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The Underfoot
The Underfoot Vol. 1: The Mighty Deep
2020 Ringo Award Nominee
It has been untold years since the Giants-That-Were disappeared, leaving behind the animals forever changed by their strange science. Now, granted the gifts of intelligence and self-awareness, the valiant Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries struggle to keep their horde alive in the dangerous new world.
In The The Mighty Deep , H.A.M. has been hired to save their badger allies from dangerous flooding, but first they’ll need new recruits. Only the best of the best can join the ranks of H.A.M., and the colony’s most ambitious young hamster pups compete for their chance at glory and prestige. Those who succeed, however, soon discover that life outside their burrow is not the grand adventure they imagined, but instead find a world of deadly threats and conflicting stories about their species’ origins.
Combining heroic battles, dark mysteries, and heartfelt friendships, The The Mighty Deep is the beginning of an epic sci-fi trilogy chronicling the animal kingdoms left to rise and fall in the absence of the Giants-That-Were. When the hamsters learn the truth about their past, will they find the strength to overcome the forces aligning against them, or will their tiny horde be wiped from the earth?
It has been untold years since the Giants-That-Were disappeared, leaving behind the animals forever changed by their strange science. Now, granted the gifts of intelligence and self-awareness, the valiant Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries struggle to keep their horde alive in the dangerous new world.
In The The Mighty Deep , H.A.M. has been hired to save their badger allies from dangerous flooding, but first they’ll need new recruits. Only the best of the best can join the ranks of H.A.M., and the colony’s most ambitious young hamster pups compete for their chance at glory and prestige. Those who succeed, however, soon discover that life outside their burrow is not the grand adventure they imagined, but instead find a world of deadly threats and conflicting stories about their species’ origins.
Combining heroic battles, dark mysteries, and heartfelt friendships, The The Mighty Deep is the beginning of an epic sci-fi trilogy chronicling the animal kingdoms left to rise and fall in the absence of the Giants-That-Were. When the hamsters learn the truth about their past, will they find the strength to overcome the forces aligning against them, or will their tiny horde be wiped from the earth?
160 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2019
2 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
March 30, 2019
The Secret of NIMH with some Rescuers built in. A wonderfully inventive tale about hamsters living in a world after humans have long ago disappeared. They have now become mercenaries working for other animals in the area. Badgers hire them to destroy a beaver dam before their homes are flooded. There's lots of fun and excitement with alludes to a larger backstory going on. I never knew there were so many different breeds of hamsters. They are all drawn in glorious detail. The art and coloring is reminiscent of 80's era Don Bluth animation.
Received a review copy from Lion Forge and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Lion Forge and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
April 28, 2021
3.5
Dude, warrior hamsters!
In a post-apocalyptic world, genetically modified hamsters live in a compound awaiting the return of the Giants. They are the H.A.M. - Hamster Acuatic Mercenaries. They are of various physical types, of different races. (The author claims to have a hamster and to have been based on them for his comic)
For years their youngsters have been training to be part of a kind of elite aquatic commandos, who carry out missions for their neighbors, but not for money or species, but the leader is accumulating "favors" for when the time is appropriate. To leaving ?, of the return of the giants? we don't know. Yet.
So when badgers ask them for help against beavers, they decide to go with the best recruits. (And it gives me the impression that they have had a problem having offspring with powers especially) It is then that we learn that their den has a problem with its existence, and that there are other intelligent animals (birds, and reptiles) that are their adversaries, with an unknown objective.
Here we have the usual tropes of post apocalyptic fictions where the past life has become myth, and the few surviving things have become relics, where they believe they are the only possessors of its truth.
I'm not entirely thrilled with the drawing, so that took away points. However, the colors are deep and vibrant.
The volume ends when they meet another group of hamsters, unknown to them, and the adventure continues.
+My thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the eARC+
#TheUnderfootVol1
Dude, warrior hamsters!
In a post-apocalyptic world, genetically modified hamsters live in a compound awaiting the return of the Giants. They are the H.A.M. - Hamster Acuatic Mercenaries. They are of various physical types, of different races. (The author claims to have a hamster and to have been based on them for his comic)
For years their youngsters have been training to be part of a kind of elite aquatic commandos, who carry out missions for their neighbors, but not for money or species, but the leader is accumulating "favors" for when the time is appropriate. To leaving ?, of the return of the giants? we don't know. Yet.
So when badgers ask them for help against beavers, they decide to go with the best recruits. (And it gives me the impression that they have had a problem having offspring with powers especially) It is then that we learn that their den has a problem with its existence, and that there are other intelligent animals (birds, and reptiles) that are their adversaries, with an unknown objective.
Here we have the usual tropes of post apocalyptic fictions where the past life has become myth, and the few surviving things have become relics, where they believe they are the only possessors of its truth.
I'm not entirely thrilled with the drawing, so that took away points. However, the colors are deep and vibrant.
The volume ends when they meet another group of hamsters, unknown to them, and the adventure continues.
+My thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the eARC+
#TheUnderfootVol1
February 3, 2019
2,5/5. Interesting universe but a comic that I find really slow in the story evolution and just felt unbalanced alternating between long pages full of dialog and then a fews pages of action, and then back again... Could have bee done better. Still not bad and could please some. The animals heroes is always entertaining and done okay here.
March 22, 2021
Review on my blog:
https://www.julieautumnbook.nl/2021/0...
( You will find the translation button just on the right side under my profile picture. If you read it on your mobile you need to scroll all the way down. You can read it in any language you want. )
Thank you NetGalley for giving me access to read this book. I enjoyed it immensely. The Underfoot is a cute story about hamsters who have survived the end of humankind (giants as they call us). Now they must survive on their own and help other animals with their troubles in an changing world.
I will divided this review in pro and cons.
Pros
- The artwork is amazing and very cute. One of the reasons why I requested this comic book was because of the artwork on the cover and it delivered. I love the artwork in this book. The hamsters look really cute and exactly as I would have expected. The graphic of the artwork is very realistic sometimes and leaves not much to the imagination. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. I will explain that later in the cons.
- The story is a rescue mission and it’s very well written. It’s not to complex and even though there is a sequel this could be read as an standalone. The mission is a standard mission where things go wrong before they succeed. It sometimes felt a little predictable but not in a bad way. It was still very entertaining and I enjoyed it a lot. The stakes are high for the characters and the battles they face are very violent and exciting. The tensions is high at some points.
- The characters are great and the two main characters, two little pups, Mac and Ruby, they both have a great developed in there story. And they are extremely brave since they need to go on this very dangerous mission with the adults, without completing their training. I really loved their friendship that grew during this story. It was so deep and full of love and loyalty.
The other characters where great as well and the friendships ins this book are beautifully written.
Cons
- My only con I have against this book is the audience for what it is written for. The audience for the comic book is middle grade. But personally I find it way to graphic for middle grade and especially the violent scenes. There is one scene for example. (It’s early in the beginning so it won’t spoil anything) In this scene a snakes head explodes, Not only is this very drawn in a lot of details. But the pups are all covered in blood, flesh and brains form the snake. Which is also very detailed. I personally feel that an eight year old is a little to young for these type of scenes and drawings. It made it more fun for me as an adult reader, but I highly recommend parents to check this comic first before they let their children read it. Not every child can see this amount of detailed violence and stomach it without having nightmares.
To get to the conclusion I really enjoyed the characters and the artwork and I can’t wait to read the sequel. Which I am currently reading and loving as well.
https://www.julieautumnbook.nl/2021/0...
( You will find the translation button just on the right side under my profile picture. If you read it on your mobile you need to scroll all the way down. You can read it in any language you want. )
Thank you NetGalley for giving me access to read this book. I enjoyed it immensely. The Underfoot is a cute story about hamsters who have survived the end of humankind (giants as they call us). Now they must survive on their own and help other animals with their troubles in an changing world.
I will divided this review in pro and cons.
Pros
- The artwork is amazing and very cute. One of the reasons why I requested this comic book was because of the artwork on the cover and it delivered. I love the artwork in this book. The hamsters look really cute and exactly as I would have expected. The graphic of the artwork is very realistic sometimes and leaves not much to the imagination. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. I will explain that later in the cons.
- The story is a rescue mission and it’s very well written. It’s not to complex and even though there is a sequel this could be read as an standalone. The mission is a standard mission where things go wrong before they succeed. It sometimes felt a little predictable but not in a bad way. It was still very entertaining and I enjoyed it a lot. The stakes are high for the characters and the battles they face are very violent and exciting. The tensions is high at some points.
- The characters are great and the two main characters, two little pups, Mac and Ruby, they both have a great developed in there story. And they are extremely brave since they need to go on this very dangerous mission with the adults, without completing their training. I really loved their friendship that grew during this story. It was so deep and full of love and loyalty.
The other characters where great as well and the friendships ins this book are beautifully written.
Cons
- My only con I have against this book is the audience for what it is written for. The audience for the comic book is middle grade. But personally I find it way to graphic for middle grade and especially the violent scenes. There is one scene for example. (It’s early in the beginning so it won’t spoil anything) In this scene a snakes head explodes, Not only is this very drawn in a lot of details. But the pups are all covered in blood, flesh and brains form the snake. Which is also very detailed. I personally feel that an eight year old is a little to young for these type of scenes and drawings. It made it more fun for me as an adult reader, but I highly recommend parents to check this comic first before they let their children read it. Not every child can see this amount of detailed violence and stomach it without having nightmares.
To get to the conclusion I really enjoyed the characters and the artwork and I can’t wait to read the sequel. Which I am currently reading and loving as well.
January 29, 2021
The story is pretty neat and the giants they were referring to were humans!! ok so basically this a story of hamsters who were genetically modified by humans before they went extinct?! and how these cute little hamsters survive the world (a pretty cruel one ) by using their skills and upgraded genes.
The illustrations were excellent, but for a children's book, it had some gruesome scenes! It had the friendships and enmities portrayed nicely. overall it was a good read.
The illustrations were excellent, but for a children's book, it had some gruesome scenes! It had the friendships and enmities portrayed nicely. overall it was a good read.
January 31, 2021
Hamsters! Hamsters everywhere!
We follow a post-apocalytic, intelligent hamster clan -- some with extra-sensory powers -- as they struggle to survive in the Great Wide, aka, outside their burrow. Think Watership Down meets The Secret of Nimh, but the burrow has electricty run by glowing mushrooms, and all the humans (known as the Giants-that-Were) are dead or missing. So the hamsters must do what they can to survive, and that means fighting fin and scale and flat-tails to attempt to blow up a beaver-dam to try and save their home from flooding waters. It isn't entirely clear. But there's an X-Men type hamster school, and lots of conflicting hamster lore, and just when you think you're getting a sense of who's who in this big cast of hamsters... more and more hamsters keep showing up. And even more conflicting lore.
Other than a few major players, the cast is too big to really get to know any of the little furry guys that well across these first six issues. The story is focusing more on the world-building than the character work, which, fine, because there's a lot going on here, but I hope we dive a bit deeper into who these hamsters are. It's a little early to tell them apart right now. The art isn't that distinctive and a bit confusing. But it is endearing and I'm going to move onto volume 2.
3.5 / 5
We follow a post-apocalytic, intelligent hamster clan -- some with extra-sensory powers -- as they struggle to survive in the Great Wide, aka, outside their burrow. Think Watership Down meets The Secret of Nimh, but the burrow has electricty run by glowing mushrooms, and all the humans (known as the Giants-that-Were) are dead or missing. So the hamsters must do what they can to survive, and that means fighting fin and scale and flat-tails to attempt to blow up a beaver-dam to try and save their home from flooding waters. It isn't entirely clear. But there's an X-Men type hamster school, and lots of conflicting hamster lore, and just when you think you're getting a sense of who's who in this big cast of hamsters... more and more hamsters keep showing up. And even more conflicting lore.
Other than a few major players, the cast is too big to really get to know any of the little furry guys that well across these first six issues. The story is focusing more on the world-building than the character work, which, fine, because there's a lot going on here, but I hope we dive a bit deeper into who these hamsters are. It's a little early to tell them apart right now. The art isn't that distinctive and a bit confusing. But it is endearing and I'm going to move onto volume 2.
3.5 / 5
February 27, 2019
In a big world, this team of little hamsters is prepared to save the day. The story of this community, built on the ruins of human culture, is both intriguing and adorable. Full of adventure and dynamic relationships, I was very pleasantly surprised by The Underfoot. Not to mention the exceptional art on every page!
March 27, 2021
What a cute middle-grade graphic novel! This story follows H.A.M, the Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries, on a mission to save their badger allies from a flood. In a world where humans, the Giants-That-Were, have disappeared, leaving genetically altered hamsters in charge, H.A.M. must work hard to keep themselves and their allies safe from evil species that live outside their burrow.
The artwork in this graphic novel is simply beautiful. The story is a heartwarming epic adventure. I just loved everything about this!
I would highly recommend this for middle-grade readers who love adventure tales or who just love hamsters (and who doesn't?).
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for my review copy.
The artwork in this graphic novel is simply beautiful. The story is a heartwarming epic adventure. I just loved everything about this!
I would highly recommend this for middle-grade readers who love adventure tales or who just love hamsters (and who doesn't?).
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for my review copy.
March 2, 2019
Never thought I'll have tears seeing dying hermit crab.
This was a really nice and clever anthropomorphic story, I had fun reading this, each of the characters (hamsters) has its personality. There are different breeds of them, old and young, brave and fearful. There's a really hairy one who has a lisping problem. Going on the mission to accomplish, they have to defeat snakes and lizards, fish and eagles (some of the parts were bloody, I did not expect that in the book like this). The artwork is lovely and fits the story perfectly. It surprised me pleasantly and I will definitely read the second volume.
This was a really nice and clever anthropomorphic story, I had fun reading this, each of the characters (hamsters) has its personality. There are different breeds of them, old and young, brave and fearful. There's a really hairy one who has a lisping problem. Going on the mission to accomplish, they have to defeat snakes and lizards, fish and eagles (some of the parts were bloody, I did not expect that in the book like this). The artwork is lovely and fits the story perfectly. It surprised me pleasantly and I will definitely read the second volume.
May 9, 2021
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
A fellow librarian had told me this book is good. I was skeptical, especially has she put this in the teen section of the library, but I trust her opinion, so I decided to give it a try. This book, even though it is about animals, is much darker than expected and there is an mystery somewhat underneath about what happened. I thought this would be a fantasy book, but it is more sci-fi, post-apocalyptic as the animals are mostly lab animals, tested on by scientists -- scientists and humans who are now missing.
So, what happened to the humans? What happened to the world? Will they be back? All of that going on while the main story is as well. I ended up being hooked and desperately involved with the characters. I am so worried about all of the characters and hoping things turn for the better for those I think are getting the short end of the stick.
It is an adventure story, sci-fi, and also quite funny! There is a good balance to the book and I look forward to recommending this to people once my library's copy comes in.
A fellow librarian had told me this book is good. I was skeptical, especially has she put this in the teen section of the library, but I trust her opinion, so I decided to give it a try. This book, even though it is about animals, is much darker than expected and there is an mystery somewhat underneath about what happened. I thought this would be a fantasy book, but it is more sci-fi, post-apocalyptic as the animals are mostly lab animals, tested on by scientists -- scientists and humans who are now missing.
So, what happened to the humans? What happened to the world? Will they be back? All of that going on while the main story is as well. I ended up being hooked and desperately involved with the characters. I am so worried about all of the characters and hoping things turn for the better for those I think are getting the short end of the stick.
It is an adventure story, sci-fi, and also quite funny! There is a good balance to the book and I look forward to recommending this to people once my library's copy comes in.
June 13, 2019
Look, I have been friends with Emily S. Whitten for over a decade, and I am well acquainted with her love of hamsters, so when she told me she had co-written a graphic novel about hamster...aquatic...mercenaries, I thought, okay, that sounds fun and cute, what a silly concept. It'll be an enjoyable romp about furry animals with weapons.
I was wrong. The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep is the real fuckin' deal, folks. Taking obvious inspiration from works like Watership Down and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (and perhaps a bit of We3 ), Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten have crafted a truly fascinating post-apocalyptic world where genetically modified animals fight for survival. I want to say as little as I can about said world because what's so impressive about this book—the first in a trilogy and perhaps more—is how well it introduces the reader to the world with almost no exposition. Seriously, there's like one short flashback sequence that sticks out as an obvious infodump, but for the most part, you learn everything you need to know via context clues, either from dialogue or—in one of my favorite reveals—the background art by Michelle Nguyen, who has a really keen sense of how to keep panels simple and uncluttered, ensuring any non-character illustration is absolutely essential. Fisher and Whitten also deftly juggle multiple characters in multiple plots without anything being confusing or feeling overstuffed. While I did have a little trouble keeping all the hamsters straight at first, each one became more and more distinct over the course of the book.
The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep has everything you could want from a story like this. A well thought-out world bolstered by interstitial artifacts. Likeable, complex characters whose journeys you can become invested in. Animals creating their own meanings out of things they do not understand from the human world. Funky lettering and sound effects. Unlikely friendships. Unexpected deaths. A reference to Nine Inch Nails. Everything! This book packs so much into 155 pages and makes it feel like effortless storytelling. Bravo.
I was wrong. The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep is the real fuckin' deal, folks. Taking obvious inspiration from works like Watership Down and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (and perhaps a bit of We3 ), Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten have crafted a truly fascinating post-apocalyptic world where genetically modified animals fight for survival. I want to say as little as I can about said world because what's so impressive about this book—the first in a trilogy and perhaps more—is how well it introduces the reader to the world with almost no exposition. Seriously, there's like one short flashback sequence that sticks out as an obvious infodump, but for the most part, you learn everything you need to know via context clues, either from dialogue or—in one of my favorite reveals—the background art by Michelle Nguyen, who has a really keen sense of how to keep panels simple and uncluttered, ensuring any non-character illustration is absolutely essential. Fisher and Whitten also deftly juggle multiple characters in multiple plots without anything being confusing or feeling overstuffed. While I did have a little trouble keeping all the hamsters straight at first, each one became more and more distinct over the course of the book.
The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep has everything you could want from a story like this. A well thought-out world bolstered by interstitial artifacts. Likeable, complex characters whose journeys you can become invested in. Animals creating their own meanings out of things they do not understand from the human world. Funky lettering and sound effects. Unlikely friendships. Unexpected deaths. A reference to Nine Inch Nails. Everything! This book packs so much into 155 pages and makes it feel like effortless storytelling. Bravo.
May 26, 2021
i opened this book when i noticed the brilliantly done cover,
then the graphics, the character, the design, the story everything was so good you cannot put down this novel. there were some notions to the giants to their old myths and believes and boy do i love and devour the whole novel in 2 hours.
i wanted the next novel at the instant i finished reading this one.
i may or may not have even cried at the end of this book.
We follow a post-apocalytic, intelligent hamster clan -- some with extra-sensory powers - (bring in hamsters with powers to me i will take it and laugh like a maniac)- as they struggle to survive in the Great Wide, aka, outside their burrow in the real world,
but the burrow has electricty run by glowing mushrooms, and all the Giants-that-Were are dead or missing. So the hamsters must do what they can to survive, and that means fighting fin and scale and flat-tails to attempt to blow up a beaver-dam to try and save their home from flooding waters. It isn't entirely clear. But there's an X-Men type hamster school, and lots of conflicting hamster lore, and just when you think you're getting a sense of who's who in this big cast of hamsters. (cause swear to god even with great memory i was getting confused for a while in there). . more and more hamsters keep showing up. And even more conflicting lore.
Other than a few major players, the cast is too big to really get to know any of the little furry guys that well and to relate or get attached to them very quick, but still my stupid heart got attached to HAP.
The story is focusing more on the world-building than the character work, which, fine, because there's a lot going on here,
But it is endearing and I'm going to move onto volume 2 as im way too excited to start it allready
•Character development- 4.5☆
• Story Plot- 4☆
• Side characters- 4.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4.5☆
• Overall - 5☆
then the graphics, the character, the design, the story everything was so good you cannot put down this novel. there were some notions to the giants to their old myths and believes and boy do i love and devour the whole novel in 2 hours.
i wanted the next novel at the instant i finished reading this one.
i may or may not have even cried at the end of this book.
We follow a post-apocalytic, intelligent hamster clan -- some with extra-sensory powers - (bring in hamsters with powers to me i will take it and laugh like a maniac)- as they struggle to survive in the Great Wide, aka, outside their burrow in the real world,
but the burrow has electricty run by glowing mushrooms, and all the Giants-that-Were are dead or missing. So the hamsters must do what they can to survive, and that means fighting fin and scale and flat-tails to attempt to blow up a beaver-dam to try and save their home from flooding waters. It isn't entirely clear. But there's an X-Men type hamster school, and lots of conflicting hamster lore, and just when you think you're getting a sense of who's who in this big cast of hamsters. (cause swear to god even with great memory i was getting confused for a while in there). . more and more hamsters keep showing up. And even more conflicting lore.
Other than a few major players, the cast is too big to really get to know any of the little furry guys that well and to relate or get attached to them very quick, but still my stupid heart got attached to HAP.
The story is focusing more on the world-building than the character work, which, fine, because there's a lot going on here,
But it is endearing and I'm going to move onto volume 2 as im way too excited to start it allready
•Character development- 4.5☆
• Story Plot- 4☆
• Side characters- 4.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4.5☆
• Overall - 5☆
April 28, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Oni Press for providing me an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
"The Underfoot" is set in a dystopian world where the humans are gone, and genetically-modified animals (including hamsters) have found a way to survive. It was very intersting, and I must say that this whole background and atmosphere was my favourite part of the whole comic. I feel like we only got to know a little bit about the hierarchy of this specific hamster group, but I liked the little that we saw and want to get to know more about it. Their lore was interesting, and specific to each group, which is very interesting.
I'm going to be honest, the plot was hard to follow. There was too much going on, and I understood the hamsters' main goal, but then the sub-plots happened and stuff started to happen and I was lost. Maybe it was also a issue with the pacing, but I had to reread a few pages because there was too much going on the page, and although I'm intrigued about what's going to happen, I don't really care about what happened, if you get what I mean.
I did like the characters, though. I thought they were interesting, and they have diverse personalities and some banter, which was really nice to read. Ruby is my favourite so far, and it kills me how much she is underappreciated it and underestimaded becaue she's small and not really a good swimmer.
The art, although not my favourite, was good, very detailed and I liked the color scheme. LIke I said before, I feel like sometimes there was too much going on the page, which made following the plot difficult. Nonetheless, the art is good, and it works with the whole atmosphere of this dystopian world.
Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art is good, the characters as well, and although I was lost with the plot, I'm very intrigued about what's going to happen next.
3.5 stars
"The Underfoot" is set in a dystopian world where the humans are gone, and genetically-modified animals (including hamsters) have found a way to survive. It was very intersting, and I must say that this whole background and atmosphere was my favourite part of the whole comic. I feel like we only got to know a little bit about the hierarchy of this specific hamster group, but I liked the little that we saw and want to get to know more about it. Their lore was interesting, and specific to each group, which is very interesting.
I'm going to be honest, the plot was hard to follow. There was too much going on, and I understood the hamsters' main goal, but then the sub-plots happened and stuff started to happen and I was lost. Maybe it was also a issue with the pacing, but I had to reread a few pages because there was too much going on the page, and although I'm intrigued about what's going to happen, I don't really care about what happened, if you get what I mean.
I did like the characters, though. I thought they were interesting, and they have diverse personalities and some banter, which was really nice to read. Ruby is my favourite so far, and it kills me how much she is underappreciated it and underestimaded becaue she's small and not really a good swimmer.
The art, although not my favourite, was good, very detailed and I liked the color scheme. LIke I said before, I feel like sometimes there was too much going on the page, which made following the plot difficult. Nonetheless, the art is good, and it works with the whole atmosphere of this dystopian world.
Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art is good, the characters as well, and although I was lost with the plot, I'm very intrigued about what's going to happen next.
February 16, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I wanted to love this book. I really really did. The concept was amazing, the artwork was great. I loved seeing the different breeds of hamsters.
But...
The story felt a bit ..... disjointed. I also wasn’t 100% sure what was going on the whole time. I feel like there were too many characters, and not enough time to get to know them individually. And then new characters were thrown into the mix without much introduction.
The story felt a little rushed, maybe this didn’t help with feeling a little disjointed and confusing. I really feel like this book could have done with being longer, or split into several volumes (yes I am aware there is a volume 2).
In short, the artwork and concept were amazing, but the storytelling fell a little flat.
I wanted to love this book. I really really did. The concept was amazing, the artwork was great. I loved seeing the different breeds of hamsters.
But...
The story felt a bit ..... disjointed. I also wasn’t 100% sure what was going on the whole time. I feel like there were too many characters, and not enough time to get to know them individually. And then new characters were thrown into the mix without much introduction.
The story felt a little rushed, maybe this didn’t help with feeling a little disjointed and confusing. I really feel like this book could have done with being longer, or split into several volumes (yes I am aware there is a volume 2).
In short, the artwork and concept were amazing, but the storytelling fell a little flat.
January 29, 2021
I may or may not have cried a little...
This was reaaaly good. I liked the story, the characters, the art! All of it.
Note, though, that there are some... bloody scenes, so if you are looking to get this for a very young child, just know that there are things to be aware of.
Otherwise, this was amazing!
A big thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was reaaaly good. I liked the story, the characters, the art! All of it.
Note, though, that there are some... bloody scenes, so if you are looking to get this for a very young child, just know that there are things to be aware of.
Otherwise, this was amazing!
A big thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2019
It was a marvelous book with interesting plot points and the occasional notes from presumably the humans just adds even more taste and element
March 22, 2019
Unexpectedly cute. Love the premise and can't wait for more!
February 10, 2019
Two words: hamster mercenaries.
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss/NetGalley.)
The Underfoot is set in the (not-so-?) distant future, in which humans - known to the surviving land mammals as the Giants-That-Were - have been wiped out: either by mass floods, or by earthquakes, or perhaps even by avalanches, depending on who you ask. In our wake, we left behind the results of our scientific cruelty (or generosity, again relative to the teller of the tale): a variety of nonhuman animal species, imbued with superior (again, perspective!) intelligence, capable of using tools and communicating with advanced verbal language. They're like us, but tiny and furrier!
They're also like us, for better or worse: they engage in spying, sabotage, and warfare. Which brings us to the "underfoot" ("underfeet"?), i.e., hamsters. The hamster community at the heart of this story lives in a fungus-powered bubble under the water. Believing that the great floods will some day return, they train their pups to swim, (dis)assemble dams, and keep the underwater colony running. They also maintain an elite para-military group called the Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries (H.A.M.), which performs ops for other animal colonies in exchange for IOUs, unspecified favors to be cashed in at a later date.
When we first meet them, the HAMs have just been hired to destroy a damn for ... a bunch of skunks? I wasn't clear on that. Anyway, the structure is threatening to flood their home. Normally this wouldn't be a problem for the HAMs, but their expert traps-hamster recently passed away. It's time to graduate a young pup early - but are any of them up to the job?
The story is kind of cute, I guess - I mean, who doesn't love a furry round hamster butt? - though I think it's probably best suited for younger readers. The animal experimentation angle piqued my interest, but isn't really explored in depth. Certainly not any intellectual depth, such as the ethics of vivisection. The hamsters idolize humans, even though we left them to rot in cages, so...yeah.
I mean, does Gunther the lobster have any idea what we used to do to his people? And here he is, collecting and guarding our junk in eager anticipation of our return? Yuck.
The ending does hint at more to come, but the story didn't hold my interest enough to continue.
Beyond this, I just didn't find the plot (or many subplots) all that compelling. It can be difficult to keep all the hamsters straight (though the artists do an admirable job, for example, through accessorizing and mixing the species up), and many of the action panels are confusing as heck. idk, it just wasn't what I was gunning for.
Ruby and Mac are adorable though, and I love how the hamsters rescued the cats from the research facility. Interspecies cooperation ftw!
http://www.easyvegan.info/2019/04/23/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss/NetGalley.)
The Underfoot is set in the (not-so-?) distant future, in which humans - known to the surviving land mammals as the Giants-That-Were - have been wiped out: either by mass floods, or by earthquakes, or perhaps even by avalanches, depending on who you ask. In our wake, we left behind the results of our scientific cruelty (or generosity, again relative to the teller of the tale): a variety of nonhuman animal species, imbued with superior (again, perspective!) intelligence, capable of using tools and communicating with advanced verbal language. They're like us, but tiny and furrier!
They're also like us, for better or worse: they engage in spying, sabotage, and warfare. Which brings us to the "underfoot" ("underfeet"?), i.e., hamsters. The hamster community at the heart of this story lives in a fungus-powered bubble under the water. Believing that the great floods will some day return, they train their pups to swim, (dis)assemble dams, and keep the underwater colony running. They also maintain an elite para-military group called the Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries (H.A.M.), which performs ops for other animal colonies in exchange for IOUs, unspecified favors to be cashed in at a later date.
When we first meet them, the HAMs have just been hired to destroy a damn for ... a bunch of skunks? I wasn't clear on that. Anyway, the structure is threatening to flood their home. Normally this wouldn't be a problem for the HAMs, but their expert traps-hamster recently passed away. It's time to graduate a young pup early - but are any of them up to the job?
The story is kind of cute, I guess - I mean, who doesn't love a furry round hamster butt? - though I think it's probably best suited for younger readers. The animal experimentation angle piqued my interest, but isn't really explored in depth. Certainly not any intellectual depth, such as the ethics of vivisection. The hamsters idolize humans, even though we left them to rot in cages, so...yeah.
I mean, does Gunther the lobster have any idea what we used to do to his people? And here he is, collecting and guarding our junk in eager anticipation of our return? Yuck.
The ending does hint at more to come, but the story didn't hold my interest enough to continue.
Beyond this, I just didn't find the plot (or many subplots) all that compelling. It can be difficult to keep all the hamsters straight (though the artists do an admirable job, for example, through accessorizing and mixing the species up), and many of the action panels are confusing as heck. idk, it just wasn't what I was gunning for.
Ruby and Mac are adorable though, and I love how the hamsters rescued the cats from the research facility. Interspecies cooperation ftw!
http://www.easyvegan.info/2019/04/23/...
March 13, 2019
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
This is a post-apocalyptic book set in the distant future where humans (the giants that were) have been wiped out. We following a team of hamsters that are ready to do any job and save the world. We follow our characters as they try to adapt to a world without humans and how they start to test their limits. I think that this is an interesting and fun story concept. I loved the characters and the idea of survivalist hamsters. I really thought this was a fun adventure to go on and a good read overall.
This is a post-apocalyptic book set in the distant future where humans (the giants that were) have been wiped out. We following a team of hamsters that are ready to do any job and save the world. We follow our characters as they try to adapt to a world without humans and how they start to test their limits. I think that this is an interesting and fun story concept. I loved the characters and the idea of survivalist hamsters. I really thought this was a fun adventure to go on and a good read overall.
April 24, 2020
| Reader Fox Blog |
I have to hand it to Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten, The Underfoot was a damn clever story with beautiful illustrations that kept me captivated the entire way through. A graphic novel featuring various hamsters as they navigate a newfound intelligence as a result of scientific testing after the disappearance of all humans within the world. Perhaps the most fascinating piece of all this is the fact that they regularly refer to humans as "the gods that were" and speak of the supposed promise that they will soon return--this plot point was just about the most amusing piece of the entire graphic novel, clever in an absolutely wonderful and hilarious way (but no spoilers!)--someday in the future.
I had a lot of fun reading this book and very much wish that it had been around when I was a kid. It's definitely the sort of book I'd get for a young teen or someone perhaps just slightly younger. They might not get all of the jokes, but they'll definitely enjoy the experience of reading it. The subplot for volume one is a fun and interesting one, but not too dense. You're met with characters you really grow to adore and there are certainly moments where you feel a strong emotional connection to what is going on.
While this is by no means the best graphic novel I've stumbled upon and it definitely misses an opportunity to leave a social commentary within its readers regarding scientific research and the treatment of animals--though I suppose we have Nimh for that--it was an enjoyable read that I imagine I'll return to one day if I ever have kids of my own.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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I have to hand it to Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten, The Underfoot was a damn clever story with beautiful illustrations that kept me captivated the entire way through. A graphic novel featuring various hamsters as they navigate a newfound intelligence as a result of scientific testing after the disappearance of all humans within the world. Perhaps the most fascinating piece of all this is the fact that they regularly refer to humans as "the gods that were" and speak of the supposed promise that they will soon return--this plot point was just about the most amusing piece of the entire graphic novel, clever in an absolutely wonderful and hilarious way (but no spoilers!)--someday in the future.
I had a lot of fun reading this book and very much wish that it had been around when I was a kid. It's definitely the sort of book I'd get for a young teen or someone perhaps just slightly younger. They might not get all of the jokes, but they'll definitely enjoy the experience of reading it. The subplot for volume one is a fun and interesting one, but not too dense. You're met with characters you really grow to adore and there are certainly moments where you feel a strong emotional connection to what is going on.
While this is by no means the best graphic novel I've stumbled upon and it definitely misses an opportunity to leave a social commentary within its readers regarding scientific research and the treatment of animals--though I suppose we have Nimh for that--it was an enjoyable read that I imagine I'll return to one day if I ever have kids of my own.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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March 6, 2019
I enjoyed The Mighty Deep so much that I immediately got my co-worker to read it and ordered it for my library. The writing is so well done that I didn't feel at all uncomfortable cheering for hamsters. The illustrations are beautiful, but at time it is difficult to tell the different characters apart. The characters themselves are complex and emotive. I read this in one setting, and felt challenged to interpret some parts of the hamster vocabulary, such as "sea-dees" and "magic nets". I can't wait to read further books in this series.
This book was provided to me at no cost. My review is given voluntarily.
This book was provided to me at no cost. My review is given voluntarily.
May 24, 2021
Review covers vol 1 & 2.
The Underfoot is a complex very detailed story with a lot of characters and worldbuilding. Each chapter has more story background hidden within the “human” excerpts of emails, photos, clippings, etc. that are easily overlooked as they are almost hidden in the background of a new chapter heading.
Each page is full of panels and text, you can see how much work went into this. That said I don’t always think it balanced as well as it could have. As reader I found myself loosing interest from time to time because there was just so much to take in and it became distracting from the central ‘adventure’.
The Underfoot is a complex very detailed story with a lot of characters and worldbuilding. Each chapter has more story background hidden within the “human” excerpts of emails, photos, clippings, etc. that are easily overlooked as they are almost hidden in the background of a new chapter heading.
Each page is full of panels and text, you can see how much work went into this. That said I don’t always think it balanced as well as it could have. As reader I found myself loosing interest from time to time because there was just so much to take in and it became distracting from the central ‘adventure’.
February 6, 2019
Ben Fisher is a new comic book/graphic novel talent for me, but one I am likely to revisit again. The Underfoot is a likeable, enjoyable visual feast that is just the right amount of human and otherworldly. It's fantasy and engaging concept fiction in graphic novel form. Liked it!
February 20, 2019
3.75 just a fun adventure! Enjoyed!
February 10, 2021
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
When I saw this book I was intrigued. Hamsters? OK, I love hamsters. Then I read the blurb, checked out a preview, and decided that I just had to read it. It sounded to me like Rescue Rangers meets Redwall and I am totally in for that!
Since I am tired and feeling fluffy (not in a good way), I will do a good/not so good review.
First up, good!
😍I love that they are called Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries, aka HAM. That is just perfection and I was giggling at it, but in a good way of course! Later we also see another HAM, Hamster Airborne Mercenaries! OH MY, flying hamsters! YAS! And then at the end we also have another HAM group. OH MY, how many are there?
😍I was delighted that the hamsters had a matriarch to lead them! It made me smile so much!
😍Yes, for a map being added. Even two of them! We get an overview on the world and one for the hamsters and where they live.
😍Loved the dossier at the beginning with information on the various kinds of hamsters.
😍There is a training class for the pups, I would like to have seen more classes, because I am curious what these little ones are learning. I can guess the basics given how the Hamsters are battling all sorts of things (this is again based on how most of the older hamsters look).
😍The test, OH MY, that is just so much fun, though it also sounds very hard.
😍Getting character profiles was a great addition!
😍I liked that they were friends/or at least allies with a cat. Haha, I was so startled when that popped out of the bushes.
😍The action scenes were explosive and WOW.
😍While not the biggest fan, I did like seeing Beck’s journey and I could also understand why he had to take that journey.
😍I had a big laugh at what the hermit crab said at one point when Beck said he was a nobody: “How can he think that about himself… when he has such a nice belt?”
😍I liked the variety in hamsters. From very hairy to not so much hair. From bulky to fat to slender to tiny.
😍Ruby was a great character (awesome fixer and trapsmith) though I felt sorry for the little fella, I mean they just wanted to go home and I don’t blame them. All that happens in this book it can be a bit too much for a first mission.
😍The ending was really nicely done. I cannot go in deeper for the sake of spoilers, but I enjoyed it. I think it tied all the things up but made room for the next volumes.
Mixed:
😶The art. At times I quite liked it, though I found the older hamsters a bit too gruesome looking. I get that this is a grittier hamster universe, but still it just hurt my hamster loving heart seeing them so full of scars and pain.
😶This is the first volume, yet at times I felt as if I had missed an introduction somewhere. That is a problem I have had with other American graphic novels. Later on we do get information, but sorry, I would have liked it earlier.
😶The text was blurry at times, especially the in between extras (the files) weren’t always easy to read. Which is a shame. Can we please make ebooks/ARCs without blurriness? Shouldn’t be so hard to just upload a good file? Right?
😶The newsarticles. Eh. I didn’t really see what they had to do with the story so in the end I just skipped that when they popped up.
All in all, I am happy that I read this graphic novel. At times a bit too gritty for me, as a hamster lover I just prefer my hammies to be cute and not scared and gritty. But in overall this was an action-packed volume, and I am kind of curious about the second volume, especially since I still have many questions about the experiments and what happened to the humans. Maybe I will also request that from Netgalley.. we will see.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
When I saw this book I was intrigued. Hamsters? OK, I love hamsters. Then I read the blurb, checked out a preview, and decided that I just had to read it. It sounded to me like Rescue Rangers meets Redwall and I am totally in for that!
Since I am tired and feeling fluffy (not in a good way), I will do a good/not so good review.
First up, good!
😍I love that they are called Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries, aka HAM. That is just perfection and I was giggling at it, but in a good way of course! Later we also see another HAM, Hamster Airborne Mercenaries! OH MY, flying hamsters! YAS! And then at the end we also have another HAM group. OH MY, how many are there?
😍I was delighted that the hamsters had a matriarch to lead them! It made me smile so much!
😍Yes, for a map being added. Even two of them! We get an overview on the world and one for the hamsters and where they live.
😍Loved the dossier at the beginning with information on the various kinds of hamsters.
😍There is a training class for the pups, I would like to have seen more classes, because I am curious what these little ones are learning. I can guess the basics given how the Hamsters are battling all sorts of things (this is again based on how most of the older hamsters look).
😍The test, OH MY, that is just so much fun, though it also sounds very hard.
😍Getting character profiles was a great addition!
😍I liked that they were friends/or at least allies with a cat. Haha, I was so startled when that popped out of the bushes.
😍The action scenes were explosive and WOW.
😍While not the biggest fan, I did like seeing Beck’s journey and I could also understand why he had to take that journey.
😍I had a big laugh at what the hermit crab said at one point when Beck said he was a nobody: “How can he think that about himself… when he has such a nice belt?”
😍I liked the variety in hamsters. From very hairy to not so much hair. From bulky to fat to slender to tiny.
😍Ruby was a great character (awesome fixer and trapsmith) though I felt sorry for the little fella, I mean they just wanted to go home and I don’t blame them. All that happens in this book it can be a bit too much for a first mission.
😍The ending was really nicely done. I cannot go in deeper for the sake of spoilers, but I enjoyed it. I think it tied all the things up but made room for the next volumes.
Mixed:
😶The art. At times I quite liked it, though I found the older hamsters a bit too gruesome looking. I get that this is a grittier hamster universe, but still it just hurt my hamster loving heart seeing them so full of scars and pain.
😶This is the first volume, yet at times I felt as if I had missed an introduction somewhere. That is a problem I have had with other American graphic novels. Later on we do get information, but sorry, I would have liked it earlier.
😶The text was blurry at times, especially the in between extras (the files) weren’t always easy to read. Which is a shame. Can we please make ebooks/ARCs without blurriness? Shouldn’t be so hard to just upload a good file? Right?
😶The newsarticles. Eh. I didn’t really see what they had to do with the story so in the end I just skipped that when they popped up.
All in all, I am happy that I read this graphic novel. At times a bit too gritty for me, as a hamster lover I just prefer my hammies to be cute and not scared and gritty. But in overall this was an action-packed volume, and I am kind of curious about the second volume, especially since I still have many questions about the experiments and what happened to the humans. Maybe I will also request that from Netgalley.. we will see.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 9, 2021
Finally an Heir to The Secret of NIMH?
The Underfoot Vol. 1 by Ben Fisher and Emily Whitten is a story of smart hamsters that are given the mission to destroy a beaver dam before it floods their allies the badgers. As an unconditional fan of The Secret of NIMH, with which I grew up as a kid, I could not pass that graphic novel. The hamsters geared up to the teeth, ready to attack and defend and break through traps added to a history of human experiments on animals were just too tempting. The new twist is that this is a dystopian universe and the humans have been wiped out.
The graphics are very well made, despite a large crew of hamsters we can easily distinguish all of them. The action is clear, and there is a real world created between those pages. 10 to 14 years old should really enjoy this one. Courage, team work, looking beyond the first impressions and learning to listen are very important values of this work - interwoven with all the action and rising tension, it’s a nice work to put in the hands of the younger set.
This isn’t as mystical and mysterious and magical as NIMH. After all there isn’t the scope for a first volume of a graphic novel to cover as much as a whole book. But there are hints to more being there than meets the eye. And there are a lot of darker moments that will get your young reader go through roller coasters. The stakes are very high and the sad parts are going to take some by surprise and pull them down. So I guess there is a bit of a warning for the more sensitive young readers out there.
I am looking forward to reading the next volume - but my real opinion depends on what choices the next volume makes. “The Underfoot” is for all the fans of the old Disney “The Rescuers”, and maybe the very odd japanese light novel “From the New World”, though that last one was definitely more late teen (“From the New World” was far more shocking in its reveals and treatment of people and smart animals).
The Underfoot Vol. 1 by Ben Fisher and Emily Whitten is a story of smart hamsters that are given the mission to destroy a beaver dam before it floods their allies the badgers. As an unconditional fan of The Secret of NIMH, with which I grew up as a kid, I could not pass that graphic novel. The hamsters geared up to the teeth, ready to attack and defend and break through traps added to a history of human experiments on animals were just too tempting. The new twist is that this is a dystopian universe and the humans have been wiped out.
The graphics are very well made, despite a large crew of hamsters we can easily distinguish all of them. The action is clear, and there is a real world created between those pages. 10 to 14 years old should really enjoy this one. Courage, team work, looking beyond the first impressions and learning to listen are very important values of this work - interwoven with all the action and rising tension, it’s a nice work to put in the hands of the younger set.
This isn’t as mystical and mysterious and magical as NIMH. After all there isn’t the scope for a first volume of a graphic novel to cover as much as a whole book. But there are hints to more being there than meets the eye. And there are a lot of darker moments that will get your young reader go through roller coasters. The stakes are very high and the sad parts are going to take some by surprise and pull them down. So I guess there is a bit of a warning for the more sensitive young readers out there.
I am looking forward to reading the next volume - but my real opinion depends on what choices the next volume makes. “The Underfoot” is for all the fans of the old Disney “The Rescuers”, and maybe the very odd japanese light novel “From the New World”, though that last one was definitely more late teen (“From the New World” was far more shocking in its reveals and treatment of people and smart animals).
February 18, 2021
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I picked this one up simply because Oni Press always does well. I was a little slow to get into it because the theme of warrior hamsters was hard for me to wrap my head around, but after that- I was blown away. The story was incredible- I felt a connection to each of the characters from the shy to the brave to the ones experiencing loss- every reader will find a character to identify with in this story. I first thought this would focus more on Ruby and her timidness and overcoming that obstacle, but it turned into so much more and we actually got to know the other characters in depth as well as Ruby. I think one issue books run into with trying to captivate an audience is they get too specific with their main characters and isolate readers who don't connect with those characters. Underfoot did an excellent job at just the opposite, each character got the same amount of "page time" that they all felt like main characters on their own (with Ruby just being our first point of view) and with their diverse styles and backgrounds I'm sure every reader will find themselves reflected in a character.
My only issue with the book are the characterizations are sometimes hard to distinguish between which character is which- I understand they are hamsters and there's only so much distinctions between them, but sometimes I got confused. And there were also just sooo many characters right from the start I found that contributed to me not being able to keep up with them all as easily. My only other issue is that the mission to destroy the dam and why it needed to be destroyed really wasn't made clear enough early on. I didn't realize that the dam being created was also going to flood the burrow until after the scene with the badgers talking about the water receding. If I had known the hamsters motivations earlier the story would have been even better.
I picked this one up simply because Oni Press always does well. I was a little slow to get into it because the theme of warrior hamsters was hard for me to wrap my head around, but after that- I was blown away. The story was incredible- I felt a connection to each of the characters from the shy to the brave to the ones experiencing loss- every reader will find a character to identify with in this story. I first thought this would focus more on Ruby and her timidness and overcoming that obstacle, but it turned into so much more and we actually got to know the other characters in depth as well as Ruby. I think one issue books run into with trying to captivate an audience is they get too specific with their main characters and isolate readers who don't connect with those characters. Underfoot did an excellent job at just the opposite, each character got the same amount of "page time" that they all felt like main characters on their own (with Ruby just being our first point of view) and with their diverse styles and backgrounds I'm sure every reader will find themselves reflected in a character.
My only issue with the book are the characterizations are sometimes hard to distinguish between which character is which- I understand they are hamsters and there's only so much distinctions between them, but sometimes I got confused. And there were also just sooo many characters right from the start I found that contributed to me not being able to keep up with them all as easily. My only other issue is that the mission to destroy the dam and why it needed to be destroyed really wasn't made clear enough early on. I didn't realize that the dam being created was also going to flood the burrow until after the scene with the badgers talking about the water receding. If I had known the hamsters motivations earlier the story would have been even better.
March 21, 2021
I recieved an e-copy of this graphic novel on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
(Becca's 48 hour Bookoplathon; 1st in a series prompt)
This was a really fun graphic novel that follows the H.A.M. (Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries)- scientifically modified hamsters who were left by the giants-that-were in order to survive the great rain. This volume follows H.A.M. in their mission to save their badger allies from flooding by destroying a dam that has been constructed nearby. However, previous missions mean they are low on members and so they turn the young pups to find the best help they can get. However the current pups are less than ideal and so this may be more challenging than originally thought. However those who get picked, soon learn that this isn't the fun adventure that they originally thought it would be - not only are there a lot of deadly threats, but every story they knew about their origins become challenged.
I loved seeing the little snippets of information about the different types of hamsters as well as the character files scattered throughout the book. I loved that the underdogs from the pups went on the trip and got to prove themselves. This could help so many young people realise that it's ok to not be good at everything - you can still succeed if you just try.
(Becca's 48 hour Bookoplathon; 1st in a series prompt)
This was a really fun graphic novel that follows the H.A.M. (Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries)- scientifically modified hamsters who were left by the giants-that-were in order to survive the great rain. This volume follows H.A.M. in their mission to save their badger allies from flooding by destroying a dam that has been constructed nearby. However, previous missions mean they are low on members and so they turn the young pups to find the best help they can get. However the current pups are less than ideal and so this may be more challenging than originally thought. However those who get picked, soon learn that this isn't the fun adventure that they originally thought it would be - not only are there a lot of deadly threats, but every story they knew about their origins become challenged.
I loved seeing the little snippets of information about the different types of hamsters as well as the character files scattered throughout the book. I loved that the underdogs from the pups went on the trip and got to prove themselves. This could help so many young people realise that it's ok to not be good at everything - you can still succeed if you just try.
February 19, 2021
Originally posted to my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Mighty Deep is the first volume in a graphic novel series by Ben Fisher, Emily Whitten, and Michelle Nguyen. Released 23rd April 2019 by Oni Press, it's 160 pages and available in paperback and ebook/comiXology formats.
This is a very well plotted, character driven epic quest adventure with beautifully rendered illustrations. The setting is fantasy post-apocalypse Earth and the characters are anthropomorphic animals. Ostensibly aimed at middle grade readers, I found the charming and engaging story worked well for all ages. I enjoyed it a lot.
Four stars. It would make a great selection for comics readers, fans of fantasy and anthropomorphic animal stories. It's a quick and enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Mighty Deep is the first volume in a graphic novel series by Ben Fisher, Emily Whitten, and Michelle Nguyen. Released 23rd April 2019 by Oni Press, it's 160 pages and available in paperback and ebook/comiXology formats.
This is a very well plotted, character driven epic quest adventure with beautifully rendered illustrations. The setting is fantasy post-apocalypse Earth and the characters are anthropomorphic animals. Ostensibly aimed at middle grade readers, I found the charming and engaging story worked well for all ages. I enjoyed it a lot.
Four stars. It would make a great selection for comics readers, fans of fantasy and anthropomorphic animal stories. It's a quick and enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 20, 2021
Never has a graphic novel about hamsters made me so emotional. I think it's because I really enjoyed the Rats of NIMH as a child, and this made me very nostalgic while also being awesome. Hamsters (along with a variety of other creatures that include cats, badgers, beavers, snakes, lizards, and more) were being used in scientific experiments, and were injected with a serum to make them smarter. This definitely worked, and they escaped their cages along with rescuing the cats, and began life outside of the science lab. There's a few hints about an asteroid, the rain that never ended, and a giant tremor, to hint to what happened to the giants that were.
The latest group of hamsters are ready to graduate, but they have to solve one final test. Then, they have to complete a massive mission, which is just filled with humor, and friendship, and sorrow. They also discover another group of hamsters that happen to be overground hamsters, instead of underground ones.
I love the artwork, I love the emotion, thought it was great.
The latest group of hamsters are ready to graduate, but they have to solve one final test. Then, they have to complete a massive mission, which is just filled with humor, and friendship, and sorrow. They also discover another group of hamsters that happen to be overground hamsters, instead of underground ones.
I love the artwork, I love the emotion, thought it was great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews