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Les Lumières de l'Amalou #1-5
Lights of the Amalou
An epic fantasy drawn by the internationally-renowned illustrator Claire Wendling that won the Press Award at the Angouleme Comics Festival. First English translation.
Long ago, no living creatures existed in the Legend world, except for a magician by the name of Theo...and a giant oak tree. The two beings made a pact: one would imagine and draw the form of the creatures, to which the second would give life. In exchange, the magician would become immortal. The world is now populated by a wide array of species, including the human-like Transparents--and one in particular, a young woman named Orane. But as time passes, the Great Oak begins to weaken, and Theo wants to acquire its power...and then there are Yz and Meth, two hybrid demons who threaten to turn the world upside down.
Long ago, no living creatures existed in the Legend world, except for a magician by the name of Theo...and a giant oak tree. The two beings made a pact: one would imagine and draw the form of the creatures, to which the second would give life. In exchange, the magician would become immortal. The world is now populated by a wide array of species, including the human-like Transparents--and one in particular, a young woman named Orane. But as time passes, the Great Oak begins to weaken, and Theo wants to acquire its power...and then there are Yz and Meth, two hybrid demons who threaten to turn the world upside down.
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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June 20, 2023Wow, so this finally got translated. I found this in the Bande Dessinée sub-cellar (just down the way from the Lovecraft crypt) of my old college library many years ago, was captivated by Claire Wendling's artwork, and ended up doing my own translation from French to stay in practice. My French skills were and are less than amazing, so I'd have a hard time telling you if this is as disjointed in French as all the new English-language readers say it is, but through my fragmented French it had a slow-building otherworldly magic. Perhaps the act of translation slowed my reading down to the point where I could absorb it differently, the effect mutating and shifting. And so I'm in no hurry to revisit this in my own language, I fear it might dispel the lingering memories of its cryptic and winding mythologies.
April 10, 2018
3.5 stars.
Another translation from the excellent Eurocomics imprint, aiming to bring some of the best European graphic work to those of us who speak English. This is a wonderful book printed on high quality paper with fantastic production standards.
A dense tale from Christophe Gibelin of love, betrayal, race relations, mythic worlds, genocide, all brushed with some whimsical fantasy and drawn exquisitely by Claire Wendling.
In this collected work of 240 pages, we follow the fate of the magician and the world tree who, between them, created the realm that is falling apart while they fight between them for their very existence. At the centre of this tug-of war is the Limpid sprite Orane, who embarks on an epic journey to restore some kind of balance to the world.
Surrounded by warring Ferrets and forever hiding from Humans, Orane and her companions take on a quest, discovering more about themselves and the motivations of others as the book concludes with a satisfying denouement.
So, why only 3 stars. It's definitely not for the artwork, which is amazing and consistent and wonderful for every page, with thematic colouration setting the tone and scene and nuanced lines adding details of movement and expression that are just perfect. No, the 3 stars are for the flow of text and conversation. It may just be me, but while Edward Gauvin's translation makes perfect sense on a piecemeal basis, I wonder how much has been lost from the French. There seems to be rather a lot being asked of me as a reader to infer what's going on and the story lacks flow, in places feeling disjointed - creating a disconnect with the reader that makes it more challenging than it should be to follow the narrative.
If you like European fantasy though, this should be on your list, even if only to appreciate Claire Wendling's brilliant artwork.
Another translation from the excellent Eurocomics imprint, aiming to bring some of the best European graphic work to those of us who speak English. This is a wonderful book printed on high quality paper with fantastic production standards.
A dense tale from Christophe Gibelin of love, betrayal, race relations, mythic worlds, genocide, all brushed with some whimsical fantasy and drawn exquisitely by Claire Wendling.
In this collected work of 240 pages, we follow the fate of the magician and the world tree who, between them, created the realm that is falling apart while they fight between them for their very existence. At the centre of this tug-of war is the Limpid sprite Orane, who embarks on an epic journey to restore some kind of balance to the world.
Surrounded by warring Ferrets and forever hiding from Humans, Orane and her companions take on a quest, discovering more about themselves and the motivations of others as the book concludes with a satisfying denouement.
So, why only 3 stars. It's definitely not for the artwork, which is amazing and consistent and wonderful for every page, with thematic colouration setting the tone and scene and nuanced lines adding details of movement and expression that are just perfect. No, the 3 stars are for the flow of text and conversation. It may just be me, but while Edward Gauvin's translation makes perfect sense on a piecemeal basis, I wonder how much has been lost from the French. There seems to be rather a lot being asked of me as a reader to infer what's going on and the story lacks flow, in places feeling disjointed - creating a disconnect with the reader that makes it more challenging than it should be to follow the narrative.
If you like European fantasy though, this should be on your list, even if only to appreciate Claire Wendling's brilliant artwork.
November 21, 2022
It was bumbling and I was confused too often. Reworking the narrative would be HUGE. But alas, it's in the past.
March 23, 2020
Claire Wendling's artwork is beautiful – a mixture of folk tale winsomeness and fantasy epic – but otherwise this is a mess of a book. The plot is contrived to move characters through different majestic locales, but lacks shape or stakes. The ending is extremely abrupt and unsatisfying, confirming the impression that the story wasn't planned well. The antagonist is an evil wizard after eternal life (hardly a novel conceit), and there is some gesture towards the need to resolve the antagonism between two communities in order to save the world. The manga version of Nausicaä feels like a spiritual ancestor, but this falls far short of Miyazaki's example.
March 18, 2018
Lights of the Amalou tells the story of a group of limpids (human-like creatures that disappear in the dark) and talking ferrets, who have lived in precarious harmony in an island on a river for as long as any of them can remember. The arrival of two ferrets from the outside world coincides with the upset of the island's order, secrets are revealed, and the long adventure of discovery and travel begins.
The story focuses on Orane, a limpid woman, Theo, her uncle and lover, the two outsider ferrets, and the great oak that guards the animal world in a parallel world. The great oak also guards the children Yz and Meth who are pivotal to the balance between the two worlds and among all animals.
The story ultimately is about love/hatred and in/tolerance and acceptance of others. It is also about greed and ego. Revenge plays a big part in the complicated calculations several factions make throughout the adventure. Though the legend (the reason why the talking ferrets and limpids are living in the island, etc.) is explained and elaborated upon in several places throughout the story, it is never clear why the great oak actually agrees to release Yz and Meth (Theo convinces the great oak to do this, apparently, presumably because the ferrets and the limpids have to now work together to overcome their shared problem). Theo's ulterior motives seem clear from the beginning (he wants the great oak's power to rule and create, to draw from the worship of all animals, etc.), the great oak's big plan is only fully revealed at the end (as Orane's interpretation of what happens to Meth and Theo and what should then happen to Orane and Yz and how balance can be restored, one day.)
The art is beautiful and lush. The creatures are fantastic. The two worlds, human and the world of the great oak, are well realized. Though the ferrets all look alike, the main characters important to the plot at expertly set apart.
Lights of the Amalou is an engaging, fun read with arresting visuals. Recommended for those who like cats, wine, wells, flying ships.
The story focuses on Orane, a limpid woman, Theo, her uncle and lover, the two outsider ferrets, and the great oak that guards the animal world in a parallel world. The great oak also guards the children Yz and Meth who are pivotal to the balance between the two worlds and among all animals.
The story ultimately is about love/hatred and in/tolerance and acceptance of others. It is also about greed and ego. Revenge plays a big part in the complicated calculations several factions make throughout the adventure. Though the legend (the reason why the talking ferrets and limpids are living in the island, etc.) is explained and elaborated upon in several places throughout the story, it is never clear why the great oak actually agrees to release Yz and Meth (Theo convinces the great oak to do this, apparently, presumably because the ferrets and the limpids have to now work together to overcome their shared problem). Theo's ulterior motives seem clear from the beginning (he wants the great oak's power to rule and create, to draw from the worship of all animals, etc.), the great oak's big plan is only fully revealed at the end (as Orane's interpretation of what happens to Meth and Theo and what should then happen to Orane and Yz and how balance can be restored, one day.)
The art is beautiful and lush. The creatures are fantastic. The two worlds, human and the world of the great oak, are well realized. Though the ferrets all look alike, the main characters important to the plot at expertly set apart.
Lights of the Amalou is an engaging, fun read with arresting visuals. Recommended for those who like cats, wine, wells, flying ships.
January 4, 2019
Lights of the Amalou is a confusing, albeit gorgeously drawn, fantasy story about two magical races (the Lipids and the Ferrets) and the problems that exist in their world in part due to the tensions between them. This is definitely a darker book and you should expect to see things like betrayal, ego, genocide, greed, etc sprinkled in throughout.
Even though this is a graphic novel, I found this book to be difficult to read (although I admit I am not well versed in these style of books). While I could understand the individual sentences being spoken by the characters, I found it extremely challenging to parse the overall flow and plot of the book. I'm not sure if there was something just lost in the translation of the book or if this was perhaps written for an entirely different audience. My instinct, though, is that people who enjoy many of the classics would be able to parse this and enjoy it (I'm definitely not one of those people, though).
Despite the confusion I had reading it, I found the art in the book to be quite spectacular. I'm torn between giving it 2 and 3 stars just because of that. The pictures have this very unique style with some spectacular lighting / shadows / attention to detail. It's like a whimsical fantasy style that's reminds me of older comics. There's also just so much of it compared to other graphic novels I've read / seen.
Overall, though, I have a hard time recommending this book. Perhaps if you're someone familiar with reading books that are difficult to parse and can appreciate the unique art style - then maybe you'd really enjoy it. However, I think many people (myself included) will have a hard time getting past the confusing and dark story that doesn't really suck you in.
Even though this is a graphic novel, I found this book to be difficult to read (although I admit I am not well versed in these style of books). While I could understand the individual sentences being spoken by the characters, I found it extremely challenging to parse the overall flow and plot of the book. I'm not sure if there was something just lost in the translation of the book or if this was perhaps written for an entirely different audience. My instinct, though, is that people who enjoy many of the classics would be able to parse this and enjoy it (I'm definitely not one of those people, though).
Despite the confusion I had reading it, I found the art in the book to be quite spectacular. I'm torn between giving it 2 and 3 stars just because of that. The pictures have this very unique style with some spectacular lighting / shadows / attention to detail. It's like a whimsical fantasy style that's reminds me of older comics. There's also just so much of it compared to other graphic novels I've read / seen.
Overall, though, I have a hard time recommending this book. Perhaps if you're someone familiar with reading books that are difficult to parse and can appreciate the unique art style - then maybe you'd really enjoy it. However, I think many people (myself included) will have a hard time getting past the confusing and dark story that doesn't really suck you in.
April 12, 2022
As interesting as this was, Lights of the Amalou never fully engaged me or provided the type of entertainment I was seeking, falling short as a storyline that could constantly hold my attention with engrossing content, and to then reach a satisfying conclusion.
Claire Wendling’s art and colouring is certainly impressive, possessing a creative looseness that I enjoyed, however, I did have a few issues following Christophe Gibelin’s story, as some scenes abruptly shifted focus or lacked the cohesive flow I needed to guarantee that everything taking place was easily understood. The story isn’t overly complex, but there are numerous protagonists and many scenes set in different worlds – tracking all of these events over multiple reading sessions was a bit of a task, resulting in some disconnect.
The concept of this adventure is intriguing, and the art is of a very high quality, but the scheming characters’ self-interested plans failed to sustain my enthusiasm throughout its pages.
Claire Wendling’s art and colouring is certainly impressive, possessing a creative looseness that I enjoyed, however, I did have a few issues following Christophe Gibelin’s story, as some scenes abruptly shifted focus or lacked the cohesive flow I needed to guarantee that everything taking place was easily understood. The story isn’t overly complex, but there are numerous protagonists and many scenes set in different worlds – tracking all of these events over multiple reading sessions was a bit of a task, resulting in some disconnect.
The concept of this adventure is intriguing, and the art is of a very high quality, but the scheming characters’ self-interested plans failed to sustain my enthusiasm throughout its pages.
January 1, 2021
Artwork 5 stars. Absolutely stunning. Story, less than one. I`ve been looking forward to read this thing . It seems to be inspired by Wind in the willows, with a bit of Dickens, a little steampunk, monsters, magic and sword fighting. Right up my alley. Sadly, the story barely makes any sense. It has some similarities with Loisels Quest for the Time bird, A chase-the-magic-football-and-save-the-world thing going on. And treasonous characters. Basic, fun stuff. For that to work though, the characters have to be interesting, have actual personalities, and (understandable) motivations.(and relations) Which is lacking almost entirey, with slight exceptions of Elwood and his master (??) , the two gentlemen, scholar ferrets out adventuring. Or something.
May 25, 2021
I won the First Prize at Ropecon Art Exhibition and it was a gift certificate to Fantasiapelit store. I went there and got this comic book I had no previous knowledge of.
It was a huge experience for me! The art and the colouring are very impressive. The lines are flexible, the characters are lifelike and expressive, there's amazing shades of light, moods and harmonies.
The story just engulfed me right from the start and I was praising this book to my spouse about once an hour at that stage. Sorry about that, I was excited.
The story got a bit too 'far out' towards the end, but it wasn't too much to dim the encantment of the album. Or actually it's a collection, it's five albums in one.
I recommend you read this.
It was a huge experience for me! The art and the colouring are very impressive. The lines are flexible, the characters are lifelike and expressive, there's amazing shades of light, moods and harmonies.
The story just engulfed me right from the start and I was praising this book to my spouse about once an hour at that stage. Sorry about that, I was excited.
The story got a bit too 'far out' towards the end, but it wasn't too much to dim the encantment of the album. Or actually it's a collection, it's five albums in one.
I recommend you read this.
April 24, 2018
three + stars
Beautifully illustrated but an often confusing and disjointed story.
Beautifully illustrated but an often confusing and disjointed story.
August 24, 2019
Honestly cannot say if I liked it or not - just that I kept turning the pages when I was reading it and thinking about it when I wasn't.
October 3, 2019
Beautifully drawn, but confusing as hell.
December 23, 2020
DNFing about halfway through. Just not for me. Story is only semi-coherent and not easy to follow, and the artwork is unappealing.
did-not-finish
April 18, 2022Got to page 38. I’m just not made for “little English anthropologic animals have an adventure” stories.
August 11, 2022
Antropomorphic weasels, transparent lolitas and gratuitous incest within first 50 pages have convinced me this was written for a very particular fetish I must not have. I would have still finished it if it wasn't so boring.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews