Doug Chiang

This book is a lot like Dinotopia-one of my beloved childhood classics-but with a lot of the charm scooped out and replaced with weirdness. Two authors with checkered credentials: Chaing worked on the Star Wars prequels as a lead designer and artist (though to be fair the movies did look quite good, if lacking the iconic force of the Original Trilogy) and Orson Scott Card, who has gone from beloved scifi author to religious weirdo and homophobic hate-group leader.

The illustrations are full show more of stark ruins: overgrown cities, immense machines rusting on a beach, tall ships and flying saucers. The animal and robotic inhabitants of the world are elegant, colorful, appropriately horrifying. The human characters, lack this richness, and most of the drawings are static: concept art rather than comix art.

The less said about the story, the better. An amnesiac hero awakes, meets enemies and gathers allies, and overcomes obstacles while journeying towards the secret knowledge that he can use to end a great war. But while this book promises something unique, what we get is the usual archetypes shuffled through a particularly poorly done heroes journey. Maybe I'm being nitpicky because its OSC, but the style reminded me Mark Twain's thoughts on the clunky Bible-fanfic nature of the Book of Mormon. And is it so hard to have fewer than 100% of the female characters betray the protagonist because of their fickle and sin-cursed femininity? This attitude isn't in the whole book, but it shows up hard at the end. I picked this up for $6, which seems more than fair for just a few of the better painting and the overall quality of the book as an object, but if I paid full price I'd be pissed. show less

This was decent, not great. I was surprised to find out it was put out in 2003 because it really had a kind of early 90's feel to it (and not in a good way). I liked the art better than the writing. The story seemed "abridged", like it wanted to be something between a graphic novel and a regular novel.

Worth collecting

I have long been a fan of Card, and realize now (after looking again at my Star Wars art books) that I have also been a Chiang fan for many years. The book's foreword is useful in explaining the origins of the artwork as well as the writing. It also gives a sense of the almost whimsical boyhood reminiscence which underlies the artwork. Daydreams of tall ships, deserted city ruins, fantastical alien creatures, and robot warriors. This book may not have a lot of developmental show more depth characters-wise, but it really doesn't need that to serve its purpose. It is tastey eye candy, or maybe I should say brain candy with Card's input. show less

Gorgeous art, so-so story. Kinda like the movie *Avatar* that way. I wouldn't recommend you pay too much for it.