Artist Spotlight: The Art Of . . . Matt Griffin

Showcasing art from some of my favourite artists, and those that have attracted my attention, in the field of visual arts, including vintage; pulp; pop culture; books and comics; concert posters; fantastical and imaginative realism; classical; contemporary; new contemporary; pop surrealism; conceptual and illustration.

The art of Matt Griffin.

Book Review: 'The Ayla Trilogy: Book 3 - The Spiral Path' by Matt Griffin

Cover art by Matt Griffin

'The Spiral Path' is the third and final book in Matt Griffin's excellent 'The Ayla Trilogy', an enchanting fantasy adventure that blends Irish myth and legend with the classic hero's journey tale, giving it a unique and modern twist.

After the seemingly victorious battle over the Danann, our heroes return home to modern day Ireland. Hoping to return to normality after their recent epic adventure, Ayla, Finny, Benvy, Sean, as well Lann, Fergus, Taig and Ida, find that things are anything but normal and it's up to Ayla and her friends to save the day and humanity.

Sometimes the conclusion to an enjoyable series can be difficult, and ends up packing in too much in an attempt to try and tie up the many loose ends. But with 'The Spiral Path' there's no such fear here. It's another fantastical read from Matt Griffin. The flow of the story that has coursed through the previous books continues here, without any slack in pace or loss in excitement. The character development of Ayla and her friends has been a real highlight of the series. The characters have their own distinct personalities, and in this final chapter of the trilogy, they may still be the same group of individuals that we first met all the way in book one, but they have grown so much, and matured in some ways, and are now so different but still very relatable. I really enjoyed that aspect of the series.

Matt perfectly captured the creepiness and otherworldly atmosphere as well, once again punctuated by his excellent illustrations that are throughout the book. For all the eeriness and drama of the potential apocalypse, there was also plenty of humour, mostly of the Uncles trying to adapt to modern Ireland, which helped the story breath in between the drama and the foreboding.

'The Spiral Path' was a really enjoyable read that caps the end of 'The Ayla Trilogy' in a satisfying way. The infusion of Irish mythos into the tale worked wonders and added a sense of originality and the fantastic. Definitely recommended. I hope Matt writes more books, as on this evidence, they will go straight into my TBR pile!

 

Available from:

The O'Brien Press

Book Review: 'The Ayla Trilogy: Book 2 - Storm Weaver' by Matt Griffin

Cover art by Matt Griffin

Matt Griffin's 'The Ayla Trilogy' continues with the excellent 'Storm Weaver'.

After rescuing Ayla from the clutches of the Red Root King and Queen Maeve, Finny, Benvy and Sean join Ayla in her quest through the underworld and into Fal, an Ireland from the ancient past, in search of Maeve to destroy her evil. But along the way, the friends begin to question Ayla's motivations, as the quest begins to consume her, which soon ends up fracturing the party and they split and go their separate ways. With the dangers of Fal as well as a war also looming on the horizon, things aren't looking good for the group of friends.

'Storm Weaver' is a really good sequel to 'A Cage Of Roots'. With the group of friends on a quest to defeat an ancient evil, there are obvious comparisons to 'The Lord Of The Rings' with this entry in the series. But Matt has done an excellent job of reinterpreting a classic and explores it with his own ideas and characters as well as weaving more Irish mythological influences into the tale. The new characters added more depth to a story that was already packed with great characters, and the story was fast paced and action packed, but not too much as there was still room for the story to breathe and develop, keeping me engaged throughout. The illustrations, once again by Matt, are excellent and serve the mood and atmosphere of the story well!

A typically 'middle' book, as it continues from the previous book and sets things up for the next. But it's done in a way that is compelling and makes you want to know what happens to the friends from Kilnabracka! Looking forward to reading the final chapter in the trilogy!

Available from:
O'Brien Press

Book Review: 'The Ayla Trilogy: Book 1 - A Cage Of Roots' by Matt Griffin

Cover art by Matt Griffin

'A Cage Of Roots', book one of the 'Ayla' trilogy by Matt Griffin begins with 12 year old Ayla trapped and seemingly buried alive. Not exactly the best start for our protagonist, but it does set the tone for the rest of the book, as Matt describes the panic and fear in Ayla really well.

As Ayla struggles with to come to terms with her new surrounding and how she got there, we're also introduced to the other folk in her life; her uncles Lann, Fergus and Taig and best friends Finny, Benvy and Sean. But when they realise that Ayla has gone missing, they band together in a plan to rescue her. But this plan involves the mystical and the fantastical and draws from old Irish mythological tales. The journey to save Ayla is very treacherous and will change everyone forever.

'A Cage Of Roots' is a really good read that's full of relatable characters as well as delving into the fantastic of Irish mythology. I would compare it positively with Neil Gaiman's 'Coraline', in that it's a story about fear, danger, hope, being brave, friendship and betrayal but it's also a fun adventure story with a cliffhanger of an ending. The book is also punctuated with creepy black and white illustrations, also by Matt (who is also an established illustrator), which adds to the overall eerie feeling of the story, especially with Ayla's struggles.

It may be aimed at kids, but this is a good and atmospheric read, no matter what age you are.

Available from:
O'Brien Press