Fantastic Tales of Nothing (Fantastic Tales of Nothing #1)

by Alejandra Green (Author)

Fantastic Tales of Nothing (Fantastic Tales of Nothing #1)
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

In the first book of this full-color fantasy graphic novel series filled with humor and hijinks, the fate of the land of Nothing hinges on Nathan and an unlikely team of magical beings to save the day.

Welcome to Nothing! Despite its name, this is a fantastic land where humans and magical volken coexist peacefully--at least they try . . .This is the tale of Nathan, an ordinary human (or so he thinks) living an ordinary life (or so he wishes). Everything changes when he meets Haven, a mysterious creature who is neither human nor volken. Oh, and the two of them are being chased by volken mercenaries--a grumpy wolf named Bardou and a delightful crow named Sina.Nathan soon learns he has mysterious powers, even though humans aren't supposed to have magic.

But there's no time to dwell on that because this discovery sets the group on a perilous quest across windswept terrain, through haunted forests, and in ancient tombs. Nathan and his unlikely friends must prevent an impending war and defeat a dark evil to save their land. No pressure, of course. If they fail, everything will turn into, well . . . nothing.

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School Library Journal

A new middle grade adventure series looks to make something from Nothing. According to legend, regular humans and shape-shifting volkens lived in harmony until Lerina, the goddesses' peacemaking gift to all, suddenly passed away. Ever since, Nothing has known only destruction and clashes. Now a tangle of misfits must come together to unmask ancient secrets and bring harmony to all. Nathan Cadwell, a brown-haired, light-skinned human with a gambling habit and an unlucky streak, meets up with Haven, a fierce, light-skinned, red-haired forestdweller, neither human nor volken, who's searching for her family. Soon the two are pursued by two volken mercenaries, light-skinned, blond-haired lycanthrope warrior Bardou Griswold and dark-haired, brown-skinned avian shape-shifter Sina Crowe. As they will all learn, however, nothing in Nothing is quite as it seems. Green and Rodriguez's unique visual style seems more akin to animated media than to comics or manga. They depict familiar fantasy settings (enchanted forest, seaside town) with a cinematic sensibility (think a tactile, immersive Studio Ghibli film), bringing their world to life with magnificent lighting and quality rather than sheer quantity of detail. Some readers might find the exposition a bit sluggish, but constant verbal jests, visual puns, and all manner of humorous allusions will keep them entertained. While Haven often speaks in "the ancient tongue"—surprise! it's Esperanto!—the artificial language's romance roots allow for playful interpretation (and easy online translation, if necessary). VERDICT A new contender for Kazu Kibuishi and Ethan M. Aldridge die-hards (with a higher page count to boot).—Steven Thompson, Bound Brook Memorial P.L., NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

small coastal town, Nathan travels the world of Nothing as an aspiring bard until an unexpected twist places him center stage in a brewing conflict between humans and Volken-shape-shifting bird and wolf creatures. The two groups were at war before a truce brokered by a star, Lerina, but ever since her death, an impending Darkness has laid in wait to siege the world anew. After Nathan crosses paths with Haven, a nonbinary elflike creature who, like Nathan, possesses magic, the two are kidnapped by a Volken and half-Volken pair hired by a human prince. The prince hopes that Nathan, due to his magic, may be able to recover an artifact belonging to Lerina’s companion and stop the impending Darkness. In vibrant lineless art that’s reminiscent of classic animated films, Green and Rodriguez bring the castles, towns, and forests in the world of Nothing to life with expressive characters, a smattering of Spanish and Esperanto, and a strong cliffhanger that leaves room for a second installment. 

Copyright 2020 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Kirkus

Loaded with humor and thrilling magical combat, this spin on the chosen one trope wrings out a lot of fun... strong characters and intriguing worldbuilding make for a gratifying hero's journey.

Review quotes




Classification
-
ISBN-13
9780062839473
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date
November 17, 2020
Series
Fantastic Tales of Nothing
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV008110 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Humorous
JUV008070 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Fairy Tales, Folklore, Legends & Mythology
JUV008080 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Fantasy
Library of Congress categories
Adventure and adventurers
Magic
Fantasy
Quests (Expeditions)
Imaginary places
Shapeshifting
Animals, Mythical
Imaginary creatures
Cartoons and comics
Comics (Graphic works)
Action and adventure comics
Fantasy comics
Humorous comics

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