Dark Swan, Storm Born Vol. 1
by Richelle Mead

4 1/2 stars out of 5

I haven’t yet had a chance to read Richelle Mead’s novel Storm Born (Dark Swan #1) but I’m definitely interested after finishing volume 1 of this soon to be released graphic novel adaption. This is a gritty urban fantasy brought to vivid life with bright colors and beautiful artwork and it left me hanging for more.

Eugenie Markham, usually known as only as Odile the Dark Swan to the beasties she sends back to the Lands of Death, is all badass beautiful with her tats, violet eyes and fiery hair. She’s a shamanic mercenary who tracks down evil creatures for a living. But strangely her latest monster knows her real name. It’s disquieting and something is definitely afoot that will no doubt cause her later grief but the reasons are not revealed here.

She’s asked to retrieve a missing girl abducted by the fairies (gentry) which will require her to cross over into the Otherworld. Something she never does. She ponders it even though it’s wildly dangerous because, apparently, these aren’t your nectar sipping fey. Does she go?Well we don’t find that out either.Yet.

A small cast of characters are introduced along with Eugenie and they all have fun little quirks. Roomie Tim dresses up as an American Indian because it gets him chicks, Eugenie does cute little kitty puzzles to decompress and then there’s super hunky love interest and veterinarian Kiyo who is gorgeously drawn and heats up the pages.There is violence, bad language and sexuality (and some rough-ish sex) in this here book so I wouldn’t let your nosey youngsters snoop over your shoulder as you read.All of the choice bits are cleverly hidden (darn) but it’s spicy all the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed Storm Born and will do my best to track down the rest of these graphic versions as they’re released. My only small niggle was one bit of dialogue that could easily have been left out or reworded because it left me wondering how Eugenie jumped to a certain conclusion about a man and his driving skills but it’s a minor nit in a very entertaining story. Other than that this has the makings of a promising series and I’m anxious to check it out.

Available for preorder from Sea Lion Books at Amazon.com.