BOOK REVIEW: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga, Volume 1

Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Series: Saga, #1-6
Published: 23 October 2012 by Image Comics
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads, Publisher

Synopsis:

From award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, television's Lost) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old world. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in the first volume of this sexy, subversive ongoing epic.

Rating:

Review and Discussion:

For a long time now, people have increasingly been reading and recommending graphic novels to the world, and in spite of their rave reviews, I had been nervous about picking one up myself. I continued to talk myself out of reading them, convincing myself that (1) I wouldn't like the different format, (2) I wouldn't even know how to read a graphic novel, and (3) I wouldn't enjoy it. Period. I'm happy to say that I was wrong on all of these fronts, and that I absolutely adored this first volume of Saga.

I have never read such a story so intriguing, so wonderfully crafted, so unexpectedly beautiful. I went into this graphic novel expecting blood-and-guts savagery, but it was so much more. It completely went beyond my wildest expectations. It was a lovely, uplifting story of love, hope and fighting for what is right.

The depth and range of characters was also unexpected. There were about four main storylines, and I was intrigued by all of them. There was definitely no clear-cut distinction of good and evil; I started out loathing some characters for their evil manner, but then came to love them by the end. There is definitely good and bad in each of the characters, and they justify them in their own ways, which creates only more shades of grey and more intrigue from the reader.

What was also surprising was the different personas from each of the characters, and how each of them were able to present their own voice. This is attributed to Vaughan's impeccable writing craft, where he gave each character their own style of speaking and their own mannerisms that made their voice distinct from everyone else's. This was a huge surprise to me, as I didn't think this level of story-telling was possible in graphic novel format (attributed to my ignorance of graphic novels). It was truly, truly wonderful.

And, of course, the artwork was epic. It was so beautiful, so vibrant, so vivid, so colourful, so perfect for the story. It added so much dimension to the story-telling in this book, and it was completely unexpected. Again, I speak as a graphic novel novice, but the artwork completely blew me away. It really gave a new definition to the requirement that story-tellers show us the characters, emotions, reactions, scenery, etc., rather than tell it. The intricacy and brightness of the artwork was such a beautiful element to the story.

All in all, I absolutely loved this graphic novel, and I immediately purchased the next three collections as soon as I finished this one. I look forward to continuing with the series as each edition is released. If you're interested in this graphic novel, I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone who loves science fiction, fantasy, and beautiful story-telling.