Seven Secrets, Vol. 1

Seven Secrets #1-6

by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo (Penciller)

SEVEN SECRETS WILL CHANGE THE WORLD. For centuries, the Order has trusted in Keepers and Holders to guard the Secrets in seven briefcases against all harm but when their stronghold is attacked and the secrets put in peril, the entire Order must face their greatest fear -- an enemy who knows too much and is willing to kill to get what he wants. Now, the Order's newest member, Caspar, must discover the truth of the Secrets before the enemy does, or risk losing everything. New York Times bestselling author Tom Taylor (DCeased) and fan favorite artist Daniele Di Nicuolo (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) present a new series about seven powerful secrets -- words, wonders, weapons, and worse -- with the power to change the world. Collects Seven Secrets #1-6

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Adventure, Action

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2021

About the author

Once a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.

Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.

He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.

He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ideology behind the order is really stupid, but the writing and the characters make up for it.



So you have this Secret Order that holds the 7 secrets that will destroy the world.
Think: Whatever sunk Atlantis.
But instead of locking these secrets up in vaults, they have each secret in a briefcase and a Holder assigned to said case. To protect the Holder, they have a Keeper. <--I think the Keeper may be the one who actually knows what's in the briefcase, as well.
Anyway, the majority of the society is made up of unwanted orphans who they've trained to be the protectors.
And they can't be in relationships together, especially ones that produce children.
Why? Well, you know, the SECRETS must come first.
Blah, blah, blah.



Of course, the story opens with a Keeper and a Holder producing a child, our main character, Casper. The fallout that ensues when his parents decide that the SECRET must come first and the order decides to raise the child away from his parents but in the order.
So his parents help train him at times, but they aren't allowed to love him. But they do, naturally.



All of that? That seems like over the top silliness to me. Not a bit of what I wrote makes any sort of sense. Has no one in this order ever heard of an abortion? Or if not, then why is it such a big deal that his parents never SAY they love him? Everyone else in the whole society can say it, why not them? Saying it out loud doesn't make it any less true, so that was all just a big wad of bafflement for me plot-wise.



However, if you scrape all that to the side and just go with this as a purely fun story about a secret society?
Then, yes. Tom Taylor delivers once again.



You've got the good guys who keep the secrets safe and the bad guys who want to steal them.
There are enough explosions, backstabbing, intrigue, doublecrosses, and twists to keep anyone who enjoys these sorts of stories coming back for the next volume.
Myself included.
Because while some (most) of the setup seemed silly, it was full of enough of that fun sort of crazy that I've already downloaded the second volume.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! This is about a secret society that guards the Seven Secrets. There's another sect that is trying to obtain the secrets. Each secret is contained in a briefcase and protected by a Holder and a Keeper. The storytelling mechanism reminds me of Saga. It's got that same first person narration in retrospect. The art, coloring and action sequences are straight out of an Anime. It has that same vibrant pop of art on each page.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Order of the Seven has always protected the Seven Secrets with one Keeper and one Holder assigned to each secret, enshrined in a suitcase, and kept far apart from each other across the planet. Except now the secrets are being targeted by deadly enemies - and the fate of the world is in danger! New Holder, Caspar, joins the others in keeping the secrets safe - but for how long?

Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo’s Seven Secrets isn’t a bad new series. It’s definitely got its flaws but I liked it well enough too.

The story is childishly simple: goodies and baddies chase magic boxes around the world. So basically the plot of the Justice League movie/s? Yuh huh! And it’s because Taylor keeps things so vague that it’s not easy to get invested in what’s happening. It’s a melodramatic game of keepaway. Yawn.

That said, while the story is underdeveloped, Taylor is instead able to devote space on focusing on the characters and it’s because of them that makes the book stand out. Our main character is Caspar, who’s a generic hero, but I liked his parents, Eva and Sigurd, and the strained dynamic that the Order placed on them and their potential relationship with their son. The scenes between Sigurd and Caspar were unexpectedly touching.

The bad guy, Amon, is basically Kylo Ren (you’ll see why if you read this), but wasn’t boring even if he was derivative. Canto, one of the Order, has a cool mask design (or just has a very unusual-looking face), and the art throughout was really good - the book looks like a first rate anime.

Taylor’s created a familiar but still strange world for this series, where two major factions can wage war without drawing the attention of anyone, the Queen of England is a young black woman, and then there’s the place this book ends on… no idea what that’s about! It works in the narrative’s favour though and the surprising weirdness piqued my attention.

This first volume follows the template of a lot of first volumes, particularly those with a martial arts flavour, so there’s a lot of table-setting and a predictable training sequence, before the game of keepaway kicks off. Still, I wouldn’t say it was dull to read either, just a bit too one-dimensional for its own good, even if it is intentional.

Seven Secrets, Volume 1 is a fine, if unimpressive, beginning to this new title.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about seven briefcases that contain a world secret each, that have to be kept out of wrongdoers' hands. Each briefcase is carried by a Holder, who is protected by a Keeper. A secret order provides these Keepers and Holders.

And then there's a story that doesn't waste any time and propels itself forward with insane momentum, so much momentum that characterisation gets a bit lost.

It's a strange book for me - it's written quite well, before the characterisation bottoms out there is some nice character work. There is some suggested emotional impact that never really translated to me. And that's the whole book for me - it just did not connect. There's a lot happening, and I just keep seeing people juggling briefcases.

Doesn't help that I'm not a fan of this style of manga-ish artwork - faces look too similar, and the bad guy especially looks like such a doofus, instead of the scary evil man he is supposed to be.

(Thanks to Boom Studios for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)

[Mir · Rating 2 out of 5]

It always astonishes me that creatives will put so much effort into world-building, writing, and drawing a story, and never stop to ask themselves whether it is original OR makes any sense.

There's an Order. With Secrets. People in the Order aren't allowed to have relationships or babies (why? Because), but of course they do. Apparently birth control and abortion don't exist, and the Order is too important to leave (even though there are many extra people competing to be secret keepers) so they take away the babies and... raise them in the Order but a different branch.

Basically, it was all contrived to make all the characters miserable and angsty, for plot purposes. And if you follow my reviews, you know I have a major peev about when authors do nonsensical things just to make it easier to make the plot go how they want. You're creating this story: work harder.

The art was fine. Overall felt like a mediocre teen action flick.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very manga-esque experience that tells a simple story with a lot of heart. It's extremely easy to get invested in this world and brush over some of the more questionable world building aspects. There are a lot of characters introduced, and many of them get completely lost as part of the ensemble. However, the protagonist and the important supporting cast get enough development. It's not breaking new ground, but it's definitely a fun read which has a lot of potential. A 3.5 rounded up due to enjoyment.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very high on concept and fairly low on characters I actually care about (so far) but I really rate Tom Taylor as a writer so I definitely have faith it’s all going someplace worthwhile in the following volumes.

[Kadi P · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

*More like 3.8 stars than 4.*

This was... strange. I can’t decide whether I liked it or not. It was certainly good but after that ending I was left wondering what exactly was this comic? It’s a concept that started off pretty solid but then ended with something that was so strange and random that I’m not sure if I love it yet.

Casper was a solid protagonist. Other than that, there were far too many characters and I couldn’t remember all of their names. I get that the number of characters was necessary because each secret had one keeper and one holder and then there were a bunch of other people too, but still. I had to rely on recognising people so it’s a good thing most of them had distinct character designs.

The art style was sort of amazing. A strange manga/minimalist twist of modern art and the colour palettes were awesome! They made action scenes a little confusing to follow, but at least everything looked cool.

The narration was a little weird. It felt off and often got in the way of the dialogue of the scenes or the pacing. But some parts worked to create intrigue. So that aspect was hit and miss depending on the moment.

So all in all, this wasn’t what I’d expected it to be. And I still don’t really know what it is. But it had potential and I’m interested to see how it continues in Seven Secrets Vol. 2...

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor proves that even without established characters from Marvel/DC he can create interesting characters you care for.

An organization hellbent on keeping seven cases out of the hands of people wanting to open them and destroy the world. But the main focus is on a small boy who is left by his parents to grow up within this organzation. But instead of the typical leave your kid behind these parents train the boy but can never be a father/mother to him, creating a interesting dynamic. Lots of family drama here, mixed with excellecent art, and high paced action, make this newest Boom book worth reading.

A 4 out of 5.

[ScottIsANerd (GrilledCheeseSamurai) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this comic are like triple-A heroes straight out of a Shounen manga! And that's a good thing!

This is a super fast-paced action/adventure comic where some people are trying to protect 7 suitcases with mysterious secrets held within them and other people are trying to steal those secrets.

That's it. That's the whole volume 1. But it works. Again, for me at least, it all came down to the characters. Well, that and the art. The art was top-notch. All in all, this is an easy 4 stars and I am definitely looking forward to volume 2.

[Lukasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

An ok graphic novel with nice and dynamic art. It'll appeal more to fans of coming-of-age / YA arcs than it did to me.

ARC through NetGalley

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are seven secrets that could change the very fabric of the world if they were ever released. And there is a secret society that protects these secrets. Caspar, a child borne of the forbidden union between two secret keepers, finds himself embroiled in this world whether he likes it or not, and just as he begins to acclimatize, it all comes crashing down.

Tom Taylor's a guy to watch - I don't think I've ever read a comic of his that wasn't impressive, and Seven Secrets is another book to add to that stable. In six short issues he manages to create and destroy an entire world, and make you give a shit about everyone involved, especially our viewpoint character Caspar. The first four issues or so bring us up to speed with his life, and how his birth has been handled when he really shouldn't have been born at all (and the baggage that comes with that), while the second two issues burn it all down as the Seekers go on the defensive to protect the Secrets from an attack. It all feels very dense, and I felt extremely invested in everyone to the point that losing some characters early on was more devastating than I'd anticipated.

The artwork is from Power Rangers artist Daniele Di Nicolo, whose manga-esque style helps establish Seven Secrets' tone early on as kind of Saturday morning cartoony, but then morphs along with the story as everything gets set on fire and the action turns up to 11.

Seven Secrets is a comic to watch. Boom! don't often invest in very long ongoing series, but I hope this one lasts a very long time.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun, we pick up with two people - sigurd and eva who work for the order of the seven secrets who protect the biggest secrets of the world, and sigurd and eva have a kid, and they give it to the order to raise and thus he grows and we have the story of Caspar and we follow his perspective as we see him train under different people with Tajana, the head and keeper of the first secret. Sigurd is killed by a man named Amon who seems to want the secrets and thus begins the chase between him and the order and what costs will follow to protect the secrets and what happens when they all come together and the fortress is breached and will a secret be lost and whats the real origins of Caspar? Great first volume and just shows the mysteries that are there and the secrets and the world building is good too, and the character moments even better, the first secret regarding Atlantis was cool and all. Well done by the author and the art was cute and quite easy to follow and the character of Caspar is interesting, vol 2 will be interesting to read next.

[Clint · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, this is mediocre YA action about an overly broad struggle between Keepers and Holders and Seekers fighting over several MacGuffins. The dialogue has the glib tone that projects the intent of being funny without actually being funny. The plot about a secret society’s world-threatening struggle is not interesting or emotionally engaging and does a lot of telling instead of showing. The art is fine but has a very bland webcomic style that doesn’t appeal to me.

Wish I liked this as much as the other early reviews seem to!

[Billy Jepma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Taylor can do no wrong, it seems. With his new series, he’s put together a rich, exciting world that immediately comes alive thanks to the stellar artwork from Daniele Di Nicuolo and Walter Baiamonte. Seven Secrets is the kind of title that brings together basically everything I love about comics, and this first volume does just about everything an introduction should do. It’s fast-paced (to a fault, I’ll admit) and charged with an energy that never lets up. The characters are vibrant; the setting and tone a flawless blend of familiar ideas and striking creativity; and the plot, as quick as it is, introduces huge concepts with such ease that you feel completely comfortable with the world by the time you start reading the second issue.

I came so close to giving this the full five stars, but the pacing is so fast that much of the supporting cast doesn’t feel as real as the core characters do. And the inevitable cliffhanger at the end doesn’t fully resolve the overall story arc of the volume, which is always a little annoying, especially when the comic is on hiatus for a couple of months. But those issues are minor in the grand scheme of the story Taylor and company are curating here.

Seven Secrets takes genre and plays with it like putty, iterating on tropes and molding them into something that feels altogether new. The artwork is dazzling to look at and never misses a beat. Dynamic paneling, sharp expressions, character designs that feel instantly iconic, and an overall vibe that’s as distinct as they come. Even if Taylor’s writing wasn’t as strong as it is (although I will say he relies a bit heavily on narration), the illustrations from Di Nicuolo, coloring from Baiamonte and Katia Ranalli, and animated lettering from Ed Dukeshire would still make this one of the most exciting debuts on the stands.

If this team can keep up the momentum started here, I would not be surprised if Seven Secrets goes down as one of those evergreen “must-read” entries in the lexicon of great comics.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

In recent years, Tom Taylor has become one of the most exciting voices in comics. His extensive work for Marvel and DC have earned him plenty of fans, whether it’s his great, short-lived run on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man or alternate spins on established DC characters such as DCeased and Injustice. Having dabbled in comics based on existing franchises for other publishers like Dark Horse, Taylor hasn’t done much creator-owned work outside his native home of Australia, but at BOOM! Studios, Seven Secrets has spun out of his imagination to glorious effect.

Please click here for my full review.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of promise that hasn't delivered yet.
With at least 16 main characters any development of all of them would be a difficult task in a six issue run, but a good ten of them have barely been named let alone differentiated, and the plot takes a hard left turn into fantasyland in the final chapter which is disappointingly ex machina rather than naturally derived from the story.

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure story that starts in media res. It's a story about complicated family relationships in a world of cultish warriors and the assassins who want the secrets that the cult is keeping from the rest of the world.

It doesn't expand any genres in new and exciting ways, its art is beautiful but imperfect (there are a few page layouts that don't flow naturally and most readers will have to circle back and reread the pages to find the proper order), its plot is murky and mysterious but its characters seem well-developed and there's some emotional resonance in this first story arc. All in all, it's a tightly told story by a creative team who understands how to pace an action/adventure comic series.

I've read some critique that the dialog is written fairly glib to give the impression of being funny, when there isn't actually humor in this book. I think that's true, and might cause some readers to sour on the story as it goes on. It didn't bother me.

I recommend this for fans of Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Mark Waid, or Chip Zdarsky's Daredevil runs or people who loved Taylor's run on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Volume 1: Secrets and Rumors.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Secrets is by Tom Taylor, so it's action-packed, smart, and easy to get invested in. It's a bit dumbed down, to be sure, but it's also from Boom Studios, so the intended audience is likely a tad more YA than me. In any case, I had a blast with Seven Secrets even if I never had to think too hard. Admittedly, I did read it on a beach vacation, so my sun-addled brain was ready for something simple.

In Seven Secrets, there are seven secrets (what?? whoaaa!!) that are held in briefcases by select members of the Order. Naturally, a villain desires these secrets (and has a secret tie to the Order himself). We meet a few of the Holders and Keepers, but the main character is Caspar, forbidden son of a Holder/Keeper pair. He's a capable teen who might also be like, the chosen one or whatever. No surprises thus far, but easy enough to grasp.

Pretty much right from the get-go, the Order is being overrun by the villain, Amon. This volume is a ceaseless thrill ride that's highly fun, but missing that Robert Kirkman-level grand scheme that allows world-building to occur at the same time as action. By the end of the volume, you're exhausted and a tad numb to the deaths of characters who you never really got to know. Of course there's a twist conclusion, though, so bring on the second volume already.

[Thea Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comic surprised me. Its an anime-style action plot with secrets and good emotional beats. It doesn’t hit you over the head with exposition and allowes the world to build and unfold itself. The characters are vibrant and the narrativ is compelling. Overall a fun and surprisingly dramatic story, i can’t wait for the second volume!

[Sem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay then. This feels very much like a shounen manga, cut-off limbs and grand sacrifices and all. Not really sure what to feel just yet as the secrets haven't been explored in full and though the story moved fast, it hasn't progressed much at all, if that makes any sense.

[Parker J · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/4/22 (re-read)
Finally got my hands on volume two so I had to re-read volume one as a refresher. Still great.


7/23/21

!!!!!!!!!!

This was so good, which is no surprise since it’s a Tom Taylor comic...

[Madi · Rating 2 out of 5]

cool art style but wow the story got off track fast

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Passed a comic store on my way home and had to check it out for nostalgia’s sake. Solid comic. It feels on par with watching tv except maybe one level closer to books.

[Brandon · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you played a drinking game where you had a shot every time they said "secret" you would be blackout drunk before you learned the main character's name. There is a secret society which protects "secrets" and does secret things at secret bases where people take secret classes to learn how to protect secrets.

Things got especially ridiculous when the secret society's secret base has a secret secret keeper who knows a secret location to a secret base that even the secret society doesn't know about wherein he can learn the secret location of more secret bases that the secret society doesn't know about and everyone goes on the secret airplanes to the secret location of the secret base to protect the secrets the secret keepers and secret holders have to protect but they don't tell anyone the location of the secret base they have to use secret navigators who give secret directions to the secret pilots at secret times and places so they can secretly fly around the world with the secrets while still keeping everything a secret from the evil secret seekers.

You also have Tom Taylor doing his damnedest to be "progressive" and ending up being insulting too. Yes, let's talk about how Caspar learned about Aristotle but we don't learn anything about what Aristotle thought except that he was wrong about eels and women and slaves, to quote Caspar: "Your guy was problematic." Yes, let's place women of colour in authoritative positions like being the president of the United States or... the monarchy of England? You're telling me that at the same time Kieron Gillen has actual Prime Minister Boris Johnson bring on the apocalypse because of his selfish incompetence, Tom Taylor has to make sure that the (ultra racist, literally defined colonialism) Queen of England is not just a woman of colour but one of the only truly trustworthy and GOOD people in the entire world?

Of course this secret society makes sense, too. They keep their secrets in briefcases. They have spelling bees in high school and one of the most promising top-of-the-class students cannot spell the word "weird" correctly. And they have secrets! What are the secrets? They are secret things! They secretly make people not have kids but then the people secretly have kids but the kids are secrets and cannot be told that they are secret kids except everyone knows that they're secret kids except the secret kids themselves.

I'm just tired. I'm tired of people recommending me Tom Taylor books and saying they're the best comics in the market right now, and every time I try to read I can't get five pages into the first issue without being exhausted and disappointed. No hate to Daniele Di Nicuolo, who is trying his hardest to turn the generic premise into an interesting setting with cool-looking characters and action scenes that are superfluous but still look pretty. But god damn is this book a trainwreck I would never recommend to anyone, and one of the most disappointing things I've read this year.

[Spira Virgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Death.? 

I received this book in exchange of an honest review, from the lovely people at Boom! Studio Comics and Netgalley.

"Secrets have power. Power to Illuminate... And to keep in the dark. Power to divide. Power to unite. Some secrets must be revealed... Others must be protected."

Tom Taylor is a name I widely recognize thanks to his recent work in DC COMICS with DCeased series. It was my favorite running series and when it ended it left a hole in my heart because all good things come to a closure. Thankfully not Tom, he shall always keep writing and toss out new tales for me to consume and Seven Secrets does that. Working with Daniele incredible artwork and Walter vibrant colors we got ourselves Seven Secrets. It's all about protecting the world ancient secrets that could create devastation to reality as we know it in the wrong hands. Hence the order of the keepers and holders who sworn to safe guard these secrets at all costs, including their lives and whatever little privacy that's left in it. Sadly a pair fallen in love which a big no-no and now their baby is adopted into the order all to grow up and probably become quite the prodigy. Casper is now thrust into a war when the seekers, lead by their leader, Amon are aiming to locate the seven secrets and unleash them. 

Gotta say, pages flew by finished it in half an hour and I had so much fun. Loveable cast, cool action scenes and intense drama and memorable comradery but I had a small problem over whole. What are those so important secrets? Why must they be protected, why is it necessary for the order to keep them safe, and why do the seekers, this fanatical group are gunning for them? It feels like I am missing an immense amount of lore and yet I don't require knowing at all to enjoy myself. It's kind of like going outside to the beach, you have your swimsuit, sunscreen, good time but you then realize you forgot to bring a change of clothes so you come back home with sand all over the place and now you have to deal with it. Regardless I enjoy myself with this incredible title and Boom! Studios will be fool to not continue it.  Mark my words, they got themselves a future hit!

P.S. if any cosplayer read this, please, do me a favor and cosplay as Canto. They are my favorite character, like just their design alone is worth gearing up. 

Is it Diverse? Mixed race black main character, supporting Asian cast and other minorities.

[Voltage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ever since manga started dominating the Western comic book industry, Western comic publishers have been pushing out more and more titles that are increasingly manga-esque and Seven Secrets is a perfect example of that. However, it's also a perfect example of trying to emulate something with no knowledge or genuine love of the thing you're emulating.

Characters are paper-thin walking clichés, action scenes are poorly laid out, and the plot is just so completely boring. It doesn't help that series relies on Abrams style mystery box storytelling which is a personal pet peeve of mine because the eventual reveal of said secret is always a let down. The secret in this case seems to do with the supernatural which is likely going to cause a lot of issue with world-building and consistency.

The character designs are interesting and I like the art style, but that's all I liked. I'm dropping this here and reading no more.

[Camila Lobianco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about seven secrets that have to be protected by any means. People of the hole world are trying to protect this secrets for years, but everything seems to change when a boy is born and their rule of putting always the secrets first is starting to change.

The art of this comic is beautiful, the characters are beautiful. I liked how their friendship and love was well constructed in just 160 pages. The story is great and I'm so excited to read the next one that I'll keep an eye on NetGalley to see if I can have the chance to also read the next one! Really great, would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this before it's release in exchange of an honest review! The story was really pretty and enjoyable.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow, I just loved everything about this.
The character art was amazing and it gave me kind of a shounen manga vibe and it gives the characters a lot of emotion.
The story was exciting and I can't wait to read on. It had action, it had (forbidden) love and best of all: secrets.

More please!

[Jason Rico · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Seven Secrets, Vol. 1, author Tom Taylor and artists Daniele Di Nicuolo & Walter Baiamonte create a fast-paced, action-packed story with a surprising amount of emotional resonance.

While I am familiar with some of Tom Taylor’s other recent comics work, I purposefully went into reading this book a bit blind. I hadn’t heard of Seven Secrets until I came across it on NetGalley, but with a premise involving a mysterious order protecting secrets throughout history, I was instantly intrigued.

Overall, the story in this first volume of Seven Secrets is quite simple – bad guys want the Secrets, good guys make sure that doesn’t happen. Even the book’s colorful art helps establish the tone as a kind of Netflix anime. As with most comic books, the first few issues are mostly exposition and backstory for world-building. That said, it’s the character work that makes this book enjoyable.

Amidst all the page-turning action, Taylor is able to somehow devote space to focus on the characters, which is no easy task when there are so many to introduce. You get a sense of who these characters are, their relationships, and the strain the Order places on them – even if all that is only quickly explored due to the fast pacing of the story. Still, the characters seem well developed enough and I can only predict will become even more so in future volumes. Characters of particular interest are Canto and Sigurd.

The one major downside I have to the story is the overwhelming secretive nature of the Secrets. I know, that sounds like I’m missing the entire point, but for six issues I’m being told how these Secrets have the power to change the world, but it’s hard for me to care about their protection when I have no clue what they are or even how the Order first came into possession of them. Taylor does a great job of creating a world that's familiar, yet with enough questions to keep you intrigued – for instance, we find out the Queen of England in this world is a young Black woman, and when we finally do get our first peek at one of the Secrets at the end of the book, it raises more questions than answers – but a story can’t be ALL questions. At some point, I’m going to need something definitive to go on. Luckily, the questions and little hints we get are good enough to continue reading; I can however see them becoming tiresome if they continue beyond the next story arc.

All in all, a very fun & quick read and a solid four stars. I am definitely looking forward to reading Vol. 2.

Thanks to BOOM! Studios and NetGalley for allowing me to read this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.