A Bit of Madness »

A gorgeously painted work of high fantasy comics storytelling from the French BD master, Civiello. Page after page of beautiful artwork entices the reader into a complex and breathlessly paced tale.

Library Journal

Igguk the dwarf is a writer and a most reluctant adventurer. But when the Heart of Faerie is stolen by an evil usurper, he finds himself entrusted by the dying Faerie Queen with a mission to recover it. In the company of aged human sorceress Cornelia and talking rat-man Odymus, he goes in search of a treasure that is the key to defeating the powerful thief. The obvious draw of this oversized European import (originally serialized in the United States in Heavy Metal magazine) is its lush, full-color painted visuals. Civello's twisted trees, castles, and landscapes in rain and snow are remarkable; his human characters are very lifelike and his monsters genuinely grotesque. But his storytelling is sometimes hard to follow and less than compelling-from anachronistic colloquialisms in the dialog that come off as more annoying than amusing, to the hammy and clich d pronouncements of the scantily clad evil witch Morrydwen. At its end, however, the story acquires more emotion and resonance than its earlier chapters might imply. With minor nudity and bloody violence, this is recommended for larger collections and for older teen and adult fans of fantasy adventure. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.