Graphic Novel Review: Chosen

Author: Ted Dekker
Illustrator: J.S. Earls
Publication date: November 2008
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Copy Provided by: Library
Summary (via Goodreads):

Chosen - The land of the Forest Dwellers has been decimated by the Horde, and Thomas Hunter is forced to lower the recruitment age of his army. From among thousands, four new recruits are chosen to lead--and perhaps die--for the greater good. But their first mission takes a turn when they are intercepted and given a new assignment. Now they must find the seven lost Books of History. Books that control not only the destiny of their world . . . but also of ours.

Plot: It may have helped if I had read the novels before reading this graphic novel. The story line seemed pretty basic, almost too much so. It's an adventure novel, involving some bickering because one of the characters won his place in the group a somewhat nontraditional way. It just felt a little corny at times, but otherwise fit all the standards of an adventure novel with fantasy elements - they were constantly moving and getting in and out of problems.

Characters: They fell pretty flat. Also, the little weird bat-like creatures that help them throughout the novel are kinda.. too cute? I felt at times like some of the characters seemed over the top, much more than they would be in the actual novel.

Graphics: I actually really liked the style. The full color graphics were pretty awesome and I liked the design of the characters and the settings. Visually a lot better than I thought it would be.

Similar Graphic Novels:
Artemis Fowl, the Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer
Stormbreaker - the Graphic Novel by Anthony Horowitz
Redwall the Graphic Novel by Brian Jacques

Series Info:

Infidel - Graphic Novel (book 2)
Renegade - Graphic Novel (book 3)
Chaos - Graphic Novel (book 4)





Appropriate for ages 12 and up.