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postitsandpens's review
3.0
Not as entertaining or interesting as the previous installments. Considering that this volume took ages to come out, I'm overall pretty disappointed. While the artwork still tells an amazing story, I would've liked more focus to be on the war itself and less on Pandarus' meddling and the doomed romance between Cressida and Troilus. I just don't feel like it did anything to advance the overall story.
uosdwisrdewoh's review
5.0
For over 20 years, Eric Shanower has been slowly crafting his impeccable comic book retelling of the Trojan War, working masterfully to wrestle as many of the sprawling and oft-contradictory traditions into one story. This is the fourth collected volume of that opus, and it maintains the crazy high standards he has set.
This volume centers on Troilus and Cressida, characters that didn't even appear in the original classical myths--they're transplants from the middle ages, bringing a longing chivalric romance into a story that had very little of the sort. You can almost see the cracks show--material from Shakespeare inserted into the classical rhythms--but Shanower's storytelling ability bridges it all with verve. This takes place in between chaotic battle scenes that are rendered with detail and attention. Shanower captures the insanity and fog of war, but never at the expense of the narrative.
After a hiatus of a few years, Shanower has begun the series anew as well as republishing the collected volumes in color. The color version of this volume is due out in a few years. I can't wait to read it again.
This volume centers on Troilus and Cressida, characters that didn't even appear in the original classical myths--they're transplants from the middle ages, bringing a longing chivalric romance into a story that had very little of the sort. You can almost see the cracks show--material from Shakespeare inserted into the classical rhythms--but Shanower's storytelling ability bridges it all with verve. This takes place in between chaotic battle scenes that are rendered with detail and attention. Shanower captures the insanity and fog of war, but never at the expense of the narrative.
After a hiatus of a few years, Shanower has begun the series anew as well as republishing the collected volumes in color. The color version of this volume is due out in a few years. I can't wait to read it again.
misssusan's review
3.0
okay these trojan youth really need to learn to better regulate their emotions?
what kind of cheap excuse for love does troilus even have for cressida, to give up on her because he thinks she's been with diomedes
she's a woman who was just forced into an enemy war camp, it's not like she had a choice?
like if you don't have the generosity of heart to be grateful that she's found some way to have a protector in enemy territory, fine, but to be like, oh if she came back now i wouldn't accept her?
troilus you seemed okay but i guess i was wrong, you're joining the long list of male wastes populating this comic
priam should thank the gods daily for hektor, he's literally the only son of his who seems to be able to maintain a sense of common decency day to day
3 stars
what kind of cheap excuse for love does troilus even have for cressida, to give up on her because he thinks she's been with diomedes
she's a woman who was just forced into an enemy war camp, it's not like she had a choice?
like if you don't have the generosity of heart to be grateful that she's found some way to have a protector in enemy territory, fine, but to be like, oh if she came back now i wouldn't accept her?
troilus you seemed okay but i guess i was wrong, you're joining the long list of male wastes populating this comic
priam should thank the gods daily for hektor, he's literally the only son of his who seems to be able to maintain a sense of common decency day to day
3 stars
rouver's review
3.0
A fascinating retelling of the Trojan war, but the last book has yet to come out. Worth reading, but would be best to wait until all are released due to the huge number of characters you have to keep track of. Especially if you're not already familiar with the story.
luana420's review
5.0
Just as I had been talking up the interesting exercise this series was in getting submerged in a world where patriarchy goes unquestioned, Shanower kind of pulls a fast one on me with Cressida. I'm not familiar with the Shakespeare play beyond its basic set-up, but from the quotations here I feel like Cressida may have been a "false woman," whereas Shanower recontextualizes her as a woman just trying to survive in an extremely unfriendly environment.
Battle has also truly kicked off for the first time between the Achaeans and Troy and whoo boy, I get why it takes forever to do these babies. The detail in these massive tableaux in truly astonishing! Big fan of the montages of Troilus' battle-filled days and his pining nights.
The down-to-Earth take on a centaur (I think) was pretty awesome. A... a horse archer? "You can just sit straight on the horse??? I never thought of that!" I lol'd.
Worst part about this book is I am now in the same boat with Shanower as I am with Martin and Miura: waiting on a thing that will never come out/finish.
Battle has also truly kicked off for the first time between the Achaeans and Troy and whoo boy, I get why it takes forever to do these babies. The detail in these massive tableaux in truly astonishing! Big fan of the montages of Troilus' battle-filled days and his pining nights.
The down-to-Earth take on a centaur (I think) was pretty awesome. A... a horse archer? "You can just sit straight on the horse??? I never thought of that!" I lol'd.
Worst part about this book is I am now in the same boat with Shanower as I am with Martin and Miura: waiting on a thing that will never come out/finish.
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