Reviews

Reborn. Odrodzona by Mark Millar

shane_tiernan's review against another edition

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4.0

Cool science-fantasy mix, great art, emotional plot. Not as good as [b:Seven to Eternity, Vol. 1: The God of Whispers|32469657|Seven to Eternity, Vol. 1 The God of Whispers|Rick Remender|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523755456l/32469657._SY75_.jpg|53059957] but definitely worth a read. Looks like it never got past volume 1, but it ended without any unresolved issues.

foiltheplot's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars — mostly for the sentiment, concept, artwork, and the dog.

al_capwned's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

3.0

Great artwork by Greg Capullo but a so-so story (with some cringy moments) by Mark Millar. I haven't yet found one Millar story I really like.

bbboeken's review against another edition

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2.0

Hm. It's not that it's bad, but maybe there's not enough novelty --man, are we spoiled. I've picked up several themes from other novels (be they graphic or written), and while they come together nicely, they don't really peak my curiosity. Nicely done though, and I am curious about the second volume (if there is one).

And now I really want to reread the Thomas Covenant novels. (I've lost track of the more recent ones.)

cheapasiandad's review against another edition

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3.0

Nice artwork, interesting idea for a story.

crookedtreehouse's review against another edition

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4.0

Following Mark Millar's career in American comics has been interesting. From his early superhero work with DC ([b:Swamp Thing: The Root of All Evil|24484258|Swamp Thing The Root of All Evil (Millar's Swamp Thing, #1)|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1438613033s/24484258.jpg|44078582], and [b:The Flash, by Grant Morrison & Mark Millar|25982689|The Flash, by Grant Morrison & Mark Millar|Grant Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464554169s/25982689.jpg|45894129]) to his imaginative ground breaking super hero work ([b:Superman: Red Son|154798|Superman Red Son|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1298557533s/154798.jpg|1950026], [b:Wolverine: Old Man Logan|6238080|Wolverine Old Man Logan|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347582885s/6238080.jpg|6420803], and [b:Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event|91714|Civil War A Marvel Comics Event|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345813608s/91714.jpg|577888]) to the schlocky garbage he put out at his peak of fame ([b:Nemesis|8709880|Nemesis|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439045688s/8709880.jpg|13582731], and [b:Superior|10212767|Superior|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1344270737s/10212767.jpg|15112260]), to his sweet redemptive stories about aging ([b:Starlight|23093357|Starlight|Mark Millar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1409618683s/23093357.jpg|42643513] and this book, Reborn).

Focusing on an unusual take on what the afterlife has in store for us, Millar presents us with a really sweet fantasy adventure with high stakes, violence, but a lot of heart.

I hope he keeps producing work of the quality he's been maintaining for the last five years or so.

I recommend this for fans of [a:Grant Morrison|12732|Grant Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1311378308p2/12732.jpg]'s more grounded work (such as [b:Joe the Barbarian|8714027|Joe the Barbarian|Grant Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328031269s/8714027.jpg|13586906]), and people who like unexpected fantasy books.

acrisalves's review against another edition

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5.0

https://osrascunhos.com/2017/12/02/reborn-book-one-mark-millar-greg-capullo-jonathan-glapion-e-fco-plascencia/

Li muito pouco de Mark Millar. Para além deste volume li, recentemente, Starlight, mas em ambos parece haver uma tentativa de mostrar que a velhice não é inútil e que existe a possibilidade de grandes feitos heróicos mesmo quando a idade é avançada. Em Starlight o herói mostra capacidades que inspiram outros a grandes feitos, instigando coragem e determinação. Em Reborn a morte é apenas a forma como se passa para uma, de muitas outras realidades, que nos esperam, num misterioso caminho de passagem que não se sabe onde termina.

Em Reborn acompanhamos a morte de uma senhora de idade, Bonnie, viúva há alguns anos. Não a espera o céu, nem o inferno. Antes um outro mundo de características semi medievais (em termos tecnológicos) onde renasceu no auge das suas forças e onde encontra, nos primeiros instantes, o pai. Esta mulher, que terá sido uma das melhores pessoas em vida, é a muito aguardada Messias que se espera pôr nova ordem na separação entre as duas partes do território – a parte destinada aos bons e a parte destinada aos maus.

Bonnie estranha o papel que lhe é esperado, sabendo que, em vida, não tinha investido em capacidades guerreiras. Por outro lado, esperava encontrar o marido com a mesma facilidade com que encontrou o pai. Bonnie pede então aos seus seguidores para aguardarem mais um mês enquanto procura o companheiro de uma vida, mas será essa missão que a levará a enfrentar os que tentam, diariamente, invadir o território.

O que acontece a alguém extremamente religioso que não encontra, naquele lado, o cumprir das expectativas? Enlouquece. E o que acontece ao gato que foi capado? Bem, volta na próxima oportunidade para se vingar. Já as pessoas renascem num dos lados de acordo com as acções na vida anterior, com uma idade que não corresponde à da morte. Bonnie vê-se, assim, novamente com 20 anos, em boa forma e pronta para a batalha que se avizinha.

De premissa um pouco naive, confere às personagens uma simplicidade de avaliação bom Vs mau que relembra histórias fantásticas mais antigas de elementos lineares e objectivos claros. Os bons possuem tantos mais poderes quanto melhor agiram em vida, e os maus tantos mais poderes quanto pior agiram. Os maus tentam conquistar e escravizar os bons. Os bons lutam pela liberdade.

Também esteticamente o espaço combina com esta caracterização absoluta. Os bons renascem em espaços naturais, onde se reconhecem vales, rios e florestas. Os maus renascem em espaços infernais, onde são comuns os rios de sangue e os céus sombrios e tempestuosos. A caracterização visual não se fica por aqui. Os bons mantém uma aparência humana. Os maus adquirem aparências demoníacas onde não faltam cornos e olhos vermelhos.

Apesar de todos estes elementos que simplificam a caracterização das personagens, em que bons agem sempre correctamente e maus sempre da pior maneira possível, mesmo em próprio prejuízo, Reborn é uma história engraçada e envolvente que se aproveita do sentimento de nostalgia pelas histórias fantásticas mais clássicas para cativar o leitor.

morgan_haybook's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm a fan of the originality of this book, particularly the father daughter reuniting in heaven and comparing notes on how their life went. The afterlife interpretation was a kitchen sink approach to throwing in just about any science fiction, steam punk, or fantasy element that ever existed. For some reason it became so chaotic that I just stopped trying to interpret what it was and just enjoyed it. It's rare that this much chaos in characters and plots will still make me interested.

I'm looking forward to book two. I didn't spend a lot of time picking apart the symbolism I saw in the first book because I have a feeling all my theories will be proven wrong by the second book.

The worst thing the creators could do with this story is to have the main character just be imagining this whole thing while she is in a coma in the hospital.

parot's review against another edition

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3.0

Though this says book one it is (as far as I can tell) actually the full series. The book having the full story arc is something that I really liked.

snchard's review against another edition

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3.0

The art is pretty amazing. The concept is entirely decent, but the plot fell flat for me. I wanted more in-depth worldbuilding. Will probably read the next installment, because I feel like Millar et al could take this in a very interesting direction.

Received a free digital copy from Edelweiss.