The Legend of Brightblade: A Graphic Novel

by Ethan M. Aldridge

A young prince must learn to be his own kind of hero in this stand-alone graphic novel from the acclaimed creator of the Estranged duology. Perfect for fans of the Amulet series and The Witch Boy.

Young Prince Alto dreams of being a hero like his mother, the Lady Brightblade. Her well-known legend was woven into stories by the magical bard who fought by her side.

The kingdom may be at peace now, but Alto believes that the world still needs heroes. He has been learning the bard's magic, and has grown restless with royal life. Determined to have an adventure of his own, Alto runs away from the palace.

On his journey, he finds himself making new friends and encountering new and exciting magic. But when he discovers that there are dangers threatening the kingdom, Alto realizes that he might not be able to handle them alone—and making his mark as a hero is harder than the stories made it seem.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Comics, Fiction, Childrens, Magic

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2022

About the author

Ethan M. Aldridge is a bestselling author and illustrator. He is the creator of the fantasy graphic novel ESTRANGED (a Junior Library Guild selection, Indie Bestseller, and YALSA Great Graphic Novel For Teens), and its follow up THE CHANGELING KING.

Ethan was raised in a small town in Utah. Growing up, Ethan’s favorite things to draw were monsters and whatever dinosaur he liked that week. He now does more or less the same thing for a living. Ethan lives in New York City with his husband, Matthew, and their dog, Kitsune.

Ethan has had the pleasure to create work for HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Random House, and EA Games.

Reviews

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with the kiddos, and we all loved it. Bards, bards, bards! All the bards! Awesome adventure, fantastic illustrations, and bards! What more could anyone ask for. Perfect for kids who love fantasy graphic novels, music, magic, and.......BARDS!

[Spencer Orey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magic is music! Everyone wants to be a bard! There's a familiar story here but done in a really nice way. The hotshot young prince wants to be a bard and learns the importance of working together.

It was a delight. My kid loved it.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching story of a son of a legendary warrior, now a queen, who shelters the boy and grooms him for ruling the land. But the boy is disinterested in royal schmigamaroo. He is musically inclined and would rather leave off and play his lyre and sing for the rest of his life.

Did I mention that playing music is what fuels magic in this world?

It’s rare to see bards (yes, plural) being the centerpiece of a fantasy story, and this works beautifully. Outside of the character foils, all the rest of the cast is supportive and kind, and many are of mixed races and different backgrounds, so this sends a good message to younger readers. Teamwork, music, magic, adventure, a bit of rebellion, some battles, thoughtful song lyrics, and eye-catching color palettes combine to make this standalone middle-grade graphic novel a real treat.

An easy recommendation for any kid who loves a fantasy adventure, and an even stronger recommendation for the parent to read it right alongside them.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Legend of Brightblade was a delight from start to finish. Aldridge's art is absolutely gorgeous and made for a wonderfully immersive reading experience. The way he depicts bardic magic is one of the coolest things I've seen in a graphic novel in quite a while. Alto's journey to figure out who he wants to be in the shadow of his mom's legacy was very compelling. I loved that navigating the friendships he makes along the way is an important part of The Legend of Brightblade as well.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Cody Roecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with this one.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Ethan M. Aldridge's past works, Estranged and The Changeling King, so I was looking forward to this one! It was really good!

Alto is the youngest son of the legendary hero, Brightblade. He also just wants to be a bard. I liked his journey, even when he frustrated me. He was quite childish and sheltered and has a long way to grow, but he has good friends by his side. I wish there was a second book! I want to see Alto grow and learn more!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Estranged so I was so excited to read this one and it was so good! The art was just SO PRETTY!! I could stare at it forever. It was just so whimsical and cozy! I wish some things, like the villains, had more background, but it just made me so happy!

[Princess Cordelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the ambiance of the world and its history, but I didn't find the MC very sympathetic. He’s kinda a brat who does the running-away-from-home-to-follow-his-dreams routine, except it didn’t work because I felt more sympathy towards his mother(the queen of the land) than to him. I also wished that the antagonists were given some more backstory, and maybe some more motive while we’re at it.
But to it’s credit, it was a good adventure story, exciting with a great cast of characters and a really cool art style that fit with the story well.

[Victoria Ying · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated fantasy with tons of heart!

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been a fun read but I found the protagonist really annoying so I was never really rooting for him. It was also a pretty unoriginal story which didn't have any cleverness of its own to make it interesting. I'd give this a pass if you're not looking for something that's boring and basic af.

[Gina Marie (OMG_look_at_her_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

🪕🎻🪈🎶
“I want to make it a better world for them. A better world for all of us.”🥹

This adorable novel is filled with magic, adventure, and the power of friendship. How cool would it be to live in a world where magic comes from music!?🎵 The artwork is absolutely magical, and I’d highly recommend this touching graphic novel!!!🙌🏻

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite his mother's warnings and reluctance, Alto goes on a quest to find adventure. He makes new friends and discovers threats to the kingdom that his mother battled for in her younger glory days .
Like Wingbearer, this is another graphic novel for fantasy fans. Unlike Wingbearer, this one can be read as a standalone.

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute middle grade graphic novel, with a focus on family, responsibilities, and following our dreams. The art is a lot of fun; I enjoyed the characters, and some of the large landscapes are really stunning. I suspect that the intended readers are supposed to connect more with the teen main character, but reading this as an adult I felt more connection with the adult characters. Still, it was enjoyable to read, and I never felt like the book was too young for me. Highly enjoyed and recommended.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story and art.

[Elyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story. A prince who wants to be a bard saves his kingdom…by being a bard.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you feeling down, distraught, need a huge boost of pure delight, joy, wonder?

Are you in a wonderful place in life, need to celebrate that with a story worthy of that happiness?

Legend of Brightblade by Ethan Aldridge is absolutely life-giving.

I absolutely inhaled it with total glee and child-like wonder this morning and it was an absolute salve on the soul and a way to just absolute refresh and reinfuse my brain and self with delight and happy feels.

Stunning art, great story, truly incredible visuals. So many small details in the art that were just truly magnificent with their implications, like with how the various magics combine into new shapes etc.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna be a bard…

The Legend of Brightblade Review

5/5 stars

This will be a spoiler free review. Onto the review!

This is a stand-alone graphic novel about a prince named Alto who wants to be a bard. He's been studying with a private tutor, but his mother has only ever seen it as a hobby since he'll eventually someday have to run the country. His mother used to be an adventurer, but now that she's queen those days are over. Alto wants nothing more than to follow in his mother's footsteps, but she feels like the kingdom is at peace and there is no need for heroes and adventurers anymore.

But what happens when that peace is broken and you have no heroes to save you?

The heart of this story is about how Alto feels like his talents and passions are being ignored by his family. I think we all can relate to that on some level. We've likely all had someone in our life who doesn't understand us and the things we love. It's even harder when the person who doesn't understand is family, because aren't family supposed to love and support you no matter what?

Alto ends up meeting some other bards over the course of the story, who help him to feel confident about his ability and give him the first real praise about his music that he's had in a long time. It was really cool to see Alto's confidence grow and learn that the things he loves and worth pursuing, even if people don't always believe in him.

Overall, this was super heartwarming and fun. If you need a little book with a lot of heart, I highly recommend checking it out.

Have a nice day/night everyone!

[Liz Pitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan M. Aldridgeis a graphic novel that takes readers on a captivating journey through a world of music, magic, and heartfelt emotions. As a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this enchanting tale and found several aspects of the book to be particularly noteworthy.

One of the first things that caught my attention was the stunning color palette employed throughout the graphic novel. The vibrant hues and soft watercolor gradients added a visual richness to the illustrations, enhancing the overall reading experience. Each panel felt alive with energy and atmosphere, drawing me further into the fantastical realm of Brightblade.

Another aspect that impressed me was the unique depiction of music and magic. The way they were visually portrayed was both imaginative and visually striking. The author's artistic skills brought these elements to life on the page, making them feel integral to the narrative. It was fascinating to witness the power of music and magic intertwining and shaping the story's progression. It really made me wish to hear the ballads sung. I hope there will be an audiobook release in the future.

In terms of length, "The Legend of Brightblade" feels appropriately tailored to its target market. However, as a reader who became engrossed in the world and characters, I personally found the story a little short. I yearned for more pages to explore the nuances of the world and its inhabitants. Nonetheless, this brevity might be ideal for younger readers who appreciate concise storytelling.

One aspect that truly touched me was the emotional depth in the scenes where Alto, the protagonist, opened up about his feelings. These moments were delicately crafted, allowing readers to empathize with Alto's struggles and aspirations. The author skillfully portrayed emotions, adding a layer of authenticity and relatability to the narrative.

One minor discrepancy I encountered was the initial misinterpretation of the cover. While it made me anticipate a rockstar-themed story, "The Legend of Brightblade" instead focuses on bards within a fantasy world. Despite this initial misalignment of expectations, the story quickly won me over with its engaging characters and imaginative world-building.

In conclusion, "The Legend of Brightblade" by Ethan M. Aldridge is a delightful graphic novel that weaves a tale of music, magic, and heartfelt emotions. With its captivating color palette, fascinating depiction of music and magic, and emotionally resonant moments, the book offers an engaging reading experience. While it may feel a touch short for some readers, its brevity may well be perfect for the target audience. I would highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone seeking a magical journey through the power of music and the human spirit.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The issue of parent expectations compels Prince Arlo to undertake an adventure into the kingdom of Skald. His mother is Toril Brightblade, hero and ruler of Skald. She expects Arlo to learn the ways of royalty since he’s a prince, but Arlo has dreams of becoming a heroic bard. Toril is good with speaking during negotiations with other leaders, but she’s not as successful when speaking to her son. Arlo decides to run away, but he encounters more than expected. The stability of the kingdom and establishing a treaty with the troll king are the two big-picture issues.
Music holds power in this story, and Arlo is training under Eluvian, a master bard and creator of a famous ballad that made Toril famous. Arlo isn’t able to master his magical power yet, and Eluvian says he must control his feelings and his will. Arlo teams up with a rogue troll and a carpenter’s apprentice to form a troupe. They’re destined to face off against an evil troupe intent on revenge and destruction of Brightblade and Skald. This group’s magical ballad is more devastating than any spell ever seen before, and they only need one more piece to finish the powerful weapon.
The colorful illustrations replace words missing from the book. Most of the characters have elf-like ears, while others have the tusks of trolls. The vibrant Hearth is the traveling home for the trio of main characters as they venture across the lands. The evil spells are abstract shades of blue and purple, while the good magic is recognized by shades of green and red. The clashing colors create a kaleidoscope of shapes during the battle scenes.
What didn’t work as well:
This graphic novel has less text hence it has less detail and description. The characters aren’t fully developed, and readers need to make inferences to fill in any missing information. How do the bards know what the spells will do when the music is played? There’s no evidence that Arlo is aware of what his music will create. However, accepting the magic as presented will allow readers to fully enjoy the quest to save Skald. Don’t overthink it.
The Final Verdict:
There’s more to becoming a hero than expected. The beautiful illustrations and action-packed adventure combine to form an enjoyable book. I recommend you give it a shot.

[Alfredo Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely fun and cute! 4.5!

Now that we live in a post-D&D-is-mainstream world, it's been lovely to get these occasional pieces that kind of assume you're on board with the idea of a magical bard and tell a sweet story in that framework. (Not that ANY familiarity with D&D is necessary for this, I just thought it was a neat little thing to see the DNA of the game seep into other things even more than before.

The art is beautiful and dreamy, the visual manifestations of the magical music is very cool, and the story is direct and heartfelt and easy to follow. I thought the characters were especially well-rendered given the short space that they're given. Little details like Ebbe saying that she doesn't like physical violence despite being a big muscly person and then later in the book her subtly finding alternate solutions to things other than punching, etc. Alto is a lovely main character whose journey and challenges are fun to watch. He isn't perfect and has an arrogance and a sense of privlelge that gets him into trouble, but I enjoy that kind of thing in a main character. I would read a spin-off about the elder bard woman! She was rad. I also really liked the dynamic between Queen Brightblade as a mother and ruler and how that didn't always gel with being a parent. Their interactions in the third act made me tear up a little! I do think that the leaning on fantasy tropes dwindled its uniqueness just a tiny bit, and if it were for a slightly older audience I would have asked for a bit more bite, an extra little twist to differentiate it, but since it's an all ages book, I thought that it was fine. Also appreciated the general anti violence vibe, which dodged one of my major problems with D&D and fantasy stuff.

A lovely read for all ages, with little spices of Ghibli and 80's energy in a soft, sweet box.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good new graphic novel, and I think the intended audience is older kids and younger teens. The main character was a tad on the annoying side, and no, that mandolin wasn't fixable, not even for the best woodworker in the world. I had only read the author's Estranged series, so I had high hopes for this book, and they were mostly justified. It's not perfect, but it's a very good fantasy story about the son of a famous hero, trying to be something different from his powerful and famous mother. She was a heroic warrior, but he wants to be a heroic...musician? Well, technically, a wandering bard, one who might get into adventures and the like. What could go wrong with running away from the castle to do that?
I loved the inclusion of a bard who just happened to also be a troll. I also enjoyed the way that bardic magic was shown as being potentially stronger when bards worked together. I had a little trouble with how powerful the evil bard was, but he was shown to have both the group magic and another power boost, so it worked within the structure of the story.
I wish the artwork displaying the effects of magic had been a bit more clean. The few times it was shown coalescing into something were more interesting than when it was just random shapes.
Still, I really enjoyed the story, and will be recommending it. I hope that it's the start of a series, although it's perfectly good on its own. I would just like to see this bardic troupe on further adventures.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lovable Alto is a Prince but longs to be a bard. His mother disapproves. Alto has learned from one of the best bards and has natural talent. He runs away to find his destiny and meets another bard, a troll named Ebbe, and a woodworkers helper Clarabel. The three form a band together, their combined powers are strong. They hope the power is strong enough to stop another band of bards who are using their powers to make people upset and fight. That band is practicing as they head to the palace to attack the queen (Alto's mother). Can Alto and his band stop the other bards and save his mother and the kingdom? Alto has good on his side. But fighting bad is never easy. When Alto tries to explain the threat to his mother she doesn't hear him She is consumed with desire to bond with the trolls...unity and peace are all she can think about. She doesn't have time for what she believes is Alto's complaints about not being able to be a bard. She has no idea he's joined with a group and is there to save the kingdom so a terrible battle of bards takes place. This is an interesting story with beautifully drawn artwork. You can't help but fall in love with Alto and his wild pink hair.

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

Jaskier eat your heart out, there’s a new bard in town!! Alto is the only son of the Queen of Skald. A long time ago, with the help of her friends, she saved the kingdom from a terrible evil. Now, as the child of Lady Brightblade, he has a lot of responsibilities, none of which are going on adventures as a bard… but that is all he wants to do.

When he runs away and comes upon a troupe of bards who plan to use a spell to ruin a peace treaty between the people of Skald and the Troll Kingdom, Alto will stop at nothing to stop them. This is what he was born to do!

I really loved Alto’s friends, the people he met along the way. Ebbe is a troll, the only bard of his people, and self taught. Claribel is working as an apprentice to Master Calder, one Lady Brightblade’s friends, who has taught herself how to be a bard from her teacher’s journals. He wrote about what the bard from their crew did, which has helped her to learn from what he saw. Together, they are The Wandering Hearth.

This gave all of the Found Family vibes and I loved them. I could definitely see this becoming a series and I’m sure all of the young kids who have yet to find their calling in Dungeons and Dragons will read this and know what they were born to do… become a bard!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan M. Aldridge is magic. In this graphic novel, a runaway prince saves his kingdom by joining with two other misfit bards to create an amazing and powerful band to stop a rival evil band of bards. Each page is elaborately and gorgeously hand painted with watercolors. The characters have distinctive personalities and the character designs fit very well in this Dungeons-and-Dragons-type world. Alto is exactly who a prince should be if he grew up hearing about the grand adventures of his mother and had his own adventurous spirit. It's funny, heart warming, and did I mention gorgeous? Aldridge's skill and technique with watercolors blows my mind. Each page is a new piece of art that deserves to hang on someone's wall.

Would recommend to all kids with even the tiniest interest in fantasy worlds, but especially if they're into Dungeons and Dragons. The way the bards create magic in this book is absolutely perfect and an example I wish I'd had before I started playing my first bard.

I received an electronic copy of this to review, but seriously, all my raving and love is completely my own.

[Mary Hanna Wilson | Celebrate a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alto, a young prince, dreams of being a hero just like his mother. He has been learning the bard's magic and is ready to do more than live his boring life in the castle. Determined to have an adventure and explore more of his skills, Alto runs away from the palace to explore the kingdom. Along the way, he meets more friends who also have learned to use Bard's magic. They learn about a danger that is threatening the kingdom and together, they are determined to stop the evil plot.

I have grown to love this book more each time I read it. I was a little overwhelmed by the plot the first time I read it so I wasn't able to appreciate the story in the same way. I've now read it three times and find that I appreciate so much about this story.

I love that the magic in the book comes from the music they play on their instruments. It seems to be saying that real magic can be found in creativity, music, and art. The characters are unique and break traditional stereotypes. Their friendship shows the strength that can be found in good friendships. The graphics are well done and I enjoyed the color palette.

This is a great book for middle-grade readers.

[Lilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is so nice but the story is just stressful the whole time. The conflict isn’t supposed to take up every page in a story, it was just unenjoyable. The conflict takes over the entire plot, the only time I enjoyed it was in the beginning. In the beginning I was just really enjoying the art and color palette, I love that the characters all have colorful hair. I was completely drawn in by the art. I really liked the drawing of the character sitting in the tree a lot. I like the concept for the story but this was too violent for me. What looks like a teenager tries to stab the main character who is a kid? And also puts people under spells to beat each other up? Like okay?? Why is this so violent for no reason. I just think the pacing for this was wrong, the conflict took up too much time and there wasn’t anything good to balance it out.

I do really like the art and drawings of the town and castle, I really like the tavern with the dragon as part of the architecture. I think this story is just too young for me.

[Niche · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the heroes defeat the Big Baddie, they still have to rebuild. The story follows the prince son of one of the hero(in)es who wants to be a bard, and after a disastrous diplomatic dinner, runs away to become one. I liked the characters and story, but I felt the setting was a bit on the underbaked. (e.g. the diplomatic dinner is trying to forge ties with the trolls... that may also eat people(?), and despite these seemingly poor relations, there's never any apparent racism or tension when the prince is just hanging out with another troll bard the next town over). It also suffered from the "admonished child unable to tell adults info that will solve the problem" trope that a lot of children's to YA run into.

But it had magic bards, adventure, friendship, and not a whiff of romance! Even the mother/queen/heroine wanting to settle down and start a family didn't have a meet-cute montage, it jumps to her having kids and you have boys and girls being friends rather than just love interests. There's a special place in my heart for anything that platonic.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Legend of Brightblade' with story and art by Ethan M. Aldridge is a graphic novel about a young man finding his way in the world.

Prince Alto comes from a line of heroes, especially his own mother Lady Brightblade. The bard that fought by her side is training Alto, and that is what he wants to be. His mother does not approve and that forces Alto to run away. His journey finds him in strange new company, and he might even end up being a hero of sorts too.

I liked this story of striking out on your own to pursue the thing you are good at. I liked the odd characters the story brings along the way, and even though the story feels a bit predictable, I enjoyed the journey. The art has an interesting look to it also.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Bookphile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Aldridge's Estranged books, and this one resonated in a lot of the same ways. The art is just gorgeous, and I especially loved the intricacy of the patterns when Alto wove his magic with his bard companions.

Alto's struggle with feeling as if he's stuck in his role and in his legendary mother's shadow was interesting. He's impetuous at times, but in a way that feels real and genuine and that causes consequences for him, which makes him a flawed and relatable character rather than the Gary Stus that sometimes plague fantasy stories.

My one critique is I thought the villain was a little under baked. It was clear what the author was going for, and it was an interesting concept, but I didn't think enough space was given to the villain for it to work as well as it might have.

This book leaves the door open for sequels, and I would definitely read any. This is one of those authors whose books are automatically going to end up on my to-read list.