Graphic novel review
Written by Jonathan Stroud, Andrew Donkin
Art by Lee Sullivan, Nicolas Chapuis
Release date Out now

A magician’s apprentice embarks on a journey of revenge, facing an ambitious, ruthless master magician on the way…

Adapting a series of well regarded novels into graphic novel form is a risky prospect. The adaptation is bound to omit something cherished by fans of the source texts and besides, won’t readers already have their own ideas of what the characters should look like?

Thankfully, these issues are sidestepped in a faithful and well-considered take on the near 10-year-old tale, with atmospheric visuals opening the story up to a whole new audience.

Adapted by the original author, Jonathan Stroud, along with Andrew Donkin (who eased Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl and Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident into the comic strip format), this is a project that was clearly borne out of a love for the characters and a desire to see them reach a larger, perhaps slightly different audience.

Lee Sullivan’s artwork is beautiful throughout. Aided by thoughtful and distinctive colouring by Nicolas Capuis, Sullivan’s flamboyant style is ideal for this kind of story. A veteran of Doctor Who, Transformers and Thunderbirds strips, he’s an artist who is extremely at ease with telling a cohesive story no matter what chaos the narrative throws at him.

Here’s hoping the remaining three books in the saga receive a similar treatment. Jonathan Wilkins

VERDICT: 9/10
A charming fantasy romp.