What do you think?
Rate this book
Malice #1
Malice
Everyone's heard of it, but nobody's read it...Seth and Kady have heard all the stories about MALICE - a secret comic about a strange and awful world full of traps and tricks, overseen by a sinister master of ceremonies, Tall Jake. But if rumours are to be believed, the children in this comic are real...
379 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
111 people are currently reading
3129 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wooding
79 books2,190 followersChris Wooding grew up in a small town in Leicestershire, where not much of anything happened. So he started to write novels. He was sixteen when he completed his first. He had an agent by eighteen. By nineteen he had signed his first book deal. When he left university he began to write full-time, and he has been doing it professionally all his adult life.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
October 13, 2009
I cannot tell you how fantastic this teen read is. I LOVED it - was totally creeped out, couldn't put it down, can't wait to tell all my students to read it. I can barely wait for the sequel.
Part graphic novel - part all out teen terror, this book has something for everyone. My favorite part is knowing that there are whole sections of Malice we have yet to explore! Havoc is coming, and I wish I were a part of it!
Part graphic novel - part all out teen terror, this book has something for everyone. My favorite part is knowing that there are whole sections of Malice we have yet to explore! Havoc is coming, and I wish I were a part of it!
March 25, 2020
No middlegrade book has ever given me the creeps until I read this book. It will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. I recommend this one for sure.
July 3, 2023
Loved this book so much as an 11 year old that I had to reread it before I gave the copy away! Great young horror written alongside scenes told in comic book panels. So fun.
May 29, 2011
I never thought a book aimed at such a young audience could be as dark, smart and exciting as Malice. Combining elements of both the comic and novel mediums, Malice thrusts us into the sinister world of the evil comic; a place where nothing is as it seems.
The book opens with a very Jumanji-like scene where a guy tries to impress a girl he has a crush on with a neat, but somehow creepy object he's found. Here it's Malice, a creepy comic that details the trials of children being chased, maimed and murdered in a world built of horror and madness. The kid, Luke, taunts the girl into starting the ritual that calls upon Tall Jake, and is rumored to take you away to Malice.
A couple of weeks later, Seth and Kady discover Luke's disappearance, and follow the trail to the comic's alternate world.
The opening is slow, and takes its time explaining the paranormal events going on, but it sold me in the last 100 pages or so. The world-within-a-comic sounds kind of cheap and lame, but Wooding throws in some fantasy elements that make you think that this isn't just inside a comic; it could be an entire alternate universe. There are different lands (The Menagerie, the Clock Tower, the Oubliette) and they're all well realized in their creepiness. I really hope the sequels explore more of the parts of Malice hinted at in here.
The only complaint I had was the comic sections interspersed within the novel. They contain many of the book's action set-pieces, and the art just isn't up to snuff. It's difficult telling which character is which, much less what is going on in some of the frames. Maybe it's just the juxtaposition of going from novel to comic every 100 or so pages that threw me off, but these comic sections needed more detail to justify their existence. I know Wooding could have written more tighter, exciting action in his pretty solid exposition than what is in those comics. It's kinda sad that the main hook of the novel is the weakest part of it, but maybe it will improve with upcoming books.
I didn't expect much from a middle-grade novel, but Malice was just dark and exciting enough to warrant its reading. And with that awesomely staged cliffhanger, you can bet that I'll be back for Havoc.
The book opens with a very Jumanji-like scene where a guy tries to impress a girl he has a crush on with a neat, but somehow creepy object he's found. Here it's Malice, a creepy comic that details the trials of children being chased, maimed and murdered in a world built of horror and madness. The kid, Luke, taunts the girl into starting the ritual that calls upon Tall Jake, and is rumored to take you away to Malice.
A couple of weeks later, Seth and Kady discover Luke's disappearance, and follow the trail to the comic's alternate world.
The opening is slow, and takes its time explaining the paranormal events going on, but it sold me in the last 100 pages or so. The world-within-a-comic sounds kind of cheap and lame, but Wooding throws in some fantasy elements that make you think that this isn't just inside a comic; it could be an entire alternate universe. There are different lands (The Menagerie, the Clock Tower, the Oubliette) and they're all well realized in their creepiness. I really hope the sequels explore more of the parts of Malice hinted at in here.
The only complaint I had was the comic sections interspersed within the novel. They contain many of the book's action set-pieces, and the art just isn't up to snuff. It's difficult telling which character is which, much less what is going on in some of the frames. Maybe it's just the juxtaposition of going from novel to comic every 100 or so pages that threw me off, but these comic sections needed more detail to justify their existence. I know Wooding could have written more tighter, exciting action in his pretty solid exposition than what is in those comics. It's kinda sad that the main hook of the novel is the weakest part of it, but maybe it will improve with upcoming books.
I didn't expect much from a middle-grade novel, but Malice was just dark and exciting enough to warrant its reading. And with that awesomely staged cliffhanger, you can bet that I'll be back for Havoc.
March 19, 2013
Loved this series. Very dark and scary (ok - for me who does not like any horror, but also thought it would be better for Grade 8 and above. I was surprised to see in a review a Grade 5 student reading this, but I could be over-reacting). An alternate world exists in the dark comic of Malice and kids keep disappearing into it. It's up to Seth and Kady to try and do something about it, but this journey may be more than they can handle. Great, tight writing and characterization (though the bad are all evil - no more than two-dimensional) and the good are all good.
Would be great for reluctant readers. I thought the graphics in the comic book part were a little hard to understand everything going on, but that might just be my problem. Really liked the different font - especially in the second book for the different characters in Malice. Saw a little of that in "The Ask and the Answer" series - even better here. It is gory, violent and dark, so it's not for all kids. Great male and female characters. Great for journey or how do we face our fears or what is our responsibility to helping others essential questions.
Would be great for reluctant readers. I thought the graphics in the comic book part were a little hard to understand everything going on, but that might just be my problem. Really liked the different font - especially in the second book for the different characters in Malice. Saw a little of that in "The Ask and the Answer" series - even better here. It is gory, violent and dark, so it's not for all kids. Great male and female characters. Great for journey or how do we face our fears or what is our responsibility to helping others essential questions.
March 7, 2010
It took me almost a week to finish this book--but that's only because my 5th grade daughter kept sneaking it away from me and when we took a car trip with friends, the 5th grade son of my friend kept sneaking it away from her. Of course the flashy 3-D cover caught their eyes right away but it was the inside that hooked them. This book starts right out so creepy and mysterious that it pulls you right in. The mystery of the comic book featuring kids from missing children flyers and the chant to have Tall Jake 'take me away' is just too much to resist. Then the kids who recite the chant end up in the comic books and are trapped in a world of horrible mechanical monsters and crazy rules. It's the ultimate mix of fantasy, horror, and comics. The only thing I didn't like was the cliffhanger ending that left off in the middle of the story with no closure at all . . . but you can be sure I will be getting the next installment. I will also be definitely ordering this in for my elementary school library.
September 4, 2010
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER. malice is about a legendary comic that says if you burn cat hair your hair a tear drop a black feather and a twig and chant TALL JAKE COME AND GET ME 6 times Tall Jake the guy on the cover he will take you to malice but only when your alone. this book gave me a nightmare that i was in malice and fell in to one of tall Jakes traps.I would recommend this book to anyone that likes horror.this book has a equal called havoc i look forward to reading this book. this book is part comic part novel MALICE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 23, 2020
The most terrifying (and terrific) book from my childhood
I last read this book over 10 years ago, and was absolutely captivated by it. Malice was the Harry Potter of my childhood, and for good reason — it was a book unlike any I had ever seen, part-novel, part-comic book, with the true-horror premise of a rumoured epynomous otherworld that exists inside an eerie comic book. Reading this again as an adult, I was prepared to be disapppointed, but it has instead made me appreciate this criminally underrated book, a gem amidst mediocre middle-grade novels, more than ever.
For starters, Malice is incredibly well-written and conceptualised, especially for a book meant for teens. It is fast-paced, and despite beginning somewhat like a more mature Goosebumps, sucked me right into the narrative. There are a range of moods within Malice ; from funny, serious to outright sinister; that serve to make its horrible fantasy believable.
This book is also way darker than I remembered. There is a passage that goes
In fact, it is things like these that make one feel so invested in this book: Malice has a superb, tightly-wound plot, and the multi-media narrative technique lends it pace, excitement and dimension. The very concept of this book is the stuff of immense talents, with lucid prose, a lot of visual cues, and terrifying comic panels (although I do believe that Dan Chernett's illustrations were the weaker part of this book). Despite having read this book before, I was impressed by the mystery-book quality of its plot-twist, unforeseen while hiding in plain sight all through. Despite ending on a cliffhanger, this book left next to no loose ends (I found myself wondering what happened to Heather, but she probably comes up in the sequel!). Moreover, the landscape of the otherworld itself is incredibly detailed and fascinating, with a Menagerie, a Clock Tower, an Oubliette, and a hoard of sinister (but thrilling) clockwork creatures.
I was incredibly invested in Malice and the fate of its characters for years, but could somehow never get my hands on the sequel. Now that my interest has been re-ignited, I can't wait to find out what happens next. I would aggressively recommend this book, especially to teenagers but also to adults who are attracted to the idea of smart, well-executed and thoroughly terrifying fictional worlds (or those who are nostalgic for the Slenderman myth that went around years ago).
Both as child and adult, this book almost persuaded me to do the Tall Jake chant that takes one inside Malice , and the only reason I still haven't is that I am, on all levels, truly terrified.
I last read this book over 10 years ago, and was absolutely captivated by it. Malice was the Harry Potter of my childhood, and for good reason — it was a book unlike any I had ever seen, part-novel, part-comic book, with the true-horror premise of a rumoured epynomous otherworld that exists inside an eerie comic book. Reading this again as an adult, I was prepared to be disapppointed, but it has instead made me appreciate this criminally underrated book, a gem amidst mediocre middle-grade novels, more than ever.
For starters, Malice is incredibly well-written and conceptualised, especially for a book meant for teens. It is fast-paced, and despite beginning somewhat like a more mature Goosebumps, sucked me right into the narrative. There are a range of moods within Malice ; from funny, serious to outright sinister; that serve to make its horrible fantasy believable.
This book is also way darker than I remembered. There is a passage that goes
Someone had thrown themselves under a tube train and snarled up the Circle Line. It happened a lot in London. The commuters on Kady's train muttered about how inconsiderate it was to cause such bother. England liked its suicides quiet and respectable.Wooding's characters here, especially Seth, see through the detached and dull routine of living in the modern capitalist world, and often express the profound sense of loss that comes with living in a world where everything has been said and done and is only left to rehearse. Teen angst? Maybe, but its philosophy is spot-on, and Wooding offers up a sincere understanding of the psychological pressures that lead many children astray and attract them to the idea of escaping their quotidian world.
In fact, it is things like these that make one feel so invested in this book: Malice has a superb, tightly-wound plot, and the multi-media narrative technique lends it pace, excitement and dimension. The very concept of this book is the stuff of immense talents, with lucid prose, a lot of visual cues, and terrifying comic panels (although I do believe that Dan Chernett's illustrations were the weaker part of this book). Despite having read this book before, I was impressed by the mystery-book quality of its plot-twist, unforeseen while hiding in plain sight all through. Despite ending on a cliffhanger, this book left next to no loose ends (I found myself wondering what happened to Heather, but she probably comes up in the sequel!). Moreover, the landscape of the otherworld itself is incredibly detailed and fascinating, with a Menagerie, a Clock Tower, an Oubliette, and a hoard of sinister (but thrilling) clockwork creatures.
I was incredibly invested in Malice and the fate of its characters for years, but could somehow never get my hands on the sequel. Now that my interest has been re-ignited, I can't wait to find out what happens next. I would aggressively recommend this book, especially to teenagers but also to adults who are attracted to the idea of smart, well-executed and thoroughly terrifying fictional worlds (or those who are nostalgic for the Slenderman myth that went around years ago).
Both as child and adult, this book almost persuaded me to do the Tall Jake chant that takes one inside Malice , and the only reason I still haven't is that I am, on all levels, truly terrified.
February 6, 2012
An overrated and underdeveloped series hook, seemingly crafted as a way to try to jump start a franchise. Is it just me, or is this a recurring pattern in many bad childrens books?
Malice is a book that is founded primarily on two words: 'cheap gimmick'. When you pick up the hardcover, you'll notice that the front is actually an embossed plate with the cartoon character 'pressed out' to make it jump from the book slightly. Pretty cool, huh? Since the premise of Malice revolves around a comic book world coming to life (or rather, an apparently fantasy comic book world actually being a 'real place'), this bumpy cover could be an attempt to emphasize the thrill of the idea: a book that is actually a portal to a fantasy realm. Things are looking pretty good so far, eh? You can then progress to making a quick flip through the pages, which will reveal (gasp!) that Malice is actually part prose, part graphic novel. At different times, the text will give out and be replaced by comic book panels continuing the story. Again... pretty cool, right?
The interest generated by these two toys vanishes once you actually get around to reading through the book. From the very beginning, Malice suffers from sub-standard writing. Butler-and-maid dialogue is the norm, and characters are swiftly introduced and thrown into perilous situations without being given a chance for development. Worst of all, when the book settles down onto two main characters (Seth and Kady), their development is 'told' to the audience, instead of 'shown'. "Show, don't tell" are the three words used the most in slush-pile editing, and they were ringing through my head for most of this book. Don't TELL me what kind of character Seth has... SHOW me! And certainly don't have Seth muse over descriptions of his own character in his head.
But what's especially painful is that the gimmick of combining comic book with prose novel seems utterly wasted. With the entire premise of Malice circling around the mysterious and dangerous fantasy realm of the same name, you'd expect the graphic sections of the book to exquisitely develop the world of Malice, giving it extensive detail and character. Instead, the comic book sections are very poorly drawn, not well framed, and for the most part don't have any reason at all to stand alone as visual elements. Even your standard children's book with occaisional pictures understands the need for visuals to fill in those parts of the story that don't translate well to text. Malice advertises as a draw its mix of graphic and prose novels, but it doesn't have a strong entry in either field.
In its defense, the language, descriptions, and character development in Malice all show some improvement as the book moves onward. Any good will purchased by this, however, is crushed by the standard series-hook weaknesses: the major plot points are all left unresolved, in the hopes that kids will feel compelled to finish the rest of the series.
Have you seen those popular diet books, "Eat this, not that?" Sometimes I want to make a "Read this, not that" list and this book would be the first to go on it, although you won't have to guess which column it falls under. It IS possible to excellently mix graphic and prose styles: just read 'The Invention Of Hugo Cabret', which holds excellent standards both in prose writing and in usage of its pictures. There's no reason to forego either a good prose experience or a good graphic novel experience just for the chance of the mediocre hybrid experience offered by Malice.
Malice is a book that is founded primarily on two words: 'cheap gimmick'. When you pick up the hardcover, you'll notice that the front is actually an embossed plate with the cartoon character 'pressed out' to make it jump from the book slightly. Pretty cool, huh? Since the premise of Malice revolves around a comic book world coming to life (or rather, an apparently fantasy comic book world actually being a 'real place'), this bumpy cover could be an attempt to emphasize the thrill of the idea: a book that is actually a portal to a fantasy realm. Things are looking pretty good so far, eh? You can then progress to making a quick flip through the pages, which will reveal (gasp!) that Malice is actually part prose, part graphic novel. At different times, the text will give out and be replaced by comic book panels continuing the story. Again... pretty cool, right?
The interest generated by these two toys vanishes once you actually get around to reading through the book. From the very beginning, Malice suffers from sub-standard writing. Butler-and-maid dialogue is the norm, and characters are swiftly introduced and thrown into perilous situations without being given a chance for development. Worst of all, when the book settles down onto two main characters (Seth and Kady), their development is 'told' to the audience, instead of 'shown'. "Show, don't tell" are the three words used the most in slush-pile editing, and they were ringing through my head for most of this book. Don't TELL me what kind of character Seth has... SHOW me! And certainly don't have Seth muse over descriptions of his own character in his head.
But what's especially painful is that the gimmick of combining comic book with prose novel seems utterly wasted. With the entire premise of Malice circling around the mysterious and dangerous fantasy realm of the same name, you'd expect the graphic sections of the book to exquisitely develop the world of Malice, giving it extensive detail and character. Instead, the comic book sections are very poorly drawn, not well framed, and for the most part don't have any reason at all to stand alone as visual elements. Even your standard children's book with occaisional pictures understands the need for visuals to fill in those parts of the story that don't translate well to text. Malice advertises as a draw its mix of graphic and prose novels, but it doesn't have a strong entry in either field.
In its defense, the language, descriptions, and character development in Malice all show some improvement as the book moves onward. Any good will purchased by this, however, is crushed by the standard series-hook weaknesses: the major plot points are all left unresolved, in the hopes that kids will feel compelled to finish the rest of the series.
Have you seen those popular diet books, "Eat this, not that?" Sometimes I want to make a "Read this, not that" list and this book would be the first to go on it, although you won't have to guess which column it falls under. It IS possible to excellently mix graphic and prose styles: just read 'The Invention Of Hugo Cabret', which holds excellent standards both in prose writing and in usage of its pictures. There's no reason to forego either a good prose experience or a good graphic novel experience just for the chance of the mediocre hybrid experience offered by Malice.
June 16, 2010
A well written book with great events. Great concept of part novel part comic book. This book will keep you turning the pages and you won't want to put this book down. Overall this book is a great story for people who like new books. The only problem that some of the comic book section is not clear on what is exactly happening but you get the main idea. With that minor problem the book will be a great read for young adults.
Once Luke disappears and everyone expects he ran away from home Seth knows Luke isn't a runaway and he thinks Tall Jake took him away. If you say the right words and you have the right stuff Tall Jake will take you into a new world called Malice. Seth and his friend Kady look for clues and slowly they start to get more results, leading them into to more trouble then they could imagine.
Once Luke disappears and everyone expects he ran away from home Seth knows Luke isn't a runaway and he thinks Tall Jake took him away. If you say the right words and you have the right stuff Tall Jake will take you into a new world called Malice. Seth and his friend Kady look for clues and slowly they start to get more results, leading them into to more trouble then they could imagine.
February 4, 2017
Damn, this was so much freaking fun! I have to thank my sister who bought this to me for Christmas. I've already known that Chris Wooding is a quite witty author according to the Ketty Jay series and Malice is just as great. It somehow reminds me of the King in Yellow stories in a teen-horror version, half-comic and half-novel. The plot is kind of predictable but still it has some pretty great ideas and twists, the characters are nice, there's even some steampunk stuff going on here, and the comic parts were so funny that I used to laugh out loud on the subway while reading. Now I have to purchase the second part as well. This is so recommended, I loved this so much, it was the best damn thing in my recent shitty days!
June 4, 2014
Overall i greatly enjoyed the book, it was interesting and entertaining and had a lot of action. The book is about a comic book that comes to life once the character Luke is sucked into it, his friends soon join him and they go on an insane adventure through the comic book. "The books were legends and tales, stories from all over the Realm" that shows that they went on a wild adventure, the book had a lot of action and was easily enjoyable.
February 22, 2015
I think I liked the synopsis more than the book. The synopsis sounds very exciting, it sounds like Malice is going to be an exciting and slightly creepy book. But in my opinion, Malice itself is actually a bit of a slow read. It's not as exciting and creepy as I hoped and thought it would be. The idea is pretty cool and it could have been a very cool read but in the end I feel like it's just an okay book.
Watch my full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btgFL...
Watch my full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btgFL...
March 17, 2014
This review is a spoiler
When I read the ending I was so surprised when he remembered what Kady had said while hypnotising him.i just lay there on my bed taking it all in.i can't wait to read havoc.the second and final book in this series.i just don't know when Kady was taking that thing which shard was inside why Anderson said not to.
When I read the ending I was so surprised when he remembered what Kady had said while hypnotising him.i just lay there on my bed taking it all in.i can't wait to read havoc.the second and final book in this series.i just don't know when Kady was taking that thing which shard was inside why Anderson said not to.
December 10, 2018
Such a good book.
Read
June 8, 2025Let’s goooo early 2010s Scholastic Book Fair books with lines like, “You might get eaten by a spider the size of a horse, but at least you don't have to sit next to some idiot yakking away on their Nokia about their night down at the club.”
I think this was one of the first books I read that had a concept I was fascinated by. The world-building is wonderful and easy to get swept away in. I read it in 6th grade after buying it from the Scholastic book fair and have always wanted to go back to it to see if it holds up, and I’d say… it pretty much does? Getting through it was a bit hard. I don’t feel like I can relate to any of the characters and I struggle with the fantasy genre (though I do love the horror elements sprinkled in). I still thought it was generally interesting plot-wise and got surprised by a couple twists I forgot about. I don’t want to rate it because my beef with this book is no fault of the author’s. He’s a great writer. Malice has a sequel that I may read at some point but I’m taking a smoke break from this spooky, spooky world.
I think this was one of the first books I read that had a concept I was fascinated by. The world-building is wonderful and easy to get swept away in. I read it in 6th grade after buying it from the Scholastic book fair and have always wanted to go back to it to see if it holds up, and I’d say… it pretty much does? Getting through it was a bit hard. I don’t feel like I can relate to any of the characters and I struggle with the fantasy genre (though I do love the horror elements sprinkled in). I still thought it was generally interesting plot-wise and got surprised by a couple twists I forgot about. I don’t want to rate it because my beef with this book is no fault of the author’s. He’s a great writer. Malice has a sequel that I may read at some point but I’m taking a smoke break from this spooky, spooky world.
April 12, 2025
i can still remember reading this in like 8th grade after PSSA testing. omg i loved this book. just remembered it exists and now i wanna reread it 🥲
March 1, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it has an interesting story, a really cool world, and it uses word placement and pages to emphasize events. My favorite example of this is during the first part of the story, where it details Luke performing the ritual and the lights go out, where Chris Wooding places a “but then” in big font at the bottom of the page, and the next page is completely black and says “the lights went out”. Malice is also kind of one-sixth a graphic novel, which is cool, but it is hard to follow sometimes. The characters are likable and the main focus of the plot, which is nice. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy things like Maze Runner, as that is what Malice shares the most likeliness with.
February 10, 2021
It's written well. At first I thought I shouldn't be expecting much from it. I got attracted by the cover. Then it wasn't disappointing.
November 13, 2021
An enjoyable middle-grade, horror comic book?
It's been such a long time since I've last read a middle-grade book but I'm actually glad I read this. Did I like the overall plot of this book? Yes. Did I like the writing style? Not really. Did it feel like a real slow-paced book for me? Oh for sure. Did I still enjoy it? I guess?
Okay not gonna lie, this book freaked me out at some point. The book has comic-book-style pictures randomly in the book, so we can actually see the monsters and creatures they are fighting against. And seeing those creepy monsters did scare me lol. But it made the book more entertaining to read. I'm still not sure if i want to read the second book but we'll see:)))
It's been such a long time since I've last read a middle-grade book but I'm actually glad I read this. Did I like the overall plot of this book? Yes. Did I like the writing style? Not really. Did it feel like a real slow-paced book for me? Oh for sure. Did I still enjoy it? I guess?
Okay not gonna lie, this book freaked me out at some point. The book has comic-book-style pictures randomly in the book, so we can actually see the monsters and creatures they are fighting against. And seeing those creepy monsters did scare me lol. But it made the book more entertaining to read. I'm still not sure if i want to read the second book but we'll see:)))
March 4, 2020
I bought this book seeing it thinking "hey manga, I haven't Bought that in a while!" opened it saw it had some drawings and comic parts but mostly a novel in the end, and went "eh whatever". So I paid 50 cents, got in the car and drove off. As soon as the car started to move I immediately didn't want it anymore I didn't like the art it looked gross to me. I wanted it away from me. . I looked up more about it that night sounded okay but saw there was more than one and the hardcover I had gotten of it had that pop out art on it but it was pretty prominent and I knew it wasn't going to fit it next to any other books easily and would be more of a burden. So I took it back the next day. Idk never had such a terrible vibe about a book so fast and strong. I don't know if it's good. Didn't wanna read it anymore. It was knee jerk reaction buy that I regret.
I still don't like how it looks....
I still don't like how it looks....
May 2, 2022
I thought this idea was really good! Wooding does a great job of building up the plotline so that it does get a little creepy. It was definately a teen read. I wouldn't really say part graphic novel as it had very little graphic novel and I would have liked to see it incorperated a little bit better with the novel but I will be looking for the second book.
June 4, 2015
This was a surprisingly intense and enjoyable book. This is definitely a well done book- with a combination of comics and story that play off each other nicely. I will say that this is my favorite age range of books and this one was one of the better middle grade stories that I've read- I will actively seek out the next in the series.
January 29, 2016
a multi-media book that throws the reader into another world and won't let go. kids are being sucked into another world and their harrowing adventures of horror are displayed in a comic called Malice.
December 2, 2009
This book was really adorable and I love the format of the half novel half comic style. It isn't particularly stimulating to me as an adult, but if I was a kid I would love it.
September 26, 2018
Just got this book back after lending it to someone. I couldn't help but read it immediately!
I love this world so much, I wish there was more and more and more!
I love this world so much, I wish there was more and more and more!
April 25, 2024
One whole wall of my childhood bedroom is made up of bookshelves. The small one right above my desk is reserved for my absolute favorites, many of them have been on there since I was in middle school. Eragon, Percy Jackson, Skulduggery Pleasant, my absolute favorite books have been gathering dust up there for ages. So long, in fact, that I have forgotten the plots of many of them.
Malice is one of those books. I remember having read it and enjoyed it a decade and a half ago, but I couldn’t have told you the first thing about the plot. On a whim the other day, I grabbed it and started the journey again.
WOW. What a great decision!
This is one of the most captivating, creative, and fun books I’ve read in a while. At the intersection of adventure and horror, Wooding explores the nightmare world of Malice without ever scaring the intended audience too too much.
The layout of this book alone makes it worthy of praise. Part story, part comic, and part word art, this is a genius blend of mediums that just *works* for the book. I flew through this book, I could not put it down. Even the comic panels have intricate details that demand your full attention.
Oh, and it has cover art that is 3D. How cool is that?
It’s going back on my “All Time Greats” shelf, time-tested and well-deserved.
Malice is one of those books. I remember having read it and enjoyed it a decade and a half ago, but I couldn’t have told you the first thing about the plot. On a whim the other day, I grabbed it and started the journey again.
WOW. What a great decision!
This is one of the most captivating, creative, and fun books I’ve read in a while. At the intersection of adventure and horror, Wooding explores the nightmare world of Malice without ever scaring the intended audience too too much.
The layout of this book alone makes it worthy of praise. Part story, part comic, and part word art, this is a genius blend of mediums that just *works* for the book. I flew through this book, I could not put it down. Even the comic panels have intricate details that demand your full attention.
Oh, and it has cover art that is 3D. How cool is that?
It’s going back on my “All Time Greats” shelf, time-tested and well-deserved.
December 3, 2018
Malice is pretty unique as far as format and genre go, it claims to be a mix between comic and novel, which I will explain later. Malice is about Seth and Kady, who are trying to find Seth's missing friend named Luke. Seth and Kady speculate that Luke tried to go into Malice, a cursed comic book. If you do the right ritual, a figure named Tall Jake will 'take you away' into the canon world of Malice itself. Can you guess what Seth does? Of course, he goes to Malice. The unique part of the book is that whenever they actually go out into the lands of Malice or follow the current issue they star in, it changes to a comic book format to fit the setting. But whenever they are in the real world or in a shelter, it goes back to a novel format, to signify that things are safer.
I give this an 8/10 because of it being to pull off the 'Going into a book' trope in a unique way with the more 4th wall breaking attitude, such as Tall Jake talking directly to the reader, as well as using the pictures in the comic book parts to be descriptive instead of using a million words, dragging the story out. Yet, it doesn't overdo this. I've also mentioned I really like horror, so this sticks with me. You should check this book out if you want a change of pace between 'A million different words that drag out a story' and 'A graphic novel that you could finish in an hour'. It's the best of both worlds.
I give this an 8/10 because of it being to pull off the 'Going into a book' trope in a unique way with the more 4th wall breaking attitude, such as Tall Jake talking directly to the reader, as well as using the pictures in the comic book parts to be descriptive instead of using a million words, dragging the story out. Yet, it doesn't overdo this. I've also mentioned I really like horror, so this sticks with me. You should check this book out if you want a change of pace between 'A million different words that drag out a story' and 'A graphic novel that you could finish in an hour'. It's the best of both worlds.
December 17, 2020
Oh my goodness, this book was so much better than expected! It's a novel/graphic novel that tells the story of Malice, a mysterious comic book that sucks in kids. Each new issue follows the victim as they either escape or die. Creepy, atmospheric, and totally crazy... I loved every second of it. Definitely a series I'll have to continue in.
March 12, 2020
Hổng biết có phải do tâm hồn mình đang già cỗi đi, héo hon hạn hẹp đi, mà hệ lụy theo nó là trí tưởng tượng cũng nghèo đi hẳn. 😥
Cuốn này Trẻ cho ra lò năm 2009 nè. Thí dụ mình được đọc hồi còn trẻ nít ấy, dám cá là sẽ thú vị và hấp dẫn lắm. Còn bây giờ thì... ba chấm 😅
Cuốn này Trẻ cho ra lò năm 2009 nè. Thí dụ mình được đọc hồi còn trẻ nít ấy, dám cá là sẽ thú vị và hấp dẫn lắm. Còn bây giờ thì... ba chấm 😅
Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews