Review & Giveaway: Malice

When I think of graphic novels, what usually comes to mind are two of my favorites, Watchmen and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. I enjoy the dark, gritty feel of the characters, whose flaws play just as big a part as their admirable qualities. So... when the opportunity arose to check out a book that was billed as part novel, part graphic novel, with a rather grim story, I decided to check it out.

The Book

Malice is a book about various kids and their adventures that revolve around a mysterious comic book. Kids in and around London begin disappearing from their homes, only to show up in the panels of a comic book. Often the children are in very dangerous predicaments... some which they don't make it out of alive.

The book is mainly a novel, but throughout there are portions of the comic, adding a unique flair.

The Good

The book is a very easy read. It's only about 380 pages, and because that total counts the comic parts of the book, the pages fly by even faster. Aside from that, I like the concept behind the whole story. This group of friends just can't believe that the comic is real, they laugh it off as a myth, but in the back of their mind, there are lingering doubts. Could Malice be real?

After the initial setup, much of the story is told from the perspective of the kids inside the comic. This works because the author does a great job painting a very sinister, yet intriguing world of sophisticated robots, strange monsters, and odd settings. Not only is the picture painted for you with words, but splashed throughout the book, there are quite a few panels from the comic.

The Bad

Although the majority of the comic portions of the book add to the story, I found that some felt a bit forced. Other than that, I really don't have anything bad to say. However, I will add a few words of caution. The book does have a fairly dark feel, and deals with things like mystical cats, magic of sorts, and chanting a dudes name (one of the ways for the kids to travel into the comic). So you need to evaluate what you're comfortable with your kids reading, because you know them better than I do.

Overall

The book is aimed at 7th grade and above, and although my kids aren't even close to 7th grade, I find myself wondering if I would let them read this book when the time comes. Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series, but it does have a dark tone, and because of that I wouldn't recommend it across the board for everyone.

The Giveaway

• In the comments, tell me if your kid (or kids) was a supervillian or superhereo, who would they be, and why.
• Mention me on twitter (@sschuchard) and somewhere in the post mention Malice, book, giveaway, whatever... I'll know what you mean.

I'll choose 3 winners from the comments and 2 winners from twitter. I know not everyone uses twitter, but also, not everyone likes to stop by and comment, so I'm trying to give more people a shot at winning. Good luck.