Writer: R.A. Salvatore
Artist: Tim Seely
Publisher: Devil's Due Publishing
A group of youngsters each take their own path on the road to being a responsible adult and managing to embrace their destiny of greatness along the way. A world of fantasy, magic and warrior might is unfolded as we follow the tales of Elbryan, Jilseponie and Avelyn.
To steal a word from my fellow Bulleteer Jim Beard, I’ll say, “Meh.”
Yeah, so this book has some fairly cliché plot items in it. I’ll get that out of the way right off the bat. I made a brief attempt to find some high points to this book, and there are a few, but there are just too many bones to pick with our demon writer. For those three people on the internet who actually read my reviews, this book kind of left me in the mood for a rant. Just consider yourself forewarned.
I loved how our aspiring monk Avelyn had to enter his life of servitude by walking through the spanking machine. Yes, it was cool that he learned how to use the Ring Stones. That little float/walk on water/force field/explosion thing was cool to see visually. Dare I say, however, our little aspiring bald magician has many lessons to learn that are greater than being a quality gemologist.
Elbryan's journey mimics the classic hero role in many fantasy tomes. He was the cock of the walk in his village, only to learn that wasn't too great of a title to hold outside Sherwood Forrest. The orphan son who is raised by woodland nymphs (which in this book is German for "not allowed to wear many clothes") almost tells itself. Finally besting the cleavage wielding Tuntun in battle must have caught many of you unaware. The student becomes the teacher, the father the son, the grasshopper and all that jazz.
Tops amongst the coming of age tales goes to the lovely Jilseponie. Now some would think she is called Jill by her peers, but then again we rational people are a strange lot. Her moniker actually is "Pony." No joke is necessary here, and the ones I think of aren't appropriate for this site anyway so I'll move on. The girl who saw her village burn to the ground with Elbryan is found by a loving tavern owner and his wife, and she's brought up like a proper barmaid.
"You poor thing, you must not have eaten in days. Here, take this over to table five, and we'll see about finding something for you."
Of course, some poor schmuck comes along and falls for her, only to marry the beauty and be rebuked on his wedding night. What, she was so smitten with gratitude from being saved from that dive by a man with money that she thanks him by smacking him in the noggin with a smoldering piece of lumber? As usual, the cops come when a domestic disturbance breaks out, even during medieval times. So because she turned her husband down, she's locked away until the local magistrate can deal with her. Man, times have changed. I would make a further joke, but my wife reads my reviews.
I could go on and on with the points of hilarity in Demon Wars, but it would just sadden me further because I'm sure R.A. didn't mean to write a comedy piece. Isn't that always the case? The cover of the book is well drawn, leading one to believe the book is making a serious attempt at being good literature. The inside art is serviceable as well, with the panel here and there that looks rushed. There's just quite a few pieces to the story that leave the reader with a bunch of "yeah, buts."
The teaser page to the next issue makes me think the three youngsters meet up for the remainder of the story, but with where they are currently, it will take more than good story-telling to get them together in issue #2. It's going to take sheer luck, which always happens in comics anyway, doesn't it?
I also need more from our heroes than plot points from the cutting room floor of Willow. Let me guess, our warrior Elbryan and tease Pony are reunited only to fall in love and with the help of their bald magician friend defeat a Demon that was only given one page of face time in this book. Did I spoil the book for anyone?
Buy this book, but only if you want something to entertain at the next D&D game you host.
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