30 Days of Night by Steve Niles, Ben Templesmith Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of 30 Days of Night
Book Review: Excellent art, mediocre writing
Summary: 2 Stars
Many people described this book as terrifying. Well, I guess it is kind of terrifying; the writing is terrifyingly BAD, while the art is terrifyingly GOOD. Seriously, this is the first book I've read by Steve Niles and it didn't scare me one bit. The concept is sort of original (vampires feasting on Alaskans during a month of darkness) but the plot and the dialogue are sub-par, to say the least. Here's an example for you, and I warn you don't read further if you're planning on buying it because this is a SPOILER COMING ATCHA: Hundreds of vampires decend upon the town of Barrow and ONE MAN beats them back by infusing himself with vampire blood...I just can't get over it. The vampires should have at least exterminated the survivors to preserve their precious anonymity since more of them survived than the townsfolk, who were being defended by a fledgling vampire at the time. So this Eben guy beats the hell out of the Lord of Vampires after being a vampire for only a short time WITH HIS BARE HANDS while dozens of vampires are crowding around him and the remaining Barrowites are completely vulnerable...I don't know, it just seems absurd to me. I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief while reading supernatural fiction, but to suspend LOGIC and COMMON SENSE as well? Give me a break, Steve Niles. I am very glad that I read this book though, because it introduced me to the art of Ben Templesmith, and I have been picking up a lot of his stuff since then, such as Fell: Feral City, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, Tommyrot. All these books are absolutely worth it. Templesmith's art is not everybody's cup of tea because it's so hazy and unclear, like walking in a dream or through a nightmare landscape, but I love it. So, I guess I am glad that I do have 30 Days of Night in my collection just to gaze at the atmospheric and haunting images while ignoring the captions and dialogue entirely.Book Review: great story
Summary: 5 Stars
cool idea. cant wait to see the movie! its an easy read with UNBELEVABLE drawings and paintings! sooooo coolBook Review: Feeding frenzy!
Summary: 4 Stars
Steve Niles & Ben Templesmith have really spun a brilliant vampiric tale set in the small town of Barrow, Alaska. Yes, Alaska. No sun for a good part of the months. Alaska + Vampires = A vampires heaven and of course one hell of a nightmare for mankind! I read these as first print comics then purchased this TPB as a reading copy. The cover is partial glossy and partially smooth finish with a sturdy thickness insuring a lasting product. The pages are glossy and thick splattered with amazing art work that is both original and gruesome. The art work in here was definitely a break from the norm at its release and spun a whole new style of drawing. The story is brilliant and suspenseful and moves along nicely.
30 Days of Night's popularity is both a mixture of the idea of its setting and innovative artwork which in turn has spawned its own cult following; truly a modern classic for its genre. This particular TPB is well worth the money and a fine edition to any collection.
Book Review: Great Story
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this graphic novel to be qutie original. I loved the story, very inventive. The only complaint I had, and its a fairly minor one, is that I couldn't quite get into the art style. I didn't hate it, its just not my personal choice. I just didn't see what would have been lost if it had been drawn in a normal manor. But overall a great read, and I also can't wait for the movie. Book Review: Mixed Bag
Summary: 4 Stars
Story: A.
The concept is awesome and a lot of fun. The story is interesting in and of itself.
Writing: B-.
However, the actual writing is kind of average, if not below average. The writer came up with a great idea, but dialogue and characterization, that he didn't do as well.
Art: A+
If you love dark, moody art, this is the story for you. It's absolutely gorgeous and very expressive. Individual pages and panels can be blown up and displayed on your walls. It's beautiful.
Storytelling: B-.
On the other hand, the downside of this really expressive and moody art is that it can be really confusing. A lot of the characters end up eitherr looking the same, or in certain panels, look completely different from how he or she looked before. I guess that's the trade off. Great looking pages and panels, but as sequential art, it can really throw off the story telling.
I'd buy it if you have money to spare, and if you want to look at great art without the burden of a heavy story.