Imagine Nation #1 The Blood of Kings by Matt Myklusch and illustrator Onofrio Orlando
There are ups and downs happening within these pages. Things are both familiar and fresh with the combination of realism and fantasy that captures the reader. Overall, I enjoyed it, but one small bump was that it felt as if this was not the first in a series but maybe book two or three, which makes me wonder if this is a continuation of the novels in the Jack Blank Adventure series which is advertised as other Imagine Nation stories. With that said, things stand alone as well.
It is great for the 10 and up crowd. And while the younger readers could partake, some of the situations and issues might not be for the young or sensitive reader. These include (but not limited to): death of parents, illnesses, traitors, monsters and war. However, things are also just “on the edge of edgy” and are probably tamer than most movies kids read.
The themes are the usual coming of age: friendships, family and coming to terms with your limits and strengths. The world itself is the world where stories and magic come together to make imagination, but each world has its own function. There are six sections, each one representing a different genre of ideas. Science Fiction, history, magic, machines and more. They each have their own rules and ways and they do not mesh. This volume deals with medieval times. Things are always the 1400s, and little changes. It even rains or has sunshine on the same day every year. But one person dares to defy the rules and is willing to try and change things. That means having friends from a different city, using futuristic technology and risking people being afraid of change.
