Pandemonium

Title: Pandemonium (volume 1)
Author: Chris Wooding
Illustrator: Cassandra Diaz
Publisher: Graphix (Scholastic)
Copyright: 2012
Price: $12.99
ISBN: 978-0-439-87759-6
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Seifer Thombchewer (his last name from his grandfather who enjoys eating gravestones) thinks he leads a dull life. Seifer’s charismatic, he’s the star of the skullball team, and he has a loving family. Yet, he is drawn to the mountains, knowing that there is something over there and adventure is waiting. Adventure does come to him, though, in the form of kidnapping and being enlisted to pretend to be Prince Talon Pandemonium, Lord Defender of the Realm. The resemblance is uncanny, but there isn’t time to dwell on that as another force is determined on claiming part of the country. Pandemonium spends a lot of its first volume setting up the world and leaving us with way too many questions.
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Recommended Audience: Middle and High school readers
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Things to be aware of: violence, magic
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Further Thoughts: I know Chris Wooding for his YA work, which was a different kind of fairy story as far as I could tell. I’ve never read anything by him so this is my first exposure. Frankly, this title feels like a web comic type of story from the lack of back story to the art.

I picked up this title because it was a “Scholastic Graphic” title and thought “hey, this looks like something with potential.” My first glances, though, disappointed me. I wasn’t interested in the art and I thought it was rather weak. It looked like the artist’s first work, yet I found that as I read it, the art grew and seemed to be what the story needed, even if it is an odd pairing.

The story fits a web comic saga: spend time on the action and world building; then, start explaining stuff. In a way, it’s fine, but on the other hand, I’m worried that because of that set-up, this is all we will get from this series. I didn’t mind the adventure, but I somewhat wanted a little more information than I got about the Seifer-Talon connection (because it’s clear there is one). I certainly thought we’d get an explanation about the ring that shows up in the latter half of the book before the end, but nope. We’re left hanging, since the one character that had been explaining everything did not explain that before the end. Now, I wish this was in a web comic format so I can read more of this.

Overall, it’s a solid, fantasy story with a lot of world building, action, and good comic timing. I’m not sure I’d have purchased this based on a review, but on the other hand, it adds a nice change, especially in paperback. For some reason I keep thinking that this might appeal to readers of Amulet, but I have to admit I haven’t read Amulet yet to tell you if that is true. I’d like to see more of Seifer, but I hope that the next volume gives us a little more back story than this one.

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Source: Library copy.