Reviewing the Mail: Week of October 1, 2022

Two books to write about this week; both of them from the library. I put in a bunch of requests, so I think there might be more library books coming next week, or after that.

Black Are the Stars is the first book in a fantasy adventure comics series from Lewis Trondheim called "Ralph Azham," after the main character. I am slightly confused, because ten years ago there was a different first book in the Ralph Azham series, but it looks like this one collects 3 bandes desinees, of which the book published way back then is the first. So it all makes sense, I guess. The final book I have on hand says "Vol. 1 (of 4)" at the bottom, which I assume is a quiet way of assuring the audience the series won't disappear for another decade and possibly an indication that it's already complete in France. (I can find up to "Tome 12" online, which tends to support that theory.)

At the other end of a series is George O'Connor's recent book Dionysos: The New God. It's the twelfth and last in his "Olympians" series, since, as you know Bob, there are twelve Olympians and he's now done books about all of them. This is officially for middle-grade readers and in comics form, but, frankly, it's one of the best popularizations of mythology I've seen in a long time, full of great art and dramatic moments, and deeply informed by a lot of research. (See my post on the previous book, Hephaistos, which links back further.)