Reviews with content warning for Violence - Saga, Tome 1

A library friend/coworker has recommended this to me a couple times now and, I was ready to try another graphic novel (and maybe a light first foray into a more comic style situation). So...

Two soldiers, Marko and Alana, from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war, meet and fall in love. They make the risky, but incredibly hope-filled, decision to start a family. And this first volume opens during the birth of their child, following them as they fight to find a safe space to settle this new family into. Simultaneously, mercenaries are hired by both sides of the conflict to hunt down and remove this symbol of change and resistance (in particular, we begin to follow The Will, in his journey to find this young family).

Well, I was sold on a couple things. First, the storyline. When I'm in the mood for something this timeless, there's nothing else like it. It's a classic for a reason. Like, I love This is How You Lose the Time War way before it got all random-secret-review famous on Twitter. (Yes, I will always be a bit snooty about "hidden gem" books that I found first - it's a cornerstone of the petty side of my personality.) So this fits right into my preferred style, plot-wise. And it delivered as I'd hoped it would on that front. We get a bit of violence, a bit of drama, a bit of social commentary, a bit of cute interpersonal/romantic relationship insight, some solid sarcastic humor, and a whole bunch of world-building details (which is a lot here at the start, but I assume will steady out with time, over the development of the series). The illustrations are also phenomenal: active and bright and really in touch with the vibes the story is creating.

I also really liked seeing the commentary on colonialism and indigenous peoples and dehumanization/justification and who controls the narrative during wartime, in this space setting. Deeply horribly, it’s always timely to our lived, non-space, reality. And the move to promote pacifism, as violence always begets further violence, is a very important message to spread. I also was here for the very normal couple arguments and parenting debates and family drama wrapped in an intergalactic war story. A fantastic story-telling balance. And speaking over story-telling, I am so far liking the "voiceover" interjections from Marko and Alana's child. It's allowing me, as a reader to sink into the entertainment of the story, knowing that she survives at least long enough to be able to tell her own origin story. I'll take that comfort.

As I mentioned, this is my first step from a more graphic novel style illustrated read to a more comic style read. So, I get that there will be some adjustment and I'm working on keeping an open mind for that. But I do want to say, there were a few points where the women's voices/inclusion were a bit cringe-y. Like, a little sexist, a little too much like a man’s version of what a woman's perspective/experience should be. Plus, there was a very unexpected child sex slave situation (openly referred to, but nothing happens on page) and like, ugh. It feels so horrible to read that and, just, I know it's a thing that happens IRL - and not infrequently - and SciFi is always here to make commentary on horrible things in a setting where you can easily get away with it (and applause for that, really). But, ooooof I wasn't expecting it and it was tough.

So, here we are, as I try to wrap up my reactions. I don't know. The messaging is generally great, I'm loving the graphics, the story is starting solidly and I’m invested enough to see what’s next...but I’m still hesitant. I know it’s a typical thing in the genre/medium related, but the masculinization of the tone/violence and sexualization of the women and graphics just felt extra (very much in the slang usage of the term). However, I'm interested and I see the beginnings of what could be subversion and reclamation, so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt for now and I'm going to grab the next volume.

“My reluctance to use force isn’t ideological, it’s practical. Violence is stupid. Even as a last resort, it only ever begets more of the same. Conflict always has consequences. Always.”

“Once upon a time, each of us was somebody’s kid. […] No matter how we’re eventually raised, all of our stories begin the exact same way. They all end the same, too.”

“When a man carries an instrument of violence, he’ll always find the justification to use it.”

Content Warnings