good" nation, Feotora.
If Dark One stuck to a plot as simple as that, I think it might have succeeded. But this is a graphic work by a guy who writes doorstop novels, so naturally we've got about a half-dozen B plots to contend with. Paul's mom is a defense attorney in New York City and she's been tasked for a very unusual serial killer. Paul's mom's boss is...also a guy jumping through portals to the fantasy realm? And Paul's dad plays a role too. Not to mention all the minions Evil Paul acquires who seem to have lives and goals of their own.
The book is the most fun when it's following a confused Paul through his new world. As soon as Paul must choose whether to become the great evil or denounce his role, Dark One loses steam. There are battles, there are pronouncements, there are events that might be twists? I'm honestly unsure what happened in the end. I'd grab the next volume, but this one started strong and left me entirely cold.
March 17, 2021
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I started reading the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson years ago, but to this day I haven’t managed to finish the first book of the series. I know there's a real hype about Brandon Sanderson's books and as a big fantasy fan myself, I will one day try to pick it up again. So, when I saw that Sanderson plans to publish a graphic novel, I just had to get my hands on it and see if this medium would catch my attention better, seeing as I love reading comics! And it’s true, it was great. The story has great potential, the artwork is amazing, and I couldn’t put this down until I finished it. This feels like an epic fantasy in graphic novel format and I’m all here for it!
In the Dark One Volume 1 we stumble upon the world Mirandus (much like the protagonist Paul), a world which is connected to our well-known Earth, and whose people live by the legacies of the Chosen Ones. There is always a Destined One, chosen as the Narrative’s Champion to be opposed by the Dark One. Once in every generation, there is an epic battle between the light and the dark. And it seems, the chosen ones are always picked from Earth and somehow pulled into Mirandus.
Paul is the Chosen Dark One, but does he want to be? Does he truly understand what this means? He battles with a lot of fear, a forgotten sister, a lost father, a mother he loves but cannot communicate with. So the story starts of with him being in therapy (and hiding the ghost he sees from his therapist). Paul seems like a great character with so much depth. He gets whisked into this new (or rather forgotten) world to him and has to immediately fight his enemies, although he understands nothing that’s happening until he takes a sip from a magic well. The first person he meets is the Princess, who tries to tell him about the dangers they’re in, not knowing who he truly is. I am very intrigued by the relationship between Paul and the Princess, and hope to see this blossom in the next volume.
All in all, such a great read! I recommend this to everyone who likes fantasy, even if they're not usually a big graphic novel fan. Trust me, the read is worth it! Also, I can’t believe that I now have to wait for so long until this continues!
I started reading the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson years ago, but to this day I haven’t managed to finish the first book of the series. I know there's a real hype about Brandon Sanderson's books and as a big fantasy fan myself, I will one day try to pick it up again. So, when I saw that Sanderson plans to publish a graphic novel, I just had to get my hands on it and see if this medium would catch my attention better, seeing as I love reading comics! And it’s true, it was great. The story has great potential, the artwork is amazing, and I couldn’t put this down until I finished it. This feels like an epic fantasy in graphic novel format and I’m all here for it!
In the Dark One Volume 1 we stumble upon the world Mirandus (much like the protagonist Paul), a world which is connected to our well-known Earth, and whose people live by the legacies of the Chosen Ones. There is always a Destined One, chosen as the Narrative’s Champion to be opposed by the Dark One. Once in every generation, there is an epic battle between the light and the dark. And it seems, the chosen ones are always picked from Earth and somehow pulled into Mirandus.
Paul is the Chosen Dark One, but does he want to be? Does he truly understand what this means? He battles with a lot of fear, a forgotten sister, a lost father, a mother he loves but cannot communicate with. So the story starts of with him being in therapy (and hiding the ghost he sees from his therapist). Paul seems like a great character with so much depth. He gets whisked into this new (or rather forgotten) world to him and has to immediately fight his enemies, although he understands nothing that’s happening until he takes a sip from a magic well. The first person he meets is the Princess, who tries to tell him about the dangers they’re in, not knowing who he truly is. I am very intrigued by the relationship between Paul and the Princess, and hope to see this blossom in the next volume.
All in all, such a great read! I recommend this to everyone who likes fantasy, even if they're not usually a big graphic novel fan. Trust me, the read is worth it! Also, I can’t believe that I now have to wait for so long until this continues!
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February 10, 2023
Die Graphic Novel "Der Dunkle" von Brandon Sanderon spielt in zwei parallelen Welten. Es ist sowohl eine Low Fantasy, die in New York angesiedelt ist, als auch eine High Fantasy auf dem fiktiven Planeten Mirandus.
Die Geschichte ist eine Abwandlung der klassischen "Chosen One"-Trope, wobei der Protagonist Paul die Rolle des titelgebenden "Dunklen" übernimmt. Die Geschichte spielt abwechselnd auf der Erde und auf Mirandus, um Pauls Hintergrundgeschichte und seinen Aufstieg zum Dunklen darzustellen.
Die Illustrationen haben mir gut gefallen (obwohl ich auch zugeben muss, auf diesem Gebiet ziemlich wenig Erfahrung oder eine Vergleichsbasis zu haben). Besonders geschickt fand ich die Verwendung der unterschiedlichen Farbschemata für die beiden Planeten.
Insgesamt eine unterhaltsame, kurzweilige Lektüre.
Das Hörbuch, das als Prequel zu dieser Graphic Novel 2023 erschienen ist, werde ich mir definitiv anhören!
Die Geschichte ist eine Abwandlung der klassischen "Chosen One"-Trope, wobei der Protagonist Paul die Rolle des titelgebenden "Dunklen" übernimmt. Die Geschichte spielt abwechselnd auf der Erde und auf Mirandus, um Pauls Hintergrundgeschichte und seinen Aufstieg zum Dunklen darzustellen.
Die Illustrationen haben mir gut gefallen (obwohl ich auch zugeben muss, auf diesem Gebiet ziemlich wenig Erfahrung oder eine Vergleichsbasis zu haben). Besonders geschickt fand ich die Verwendung der unterschiedlichen Farbschemata für die beiden Planeten.
Insgesamt eine unterhaltsame, kurzweilige Lektüre.
Das Hörbuch, das als Prequel zu dieser Graphic Novel 2023 erschienen ist, werde ich mir definitiv anhören!
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