TenNapel's Nnewts Epic Fantasy of Amphibious Proportions

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Deprecated function: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in require_once() (line 132 of sites/all/libraries/bad-behavior/bad-behavior/core.inc.php).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $type declared before required parameter $key is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $data declared before required parameter $name is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $data declared before required parameter $name is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $file declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $account declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $entity declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $account declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $values declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $view_mode declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $langcode declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $view_mode declared before required parameter $langcode is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $terms declared before required parameter $node is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $args declared before required parameter $node is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityStructureWrapper::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 292 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetExists($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetGet($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetSet($delta, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetUnset($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::hasChildren() should either be compatible with RecursiveIterator::hasChildren(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::getChildren() should either be compatible with RecursiveIterator::getChildren(): ?RecursiveIterator, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::current() should either be compatible with Iterator::current(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::next() should either be compatible with Iterator::next(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::key() should either be compatible with Iterator::key(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::valid() should either be compatible with Iterator::valid(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::rewind() should either be compatible with Iterator::rewind(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetExists($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetGet($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetSet($delta, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetUnset($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).

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Submitted by RJ Carter on Tue, 12/30/2014 - 13:15

Nnewts - Escape from the Lizzarks by Doug TenNapel

Doug TenNapel introduces a new world to his fans with the first book of the NNEWTS series, ESCAPE FROM THE LIZZARKS. At its most basic level, NNEWTS pits peaceful amphibians against aggressive reptiles. Both sides employ different magics, with the Nnewts relying on their magician and the Lizzarks relying on their Wizzark (and yes, TenNapel knows how that sounds, and even pokes fun at the idea himself within the story).

When the Lizzarks invade Nnewtown, they kill ruthlessly. The only apparent escapee is young Herk, who has been cursed with tiny back legs which prevent him from walking out of the water. His flight leads him to a lost kingdom, a confrontation with an evil deity, and a lost colony of Nnewts, with hints of mystical connections Herk never knew he had.

TenNapel doesn't shy away from tragedy in this graphic novel; characters die, and go into the afterlife, into the arms of Orion (no connection to the Prince song from the BATMAN soundtrack), who isn't averse to employing a little divine intervention. TenNapel also leaves a lot of loose ends dangling to entice the readers into the next book, introducing strange characters, setting up unsolved mysteries, and leaving readers with a cliffhanger that will present Herk with even greater challenges in the future.

The one element of the storytelling that didn't hook me was how much deus ex machina devices are employed. The way Herk claims a reward after his battle was a little too Brothers Grimm when seeing it happen in panel form, although this being a book of magic I suppose I shouldn't really be that surprised. Scene transitions are also sometimes of a "quick cut" variety, which is a style TenNapel employs in his other novels, like BAD ISLAND, CARDBOARD and TOMMYSAURUS REX.

Campbell's classic "Hero's Journey" gets taken out for another spin, and TenNapel has demonstrated he's definitely up to the task.

Grade:

3.5 / 5.0