Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
Writer and Artist: David Petersen; Cover: David Petersen
Archaia Studio Press
It wasn’t until I picked up Mouse Guard that I realized how much I missed fantasy storytelling. My junior high and high school years were filled with fantasy novels and short stories. (The right-hand sidebar may list some of them right now.) But after enough of them, the books appeared formulaic and empty. I abandoned fantasy for a mix of superheroes and classical literature. Mouse Guard was engaging and exciting enough to pull me back in and remind me of everything great about the fantasy genre.
Mouse Guard exists in the world of mice, a world much like the medieval human world of 1152 AD. The Guard, doing duty as soldiers, guides, and detectives, are sent to find a missing merchant. The search leads them into battle with monsters and political intrigue within the various mouse communities. The story is fairly simple and straightforward as the Guard find the source of a potential invasion and warn the mice back home.
Mouse Guard does lack one of the defining aspects of traditional fantasy literature: magic. After decades of fantasy worlds ripped directly from the D&D player’s handbook, the typical wizardry feels a bit tired and worn out. By sticking with adventure and abandoning the magical, Peterson creates a story that feels as real and lived-in as anything I’ve read in a very long time.
As much as the writing choices create this wonderful miniature world, Peterson’s art carries just as much of the load. The mice and their living spaces are drawn and colored with a care that makes them feel as if this world exists in every forest and backyard. David Petersen’s beautiful work makes the reading experience as pleasurable as a graphic novel could be.
The hardcover Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 has an MSRP of $24.95, but I’ve seen it online around $16. Treat yourself and get the hardcover version. It’s a story you won’t regret reading or owning.
More about this book:
Mouse Guard Official Site – Check out the free downloadable forum avatars and the finger puppet kits. Yeah! Mouse Guard finger puppets!
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 issue #1 review at Read About Comics
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 review at Geeks of Doom
A review from Johnson County Library, my local library!
Review of the Day: Mouse Guard – Fall 1152 at Blog on School Library Journal