emmylux7's review against another edition
3.0
I received a free ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway, all opinions stated are my own.
I liked how simplistic yet interesting the art style was. The color scheme was also not a bad choice & adds to it's uniqueness. Also my favorite color is purple, so that's an automatic brownie point from me. Whilst reading, I kept comparing the story to IRobot, which is a great movie. But this cast of characters & storyline can & do stand on their own. The ending did feel slightly rushed, & I wish we would've been able to interact more w/ W.R.A.I.T.H & those characters before everything came to a close. Haven't decided how I feel about the ambiguousness of the ending considering I don't think they'll be a follow up. Which is frustrating to think about. In all this story was a joy to read from start to finish; & everyone should give this little story a shot.
I liked how simplistic yet interesting the art style was. The color scheme was also not a bad choice & adds to it's uniqueness. Also my favorite color is purple, so that's an automatic brownie point from me. Whilst reading, I kept comparing the story to IRobot, which is a great movie. But this cast of characters & storyline can & do stand on their own. The ending did feel slightly rushed, & I wish we would've been able to interact more w/ W.R.A.I.T.H & those characters before everything came to a close. Haven't decided how I feel about the ambiguousness of the ending considering I don't think they'll be a follow up. Which is frustrating to think about. In all this story was a joy to read from start to finish; & everyone should give this little story a shot.
ktrusty416's review against another edition
4.0
Really, really enjoyed this but totally question the publisher's decision to market it as a kids's book. Definitely a 14+.
raynasdad's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pretty good book, though I found it a little confusing at times. (This might be because I read rather quickly, and this book was full of panels without words, which tend to throw me off...)
The ending was slightly unexpected, and pretty satisfying.
The ending was slightly unexpected, and pretty satisfying.
kimily's review against another edition
3.0
SP4RX is the story of mankind clawing for survival. Set in a future where a class system has emerged, the world is divided into four levels, with the elite ruling from the extravagant top level.
SP4RX, is a young hacker who lives off grid, hacks into corporations and sells stolen data to wealthy buyers on the black market – just your average thief. Mega corporation Structus Industries introduces a welfare program called the “Elpis Program”, which allows the working class to apply for Cybernetic implants to make workers more efficient. On the surface, it seems like a program to empower the poor and allow them to rise to the ranks of the elite. But SP4RX soon discovers all is not as it seems… SP4RX and Structus are set on a collision course with the fate of humanity at stake in Wren McDonald’s latest sci-fi tale of survival and corruption!
SP4RX is not a feel good story. SP4RX is not a romance. SP4RX contains a lot of profanity and some (non sex-related) nudity. If what you look for in a graphic novel is stuff getting blown up, people getting shot, killer robots, bad guys that are just straight up bad guys, and good guys that may also be bad guys, then SP4RX should definitely appeal. The human figures are simplistically drawn, especially their faces, but still convey emotion and action in an effective manner. The artist saves detail for the hacking scenes, which is an excellent tactic, because it creates more drama during plot points that could be otherwise hard to convey. Hacking, in this case, is done in a Matrix fashion, with the characters actually taking a “physical” form in the program. The artist also puts detail into the scenes involving the low-level citizenry, creating a sense of clutter and crowdedness. There are also multiple scenes of senseless violence toward the lower class, conveying the hopelessness of living in a society where those without wealth are seen as dispensable. Meanwhile, art depicting the upper levels show scenes of organization and cleanliness. While there is still violence in the mid-level, it is not as rampant and blatant as on the lower level. I enjoyed reading SP4RX because it tells a big story in a simple style that will appeal to reluctant readers. I would recommend this book to teens with the maturity to understand that violence isn’t really the answer to most problems, but is super-entertaining in a graphic novel.
SP4RX, is a young hacker who lives off grid, hacks into corporations and sells stolen data to wealthy buyers on the black market – just your average thief. Mega corporation Structus Industries introduces a welfare program called the “Elpis Program”, which allows the working class to apply for Cybernetic implants to make workers more efficient. On the surface, it seems like a program to empower the poor and allow them to rise to the ranks of the elite. But SP4RX soon discovers all is not as it seems… SP4RX and Structus are set on a collision course with the fate of humanity at stake in Wren McDonald’s latest sci-fi tale of survival and corruption!
SP4RX is not a feel good story. SP4RX is not a romance. SP4RX contains a lot of profanity and some (non sex-related) nudity. If what you look for in a graphic novel is stuff getting blown up, people getting shot, killer robots, bad guys that are just straight up bad guys, and good guys that may also be bad guys, then SP4RX should definitely appeal. The human figures are simplistically drawn, especially their faces, but still convey emotion and action in an effective manner. The artist saves detail for the hacking scenes, which is an excellent tactic, because it creates more drama during plot points that could be otherwise hard to convey. Hacking, in this case, is done in a Matrix fashion, with the characters actually taking a “physical” form in the program. The artist also puts detail into the scenes involving the low-level citizenry, creating a sense of clutter and crowdedness. There are also multiple scenes of senseless violence toward the lower class, conveying the hopelessness of living in a society where those without wealth are seen as dispensable. Meanwhile, art depicting the upper levels show scenes of organization and cleanliness. While there is still violence in the mid-level, it is not as rampant and blatant as on the lower level. I enjoyed reading SP4RX because it tells a big story in a simple style that will appeal to reluctant readers. I would recommend this book to teens with the maturity to understand that violence isn’t really the answer to most problems, but is super-entertaining in a graphic novel.
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