The Silver Cord (Volume 1 2) by Kevin Kelly

The Silver Cord (Volume 1 2) Reviews

• 
  Lee Kuiper

  A while back I had decided to read all of Kevin Kelly's books. I voraciously tore through most of his non-fiction but hesitantly danced around this one for quite a while. I had never read a graphic novel --nor had I been very intrigued by them in general-- but, coming from an author who has thought a lot about technology and the future, I figured it would, at least, be full of some fascinating and thought-provoking ideas.
  
  Once I began reading I found it was quite easy to keep going. The story was interesting enough to hold my attention with its blended concepts of angels, demons, souls, and AI. The pacing moved things along quickly so the pages flew by but sometimes I would intentionally try to slow down or stop to take in all the detail of the animation. Which was the best part.
  
  There are a few different animation styles present in the book; namely, the distinct difference between the worlds/dimensions which worked well conceptually and really set them apart from each other. The print quality is great and I appreciated the size of the book which enabled me to be further enveloped into the universe. The animation never felt cheap or rushed or gimmicky...which is maybe a naive assumption I was making before going into it. The colors are rich and deep and tie things together in a nice aesthetic.
  
  I did find myself weirdly bothered by the main protagonist looking very different later in the book (like an entirely different woman) than from the beginning but I'm assuming it was just different animators drawing different parts of the story. Or maybe it represented her character progression?
  
  I don't think I'm going to delve deeper into the genre of graphic novels after reading this but I'm happy to say I've actually read a graphic novel now. In fact, I enjoyed the several hours I spent engaging with it and would happily read more if Kevin Kelly and the team further developed this universe with a sequel or spinoff stories.
  
• 
  Praxedes

  The Silver Cord reads more like a movie storyboard than a graphic novel. When a book reads like a script its limitations are self-evident. Not conveying the grandeur that graphic novel epics conjure in the reader's mind is what kept this book from getting five stars.
  
  It is a lovely tome, to be sure. The artwork hovers between wondrous and sublime; the story had a cool take on reincarnation, and the lettering was exquisite. The outcome was a bit predictable but that didn't matter too much. I loved that physical size of the book (gazette-style) and the multiple artistic styles contained therein.
  
  I am thinking of donating this copy to my Library!
• 
  Anjan

  Original story with well imagined worlds colliding. The originality is what keeps the book from sliding lower in stars. I haven't read a story like this before, so I kept turning the page.... though i'm curious, if it was in a manga paper back would i like it as much?
  
  The story is compelling enough that if they finished it, revised it, and handed it to Studio Ghibli I think this would become an instant classic.
  
  Great effort, but this project Needed a couple more drafts to plug the gaps: there are character development issues; some kinetic panels were disjointed; there are weird camera angles that remind the reader they are reading because their cord is cut form the story when they have to re-orient themselves due to an odd cut away.
  
  It is evident that this was written with a hope that the collective would get a chance to write more of the story. It reads like a unfinished product of some talented individuals trying to find the time to work together. Perhaps too many cooks in the kitchen? I'm speculating, but there is something a bit off keeping this from being better.
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  C. Heyward

  I first heard of The Silver Cord when I saw Kevin Kelly retweet someone’s review of the book. Being a graphic novel fan and a follower of his Wink Books blog, where I’ve discovered several great reads, I figured I should check out The Silver Cord.
  
  I bought a copy from Amazon last week. My first impression was marked by the sheer size of the book. It’s heavy and huge… in a good way. Thick glossy oversized pages that make you feel like you got your money’s worth. When I started flipping through the pages, the artwork looked a little daunting. Kinda like a geeky fanboy’s wet dream, and it made a little skeptical about what I was getting into.
  
  I don’t want to post any spoilers, so I’ll keep this short. Imagine a graphic novel that looks like the movie Avatar mixed with Robocop and a pinch of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits. The first half was fantastical, and the second half becomes more mature and improves the story.
  
  Check it out if you’re in the mood for sci-fi fantasy story. It really is something to experience.
• 
  Q

  Powerful imagination and beautiful graphics made reading this book feel like watching a thriller. Amazing plot too; this book is very inspired!
• 
  Harry Lee

  A super big book.