Il guardiano della diga

Dam Keeper #1

by Robert Kondo, Dice Tsutsumi

Robert Kondo e Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi sono i fondatori di uno studio di animazione, Tonko House, che ha creato un cortometraggio premiatissimo e stupendo, "Il guardiano della diga". Dal mondo di quella storia, arriva una trilogia di volumi sul piccolo maiale che custodisce e fa funzionare una diga eolica che respinge con le sue pale l’oscurità che minaccia la città. Pochi degli abitanti del luogo sanno del suo importantissimo compito, ereditato dal padre, scomparso anni fa. Un giorno l’oscurità comincia a tornare sempre meno di frequente, e se sulle prime sembra una cosa bella, dopo un po’ Maiale comincia a sospettare che possa essere il presagio di qualcosa di terribile.
Una storia di coraggio, amicizia e accettazione di sé, dipinta magistralmente e destinata a lasciarvi un segno nel cuore.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Animals

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2017

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the 2nd book. This book started with a mystery from the first cell and grew and grew and never really gave us much. It is all mystery. I could hardly put this book down. Compelling! This book is wonderful and fantastic.

This is about responsibilities. The song of the dam keeper has to go to school with the other kids and if he doesn't take care of the dam, the town will die. People are so safe, they no longer worry and forget the danger outside the dam.

I love the art, the story, the characters. I love this story. I hope they will put these things out quickly because I want to read more.

First Second is where the stories are at in Graphic Novels. It's a company that tell stories of all kinds. I trust everything they put out and it's always different. I love them. An eclectic story telling powerhouse. What a cliff hanger. Big heart.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first volume of a graphic series--probably a trilogy?--based on the authors's Oscar-nominated film, and this volume was also nominated for a YA Eisner 2018. Both of the authors are former Pixar artists who have begun their own multi-media production company, and this is their first graphic novel, which some say is YA, but I thought it was a middle ages level book, a pretty simple allegorical tale about a Pig who was trained to be a dam keeper, keeping out the darkness, until he and two other animals g over to the dark side to explore it. Not much else happens in this first volume, which looks very much like a set of Pixar film stills to me in that they are visually lovely, but not typically Pixar in that the themes are more--initially at least--about darkness than light, but I have a feeling that is about to change in volume 2. Little cute animals in peril?!

[First Second Books]

Based on the Oscar-nominated animated short film of the same name, The Dam Keeper is a lush, vibrantly drawn story about a young pig who is burdened with saving his village. Pig is the dam keeper: he maintains the ingenious machine that keeps the deadly black fog from invading his village. It's a job he inherited from his father, who inexplicably ended his life by walking into the fog. Pig's tireless efforts keep his neighbors safe, but few recognize his sacrifice—in fact, few aside from Fox and Hippo, know he even exists. Pick up this beautiful book to find out what happens when Pig and his friends decide to venture to the world on the other side of the dam!

[Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

This unbiased review is based upon a copy won through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students love graphic novels. Our school library's circulation is something like 30-35% graphic novels with graphic novels making up about 10% of the total collection.

I would guess my classroom library numbers are similar. It's with that in mind that I am always on the lookout for new fascinating graphic novels sure to grab my students' attention!

With a stunning premise, a fun cast of characters, and mystery worth the dare of diving into, The Dam Keeper is a book you are going to want to have in your school, classroom, or home collection (Maybe even all three if you are lucky)!

Anyone who has ever enjoyed series such as Bone, Amulet, The Last Airbender, and The Nameless City will surely appreciate the complex world Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi have created and will definitely be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this cool series!

No need to hold back on purchasing this one, The Dam Keeper comes out 9.26.17 🐷💨

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't really read graphic novels, but I made an exception since I'm such a huge fan of The Dam Keeper short. This book is magnificently illustrated. I actually read it twice. My first read through I was a bit confused because I had thought it was an expansion upon the story told in the animated short. Once I finished and realized this first in a series book actually picks up after the events of the short, I then read it a second time to fully appreciate the details in the artwork and dialogue. As with the short though, the graphic novel surprises with the dark story elements and the emotions it provokes with the reader. I'm looking forward to book two!

[John of Canada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaun Tan gave this a positive review, so who am I to do otherwise? The artwork was excellent. It is a captivating story, and there is tension on every page. I was a little bit annoyed that it ended abruptly, to be continued. Dam! I am hooked though, so I will continue this series.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I checked this e-book out from the library, I didn't realize it was based on a short film. It does have a very cinematic look to it. The illustrations were probably the best part of the book.

Pig is left to be the dam keeper after his father disappears, and it's up to him to keep the fog at bay. It took a little while for me to realize that the characters are all children. You'd think that a town wouldn't leave its survival up to a young anthropomorphized pig, but I guess we have to suspend disbelief a little bit.

By the time the book ended, the story had only just begun. We've gotten to know the main characters (Pig, whose father was the original dam keeper; Fox, his best friend; Hippo, Fox's friend, who's a bit of a loudmouth blowhard; and now Van, who's some sort of unhinged lizard--and probably my favourite character so far), and we've followed them past the dam into what should be a wasteland... but it turns out that there's more beyond the dam than Pig's father let on.

The art is really beautiful, and I was engaged enough by the story that I wouldn't mind reading the next installment when it comes out later this year.

Read this review on my blog.

[Jesse Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This looks like a kids book and is beautifully painted but turned out to be REALLY dark. That might be fine but was just very surprising. Also disappointed that it only told a small portion of the story.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations for a grim tale of a town on the edge of some terrible fog, protected by a massive dam. The dam keeper is a young pig, whose father built and maintained the dam, and, according to the pig, was crazy. Young Pig seems very lonely, despite having a friend in a young fox, Fox, and Pig’s duty weighs heavily on him. And the fog seems to be growing ever larger and more menacing.
Illustrations: 4.5 stars
Character names: 2 stars
Atmosphere: Nice low level of creepiness, paired with a little melancholy and mystery; 4 stars
Total: 3.5 stars.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I, too, like traumatising children with a side helping of cute pig.

[Kelly Gunderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this and other reviews (as well as other neat bookish things) on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!

First off, let me talk about how visually stunning The Dam Keeper is. It has a hardcover format, and a dust jacket that is absolutely beautiful. The gold lettering on the cover really adds to the book's look, and the picture on the cover really does a lot to make you wonder what the book is about. Seriously, this is probably one of the most lovely graphic novels that I've come across, and that's just the cover alone.

The Dam Keeper is a unique and entertaining story that will capture your attention, no matter what your age. While I've seen this one aimed at a middle grade audience, I can say that I am an adult and absolutely fell in love with this book, from beginning though the end. The book is full of charming artwork that really captivates the reader, and the story within keeps you reading until the very last page (and then wanting more!).

I haven't seen the short film that inspired this graphic novel, unfortunately, but it definitely makes me want to seek it out and watch it.

"Nothing lives in the fog...
...except memories."

The Dam Keeper tells the story of Pig - he is in charge of watching this big machine that goes around the city that is called the dam. The dam was invented by Pig's father, who came up with the idea to use this machine to keep the deadly fog away from the city. The fog is known to kill those who come in contact with it. While Pig's father is regarded as a genius for coming up with this invention, he was driven mad and stepped outside into the fog one night, never to be seen again.

Now Pig is in charge of maintaining the dam to keep the fog away from the citizens of Sunrise Valley.

"The job of a dam keeper is to keep the darkness away."

While providing constant maintenance to the dam, Pig also has to go to school, where he has to deal with the town bully, Hippo. Of course, Hippo is also friends with Pig's best friend, Fox, who always tries to get the three of them to spend time together so Pig and Hippo can get to know each other.

One day, when something odd starts happening with the fog, Pig, Fox, and Hippo are torn away from the safety of their village and the dam and thrust into the world - where all the plants and trees are dead and turned to dust - everything is void of life.

Together, the three of them must try and find their way back home before the fog returns and the worst happens. But where is home?

I love the friendship between Fox and Pig, and although I wish we could have learned a bit more about Fox's character (hopefully in the next book!), I really enjoyed the interaction between Pig, Fox, and Hippo throughout the story. Like I mentioned earlier, the illustrations in the book really do transport you to a completely different world. I think the authors of this book did such a wonderful job creating this world and the characters that inhabit it.

By the time I got to the end of this book (which is kind of short and easy to read - in fact, I read through this in less than an hour), I wanted more. At the end of the book it informs the reader that the adventure will continue in the next book in the series, which I am all too eager to get my hands on.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Original Review

This book was not at all like I expected.

Something about the cinematic typography on the cover, and the anthropomorphic characters, had me anticipating something which would read like a Pixar short aimed at kids. And I don't mean to put it down--I'm a teacher, and it was a big part of why I requested the title.

What I found instead was an interesting, heavy, and beautiful work of art & writing. I think that what caught me the most off-guard was how fascinating and well executed the mystery aspect of this is, as well as how dark and thoughtful the story and

The premise is that Pig, our MC, lives in Sunrise Valley, the (supposedly) last vestige of life that has managed to thwart the black Fog: a mysterious and ominous sort of smog that comes in waves and kills all that it touches.

Pig's father was the architect of the Dam: an enormous structure that protects the valley from the onslaught of the fog, dispelling it with a windmill and keeping it at bay.
But Pig's father lost his mind after the death of Pig's mother, and after teaching his son the secrets of operating the Dam and protecting the townsfolk from the fog, he takes his own life by walking out to the other side of the Dam.
​
Throughout all of this, you see the nature of Pig's life: still a child, he's what stands between the people of the valley and certain death. He carries this weight, all while living his life as an outsider.

You end up having so many feelings about Pig! You want to slap the townsfolk around and remind them of what they owe this kid; and you want to take Pig out for an ice cream and try to remind him that his life doesn't have to be doom and gloom 24/7.

But then, it's like--EVERYONE should be more concerned about the doom and gloom situation. They're living in this bubble, and they don't seem to view the Fog as a real threat anymore. They don't take it (or Pig, or Pig's father) seriously.
​
Obviously, our story picks up as the Fog changes in nature and begins to present a new kind of threat. ​And what's more, our cast of characters is thrown from the town out into a perilous wasteland where they begin to see the Fog as more than they had every understood it to be.

Let's talk art style. The comp that keeps coming to mind is The Secret of Kells, the award winning animated movie. It's cinematic, and moody, and mysterious, and a little scary. Things fade into darkness and melt away; the fog and the wasteland beyond the valley are dark and dreary and foreboding, but our characters and the valley are bright and full of brilliant light. It's beautifully rendered.

As an educator user of Netgalley, I'm always asked whether I would adopt this text for my classroom or curriculum--I absolutely would. I think that at the middle grade or high school level, this would be a fantastic text to discuss the way the story and the art style work in tandem. I can imagine, just off the top of my head, lessons on illustrating natural disasters; character design; world building illustration; maybe even something where students would bring in a short text or poem and illustrate it to convey the mood of the written piece through use of color. The classroom discussions would be amazing, because this can be read at a variety of different levels: some students may focus more on Pig's relationship with his classmates, or his relationship with his father, or the myth facets with the Fog and the general plotline. It would be a fantastic text to read, and I would definitely recommend it to my students.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fog has killed everything in the world, but is kept away by the dam Pig’s father built to protect their home in Sunrise Valley. After Pig’s father walks into the fog, it’s up to Pig to keep the dam working—but something is happening with the fog. Something deadly. Something that is going to destroy the tranquil town and its unsuspecting residents.

Like a lot of other reviewers, I was lulled into thinking this was going to be cute, cuddly and heartfelt after looking at the adorable anthropomorphic animals and the beautiful cover art. This graphic novel, the first in hopefully many, is something more than that. It’s spooky and dark, with artwork that adds to the sinister and malignant danger lurking in the fog. Contrasted to the blithe and downright normal (minus the people-animals) life in Sunshine Valley, the fog seems even more deadly and disturbing.

The supporting characters are well drawn but simplistic in nature. Fox is the cool friend with lots of connections and Hippo is the annoying sidekick who can’t decide if he’s a bully or just petulant. Pig, on the other hand, is more complex and manages a range of emotions on his porcine features as he contemplates a life alone and misunderstood as the dam keeper, and grief for his lost parents, particularly his crazy father who walked willingly into the fog.

It’s a good read, and while I’m not well-versed in graphic novels, I think this is a pretty good addition to the field. The art and text are well balanced and support each other, and the story-arc is nicely done, setting up the series for the next installation.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely first book in an animal fantasy series. The art is digital so it's beautiful and feels like watching a movie as you read it. A plot similar to "Attack on Titan" where we have a walled city which thinks the world beyond is dead and gone. Except, the threatening force here is a dark rolling fog. The main character's father created a dam to hold back the fog and save the town. So much time has gone by now that the people have forgotten all about the threat and the dam keeper. After his father goes "crazy" and disappears into the fog it is up to Pig to keep the darkness away. A great cliffhanger ending!

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dam Keeper is an atmospheric delight of a read! It's about a town besieged by a strange fog that kills people. The only thing stopping the town from being overwhelmed is a young pig, operating a giant fan that blows the fog way. However, one night the assault is so rough that the pig and a couple of his friends are carried out of the city and into the mysterious lands abroad.

The art in this one is terrific, so moody and dark, yet adorable and welcoming at the same time. It fits the narrative perfectly, drawing you in with the cute animals, and smacking you down with shadows and darkness. Can't wait until the next installment!

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too weird and yet simultaneously pedestrian. In a world where an ebbing and flowing black killer fog is kept at bay by a dam and some big fans, a group of young animals with generic personalities find themselves whisked far, far into the desolate foreshore (it's a real word I just learned today) with only a few days to get home to their protected village. Colorful characters, unexpected detours and strange discoveries lie ahead, which would be fine if the pace and tone weren't so slow and morose. The art might be nice if it weren't so murky and purply most of the time.

Ho-hum.

[Annie Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was wicked scary! The illustrations are so ominous and menacing. Also, what the heck is up with the town, there is a lone elementary-schooler responsible for their civil defense.

[Luca Masera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primo capitolo di una avventurosa trilogia in cui un Maiale solitario, guardiano della diga di Valle dell’Aurora, intraprende un viaggio insieme agli amici Volpe e Hippo per svelare cosa si nasconde dietro una misteriosa nebbia nera che avvolge la valle.

Una storia da adulti che parla di colpe da espiare, di padri che se ne vanno e di morte che incombe, perfettamente calata in un'opera per bambini dalle scelte cromatiche ricercatissime: si va da accecanti e piene di speranza scene di giorno, a buie e triste immagini notturne nelle quali a fatica si riconoscono i personaggi.

Coinvolgente ed emozionante, spero sia solo il preludio di un'avventura favolistica da non dimenticare.

[Améry Lavaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une jolie lecture mais il me faudra lire la suite pour en savoir plus et écrire une review plus complète. C’est à la fois dommage d’avoir si peu d’informations mais cela donne vraiment envie de savoir la suite.

L’histoire de ce premier tome est assez tristoune et j’espère que cela évoluera plus positivement dans la suite de la saga.

On s’attache vite aux personnages qui ont chacun un rôle bien défini dans l’histoire et qui ont une marge de progression évidente.

Les dessins sont magnifiques et très poétiques. Ils sont réalisés tout en rondeur dans le trait et en douceur dans les couleurs.

Je lirais certainement la suite car je veux vraiment savoir de quoi il en retourne !

[Anna (lion_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So cute! The art is absolutely beautiful. Reading this feels like watching a great Japanese cartoon. The characters are sweet and little ones would relate well to Fox, Pig and Hippo. The story follows the typical call to adventure, but the world is rich and promises a fun story for the rest of the series.

[Magnús Jochum Pálsson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Virkilega falleg myndasaga með spennandi heimi og efnilegri hugmynd fyrir temmilega unga krakka og upp úr.
Það sem dregur hana niður er að sagan er eiginlega bara rétt að byrja þegar bókin klárast. Sömuleiðis eru litirnir fulldökkir svo það verur smá erfitt að greina það sem gerist.

[Nancy Nightingale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised by how dark this is, especially for something aimed at probably middle schoolers. I was a macabre child myself, so I get it, but you could be easily tricked by the cute art style. Very quick read.

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peaceful yet eerie at the same time. Beautifully illustrated, and a short, easy read. I ordered the other two books immediately after finishing.

[patatecuite_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolument MAJESTUEUX. Le style graphique est vraiment incroyable, il m'a hypnotisé ! Juste déçue que ça soit passé si vite 🥰

[Laura vB · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Mon boulot, c’est de tenir les ténèbres à distance. Je suis le veilleur des brumes.”

C’était un petit histoire sur un petit garçon qui garde sa ville contre les brumes. Moi, j’adore ce livre. Les dessins étaient très beaux et l’histoire était simple mais réconfornante. Je veux lire le deuxième tome!🥰😄

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the short film that this novel is based on several years ago as part of a showing of Oscar-nominated animated shorts. I remembered thinking it was one of the best of them. The short felt complete in itself, so I when I saw this book at the library I assumed this was just an adaptation of the film; kind of an odd choice, especially several years after, but sometimes it feels like everything is being adapted to graphic novel form lately. I picked it up out of curiosity, not expecting too much. I was a bit surprised to find that it told a story distinct from, though obviously connected to, the original short film. It isn't a bad story, and I look forward to seeing how it ends. But I don't think it is nearly as good as the original. Partly I think this is because there is too much narration in the book. The short film has a brief introductory narration, and another brief commentary near the end, but the majority was wordless. The book is full of words, from a more in-depth and somewhat angsty introduction, to dialogue between the major characters. And while the film explores the challenge and loneliness of an outsider trying to fit into society against a backdrop of great danger, the book only touches on that before moving into a more conventional story of adventure and exploration. There is a feeling to me that by adding more to the story, the creators mainly diluted the most evocative parts of the original.

A few other issues: the fog seems to be just natural, and acts in a way that Pig can calculate it's behavior, but then we have some part of the fog showing up as a glowing-eyed monster. Obviously this is meant as a mystery, the truth of which will be revealed later in the story, but it feels weird. Again, there is something of a dilution; when the fog is just there and deadly, it is an implacable danger; giving it mobility and seeming sentience and it just becomes a monster to be slain or driven off. Also, the book I read seemed to have printed very darkly. Especially in the earlier part of the book, or any scene at night, it was hard to distinguish detail.

[Cindy Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dam is the only thing that keeps the deadly fog from rolling into Sunrise Valley. Pig’s father built it before he disappeared into the void. Now Pig is responsible for keeping the fog at bay by tending the windmill dam. Not that the other townspeople appreciate what he does; they have forgotten what life without the dam was like.

But one day when Pig’s friend visits and brings a bullying classmate, they all three get sucked out of their village and into the dark land. There they may find answers to turning back the fog for good. But can they trust the strange creature who says he can help?

The Dam Keeper by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi begins a graphic novel series about a responsible hero out to save his world. The illustrations are gorgeous, with muted colors and dark pages that reflect the dire times Pig, Fox and Hippo find themselves living in. First appearing as an Oscar-nominated short film, the graphic novel series brings the story to a whole new audience.

The story is full of mystery and adventure, with images emphasizing forces of light and dark, and while I believe the first book ended a bit abruptly, I find it a promising start with an interesting premise. I recommend The Dam Keeper for readers aged9 to 12.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: Suicidal ideation and suicide, depression, death of a parent

The metaphors are a bit on-the-nose, although the art does a lot of heavy-lifting regarding the melancholic, existential themes of fear, madness and death.

I liked the story overall, but it felt almost too fable-like for my tastes. But I'm sure this might be the perfect read for someone looking for such a tale.

I don't think I'll be continuing on with this though.

Also, did anyone feel like Fox was annoying? I felt like she could have stood up for Pig more as his so-called "best friend" instead of letting her other best friend Hippo bully Pig constantly. Maybe this gets addressed in later volumes of this series, but it really irked me how she shrugged off Hippo's bullying saying bs like "that's just how he is" and so on.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel about an orphaned pig who is now in charge of keeping the dam in working order. The dam is a windmill designed to keep a destructive fog at bay. The piglet's responsibilities include monitoring the movements of the fog and he has realized that the it is acting erratic and gaining force. On the day two of his classmates visited the windmill the fog came back with a vengeance and they found themselves outside the walls of their city, trying to outrun the fog before it gets them.

This one will grab you from page one and the ending will keep you eagerly awaiting the second volume.