Booknote: Red Sonja: Unchained

Peter V. Brett, Red Sonja: Unchained. Mount Laurel, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-60690-453-4. 

This is another volume from the good folks at Dynamite Comics; it is a different author than the previous volume of Red Sonja I read recently. Peter V. Brett takes over writing duties here with art by Jack Jadson. While the story here is good, I liked Gail Simone's run better. I felt that Simone added a bit more depth to Sonja. However, Brett's run is a good fantasy epic with great elements: sword fights, demons, treasure, mages, and more.

This time Sonja is hired to rescue an innkeeper's son. The son was taken by a wizard who plans to use him as a sacrifice to a demon. Sonja kills the demon, or rather kills its earthly avatar banishing it from the world and rescues the boy. It sounds easy enough, but nothing is ever easy for Red Sonja. Soon, she faces a murder charge, a curse, and she has to face an ancient warrior  queen's spirit.

The volume features great action and adventure that fans of sword and sorcery will enjoy. It was a fast paced read with very good colorful art. It was certainly fun to read. This volume features the "Blue One-Shot" and issues 1-4 of the Red Sonja: Unchained series. It also features a cover gallery with art by Walter Geovani and Mel Rubi.

This was one I really liked, so I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Public libraries will want to acquire this one, especially if they already have other fantasy titles. I'd say academic libraries with recreational reading collections that include graphic novels may want to consider it as well. It is a title I would order for our library. For those of you who track ratings, this one is rated "T" for teens and up.


Disclosure: The mandatory stuff I have to type to tell you that I read this as an e-book review copy via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. You know, so The Man is satisfied everything is kosher.