Thieves & Kings, Volume 1: The Red Book

A young thief returns to his home city after four years abroad.

This is the start of an absolutely wonderful series that takes an interesting and innovative approach to graphic storytelling. Oakley combines prose and traditional comics in such a way that he plays up the strengths of both media. The story unfolds nicely as he switches back and forth between them.

Said story is rather complex, and can be a little confusing at times as the reader is thrown into the middle of it with little introduction. Because of this complexity, the book rereads very well; I found it much easier to follow the second time through, after I had some prior knowledge of Rubel and the rest of the gang. It's fascinating to see how many little hints and bits of show more foreshadowing Oakley has planted throughout; it boggles my mind, thinking of how much planning he must've put into this story! It's fun, epic and personal. I've read it three times now, and have enjoyed it a little bit more with each subsequent reading.

And as good as the story is, the art is even better. Oakley's work is very detailed, and he has a real gift for architecture. The city of Highborn is as much a character as Rubel or Varkias; Oakley brings it straight to life with his clean, expressive lines and his refusal to skimp on the little things. Readers used to traditional monthly comics, with the vagueness demanded by their hectic production schedules, are in for a real treat.

Overall, the book is a lot of fun, and leaves the reader wanting more. I'm eager to see how the story unfolds in future volumes. I highly recommend it, especially to imaginative younger readers who're interested in getting into graphic novels. show less

Thieves & Kings volume one contains the first six issues of the series.
The events are set in a land called Oceansend, the capital city is Highborn, I suppose during the sixteenth century.
Rubel, the main character, is a young thief escaping from soldiers and other elder people. Thief with the meaning also as paladin of some important ideal.
Rubel has a friend and companion: his imp, a small devil. At the beginning of the third chapter they explain what an imp is.
The other characters are: Katara, the princess; Kangar, her brother; and the Shadow Lady of the Sleeping Wood.

Rubel helps Katara to find the crown, the king had hidden it previously, and so begins the friendship between a thief and a princess.
After four years of navigation, show more Rubel comes back wanting to meet again the princess. Is Rubel willing to meet the princess at the end? Maybe after a lot of troubled events, and many runs on the roofs.

This graphic novel is different from the usual because there are traditional drawings and many parts of prose; the best of the novel are the last one.
The drawings about buildings, ships, and general surroundings are very well done. I liked one in chapter three illustrating a street with the port in the background. Faces’s drawings are less accurate.

‘At the time when they are small and struggle to please their parents and older brothers and older sisters and all the elders in the worlds that they trust or fear ... At that time when they are very young, all mortal souls seek to be pure and good, and by this way they so perceive imperfections upon the world, and they learn to despise that which causes hurt and illness of body and soul. ... with noble heart they go.’ (almost at the end of the novel)

At the end of volume one: Katara meets a Bridge Troll. Who knows the answer of the Troll’s riddle?
‘What glides over water, and rolls over stone, What sits on its haunches and ...?’ show less

Thieves & Kings volume one contains the first six issues of the series.
The events are set in a land called Oceansend, the capital city is Highborn, I suppose during the sixteenth century.
Rubel, the main character, is a young thief escaping from soldiers and other elder people. Thief with the meaning also as paladin of some important ideal.
Rubel has a friend and companion: his imp, a small devil. At the beginning of the third chapter they explain what an imp is.
The other characters are: Katara, the princess; Kangar, her brother; and the Shadow Lady of the Sleeping Wood.

Rubel helps Katara to find the crown, the king had hidden it previously, and so begins the friendship between a thief and a princess.
After four years of navigation, show more Rubel comes back wanting to meet again the princess. Is Rubel willing to meet the princess at the end? Maybe after a lot of troubled events, and many runs on the roofs.

This graphic novel is different from the usual because there are traditional drawings and many parts of prose; the best of the novel are the last one.
The drawings about buildings, ships, and general surroundings are very well done. I liked one in chapter three illustrating a street with the port in the background. Faces’s drawings are less accurate.

‘At the time when they are small and struggle to please their parents and older brothers and older sisters and all the elders in the worlds that they trust or fear ... At that time when they are very young, all mortal souls seek to be pure and good, and by this way they so perceive imperfections upon the world, and they learn to despise that which causes hurt and illness of body and soul. ... with noble heart they go.’ (almost at the end of the novel)

At the end of volume one: Katara meets a Bridge Troll. Who knows the answer of the Troll’s riddle?
‘What glides over water, and rolls over stone, What sits on its haunches and ...?’ show less