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Cinebooks

Started by Colin YNWA, 28 January, 2012, 09:23:58 PM

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Colin YNWA

Quote from: Ancient Otter on 28 November, 2012, 10:07:29 PM
So anyone else pick up Crusade or S.P.O.O.K.S? Have read the latter yet, I like the eeriness of the former.

Have the first two volumes of both and Crusade is getting close to the top of my ridiculous reading list. Love the idea but unlike almost all the other series the art looks a bit dodge to me. A little too Jim Lee. Still we'll see when I read it and have a proper look. Can't wait to get to Spooks that looks amazing.

Albion

I have the first Crusade book but I didn't like it so I won't be buying anymore.
If anyone wants it PM me and for postage costs it's yours.

From my recent purchases I've enjoyed the first two Thorgal books. The story in the first one jumps around a bit but it's good and the art is lovely.

I also read Berlin - The Seven Dwarves. An excellent World War 2 story. I think this and the superb Western have been my favourite Cinebooks.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.

Colin YNWA

Well have been reading a load of Cinebooks that have finally got to the top of my read pile. Darwin Diaries very good, Crusade not good (in fact they'll be up for sale soon, really didn't get on with them) but its Thorgal I come to praise. Just finished the first three books and my what fun. Loved the first book, thought it was brilliant, reminded me a lot of Mezolith. The second book was considerably weaker (I'll come back to that), but the third book was back on fine form. I think I'm in for the whole series now.

So anyway what struck me most was the nature of the first book. It just didn't feel right and a little investigation explained just why. While its the first book chronologically, in terms of Thorgal's life, it consists of the 7th and 14th books of the original French series. To be honest it really shows. It clearly reads like something filling in mysteries and holes in something that should have gone before. It seems a strange decision to have just cranked it to the top of the pile for the sake of some chronological imperative.

This is made all the more confusing when the next book skips ahead to books 3 and 4 of the series missing out, what I assume (as I've not read them though I can't be sure) is a set of stories set chronologically before them. A set of stories that I guess explain quite a lot, which by the reading in the Cinebooks series leaves a bloody great gap. Still since books 3 and 4 are such a dip in quality (they aren't bad, just not as good) its possible that books 1 and 2 (all this original French numbering) are not very good? So its been decided to jump ahead and get to the good stuff as soon as possible... who knows. Anyway by books 5 and 6 it seems like the creators have done their learning and the quality is up there with book 7 (and 14), or book 1 of Cinebooks... still following all this....

... mind either way its all very good fun and the art is quite exquisite and as I say I'm on board for the rest of the series (11 books now in English I think?). Highly recommended.

Oh and another thing, had my first dodgy spine experience that I've heard mentioned here quite a lot. It held together, but the pages have split from the spine and I wonder if it'll last another reading?

Albion

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 17 March, 2013, 09:07:50 PM
Oh and another thing, had my first dodgy spine experience that I've heard mentioned here quite a lot. It held together, but the pages have split from the spine and I wonder if it'll last another reading?

If it falls apart let them know, they are great at replacing them.

I've read the first two Thorgal books. Very interesting to hear about the chronology thing. I enjoyed them and may get more.
I also enjoyed Darwins Diaries.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.

Colin YNWA

Whoops and I've made that classic error and said Thorgal's French when of course its Belgian.

Mabs

#35
Looking at this thread i just remembered that the 3rd episode of Antares should be out this month. I've really been enjoying the series, starting with the whole Aldebaran and Betelguese arc. The ending of the last Antares book left me on tenterhooks!
My Blog: http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/

My Twitter @nexuswookie

Colin YNWA

Well while the first two books of Orbital were fantastic, they and possibly all the Cinebooks I've read to date pale when it comes to Long John Silver. Genius and beautiful. I love pirate's but mainly I've enjoyed non-fiction books dealing with them as most pirate fiction is a bit rubbish. This is the exception and really is a quite wonderful, compelling read, with some of the best art I can remember.

I honestly can't wait for the final book and can't recommend this highly enough.

CrazyFoxMachine

Seconded. I bloody love Long John Silver, it's truly gorgeous and is fantastically told. Many many thanks to the ever-brilliant Bolt for turning me on to it - !

Ancient Otter

Quote from: Mabs on 17 March, 2013, 10:07:17 PM
Looking at this thread i just remembered that the 3rd episode of Antares should be out this month. I've really been enjoying the series, starting with the whole Aldebaran and Betelguese arc. The ending of the last Antares book left me on tenterhooks!

Volume four is scheduled for August, according to Amazon.co.uk.

Long John Silver is getting a new volume in France next month, but I imagine it would be a year at least until it gets released in English.

Mabs

Quote from: Ancient Otter on 24 March, 2013, 10:54:18 PM
Quote from: Mabs on 17 March, 2013, 10:07:17 PM
Looking at this thread i just remembered that the 3rd episode of Antares should be out this month. I've really been enjoying the series, starting with the whole Aldebaran and Betelguese arc. The ending of the last Antares book left me on tenterhooks!

Volume four is scheduled for August, according to Amazon.co.uk.

Long John Silver is getting a new volume in France next month, but I imagine it would be a year at least until it gets released in English.

That is welcome news - thanks for that, mate. I still haven't ordered the 3rd volume, might wait for this then get them both together.

Long John Silver has got me really intrigued! I haven't read it yet but going on the good word of mouth around here i might have to order it. It's funny 'cause i've been preoccupied with pirates in one form or another this week; Red Seas Vol. 1 (which was awesome by the way), and Ice Age 4 (the monkey pirate and his crew!) which my kids have been hooked to since i purchased the film a few days ago!   :D
My Blog: http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/

My Twitter @nexuswookie

Ancient Otter

Mabs, if pirates float your boat, Cinebook will be releasing another pirate series, starting in July: Barracuda

Mabs

Quote from: Ancient Otter on 24 March, 2013, 11:16:11 PM
Mabs, if pirates float your boat, Cinebook will be releasing another pirate series, starting in July: Barracuda

Wow thanks again, Ancient Otter! That looks very promising. I'll definitely keep an eye out when it comes out. It's funny that in the description it says "6 pages "- i hope i don't end up paying £8.00 for a six page book, lol. I'm sure it's a typo or something.

Cheers!
My Blog: http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/

My Twitter @nexuswookie

Ancient Otter

Quote from: Albion on 29 November, 2012, 11:08:15 AMI also read Berlin - The Seven Dwarves. An excellent World War 2 story.

I just read War Stories Volume 2 (the one with J for Jenny) and Berlin - The Seven Dwarves in the same week, I thought it was pretty good both authors took a pretty narrow setting and come out with two different stories. Haven't read read Battlefields: Happy Valley yet.

Cinebook marketed Berlin as a stand alone book, but there are sequels: volume 2 and volume 3.


Colin YNWA

Quote from: Ancient Otter on 24 March, 2013, 11:16:11 PM
Mabs, if pirates float your boat, Cinebook will be releasing another pirate series, starting in July: Barracuda

Yeah I'm looking forward to Barracuda and hope it hold up against Long John Silver. Its in a long list of items from the publisher I hope to get hold of. I'll be saving up for the next convention I get to which they are attending as they always seem to have a 3 for 2 offer on and it means I can stack up with loads in one go (hence getting through a lot in one go now, currently half way through Western and the the latest Scorpion is next).

Mabs its funny you mention Red Seas as while it clearly is I never really think of it as a pirate story. More a comic version of a Ray Harryhausen adventure fill. Its closer to a Sinbad adventure in my mind, just happens to have pirates as the leads.

As for Berlin - The Seven Dwaries good to hear positives about that as that one dallies around my far too long Cinebook wish list. Might pick it up next time I get a load in.

Mabs

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 25 March, 2013, 08:39:05 AM
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 24 March, 2013, 11:16:11 PM
Mabs, if pirates float your boat, Cinebook will be releasing another pirate series, starting in July: Barracuda

Yeah I'm looking forward to Barracuda and hope it hold up against Long John Silver. Its in a long list of items from the publisher I hope to get hold of. I'll be saving up for the next convention I get to which they are attending as they always seem to have a 3 for 2 offer on and it means I can stack up with loads in one go (hence getting through a lot in one go now, currently half way through Western and the the latest Scorpion is next).

Mabs its funny you mention Red Seas as while it clearly is I never really think of it as a pirate story. More a comic version of a Ray Harryhausen adventure fill. Its closer to a Sinbad adventure in my mind, just happens to have pirates as the leads.

As for Berlin - The Seven Dwaries good to hear positives about that as that one dallies around my far too long Cinebook wish list. Might pick it up next time I get a load in.

Aye, without doubt me hearties!  :D

Seriously though, reading the excellent foreword by Edginton in the TPB version of Red Seas, he name checks Ray Harryhausen as an influence (along with the novels of H.G Wells and Jules Verne)! It's not surprising really because both you and i have been banging on about how Red Seas is evocative of Harryhausen's work, in this forum! But it was very heartening to see Mr. Edginton mention the great master; ''the genius that is" as he puts it.

It was an absolute blast reading Red Seas, after finishing the book i had a huge grin on my face; the same grin i used to have when Sinbad or Titans/ Argonauts was on telly when i was a kid. And i shall hopefully foreword my indepth views of Red Seas in the forum soon.
My Blog: http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/

My Twitter @nexuswookie