Description
Gail Simone (BATGIRL, BIRDS OF PREY) gives the iconic fantasy heroine a fresh new attitude! Red Sonja, the She- Devil with a Sword, intends to pay back a blood debt owed to the one man who has gained her respect... even if it means leading a doomed army to their certain deaths! Who is Dark Annisia, and how has this fearsome warrior accomplished what no god nor demon has been able to do: force Sonja to her knees in surrender? An epic tale of blood, lust, and vengeance, "Queen of Plagues" takes Red Sonja from the depths of her own grave to the heights of battlefield glory.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014-02-19
Physical description
160 p.; 6.5 inches
Publication
Dynamite Entertainment (2014), 160 pages
Pages
160
ISBN
1606904817 / 9781606904817
Similar in this library
Awards
OYAN Graphic Rave (2014)
User reviews
LibraryThing member kell1732
Overall Impression: Surprisingly good. Red Sonja pretty badass, and I want to read more.
Recommended for: Fans of barbarian and action comics. Fans of female heriones
I learned about this graphic novel from Sam Maggs' book The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy. She said that it was pretty awesome, so I
I ended up requesting most of the books and graphic novels that she suggested in the book, but I almost didn't get this one. This isn't normally something I would read, but then I thought, maybe that should be the reason I should get it. It's good to try new things since you never know when you might fall for something.
Basically, Red Sonja is a badass. She's a woman who does her own thing, and has no loyalties to anyone but herself and the king who rescued her from the fighting pits. So when he asks for her help to save his people, she answers his call. There, she learns that she must fight a woman that she used to fight alongside in the pits. What follows is an epic tale of war, betrayal, revenge, and redemption.
Red Sonja is an amazing fighter who brings down her foes swiftly, and in great fashion. Sometimes while hungover. It's no secret that Sonja likes her alcohol and at some point exclaims that she wants to "get drunk in legendary fashion". A phrase that I believe I will adopt. She hates dressing in anything but armor and furs, and while her metal bikini number seems a little impractically, she does don some pretty sweet armor for the epic battle near the end.
I couldn't put this graphic novel down and read it all in one sitting. It was so refreshing to read a comic where women took center stage and were the kickass heroes that save the day. Not only does Red Sonja take the leading role in the plot, but the two girls who are appointed as her "bodyguards" gradually come into their own, learning to both fight and lead an army—made up of both women and men—to defeat those that aimed to oppress and kill them. Pretty awesome stuff.
So, if you're looking for a graphic novel/comic that feature women being awesome, and that has a pretty rocking story along with it, this is the series for you. You won't regret it. I know I didn't!
Recommended for: Fans of barbarian and action comics. Fans of female heriones
I learned about this graphic novel from Sam Maggs' book The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy. She said that it was pretty awesome, so I
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decided to take her word for it, and I'm glad I did.I ended up requesting most of the books and graphic novels that she suggested in the book, but I almost didn't get this one. This isn't normally something I would read, but then I thought, maybe that should be the reason I should get it. It's good to try new things since you never know when you might fall for something.
Basically, Red Sonja is a badass. She's a woman who does her own thing, and has no loyalties to anyone but herself and the king who rescued her from the fighting pits. So when he asks for her help to save his people, she answers his call. There, she learns that she must fight a woman that she used to fight alongside in the pits. What follows is an epic tale of war, betrayal, revenge, and redemption.
Red Sonja is an amazing fighter who brings down her foes swiftly, and in great fashion. Sometimes while hungover. It's no secret that Sonja likes her alcohol and at some point exclaims that she wants to "get drunk in legendary fashion". A phrase that I believe I will adopt. She hates dressing in anything but armor and furs, and while her metal bikini number seems a little impractically, she does don some pretty sweet armor for the epic battle near the end.
I couldn't put this graphic novel down and read it all in one sitting. It was so refreshing to read a comic where women took center stage and were the kickass heroes that save the day. Not only does Red Sonja take the leading role in the plot, but the two girls who are appointed as her "bodyguards" gradually come into their own, learning to both fight and lead an army—made up of both women and men—to defeat those that aimed to oppress and kill them. Pretty awesome stuff.
So, if you're looking for a graphic novel/comic that feature women being awesome, and that has a pretty rocking story along with it, this is the series for you. You won't regret it. I know I didn't!
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LibraryThing member AVoraciousReader
*Book source ~ Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Red Sonja is determined to pay back a debt to the only man she respects, but in doing so she comes face-to-face with her past and what happens next is not pretty.
Red Sonja’s
The illustrations are wonderful and complement the story just right. I’d be willing to read more about Red Sonja and some of the other characters (the twins in particular) in her world.
Red Sonja is determined to pay back a debt to the only man she respects, but in doing so she comes face-to-face with her past and what happens next is not pretty.
Red Sonja’s
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story, from how she became Red Sonja, to the slave pits and her freedom by a King is fascinating. Red Sonja isn’t afraid of anything and is an awesome warrior. She can really kick some ass! But when she’s faced with Dark Annisia, she sort of crumbles. Annisia has always been the better warrior and Red Sonja can’t bring herself to strike her down even if she could get the better of the insane woman. In the end, Red Sonja surrenders and is sent off to a desolate region to die. Of course, she doesn’t die. What kind of story would that be?The illustrations are wonderful and complement the story just right. I’d be willing to read more about Red Sonja and some of the other characters (the twins in particular) in her world.
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LibraryThing member DTChantel
As someone who only knew about Red Sonja through the movie made back in the 80s with Brigitte Nielson, I had a lot to learn about the myths, legends and world of Red Sonja. This graphic novel did an excellent job of acquainting me with that world and giving me enough of a background story that I
The artwork, penciling, layout and graphics in this book are outstanding. The flow from panel to panel is perfect and the backstories are just enough and done in such a way that they aren't distracting or confusing.
I would highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who is a fan of sword and sorcery epics, beautiful artwork, or just a rousing good story.
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feel I'd now like to read more of this legendary warrior.The artwork, penciling, layout and graphics in this book are outstanding. The flow from panel to panel is perfect and the backstories are just enough and done in such a way that they aren't distracting or confusing.
I would highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who is a fan of sword and sorcery epics, beautiful artwork, or just a rousing good story.
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LibraryThing member catya77
Red Sonja's history is largely revealed in this collection of graphic novels/comics. There is juxtaposition with her current time and events of current battles/war with a Dark group of marauders.
The illustrations are expertly done allowing for action, scenery, character development, and assisting
There is a lot of action throughout these tales, some humor, and much compassion. Without giving away too much plot, I will just say this:
Overall, a thrilling read.
The illustrations are expertly done allowing for action, scenery, character development, and assisting
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with plot narrative. The narrative flows well throughout the series and is consistent allowing the reader to follow along easily. This also aides, in part, the explanations to the character development, relationships between characters, and character growth which is intriguing to watch. There is a lot of action throughout these tales, some humor, and much compassion. Without giving away too much plot, I will just say this:
Overall, a thrilling read.
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LibraryThing member DanieXJ
Going into reading this TPB I really had no idea who or what Red Sonja was. I'd heard the name of course, and I'd seen a lot of the art/covers on various sites around the internet. But I'd never read any of the other comics or seen the movie about her either. I was a Red Sonja newbie going into
I mainly decided to read this book because Gail Simone wrote it and I pretty much get around to reading everything that she writes eventually. But her authorship aside, wow it was a great TPB. The art was amazing, the covers were even more amazing, and the story was pretty awesome too.
It's the tale of two different stories basically, the one in the present, where Dimath, a King who was once very, very kind to Sonja calls for her help after not seeing her for three years. She gets intertwined in a big ole heap of trouble that involves a plague, and a bunch of people who are called Zamorans (which appear to include both humans and mermen? That threw me off a little bit). And then there's the past where we get to see how Red Sonja was sort of... created. I really liked that part of the story because it wasn't how these Sword and Sorcery heroes usually get created, some big event and --poof they're a hero--. It was a process that was disturbing and interesting and very bloody.
The two stories fit together so perfectly too. The narrative went back and forth between the present and at different times in the past and I never had a problem figuring out where or when I was in the story, and the two stories just complemented each other so well. In the future story I'd be wondering about some detail, and in the next part, there in the back story would be the answer to my question.
Honestly, these last few years I've read quite a few TPBs, good, bad and everything in between, and this is right up there with Lazarus, Vol. 1. It's truly a TPB that can be called a Graphic Novel and not just a 'comic book'.
I got this advanced galley through Netgalley on behalf of Dynamite Entertainment and Diamond Book Distributors.
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this, and wow, I think I need to find more.I mainly decided to read this book because Gail Simone wrote it and I pretty much get around to reading everything that she writes eventually. But her authorship aside, wow it was a great TPB. The art was amazing, the covers were even more amazing, and the story was pretty awesome too.
It's the tale of two different stories basically, the one in the present, where Dimath, a King who was once very, very kind to Sonja calls for her help after not seeing her for three years. She gets intertwined in a big ole heap of trouble that involves a plague, and a bunch of people who are called Zamorans (which appear to include both humans and mermen? That threw me off a little bit). And then there's the past where we get to see how Red Sonja was sort of... created. I really liked that part of the story because it wasn't how these Sword and Sorcery heroes usually get created, some big event and --poof they're a hero--. It was a process that was disturbing and interesting and very bloody.
The two stories fit together so perfectly too. The narrative went back and forth between the present and at different times in the past and I never had a problem figuring out where or when I was in the story, and the two stories just complemented each other so well. In the future story I'd be wondering about some detail, and in the next part, there in the back story would be the answer to my question.
Honestly, these last few years I've read quite a few TPBs, good, bad and everything in between, and this is right up there with Lazarus, Vol. 1. It's truly a TPB that can be called a Graphic Novel and not just a 'comic book'.
I got this advanced galley through Netgalley on behalf of Dynamite Entertainment and Diamond Book Distributors.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This is a collection of six issues that cover the origin of Red Sonja. This was a fun read. I haven't read the original story so all this was new to me. There was lots of backstory going on in almost every issue to inform the reader of why things were happening now. Overall a great story for anyone
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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who likes straight up sword and magic fantasy with a dash of humor so you know the heroine isn't taking herself too seriously even if everyone else in the story does. Best bonus to the graphic novel si the collection of single issue variant cover art in the back. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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LibraryThing member terriko
I've never been particularly into the barbarians and had been turned off the chicks-in-chainmail overly sexualized look of Red Sonja covers in comic books stores, but I bought some Humble Comics Bundle specifically for this book, as I've liked Gail Simone's other work.
Reading this book brings me
So instead I'll say that I wasn't disappointed. This book features a Red Sonja that makes her strangely reminiscent of my sister: fierce in protecting her friends, determined to see things through to the end, occasionally capricious, and also quite happy to disregard the opinions of others when they're stupid. ;) I'd never really thought of the barbarian fighter in this way except when S is playing them.
It's a fun read, both a little subversive and a tribute to the genre.
Reading this book brings me
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back to that time when S decided to carry a dead cat through all of Icewind Dale. She'll know what I mean, maybe most of you won't. So instead I'll say that I wasn't disappointed. This book features a Red Sonja that makes her strangely reminiscent of my sister: fierce in protecting her friends, determined to see things through to the end, occasionally capricious, and also quite happy to disregard the opinions of others when they're stupid. ;) I'd never really thought of the barbarian fighter in this way except when S is playing them.
It's a fun read, both a little subversive and a tribute to the genre.
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LibraryThing member tldegray
This was great. At first I wasn't sure I wanted to give this book a try but knowing that it was written by Gail Simone made up my mind. I am so glad I read it. Sonja is tough, she's uncouth, often drunk. She's a barbarian. But she's also loyal, honorable, and protective.
In this book Sonja is
I truly enjoyed this. I'm a huge fan of the trope ofyour best friend becoming your worst enemy and I'm also a huge fan of a hero who behaves with honor and compassion.
(Provided by publisher)
In this book Sonja is
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surrounded by women. Women from her past, women she's just met, and women she will mold into the future. And each of these women, like Sonja, has a story. I truly enjoyed this. I'm a huge fan of the trope of
(Provided by publisher)
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LibraryThing member unsquare
I don't have much experience with Conan the Barbarian or Red Sonja; my dad had a pretty sizable comic book collection when I was a kid, and I spent many an hour digging through it, but he didn't have many comics from either series in his collection. I think there was maybe one over-sized Conan
All this is to say up front that it's possible I am not the right audience for this book. Simone writes in her introduction that she's loved the character ever since she was a young comics reader, and as soon as she got the chance to work for Dynamite, writing a rebooted Red Sonja was her dream project. She's enthusiastic about the title, found great female artists to illustrate the covers, and wrote the book so that it stands proudly on its own, separate from the Conan mythos. Simone's Red Sonja sounds like the sort of thing that should leap off the page, but for some reason the book just felt inert and clichéd.
The Queen of Plagues bounces back and forth between Sonja's origins and her attempt to protect the only king she's ever respected – Dimath, who rescued her from gladiatorial slavery and to whom she pledged allegiance. Sonja is smarter, faster and more skilled at swordplay than her foes, but she is also an unrepentant drunk when wine is at hand. When two young warriors, Nias and Ayla, find Sonja in the forest and ask her to come to Dimath's aid, she reluctantly follows. However, when she arrives at Dimath's court and agrees to lead his army, she soon discovers that her old friend, Annisia, is general of the opposing army. Annisia, who survived the gladiator pits at Sonja's side only to go mad from guilt.
The story in this first volume of Red Sonja isn't particularly deep or twisty. Sonja fights her foes and usually comes out ahead; if she occasionally fails, it is only a matter of time before she finds new resolve and returns twice as fierce. Simone relies on tropes that feel well-worn but for the fact that most of the characters are female, with male characters relegated to supporting roles. However, instead of breathing new life into hoary old clichés, Simone's version of Sonja feels like it only satisfies the bare minimum of swords-and-sorcery storytelling.
I think my biggest problem with this book was that the dialogue is never more than serviceable, and as a result the characters fail to rise above their archetypes. I never got much of a sense of Sonja as anything other than a relentless warrior; her solitary quirk is her love of drink, played for (weak) laughs in what is an otherwise deadpan book. If any part of this book was extraordinary – plot, dialogue or characterization – it would be enough to raise it in my estimation, but unfortunately Simone just doesn't deliver the goods.
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annual in the entire bunch, and that lone issue might have been my entire exposure to both properties. I never watched the movie adaptations made in the 80s because they looked TERRIBLE. However, when I saw that Gail Simone is the writer for the new Red Sonja series, I became intrigued even though I've never read any of her other work.All this is to say up front that it's possible I am not the right audience for this book. Simone writes in her introduction that she's loved the character ever since she was a young comics reader, and as soon as she got the chance to work for Dynamite, writing a rebooted Red Sonja was her dream project. She's enthusiastic about the title, found great female artists to illustrate the covers, and wrote the book so that it stands proudly on its own, separate from the Conan mythos. Simone's Red Sonja sounds like the sort of thing that should leap off the page, but for some reason the book just felt inert and clichéd.
The Queen of Plagues bounces back and forth between Sonja's origins and her attempt to protect the only king she's ever respected – Dimath, who rescued her from gladiatorial slavery and to whom she pledged allegiance. Sonja is smarter, faster and more skilled at swordplay than her foes, but she is also an unrepentant drunk when wine is at hand. When two young warriors, Nias and Ayla, find Sonja in the forest and ask her to come to Dimath's aid, she reluctantly follows. However, when she arrives at Dimath's court and agrees to lead his army, she soon discovers that her old friend, Annisia, is general of the opposing army. Annisia, who survived the gladiator pits at Sonja's side only to go mad from guilt.
The story in this first volume of Red Sonja isn't particularly deep or twisty. Sonja fights her foes and usually comes out ahead; if she occasionally fails, it is only a matter of time before she finds new resolve and returns twice as fierce. Simone relies on tropes that feel well-worn but for the fact that most of the characters are female, with male characters relegated to supporting roles. However, instead of breathing new life into hoary old clichés, Simone's version of Sonja feels like it only satisfies the bare minimum of swords-and-sorcery storytelling.
I think my biggest problem with this book was that the dialogue is never more than serviceable, and as a result the characters fail to rise above their archetypes. I never got much of a sense of Sonja as anything other than a relentless warrior; her solitary quirk is her love of drink, played for (weak) laughs in what is an otherwise deadpan book. If any part of this book was extraordinary – plot, dialogue or characterization – it would be enough to raise it in my estimation, but unfortunately Simone just doesn't deliver the goods.
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LibraryThing member Kavinay
Bit of a shock. Admirable job by Simone to elevate this from derivative Conan while keeping the fun of pulp.
LibraryThing member Zare
I came across this volume while searching for Conan stories and I have to admit that this is one of the better stories in Conan universe.
Red Sonja is called to help a king who saved her life. Strange plague is decimating the people of his kingdom and he needs a fearsome and loyal sword at his side
So the adventure starts. We are given glimpses of Red Sonja's youth in Hyrkania and how she became the fearsome She Devil. There are comic elements in the story too, I especially like Sonja's rage when taverns are closed or if there is no more ale to drink.
Art is great and I have nothing but words of high praise for the works that grace the covers of comic series edition (collected in this volume). They are just mesmerizing.
I am now on look out for other volumes in this series.
Highly recommended to all fans of the fantasy adventure.
Red Sonja is called to help a king who saved her life. Strange plague is decimating the people of his kingdom and he needs a fearsome and loyal sword at his side
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to find out who is behind all of this.So the adventure starts. We are given glimpses of Red Sonja's youth in Hyrkania and how she became the fearsome She Devil. There are comic elements in the story too, I especially like Sonja's rage when taverns are closed or if there is no more ale to drink.
Art is great and I have nothing but words of high praise for the works that grace the covers of comic series edition (collected in this volume). They are just mesmerizing.
I am now on look out for other volumes in this series.
Highly recommended to all fans of the fantasy adventure.
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