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Queen and Country: The Definitive Edition #4
Queen and Country: The Definitive Edition, Vol. 4
Queen and Country the Definitive Edition: v. 4 Presents a collection, that shows readers the thrilling and devastating world of international espionage as SIS field agents are sent all over the world, often on their first mission, in service to Queen & Country. Full description
282 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2009
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229 people want to read
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,496 books1,926 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 18, 2013
It seems this will be the last of Queen and Country in comics format. A shame. A bit of a shame also that this volume doesn't advance Chace's storyline from the previous volume. Instead, we have three stories from early in the careers of Crocker, Wallace, and Poole. I was glad to read Crocker's, because I'd been wondering exactly what had happened with Karpin back in the day. Wallace's was decent enough and had a good backdrop (the handover of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese) but didn't thrill me. Possibly because I'd never been terribly interested in Wallace. Poole's story was from his SAS days in Northern Ireland. Quite a change of scenery and pace from the average Queen and Country story, but for me the most riveting story in this collection. Not the best Queen and Country, to be sure, and I would have liked to have seen more of Chace in comics format, but still a nice way to send the series off.
February 21, 2022
This was really enjoyable. I was expecting more of Tara, but I got three short stories on Paul Crocker, Tom Wallace and Nick Poole. There is nothing wrong with that at all.
November 15, 2024
Greg Rucka nunca me ha decepcionado. Y creo que nunca lo hará. El mejor guionista de cómics de la historia de la humanidad.
October 26, 2015
It doesn't seem to make sense that I read this, the final volume of Queen & Country, before reading the third volume of Queen & Country, but honestly I can't imagine reading it any other way.
This volume (which can affectionately be called Queen & Country: Declassified) focuses on three characters from the Queen & Country universe, so I feel the best way to talk about it is to break it down as such.
Paul Crocker
The first arc of this volume centers on Paul Crocker, the D. Ops in the main series. His story tells the story of a particularly dangerous operation he undertook as a Minder (like Tara Chace) during the Cold War. To be honest, this was the greatest thing ever. I put off reading this for ages because I didn't feel like "it would be Queen & Country", but Rucka writing this story made it crackle and pop in the way that Queen & Country always crackles and pops when Rucka writes it. It has bite, it has intrigue, it had excitement, and it made me ache for Rucka to write an 80s era spy thriller about Crocker as a Minder. This was everything I wanted and was so good.
Tom Wallace
The second arc centered on an operation that took Tom Wallace to Hong Kong on the eve of the British Empire reverting said territory back to Chinese control. Needless to say, because this was also written by Rucka, this was also insanely excellent. Rucka is one of the smartest writers out there right now and his work is always symbolized by every character having a distinct and specific perspective on every situation they find themselves in. Placing Tom in the where and when of the Hong Kong handover means that Rucka gets to play in a gunpowder sandbox. Everything could pop at every moment, and true to Queen & Country fashion, how the adventure ends is surprising and quiet.
Which brings us to...
Nick Poole
This was going to be the hardest sell. Nick Poole is a character introduced at the very end of the second volume so he's more of an unknown quantity as far as I'm concerned. I am excited to get to know him more, but doing this story this way is not the way to do it. For one thing, Rucka didn't write it. It's written by Antony Johnson so it lacks the panache of every other Queen & Country story to this point and drags this entire book down. Storywise, it is a mess of seemingly random nonlinear storytelling. The characters are one-dimensional and poorly defined. And... well... it's just not a Queen & Country story. If you wanted to do a story about a soldier in the SAS who got tangentially involved in some IRA activities in the early 2000s then maybe this would be for you. But it's not Queen & Country. It's doesn't have the deep politics and political intrigue. It doesn't have the electric spark of exciting spy action. It doesn't have the good characters. It is, quite honestly, not the way to end your time reading Queen & Country. And I know why it's last. It's the most modern of these ancillary stories, but reading this after every single Queen & Country story has the possibility of souring the rest of the series for any reader.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the first two thirds of this was extraordinarily good and everything I could have hoped for from Queen & Country. It blew me away and I couldn't put the book down ON ACCIDENT. But the last story took me days and days to read. And it was 80 pages. So really. That sucks.
Regardless, anyone reading these reviews should still check out these graphic novels. Because they are wonderful. I can't wait to read the stuff I have left because (unless I'm wrong) the rest of it is all new for me, and boy howdy if that's not the way to read Queen & Country.
This volume (which can affectionately be called Queen & Country: Declassified) focuses on three characters from the Queen & Country universe, so I feel the best way to talk about it is to break it down as such.
Paul Crocker
The first arc of this volume centers on Paul Crocker, the D. Ops in the main series. His story tells the story of a particularly dangerous operation he undertook as a Minder (like Tara Chace) during the Cold War. To be honest, this was the greatest thing ever. I put off reading this for ages because I didn't feel like "it would be Queen & Country", but Rucka writing this story made it crackle and pop in the way that Queen & Country always crackles and pops when Rucka writes it. It has bite, it has intrigue, it had excitement, and it made me ache for Rucka to write an 80s era spy thriller about Crocker as a Minder. This was everything I wanted and was so good.
Tom Wallace
The second arc centered on an operation that took Tom Wallace to Hong Kong on the eve of the British Empire reverting said territory back to Chinese control. Needless to say, because this was also written by Rucka, this was also insanely excellent. Rucka is one of the smartest writers out there right now and his work is always symbolized by every character having a distinct and specific perspective on every situation they find themselves in. Placing Tom in the where and when of the Hong Kong handover means that Rucka gets to play in a gunpowder sandbox. Everything could pop at every moment, and true to Queen & Country fashion, how the adventure ends is surprising and quiet.
Which brings us to...
Nick Poole
This was going to be the hardest sell. Nick Poole is a character introduced at the very end of the second volume so he's more of an unknown quantity as far as I'm concerned. I am excited to get to know him more, but doing this story this way is not the way to do it. For one thing, Rucka didn't write it. It's written by Antony Johnson so it lacks the panache of every other Queen & Country story to this point and drags this entire book down. Storywise, it is a mess of seemingly random nonlinear storytelling. The characters are one-dimensional and poorly defined. And... well... it's just not a Queen & Country story. If you wanted to do a story about a soldier in the SAS who got tangentially involved in some IRA activities in the early 2000s then maybe this would be for you. But it's not Queen & Country. It's doesn't have the deep politics and political intrigue. It doesn't have the electric spark of exciting spy action. It doesn't have the good characters. It is, quite honestly, not the way to end your time reading Queen & Country. And I know why it's last. It's the most modern of these ancillary stories, but reading this after every single Queen & Country story has the possibility of souring the rest of the series for any reader.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the first two thirds of this was extraordinarily good and everything I could have hoped for from Queen & Country. It blew me away and I couldn't put the book down ON ACCIDENT. But the last story took me days and days to read. And it was 80 pages. So really. That sucks.
Regardless, anyone reading these reviews should still check out these graphic novels. Because they are wonderful. I can't wait to read the stuff I have left because (unless I'm wrong) the rest of it is all new for me, and boy howdy if that's not the way to read Queen & Country.
February 2, 2019
I will confess that I am rather fond of Definitive Editions of Greg Rucka's over all very well crafted spy series, which I took to from a strong opening in the first volume and only saw sharpened to its finest in the second one. The third volume sadly felt like a step backwards after that, but mostly because one of its merely two arcs felt truncated as it seemed to be the middle part of a story begun in the Queen & Country novel A Gentleman's Game and ended in another, Private Wars. As such, it left that final, main volume lacking in resolution as well as in actual set-up of that final arc (within the volume itself).
This actual final volume in some sense lets go of all that, as it collects three miniseries (each three issues long), focusing on the back stories of some of the characters. As such, we do not see Tara Chace at all in these arcs, but they nevertheless add things to the overall story of the series.
First out, and possibly the best of the three, is Declassified Vol. 1: Paul Crocker, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Brian Hurtt (who returns after his stint as artist on the second arc of the series (found in the first Definitive Edition volume)). This tells the story of the failed Karpin extraction in Berlin in 1986, when Crocker was an active operative. The event has obviously been referenced previously in the series, which makes it all the sweeter to see the story fleshed out. And Hurtt really makes the divided city of Berlin come to life in his art.
After this, Rucka teams up with artist Rick Burchett in Declassified Vol. 2: Tom Wallace, in which we get to see the story of Wallace's induction into the service and becoming Minder Three, as well as a first mission in Hong Kong in 1997, on the cusp of the British handover of the city to China. While not as directly tied into the main series as Crocker series, it still serves to present some solid background on Wallace.
Finally, Rucka hands over the writing to Antony Johnston (with whose other work I am as of yet unfamiliar), who teams up with Christopher Mitten to produce Declassified Vol. Nicholas Poole. The story which is mainly set in Northern Ireland in 2003 (with flashbacks to 1981) is solid and presents events from Poole's days as an SAS man in Northern Island, as well as tying in with the events in 1981, when his father was killed in the line of duty. The latter does lend itself to a more personal story line, and as such less tied into the job itself (even if it does go to show some of Poole's character and also makes for a good story in its own right), leaving it a little bit of an odd creature in the collection, and even the series, as a whole.
The collection is rounded off with some behind the scenes material consisting of sketches and some interviews with some of the artists, as well as with Johnston, conducted by Rucka himself. These offer an interesting insight into the work on the series.
All in all, it is a good final volume (for now) and all three stories are resolved within these pages, so there is nothing left hanging.
This actual final volume in some sense lets go of all that, as it collects three miniseries (each three issues long), focusing on the back stories of some of the characters. As such, we do not see Tara Chace at all in these arcs, but they nevertheless add things to the overall story of the series.
First out, and possibly the best of the three, is Declassified Vol. 1: Paul Crocker, written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Brian Hurtt (who returns after his stint as artist on the second arc of the series (found in the first Definitive Edition volume)). This tells the story of the failed Karpin extraction in Berlin in 1986, when Crocker was an active operative. The event has obviously been referenced previously in the series, which makes it all the sweeter to see the story fleshed out. And Hurtt really makes the divided city of Berlin come to life in his art.
After this, Rucka teams up with artist Rick Burchett in Declassified Vol. 2: Tom Wallace, in which we get to see the story of Wallace's induction into the service and becoming Minder Three, as well as a first mission in Hong Kong in 1997, on the cusp of the British handover of the city to China. While not as directly tied into the main series as Crocker series, it still serves to present some solid background on Wallace.
Finally, Rucka hands over the writing to Antony Johnston (with whose other work I am as of yet unfamiliar), who teams up with Christopher Mitten to produce Declassified Vol. Nicholas Poole. The story which is mainly set in Northern Ireland in 2003 (with flashbacks to 1981) is solid and presents events from Poole's days as an SAS man in Northern Island, as well as tying in with the events in 1981, when his father was killed in the line of duty. The latter does lend itself to a more personal story line, and as such less tied into the job itself (even if it does go to show some of Poole's character and also makes for a good story in its own right), leaving it a little bit of an odd creature in the collection, and even the series, as a whole.
The collection is rounded off with some behind the scenes material consisting of sketches and some interviews with some of the artists, as well as with Johnston, conducted by Rucka himself. These offer an interesting insight into the work on the series.
All in all, it is a good final volume (for now) and all three stories are resolved within these pages, so there is nothing left hanging.
November 13, 2020
The panels and story is so detailed and so cinematic that I'm sure if it were taken for screenplay we will have one hell of a good spy story. Full credit to the illustrators for bringing the story to life. And the black and white art perfectly adds the suspense, grit and all the things you would want in a tale of this sort.
Three amazing arcs detailing the (before) lives of three important characters is what this volume is. It just adds more depth and history to the series. But the thing I liked the most about this volume is not in the story part (stellar as always) but the extras. The conversation between the writer and artists were an eye opener into how such amazing stories come to life. Hearing them discuss the subtlties and details of the drama they are trying to portray gives the reader an appreciation for the craft. We might learn something new like a detail that went over our head, maybe a significantly huge detail that was easily missed but upon revision you are like, f how did I miss that. Not all readers are meticulous enough to catch such fine details but these conversations between the creative crew sheds light on it and the thought process,which we rarely get to see.
Overall this series was a revelation for me.Who knew diplomacy and politics in a spy thriller will be so darn fun to read. Greg Rucka and the roster of talent he chose definitely knocked this one out of the park.
Three amazing arcs detailing the (before) lives of three important characters is what this volume is. It just adds more depth and history to the series. But the thing I liked the most about this volume is not in the story part (stellar as always) but the extras. The conversation between the writer and artists were an eye opener into how such amazing stories come to life. Hearing them discuss the subtlties and details of the drama they are trying to portray gives the reader an appreciation for the craft. We might learn something new like a detail that went over our head, maybe a significantly huge detail that was easily missed but upon revision you are like, f how did I miss that. Not all readers are meticulous enough to catch such fine details but these conversations between the creative crew sheds light on it and the thought process,which we rarely get to see.
Overall this series was a revelation for me.Who knew diplomacy and politics in a spy thriller will be so darn fun to read. Greg Rucka and the roster of talent he chose definitely knocked this one out of the park.
April 3, 2018
Tense thrillers, I love this series. I've read most of it, except only the last Tara book (Red Panda) and the last two Declassifieds, but I liked this format better and I wanted to finish reading it. Anyway, it's really smartly written and mixes politics with the personal, emotional turmoil incredibly effectively. Most of the art is solid to good. The only series I was indifferent to was Declassified 3, by Antony Johnston and Chris Mitten. Mitten's art was too rough in comparison to the other artists, and the script was good (though more than a bit cliche in the delivery of the ending), but clearly not up to Rucka's standards. I didn't need a story about Nick Poole, a character I like quite a bit, so much that I couldn't have waited for Rucka to write it himself.
June 5, 2022
The last of Queen and Country comics. This is 3 sets of 3 comics each showing the "before days" of 3 different characters from the main storyline. The art was good. I enjoyed both Crocker and Wallace's storyline quite a bit. With Wallace's being my favorite.
I didn't dislike Poole's but I didn't think it was a strongly written.
If you like spy novels this is a fun series that I think does an excellent job of showing a "realer" to life way gov't's work with their spies than other writing (like Bond). I wouldn't call it real in any real sense. it just has more politics and interpersonal drama that has real affects on the story.
Sad to be done with it. I really enjoyed most of the stories and all the characters.
I didn't dislike Poole's but I didn't think it was a strongly written.
If you like spy novels this is a fun series that I think does an excellent job of showing a "realer" to life way gov't's work with their spies than other writing (like Bond). I wouldn't call it real in any real sense. it just has more politics and interpersonal drama that has real affects on the story.
Sad to be done with it. I really enjoyed most of the stories and all the characters.
July 27, 2022
¡Excelente! Este tomo es más que todo precuela a los 3 anteriores, al leerlo entenderás las rivalidades entre Frances y Crocker, además del fantasma que persigue a Crocker y cómo Tom se integra como escolta al SIS. Para ser sincero, me hubiera gustado que sea una continuación del tomo anterior que quedó muy interesante y me dejó en el aire. Estuve investigando y el final del tomo 3 siguen en 3 novelas del mismo autor. Tal vez la lea para comprender el final de Tara Chase.
Las ilustraciones en este último tomo son bastante buenas y van a la par con el ritmo de las historias. Incluso hay imágenes en panorámico que ocupan ambas páginas que les dan un toque de espectacularidad a las escenas. Nuevamente, muy recomendado.
Las ilustraciones en este último tomo son bastante buenas y van a la par con el ritmo de las historias. Incluso hay imágenes en panorámico que ocupan ambas páginas que les dan un toque de espectacularidad a las escenas. Nuevamente, muy recomendado.
May 12, 2023
Volume 4 was not my cup of tea. It was not a continuation of Volume 3. It was a prequel that itself was divided into three parts to tell the backstory of three of the principal characters in Volumes 1-3, although I couldn't really figure out who or what the third story was about or how it connected. Probably just me being dense. Not sure if there is a Volume 5 in which the story line carries forward, but if there is, I think you'll be fine skipping over Volume 4 and going straight to Volume 5.
I gave it two stars, which means, "it was okay," not I hated it or it was awful. Three stars on Goodreads is "I liked it," and I can't really say that about this volume.
Thanks for reading.
I gave it two stars, which means, "it was okay," not I hated it or it was awful. Three stars on Goodreads is "I liked it," and I can't really say that about this volume.
Thanks for reading.
February 6, 2018
Příběhy z dřívějších linií bývají často slabší - navíc očekávání jsou dost vysoké. Stejné je to s Queen and Country. Kdybych skončil po trojce a čtvrtý díl už nečetl, uchoval bych si lepší pocit ze série.
January 20, 2019
This series is a must-read for fans of the espionage genre and hard-hitting thrillers. A grownup version of James Bond, with the seedy underbelly showing that is merely winked at in the movies...
September 11, 2020
Just some unrelated and IMO not very good stories. Disappointing.
October 30, 2023
This series got better the further along it got. Fair to middlin' on the positive side.
May 15, 2024
Maybe 3.5
October 29, 2024
Greg Rucka always tells a great story.
My one regret in this volume is that there's no Tara Chace.
My one regret in this volume is that there's no Tara Chace.
May 31, 2012
Let me just start off by saying that I shouldn't have let so much time elapse between reading volume 3 and reading volume 4. I was so lost, it's not even funny.
Now, this volume had a lot of the same problems that I found in the previous three books. There were some spreads that I didn't notice until halfway down the page (and some I thought was a spread and it turns out that it wasn't). I find that seriously annoying because I find myself reading the pages two or even three times to try and follow the thread of the conversations.
My other problem, especially in this volume, was that there were so many significant chronology jumps that I found myself lost. I couldn't keep track of what was happening when, who was involved in what particular scene, and what was even going on. This was especially a problem in the last story where the switched every other page and yet the characters still looked too similar from one time to the next. It was frustrating.
I really wanted to like this volume, because I was looking forward to learning the backstory of some of the main characters but at the same time, Tara wasn't even in this volume! I found that a little disorienting and, given how long it's been since I read one, I'm left wondering what really happened to her.
It feels like this can't possibly be the last volume because it doesn't wrap anything up. I know it's not always possible to have that "and they lived happily ever after"-type epilogue but, dagnabit, sometimes it would be nice. And I didn't get any sort of a feeling out of this book.
Now, this volume had a lot of the same problems that I found in the previous three books. There were some spreads that I didn't notice until halfway down the page (and some I thought was a spread and it turns out that it wasn't). I find that seriously annoying because I find myself reading the pages two or even three times to try and follow the thread of the conversations.
My other problem, especially in this volume, was that there were so many significant chronology jumps that I found myself lost. I couldn't keep track of what was happening when, who was involved in what particular scene, and what was even going on. This was especially a problem in the last story where the switched every other page and yet the characters still looked too similar from one time to the next. It was frustrating.
I really wanted to like this volume, because I was looking forward to learning the backstory of some of the main characters but at the same time, Tara wasn't even in this volume! I found that a little disorienting and, given how long it's been since I read one, I'm left wondering what really happened to her.
It feels like this can't possibly be the last volume because it doesn't wrap anything up. I know it's not always possible to have that "and they lived happily ever after"-type epilogue but, dagnabit, sometimes it would be nice. And I didn't get any sort of a feeling out of this book.
October 21, 2012
This final book in Greg Rucka's "Queen & Country: The Definitive Edition" series of comics compilations is the only one not to feature super spy Tara Chace. Instead, we flash back into the past to learn how some of the men she's worked with became the people we meet later on.
The first chapter introduces us to Paul Crocker, now head of operations for Chace's unit, as a young man on a 1980s mission under the Iron Curtain. Chapter two features Tom Wallace in 1990s Hong Kong, just days before its hand-over from the Brits to the Chinese. The book concludes with Nicholas Poole, trying to prove himself while serving in the military in early 2000s Northern Ireland -- events that take place after the start of the "Queen & Country" series but before Poole joins Chace and friends on the fun.
The more I've read of this series the more it's grown on me. Rucka has envisioned a rich world. I'm planning to track down more of his work, including the two non-visual novels he's written about the world of Tara Chace and also some more of his comics.
The first chapter introduces us to Paul Crocker, now head of operations for Chace's unit, as a young man on a 1980s mission under the Iron Curtain. Chapter two features Tom Wallace in 1990s Hong Kong, just days before its hand-over from the Brits to the Chinese. The book concludes with Nicholas Poole, trying to prove himself while serving in the military in early 2000s Northern Ireland -- events that take place after the start of the "Queen & Country" series but before Poole joins Chace and friends on the fun.
The more I've read of this series the more it's grown on me. Rucka has envisioned a rich world. I'm planning to track down more of his work, including the two non-visual novels he's written about the world of Tara Chace and also some more of his comics.
December 1, 2016
Sentimientos agridulces.
Siento que Greg Rucka me deja con un MATRIX REVOLUTIONS. A mi me encanto la saga de los Wachowski, pero siento que ellos al final metierón muchas mas cosas de las que podian manejar y empezaróna expandir su universo en otros medios, metiendo muchas cosas de la saga en el videojuego y eso afecto el universo que habian creado, igual le pasa a Rucka, que ya antes nos había matado a un personaje muy querido en una novela de la que no sabíamos, y ahora me entero que el destino final de Tara se da en una novela...y pus ellos pueden hacer lo que quieran en sus universos, pero dejan a muchos fanáticos como yo, con un vació en el corazón lector, que sabemos que nunca se podrá llenar.
Las historias individuales son geniales, desde el drama que vemos en la guerra fría con unas de las paginas mas tristes que he visto en el mundo del comic, mientras que la historia en Taiwan es genial, mientras que la de Irlanda es muy esquematica y no esta al nivel de las demás.
Te extrañare Tara...
Siento que Greg Rucka me deja con un MATRIX REVOLUTIONS. A mi me encanto la saga de los Wachowski, pero siento que ellos al final metierón muchas mas cosas de las que podian manejar y empezaróna expandir su universo en otros medios, metiendo muchas cosas de la saga en el videojuego y eso afecto el universo que habian creado, igual le pasa a Rucka, que ya antes nos había matado a un personaje muy querido en una novela de la que no sabíamos, y ahora me entero que el destino final de Tara se da en una novela...y pus ellos pueden hacer lo que quieran en sus universos, pero dejan a muchos fanáticos como yo, con un vació en el corazón lector, que sabemos que nunca se podrá llenar.
Las historias individuales son geniales, desde el drama que vemos en la guerra fría con unas de las paginas mas tristes que he visto en el mundo del comic, mientras que la historia en Taiwan es genial, mientras que la de Irlanda es muy esquematica y no esta al nivel de las demás.
Te extrañare Tara...
May 20, 2011
Skipped ahead to volume 4, as I'm in the middle of the Q&C prose novel, and half of volume 3 takes place after the novel.
That said, it doesn't really matter. Volume 4 actually collects three different side stories, filling in the earlier lives of certain main characters.
The stories are mostly quite good - Crocker's attempt to lift a Soviet deserter from Prague was highly reminiscent of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. The second story was an interesting look into the politics at the time of the Hong Kong handover. The third story - the only one not written by Rucka - was the weakest of the lot, but still a good page-turner.
Another good volume, but one that is more highly recommended for existing fans of the main Q&C series. Newbies should pick up volume 1 and work their way through from there.
That said, it doesn't really matter. Volume 4 actually collects three different side stories, filling in the earlier lives of certain main characters.
The stories are mostly quite good - Crocker's attempt to lift a Soviet deserter from Prague was highly reminiscent of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. The second story was an interesting look into the politics at the time of the Hong Kong handover. The third story - the only one not written by Rucka - was the weakest of the lot, but still a good page-turner.
Another good volume, but one that is more highly recommended for existing fans of the main Q&C series. Newbies should pick up volume 1 and work their way through from there.
May 4, 2012
Really liked both the Crocker and Poole stories (#1 and #3, respectively). The art by Brian Hurtt for Crocker was reminiscent of Rolston's original work, but had its own style and flavor and I really enjoyed it. The story filled in a background story that was referenced a few times in the series overall, and it was really cool to see a young Crocker in action, plus his interactions with a younger Weldon. The art by Christopher Mitten for Poole was more sketchy and minimalist, but it got the point across and the story was one of my favorites in the entire series.
I felt the art for the Wallace story was like reading some Brenda Starr strip with spies, and I felt the narrative wasn't very compelling.
Overall I really liked this series and I'd be interested in reading more of Rucka's work, as well as some of the artists, specifically Steve Rolston.
February 20, 2010
Wow. Wow. Wow. I didn't think I'd like this as much because its focus is on the ancillary characters of Paul Crocker, Tom Wallace, and Nicholas Poole. Each story is short and very engaging. It was a quick read and didn't feel blogged down by all the other fancy spy/agency lingo that fills the other volumes--I mean, there's still the lingo, but it's better paced. I wasn't looking forward to this because the volume is much thinner than the others and I felt as though this would contain the "throw-away" stories of when Queen & Country "jumped the shark." I was glad I was wrong. This clearly left me wanting more by Mr. Rucka. I've heard that he's actually got some novels that focus on Tara Chase. I might have to check those out.
June 22, 2025
Greg Rucka treats us to a trio of stories, each about an "early adventure" of a supporting player in the main "Queen and Country" series. None of the stories involve Tara Chace in any way. Thanks to Mr. Rucka, we now know these characters a bit better.
First: In 1986, Paul Crocker goes to Prague to help a KGB man defect.
Second: In 1997, Tom Wallace goes to Hong Kong to investigate a murder, hours before "the big handover", in which Hong Kong's sovereignty was transferred from Britain back to the People's Republic of China.
Third: In 2003, Nicholas Poole goes up against the IRA in Northern Ireland.
This book is a great, fast-paced read. It is well-written and the art is fantastic. Fans of spy stories should not hesitate to get this book.
First: In 1986, Paul Crocker goes to Prague to help a KGB man defect.
Second: In 1997, Tom Wallace goes to Hong Kong to investigate a murder, hours before "the big handover", in which Hong Kong's sovereignty was transferred from Britain back to the People's Republic of China.
Third: In 2003, Nicholas Poole goes up against the IRA in Northern Ireland.
This book is a great, fast-paced read. It is well-written and the art is fantastic. Fans of spy stories should not hesitate to get this book.
December 21, 2011
The fourth and final definitive edition of Queen and Country collects the Declassified issues, focusing on the SIS ancillary staff, and givng Tara Chace a boot from her own series. We open with a look at Paul Crocker's days as a field operative, and his failed attempt to smuggle a KGB agent out of Prague. The second tale deals with former minder Tom Wallace, working a suspected murder case in Hong Kong. Our final tale examines the new minder Nicholas Poole, and his AWOL mission to track down the man who killed his father. Sadly, without the queen Tara Chace, this volume is just an unoccupied Country for me.
July 1, 2014
While all the other Queen and Country novels center around Tara Chace, she doesn't appear in this volume's stories at all. Instead this volume has three stories that give some of the secondary characters more of a feature and some more background. The first two in particular I enjoyed, while the third was okay. Mostly the fact that the third story seemed to jump forward every other page made it a bit of a pain to read. Even though this is the fourth volume of the series, since the stories are all set before the main Queen and Country stories it can probably be read at pretty much any point after Poole appears.
September 15, 2013
For being the final book I feel a little shorted I don't get to see the story to further. I am all about prequels if they are done right and the Paul Crocker and Tom Wallace stories were really good. It gives you a better look into Paul and how he came to be. It's understandable why he is always doing stuff that he isn't supposed to for the greater good. But the Nicholas Poole story line I wasn't to invested in versus the others. Just sad see Queen & Country end not following what I thought to be the best character, Chase.
April 26, 2016
Weakest of the Definitive Edition volumes, simply because they provide backstory about 3 of the supporting cast to Tara Chace. Interesting, but non-essential. Were I editing this collection, I'd put this volume nearer the front or, better yet, split the individual cases and put them where they logically fit in the chronology to properly introduce the supporting characters. Will likely re-read, simply because I'm a big fan of the Q&C collection.
Rucka is an outstanding writer.
Rucka is an outstanding writer.
May 11, 2009
Three separate stories covering the early years of Wallace, Crocker and Poole. As usual, the political settings are perfect in their accuracy and detail, and, also as usual, the spy stories are pretty good. But there's no Tara - it's as if the book is missing its emotional core.
May 29, 2010
Rucka ends his time with Queen and Country with a series of flashbacks into the lives of some of the secondary characters. I was hesitant about this as I wasn't sure how the story would hold up without Tara at it's centre but I was drawn into this and I found it quite compelling.
January 10, 2012
I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this series until I was a page or two into the story. There is so much to like about this series: spies, realistic situations, black and white art and an intelligent story. Liked it so much that I went and picked up volume 3.
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