A review by tasharobinson
Malice by Chris Wooding

3.0

Interesting concept—a kids' horror adventure about an evil comic book that draws kids in, traps them, and often kills them—and the book itself is part novel, part comic, with much of the buildup written out in prose, and the action scenes more often illustrated via comics panels. The problem is that both halves feel a little amateurish—the comics are sketchy, and it can be hard to tell what's going on, or to tell the generic-looking characters apart, while the prose is pretty basic. The villains are much more distinctive and interesting than the generic protagonists. The whole idea is creative and playful, though, and the concept of the comics' world—a horrific Clive Barker-y carnival of a world, full of lethal traps and plenty of weirdness—is incredibly imaginative. Fun read, fun idea. I'm curious to read the sequel, which apparently wraps up the series, though this first book feels like more like a setup for half a dozen sequels detailing the characters' adventures.