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Sap Hunters
The World Tree is dying, threatening the lives of all the clans that inhabit it. Can three Sap Hunters and the last survivor of the Chasm Strider clan find the source of the sacred Tree’s infection in time?
All is not right within the branches of the sacred World Tree. Towering huge, its life-giving sap sustains the many divided clans living within it… until the Chasm Strider clan’s diviner, Pierig, discovers the Tree’s sap has become infected! Before he can warn his clan, tragedy strikes and he is violently captured by the Sap Hunter clan, warriors who demand he use his special divining skills to track the source of the corruption. As the sickness eats away at the World Tree, the party works its way down the levels of the massive Tree, inching closer to its roots. But what secrets do the dense roots hide? How deep will this unlikely group descend to save everything they love?
Mad Max meets Avatar in this brand-new graphic adaption of the novel from French science fiction novelist Laurent Genefort, as skillfully adapted by Alexandre Ristorcelli.
All is not right within the branches of the sacred World Tree. Towering huge, its life-giving sap sustains the many divided clans living within it… until the Chasm Strider clan’s diviner, Pierig, discovers the Tree’s sap has become infected! Before he can warn his clan, tragedy strikes and he is violently captured by the Sap Hunter clan, warriors who demand he use his special divining skills to track the source of the corruption. As the sickness eats away at the World Tree, the party works its way down the levels of the massive Tree, inching closer to its roots. But what secrets do the dense roots hide? How deep will this unlikely group descend to save everything they love?
Mad Max meets Avatar in this brand-new graphic adaption of the novel from French science fiction novelist Laurent Genefort, as skillfully adapted by Alexandre Ristorcelli.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published March 8, 2023
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52 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 22, 2023
Is it sci-fi? Is it fantasy? It's fantasy, but for the longest time I expected it to be both, thinking it would be another space-ark-gone-wrong story, but it's not! Even after not I couldn't shake the feeling that's is also a bit sci-fi.
People (and semi-people or non-people) live on an huuuuge tree, and the tree is not doing well, which means the people (and semi-people or non-people) are feeling the negative effects. And so a group of people are sent down down down, to see what is going on and hopefully fixing it.
Of course the expedition is composed of characters who literally are enemies and have to work together against all odds, etc.
Yes, this is very European, and I have a soft spot for this kind of storytelling (possibly because I am also very European). Yes, there is also too much dialogue, with characters constantly explaining the world they live in to eachother. But the art is pretty great, with some wonderful world and creature design.
(Thanks to Humanoids for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)
People (and semi-people or non-people) live on an huuuuge tree, and the tree is not doing well, which means the people (and semi-people or non-people) are feeling the negative effects. And so a group of people are sent down down down, to see what is going on and hopefully fixing it.
Of course the expedition is composed of characters who literally are enemies and have to work together against all odds, etc.
Yes, this is very European, and I have a soft spot for this kind of storytelling (possibly because I am also very European). Yes, there is also too much dialogue, with characters constantly explaining the world they live in to eachother. But the art is pretty great, with some wonderful world and creature design.
(Thanks to Humanoids for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)
March 27, 2023
Sap Hunters had a very interesting premise - whole tribes of people living in a mind-bogglingly vast worldtree, which sustains them all but is found to be sick and dying. All the different species, tribes and cultures were fascinating, and in a way they reminded me of Valérian and Laureline by Christin and Mézières. Unfortunately, I didn't find Pierig to be a particularly likable character, and I wasn't really invested in his journey or problems.
The artwork of this graphic novel was excellent and enjoyable, and I found the colours to be particularly beautiful. Had the plot and story been more engaging and immersive, I'd have rated this higher. As things stand, it was too choppy and, in parts, confusing in my opinion. Three stars for the interesting world-building and beautiful art.
The artwork of this graphic novel was excellent and enjoyable, and I found the colours to be particularly beautiful. Had the plot and story been more engaging and immersive, I'd have rated this higher. As things stand, it was too choppy and, in parts, confusing in my opinion. Three stars for the interesting world-building and beautiful art.
April 24, 2023
My thanks to NetGalley and Humaniods Inc. for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
Ok, ummmm....I didn't HATE it, but I really didn't LIKE it very much...
I didn't like the characters, I didn't like the world, I didn't like the plot and the ending was just...really bleak.
The artwork, when it wasn't something gross like bugs or blood/other body fluids, was actually nice to look at and I love the color green. When green was present, it was lush and bright and I liked that.
Unfortunately, the characters were not the best examples of humankind (though to be fair, most aren't) and when a character was finally starting to grow on me a little, they were offed. There were also characters that you knew would be throw-aways because they had like MAYBE two lines in the entire thing, so no way to really get to know or care about them.
This seems very...French to me and I just checked and yes, this was translated and it seems that the author is French, so that would explain the beauty being constantly overtaken by sadness, despair and decay, with little to no hope for the future.
This wasn't my cup of tea, YMMV.
2, this wasn't fantastic but it wasn't nearly as bad as The Adoption by Zidrou, stars.
Ok, ummmm....I didn't HATE it, but I really didn't LIKE it very much...
I didn't like the characters, I didn't like the world, I didn't like the plot and the ending was just...really bleak.
The artwork, when it wasn't something gross like bugs or blood/other body fluids, was actually nice to look at and I love the color green. When green was present, it was lush and bright and I liked that.
Unfortunately, the characters were not the best examples of humankind (though to be fair, most aren't) and when a character was finally starting to grow on me a little, they were offed. There were also characters that you knew would be throw-aways because they had like MAYBE two lines in the entire thing, so no way to really get to know or care about them.
This seems very...French to me and I just checked and yes, this was translated and it seems that the author is French, so that would explain the beauty being constantly overtaken by sadness, despair and decay, with little to no hope for the future.
This wasn't my cup of tea, YMMV.
2, this wasn't fantastic but it wasn't nearly as bad as The Adoption by Zidrou, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
Sap Hunters is the story of people living on the World Tree and what happens when they find that the tree is infected. It is a stunning book the art is beautiful. But the type of story you will want to read more than once. I look forward to see where it is going.
4 stars
4 stars
March 27, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
3.5 Stars
The Sap Hunters immediately drew me in with its gorgeous art and interesting world. The people in the world of the Sap Hunters live on the branches of the World Tree, a tree that is unfathomably large. Because they call it "The World Tree" I thought maybe this would have some Nordic mythology being used for its world-building, but from what I can tell, there is nothing Norse in this book at all. The plot of this novel started strong. A Diviner must journey out with three warriors of another tribe to find the source of the tree's sickness, and potentially cure it. This novel loses the plot about halfway through. Things start to get muddy and the overall plot loses its cohesion. Characters make decisions that make no sense, and characters get killed off for no reason. The ending of this novel was insanely abrupt. I flipped back and forth because I thought I had missed something, but no, it just ends that suddenly. The art for this graphic novel was amazing! So many details were crammed into even the smallest panel. The world felt beautiful, and the background designs really let its wonder shine through. I will warn you, there is nudity in this graphic novel, which threw me off. It's casual nudity though, unrelated to the spice scenes. There are only a few of the spice scenes, but they are all either just implied or a fade-to-black type of scene. If not for the oddly done plot and the pacing issues, this could have been a five-star graphic novel.
Spoilers!
3.5 Stars
The Sap Hunters immediately drew me in with its gorgeous art and interesting world. The people in the world of the Sap Hunters live on the branches of the World Tree, a tree that is unfathomably large. Because they call it "The World Tree" I thought maybe this would have some Nordic mythology being used for its world-building, but from what I can tell, there is nothing Norse in this book at all. The plot of this novel started strong. A Diviner must journey out with three warriors of another tribe to find the source of the tree's sickness, and potentially cure it. This novel loses the plot about halfway through. Things start to get muddy and the overall plot loses its cohesion. Characters make decisions that make no sense, and characters get killed off for no reason. The ending of this novel was insanely abrupt. I flipped back and forth because I thought I had missed something, but no, it just ends that suddenly. The art for this graphic novel was amazing! So many details were crammed into even the smallest panel. The world felt beautiful, and the background designs really let its wonder shine through. I will warn you, there is nudity in this graphic novel, which threw me off. It's casual nudity though, unrelated to the spice scenes. There are only a few of the spice scenes, but they are all either just implied or a fade-to-black type of scene. If not for the oddly done plot and the pacing issues, this could have been a five-star graphic novel.
Spoilers!
September 27, 2025
Srž priče "Lovaca na nektar" leži u njenom fascinantnom, ali i zastrašujućem postapokaliptičnom svetu. Svet je prekriven džinovskim, mutiranim biljkama, drvećem koje doseže oblake, mesoždernim cvećem i čudovišnim algama. Ova bujna, ali i opasna flora stvorila je potpuno novi ekosistem u kojem ljudi preživljavaju, skupljeni u retkim, zaštićenim plemenima. Na jednom takvom džinovskom drvetu živi mnogo različitih plemena, na njegovim velikim granama koje se šire u nedogled. Međutim, nailazi mračno vreme za stanovnike ovog sveta i iskušenje za sve njih.
Glavni element oko kojeg se vrti radnja je nektar. Ova dragocena tečnost nije samo izvor energije ili hrana - ona je suštinski element za održavanje života u plemenima. Pretpostavlja se da nektar ima i nekakva posebna svojstva, možda čak i magična ili isceliteljska, što ga čini još vrednijim i traženijim.
Svet oko njih umire, to je svim plemenima jasno. Svako to zna i svako tumači na svoj način, donoseći svoja rešenja za spas nektara i sveta u kom žive. Mnoga plemena ulaze u međusobne sukobe i ratove.
Pratimo grupu lovaca na nektar koji pokušavaju da odgonetnu pozadinu i uzrok propadanja drvosveta i spreče nestanak svog doma. Likovi su dobro izgrađeni, sa različitim pogledima na svet i motivima.
Vizuelno prelep strip, sa fantastičnim bojama i odličnim crtežom. Između ostalog je taj vizuelni deo i presudio da kupim ovaj strip, još od kako sam video naslovnu koja ga krasi. Strip ima zanimljive dijaloge, žive i realistične, a tempo i atmosfera su takođe po mom ukusu. Priča ima i poneki preokret ili za mene neočekivane delove. Sam kraj je za mene bio neočekivan, zbog čega se pitam da li će priča imati nastavke. Voleo bih da ih dobijemo, jer je kraj po mom mišljenju otvoren i ima još prostora za priču.
Glavni element oko kojeg se vrti radnja je nektar. Ova dragocena tečnost nije samo izvor energije ili hrana - ona je suštinski element za održavanje života u plemenima. Pretpostavlja se da nektar ima i nekakva posebna svojstva, možda čak i magična ili isceliteljska, što ga čini još vrednijim i traženijim.
Svet oko njih umire, to je svim plemenima jasno. Svako to zna i svako tumači na svoj način, donoseći svoja rešenja za spas nektara i sveta u kom žive. Mnoga plemena ulaze u međusobne sukobe i ratove.
Pratimo grupu lovaca na nektar koji pokušavaju da odgonetnu pozadinu i uzrok propadanja drvosveta i spreče nestanak svog doma. Likovi su dobro izgrađeni, sa različitim pogledima na svet i motivima.
Vizuelno prelep strip, sa fantastičnim bojama i odličnim crtežom. Između ostalog je taj vizuelni deo i presudio da kupim ovaj strip, još od kako sam video naslovnu koja ga krasi. Strip ima zanimljive dijaloge, žive i realistične, a tempo i atmosfera su takođe po mom ukusu. Priča ima i poneki preokret ili za mene neočekivane delove. Sam kraj je za mene bio neočekivan, zbog čega se pitam da li će priča imati nastavke. Voleo bih da ih dobijemo, jer je kraj po mom mišljenju otvoren i ima još prostora za priču.
January 7, 2024
This graphic novel gets five stars for the art alone, which is beautiful and detailed, but with a bit of the exaggarated 'French style' known from comics like 'Lanfeust' and others, so: it's not photorealistic but a bit of a heightened reality, which works well for both scenes of natural beauty and scenes of horror - there are a lot of critters here that are quite gruesome. Especially the landscapes are well realised and often get large parts of the page to shine. It is well worth it to take a bit longer to take them in.
The story is, especially at the end, a bit loose. It seemed to me like some threads were too easily closed off (esp. the fate of two of the main characters), and I thought the answers did not fully fit with the questions asked. I though the bleakness of the end fitting, though - a clear parallel to our current situation regarding environmental decay and climate change, when we also find people don't want to listen to warnings.
This is an adaptation of a French SF-novel from the '90's - that I haven't read, so I can't comment on whether it's a good adaptation. But it's an interesting world, with trees so big people live on the branches and a whole branch supports entire villages, and special forms of life adapted for life in the trees (like fish living in the sap of the tree). It reads like a fantasy novel, but the story is an apocalyptic SF-story. I thought the combination of genres worked. I also didn't really mind the characters were not that likeable. I still was intrigued by their stories and their developments. Some of those developments went a bit fast ('enemies to lovers'), but that is due to the fact this is an adaptation of a much longer novel, maybe?
Still: worth it for the art alone, and the original world portrayed! I will leaf through this graphic novel again, I know!
The story is, especially at the end, a bit loose. It seemed to me like some threads were too easily closed off (esp. the fate of two of the main characters), and I thought the answers did not fully fit with the questions asked. I though the bleakness of the end fitting, though - a clear parallel to our current situation regarding environmental decay and climate change, when we also find people don't want to listen to warnings.
This is an adaptation of a French SF-novel from the '90's - that I haven't read, so I can't comment on whether it's a good adaptation. But it's an interesting world, with trees so big people live on the branches and a whole branch supports entire villages, and special forms of life adapted for life in the trees (like fish living in the sap of the tree). It reads like a fantasy novel, but the story is an apocalyptic SF-story. I thought the combination of genres worked. I also didn't really mind the characters were not that likeable. I still was intrigued by their stories and their developments. Some of those developments went a bit fast ('enemies to lovers'), but that is due to the fact this is an adaptation of a much longer novel, maybe?
Still: worth it for the art alone, and the original world portrayed! I will leaf through this graphic novel again, I know!
January 25, 2024
The cover is so vibrant that I was really excited about delving in to this story.
It was an imaginative & interesting read focusing around a World Tree that is dying and how it affects the inhabitants of this fantastical environment.
As an adaptation of a French novel, this comic book did have some 'lost in translation' issues.
For example some aspects (i.e. creatures) were introduced but then were glossed over quickly, leaving me feel like I missed out on some extra details that could have made the story more fleshed out.
The art is visually appealing which made it enjoyable and a pleasure to read.
#SapHunters #NetGalley
Thank you Humanoids Inc and NetGalley for this ARC.
It was an imaginative & interesting read focusing around a World Tree that is dying and how it affects the inhabitants of this fantastical environment.
As an adaptation of a French novel, this comic book did have some 'lost in translation' issues.
For example some aspects (i.e. creatures) were introduced but then were glossed over quickly, leaving me feel like I missed out on some extra details that could have made the story more fleshed out.
The art is visually appealing which made it enjoyable and a pleasure to read.
#SapHunters #NetGalley
Thank you Humanoids Inc and NetGalley for this ARC.
March 26, 2023
Exceedingly strange but I was riveted the entire time. I’m a little confused at the ending but I love a quest and this had all the hallmarks of a great one. I wasn’t super invested in the characters but more so the mystery of the tree sap poisoning. The world building wasn’t exactly new but it was unique enough to keep me curious.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2023
I was very intrigued by the premise, I definitely like eco-fantasy/SF and when it's all wrapped up in some kind of mystery-solving, how can anyone resist? The illustrations are very detailed and are classic euro-comic style. Personally they're not what I like, but I appreciate all the skill that went into it, the time it took, and thought and I usually am ok with it if I enjoy the story... sadly I can't say that I did.
I'm very character-driven, and I need to like the people I read about and "live" an adventure with, not just find them interesting. And in this case, I absolutely hated everyone. There was not a single person to redeem the other. I didn't like what happened, I didn't like the take on clan cultures, I hated the relationships between the people and I wished all of them would die and their whole way of life with it... not great when you're supposed to root for a doomed civilization survival.
Lots of interesting ideas were peppered into a rather classic storyline that reminded me of 60 SF books and 80s comics. This was not for me, but will probably appeal to baby-boomers and give them a sense of nostalgia as they reminisce about what they used to read as late teens.
I'm very character-driven, and I need to like the people I read about and "live" an adventure with, not just find them interesting. And in this case, I absolutely hated everyone. There was not a single person to redeem the other. I didn't like what happened, I didn't like the take on clan cultures, I hated the relationships between the people and I wished all of them would die and their whole way of life with it... not great when you're supposed to root for a doomed civilization survival.
Lots of interesting ideas were peppered into a rather classic storyline that reminded me of 60 SF books and 80s comics. This was not for me, but will probably appeal to baby-boomers and give them a sense of nostalgia as they reminisce about what they used to read as late teens.
April 23, 2023
Plot: Pierig is a Diviner (someone who can understand trees) in the Chasm Strider clan. They’re not so important as the Sap Hunters kill them all just to take Pierig in and ask him to help figure out what is poisoning the World Tree. Apparently the Sap Hunters tried a peaceful approach, but they “died” (Not explained clearly). As their prisoner, Pierig and three others journey to the Bowels of the World Tree to figure out what is causing the infection and why a word is inscribed on the trees. There is:
-Askel of the Sap Hunters is the first person he meets who treats him decently. There’s not much about him other than he was ordered to stay behind and not murder Pierig’s clan, but if was ordered to kill, he would have, “but taken no pleasure in it.” Like, bruh, let’s not be too honest.
-Juse is… well, he plays the flute and is defaulted to being Askel’s friend while Pierig and Reva bicker.
-Reva is the Guardian of Truth for the expedition. She’s already angry at Pierig because her brother was part of the delegation to seek help from the Chasm Strider clan. Pierig’s clan was patriarchal, meaning women weren’t Diviners or warriors, and left to be domesticated, so Reva has another reason to hate him. She portrays the average stubborn fighter, but as the only female in the story with more than five lines, it’s quick to see her relevance goes.
Storyboard/Art: Because it’s a graphic adaptation of a French novel, I understand why some parts seem choppy. There were times I had to re-read because it was unclear of how the story was progressing. Deaths actually happened so suddenly, I didn’t realize it. If there were chapters or some type of dividers, it would have helped with the time skips.
My biggest problem was the inconsistency with the story and drawing. For example, our characters are walking in an acid-dripping forest and wearing specially coated ponchos. One is struggling through, so another character reassures him by putting his hand on his back. Like isn’t his poncho covered in acid?!
Best part about the art was when it came to lore about the deities. Yeis was a cosmic tree that created gods, but when dying out, it created humans. That type of lore was really clever! The comparison to Avatar is perfect.
Overall: Thank you to #NetGalley and Humanoids INC for the eARC of #SapHunters in exchange for an honest review. 3.5/5
The art style was amazing and the color schemes aesthetically pleasing. However, the art suffered because the storyboard went too fast and the dialogue was heavy. As a reminder again, this is an adaptation and translated, so it is choppy. Little details like spoiler: . Because I didn’t read the novel, I wasn’t invested in the characters and there was nothing to like about them. It made the ending pretty bland.
-Askel of the Sap Hunters is the first person he meets who treats him decently. There’s not much about him other than he was ordered to stay behind and not murder Pierig’s clan, but if was ordered to kill, he would have, “but taken no pleasure in it.” Like, bruh, let’s not be too honest.
-Juse is… well, he plays the flute and is defaulted to being Askel’s friend while Pierig and Reva bicker.
-Reva is the Guardian of Truth for the expedition. She’s already angry at Pierig because her brother was part of the delegation to seek help from the Chasm Strider clan. Pierig’s clan was patriarchal, meaning women weren’t Diviners or warriors, and left to be domesticated, so Reva has another reason to hate him. She portrays the average stubborn fighter, but as the only female in the story with more than five lines, it’s quick to see her relevance goes.
Storyboard/Art: Because it’s a graphic adaptation of a French novel, I understand why some parts seem choppy. There were times I had to re-read because it was unclear of how the story was progressing. Deaths actually happened so suddenly, I didn’t realize it. If there were chapters or some type of dividers, it would have helped with the time skips.
My biggest problem was the inconsistency with the story and drawing. For example, our characters are walking in an acid-dripping forest and wearing specially coated ponchos. One is struggling through, so another character reassures him by putting his hand on his back. Like isn’t his poncho covered in acid?!
Best part about the art was when it came to lore about the deities. Yeis was a cosmic tree that created gods, but when dying out, it created humans. That type of lore was really clever! The comparison to Avatar is perfect.
Overall: Thank you to #NetGalley and Humanoids INC for the eARC of #SapHunters in exchange for an honest review. 3.5/5
The art style was amazing and the color schemes aesthetically pleasing. However, the art suffered because the storyboard went too fast and the dialogue was heavy. As a reminder again, this is an adaptation and translated, so it is choppy. Little details like spoiler: . Because I didn’t read the novel, I wasn’t invested in the characters and there was nothing to like about them. It made the ending pretty bland.
April 25, 2023
Sap Hunters April 25, 2023
Laurent Genefort and Alexandre Ristorcelli Graphic Novel
The inhabitants of the Worldtree have noticed that it’s dying. Sap has become toxic and the tree has become home to harmful insects. In this world there are people who have become revered by their clans to diagnose and treat the Worldtree called Diviners. One of these Diviners, named Pierig gets kidnapped by the Sap Hunter clan after they decimated his home and clan. The Sap Hunters, led by Reva, the daughter of the chief, embark on a quest to find out what’s going on with and to fix the Worldtree.
This graphic novel is based on Genefort’s novel, though I couldn’t find anything about the original book, and is a new translation. The story follows the classic apocalyptic story of a resource becoming scarce. Think Mad Max, Tank Girl, and (one of the worst movies ever IMO) Waterworld. The art is very monotone, greens and browns, even though this was described as a story like Avatar (and Mad Max). There’s so much goop, green goop. Sometimes it’s dangerous, sometimes helpful, but there’s a TON of it. Green is definitely the prime color in the book.
You barely get to know Pierig’s clan before they get destroyed and the story starts with a wordy crash course of the world so I felt a bit frustrated with it. Once Pierig gets kidnapped, the exposition slows down, it doesn’t seem forced anymore. One thing that it glosses over is information about the animals/insects in the biome. It wasn’t until the last half of the book where we see how bad they can be. I felt a tad lost.
Near the end the story goes off into a brand new sci-fi track and finally brings up a mystery that intrigued me. Without spoilers the story expands in the world beyond the Worldtree. By the end of the book I was hanging on every panel. I’ll be picking up the second book to see what happens next. For apocalyptic story fans this is right up your alley, if you’re myxophobic (fear of slime) you might want to skip it.
Laurent Genefort and Alexandre Ristorcelli Graphic Novel
The inhabitants of the Worldtree have noticed that it’s dying. Sap has become toxic and the tree has become home to harmful insects. In this world there are people who have become revered by their clans to diagnose and treat the Worldtree called Diviners. One of these Diviners, named Pierig gets kidnapped by the Sap Hunter clan after they decimated his home and clan. The Sap Hunters, led by Reva, the daughter of the chief, embark on a quest to find out what’s going on with and to fix the Worldtree.
This graphic novel is based on Genefort’s novel, though I couldn’t find anything about the original book, and is a new translation. The story follows the classic apocalyptic story of a resource becoming scarce. Think Mad Max, Tank Girl, and (one of the worst movies ever IMO) Waterworld. The art is very monotone, greens and browns, even though this was described as a story like Avatar (and Mad Max). There’s so much goop, green goop. Sometimes it’s dangerous, sometimes helpful, but there’s a TON of it. Green is definitely the prime color in the book.
You barely get to know Pierig’s clan before they get destroyed and the story starts with a wordy crash course of the world so I felt a bit frustrated with it. Once Pierig gets kidnapped, the exposition slows down, it doesn’t seem forced anymore. One thing that it glosses over is information about the animals/insects in the biome. It wasn’t until the last half of the book where we see how bad they can be. I felt a tad lost.
Near the end the story goes off into a brand new sci-fi track and finally brings up a mystery that intrigued me. Without spoilers the story expands in the world beyond the Worldtree. By the end of the book I was hanging on every panel. I’ll be picking up the second book to see what happens next. For apocalyptic story fans this is right up your alley, if you’re myxophobic (fear of slime) you might want to skip it.
April 3, 2023
"Sap Hunters" Alexandre Ristorcelli's graphic novel adaptation of Laurent Genefort's novel of the same name lavishly illustrates an exotic sylvan science fiction world in elaborate and believable detail. However, the book fails to tell a convincing or interesting tale. In particular, the lack of a compelling lead character is strongly felt in this book.
This story follows a small group of warriors and their captive medicine man as they investigate the causes of environmental degradation that threaten to destroy the World Tree that their civilization calls home. The journey, perilous and mysterious as it is, is the vehicle that moves the story forward as the adventurers cross from the branch they inhabit into the previously unknown trunk and onto a new branch. This odyssey provides multiple adventures as group navigates strange environs, and tries to decipher mysterious messages that seem to be sent by the tree itself.
The illustrations of this process are breath taking, but sadly the story itself does not keep up. Additionally, the main character is far from interesting and it is hard to develop much sympathy for him even though he is initially forced into the adventure against his will. Other characters are under developed and the only ones of real interest are disposed of or quickly passed by.
Additionally important to note is the treatment of female characters in this story. The writer Gail Simone has introduced the concept of "fridging" , inspired by a particularly gruesome Green Lantern story arc, to describe the abuse and dismissal of female characters to advance the plots of male characters. There are clearly no refrigerators on the World Tree but based on the way even the female leader of the expedition in this book is treated there might as well be. Needless, to say this does not do much to advance the narrative or make this book accessible to half of its potential readers.
Finally, this book is also significantly harmed by the way in which it abruptly ends. There is just too much crammed into the last few pages for the reader to easily digest and be sure of understanding the author's intent.
Thanks to NetGalley and Humanoids, Inc. for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This story follows a small group of warriors and their captive medicine man as they investigate the causes of environmental degradation that threaten to destroy the World Tree that their civilization calls home. The journey, perilous and mysterious as it is, is the vehicle that moves the story forward as the adventurers cross from the branch they inhabit into the previously unknown trunk and onto a new branch. This odyssey provides multiple adventures as group navigates strange environs, and tries to decipher mysterious messages that seem to be sent by the tree itself.
The illustrations of this process are breath taking, but sadly the story itself does not keep up. Additionally, the main character is far from interesting and it is hard to develop much sympathy for him even though he is initially forced into the adventure against his will. Other characters are under developed and the only ones of real interest are disposed of or quickly passed by.
Additionally important to note is the treatment of female characters in this story. The writer Gail Simone has introduced the concept of "fridging" , inspired by a particularly gruesome Green Lantern story arc, to describe the abuse and dismissal of female characters to advance the plots of male characters. There are clearly no refrigerators on the World Tree but based on the way even the female leader of the expedition in this book is treated there might as well be. Needless, to say this does not do much to advance the narrative or make this book accessible to half of its potential readers.
Finally, this book is also significantly harmed by the way in which it abruptly ends. There is just too much crammed into the last few pages for the reader to easily digest and be sure of understanding the author's intent.
Thanks to NetGalley and Humanoids, Inc. for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 27, 2023
*** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
Netgalley Review
I was kind of disappointed by this largely because the description of the book sounds so interesting and the art looked really good but as I was reading the story it felt very choppy and rushed. The interactions of the characters were bewildering and hurried especially since the people Pierig were traveling with killed everyone in his clan, (I believe) pissed on him, and dropped his friend’s head next to him while he was in their prison then to just try and gaslight him and act friendly the next page. Pierig also seems to get along with everyone besides Reva, to an extent, even though everyone, even Pierig keeps bringing up the fact that they all killed his clan. Also, whatever that relationship was between Pierig and Reva, cause it couldn’t have been love, was came out of nowhere. There was no build up, or hint a relationship, would happen between them, especially since she was constantly antagonistic towards Pierig and Pierig was in love with someone else. Lastly, to me the ending was very rushed. It seems that he was just given the answer after all the trouble he went through to just be told the meaning of the word and he just somehow understood what that meant.
Netgalley Review
I was kind of disappointed by this largely because the description of the book sounds so interesting and the art looked really good but as I was reading the story it felt very choppy and rushed. The interactions of the characters were bewildering and hurried especially since the people Pierig were traveling with killed everyone in his clan, (I believe) pissed on him, and dropped his friend’s head next to him while he was in their prison then to just try and gaslight him and act friendly the next page. Pierig also seems to get along with everyone besides Reva, to an extent, even though everyone, even Pierig keeps bringing up the fact that they all killed his clan. Also, whatever that relationship was between Pierig and Reva, cause it couldn’t have been love, was came out of nowhere. There was no build up, or hint a relationship, would happen between them, especially since she was constantly antagonistic towards Pierig and Pierig was in love with someone else. Lastly, to me the ending was very rushed. It seems that he was just given the answer after all the trouble he went through to just be told the meaning of the word and he just somehow understood what that meant.
May 9, 2023
An imaginative eco-scifi graphic novel with questionable take on feminism.
We're dropped into a world where all living beings live on a giant tree of life. Some people are born with a special skill to feel the health of the tree they live in, these are Diviners. We're following one diviner, who's arrives back home just as his clan is being attacked by another and he is taken prisoner for his skill. The tree of live is dying and it's sap is turning poisonous. The Diviner is placed with a team of fighters and told to find out what's happening to the tree of live and fix it.
I like the art style. I believe this world exists and the unique monsters/creatures that are created were fun to see. The art added a layer of storytelling that I appreciated.
There's an stilted theme around women's roles, which made me roll my eyes. "Women can't be Diviners, only men", says our protagonist, to a woman who tells him she is the Diviner. Additionally there's a scene, which for no reason I can figure out, this female Diviner is practically naked with a robe barely draped over her. while she's about to start a fight. I'm not sure what the writer is trying to do here with gender politics, but I'm not on board.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc, for the advanced reader copy.
We're dropped into a world where all living beings live on a giant tree of life. Some people are born with a special skill to feel the health of the tree they live in, these are Diviners. We're following one diviner, who's arrives back home just as his clan is being attacked by another and he is taken prisoner for his skill. The tree of live is dying and it's sap is turning poisonous. The Diviner is placed with a team of fighters and told to find out what's happening to the tree of live and fix it.
I like the art style. I believe this world exists and the unique monsters/creatures that are created were fun to see. The art added a layer of storytelling that I appreciated.
There's an stilted theme around women's roles, which made me roll my eyes. "Women can't be Diviners, only men", says our protagonist, to a woman who tells him she is the Diviner. Additionally there's a scene, which for no reason I can figure out, this female Diviner is practically naked with a robe barely draped over her. while she's about to start a fight. I'm not sure what the writer is trying to do here with gender politics, but I'm not on board.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc, for the advanced reader copy.
October 8, 2025
Pozytywne zaskoczenie, szczerze spodziewałem się opowieści pełnej klisz i schematów sf, niczym się niewyróżniającej spośród wielu innych. Tymczasem, to jest klimatyczna opowieść o ciekawym świecie małych plemion rozsianych po konarach ogromnego drzewa, tworzącego własny mikro-świat. Mimo prostego schematu wyprawy śmiałków która ma odkryć dlaczego drzewo choruje, to jest to zajmujące i ciekawie zrealizowane. Bohaterowie ogólnie stanowią ciekawą menażerie, zarówno członkowie drużyny, jak i napotkane po drodze postacie drugoplanowe.
Graficznie jest bardzo przyjemnie dla oka, chętnie zanurzamy się w ten świat pełen niezwykłej roślinności, zwierząt i różnorodnych plemion.
Wady widzę trzy. Po pierwsze, główny bohater, który jest mniej interesujący niż otaczający go bohaterowie, jak podobają mi się projekty i mimika postaci, to jednak najwięcej zastrzeżeń mam do protagonisty. Po drugie, . Po trzecie nie wszystko jest tu dobrze wytłumaczone od samego początku i trochę brakuje podbudowy niektórych wątków, która o ile nie jest konieczna to dodałaby nieco głębi.
Scenariusz: ***
Rysunki: ****
Graficznie jest bardzo przyjemnie dla oka, chętnie zanurzamy się w ten świat pełen niezwykłej roślinności, zwierząt i różnorodnych plemion.
Wady widzę trzy. Po pierwsze, główny bohater, który jest mniej interesujący niż otaczający go bohaterowie, jak podobają mi się projekty i mimika postaci, to jednak najwięcej zastrzeżeń mam do protagonisty. Po drugie, . Po trzecie nie wszystko jest tu dobrze wytłumaczone od samego początku i trochę brakuje podbudowy niektórych wątków, która o ile nie jest konieczna to dodałaby nieco głębi.
Scenariusz: ***
Rysunki: ****
April 2, 2023
Sap Hunters is one of the more interesting graphic novels I've read this year. The graphics were decent, but the storyline felt rushed with minimal explanation was given about anything happening in this book.
This book includes what I almost felt was an unnecessary amount of murder and horror, which attributed to very unlikable characters. The goal is to find the reason their habit, the world tree with different cultures leaving in the multitudes of branches is slowly dying.. A rival, the sap hunters murders all of Pierig's clan, and then forces him to assist them in finding the reason behind the tree's poison.
I loved the attempts at world building, but felt the story was hard to follow at parts, and for a graphic novel focusing on the journey, the resolution felt too simple. I wish I could have enjoyed this more, but between the chaotic characters, a lacklustre ending this book did not work for me.
I rated this two stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids INC for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book includes what I almost felt was an unnecessary amount of murder and horror, which attributed to very unlikable characters. The goal is to find the reason their habit, the world tree with different cultures leaving in the multitudes of branches is slowly dying.. A rival, the sap hunters murders all of Pierig's clan, and then forces him to assist them in finding the reason behind the tree's poison.
I loved the attempts at world building, but felt the story was hard to follow at parts, and for a graphic novel focusing on the journey, the resolution felt too simple. I wish I could have enjoyed this more, but between the chaotic characters, a lacklustre ending this book did not work for me.
I rated this two stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids INC for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2023
The cover of Sap Hunters is beautiful like no other. The whole idea is surely interesting. The World Tree is dying and people live in it and need to find a way to save it. Many different clans live in the tree and sadly so fight one another. The Chasm Strider clan’s diviner, Pierig, finds the infection. Soon he is captured by a different clan, the Sap Hunters, since they need him to find the corruption and help stop it. The plot doesn't work fully as so much more would need to be explained and the clans just keep attacking for no good reason. I still don't know what the outcome really was and that's something. Toward the end it was hard to keep track of anything and the mystery was left there (partly at least).
The art is good and then not fully. The landscapes and nature look amazing with all the details and vibrant colors. The people then are simpler and look detached from the world, which is a shame. The line art is too thick when portraying the people and leaves them smudgy. The colors are great though and I wanted even more depth to it! It would've looked awesome.
The art is good and then not fully. The landscapes and nature look amazing with all the details and vibrant colors. The people then are simpler and look detached from the world, which is a shame. The line art is too thick when portraying the people and leaves them smudgy. The colors are great though and I wanted even more depth to it! It would've looked awesome.
March 8, 2024
picked up randomly from the library
3.5 stars
This was a decent (and different) hero's story arc through a world where inhabitants know only of the "World Tree" and have various origin mythologies across the branches they inhabit. There are humans and 'antelopes' (primate-neanderthal mash-ups) and various beliefs about the existence of a trunk, breathable air at ground level and/or other WorldTrees. Our main character is (violently) forced into hunting for the source of the affliction of the WorldTree which has already turned various parts of the world into deadwood.
The world building is fairly good if sometimes credulity-straining (digital-appearance word repeatedly manifesting across parts of the organic tree for example) and poorly handwaved and the characters have potential but are rarely truly fleshed out except for the must-have-a-romantic-subplot central male and female. Maybe something was missed in translation?
3.5 stars
This was a decent (and different) hero's story arc through a world where inhabitants know only of the "World Tree" and have various origin mythologies across the branches they inhabit. There are humans and 'antelopes' (primate-neanderthal mash-ups) and various beliefs about the existence of a trunk, breathable air at ground level and/or other WorldTrees. Our main character is (violently) forced into hunting for the source of the affliction of the WorldTree which has already turned various parts of the world into deadwood.
The world building is fairly good if sometimes credulity-straining (digital-appearance word repeatedly manifesting across parts of the organic tree for example) and poorly handwaved and the characters have potential but are rarely truly fleshed out except for the must-have-a-romantic-subplot central male and female. Maybe something was missed in translation?
December 24, 2023
The first thing to know is that this is a BIG book. Like, physically. It's 23cm by 32 cm.
Which makes absolute sense because the book is full of absolutely stunning art. I almost wish they'd taken even more advantage of that fact and Ristorcelli had done more full page or two page spreads. I also get that he's trying to adapt Genefort's novel, so space is premium.
And because it's adapting a novel, there's a number of things here that are just "blink and you miss them". Or not fully explained. Which is fine, it just made me intrigued about the source material, which doesn't seem to have been translated into English at this stage.
But the art here is stunning, as I said. I also want to particularly shout out the colouring, which you very much get a preview of on the cover.
If there end up being more graphic novels, I will definitely have to read them.
Which makes absolute sense because the book is full of absolutely stunning art. I almost wish they'd taken even more advantage of that fact and Ristorcelli had done more full page or two page spreads. I also get that he's trying to adapt Genefort's novel, so space is premium.
And because it's adapting a novel, there's a number of things here that are just "blink and you miss them". Or not fully explained. Which is fine, it just made me intrigued about the source material, which doesn't seem to have been translated into English at this stage.
But the art here is stunning, as I said. I also want to particularly shout out the colouring, which you very much get a preview of on the cover.
If there end up being more graphic novels, I will definitely have to read them.
April 4, 2023
Sap hunters is a graphic novel retelling of an older novel by the same name. The art work is beautiful. The images help support the scenes and move the dialogue along.
That said, I found the story confusing. I could not decide if the author was trying to give me an analog for colonization, an analog for exploration, a variant story for evolution, or a variant story of star crossed destinies. In the end, I think the story tried to tell all four, and they got in each other's way, weakening the story's impact. I do not know if this was the case with the original novel. Perhaps one plot took prominence over the others in that form.
This book was proved to my for free by NetGalley in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
That said, I found the story confusing. I could not decide if the author was trying to give me an analog for colonization, an analog for exploration, a variant story for evolution, or a variant story of star crossed destinies. In the end, I think the story tried to tell all four, and they got in each other's way, weakening the story's impact. I do not know if this was the case with the original novel. Perhaps one plot took prominence over the others in that form.
This book was proved to my for free by NetGalley in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
April 8, 2023
It took a bit longer to read Sap Hunters by Laurent Genefort than I expected. That isn't the fault of the author, but my own planning. I think it did dappen my immersion into the first half of the story. I had a good time exploring the world that Genefort thought up. My only issue was that the character fell a little flat for me. There wasn't much for me to get attached to as a reader. As the story went on I found that I was only growing attached to the world itself and not any individual character. The characters felt flat, and I only had either dislike or mild interest in any of them. If this continued I would continue reading but this is where I am now.
I was provided with a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided with a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2023
3 stars for interesting art, concept, creatures, inventions..also for kid like humor, slighty confusing storyline.
The concept and art drew me in. A world in the trees. Count me in. I loved the use of the colors and the details in the art. That kept me reading. Some great imagination in different creatures and types of people living in that world was also great minus the ape looking things. However, I felt the story was a little disconjointed at times and the humor to be a little immature for my taste. I felt it had more potential with the elements and even worlds inventions. I had to give it a middle ground rating.
The concept and art drew me in. A world in the trees. Count me in. I loved the use of the colors and the details in the art. That kept me reading. Some great imagination in different creatures and types of people living in that world was also great minus the ape looking things. However, I felt the story was a little disconjointed at times and the humor to be a little immature for my taste. I felt it had more potential with the elements and even worlds inventions. I had to give it a middle ground rating.
April 14, 2023
2/5
- Huge thanks to the author and publisher for approving me a copy of this book through NetGalley -
This was a confusing journey.
I learned from a review here that is based on a novel so probably there is some more explanation on what's is happening.
The art is beautiful and the concept was there, what I didn't feel was the story itself.
While I was reading, I was very confused and most of the time I didn't know the main couse of all of this. The journey itself is enjoyable, there is a sort of start and finish, but with so little backgroud that we get it wasn't easy to fully appreciate it.
- Huge thanks to the author and publisher for approving me a copy of this book through NetGalley -
This was a confusing journey.
I learned from a review here that is based on a novel so probably there is some more explanation on what's is happening.
The art is beautiful and the concept was there, what I didn't feel was the story itself.
While I was reading, I was very confused and most of the time I didn't know the main couse of all of this. The journey itself is enjoyable, there is a sort of start and finish, but with so little backgroud that we get it wasn't easy to fully appreciate it.
April 3, 2023
Honestly, I was mostly confused. The art is beautiful and the premise sounded very interesting but it was a sort of weird, bumpy journey throughout. I haven't read the novel this is based on, so I would assume that there's some backstory and detailing that didn't get included in the graphic adaptation. Perhaps someone who was familiar with the original story would enjoy it more. I didn't actively dislike it, but because I couldn't follow what they were doing and why, I just didn't enjoy it that much.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for review.
June 10, 2023
Wanting to come on like Aldiss' Hothouse, perhaps, this has a few odd human characters of diverging religions explore the mahoosive tree that makes up their world. Some revere this part of it, some that, and they all think they know best, so this wordy book gets bogged down by a heck of a lot of bickering. Indeed there's far too much yack even when one of them goes solo. Add in copious amounts of technobabble and in-world terms we have to adjust to (and too fast for my liking), and the ending nobody would ever ask for, and we've got an an easily ignorable effort.
December 15, 2024
The setting was interesting and the background art was superb, but unfortunately that's where the positives end : ( The characters fell all flat, the art didn't really help bring them alive, the casual sexism peppered over the whole ordeal was really off putting and lastly I found it to be very mehh that the whole biome of the World tree consisted of monsters xD the ending fell flat too, there was a little spark of interest just before it and then it just petered out too...
I'd give this one star if it weren't for the beautiful landscapes that really came alive in the big format.
I'd give this one star if it weren't for the beautiful landscapes that really came alive in the big format.
March 29, 2023
Sap Hunters has some interesting world building but sadly wasn’t able to hold my interest. While I liked the setting and general idea of it, the characters were pretty flat for me and I wasn’t caring about the plot. Had it been longer, it would have been a dnf.
Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review
Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review
April 15, 2023
This is a great story. Imaginative and complex world building, a quest, a hero, weird lands, weird peoples and dangers along the way. The story drew me in right from the beginning and the story was well paced with excellent art work and great characters. Definitely a good one if you like sci fi graphic novels.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 7, 2023
I received an advanced copy through NetGalley in exchange of my honest review.
3 stars
"Sap Hunters” is a graphic novel with marvellous, very detailed illustrations, but when it comes to the story, I found it a little too confusing. It only made me curious to read the original novel.
3 stars
"Sap Hunters” is a graphic novel with marvellous, very detailed illustrations, but when it comes to the story, I found it a little too confusing. It only made me curious to read the original novel.
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