What do you do when you don’t have enough time to read a book?
Pick up a graphic novel.
This past month I have been incredibly busy, but still want to enjoy a good story when I get a chance. The graphic novel allows me to get lost in a story for a brief period of time before I need to be off doing something else.
How prevalent are graphic novels in the Manhattan Public Library?
You will find graphic novels in the children, teen, and adult sections of the library.
Over the weekend I had the privilege of reading “Scarlet Traces: the Great Game”.
Written by Ian Edginton and illustrated by D’Isreali, published by Dark Comics.
This novel is in the steampunk genre. Steampunk is the term used in graphic novels for overlaying modern or fantasy technology onto past periods in history. For instance, in “Scarlet Traces” the time period is the 1930’s. You notice this when looking at how people dress and the architecture of London, but people are also flying around in personal helicopters and using computers.
“Scarlet Traces” takes place in England in the early 20th century. At the opening of the novel we are told of the last thirty years in England in which the country has survived an attack by the Martians. (This novel is meant as a sequel to “The War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells). The beginning of the novel finds England involved in a counter-invasion on Mars. Sensing that the Martian Invasion is not going so well, the editor of the anti-government newspaper “The Interceptor” sends star reporter Charlotte Hemming to investigate. Once Charlotte is on Mars the real fun begins. Martians, soldiers, spaceships, rockets, ray guns and lots of action.
The artwork in “Scarlet Traces” is amazing and I found this to be one of the most enjoyable stories I have read in a long time.
