Graphic Novel Review: 'Retroworld' by Patrick Galliano, Cédric Peyravernay & Bazal

'Retroworld', is a two volume series written by Patrick Galliano and illustrated by Cédric Peyravernay & Bazal, adapted from 'Horlemonde', by Julia Verlanger / Gilles Thomas, the pen names of Eliane Grimaître, one of the most celebrated French authors of science fiction of the 1970s.
 

I must admit, as although I love sci-fi, their names have not come across in my reading before, but the cover art of this adaptation did intrigue me. Never judge a book by its cover they say, but it is what catches my eye.

The set up for the series is as follows; Humans have scattered and occupied the known universe for so long that many worlds have forgotten their Earthly origins. The planets which still retain the memory of their beginnings have banded together, forming a Galactic Federation, whereas the rest are worlds that have regressed into a more primitive and isolationist way of life - the Retros. The Federation deploys its best agent, Marce, with a vital mission to help one of these retro worlds advance and evolve. But when he gets caught up in political machinations, on a world with brutal living conditions, and fighting against deadly creatures, the mission proves to be more difficult than first thought.

With the stage set in the first few pages, we get into the story. And it's a story that doesn't feel particularly original, as it hits a few familiar genre fiction story beats and tropes, but it doesn't need to be unique. It just needs to be entertaining, and I definitely found it that. Even though there seems to be a lot going on, the story pacing had a sense of urgency about it, helping push the narrative forward, but didn't feel too rushed, in my opinion. The character development isn't too deep, however, but you still got a sense of their motivations, especially from our main trio of Agent Marce, Jatred and Orval. The world building however, was pretty good. Most of the story is on the Retroworld of Almagiel, and through the pages of both graphic novels we get to see quite a bit of it. The different environments, peoples, political factions and gangs, plus the killer wildlife! It gave the world a real sense of depth especially with Peyravernay's artwork, which for me, the quality never faltered at all over the two volumes, giving it a consistent visual feast for the eyes. I've seen some comments say that the artwork is a bit too busy and compact, but I found it suited the story just right. 

'Retroworld' is an exciting, fast paced read that feels familiar, but there is enough in it's execution for you to savour and keep you engaged throughout.

 

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