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Compass, Vol. 1: The Cauldron of Eternal Life
GREG RUCKA proudly presents a new direction in adventure!
Shahidah El-Amin is many things: scholar, cartographer, astronomer, mathematician, scientist, explorer, adventurer, and—when need be—two-fisted fighter. Setting out from Baghdad's legendary House of Wisdom during the Islamic Golden Age, Shahi's quest brings her to 13th-century Britain...where the Welsh are whispered to possess the secret of eternal life. But Shahi's not the only one after it...
Re-teaming from the pages of THE OLD GUARD: TALES THROUGH TIME, writers ROBERT MACKENZIE and DAVE WALKER (LAZARUS: SOURCEBOOK) and artist JUSTIN GREENWOOD (LAZARUS: X +66, Stumptown) take you on a breathless race across the map. Follow the Compass to unlock the secrets of the ancient world!
Collects COMPASS #1-5
Shahidah El-Amin is many things: scholar, cartographer, astronomer, mathematician, scientist, explorer, adventurer, and—when need be—two-fisted fighter. Setting out from Baghdad's legendary House of Wisdom during the Islamic Golden Age, Shahi's quest brings her to 13th-century Britain...where the Welsh are whispered to possess the secret of eternal life. But Shahi's not the only one after it...
Re-teaming from the pages of THE OLD GUARD: TALES THROUGH TIME, writers ROBERT MACKENZIE and DAVE WALKER (LAZARUS: SOURCEBOOK) and artist JUSTIN GREENWOOD (LAZARUS: X +66, Stumptown) take you on a breathless race across the map. Follow the Compass to unlock the secrets of the ancient world!
Collects COMPASS #1-5
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 27, 2022
This had the potential to be much better than it was. It has lots of action set during the Islamic Golden Age. Compasses are like a Medieval Indiana Jones, a combination of scholars and James Bond seeking out lost knowledge. The story is so convoluted and bogged down with exposition though that I found myself getting lost and needing to backtrack to see where I missed something. There is a lot of backmatter in the single issues that talk about where the authors pulled the story elements out of history that strangely were not included either. Trades are where those extras are supposed to appear.
January 28, 2022
There's a good idea here somewhere, buried under an ungodly amount of exposition and world building.
The two main characters are young girls, one fights for the light side, the other the dark side. And that's about it for characterisation.
The plot is hungry for exposition, so the book vacillates between snappy action scenes and overladen conversational pieces, the kind with constructions like "the Ring of This" and "the Land of That", and the details start to blur together. As do the faces of characters who aren't the two mains.
There's supposed to be a lot of background material, but it is missing here because there isn't room (what gives, Image?). Instead we get a 'further reading' list that no one is ever going to use.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
The two main characters are young girls, one fights for the light side, the other the dark side. And that's about it for characterisation.
The plot is hungry for exposition, so the book vacillates between snappy action scenes and overladen conversational pieces, the kind with constructions like "the Ring of This" and "the Land of That", and the details start to blur together. As do the faces of characters who aren't the two mains.
There's supposed to be a lot of background material, but it is missing here because there isn't room (what gives, Image?). Instead we get a 'further reading' list that no one is ever going to use.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
Read
January 26, 2022"Kingdom of Powys Fadog. 640 Anno Hegirae. 1242 in the barbarian calendar." This one sets out its stall very clearly from the first panel, then spells it out in the second issue in case anyone wasn't paying attention: "Isn't it strange how miracles are always beyond the horizon, never in our own garden? In Baghdad, our legends speak of your Cymru in the same way you speak of Cathay or the kingdom of Prester John." So in much the same way that Indiana Jones will wander off to the Middle East to have a ruck in a mythic dungeon with a bunch of other Europeans (plus maybe the odd local supporting character), Compass flips the script and gives us a Saracen scholar-adventurer chasing artefacts of Celtic myth in Wales, with a bunch of goons from the Golden Horde and their reluctant Chinese guide determined to beat her to it. This also means that whenever one is tempted to say 'Hang on a minute...' (Druids still active in the 13th century? And they're all male?), you realise, yeah, this is really no cheekier or more outlandish than the sort of stunt The Mummy pulled. Also, the last mediaeval comic I read was Karl The Viking and compared to that, an overseas covert unit of Mongols is still practically scholarly accuracy. Crucially, though, unlike a lot of recent comics which mean very well in terms of diversity and inclusion and such, this also remembers to be enormous fun at the same time.
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
January 29, 2022
Nice art, great colors, solid plot, uninspiring (somewhat) characters. An ok read.
February 11, 2022
Do you ever find yourself in the middle of an amazing historical fiction fantasy adventure graphic novel, reading as fast as you can to find out what happens next, while simultaneously having absolutely no clue what is going on? Yeah, I am was confused often in this upper YA/Teen (16+) 136 page book set in Europe during the Islamic Golden Age and starring a female from the renown House of Wisdom. I'm fairly positive it is my own limitations that made the book confusing, but for those wiser and more versed in graphic novels, I would recommend this book. It has action, adventure, science, history, philosophy, a strong Muslim character, friendship, wisdom, ingenuity, a bibliography, Mongols, Druids, and a dragon.
SYNOPSIS:
Shahidah El-Amin is a Compass from the House of Wisdom, she is not a thief, she seeks knowledge which means that she is incredibly educated, fierce, and scrappy: part Indiana Jones, part Tomb Raider perhaps. She is a hijab wearing, dua invoking, Qur'an quoting, don't give me alcohol even as you are about to kill me, strong confident Muslim.
The book opens with her finding an artifact and being betrayed by a fellow scholar and friend, Ling Hua, a Chinese scholar. The two race to Wales to get to the possibly rumored Calderon of Eternal Life for different reasons and using different methods. Along the way Shahidah shows her skills in surviving, understanding what her priorities are, and learning about friendship. She will battle Master Hua, the Khan, a dragon, a bear, the Druids, a leper just to name a few as the fantasy world is developed and built up with historical accuracies thrown in.
WHY I LIKED IT:
I love that the lead is a fierce female Abbasid Muslim from Baghdad and that there are a variety of religions and cultures mentioned and depicted. It refers to Shahidah as an Arab witch by the enemy and calls Muslims "Mohammedans" which takes a bit of getting used to and I never got comfortable with. I love the inclusion of ayats in transliterated text of the Arabic, and the concept is wonderful. I got lost though in some of the world building and plot. I think the action and illustrations are clear, but the text needed a little clarity in my opinion. Again, I acknowledge my lack of familiarity with the concepts and format of the book.
I loved the bibliography and the notes included at the beginning and end. I actually would have liked more information on the House of Wisdom and as always, a map.
FLAGS:
The concept and references make it for more mature readers. There is also violence, a mention to love making, and depicted death, gore, killing, etc..
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Even though it is for older readers, I think it would be great on a library shelf for middle grades and up. It probably isn't for everyone, and many wouldn't be tempted by it even, but the few kids that like this kind of content, will absolutely love the book.
SYNOPSIS:
Shahidah El-Amin is a Compass from the House of Wisdom, she is not a thief, she seeks knowledge which means that she is incredibly educated, fierce, and scrappy: part Indiana Jones, part Tomb Raider perhaps. She is a hijab wearing, dua invoking, Qur'an quoting, don't give me alcohol even as you are about to kill me, strong confident Muslim.
The book opens with her finding an artifact and being betrayed by a fellow scholar and friend, Ling Hua, a Chinese scholar. The two race to Wales to get to the possibly rumored Calderon of Eternal Life for different reasons and using different methods. Along the way Shahidah shows her skills in surviving, understanding what her priorities are, and learning about friendship. She will battle Master Hua, the Khan, a dragon, a bear, the Druids, a leper just to name a few as the fantasy world is developed and built up with historical accuracies thrown in.
WHY I LIKED IT:
I love that the lead is a fierce female Abbasid Muslim from Baghdad and that there are a variety of religions and cultures mentioned and depicted. It refers to Shahidah as an Arab witch by the enemy and calls Muslims "Mohammedans" which takes a bit of getting used to and I never got comfortable with. I love the inclusion of ayats in transliterated text of the Arabic, and the concept is wonderful. I got lost though in some of the world building and plot. I think the action and illustrations are clear, but the text needed a little clarity in my opinion. Again, I acknowledge my lack of familiarity with the concepts and format of the book.
I loved the bibliography and the notes included at the beginning and end. I actually would have liked more information on the House of Wisdom and as always, a map.
FLAGS:
The concept and references make it for more mature readers. There is also violence, a mention to love making, and depicted death, gore, killing, etc..
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Even though it is for older readers, I think it would be great on a library shelf for middle grades and up. It probably isn't for everyone, and many wouldn't be tempted by it even, but the few kids that like this kind of content, will absolutely love the book.
July 19, 2022
"Compass: The Cauldron of Eternal Life" is an epic Muslamic mythological adventure!
Our heroine is Shahidah el-Amin: Scholar, Mathematician, explorer, scientist, and a skilled fighter. She leaves Baghdad's House of Wisdom for Britain, in search of a legendary cauldron held by the Welsh - except, she's not the only one after it!
With the Mongol Horde at her heels, and a one-time friend with them, will Shahidah discover the secret of the cauldron and save it from falling into devastatingly wrong hands?
I ADORED this graphic novel - it was a Muslamic, not racist Indiana Jones with a badass Muslimah as the heroine. The bibliography listed at the back is evidence of the writers' research as they developed this comic, and it all pays off.
The content is clean, the adventure is thrilling, and the visuals are great. Probably YA appropriate.
5/5 🌟
#Bookstagram #Muslimbookstagram #MuslimFiction #MuslamicFiction #graphicnovel #MuslimGraphicNovel #Islamichistory #Muslimhistory #Muslimfantasy #fantasy
Our heroine is Shahidah el-Amin: Scholar, Mathematician, explorer, scientist, and a skilled fighter. She leaves Baghdad's House of Wisdom for Britain, in search of a legendary cauldron held by the Welsh - except, she's not the only one after it!
With the Mongol Horde at her heels, and a one-time friend with them, will Shahidah discover the secret of the cauldron and save it from falling into devastatingly wrong hands?
I ADORED this graphic novel - it was a Muslamic, not racist Indiana Jones with a badass Muslimah as the heroine. The bibliography listed at the back is evidence of the writers' research as they developed this comic, and it all pays off.
The content is clean, the adventure is thrilling, and the visuals are great. Probably YA appropriate.
5/5 🌟
#Bookstagram #Muslimbookstagram #MuslimFiction #MuslamicFiction #graphicnovel #MuslimGraphicNovel #Islamichistory #Muslimhistory #Muslimfantasy #fantasy
June 20, 2022
Sounds weird but I think this story would've been better stretched out over 42 issues. The two leads are great and give that Doctor Aphra / Indiana Jones vibe, but these 5 issues just felt cramped and I was confused at times
The trade doesn't have Compass Points, which were the creators adding some historical background thoughts and answering questions (not just ones of praise like Marvel and Spawn does). There is even a suggested reading section. So with future historical titles from image, I think singles are the way to go
The trade doesn't have Compass Points, which were the creators adding some historical background thoughts and answering questions (not just ones of praise like Marvel and Spawn does). There is even a suggested reading section. So with future historical titles from image, I think singles are the way to go
January 10, 2022
The dark ages – the leprous, deadly dark ages – is where we find two operatives of the House of Wisdom. Both kind of attractive, one is Chinese, the other an Arab, and both young women are seeking the truth about magical doodads and MacGuffins in deepest, darkest, semi-pagan Wales. The story ultimately involves far too many sides and ends up being really rather woolly. It's of far too little import who finds the Cauldron Annwn (pronounced R Noon, I believe, having read https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), what with the sides and girlies and gruff blokes alike all being far too interchangeable by the end. The artwork could have shone with a real historical or Welsh feel, but is just Generic Fantasy. Perhaps the biggest sin is that, while we're told the initial monthly issues had background to show the real myth and why this story was being told, the creators can't be arsed to include that now. When that is obviously the most obvious part, letting us see what they've done to ancient lore, but they can't prove themselves, it shows how little they care about their source and about us. Two stars.
June 5, 2023
The best competitions are often between the best of friends. And the most strident rivalries are often between the best of friends for whom the stakes have long since escalated beyond their control.
COMPASS is clever and rollicking. Raucous imperial guards of the Mongol Empire. Snippy Welsh druids, ignorant of what lies in the tunnels beneath their feet. An impertinent cartographer from Baghdad (Shahidah El-Amin). An impertinent merchant from China (Ling Hua). COMPASS binds together the odds and ends of the misfortunes that define the audacity of these different parties and more. And with so many people seeking the ancient powers of ancient peoples, one person's narrow success invariably means another person's grisly failure.
Shahidah and Ling are each an accredited compass, a title bestowed to tenured academics and knowledge-seekers. Knowledge, of course, is as much a respectful purpose of work as it is a dreaded target of dark-hearted pursuit. COMPASS pivots around the central premise that questing for the truth requires difficult and often painful bargains.
Shahidah is good with maps, hand-to-hand combat, and thinking on her feet (she's also terrible at seeing the big picture). She's an adventurer who loves to document her findings, then leave what she's found in its natural state (except, when guardsmen and thieves follow her everywhere, that's rather hard to do). Ling is a strategist, negotiator, and scholar (she's also terrible at admitting when she's wrong and isn't good at cooperation). She's an intellectual who loves money (which means she is often easily persuaded, bribed, or held hostage to the brutality of others).
These two brilliant, gutsy, and culturally-curious women are friends, yet find themselves on opposite sides of a quest for a cauldron said to grant eternal life. Shahidah claims academic purity; Ling, under the watchful eye of a dying but ruthless Khan, has her own reasons.
Shahidah is the primary point-of-view character, but it would be a mistake to suspect her privilege of academia is as pure as she claims. Readers accompany myriad questionable feats that query whether the character seeks knowledge or seeks to exploit the adventure that comes with its hunt and acquisition.
COMPASS is fun. The first two issues suffer from dreadful pacing and inchoate page composition, but the story thankfully finds its rhythm and the characters find their voices. Greenwood's art is difficult to follow early, and it isn't until the streamlined, minimalist-action styled panels give way to more complex, more stated artwork with greater detail and more complex character blocking that the story comes together. The action is good (e.g., fighting a leper assassin atop a water wheel), but the artist's skills are more visible and much stronger when articulating more dramatic and impressionable scenes (e.g., a peasant's beheading; a four-page argument in a dark cave when all hope is lost).
The comic's slow accumulation of an affecting narrative will likely irritate readers who desire the promise of action, culture, and mythology. The absence of a direct antagonist may also play into the mix. Notably, Ling works for an aged Mongol warrior who commands from the shadows and doesn't emerge until the book's final issue. And to that end, COMPASS comes incredibly close to threatening readers with an extraordinarily clever and bittersweet ending, but the book instead options for a more traditional trope of "teamwork saves the day" and allows the heroes to part ways thereafter. A modest but understandable conclusion.
COMPASS is clever and rollicking. Raucous imperial guards of the Mongol Empire. Snippy Welsh druids, ignorant of what lies in the tunnels beneath their feet. An impertinent cartographer from Baghdad (Shahidah El-Amin). An impertinent merchant from China (Ling Hua). COMPASS binds together the odds and ends of the misfortunes that define the audacity of these different parties and more. And with so many people seeking the ancient powers of ancient peoples, one person's narrow success invariably means another person's grisly failure.
Shahidah and Ling are each an accredited compass, a title bestowed to tenured academics and knowledge-seekers. Knowledge, of course, is as much a respectful purpose of work as it is a dreaded target of dark-hearted pursuit. COMPASS pivots around the central premise that questing for the truth requires difficult and often painful bargains.
Shahidah is good with maps, hand-to-hand combat, and thinking on her feet (she's also terrible at seeing the big picture). She's an adventurer who loves to document her findings, then leave what she's found in its natural state (except, when guardsmen and thieves follow her everywhere, that's rather hard to do). Ling is a strategist, negotiator, and scholar (she's also terrible at admitting when she's wrong and isn't good at cooperation). She's an intellectual who loves money (which means she is often easily persuaded, bribed, or held hostage to the brutality of others).
These two brilliant, gutsy, and culturally-curious women are friends, yet find themselves on opposite sides of a quest for a cauldron said to grant eternal life. Shahidah claims academic purity; Ling, under the watchful eye of a dying but ruthless Khan, has her own reasons.
Shahidah is the primary point-of-view character, but it would be a mistake to suspect her privilege of academia is as pure as she claims. Readers accompany myriad questionable feats that query whether the character seeks knowledge or seeks to exploit the adventure that comes with its hunt and acquisition.
COMPASS is fun. The first two issues suffer from dreadful pacing and inchoate page composition, but the story thankfully finds its rhythm and the characters find their voices. Greenwood's art is difficult to follow early, and it isn't until the streamlined, minimalist-action styled panels give way to more complex, more stated artwork with greater detail and more complex character blocking that the story comes together. The action is good (e.g., fighting a leper assassin atop a water wheel), but the artist's skills are more visible and much stronger when articulating more dramatic and impressionable scenes (e.g., a peasant's beheading; a four-page argument in a dark cave when all hope is lost).
The comic's slow accumulation of an affecting narrative will likely irritate readers who desire the promise of action, culture, and mythology. The absence of a direct antagonist may also play into the mix. Notably, Ling works for an aged Mongol warrior who commands from the shadows and doesn't emerge until the book's final issue. And to that end, COMPASS comes incredibly close to threatening readers with an extraordinarily clever and bittersweet ending, but the book instead options for a more traditional trope of "teamwork saves the day" and allows the heroes to part ways thereafter. A modest but understandable conclusion.
July 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this creative graphic novel with a pretty cool Muslim heroine! Set right before the fall of the Abbasids to the Mongols in the 13th century, this historical fantasy imaginatively draws on the histories of the Mongols, Abbasids, and the Welsh.
As it was marketed and as other reviewers mentioned, it is definitely an Indiana Jones-style adventure, complete with mythical monsters, relics, and themes of curiosity, bravery, and betrayal.
Shahidah is a young scholar from Baghdad's House of Wisdom, sent by the Caliph as an explorer of the world's mysteries. Her adventure here is to find a magical cauldron in Wales before the Mongol enemy gets to it. I absolutely love that Shahidah is not just culturally Muslim. Her character is shaped by her faith in Islam--adamantly making it clear that she doesn't drink, reciting ayat ul-kursi when she's scared, etc.
However, I do wish I got to know her as a character better. Sure, she has pretty cool titles--scholar and explorer from the House of Wisdom, "Compass" of the Caliph, etc.--and skills and even weaknesses. But I don't feel like I totally understood her *personality.* What's her motivation? What's her back story? How did she get to where she is now, and why does she have the strengths and weaknesses that she has? Even though it's the first volume I feel like I missed significant details in her origin story. I would've liked to see more inner conflict rather than outer conflict.
Other than that, I found the plot, worldbuilding, and other characters really intriguing and I'd definitely read the sequels if/when they're released.
As it was marketed and as other reviewers mentioned, it is definitely an Indiana Jones-style adventure, complete with mythical monsters, relics, and themes of curiosity, bravery, and betrayal.
Shahidah is a young scholar from Baghdad's House of Wisdom, sent by the Caliph as an explorer of the world's mysteries. Her adventure here is to find a magical cauldron in Wales before the Mongol enemy gets to it. I absolutely love that Shahidah is not just culturally Muslim. Her character is shaped by her faith in Islam--adamantly making it clear that she doesn't drink, reciting ayat ul-kursi when she's scared, etc.
However, I do wish I got to know her as a character better. Sure, she has pretty cool titles--scholar and explorer from the House of Wisdom, "Compass" of the Caliph, etc.--and skills and even weaknesses. But I don't feel like I totally understood her *personality.* What's her motivation? What's her back story? How did she get to where she is now, and why does she have the strengths and weaknesses that she has? Even though it's the first volume I feel like I missed significant details in her origin story. I would've liked to see more inner conflict rather than outer conflict.
Other than that, I found the plot, worldbuilding, and other characters really intriguing and I'd definitely read the sequels if/when they're released.
April 25, 2024
Most likely the only reason why I read this book was Greg Rucka recommending it (we miss you, Greg). But luckily, the recommendation has bought me to something original, well crafted and, overall, pretty enjoyable.
In a time where historical fiction, especially when it refers to ANY moment of the Middle Ages, is really fashionable among comic book readers, finding some quality in the mud isn't easy. The Compass is an ambitious volume that tries to do something different with the current trend, and it succeeds in many aspects.
A story that mixes the Mongol empire, medieval Wales and the Arab Golden Age is, at the very least, a blunt move. One that the authors attempt with a clear lack of experience when it comes to the storytelling and the development of action, but with an astonishing amount of documentation and historical research. A couple of promising characters get caught in the middle, and it's a shame that they only get to shine in the final compasses of the book.
I'm surprised by the low reviews this volume gathers. I cannot deny that the book isn't totally perfect, as the storytelling rhythm is pretty uneven, and at some points it's easy to get a bit lost with what is going on. The protagonists are attractive, but they lack a bit of punch, a little charisma to make the reader love them.
But this book gets so many things right, I can't help but think that people's problems lie somewhere else. Specially since much crappier and less original comic books get astonishing reviews these days.
In a time where historical fiction, especially when it refers to ANY moment of the Middle Ages, is really fashionable among comic book readers, finding some quality in the mud isn't easy. The Compass is an ambitious volume that tries to do something different with the current trend, and it succeeds in many aspects.
A story that mixes the Mongol empire, medieval Wales and the Arab Golden Age is, at the very least, a blunt move. One that the authors attempt with a clear lack of experience when it comes to the storytelling and the development of action, but with an astonishing amount of documentation and historical research. A couple of promising characters get caught in the middle, and it's a shame that they only get to shine in the final compasses of the book.
I'm surprised by the low reviews this volume gathers. I cannot deny that the book isn't totally perfect, as the storytelling rhythm is pretty uneven, and at some points it's easy to get a bit lost with what is going on. The protagonists are attractive, but they lack a bit of punch, a little charisma to make the reader love them.
But this book gets so many things right, I can't help but think that people's problems lie somewhere else. Specially since much crappier and less original comic books get astonishing reviews these days.
January 13, 2022
This graphic novel mixes Fantasy, mythology, and bits of history to tell a story with a fountain of youth trope. The protagonist is Shahidah El-Amin, an Arab Moslem Indiana Jones but in the form of a teenage girl. Her ultimate antagonist is a Mongolian Khan with leprosy who wants the “cauldron of eternal life” in order to cure his leprosy, and – you know – because he wants to live forever. However, the more immediate conflict plays out between Shahidah and a Chinese version of herself, i.e. another teenaged girl scholar / adventurer. This allows for a more interesting emotional arc as the two girls have clearly been close companions before, but now they’re on opposite sides and it’s never clear whether their friendship (or their other obligations) will win the day. Having a peer antagonist also avoids the strained credulity of Shahidah having to single-handedly defeat the leader of the biggest and most accomplished army of its time, and, well, said army.
This is an exciting adventure story. Being in the Fantasy genre, it’s hard to build and maintain thills and suspense when anything [i.e. magic] can happen. However, the limits of the fantastic elements are kept in check in this book, and don’t really benefit the main characters -- who must rely on their own wits and physical capabilities.
If you like historical fantasy that blends mythology with creative story elements, you may want to check this book out. [Not to mention if you like the idea of a young / female / period Indiana Jones.]
This is an exciting adventure story. Being in the Fantasy genre, it’s hard to build and maintain thills and suspense when anything [i.e. magic] can happen. However, the limits of the fantastic elements are kept in check in this book, and don’t really benefit the main characters -- who must rely on their own wits and physical capabilities.
If you like historical fantasy that blends mythology with creative story elements, you may want to check this book out. [Not to mention if you like the idea of a young / female / period Indiana Jones.]
September 4, 2022
Compass is a fun action packed adventure comic with bits of history woven into what is ultimately a fantasy tale. The lead character of Shahidah El-Amin is intriguing if fairly flat in terms of character development. The story builds to a nice crescendo, but with all the references to science, religion, and geo-politics of the 13th century, I wish there was more substance in what the writers had to say. It feels like there is something promising here, but it needs more depth to be anything better than an afternoon’s entertainment.
February 19, 2022
Entretenido comic de aventuras que usa ciertos elementos históricos poco conocidos como base para una historia de fantasía que tira de ciertos planteamientos poco habituales. Es interesante ver una variante de la típica aventurera arqueóloga que se encuentra objetos místicos, combinándolo con la existencia de la Casa de la Sabiduría y personajes musulmanes como protagonistas. Es una lectura amena, y los apuntes históricos son de lo mas interesante.
August 28, 2023
Muslimah Indiana Jones? Yes Please! I really enjoyed this series, though it was a little difficult to get my head around in the beginning but quickly became clearer. As a writer myself, breaking into producing graphic novels, this was a good read to get my head around concepts, action, pacing and styles. I also enjoyed the plot and where it was going - not something I see in comics or graphic novels everyday.
January 22, 2022
A delightful historical comic series.
Reminding me of the French historical “bandes dessinées” from Glénat, this series takes place in medieval times, bringing together Mongols, druids, Arabs and others in a fantasy tale of magic and adventure. It’s a lot of fun, well-plotted and clearly illustrated. It’s well worth a look and I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Reminding me of the French historical “bandes dessinées” from Glénat, this series takes place in medieval times, bringing together Mongols, druids, Arabs and others in a fantasy tale of magic and adventure. It’s a lot of fun, well-plotted and clearly illustrated. It’s well worth a look and I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2022
Probably 3.5 in truth but enough action and diversity to round it up.
A mix of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider with a strong female Muslim lead.
The art was meh for me, very line heavy and flat of face, and the colour palette could have been used to better advantage.
I would continue on with Volume 2 if it comes to my attention but I doubt I would actively seek it out.
A mix of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider with a strong female Muslim lead.
The art was meh for me, very line heavy and flat of face, and the colour palette could have been used to better advantage.
I would continue on with Volume 2 if it comes to my attention but I doubt I would actively seek it out.
March 7, 2022
I think this was an interesting concept, but I have no idea what actually happened. Iread this, but I did not understand it.
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April 26, 2022
I enjoyed this one so much, I ended up recommending it on my TikTok account. I need a second volume ASAP.
May 28, 2022
Interesting premise. The action/monster scenes were often vaguely drawn, rendering them confusing. We never really got to know the characters. Do better.
July 1, 2022
This was GREAT. So well documented, fast paced, great heroine. Muslamic fiction at its finest
February 17, 2023
This book had so much potential. Action, adventure, ancient mysteries but it got bogged down in exposition. And not good exposition as it was very confusing.
February 11, 2024
Yep, good. I like the Indiana Jones / Mummy / Prof. Challenger style adventures and this fits well into that canon.
May 8, 2023
I'm a sucker for an action/adventure book, a literary version of The Goonies or the Indiana Jones movies. If there's a quest involved, count me in. "The Compass" was refreshing because the main action star is a young woman, a young Muslim woman. Her partner is a young Asian woman. I love representation and I loved this book. I can't wait for the next.
January 4, 2025
I'm a big fan of graphic storytelling that's grounded in history, and so this was right up my alley. Set in the 13th century, it features Shahidah El-Amin, a Muslim female booty-kicking "Compass." She's a kind of Indiana Jonesesque scholar/explorer sent from Baghdad's "House of Wisdom" (a kind of library / large-scale intellectual salon) -- to seek out knowledge from across the world. We meet her in Wales, where she's chasing rumors of an old druid cauldron that can somehow bestow eternal life.
However, also chasing the artifact is Ling Hua, a scholar from the now-vanquished Song Dynasty, forced to work on behalf of a mysterious Mongol warlord. The story is a nice mix of action and treasure-hunting, with plenty of peril, captures, escapes, double-crossing, interesting local allies, and eventually, magic. The artwork is fun, not flashy, perhaps a little less detailed than I prefer, but matches well with the style of storytelling.
All in all, definitely worth checking out by readers who like historically-grounded adventures. The original comics included essays at the end that discussed some of the historical basis for characters, plot elements, etc., but those are unfortunately not included in this collected edition, which is a shame. However, for those seeking to learn more, the bibliography is quite good. Here's hoping that the series continues!
However, also chasing the artifact is Ling Hua, a scholar from the now-vanquished Song Dynasty, forced to work on behalf of a mysterious Mongol warlord. The story is a nice mix of action and treasure-hunting, with plenty of peril, captures, escapes, double-crossing, interesting local allies, and eventually, magic. The artwork is fun, not flashy, perhaps a little less detailed than I prefer, but matches well with the style of storytelling.
All in all, definitely worth checking out by readers who like historically-grounded adventures. The original comics included essays at the end that discussed some of the historical basis for characters, plot elements, etc., but those are unfortunately not included in this collected edition, which is a shame. However, for those seeking to learn more, the bibliography is quite good. Here's hoping that the series continues!
July 4, 2023
Shahidah is a scholar who hails from the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, and she finds herself in Wales searching for the Cauldron of Annwn, one of the Thirteen Treasures of the world, and an object said to give eternal live. But Shahidah is not alone in her quest. Following close behind her, led by one of her fellow scholars, is the forces of Margul Khan. If the Margul gets ahold of eternal life, he is sure to conquer the known world! Shahidah uses her quick wits, and sometimes impressive fighting skills, to track down the mystery of this supposedly mythological item.
Read the full review, and find more graphic novel reviews, at The Graphic Library.
Read the full review, and find more graphic novel reviews, at The Graphic Library.
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