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The Labyrinth
A world covered by ruins and ash, the remnants of an otherwordly phenomenon that has ravaged the earth’s atmosphere and forced the few survivors deep underground. Matt, Sigrid and Charlie leave the safe harbor of the enclave for an expedition onto the wastelands of the surface world. During their journey they are forced to confront dark secrets from the time before civilization’s fall.
150 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2020
41 people are currently reading
3093 people want to read
About the author
Simon Stålenhag
24 books872 followersKonstnären och författaren Simon Stålenhag är mest känd för sina digitala målningar som ofta visar vardagliga scener med fantastiska inslag. Efter sitt genombrott 2013 har Stålenhag publicerat två böcker om ett alternativt 1980- och 90-tal på Mälaröarna utanför Stockholm. Ur varselklotet (2014) och Flodskörden (2016) har hyllats både i Sverige och utomlands. Den ansedda tidningen The Guardian korade Ur varselklotet till en av tidernas bästa dystopier, i sällskap med Franz Kafkas Processen och Andrew Niccols Gattaca.
Simon Stålenhags evokativa och filmlika bildspråk har väckt uppmärksamhet även i film- och datorspelsvärlden. Han har verkat som konceptillustratör och manusförfattare i ett flertal projekt. Stålenhag har medverkat i Searching for Sugarman (regisserad av Malik Bendjeloull) och i datorspel så som Ripple Dot Zero (2013).
Simon Stålenhags evokativa och filmlika bildspråk har väckt uppmärksamhet även i film- och datorspelsvärlden. Han har verkat som konceptillustratör och manusförfattare i ett flertal projekt. Stålenhag har medverkat i Searching for Sugarman (regisserad av Malik Bendjeloull) och i datorspel så som Ripple Dot Zero (2013).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
August 21, 2023
“In order to save humanity, we were forced to be inhumane for a limited period of time.”
As far as the story goes, The Labyrinth is probably the most conventionally straightforward of Stålenhag’s books so far, and that is not a criticism in any way. It’s a more streamlined narrative rather than a loose collection of vignettes supporting the art. Here for the first time it felt like the art supported the story.
And it’s very good. And much darker than his other stories - both literally with a much darker palette filled with grays and greens and muddy yellows and with very muted light, and figuratively with the story going to truly ugly places hiding behind deceptively simple and matter-of-fact words. It is the world that decayed and disintegrated externally and internally, in the very cores of our characters, and it becomes more and more defined as the significance of all the little details becomes clearer and a whole picture slowly emerges.
“It was what it was. And it was over. The suffering was over. The only feeling in me was that of relief.”
The titular labyrinth to me is the figurative unveiling of the maze of the narrative, getting us little by little to the pain and ugliness and unforgivable guilt at the center of the story. The uneasiness is there from the very first pages, and it grows and grows, with the feeling of fatalistic wrongness solidifying further and further until it all unravels in the way both unexpected and yet completely inevitable.
“Because you don’t kill ants one by one. All you have to do is infect a couple of them who then bring the poison to the rest of the colony. You let the ants exterminate themselves.”
This is the first Stålenhag that I had the pleasure of reading in hardcover (thanks to an awesome friend), and it’s absolutely worth it, the lovely hardback with arrestingly beautiful art (even if to the horror of this ebook addict hardcovers do not come with zoom function).
Stålenhag’s art remains photographically hyperrealistic, grounding the surreal and science-fictional in reality. Something about its quality looks timeless, but with less nostalgia than before and more unease. The cold, the ash, the ruins, the sun green through the toxic fog — all of it builds the world in such a way that only a few words are needed for the rest of it to hit you hard, to make the darkness feel almost upsettingly real, a waking nightmare.
Simon Stålenhag’s books are an experience first and foremost, and I’ll be there for anything he creates in the future.
5 stars.
“The screams have stopped and in the new silence there was a kind of peace.”
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Buddy read with Dennis (his review). Thanks, friend :)
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Also posted on my blog.
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My reviews of all Simon Stålenhag’s books:
- The Electric State
- Tales From the Loop
- Things From the Flood
- The Labyrinth
February 7, 2022
And now I’ve read all of Stålenhag’s books and that’s making me a little sad. I hope he’s working on something new.
This, his latest one, feels like the most traditional story of them all. It is still delightfully moody and told in such a way that it leaves some things to the imagination of the reader. But not as much as his other works. It is a little sci-fi thriller, set in a post-apocalyptic world, that focuses on a very small group of people that mostly interacts with each other in a confined space, sheltered from outside influences (deadly ones, in this case), while they are dealing with some psychological effects of [spoilers removed].
I like little sci-fi stories like that. It’s similar in style to movies like Moon or Ex_Machina, although it tells a totally different story. Anyone seen The Signal with Laurence Fishburne? No, it’s not like that one either. But somehow it is like all of them. Anyways, I’m a fan of those kind of stories. But I liked his previous books better. I think in terms of story The Electric State was more interesting, and all of his other books were just more unique.
This also is a step back in terms of the artwork. I mean, it is still great. But the exterior shots (do you call it shots if they are paintings?) are very dark, which means details are often swallowed up. The inside shots are mostly sparse, with some being still lifes.
I realize that now I’m maybe sounding a little too negative. This was still very good. It just lacked the wow-factor of his other works. But I enjoyed reading it, for sure.
After searching the internet for a couple of pictures, I now think that it’s probably better to read this in digital form. It’s a shame, since the hardcovers of these books are beautiful. But everything I saw on the web looks much more detailed. Maybe this just didn’t translate well to print.
This, his latest one, feels like the most traditional story of them all. It is still delightfully moody and told in such a way that it leaves some things to the imagination of the reader. But not as much as his other works. It is a little sci-fi thriller, set in a post-apocalyptic world, that focuses on a very small group of people that mostly interacts with each other in a confined space, sheltered from outside influences (deadly ones, in this case), while they are dealing with some psychological effects of [spoilers removed].
I like little sci-fi stories like that. It’s similar in style to movies like Moon or Ex_Machina, although it tells a totally different story. Anyone seen The Signal with Laurence Fishburne? No, it’s not like that one either. But somehow it is like all of them. Anyways, I’m a fan of those kind of stories. But I liked his previous books better. I think in terms of story The Electric State was more interesting, and all of his other books were just more unique.
This also is a step back in terms of the artwork. I mean, it is still great. But the exterior shots (do you call it shots if they are paintings?) are very dark, which means details are often swallowed up. The inside shots are mostly sparse, with some being still lifes.
I realize that now I’m maybe sounding a little too negative. This was still very good. It just lacked the wow-factor of his other works. But I enjoyed reading it, for sure.
After searching the internet for a couple of pictures, I now think that it’s probably better to read this in digital form. It’s a shame, since the hardcovers of these books are beautiful. But everything I saw on the web looks much more detailed. Maybe this just didn’t translate well to print.
October 25, 2023
It's called "when Greek mythology kicks you in the balls unexpectedly". I'm sorry if it's a spoiler for someone or if it will put someone on the wrong track. Probably it's still not what you think, we all have our different Greek mythologies. And it's still very worth reading, despite the darkness (literally and not so much literally) and depression. Simon Stålenhag, the king of gloom and weirdness in mundane.
February 2, 2021
I'm torn, maybe this should have been 4 stars?
While I'm a massive Stålenhag fan, I prefer his previous books to this.
While this, maybe, has more of a story arch, I find the paintings - while still very well executed - in terms of their subject less interesting. Stålenhag still captures the usual 70s eeriness we have come to expect and love from him, but there is less in terms of surrealism/fantasy/future in these...
In effect it's less cyberpunk than his previous works. In fact, in part I felt that some drones of previous books had made it by error into this one, and some of the paintings feel like he's duplicated the same frame multiple times with minor differences...
In terms of plot I wished a bit more depth, more 'colour'. It feels all very much a story of people, while I wish we'd be told more on the world itself. In effect, the world-building is just a bit thin.
In any case, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, this book feels much darker than his previous ones.
I'd buy this again, to support an amazing artist, and it was a good read for a couple of hours, but I'm not sure I will look at this book again soon...
So I'd say, if you are a Stålenhag fan get, it, but don't make it your first book you read of his...
While I'm a massive Stålenhag fan, I prefer his previous books to this.
While this, maybe, has more of a story arch, I find the paintings - while still very well executed - in terms of their subject less interesting. Stålenhag still captures the usual 70s eeriness we have come to expect and love from him, but there is less in terms of surrealism/fantasy/future in these...
In effect it's less cyberpunk than his previous works. In fact, in part I felt that some drones of previous books had made it by error into this one, and some of the paintings feel like he's duplicated the same frame multiple times with minor differences...
In terms of plot I wished a bit more depth, more 'colour'. It feels all very much a story of people, while I wish we'd be told more on the world itself. In effect, the world-building is just a bit thin.
In any case, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, this book feels much darker than his previous ones.
I'd buy this again, to support an amazing artist, and it was a good read for a couple of hours, but I'm not sure I will look at this book again soon...
So I'd say, if you are a Stålenhag fan get, it, but don't make it your first book you read of his...
March 29, 2025
Mondi apocalittici, mega-robot, desolazione, grafica digitale e soprattutto l'essere umano che cerca di vivere nonostante la devastazione sia una certezza e non più solo una premonizione!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72oOw...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72oOw...
July 21, 2022
This is my third Stålenhag read, after Tales from the Loop and Things from the Flood, and is the same combination of full-page artwork interspersed with text. Unlike those, though, The Labyrinth is a narrative too.
It’s also much darker (in both senses of the word). The Earth’s surface has finally become uninhabitable, its atmosphere choked with ammonia and other toxins pumped into it by the mysterious black spheres which have been appearing in the sky for a decade. Perhaps this is some unknown natural phenomenon, or the prelude to an alien invasion? In the “Loop” books though, particularly towards the end, sentient machines and weirder things were seen coming up from the decommissioned, and now derelict, particle-accelerator ring beneath the Swedish countryside—and the landscape in this book does look like a post-apocalyptic Scandinavia, so I think that’s where we still are here, but a couple of decades further on.
The narrator is Sigrid, recently returned from an expedition up to the planet’s surface together with her brother Matt and a troubled teenager called Charlie, from Kungshall, a self-contained underground town constructed to house the remnant Swedish population. Their destination had been Granhammar, one of the surface stations; and from there they drove out into the appalling landscape to take readings and collect samples. In the near-darkness there are glimpses of ruined apartment blocks, giant alien-looking plants and a greenish sun showing through the ammonia cloudbanks; the landscapes are dunes of ash and the leaning trunks of dead spruce trees. It was back at the surface station, though, that the culmination of a more personal tragedy unfolded.
I know what it is I love about Stålenhag’s books. There’s the stunning artwork obviously; also the concept, the simple idea behind the Loop. But they’re also so understated—the very opposite of an overblown Hollywood SF-film for instance—and that’s particularly true of The Labyrinth.
It’s also much darker (in both senses of the word). The Earth’s surface has finally become uninhabitable, its atmosphere choked with ammonia and other toxins pumped into it by the mysterious black spheres which have been appearing in the sky for a decade. Perhaps this is some unknown natural phenomenon, or the prelude to an alien invasion? In the “Loop” books though, particularly towards the end, sentient machines and weirder things were seen coming up from the decommissioned, and now derelict, particle-accelerator ring beneath the Swedish countryside—and the landscape in this book does look like a post-apocalyptic Scandinavia, so I think that’s where we still are here, but a couple of decades further on.
The narrator is Sigrid, recently returned from an expedition up to the planet’s surface together with her brother Matt and a troubled teenager called Charlie, from Kungshall, a self-contained underground town constructed to house the remnant Swedish population. Their destination had been Granhammar, one of the surface stations; and from there they drove out into the appalling landscape to take readings and collect samples. In the near-darkness there are glimpses of ruined apartment blocks, giant alien-looking plants and a greenish sun showing through the ammonia cloudbanks; the landscapes are dunes of ash and the leaning trunks of dead spruce trees. It was back at the surface station, though, that the culmination of a more personal tragedy unfolded.
I know what it is I love about Stålenhag’s books. There’s the stunning artwork obviously; also the concept, the simple idea behind the Loop. But they’re also so understated—the very opposite of an overblown Hollywood SF-film for instance—and that’s particularly true of The Labyrinth.
December 26, 2024
"Can we ever be forgiven for the crimes of which we are guilty? I don't think so."
Wow, this was dark. Another beautiful addition to Stålenhag's stunning oeuvre, which certainly creates an emotional impact.
The Labyrinth is more of an experience than a book. Similarly to his other publications, his books are somewhere between an art book and a novel – both, the visual and the written work together to build a world and tell the story.
Said story is told from the perspective of Sigrid and from her we learn that she lives with her brother Matt and adopted son Charlie in an underground safety harbour, sheltering them from an otherworldly phenomenon that has ravaged the earth's surface and atmosphere. In typical Stålenhag fashion, we gather bits and pieces about the world and its becomings through the illustrations and fragmented story Sigrid is recounting, though it's also probably the most linear and straight-forward story of his so far! There's an actual narrative and we follow the characters more closely than we have in previous creative outputs of his.
It's extremely haunting in two ways. Not only do we learn about what has happened to the world, but there are also personal demons hiding in Sigrid's and Matt's closet that we're slowly finding out about. What I find particularly impactful is how we get enough information to get sucked in, but there's always room for your own imagination to go wild as well. It's just that consistent in the atmosphere and general vibe it creates.
And everything just comes together so well. We see some images that are striking and beautifully painted (they all are), that later reappear with some more context information, filling in the blanks we had during the first time they were presented to us. An example:
This definitely isn't a light read and I'd say from all the books of his I have read so far it's the bleakest and saddest so far. Treat lightly, but if you do, you're in for a ride and something that might haunt you long after you turned the last page. I'm certainly still thinking about it.
Wow, this was dark. Another beautiful addition to Stålenhag's stunning oeuvre, which certainly creates an emotional impact.
The Labyrinth is more of an experience than a book. Similarly to his other publications, his books are somewhere between an art book and a novel – both, the visual and the written work together to build a world and tell the story.
Said story is told from the perspective of Sigrid and from her we learn that she lives with her brother Matt and adopted son Charlie in an underground safety harbour, sheltering them from an otherworldly phenomenon that has ravaged the earth's surface and atmosphere. In typical Stålenhag fashion, we gather bits and pieces about the world and its becomings through the illustrations and fragmented story Sigrid is recounting, though it's also probably the most linear and straight-forward story of his so far! There's an actual narrative and we follow the characters more closely than we have in previous creative outputs of his.
It's extremely haunting in two ways. Not only do we learn about what has happened to the world, but there are also personal demons hiding in Sigrid's and Matt's closet that we're slowly finding out about. What I find particularly impactful is how we get enough information to get sucked in, but there's always room for your own imagination to go wild as well. It's just that consistent in the atmosphere and general vibe it creates.
And everything just comes together so well. We see some images that are striking and beautifully painted (they all are), that later reappear with some more context information, filling in the blanks we had during the first time they were presented to us. An example:
This definitely isn't a light read and I'd say from all the books of his I have read so far it's the bleakest and saddest so far. Treat lightly, but if you do, you're in for a ride and something that might haunt you long after you turned the last page. I'm certainly still thinking about it.
December 26, 2020
Kicsit más ez a Stålenhag mint az eddigiek. Egyrészt sokkal több szöveg van benne, másrészt kevesebbet foglalkozik úgy általában az emberiséget sújtó különböző, apokaliptikus történésekkel. Itt inkább az egyénre koncentrál és egy/a rezsim az egyénre gyakorolt hatására. Picit eltávolodóban van az eddigi, keményvonalas Stålenhag-stílustól, bár hasonlóságok természetesen vannak, úgy grafikailag mint tematikailag.
A grafikák nagyon jók és nagyon sötétek, szó szerint. Minden szürke, minden ködbe-füstbe fúl. Egyáltalán: az egész könyv nagyon sötét, hangulatilag, tematikailag. Nem egy vidám történet, de hát az ember nem vár Stålenhag-tól vidám sztorikat.
Az Istennek sem sikerült megfejtenem a cím és a tartalom összefüggését, merthogy nincs sok közük egymáshoz. Mármint akár lehetne is, ha nagyon megerőltetem magam, de ennyi erővel kötésmintát is bele lehet látni egy építészeti szakkönyvbe. Aztán jött L. és az orrom alá tolt egy interjút, amiből szerencsére kiderül, hogy nem is kell nagyon összefüggéseket keresni. Stålenhag beleszerelmesedett a címbe és kellett neki egy Stålenhag Labirintusa, így hát írt egyet. Végül is, miért ne? :))
A grafikák nagyon jók és nagyon sötétek, szó szerint. Minden szürke, minden ködbe-füstbe fúl. Egyáltalán: az egész könyv nagyon sötét, hangulatilag, tematikailag. Nem egy vidám történet, de hát az ember nem vár Stålenhag-tól vidám sztorikat.
Az Istennek sem sikerült megfejtenem a cím és a tartalom összefüggését, merthogy nincs sok közük egymáshoz. Mármint akár lehetne is, ha nagyon megerőltetem magam, de ennyi erővel kötésmintát is bele lehet látni egy építészeti szakkönyvbe. Aztán jött L. és az orrom alá tolt egy interjút, amiből szerencsére kiderül, hogy nem is kell nagyon összefüggéseket keresni. Stålenhag beleszerelmesedett a címbe és kellett neki egy Stålenhag Labirintusa, így hát írt egyet. Végül is, miért ne? :))
July 22, 2023
One of the most gorgeous graphic novels I’ve ever read. Depressing like all Stalenhag’s works, but I think his best.
September 7, 2024
Tavole davvero meravigliose
January 12, 2025
This author always carefully crafts the story backwards towards a startling truth.
Also, some of the most fascinating photorealism illustration, contrasting the ordinary and familiar with the sci fi bizarre. It's a testament to how we adapt and what we accept as normal (or even justified).
Also, some of the most fascinating photorealism illustration, contrasting the ordinary and familiar with the sci fi bizarre. It's a testament to how we adapt and what we accept as normal (or even justified).
September 21, 2025
REREAD UPDATE: Not that I'm intentionally trying to make everything political, but this just somehow seemed a lot darker rereading it now, about one year into Trump's second term...Otherwise, just as depressing and disturbing as the first time around.
THe good news is, Stålenhag has a new book coming out in December, Sunset at Zero Point, which A) looks to be a bit lighter, B) it's about time, and C) woo-hoo!
ORIGINAL REVIEW:"It was first thought to be some kind of cosmic phenomenon. As if our solar system had drifted into an unknown part of the galaxy where there were processes as yet unmapped by human science. The black globes appeared to follow rules and regularities that transcended those of nature or change. Occasionally, they were seen moving in formation, patiently gliding through the landscape from one place to another.
"As if there were following a plan of action."
And that really is all the backstory you get in Simon Stålenhag's latest sumptuous trip into his bizarre post-apocalyptic universe, (or more accurately, one of his universes, as this end-of-the-world Earth seems unrelated to the different-yet-equally-shitty world depicted in his earlier and absolutely outstanding The Electric State). From then on, it's a straight-up horror/mystery/tragedy with only occasional glimpses of the ships and machines and mysterious black globes and…alien plant thingies?...that are all that remain on Earth's surface. In their place, we get claustrophobic images of on underground base and a WAY dysfunctional family…
But that's all I can say without totally giving away the whole plot of this slim but unsettling tale. Unfortunately, as good — and disturbingly beautiful — as it is, it just doesn't compare to Electric State, which was also in the end a story about siblings, but was just much more of a revelation in its combination of gorgeous/haunting images, spartan text and barely-hinted-at world building. So a very solid 4 stars for this worthy addition to Stålenhag's growing body of work — but only because Electric is a full-on 6.
PERSONAL NOTE: This fairly pricey book was an unexpected gift from a Goodreads friend, who just "had an extra copy" and so sent it off to me at her own expense…aren't GR friends just the best??
THe good news is, Stålenhag has a new book coming out in December, Sunset at Zero Point, which A) looks to be a bit lighter, B) it's about time, and C) woo-hoo!
ORIGINAL REVIEW:"It was first thought to be some kind of cosmic phenomenon. As if our solar system had drifted into an unknown part of the galaxy where there were processes as yet unmapped by human science. The black globes appeared to follow rules and regularities that transcended those of nature or change. Occasionally, they were seen moving in formation, patiently gliding through the landscape from one place to another.
"As if there were following a plan of action."
And that really is all the backstory you get in Simon Stålenhag's latest sumptuous trip into his bizarre post-apocalyptic universe, (or more accurately, one of his universes, as this end-of-the-world Earth seems unrelated to the different-yet-equally-shitty world depicted in his earlier and absolutely outstanding The Electric State). From then on, it's a straight-up horror/mystery/tragedy with only occasional glimpses of the ships and machines and mysterious black globes and…alien plant thingies?...that are all that remain on Earth's surface. In their place, we get claustrophobic images of on underground base and a WAY dysfunctional family…
But that's all I can say without totally giving away the whole plot of this slim but unsettling tale. Unfortunately, as good — and disturbingly beautiful — as it is, it just doesn't compare to Electric State, which was also in the end a story about siblings, but was just much more of a revelation in its combination of gorgeous/haunting images, spartan text and barely-hinted-at world building. So a very solid 4 stars for this worthy addition to Stålenhag's growing body of work — but only because Electric is a full-on 6.
PERSONAL NOTE: This fairly pricey book was an unexpected gift from a Goodreads friend, who just "had an extra copy" and so sent it off to me at her own expense…aren't GR friends just the best??
December 21, 2020
I guess I should blame my brother for this one as he introduced me to the amazing art of Simon Stalenhag all those years ago. Ever since then I have been following his creations through role playing games (which I have recently added to my collection) to TV shows and even board games.
So when a Kickstarter project appeared offering to get in at the launch of his latest book The Labyrinth I was both intrigued and up for it. Well today I received the reward of this project - a beautifully bound copy of The Labyrinth.
Now even if was in to spoilers I would not here as this book I do believe is not out for general circulation yet (although I can see this being another one of his classic when it does) but I have to say that this is a departure from the world of the loop or even the electric state. Though the story and artwork as just as haunting and incredible.
If you enjoyed the tales from the loop you will enjoy this book but bewaned it is a lot darker. This to me is an intriguing indication of the possibilities yet to be seen from Simon Stalenhag and I for one will be looking for any more such opportunities to back his work as I will recommend to others as well.
So when a Kickstarter project appeared offering to get in at the launch of his latest book The Labyrinth I was both intrigued and up for it. Well today I received the reward of this project - a beautifully bound copy of The Labyrinth.
Now even if was in to spoilers I would not here as this book I do believe is not out for general circulation yet (although I can see this being another one of his classic when it does) but I have to say that this is a departure from the world of the loop or even the electric state. Though the story and artwork as just as haunting and incredible.
If you enjoyed the tales from the loop you will enjoy this book but bewaned it is a lot darker. This to me is an intriguing indication of the possibilities yet to be seen from Simon Stalenhag and I for one will be looking for any more such opportunities to back his work as I will recommend to others as well.
February 11, 2022
Soooo bleeeeeaaaaaak plus solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
Well, ok, not necessarily poor nor nasty. But definitely solitary.
Black globes in the sky are ruining our world and the survivors are all people with some type of skill that can be used to keep humanity going until the black globes go away and we can reclaim our lands; plus a moody thirteen-year-old boy.
Charlie, the thirteen-year-old, is acting up in the safe haven so is pulled from school and goes with Sigrid, a microbiologist, and her brother, Matt, her backup, to the surface where the three of them will spend a week in one of four big, empty, solitary research stations.
Things don't go as planned.
Per usual, Stålenhag's illustrations are fascinating and mesmerizing. Darker and simpler than in some of his other works, these pictures convey heaping spoonfuls of loneliness, death, otherness. The neat little details in past works don't show up here, this is all wide expanses of what-used-to-be-but-no-longer-is and close-ups of the small, leftover spaces humanity now occupies.
Overall, the whole thing is a depressing psychological thriller, a character study told by a narrator whose understanding of feelings is fairly limited and whose ability to compartmentalize allows for a horrible story to unfold without hints of what's coming.
Well, ok, not necessarily poor nor nasty. But definitely solitary.
Black globes in the sky are ruining our world and the survivors are all people with some type of skill that can be used to keep humanity going until the black globes go away and we can reclaim our lands; plus a moody thirteen-year-old boy.
Charlie, the thirteen-year-old, is acting up in the safe haven so is pulled from school and goes with Sigrid, a microbiologist, and her brother, Matt, her backup, to the surface where the three of them will spend a week in one of four big, empty, solitary research stations.
Things don't go as planned.
Per usual, Stålenhag's illustrations are fascinating and mesmerizing. Darker and simpler than in some of his other works, these pictures convey heaping spoonfuls of loneliness, death, otherness. The neat little details in past works don't show up here, this is all wide expanses of what-used-to-be-but-no-longer-is and close-ups of the small, leftover spaces humanity now occupies.
Overall, the whole thing is a depressing psychological thriller, a character study told by a narrator whose understanding of feelings is fairly limited and whose ability to compartmentalize allows for a horrible story to unfold without hints of what's coming.
January 26, 2023
"Die schwarzen Sphären kamen aus dem Nichts. Manchmal schwebten sie allein über den Himmel, manchmal in Gruppen, als folgten sie einem Plan. Die Toxine, die sie in die Umwelt entließen, verseuchten unsere Atmosphäre und machten alles Leben an der Erdoberfläche unmöglich"
Eine dystopische Zukunfsversion malt uns der Autor in diesem illustrierten Roman. Mit wenigen Worten und vielen düsteren Bildern wird eine Welt lebendig, die sich entschieden von unserer unterscheidet und menschenfeindlich ist. Die Geschichte erzählt nur einen kurzen Ausschnitt, wir erfahren weder, wer diese Sphären geschickt hat , noch, aus welchem Grund. Erzählt wird das Schicksal dreier Menschen. Faszinierend mit wie wenigen Worten der Autor seine Geschichte erzählt und wie realistisch, detailliert und bedrückend die Bilder sind. Eine ganz neue Lese Erfahrung. Das war sicherlich nicht mein letztes Buch von Simon Stålenhag. Kunst meets Literatur
Eine dystopische Zukunfsversion malt uns der Autor in diesem illustrierten Roman. Mit wenigen Worten und vielen düsteren Bildern wird eine Welt lebendig, die sich entschieden von unserer unterscheidet und menschenfeindlich ist. Die Geschichte erzählt nur einen kurzen Ausschnitt, wir erfahren weder, wer diese Sphären geschickt hat , noch, aus welchem Grund. Erzählt wird das Schicksal dreier Menschen. Faszinierend mit wie wenigen Worten der Autor seine Geschichte erzählt und wie realistisch, detailliert und bedrückend die Bilder sind. Eine ganz neue Lese Erfahrung. Das war sicherlich nicht mein letztes Buch von Simon Stålenhag. Kunst meets Literatur
January 3, 2022
The weakest of Stålenhag's works so far, to the point where if you have already read or pored over any of his other books this just feels unnecessary and familiar.
While I am generally a fan of soft world-building, The Labyrinth is chock full of items key to the story that remain unexplored in every direction. Stålenhag, in his usual form, instead uses the setting as a backdrop and hones in on what should be a very elementally emotional crux. While this worked magnificently in The Electric State and Tales From The Loop, here the story feels taut and even a bit silly for the subject matter. I am also a but frustrated by the title - "The Labyrinth" - because it gives the idea that there is more to explore here than is revealed. Other than some chapter imagery that shows a maze getting larger and larger, I don't think there is really anything under the surface of this tale, and if so the symbol of the labyrinth fails miserably.
The artwork is skillful and imaginative as always, but I think Stålenhag needs to develop more of a voice as a storyteller.
While I am generally a fan of soft world-building, The Labyrinth is chock full of items key to the story that remain unexplored in every direction. Stålenhag, in his usual form, instead uses the setting as a backdrop and hones in on what should be a very elementally emotional crux. While this worked magnificently in The Electric State and Tales From The Loop, here the story feels taut and even a bit silly for the subject matter. I am also a but frustrated by the title - "The Labyrinth" - because it gives the idea that there is more to explore here than is revealed. Other than some chapter imagery that shows a maze getting larger and larger, I don't think there is really anything under the surface of this tale, and if so the symbol of the labyrinth fails miserably.
The artwork is skillful and imaginative as always, but I think Stålenhag needs to develop more of a voice as a storyteller.
November 25, 2024
A dark and chilling and incredible tale told with fascinating graphics and streamlined yet affecting words.
Ash gets into everything.
Ash gets into everything.
May 13, 2025
Gah! I didn’t mean to go through this story so fast! I want more!
August 8, 2025
Amazing art, hyper realistic and haunting. It reminded me of Jeff Vandermeer in art form. Dark and weird sci-fi.
The story was surprisingly dark, and more or less a short story told mainly through pictures. The paragraphs he put with the pictures gave you an interesting look into this dystopian world and the things people did to survive.
I recommend this if you like dark sci-fi!
The story was surprisingly dark, and more or less a short story told mainly through pictures. The paragraphs he put with the pictures gave you an interesting look into this dystopian world and the things people did to survive.
I recommend this if you like dark sci-fi!
September 23, 2023
The artwork in this is on another level. The story was pretty eerie. I don't really read a lot of horror, but this didn't really bother me till it got a bit gory at the end.
May 22, 2023
HEAVY. Stalenhag knows how to do it.
December 25, 2021
Yep, I want to make books like this.
November 18, 2021
I can’t help but feel a bit cheated by the blurb, cover, and even the very title of the book.
It seemed to tease a tale of exploration in a grim, eerie, post-apocalyptic world and as I was fliping the first page I was eager to plunge myself into the strange, dark lore the front cover promised to deliver (something perhaps a bit reminiscent of 'Annihilation' by Jeff Vandermeer).
All of that though serves solely as the mere backdrop for a much different kind of story.
Well, that’s alright I guess, that was mostly on me (although I still think the blurb is fairly misleading).
The actual story focuses more on themes of vengeance, violence, need of redemption and buried secrets. That’s some powerful stuff!
Now, those are quite challenging themes and usually you:
Either need some space for them to be explored properly –something which the picture book format of ‘Labyrinth’ with its minimal text doesn’t provide,
Or the writing has to pack a serious punch, meaning you need to be a very skilled writer.
Sadly for me it didn’t hit the mark.
As stated above the text is minimal and the writing is quite basic, more like a summarized version of a longer story.
While it’s trying to delve into human nature and moral dilemmas, the interactions between characters are limited and somewhat simplistic and the characters themselves not fleshed out enough. My main issue though is that these ‘shortcomings’ could have been compensated by some compelling and cleverly placed dialogue or/and monologue that would add the necessary intensity and depth.
I was strangely detached by all the drama and the narration never managed to grip me and make me actually feel or care for what was happening, even when things got sad or dark.
I’ll admit some things did peak my interest, mostly through the artwork which is beautiful and manages to give some illusion of worldbuilding. The sceneries are atmospheric and do make you wonder and crave for more, while the dark palette and gloomy vibes give you a feeling of unease and loneliness that works really well.
I don’t know, perhaps this works better if you approach it more as some intriguing illustrations with a simple, accompanying tale to wrap it all up, rather than an illustrated story.
Unfortunately I was expecting something more though, both as a concept and as a reading experience and I do believe that if ‘Labyrinth’ was better written it could have been a real gem of a short story.
Most reviewers seem to be of the opinion that this is probably the weakest of Stålenhag books so I’ll keep in mind to check some of the other titles at some point.
It seemed to tease a tale of exploration in a grim, eerie, post-apocalyptic world and as I was fliping the first page I was eager to plunge myself into the strange, dark lore the front cover promised to deliver (something perhaps a bit reminiscent of 'Annihilation' by Jeff Vandermeer).
All of that though serves solely as the mere backdrop for a much different kind of story.
Well, that’s alright I guess, that was mostly on me (although I still think the blurb is fairly misleading).
The actual story focuses more on themes of vengeance, violence, need of redemption and buried secrets. That’s some powerful stuff!
Now, those are quite challenging themes and usually you:
Either need some space for them to be explored properly –something which the picture book format of ‘Labyrinth’ with its minimal text doesn’t provide,
Or the writing has to pack a serious punch, meaning you need to be a very skilled writer.
Sadly for me it didn’t hit the mark.
As stated above the text is minimal and the writing is quite basic, more like a summarized version of a longer story.
While it’s trying to delve into human nature and moral dilemmas, the interactions between characters are limited and somewhat simplistic and the characters themselves not fleshed out enough. My main issue though is that these ‘shortcomings’ could have been compensated by some compelling and cleverly placed dialogue or/and monologue that would add the necessary intensity and depth.
I was strangely detached by all the drama and the narration never managed to grip me and make me actually feel or care for what was happening, even when things got sad or dark.
I’ll admit some things did peak my interest, mostly through the artwork which is beautiful and manages to give some illusion of worldbuilding. The sceneries are atmospheric and do make you wonder and crave for more, while the dark palette and gloomy vibes give you a feeling of unease and loneliness that works really well.
I don’t know, perhaps this works better if you approach it more as some intriguing illustrations with a simple, accompanying tale to wrap it all up, rather than an illustrated story.
Unfortunately I was expecting something more though, both as a concept and as a reading experience and I do believe that if ‘Labyrinth’ was better written it could have been a real gem of a short story.
Most reviewers seem to be of the opinion that this is probably the weakest of Stålenhag books so I’ll keep in mind to check some of the other titles at some point.
August 9, 2022
Dark and powerful in an unexpected way.
The Labyrith was a very moving story.
...The world is covered by ruins and ash. Remnants of an otherworldly phenomenon have ravaged Earth's atmosphere and forced the few survivors deep underground. When Matt, Sigrid, and Charlie leave the isolation of their subterranean outpost, their expedition across the wastelands forces to confront their own dark history and the madness lurking in our ruined world...
Darker than I expected, but in the best way possible. Uncover secrets and find new and surprising twists that are only encouraged by the amazing illustrations by Simon Stålenhag.
I need to find this and buy it for my shelf.
The Labyrith was a very moving story.
...The world is covered by ruins and ash. Remnants of an otherworldly phenomenon have ravaged Earth's atmosphere and forced the few survivors deep underground. When Matt, Sigrid, and Charlie leave the isolation of their subterranean outpost, their expedition across the wastelands forces to confront their own dark history and the madness lurking in our ruined world...
Darker than I expected, but in the best way possible. Uncover secrets and find new and surprising twists that are only encouraged by the amazing illustrations by Simon Stålenhag.
I need to find this and buy it for my shelf.
August 25, 2021
To call this a gloomy story would be an understatement. It combines a bunch of pretty dismal themes and makes a mish-mash of claustrophobia and hopelessness.
Paintings are amazing, although reflect the gloomy palette. But you decided to pick up a Stålenhag, so that's to be expected right?
Paintings are amazing, although reflect the gloomy palette. But you decided to pick up a Stålenhag, so that's to be expected right?
December 27, 2020
Detta är Simon Stålenhags femte bok, det är som vanligt en blandning av konstbok och roman.
Om jag förstår rätt så har denna inget att göra med hans tidigare böcker. Men jag känner att denna kan utspela sig i samma värld, då jag känner igen vissa saker från tidigare böcker. Man behöver alltså inte ha läst de tidigare böckerna för att kunna hänga med i denna.
Nu är vi tillbaka i Sverige, i den förra så befann vi oss i USA. Vi befinner oss någonstans i framtiden och världen har mer eller mindre gått under, de få överlevande befinner sig i stora anläggningar under jorden.
Man gör expeditioner till ytan och gör vissa mätningar. Det är en av dessa som vi följer. Redan från första sidan så förstår vi att något inte har gått som det skulle. Handlingen berättas i olika trådar, vi som läsare får veta mer och mer om vad som hände. Det som målas upp är en mörk berättelse, skulle säga att denna bok är den mörkaste av Stålenhags böcker.
Det är ett bra knep som berättare att hoppa mellan tidshändelserna, vi som läsare har inte hela bilden framför oss och det håller intresset uppe och nyfikenheten på tå. Vi som läsare vet att något hände med expeditionen, men vi får också aningar om att det är en större orsak bakom allt, vi får hintar om att något hände när mänskligheten flydde ner under jorden.
Då det är en blandning av konstbok och roman så är den sparsam när det kommer till text, men den texten är exakt rätt mängd för att föra handlingen framåt. Tillsammans med bilderna utgör det en helhet. Och bilderna måste vi prata om, för det är kärnan i hela boken.
Bilderna är så otroliga, det är en mörk hinna över alla bilder, varför får man reda på när man läser. Sällan har nog något så fruktansvärd som en ödelagd värld skildrats så snyggt som i denna bok. Stålenhag har även en förkärlek att lägga till nostalgisaker som tar oss läsare tillbaka till en annan tid, och detta saknas verkligen inte i denna.
Det är små detaljer i bilderna som gör de så otroliga. Det kan vara en gammal hederlig telefon, eller till och med bara en vanlig stol som man brukar finna på offentliga ställen som på sjukhus. Man kan verkligen titta på bilderna och hitta mer och mer av dessa detaljer.
Så Simon Stålenhag lyckas ännu en gång att leverera en bok som är ögongodis och en läsupplevelse som stannar kvar hos en. Uppskattar man hans tidigare böcker så kommer man absolut inte bli besviken på denna. Har man ännu inte läst något av honom så är det absolut dags att göra det om man gillar konstverk som rör sig i fantastikens värld men även i nostalgins värld, han har en unik stil i sina bilder som verkligen lyckas kombinera dessa två världar i samma bild.
http://hakanshylla.blogspot.com
Om jag förstår rätt så har denna inget att göra med hans tidigare böcker. Men jag känner att denna kan utspela sig i samma värld, då jag känner igen vissa saker från tidigare böcker. Man behöver alltså inte ha läst de tidigare böckerna för att kunna hänga med i denna.
Nu är vi tillbaka i Sverige, i den förra så befann vi oss i USA. Vi befinner oss någonstans i framtiden och världen har mer eller mindre gått under, de få överlevande befinner sig i stora anläggningar under jorden.
Man gör expeditioner till ytan och gör vissa mätningar. Det är en av dessa som vi följer. Redan från första sidan så förstår vi att något inte har gått som det skulle. Handlingen berättas i olika trådar, vi som läsare får veta mer och mer om vad som hände. Det som målas upp är en mörk berättelse, skulle säga att denna bok är den mörkaste av Stålenhags böcker.
Det är ett bra knep som berättare att hoppa mellan tidshändelserna, vi som läsare har inte hela bilden framför oss och det håller intresset uppe och nyfikenheten på tå. Vi som läsare vet att något hände med expeditionen, men vi får också aningar om att det är en större orsak bakom allt, vi får hintar om att något hände när mänskligheten flydde ner under jorden.
Då det är en blandning av konstbok och roman så är den sparsam när det kommer till text, men den texten är exakt rätt mängd för att föra handlingen framåt. Tillsammans med bilderna utgör det en helhet. Och bilderna måste vi prata om, för det är kärnan i hela boken.
Bilderna är så otroliga, det är en mörk hinna över alla bilder, varför får man reda på när man läser. Sällan har nog något så fruktansvärd som en ödelagd värld skildrats så snyggt som i denna bok. Stålenhag har även en förkärlek att lägga till nostalgisaker som tar oss läsare tillbaka till en annan tid, och detta saknas verkligen inte i denna.
Det är små detaljer i bilderna som gör de så otroliga. Det kan vara en gammal hederlig telefon, eller till och med bara en vanlig stol som man brukar finna på offentliga ställen som på sjukhus. Man kan verkligen titta på bilderna och hitta mer och mer av dessa detaljer.
Så Simon Stålenhag lyckas ännu en gång att leverera en bok som är ögongodis och en läsupplevelse som stannar kvar hos en. Uppskattar man hans tidigare böcker så kommer man absolut inte bli besviken på denna. Har man ännu inte läst något av honom så är det absolut dags att göra det om man gillar konstverk som rör sig i fantastikens värld men även i nostalgins värld, han har en unik stil i sina bilder som verkligen lyckas kombinera dessa två världar i samma bild.
http://hakanshylla.blogspot.com
May 17, 2022
Dies ist der dritte, auf deutsch übersetzte, illustrierte Roman von Simon Stålenhag. Wiederum mit großartigen, foto-realistischen Gemälden versehen, der dieser dystopischen Szenerie einen düsteren und nachdenklichen Touch verleiht. Der Background dieser Geschichte ist eine Erde, die von geheimnisvollen schwarzen Sphären, die urplötzlich in der Atmosphäre erscheinen, vergiftet wird. Die Menscheit stirbt, wenige Überlebende flüchten in unterirdische Bunkeranlagen und versuchen zu überleben. Doch das alles ist mit einem furchtbaren Preis versehen. Die Protagonisten werden als tragisch-melancholische Figuren beschrieben, und gemalt, die mit guten Absichten auf dem Weg zum Bösen sind; schuldig sind sie trotzdem...
Ein sehr düsteres Buch, das mit brillianten Bildern die Stimmung der kurzen und prägnanten Texte aufs trefflichste untermalen...
Ein sehr düsteres Buch, das mit brillianten Bildern die Stimmung der kurzen und prägnanten Texte aufs trefflichste untermalen...
August 18, 2023
Another beautiful, mysterious gift of a book from Simon Stalenhag - he's the dark version of James Gurney in the way he combines stunning artwork with storytelling chops. The Labyrinth is perhaps Stalenhag's darkest yet.
We open on a prisoner who reveals her sorry tale: an expedition to Earth's surface gone horribly wrong. You see, mysterious black orbs blasted Earth with ammonia, leaving only a small subterranean society. Explorers periodically go up to the surface to admire the dead zone and retrieve samples of the remaining flora. The woman, her brother, and a quiet young ward go on a routine expedition that ends quite dramatically as the young ward's tragic past is revealed.
It's all very standard dystopia, but Stalenhag's writing style (slow build, slow parceling out of details) absolutely makes it riveting. The twist is a painful one and the ending is bleak. Another knock: the art in The Labyrinth is deeply shadowed and often shows bland interior rooms. There are still moments of enigmatic glory, but The Labyrinth features a more limited palette - though that does match well with the straightforward (if depressing) story.
If you like Stalenhag's work, don't miss this one. But I wouldn't start here. Check out Electric State or Tales from the Loop if you're a first-timer.
We open on a prisoner who reveals her sorry tale: an expedition to Earth's surface gone horribly wrong. You see, mysterious black orbs blasted Earth with ammonia, leaving only a small subterranean society. Explorers periodically go up to the surface to admire the dead zone and retrieve samples of the remaining flora. The woman, her brother, and a quiet young ward go on a routine expedition that ends quite dramatically as the young ward's tragic past is revealed.
It's all very standard dystopia, but Stalenhag's writing style (slow build, slow parceling out of details) absolutely makes it riveting. The twist is a painful one and the ending is bleak. Another knock: the art in The Labyrinth is deeply shadowed and often shows bland interior rooms. There are still moments of enigmatic glory, but The Labyrinth features a more limited palette - though that does match well with the straightforward (if depressing) story.
If you like Stalenhag's work, don't miss this one. But I wouldn't start here. Check out Electric State or Tales from the Loop if you're a first-timer.
February 21, 2024
While the book appears the same length as some of Stalenhag's other books, the story in "The Labyrinth" was quite short. Maybe it felt that way because it seemed to contain less world building information than was found in "The Electric State" or "Tales from the Loop."
The narrative follows three people, with some very vague explanations about what was happening in the world around them. The story was interesting, and the artwork was excellent; as usual much was left up to the viewer's interpretation regarding the strange images of the post apocalyptic world depicted. Even the simple still life images of chairs or bare rooms were perfect.
The narrative follows three people, with some very vague explanations about what was happening in the world around them. The story was interesting, and the artwork was excellent; as usual much was left up to the viewer's interpretation regarding the strange images of the post apocalyptic world depicted. Even the simple still life images of chairs or bare rooms were perfect.
April 9, 2023
Я вообще-то собиралась прочитать очередной комикс, а попала на это. Я не знаю, можно ли это назвать графическим романом, потому что по сути это рассказ с иллюстрациями. И хоть я в процессе не совсем понимала, зачем продолжаю читать, но впечатление на меня эта работа точно произвела. Такая депрессивная гнетущая история без хэппи-энда с мрачными постапокалиптическими иллюстрациями про воспоминания женщины-ученого, которая ожидает своей смертной казни.
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