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3rd out of 27 books
—
11 voters
Ico: Castle in the Mist
Reads L to R (Western Style), for audience A.
When a boy named Ico grows long curved horns overnight, his fate has been sealed-he is to be sacrificed in the Castle in the Mist. But in the castle, Ico meets a young girl named Yorda imprisoned in its halls. Alone they will die, but together Ico and Yorda might just be able to defy their destinies and escape the magic of the
...morePaperback, 370 pages
Published
August 16th 2011
by VIZ Media LLC
(first published January 1st 2008)
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I fell in love with the video game Ico when I first played it many years ago on the PS2. I ordered this novelization as soon as I learned about it, but -- although I devoured the first 100 pages very quickly -- it didn't hold my attention. There's nothing really wrong with it, but it doesn't capture the magic of the game or its world.
Perhaps the biggest mistake made by the author is allowing Ico and Yorda to speak. Their differing languages is key to the subtle beauty of their friendship, and it...more
Perhaps the biggest mistake made by the author is allowing Ico and Yorda to speak. Their differing languages is key to the subtle beauty of their friendship, and it...more
Ico: Castle in the Mist by Miyuki Miyabe
By Dayana Salas
Heroic fantasy fans are not to be lightly dealt with. We know what we want –ghostly princesses, abandoned castles, horrific curses, beasts and demons, sacrifices, and obviously a hero who saves the day.
Based on a popular video game, Miyuki Miyabe, was able to recreate the bold story of Ico, Castle in the Mist. The novel opens in Toksa village during the Time of Sacrifice. Ico, a young teenage boy born with horns, is faced with traveling to...more
By Dayana Salas
Heroic fantasy fans are not to be lightly dealt with. We know what we want –ghostly princesses, abandoned castles, horrific curses, beasts and demons, sacrifices, and obviously a hero who saves the day.
Based on a popular video game, Miyuki Miyabe, was able to recreate the bold story of Ico, Castle in the Mist. The novel opens in Toksa village during the Time of Sacrifice. Ico, a young teenage boy born with horns, is faced with traveling to...more
I suppose I should write two reviews here: one for folks who love _Ico_ the videogame, and one for folks who have never heard of it. (If you're in between, flip a coin and read both.)
_Ico_ was a 2001 videogame (for the Playstation). I loved it; I still love it. It remains a landmark in atmospheric, engaging videogame storytelling. Notably, it was almost entirely wordless. Everything was conveyed through architecture, lighting, the body language of the protagonists, and -- most important -- the p...more
_Ico_ was a 2001 videogame (for the Playstation). I loved it; I still love it. It remains a landmark in atmospheric, engaging videogame storytelling. Notably, it was almost entirely wordless. Everything was conveyed through architecture, lighting, the body language of the protagonists, and -- most important -- the p...more
When Miyuki Miyabe comes to ICO she writes a world she has made her own. As she states in “Preface,” given “free reign with the story and world found in the game” by the producers and creators, she found her “own path through the tale.” She uses and develops elements and characters, but “the order of events, the solutions to puzzles, even the layout of the castle have changed.” The designated status as novelization honors the originators of her inspiration, but make no mistake that Miyabe lends...more
This book is odd.
It's not the video game plus+ dialogue and character development minus- parts that are fun to play but would be boring to read. It's a retelling of the story.
The first chapter is Ico's back-story, which is fine but drags on a bit too long. In the second chapter it starts getting really strange because the author starts going through the story almost exactly the way the game happens. I could actually imagine her playing the game with her laptop by her side, writing as she played...more
It's not the video game plus+ dialogue and character development minus- parts that are fun to play but would be boring to read. It's a retelling of the story.
The first chapter is Ico's back-story, which is fine but drags on a bit too long. In the second chapter it starts getting really strange because the author starts going through the story almost exactly the way the game happens. I could actually imagine her playing the game with her laptop by her side, writing as she played...more
I am so supposed to be reviewing Among the Brave right now, but I can’t get this book out of my head. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to just start over and read it all again. It gave me that feeling in the pit of my stomach that I just wouldn’t be able to read anything else, because this left my emotions so knotted. I couldn’t believe it was over because I just wanted more.
I’ll tell you know this will probably be a long review, because once I start talking about Ico, game or book, I can rea...more
I’ll tell you know this will probably be a long review, because once I start talking about Ico, game or book, I can rea...more
I really enjoyed this book. I knew before reading it that it was based on a video game, but I've never played it. I think the story in this book was very successful, but I had some problems with the way it was constructed.
The beginning, for me, was the best part. The writing was wonderful and as Ico's backstory was filled in the character was really coming alive for me.
In the middle, it started to be much less organic. Here you could tell that the book was based on a video game. Every scene se...more
The beginning, for me, was the best part. The writing was wonderful and as Ico's backstory was filled in the character was really coming alive for me.
In the middle, it started to be much less organic. Here you could tell that the book was based on a video game. Every scene se...more
It is the novelization of a beloved video game, so there is some possibility that my joy in reading it is biased by my fond memories of the engaging mystery and emotion of the game. That being said, I think it would also be a great read for lovers of fantasy who have NOT played the game, even if they do not recognize the places and moments that conjure up game nostalgia for those who HAVE played it. The author takes some artistic liberty filling in gaps in the game world's story, but I am assure...more
ICO: Castle in the Mist is a novelization of the game, originally written by acclaimed author Miyuki Miyabe, and serialized across 2002/3 in the Japanese magazine ‘Shūkan Gendai’. It was published as a complete novel in 2004 in Japan, and was translated to English only last year.
We all on the same page? Good. That’s the niceties over and done with.
Now then; if you value the time you spent with ICO, you more than any other will want to read this. I need to tell you that you more than any other sh...more
We all on the same page? Good. That’s the niceties over and done with.
Now then; if you value the time you spent with ICO, you more than any other will want to read this. I need to tell you that you more than any other sh...more
Any fan of the video game, ICO, should read this book. It provides an excellent reinterpretation of the original, thinly spread plot line, fleshing out the game world nicely. While Ico's, the boy, background is rather a lot like you might imagine after playing the game and reading the manual's story notes, the real surprise here is the well constructed history for the female protagonist, Yorda, which makes up a good third of the book. If you've ever wondered what her past was like--and what play...more
To be fair, I was warned about the bad traits of this book, and again, to be fair, I borrowed it from the library anyway. After the main character enters the central part of the book, we automatically lose the rest of the established cast, which, I think, gave the beginning of this book its real bite and made it a different beast than the video game it is based off of.
To keep this short, the main downfall of the book itself is that it is based off of a video game in which, in order to remain tr...more
To keep this short, the main downfall of the book itself is that it is based off of a video game in which, in order to remain tr...more
I love the game, and while I've sworn off novelizations I'd recently read a review of this book by someone I trusted, and decided to give it a try. I don't really regret it, but I can't say I truly enjoyed this book. I was drawn in by the backstory and was enjoying the story until it suddenly switched to Yorda's backstory instead and...I would rather Yorda remained mysterious and unknowable, as she is in the game. Of course, I guess that would have made for a much shorter and more boring book! A...more
May 02, 2012
Ena
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of the game, elementary to secondary school students
This book was a recommendation to me and I had no knowledge of its being a novelization of a consol game. Having said that I quite like the book regardless. I kept thinking that I would have loved this book if I was a child, it's a good fairytale.
Despite the book bears the name of the character Ico, there is a lenghty part where story is told Yorda's POV, which is good, since (view spoiler)...more
Despite the book bears the name of the character Ico, there is a lenghty part where story is told Yorda's POV, which is good, since (view spoiler)...more
I'm a huge fan of the video game, so I was very excited to start reading this. The minimalist nature of the game left a lot to the imagination, so I was interested in hearing someone elses take on the story.
I thought the chapters that filled in the backstories of the characters were very well done. The story dragged a bit toward the end, and a couple sections that almost seemed like a step-by-step walkthrough of the game were boring, but overall the book was great.
I thought the chapters that filled in the backstories of the characters were very well done. The story dragged a bit toward the end, and a couple sections that almost seemed like a step-by-step walkthrough of the game were boring, but overall the book was great.
As a fan of the game, I approached this novelization with caution. The game is deliberately minimalist in its storytelling, while the book would surely have backstory and much more characterization.
I needn't have worried. While there is quite a lot of backstory (perhaps half the book tells first Ico's backstory, then Yorda's), it's done in a way that doesn't seem to impinge on whatever you take away from the game itself; this story is but one possible explanation, though a very good one.
I needn't have worried. While there is quite a lot of backstory (perhaps half the book tells first Ico's backstory, then Yorda's), it's done in a way that doesn't seem to impinge on whatever you take away from the game itself; this story is but one possible explanation, though a very good one.
This is a wonderful companion to a wonderful game. I was pleased to see that some of Yorda's backstory was in this! I'd always wanted to hear her POV in the game, so to see it in the novel was lovely.
Some people may be put off by the format, but I thought it was meandering and dreamy, much like the game itself, so it really worked well. Plus it was originally serialized.
This hit my heart in the right place, like the game, what a wonderful novelization.
Some people may be put off by the format, but I thought it was meandering and dreamy, much like the game itself, so it really worked well. Plus it was originally serialized.
This hit my heart in the right place, like the game, what a wonderful novelization.
I have to preface this by noting that I am completely unfamiliar with the video game that this book is based on.
Ico was a very good book indeed, absolutely no familiarity with the game was required to get into the book. As other reviewers have mentioned, it has all of the elements of a timeless fairy tail, while still having a freshness to it. There is an overall sense of sadness, common to Miyabe's works, that is continued in this volume. This book has a clearer, happier outcome than is in her...more
Ico was a very good book indeed, absolutely no familiarity with the game was required to get into the book. As other reviewers have mentioned, it has all of the elements of a timeless fairy tail, while still having a freshness to it. There is an overall sense of sadness, common to Miyabe's works, that is continued in this volume. This book has a clearer, happier outcome than is in her...more
Even for someone who has never played the video game, this story is a beautiful fairytale and great read. Perhaps it's better for those who haven't played the game, who don't make the comparisons to game storyline.
Ico: Castle in the Mist was a fantastic novelisation of an equally fantastic game, the characters were given new depth and the atmosphere was perfect for the whole book. I loved it from start to finish.
I'll preface this by saying that it's been a number of years since I played the game. I wish I could say the book is as great as the game was. What I expected to find was an imaginative attempt to fill the backstory that is (to my recollection) not explained at all in the game. In part, it does this, but I felt it strayed too far from where the game took me in that the story no longer fits the game, at least not what I remember of it. At best, it's a book inspired by the game, and deviates when...more
Oct 19, 2011
Daniel
added it
I quite thoroughly enjoyed this book, it certainly did not read like most game-to-book adaptations. Rather, it was a story of hope and courage, it was fun and suspensful and most importantly, it kept me reading. The details seemed to be a bit much at times but they created a painting of such mastery I could see where the characters stood and share some of their awe and terror
Nov 15, 2011
Michael Alexander Henke
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
video-games
A very interesting adaptation of the game. It goes into very deep detail about things that are only hinted in the game. It was very cool to see Ico's back story, and a lot of things from Yorda's perspective. It did tend to drab a bit for me, but enjoyable nonetheless.
This is an odd little book. The story is based on a video game and sometimes it does feel like a walkthrough. The parts that don't feel like that though, are wonderful. Ico's relationship with his foster parents and Yorda's relationship with her mother are just great.
Feb 01, 2011
pearl
marked it as to-read
This could be so good, or so, so bad.
Actually it could be "meh", but I'm not even considering it at this point. Rise up with dignity or go down in flames, I say.
Actually it could be "meh", but I'm not even considering it at this point. Rise up with dignity or go down in flames, I say.
This was really good, maybe I should get some more of Miyuki Miyabe's stuff to read.
Britton made me read it, but I liked it A LOT more than I expected!
enjoyable...great descriptions of the world she creates.
Just started reading this... it's got a lot to stand up to.
The game is nearly perfect - dragging you into a strange land where a witch wants to eat your soul or some such... sounds cliche, but the game works. Why does it work? Cause of the visuals, the cut scenes, and the huge amounts of space it leaves to you to wonder what's out there.
I'm not really sure the book will manage it, but I'd like to read someone elses take on it.
I'm also interested to see how she handles the ending, one of the cont...more
The game is nearly perfect - dragging you into a strange land where a witch wants to eat your soul or some such... sounds cliche, but the game works. Why does it work? Cause of the visuals, the cut scenes, and the huge amounts of space it leaves to you to wonder what's out there.
I'm not really sure the book will manage it, but I'd like to read someone elses take on it.
I'm also interested to see how she handles the ending, one of the cont...more
this book is the bast book aver
I didn't fully finish this book, I just couldn't finish it. I haven't played the game all the way through, mostly because I don't actually own it, but I have played through part of it and some of it felt like a walk through because it followed the game action so closely. Not even the game storyline, but the actual game mechanics. I kept pushing because my boyfriend kept insisting it was great but it wasn't for me. I really got dragged down when the story switched to the girl's flashback perspect...more
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![Ico Castle In The Fog [Japanese Edition]](http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1185420049s/1577750.jpg)
See also 宮部 みゆき.
Miyuki Miyabe (宮部みゆき Miyabe Miyuki) is a popular contemporary Japanese author active in a number of genres including science fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction, social commentary, and juvenile fiction.
Miyabe started writing novels at the age of 23. She has been a prolific writer, publishing dozens of novels and winning many major literary prizes, including the Yamamoto S...more
More about Miyuki Miyabe...
Miyuki Miyabe (宮部みゆき Miyabe Miyuki) is a popular contemporary Japanese author active in a number of genres including science fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction, social commentary, and juvenile fiction.
Miyabe started writing novels at the age of 23. She has been a prolific writer, publishing dozens of novels and winning many major literary prizes, including the Yamamoto S...more
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“It was all right to be sad. It was all right to lament. It was all right to feel anger. But [is] not all right to run away.”
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“Mistakes were mistakes, and failures were failures. Why torment someone with memories of their past?”
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Jun 13, 2012 10:47am