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Finding Gossamyr #1-4
Finding Gossamyr Volume 1 HC
In the world of Gossamyr, power is as simple as comprehension. A spell is a theorem and the theorem must be written in the air and proven for it to take hold. Denny's unique gift allows him to solve theorems that would drive anyone else insane, but he doesn't think of the world on those terms. He can only solve problems, not consider the appropriate answer for a situation. Fortunately, the children are befriended by allies who strive to send the stranded siblings home before dark forces can use the boy's power for evil.
132 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
69 people want to read
About the author
David A. Rodriguez
75 books21 followersDavid A. Rodriguez is a Narrative Designer and is lead writer on the bestselling Skylanders: SWAP Force and Skylanders: Superchargers video games.
He is currently co-writing the breakout, hit, Skylanders comic from IDW, with Ron Marz and the all-new, young-adult, paranormal series Daughters of Arkham with Justin Robinson. He has also worked on such games as Hunter: The Reckoning, Ghost Recon, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Guitar Hero and Transformers: War for Cybertron.
In addition, David is the creator and writer of the critically-acclaimed, all-ages graphic novel, Finding Gossamyr. He has also provided voices for several video game characters including the new Pitfall Harry! He currently resides in New York with his wife and son.
He is currently co-writing the breakout, hit, Skylanders comic from IDW, with Ron Marz and the all-new, young-adult, paranormal series Daughters of Arkham with Justin Robinson. He has also worked on such games as Hunter: The Reckoning, Ghost Recon, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Guitar Hero and Transformers: War for Cybertron.
In addition, David is the creator and writer of the critically-acclaimed, all-ages graphic novel, Finding Gossamyr. He has also provided voices for several video game characters including the new Pitfall Harry! He currently resides in New York with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 13, 2014
A fantastic addition to the all-ages comic scene, with a robust world and deep characters. That it works on multiple levels - as a straight adventure and as a unique lens for viewing the relationship between those diagnosed with autism and the people who care for them - only adds to the depth and value of this series.
This is a MUST HAVE for adventure fans, young comic readers, librarians who want to build their collections, and everyone between.
This is a MUST HAVE for adventure fans, young comic readers, librarians who want to build their collections, and everyone between.
October 13, 2013
Denny is very special and very gifted. He has the ability to solve math problems. But he is a handful for his sister and caretaker Jenna. Disconnected from their parents Jenna has been doing her best to take care of Denny who is brilliant but also autistic and used to a very calculated and stable routine. Any deviation from his schedule could send him into a frenzy. In order to get Denny the best care and routine Jenna is sending Denny to an entity, institution, school for the gifted, or whatever you want to call it, but he must first solve an ancient theorem. As Denny begins to unravel the equation he and Jenna are catapulted into another world. In this world they band together with a few characters whose main objective is to protect Gossamyr from a bad element known as the Scaythe. “Gossamyr is synchronistic: It is a world forged of will and magic...imagined and constructed by a group of powerful beings known as the Preservers. It would be a land built on a foundation of pure mathematics that would exist within the heart of the Between and be safe from chaos.” In this world Denny's gift is exponential, thereby giving him a great power and responsibility. Can he learn to trust, tame his tantrums and get himself and Jenna back home and back to a routine?
Th3rdworld Studios has taken graphic novels to a whole new level of visual excitement. The world they've created is colorful, vibrant, compelling and interesting. This stunning novel will invite readers of all ages to travel along into this other worldly place never wanting to leave it. For young readers who are fans of mathematics but not of reading, this is a book that will keep them engaged. The back of the book has individual images of all of the characters in action so readers can admire them anytime. Readers will also find chapters one and two, a glossary of its characters, and the front and back inside covers share a map of this very cool world.
To see more fantastic graphic novels from Th3rdworld visit their website at www.th3rdworld.com
Courtesy MM Publicity
Th3rdworld Studios has taken graphic novels to a whole new level of visual excitement. The world they've created is colorful, vibrant, compelling and interesting. This stunning novel will invite readers of all ages to travel along into this other worldly place never wanting to leave it. For young readers who are fans of mathematics but not of reading, this is a book that will keep them engaged. The back of the book has individual images of all of the characters in action so readers can admire them anytime. Readers will also find chapters one and two, a glossary of its characters, and the front and back inside covers share a map of this very cool world.
To see more fantastic graphic novels from Th3rdworld visit their website at www.th3rdworld.com
Courtesy MM Publicity
September 28, 2013
Great world creation abounds in this promising new graphic novel series. Denny simply cannot help himself when it comes to solving mathematical problems, and when he solves an insoluble puzzle, he and his twenty-year-old sister Jenna are transported to another world and possibly to another time where math holds magical secrets. Denny's strangeness and uniqueness make him valued in this new world where he and sister encounter friends, foes, and unusual creatures. I'm looking forward to more installments so that I can piece together all the alliances and betrayals as well as the history of Gossamyr, where Denny has landed.
April 4, 2015
This was a great read that really drew me and kept my attention. It was wonderful to see math used pretty much as a magical power to solve everything in this sci-fi/fantasy GN.
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June 16, 2025I read this so long ago and I forgot the title of it but finally found it again
October 19, 2014
I saw this in the library and was immediately drawn to the absolutely stunning artwork. This ended up being both a wonderfully creative story and an incredibly beautiful visual experience, that is a great read for all ages.
Jenna has her hands full trying to take care of her genius, but troubled, younger brother Denny. When Denny gets a chance to work for an elite company Jenna is excited but nervous about what they want from Denny. As a test Denny is supposed to solve a very difficult theorem. Denny can solve anything, however against his nature he stops because he is worried about what might happen if he does solve this theorem (a theorem that has driven many people insane). When Denny is forced to solve it him and Jenna end up in the fantastic world of Gossamyr. In Gossamyr you only have to solve a theorem in the air to make magical things happen. This is easy for Denny...too easy...and him and Jenna draw the attention of enemies better left unseen.
This was a wonderful book in so many ways. First I will comment on what drew my attention to the book, the illustration...which is more artwork than meer illustration. The colors are lush and beautiful, the drawings soft and detailed. I was absolutely in love with the the illustration in this book.
Then you have kids traveling to an amazingly magical land where magic is controlled by mathematical theorems...I love math! I love magic! This was such a fun and creative idea, I really enjoyed it. The concept can be a bit abstract (ha ha get the math joke there?), but it’s not so complicated that middle grade kids and older won’t be able to grasp the concepts.
On top of all that you have a young boy who obviously is autistic and is a genius but is challenging to deal with. He ends up kind of being the hero of the story. I love it when books have an atypical hero, not to mention it’s a great way to show how kids who are different can make a big difference.
Denny’s sister Jenna is a wonderful character too. She’s in a tough spot, trying to get her own degree and also taking care of her young brother. She obviously loves Denny and wants to do right by him, but she is also human and gets frustrated with him. I loved how you can see both her love and her frustration throughout this book.
All the characters we meet in Gossamyr are wonderful. After the graphic novel there is a mini-book that goes into the history of Gossamyr in more detail. I really enjoyed the world-building and the level of thought that went into creating this world.
Overall this is an absolutely amazing graphic novel that is great for all ages. The illustration is stunning and the story is amazing. I enjoyed the detailed world-building, the magic system, and the wonderful characters. I really hope we see more graphic novels in this world. Highly recommended for all ages, especially for fans of fantasy graphic novels.
Jenna has her hands full trying to take care of her genius, but troubled, younger brother Denny. When Denny gets a chance to work for an elite company Jenna is excited but nervous about what they want from Denny. As a test Denny is supposed to solve a very difficult theorem. Denny can solve anything, however against his nature he stops because he is worried about what might happen if he does solve this theorem (a theorem that has driven many people insane). When Denny is forced to solve it him and Jenna end up in the fantastic world of Gossamyr. In Gossamyr you only have to solve a theorem in the air to make magical things happen. This is easy for Denny...too easy...and him and Jenna draw the attention of enemies better left unseen.
This was a wonderful book in so many ways. First I will comment on what drew my attention to the book, the illustration...which is more artwork than meer illustration. The colors are lush and beautiful, the drawings soft and detailed. I was absolutely in love with the the illustration in this book.
Then you have kids traveling to an amazingly magical land where magic is controlled by mathematical theorems...I love math! I love magic! This was such a fun and creative idea, I really enjoyed it. The concept can be a bit abstract (ha ha get the math joke there?), but it’s not so complicated that middle grade kids and older won’t be able to grasp the concepts.
On top of all that you have a young boy who obviously is autistic and is a genius but is challenging to deal with. He ends up kind of being the hero of the story. I love it when books have an atypical hero, not to mention it’s a great way to show how kids who are different can make a big difference.
Denny’s sister Jenna is a wonderful character too. She’s in a tough spot, trying to get her own degree and also taking care of her young brother. She obviously loves Denny and wants to do right by him, but she is also human and gets frustrated with him. I loved how you can see both her love and her frustration throughout this book.
All the characters we meet in Gossamyr are wonderful. After the graphic novel there is a mini-book that goes into the history of Gossamyr in more detail. I really enjoyed the world-building and the level of thought that went into creating this world.
Overall this is an absolutely amazing graphic novel that is great for all ages. The illustration is stunning and the story is amazing. I enjoyed the detailed world-building, the magic system, and the wonderful characters. I really hope we see more graphic novels in this world. Highly recommended for all ages, especially for fans of fantasy graphic novels.
October 2, 2014
Review also available at my blog v
The colored images are gorgeous, although the action sequences were difficult at times to follow, as no real emphasis was put on separating the characters from the background (highlighting? I don't know the proper term for it). The plot was equally intriguing and at the same time it felt rather...familiar? In a positive way. It reminded me of Joe the Barbarian!
I've got to admit that I didn't understand all the concepts, but a math and logic based magic system is pretty awesome. I personal lean towards emotion-linked ones, since logic may not exactly be my thing, but seeing complex and measured magic work out is just intriguing.
What did make me grimace were the bad guys. They're all female in skin tight suits and look rather like Night Elves, those Dark Elves from the Thor II movie, or Viera from Final Fantasy. I suppose it was supposed to be a change since the hulking orcs were enslaved, but still, why have all-female evil-doers?
The relationship between the sister and her brother was the strong part of the book. The other characters didn't stand out as much to me.
But overall an interesting first volume. I'd read more.
The colored images are gorgeous, although the action sequences were difficult at times to follow, as no real emphasis was put on separating the characters from the background (highlighting? I don't know the proper term for it). The plot was equally intriguing and at the same time it felt rather...familiar? In a positive way. It reminded me of Joe the Barbarian!
I've got to admit that I didn't understand all the concepts, but a math and logic based magic system is pretty awesome. I personal lean towards emotion-linked ones, since logic may not exactly be my thing, but seeing complex and measured magic work out is just intriguing.
What did make me grimace were the bad guys. They're all female in skin tight suits and look rather like Night Elves, those Dark Elves from the Thor II movie, or Viera from Final Fantasy. I suppose it was supposed to be a change since the hulking orcs were enslaved, but still, why have all-female evil-doers?
The relationship between the sister and her brother was the strong part of the book. The other characters didn't stand out as much to me.
But overall an interesting first volume. I'd read more.
May 4, 2014
This is an absolutely lovely comic, framing the complicated relationship between a brother and sister who's also become his caregiver in a story of adventure, magic and complex mathematics.
Denny (I think he's on the autism spectrum but I'm not familiar enough to be sure) is a clever young man with an incredible head for mathematics and a very different way of looking at the world. His sister Jenna loves him and is happy taking care of him, but also sometimes feels stifled at dreams that feel out of reach. But when Denny solves an unsolvable math problem, he opens a portal into a different world, where math is magic and the stakes are high.
The adventure is fun, and the magic system is great, but the real star here is the complicated relationship between the siblings. Both see the world in different ways, and they get frustrated at their inability to understand the other's worldview, but they both *try.* And I loved it, absolutely loved it.
The art is lovely, expressive and colorful with almost a Pixar look, if that makes sense. I loved this and I cannot wait to see more from this series.
Denny (I think he's on the autism spectrum but I'm not familiar enough to be sure) is a clever young man with an incredible head for mathematics and a very different way of looking at the world. His sister Jenna loves him and is happy taking care of him, but also sometimes feels stifled at dreams that feel out of reach. But when Denny solves an unsolvable math problem, he opens a portal into a different world, where math is magic and the stakes are high.
The adventure is fun, and the magic system is great, but the real star here is the complicated relationship between the siblings. Both see the world in different ways, and they get frustrated at their inability to understand the other's worldview, but they both *try.* And I loved it, absolutely loved it.
The art is lovely, expressive and colorful with almost a Pixar look, if that makes sense. I loved this and I cannot wait to see more from this series.
April 12, 2015
I'm continuing to read the graphic novel nominees for the 2015-16 Black Eyed Susan award. This is an unusual fantasy book with gorgeous pictures. It took me a little while to understand what was going on: basically Daniel Auramen, called Denny, is a 10 year old who is a math prodigy but he does not interact well with others. His older sister Jenna is his guardian and she is trying to place him in a special school but it also sounds as if it's not a good place to be. Denny's understanding of an unsolvable math problem pulls him to the attention of those who inhabit a special world and the adventure begins. This is apparently the first in a series about this world and those that inhabit it. There is an appendix at the end with a prose story of the background of this world and a list of all the characters which is helpful. This is a book that would be easy to read several times and I'm sure many of my students will do that.
November 13, 2018
The art is pretty and there is some decent world-building, especially as revealed in the glossary at the end of this volume, but the overall impression of the story was "meh". Yet another take on the "children pulled into a magical otherworld and being the destined saviors" genre. It tries to set itself apart in two main ways. The first is the "math is magic" angle, but is executed in a way that makes me think the creator(s) don't really understand math. The second is in having Denny, the main(ish) character have some sort of condition like autism spectrum or maybe OCD; but again, it comes off in a way that isn't really sympathetic or quite believable, and the exact nature of his condition is never specified, presumably to give the writer weasel room for when the demands of the plot mean Denny behaves in ways that don't fit a real condition.
May 29, 2014
Oh my goodness, I can't describe how thrilled I was with this book!! A boy with autism, whose mental abilities are special powers in an alternate dimension to which he opens the door via solving a complex theorem?? Ok, I'll bite.
The drawings are wonderful, the characters are solid (except the "guardian" figure--I can't quite figure him out yet), and overall, I'm really intrigued. I can't wait for the next one!
The drawings are wonderful, the characters are solid (except the "guardian" figure--I can't quite figure him out yet), and overall, I'm really intrigued. I can't wait for the next one!
April 11, 2014
Good illustrations but I can't lie.. I was extremely confused. I feel like I miss something major when it comes to the characters.
April 27, 2014
Great graphic novel with Disney quality illustrations and a story line to match.
December 29, 2017
Although it had an interesting story, the plot was hard to follow. It doesn't help that I don't have access to the next book.
August 2, 2017
I REALLY enjoyed this graphic novel!! I can't express that enough. The depth in this is just remarkable. They have something great going on, and I'm hugely satisfied by the story. The characters are easy to follow & well constructed, the art is just amazing, the story & how it's panned out is just used cleverly. Everything about this graphic novel I love! It felt fresh to me.
So, whether you enjoy math or not, or if you like fantasy, family connectivity, and lore, then don't take this for anything less than great because you'll be certainly pleased. I was humbly impressed by it all.
I happily recommend this! :)
So, whether you enjoy math or not, or if you like fantasy, family connectivity, and lore, then don't take this for anything less than great because you'll be certainly pleased. I was humbly impressed by it all.
I happily recommend this! :)
July 20, 2020
These illustrations were beautiful. They really gave life to the story and made it fun to read. The magic system was interesting, too, and I’d be interested to see how it’s developed on subsequent books. The story itself was a little weird. Everything happened so quickly, without any build up, that it felt rushed and choppy.
August 26, 2018
I don’t know how I feel about the autistic kids math skills being a magical power. I think it plays into a single narrative about people with ASD. Solid world-building though.
May 18, 2016
I bought this because I loved Ellerton's Pheonix Requiem. While I still enjoyed her art in this, the rest was extremely lacklustre. For a start, it's super short. About 1/3 of the book is actually cover art done by different artists. That's cool, but it isn't really content for me. I bought it for Ellerton's art and Rodriguez's story, so that's instantly poor value for money right there.
The story ... well ... it was confusing. Rodriguez attempts to tackle the classic fantasy tale of an earth(ish) kid, Denny, who gets sucked into a fantasy world and becomes its saviour. To pull this off nowadays, you have to have some serious skill and a lot of original ideas, because this tale has been done to death and then some. There's almost no skill in the story, and the original idea is limited and frustrating.
What's the original idea? The kid has some kind of special power where he can't answer maths problems incorrectly. This leads people to thinking he's a genius, but he isn't, he's a regular (annoying) kid with a skill. The world he gets sucked into has magic based on maths, so his skill should come in super handy there! Except it doesn't. maybe it does in volume 2, but his skill is woefully underused in this volume, except to get everyone into more trouble.
At this point, you might think the kid is the POV character of this story, but he isn't. The character we're presented with most is his sister, whose name I can't remember even though I finished it like 3 hours ago. Her relationship with her brother is fraught because she's the one who has to raise him. It sounds like his parents bailed on raising a very difficult child. The fact that she's stepped up to raise a prodigy is pretty cool and I had high hopes for her as a character but they fizzled when she went to the fantasy world and immediately began making eyes at the first fantasy dude they meet. If those two don't end up in a romance storyline, I will eat one of my hats.
Still, as a pov character, she's ok, except for the fact that it made me HATE DENNY. SO MUCH. He's this annoying little snotty brat who has to stick to a schedule and freaks the hell out if everything isn't perfect for him. It's presented as such right from the start, and it isn't until the end of the story that you get a sweet moment between him and his sister, and really she's just mostly capitulating to him as per usual. I'm not saying this relationship is unrealistic, I'm sure there are a lot of kids like this, but exploring a complex and demanding thing like this in such a short space is almost impossible, and utterly fails here. I wanted the kid, drawn with big, endearing eyes, to fail, and fail hard. Because seriously, his sister is working her ass off to do the best for him.
As for the confusing story ... this was way too ambitious to pull off in so few pages. It's so ambitious that there are a few pages at the back explaining stuff, which I didn't read because I honestly didn't care. A skilled writer puts that stuff in the narrative and makes you love it. Fantasy doesn't need more Tolkien-appendix-wannabes.
I've lost my thread now and I didn't hate this enough to pick it back up, so suffice to say: I won't be buying the second volume. Go read The Phoenix Requiem again if you're looking for Ellerton's art.
The story ... well ... it was confusing. Rodriguez attempts to tackle the classic fantasy tale of an earth(ish) kid, Denny, who gets sucked into a fantasy world and becomes its saviour. To pull this off nowadays, you have to have some serious skill and a lot of original ideas, because this tale has been done to death and then some. There's almost no skill in the story, and the original idea is limited and frustrating.
What's the original idea? The kid has some kind of special power where he can't answer maths problems incorrectly. This leads people to thinking he's a genius, but he isn't, he's a regular (annoying) kid with a skill. The world he gets sucked into has magic based on maths, so his skill should come in super handy there! Except it doesn't. maybe it does in volume 2, but his skill is woefully underused in this volume, except to get everyone into more trouble.
At this point, you might think the kid is the POV character of this story, but he isn't. The character we're presented with most is his sister, whose name I can't remember even though I finished it like 3 hours ago. Her relationship with her brother is fraught because she's the one who has to raise him. It sounds like his parents bailed on raising a very difficult child. The fact that she's stepped up to raise a prodigy is pretty cool and I had high hopes for her as a character but they fizzled when she went to the fantasy world and immediately began making eyes at the first fantasy dude they meet. If those two don't end up in a romance storyline, I will eat one of my hats.
Still, as a pov character, she's ok, except for the fact that it made me HATE DENNY. SO MUCH. He's this annoying little snotty brat who has to stick to a schedule and freaks the hell out if everything isn't perfect for him. It's presented as such right from the start, and it isn't until the end of the story that you get a sweet moment between him and his sister, and really she's just mostly capitulating to him as per usual. I'm not saying this relationship is unrealistic, I'm sure there are a lot of kids like this, but exploring a complex and demanding thing like this in such a short space is almost impossible, and utterly fails here. I wanted the kid, drawn with big, endearing eyes, to fail, and fail hard. Because seriously, his sister is working her ass off to do the best for him.
As for the confusing story ... this was way too ambitious to pull off in so few pages. It's so ambitious that there are a few pages at the back explaining stuff, which I didn't read because I honestly didn't care. A skilled writer puts that stuff in the narrative and makes you love it. Fantasy doesn't need more Tolkien-appendix-wannabes.
I've lost my thread now and I didn't hate this enough to pick it back up, so suffice to say: I won't be buying the second volume. Go read The Phoenix Requiem again if you're looking for Ellerton's art.
October 17, 2016
I must've picked up a teaser issue of this during a Free Comic Book Day two years ago or so. I don't know. It was a while back. The art is what drew me and it was gorgeous. I'm also drawn to comics that aren't just superheroes. I have been and always will be a fantasy girl.Unfortunately I've found very few fantasy comics out there that are any good. This one is amazing.
In it Jenna is raising her little brother Denny after something happened with their parents. It jumps right in to her trying to get him into a special program that will challenge him (because he's a unusual genius) so she can finally go to school herself and follow up on dreams she obviously put off for him. While she's making the decision and doing the paperwork, Denny is testing to get in. They're given a problem no one has been able to solve and told to do their best. Denny very quickly solves it but sees that it's not meant to be solved and opens doors they're not read for.
Wow, I'm only now realizing how complicated it can be to explain what the comic covers in just a few pages! Its very well told, and very clear without everything being explained to you in excruciating detail.
Needless to say, the door gets opened onto Gossamyr, a beautiful world full of warring races and amazing creatures where all magic is based on math. Now, don't let that scare you. I'm not a math person at all, but I loved this.
I won't give any more of the plot away, but this book is wonderful! All the characters are distinct and well written. The art is beautiful, but again the characters distinct enough to tell apart. You quickly fall for all of them. Jenna and Denny's relationship really makes it, though. Denny isn't like other kids and Jenna, too young and frustrated, is rightfully angry and scared and just tired of being a parent let alone ending up in an alien world where people are trying to kill them. Yet she's strong and capable and protective and isn't afraid to put her foot down to get things done. Denny is also surprisingly funny, not on purpose really, but he had a couple of laugh out loud moments for me.
So go find a copy, borrow a copy, look it up online! I hope they're making more of this, because they certainly left it open for more story and I, for one, will be scrambling to buy it!
In it Jenna is raising her little brother Denny after something happened with their parents. It jumps right in to her trying to get him into a special program that will challenge him (because he's a unusual genius) so she can finally go to school herself and follow up on dreams she obviously put off for him. While she's making the decision and doing the paperwork, Denny is testing to get in. They're given a problem no one has been able to solve and told to do their best. Denny very quickly solves it but sees that it's not meant to be solved and opens doors they're not read for.
Wow, I'm only now realizing how complicated it can be to explain what the comic covers in just a few pages! Its very well told, and very clear without everything being explained to you in excruciating detail.
Needless to say, the door gets opened onto Gossamyr, a beautiful world full of warring races and amazing creatures where all magic is based on math. Now, don't let that scare you. I'm not a math person at all, but I loved this.
I won't give any more of the plot away, but this book is wonderful! All the characters are distinct and well written. The art is beautiful, but again the characters distinct enough to tell apart. You quickly fall for all of them. Jenna and Denny's relationship really makes it, though. Denny isn't like other kids and Jenna, too young and frustrated, is rightfully angry and scared and just tired of being a parent let alone ending up in an alien world where people are trying to kill them. Yet she's strong and capable and protective and isn't afraid to put her foot down to get things done. Denny is also surprisingly funny, not on purpose really, but he had a couple of laugh out loud moments for me.
So go find a copy, borrow a copy, look it up online! I hope they're making more of this, because they certainly left it open for more story and I, for one, will be scrambling to buy it!
December 7, 2014
This book was disappointing to me. I left the book confused and upset because I had such high expectations for it, only to have them fall flat. The reasons for this was because the pacing was confusing, all the vocabulary and names were weird and hard to remember/understand (took me a while to get that the Cardinality was Denny!) how was that obvious?!, and I just didn't really enjoy the characters.
Let's talk about the art.
I am a big fan of Sarah Ellerton. I've been following her art online since reading her webcomic 'Inverloch'. She is extremely talented. One of the high points on getting this book was that I would get to appreciate her artwork. But I kept noticing that she was getting a little sloppy with her airbrushing techniques, not finishing panels and leaving them blurry and not crisp. (For examples see chapter 2, the pages where Barnabas is hurt, and the sister is asking Denny for pieces of wood...also, my least favorite was at the end of the chapter where Eloric is laying on the sisters lap and you can see that almost no effort was done for their faces or hair. What happened?) So the in and out art quality was a real setback for me. Each chapter took half a year to be released, I hoped it would be more consistent.
No I don't recommend.
Let's talk about the art.
I am a big fan of Sarah Ellerton. I've been following her art online since reading her webcomic 'Inverloch'. She is extremely talented. One of the high points on getting this book was that I would get to appreciate her artwork. But I kept noticing that she was getting a little sloppy with her airbrushing techniques, not finishing panels and leaving them blurry and not crisp. (For examples see chapter 2, the pages where Barnabas is hurt, and the sister is asking Denny for pieces of wood...also, my least favorite was at the end of the chapter where Eloric is laying on the sisters lap and you can see that almost no effort was done for their faces or hair. What happened?) So the in and out art quality was a real setback for me. Each chapter took half a year to be released, I hoped it would be more consistent.
No I don't recommend.
October 6, 2015
The art is beautiful, the story needs some work. An explanation of what is going on with the little brother would be nice (guessing autism? Kids may not get this so explain it to them, they are the audience after all), why is the sister trying to get him into the school? what happened to the parents? How old is the sister?
So many questions left unanswered at a point in the story where they should be addressed. None of the characters got my sympathy as I didn't get to know any of them very well. A lot seems to have been cut or jumped over in an attempt to move this story faster then it should and get its audiences attention.
Don't know if it is worth reading volume 2.
So many questions left unanswered at a point in the story where they should be addressed. None of the characters got my sympathy as I didn't get to know any of them very well. A lot seems to have been cut or jumped over in an attempt to move this story faster then it should and get its audiences attention.
Don't know if it is worth reading volume 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2014
This is more of a 3.5 rating. I enjoyed the artwork and world a good deal and look forward to future volumes. It was a bit hard to relate with the autistic kid though and at one point the story was a bit hard to follow, but as a whole this was enjoyable.
July 23, 2014
The story itself is pretty familiar. Characters inexplicably drawn into another world where they are recognized as heroic figures. And of course, with no way home to their own world. But it is the cinematic illustrations and intriguing characters make this series opener memorable.
August 21, 2014
Gossamyr is a dramatic good vs. evil graphic novel filled with fantastic illustrations that proves something I have always known: calculus is evil. Who would have guessed this higher level of mathematics could literally transport a person into another dimension? Beware!
January 29, 2014
David Rodriguez plays with action figures. Pretty art, though.
February 18, 2016
Great storyline, character development and drawings. I loved how Jenna grows in her relationship with her brother in this volume. I'll definitely read the next one!
August 6, 2014
My only complaint - I wish it was longer! I need more!
July 27, 2015
A captivating fantasy world. Kids will enjoy this.
September 8, 2015
Amazing illustrations.
September 24, 2019
The art is great, the story was good enough, the characters grew on me fast, and since the books are only available used, my library refuses to get them. That's everything. Yup. I liked it a lot.
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