From the Ashes

First and foremost, the artwork of this book is fantastic -- some of the best I've ever seen in a comic book! This is true of nearly all the CrossGen Entertainment series. You might be tempted to thnk this series in "Xena" meets "Lord of the Rings," and while it has some of those elements, it is so much more. The storytelling is top notch and doesn't let up. A great addition to any fantasy collection.

My husband bought me From The Ashes and The Dragon's Tale. I read both in two days. I can't wait for the next book. Very entertaining and adventurous. Loved them both. My husband is reading them now and likes them. We are going to pass them on to friends.

Beautiful, detailed artwork- not to mention a beautiful and beautifully drawn main character- will make you want to linger over individual pages, but the exciting, involving story that unfolds in this collection will compel you to tear your eyes away from each page and turn to the next one. "Sojourn, Volume 1" is terrific entertainment, and collects enough issues of the original comic series to allow you to really immerse yourself in the proceedings. Especially recommended for those who have been enjoying Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" films and readers of such fantasy series as Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" books. But really, this graphic novel/collection is for anyone who likes high adventure with a little heart to it. Be warned, though: you'll definitely want to seek out volume two once you finish this one.

Very impressive! This is my first experience with the CrossGen universe. The story and art are high quality.

I first disovered this series in the pages of CrossGen's compendium book Forge, and I've been hooked since the "prequel issue." (It's more of a prologue issue, but I suppose "prequel" has a better ring.) While not quite on the level of CrossGen's Ruse or Meridian, Sojourn is one of the most exciting titles in their lineup.Admittedly, it's pretty much a rip-off of Lord of the Rings. (The main character is even named Arwyn, which I imagine is pronounced the same way.) Despite this, the series is different enough that it feels new, especially since it is rare to find this sort of story in the pages of most mainstream comics. (Besides, it's not as though Tolkien invented the epic quest narrative.) Also a strong point of the series--which I find to be a strong point of most of CrossGen's titles--is the fact that it uses a long-form narrative (which Meridian uses to perfection) to tell the story, rather than the usual multiple-issue, episodic story arcs used by most comics.The review would not be complete, of course, without mentioning the beautiful artwork by Greg Land. It is the perfect compliment to Ron Marz's fantastic storytelling. In fact, I doubt the series would be as successful without it. It's a very clean, realistic style that lends an edge to the proceedings.I can't speak for hardcore fantasy fans, however I would imagine many of them would find it trite. But for those of us who are looking for comics that are different from the usual superhero stuff, give this a look. And while you're at it, check out the rest of CrossGen's stuff.