The Legend of Brightblade
by Ethan M Aldridge (Author) Ethan M Aldridge (Illustrator)
A young prince must learn to be his own kind of hero in this stand-alone graphic novel from the acclaimed creator of the Estranged duology. Perfect for fans of the Amulet series and The Witch Boy.
Young Prince Alto dreams of being a hero like his mother, the Lady Brightblade. Her well-known legend was woven into stories by the magical bard who fought by her side.
The kingdom may be at peace now, but Alto believes that the world still needs heroes. He has been learning the bard's magic, and has grown restless with royal life. Determined to have an adventure of his own, Alto runs away from the palace.
On his journey, he finds himself making new friends and encountering new and exciting magic. But when he discovers that there are dangers threatening the kingdom, Alto realizes that he might not be able to handle them alone--and making his mark as a hero is harder than the stories made it seem.
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School Library Journal
Gr 5-8--Alto, a prince living in a land where ballads played by bards wield magic, is more interested in perfecting his music skills than in his princely responsibilities. His mother, Lady Toril Brightblade, along with bard Eluvian and weaponsmith Calder, slew a dragon and brought peace to their kingdom. Toril is now in the midst of negotiating a peaceful alliance with the neighboring trolls' kingdom, working to overcome distrust from their earlier conflicts. During sensitive negotiations, Alto's fledgling musical magic goes awry and almost derails things, so Toril ends his lessons, demanding he focus on being a prince. Instead, Alto runs away and meets Ebbe, a troll bard who, like Alto, had to leave her community to pursue music. While traveling together they encounter the Discords, bards who use their music to create conflict among listeners. Alto is frightened to discover the Discords' eventual target for their chaos. Alto and Ebbe, joined by young bard Clarabel, must overcome their youth and inexperience to figure out how to stop them. Relying on a soft yet vibrant palette, the gorgeous hand-painted watercolor illustrations lend the story a dreamy quality while still showing the intensity of action scenes and the power of the musical magic. The characters include diverse humans and members of various fantasy races; Alto, his family, and Clarabel are brown-skinned. Themes of friendship, following dreams, and relationships with blood and chosen family are deftly woven into the narrative. VERDICT Beautiful artwork and an exciting, heartfelt story make this a winner.--Carla Riemer
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV008040 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Action & Adventure
JUV008080 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Fantasy
Magic
Graphic novels
Wizards
Princes
Queens
Cartoons and comics
Action and adventure comics
Fantasy comics
