Review by New York Times Review
EARLY ON IN "5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior," a politician from the rapidly overheating planet of Mon Domani implores delegates from four neighboring civilizations to set aside their differences and work to save their dying worlds. "The time for yours and mine is over," he says. "Coming together is our only hope." But his (not at all relevant to the real world) call for unity goes unheeded, and a few pages later, war breaks out - on top of all the looming natural disasters. It's a bang-zoom start to a series that promises to be epic in both the classical and internet senses of the word. And the devastation is depicted with cinematic beauty by the art team of Bouma, Rockefeller and Sun, whose every panel could pass for an animation cel. As you might suspect from the opening - or from the three diverse hero kids on the cover - teamwork will indeed be needed to save the day. Fortunately, the Siegel brothers have given us some very likable characters: Oona Lee, a trainee Sand Dancer (think Jedis who would kick butt at sand castle-building contests); An Tzu, a Dickensian street waif who's part plant; and Jax Amboy, the David Beckham of Starball, whose celebrity status makes even enemy soldiers go fanboy on him. Making this threesome even more intriguing is that each hides a deep secret that will completely change the way new friends see them. The title "5 Worlds" implies that this is a capital-S Saga, heavy on the mythologybuilding, and that's no false promise. As in Star Wars, Harry Potter or Avatar: The Last Airbender (probably the most analogous series), there are so many side characters, mysterious subplots and allusions to pre-book history that readers accustomed to simpler narratives might end up with a case of whiplash. But those who love to fully submerge themselves in the geography, politics and folklore of fantasy worlds will likely be preordering Book 2 before they've even turned the last page. The fantasy world of Scott Westerfeld's "Spill Zone" is decidedly smaller in scope - in fact, it's confined to the college town of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. And teamwork is not on the menu for our foul-mouthed, rulesbe- damned, loner heroine, Addison Merritt. Sure, elements from a super-creepy, Lovecraftian dimension may have leaked into her world, enveloping her hometown, consuming her parents and psychologically scarring her little sister, but Addison's not going to let that stop her from making a solid living. Even if that means busting through military roadblocks to sneak into the forbidden "spill zone" and take illegal photos of the horrors within - photos that sell for big bucks on the black market. Addison can come offas cold and harsh, especially to people who try to help her, but her character is far more nuanced than the typical tough-as-nails antihero - as evidenced by some of the heart-tugging scenes between her and her now mute, emotionally detached sister. Readers will have no problem rooting for Addison - and fearing for her. The publisher's recommendation that the book is for "teen readers" should not be taken lightly. Not simply because of the frequent profanity, but because the book is genuinely scary. (Without naming names, there might have been at least one fully grown book reviewer who had nightmares after reading it.) The eeriness quotient is thanks in no small part to Alex Puvilland's gorgeously grotesque depictions of the Spill Zone's otherworldly denizens, including warped wolves, glow-eyed rats and floating corpses (lovingly referred to as "meat puppets"). As frightening as "Spill Zone" can be, though, its greatest asset is its muscletensing suspense. Reading it feels like binge-watching a great cable series, complete with the same feeling of despair you get when you finish the final episode and realize you've got a long time to wait for the next season. AIMED AT A YOUNGER READER, Nathan Hale's "One Trick Pony" is a self-contained story. But while beautifully concise, it still manages to squeeze in loads of suspense, chills (though nothing too nightmare-inducing), action and entertaining character dynamics - all within a refreshingly original take on post-apocalyptic hellscapes. Here we see humanity devolved into a preindustrial society after an invasion by giant arthropod aliens that eat technology - along with any earthlings that get between them and the mainframe they plan to have for lunch. The heroes of this dystopia are a small caravan of people who live on the run, moving from ruin to ruin, carrying with them all the books, movies, computer drives and gadgets they could save along the way - i.e., all that remains of human culture. Hale - a double threat as both author and illustrator - uses a captivating art style here, depicting the story only in shades of gray and yellow, which adds to the arid, barren feel of this depleted Earth. The plot centers on a group of young friends who are plunged into danger when they are accidentally separated from the caravan. While lost, fearless Strata, her pragmatic brother, Auger, and their brawny pal, Inby (who is written wonderfully against type as a comically whinging naysayer), discover a still-functioning robotic horse. The boys are immediately worried that this rather large piece of tech will draw the metal-sniffing aliens to them - and they're right - but Strata can't shake the feeling that this golden pony has an importance they can't yet fathom. So the three begin the long, dangerous search through an alien-heavy hot zone to find their constantly roaming mobile village. On the way, they'll forge an uneasy alliance with a fugitive cattle rustler, become unhappy targets of a territorial barbarian tribe, and have plenty of nail-bitingly close encounters with the insectoid invaders. It all builds to a gripping climax that - as any good sci-ficlimax does - puts the fate of humanity in the balance. It all wraps up rather nicely, but that doesn't mean readers won't want to see more of these characters. Or that Hale wouldn't oblige. CHRISTOPHER HEALY is the author of the Hero's Guide trilogy for middle-grade readers.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [April 24, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* As he did in the YA favorite Uglies (2005), Westerfeld crafts a world drastically and subtly altered by an extranormal development, then rivetingly explores its practical and psychological consequences. The development in this case is something otherworldly that has spilled into a small town in upstate New York. Addison illegally penetrates the spill zone to photograph its disturbing effects on people, animals, and environment and sells the pictures as black-market art to support her little sister, an escapee from the spill zone but not, perhaps, from its effects. When Addison is approached with a shady deal to penetrate the zone more deeply than ever before, she will have to break every rule she's ever set to buy freedom for her sister and herself. Westerfeld handles the spooky business of the infected town magnificently, spiking the eerie and inexplicable with moments of genuine horror while always keeping the emotional tensions of his highly accessible teenage protagonist at the center. Puvilland provides rough, gritty visuals that deliver on the haunted world of the zone as well as the more realistic world of subterfuge and danger that Addison must navigate. The story breaks at a high-tension moment with plenty left to resolve in book two, but it is nevertheless a terrifically satisfying read.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After losing her parents to the Spill Zone, an inexplicable force that has possessed Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Addison assumes care of her younger sister, Lexa, who witnessed the spill. Although the area is quarantined, Addison frequently risks her life to sneak inside, using her camera to document the bizarre ways that reality has been warped within: the zombielike human "meat puppets" trapped inside, cats that seem to speak, unimaginable creatures, and defiance of the natural law around every corner. After an art dealer offers Addison a million dollars, she considers visiting the hospital her parents never left, even though it goes against the rules that have kept her alive. Westerfeld (Afterworlds) establishes several compelling mysteries in this series opener, and Puvilland captures the haunting surreality of the Spill Zone through an unearthly pastel/neon palette that oozes a sense of wrongness every moment Addison spends there. At times, Puviland's jagged panels take on the feeling of snapshots, reflecting Addison's work and lending a voyeuristic quality to the story as readers follow her. Fascinating and hard to forget. Ages 15-up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up-It's a mystery why three years ago Poughkeepsie suddenly broke the boundaries of reality, giving life to demonic wolves and sentient twisters, or why its human inhabitants now hang suspended in the air like puppets. It wasn't aliens, it wasn't a nuclear attack, and the military isn't talking. That isn't Addison's mystery to solve; all she has to do is go into this quarantined area-the Spill Zone-and photograph the bizarre happenings. She sells the images to support herself and her sister, Lexa. But soon the woman buying the bulk of the photographs presents Addison with the opportunity to embark on a deadly mission inside the Spill Zone, with the reward of a cool million dollars should she succeed. Meanwhile, the North Korean government, which had its own Spill incident, wants to meet with Addison for their own ominous purposes. Then there's Lexa's rag doll, Vespertine, who whispers devious thoughts in Lexa's mind. Westerfeld and Puvilland have created an imaginative, nightmarish powerhouse, with hectic line work and loud, vivid colors. This first of a duology wisely moves at a slow pace, rather than immediately revealing the plot and backstory of this warped world. Ultimately, the characters are the most compelling part of the book. Addison is particularly complex: though she is sympathetic, her decisions are intentionally presented as morally questionable. Harsh profanity and violence make this a more appropriate choice for mature readers. This unnerving, gripping title-Westerfeld's first original graphic novel-is bound to entice older comics fans, especially those interested in darker sci-fi and nuanced characterization. VERDICT A must-have for teen and graphic novel collections.-Matisse Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This first entry in a creepy, addictively suspenseful graphic novel series makes for compulsive reading. Three years ago, something very strange happened in Poughkeepsie, New York--no one is certain exactly what--but weird things happened in the city and weird things now populate it. Although the entire Spill Zone has been cordoned off, Addie continues to live just inside the checkpoint with her younger sister, Lexa (who doesnt speak, except to her doll Vespertine), after losing both parents in the Spill. Addie regularly and illegally rides through the Spill Zone on her motorcycle, photographing the bizarre things she witnesses and selling her pictures to a local art dealer. Then a wealthy collector (who, it turns out, has bought up all of Addies photographs) makes her an offer she cant refuse: a million dollars for retrieving a single item from a building inside the Spill Zone. As Addie sets out on her mission, the local authorities discover that she is the rogue motorcyclist; the North Koreans (who are also interested in this item) begin to close in; and, worst of all, Vespertine becomes animated by the same evil presence that permeates the Spill Zone. Puvillands dynamic panel layouts, striking use of unexpected colors, and sketchy line work serve the story well while conveying the unsettling mood of the piece. Westerfeld has set up his series with a provocative premise, and as the precise nature of the Spill Zone continues to be revealed, the stakes are sure to be raised accordingly in future volumes. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Taking photos of the dangers in the Spill Zone can be deadly, but it pays the bills.Three years ago something happened to Poughkeepsie, New York. Nanotech outbreak? Nuclear accident? Alien invasion? Trans-dimensional breach? Anyone who knows isn't saying. Most of the residents still exist, but they're "meat puppets," floating, glowing, and unresponsive. The rats might chase you, and the cats might sound like they're speaking, but there are also nightmare beasts on the prowl. Addison sneaks past checkpoints on her motorbike to take pictures and sell them on the black market to support herself and her younger sister, Lexa, who hasn't spoken since the spill. When a collector bypasses the tough-as-nails white teen's middleman and reveals he's been cheating her, Addison takes on a mission for the collector that will put her in extreme dangerbut may pay enough to get her out of the game for good. Bestselling prose novelist Westerfield kicks off a graphic-novel series of dark sci-fi adventures set in the very near future and sets up an interesting milieu. Another spill in North Korea, Lexa's talking doll, and the effects of the spill on survivors are hinted at as the action progresses. Animator Puvilland's full-color illustrations are appropriately wild, jagged, and threatening. Readers will be demanding the next installment as they close this one. A necessary start, with intriguing hints at action and weirdness to come. (Graphic science fiction. 14-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
