George R.R. Martin's In the House of the Worm

by John Jos. Miller (adapter), George R.R. Martin, Ivan Rodriguez (Artist)

The biggest name in fiction, George R.R. Martin, opens his story vault as we adapt a tale of dark fantasy to comics for the first time with In The House of the Worm. Beneath a ruined city on a forgotten planet lies a world of plots and revenge. When Annelyn is embarrassed in front of his noble friends by the Meatbringer, he sets forth a devious plan that is meant to gain vengeance. But the terrible truth of the dire White Worm turns his ploy into folly in terrible fashion. Now the truth of the Grouns and the Worms will be revealed and Annelyn must face the horrors of what lay beneath his pampered world in the darkness below. Join a master storyteller as he spins a uniquely mysterious tale and reveals new worlds of wonder and horror. This volume collects issues #1 - 4 of the In the House of the Worm series.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction

104 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2015

Reviews

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was just totally bizarre, but still entertaining. It's a fantasy story set in a strange world with different races. One is human and lives underground, another is humanoid but alien and lives deeper underground. There are also giant worms and insects, and the humanoid race worships the worms. The two races also eat one another.

That paragraph sounds disjointed and childish but honestly this was so far out I'm not sure how else to explain it. The art is exceptional, beautiful really. And for all of its weirdness, I still enjoyed it. I felt smatterings of Zelazny, The Time Machine, Logan's Run, and even an old comic called "Warriors of Plasm." I'm not saying Martin was influenced by any of that, it's just what it reminded me of.

If you are looking for a fantasy comic that is truly out of the norm but still readable, try this one.

[Bill Purkayastha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must point out that this book isn't actually a book. It's a graphic novel published in four parts in 2014, not by Martin but by a team. It's made out of a long short story (just short of a novella) in Martin's collection Sandkings , which comprises stories written in the 70s and 80s. The original story is good in technique and plotting, even though the premise is ridiculous and doesn't bear any amount of rational analysis. It's the softest of soft science fiction, more fantasy than SF in fact. However, as a story and a story alone it's highly competent, with excellent use of atmosphere, good build up of the character of the protagonist, and a satisfyingly ambiguous denouement. I would recommend it, along with the parent collection, Sandkings.

I cannot, however, say the same about this graphic novel. It can be viewed for free online with a little bit of googling if one's interested, but I wouldn't recommend it. Let's get the positives out of the way first:

1. It sticks almost exactly to the plot of the story, changing no main point at all, and only adjusting a couple of things to pad a couple of places and to add a little eye candy.

2. The art is well executed.

Having said that:

1. The art, while well executed, is utterly conventional, completely in the style of DC comics, with invariably Caucasian - even Nordic - characters, and the nudity is forced and unnecessary. Not that I mind nudity at all but it's gratuitous and has no relation to the plot.

2. The graphic novel format itself is something that is inimical to SF. It leaves nothing to the imagination, forces the reader (who should really be called the viewer) to accept what's happening as definitive, and of course ruins the atmosphere of the story and mental processes of the main character. The only way out of the trap is blocks of exposition spread over multiple panels, and of course that shouts information at the reader rather than let him think it through for himself.

3. The basic weakness of the premise of the source story becomes even more glaring in this format to the point where it becomes utterly impossible to ignore. I can't write about it without introducing far too many spoilers, but rest assured that it fails both genetics and even basic astrophysics.

Not recommended.

[Kitty Red-Eye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like this one as much as GRRM's other stories, although it became much better towards the end. A lost human colony in a world with a dying sun, and no real memories of what they are and where they came from, they celebrate decay and quite silly rituals. One man gets a trip beneath the ground, one he never wanted, and finds out enough to make at least the reader roughly understand what has happened, and perhaps enough for survival, for a while longer. A three star story for most of the way, up to four at the end, though. I enjoy the tour through the author's "thousand worlds".

Updated: it has grown on me and is now one of my favourites from "The Thousand Worlds".

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable pulp fantasy, GRRM's style.
Tease and gore, machinations of the mind and society strains and tugs at changes borne by the legacy of the past.

[Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Put it down after a couple of pages.
I love George R.R. Martin & am just hoping this was bad case of novel-to-comic book translation.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing story. It would have been nice to see this continued or expanded but the premise itself was definitely intriguing.

[MonumentToDecency · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps if this were issued as at 12 part series rather than a four part, there would have been enough time and space to explain and explore what should have been a rather interesting tale.

As it is, In The House Of The Worm is seriously let down by a childish start and a rushed ending. I have not read the original short story this is based on but am assuming this was beaten out for no reason other than it bears the great G.R.R. Martin name, and in this decade that name makes money.

Maybe the original story is wonderful, there are certainly some very interesting elements hidden beneath the personal stories of tacky and hyper-sexualised looking women and pathetically horny men. The Grouns, the Masque, the Third People are cool ideas, but they're barely touched on here.

Everything in this story is barely touched upon, and that's why it sucks. A bigger rendition would be able to explore this, fatten it up if need be, and deliver it as another Martin gem.

My rating: One burnt out Sun out of five. (Sorry.)

[Adrian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this graphic novel a little confused, rushed and lacking a satisfying ending. Maybe some nuances were lost from the original short story (In the House of the Worm), which I will have to track down and read.

The story is part fantasy, part horror and part sci-fi, and tells of a distant planet where two races, one living above the other, feed of each other. Our hero, Annelyn, embarrassed by the Meatbringer, ventures into the depths of to seek revenge. His journey unlocks secrets and lies.

[John H · Rating 1 out of 5]

I weeded this from the library's collection because it never checks out. It won't be missed. It's really undercooked to the point that it's hard to figure out what's going on.

[Jade Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very impressed by this, a lot of it didn't make sense or was way too over the top.

[Jason McCracken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nonsensical plot, ludicrous dialogue and very average artwork (unless you like gigantic breasts).

[Ivet Nikolova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Книгата е малка, бързо четяща се. Има достатъчно неща, които хващат вниманието ти. Описанията са достатъчно добре написани, за да си представиш всичко и то без да полагаш много усилия.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

George R.R. Martin’s In the House of the Worm (2015) – Graphic Novel.

Ghastly dark fantasy. Incorporates all the essential elements of a gripping tale, protagonist, antagonist, injustice, competing for a beautiful woman, travel companions, sojourn into the unknown (Journey to the Centre of the Earth; & 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), and revelation of xenophobia and cultural prejudice.

I found it rather nauseating to be honest.
- - -

[Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of Dark Fantasy, another strong story that belongs in the writings of George R R Martin.

[Elizabeth Best · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.
It's probably better if you've read the original actual version, but an interesting read, and the images are great, but I just didn't get into it really.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Journey in the dark to a shocking discovery