Strange Alliances (Seekers of the Aweto, #2) by Nie Jun

Strange Alliances (Seekers of the Aweto, #2) Reviews

• 
  Nina Canales

  Loved this book! It truly immerses readers in a gripping tale of adventure and intrigue, expertly crafted by an emerging voice in speculative fiction. The novel, penned by an author with a keen storytelling prowess, weaves a captivating narrative that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, mystery, and suspense.
  
  The story follows a diverse group of seekers on a quest for the elusive Aweto, a mythical creature with potent mystical properties. The strength of the novel lies in its ability to create complex and unexpected alliances among the characters, adding layers of depth to the plot. As the seekers navigate a world filled with enigmatic landscapes and magical challenges, readers are treated to a sensory feast of vivid descriptions and imaginative world-building.
  
  The pacing of Seekers is well-balanced, maintaining tension and excitement throughout the narrative. The characters are thoughtfully developed, each contributing to the story's intricate tapestry. The author's writing style is both evocative and accessible, making the fantastical elements of the plot easily relatable.
  In this graphic novel, readers will find a compelling fusion of mystery and fantasy, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of the genre. With its rich narrative and intriguing character dynamics, this novel promises an enthralling journey into the unknown.
• 
  Laila - Stories Steeped in Magic

  My Rating: 4. A lush and vivid graphic novel depicted two brothers' journeys through a fantastical medieval China.
  Thank you Graphic Universe/Lerning Publishing Groups for providing an e-book copy through NetGalley.
  
  Synopsis:
  The sequel of Seekers of the Aweto: The Hunt is On is here with its vibrant imagery and legendary journey of two brothers across mythical & medieval China. Xinyue, a former treasurer hunter, comes back from the brink of death and awakens next to a lost monk. As the new caretaker of a baby deity, Xinyue must travel back to his homeland to protect the little creature, and along the way he must begrudgingly make alliances with other travelers and fight off enemies to ensure a safe passage. On the other side of the land, his brother Qiliu has been captured by greedy merchants who want the baby deities themselves. With no soul and no memory of trying to kill his brother, Qiliu must also make shaky alliances with bandits and frog princes in order to simply survive.
  
  What I Liked:
  Strange Alliances is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel depicting both medieval and mythical China, bringing to life fantastical creatures, nefarious enemies, and the lush landscape of the country. Just reading through the comic for the illustrations is worth it alone, as Nie Jun’s masterful artwork of color, calligraphy-like linework, and expression really shines through the page. It’s also fun to see different legendary creatures straight out of Chinese folklore & mythology interact with the characters, whether they are forming tense alliances or slowly strengthening bonds.
  
  What I Didn’t Like:
  The pacing is incredibly fast, and characters & panels jump from action to action very quickly, sometimes so much so that characters’ thought processes are confusing or can’t be easily followed.
  
  Who Would I Recommend This To: Older kids and teens who like graphic novels based on mythology and Chinese fantasy.
  
  Review Date: May 10, 2023
  Posted to Goodreads May 10, 2023
• 
  Kylie

  The art style of this series blows me away. It was beyond beautiful and far and away my favorite part of this series.
  Before I read this one, I read my review of the first book and I had a lot of the same thoughts. While the story was extremely whimsical, it was a little confusing at times. There were a lot of characters and a few different stories so it felt a little chaotic. Overall, I think I got the big picture of the story, but I wish there had been maybe a little more dialogue or some explanation panels or something.
  I really do want to see where this story leads, so I will continue the series!
  Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
• 
  Sabrina

  I was so happy to see this book as on option on NetGalley! I happened across the first volume a few years ago and instantly fell in love because of the art and myth portrayed. This second volume contains gorgeous illustrations, vast and well executed world building and lore, and loveable characters! I did have a little difficulty getting back into the story after having read the last one years ago, but anything I did not remember by the end of the second book was fleshed out in the index/glossary in the back. I cannot wait to see this book in person as the digital version does not do any justice to the vivid colors and beautiful paintings in this story. 4.5 stars
• 
  Naura (natsuyuu brainrot)

  4/5!
  
  buku yang aku tunggu-tunggu sejak tahun lalu, kelanjutan dari buku pertama "aweto seekers: the hunt is on". termasuk dalam buku yang bisa dibaca sekali duduk, dan walau alurnya fast paced menurutku ini cukup bagus. ditambah ilustrasi bergaya watercolor nie jun yang sangat khas sangat amat memanjakan mataku 😻 aku kurang paham apa ini based on real life jg atau ga lore-nya, tapi seru bgt~ GIMANA YA. must read buku terbitan tahun ini pokoknya!!!
• 
  Brooke Roberts

  Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
  
  3/5 stars
  The artwork and colors are visually stunning! It seems to have been well thought out and lovingly illustrated. The story is whimsical, but hard to follow. A recap is needed in the beginning since this is the second book in the series.
• 
  Erica Baxter

  First and foremost, the art for this is beautiful. I was absolutely captivated by it.
  
  Then the story... It was worthy of the art. It was layered, with depth and action. Good characters. And fast pacing. I read it straight through!
  
  Very nice graphic novel.
• 
  Valerie

  The art is very nice, but the story is a bit too fast paced. If more time was spent on each event and interaction the book would be greatly improved because as it is it doesn’t really develop the story enough.
• 
  Andréa

  Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
• 
  Can Dragons Read?

  This was so much fun! I loved the characters and the new land. I also appreciated how quickly the story wrapped up. These adventures were a joy to read.
• 
  Amanda

  I received a copy of this book from NetGallery and Lerner Publishing Group in exchange for my honest opinion. Interesting and unique art and story which is hard to find.
• 
  Carla

  Strange alliances definitely characterizes a lot of what happens in this book, as each brother is joined (mostly begrudgingly) by a host of unexpected characters. The story does go a bit off the rails, but I think it's meant to because it is modeled after epics, which also tend to go off on random character-adding tangents. The watercolor art style is such a treat, and I look forward to the next book.