Peter & Max: A Fables Novel

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1. The Music Man says:

   November 16, 2009 at 11:07 am

   The promos for this novel take pains to emphasize that you don’t need to be familiar with the graphic comic that the story is based on in order to enjoy it, but I found that not to be the case. The entire first chapter is devoted to “setting the groundwork” and, to be honest, I found the patchwork premise too stitched together to allow suspension of disbelief – it probably works better in the comic book series, where much can be explained visually, but here, the author piles on the adjectives in an effort to paint word pictures, and it feels stuffed. Set in a side-street of modern-day New York, a group of aliens with magical powers calling themselves “Fables” (after a plethora of other non-starter nom de plumes) all of whom form the basis of all human fairy tales, fight internal wars, live immortal lives, yet apparently can’t be bothered with “modern” electricity. This contrived setting all felt very disjointed to me, with the mixing of modern and archaic lifestyles never settling down into a coherent whole. That, and the large roster of characters jumping in and out of the narrative simply felt confusing. Young children talk and act in adult voices, whole back-stories are explained away in a sentence, and I was left feeling like I was only seeing the skimmings of a much deeper pool. I think this book will really only appeal to fans of the comic book series upon which its based.
   Rating: 2 / 5
2. K. Sullivan says:

   November 16, 2009 at 1:52 pm

   A few things may provide a helpful context for my review. I have truly enjoyed Willingham’s “Fables” comic series (the first twelve trade paperbacks and “1001 Nights of Snowfall”). I did not enjoy the “Jack of Fables” spin-off, however (based on the first two trade paperbacks). The edition of “Peter & Max” used for this review is an advance copy, and it bears the following warning: “This is an uncorrected and abbreviated galley…” Whereas the product page on Amazon lists the hard cover edition at 400 pages, the advance paperback copy has 310 pages. That means I may be missing some things. I will edit my review after publication if I am able to compare and see any need for correction. With that out of the way…

   I had really high hopes and expectations for “Peter & Max.” Unfortunately they slowly dwindled as I read. Excitement turned to drudgery. I finished the book but felt little of the magic inherent in the comics.

   One difficulty for the author had to be balancing exposition for readers both familiar and unfamiliar with the comic. It was approached rather lazily. The first seven pages explain who the Fables are, where they now reside, and a little of their background. It was not presented as an intriguing tale but as something that had to be gotten out of the way – here’s a list of things you need to know. Even as the narrative progressed, allusions to the comic series felt rushed. When characters from the “Fables” comic appeared, very little was done to develop them to make their appearances meaningful.

   The writing was surprisingly awkward in ways. Much of the dialogue was stilted, occasionally even eliciting a groan. Upon reflection, I realized there are similar moments in the comic, but they are not nearly as pervasive. Here they abound. His descriptions of scenery and costumes also seemed rigid and by-the-numbers (check, check, check) – like he had an obligation to get it out of the way for each scene. That could be because he usually has to describe his vision for artists. Novels do not require such rigidity. Despite some relatively mature subject matter, it read a lot like young adult fiction (uneven pacing, stock set-pieces and characters). It is unimportant, but I had to wonder: is there no other nasty adjective than “fell” (as in “fell beast”)?

   Much of the drama of the back story is unaffecting because we meet the characters later in time and know the limitations of what can happen. The emotional punch is also severely hampered because none of the featured characters were terribly sympathetic. Even the heroes seemed too cold and detached to really feel for them. They were like clichéd cardboard cutouts, minor and major characters alike.

   Some occurrences and their consequences felt forced instead of arising organically. As an example, Peter’s flute had a unique design that felt suspiciously like a poorly concealed plot device – so it extracts a toll from the user and is sufficient for the denouement. I had to wonder, what exactly was he doing to that flute? The climax was relatively telegraphed and extremely brief. The ink drawings scattered throughout (chapter headings and elsewhere) were not integral to the story, but they were pretty well done and a welcome tie in to the comic series.

   There is a danger of expecting so much that the reality inevitably pales in comparison. That is not the case here. The execution was really subpar on this one.
   Rating: 2 / 5
3. Comic Quester says:

   November 16, 2009 at 1:52 pm

   If you’re up on the Fables books (and even if you are not) you may be interested to discover that issue #1 was recently re-released by Vertigo/DC for $1. At the back of this special issue was a free preview of the upcoming novel “Peter & Max”. While initially wary (after all we comic readers generally enjoy books /with/ pictures rather than without) after reading this sneak peek I can happily attest to the further magnificence of the authors and to their once again inspired creations.

   Summary: The book begins by introducing us, the audience, to the Fables universe. It explains how the fables got their names, and the general history of Fabletown and the Farm (which is where the story begins). Rose Red takes a drive to a corner of the farm to meet Peter Piper and his wife, Bo Peep. Quiet people, as the story explains, they’ve had their own problems in the land of mundy. (Explanations to which are not given but it is assumed at this time) Rose Red explains to Peter that his brother Max has once again shown up (this is apparently a bad thing-and it seems that the brothers Peter and Max have a mixed history that hasn’t ended well) and Peter must go and get him. The preview roughly ends here, but it’s already gripping in the way only Fables can be. In any case I know I am looking forward to the book so don’t let that preconceived notion of stories without pictures get to ya!

   Happy Reading!
   Rating: 5 / 5
4. M. Vicente Manzanares says:

   November 16, 2009 at 4:17 pm

   I have a few things to say about the book, and then some about Vertigo’s Fables. The author of this novel is the same as the Vertigo series, and the style is very similar, so similar that it reads a bit like a comic book script, which is necessarily not a bad thing, but may throw you off if you are not used to that style. The plot is twisted, fateful and smart (more on that later), and the action takes place fast. A technical point is, the review copy has B/W pictures (few and scarce, comic-book style illustrations), I do not know at this point if the final copy will have them in color. This makes no difference for the story, but needs to be said.

   The story is basically Mr. Willingham’s remix of Peter and the Wolf and The Pied Piper of Hamelin, which is in synch with the overall style of the author in the Fables’ comic books. Some central characters of these books, such as Snow White, Bigby, Frau Totenkinder and Rose Red make small appearances here. There are many other references (particularly self-references to the Fables) to other books, some of them subtle, some of them blunt or even clumsy (for those comic-book buffs out there, and I think this does not give away any of the story: an involvement between a male thief and a female assassin? Are you kiddin’? Gambit/ Belladonna anyone?) Whereas this book does not absolutely require having read the comic books, the story is not fully enjoyed without it.

   And that takes me to the Fables title itself. There seems to be really two types of writers out there (and I know this will grant me a lot of hatred, but this is my view on it), the creators and the “derivators”. The first type (e.g. Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman to cite just a few in the comic book/ literature world), are willing to “create” new worlds, make new stories, and offer the occasional blunder as a consequence of pushing hard the envelope. Others, for example Stephenie Meyer, or J.K. Rowling, are content (and making obscene amounts of money) with taking stories that have been told hundreds of times, add a few pepper here and there to target already captive audiences, and really, add very little that is fresh, new or original. I guess in my book Mr. Willingham falls into the second category, that is why I feel physically sick when people compares one of the most original stories of all time (The Sandman), in which the references are used to push an original story, to these Fables, in which the references are the whole story. And for the record, I’ve read eleven of the TPB of Fables (from the library, of course).
   
   But fair is fair, if you love Fables, you will love and devour this novel. And by devour I mean Big Bad Wolf-devouring style
   
   Rating: 3 / 5
5. M.D. Edwards says:

   November 16, 2009 at 6:26 pm

   As I say above, I LOVE Bill Willingham’s work! I’ve been an avid reader of his Fables series for YEARS now, and always find his writing very engaging, and the imagery paired with it to be very compelling and beautifully done. Most of what he’s thrown at his readers in his Fables series has been completely unexpected, and has kept me coming back for more.

   The writing in “Peter and Max” is as good as I’d expect it to be, and the sprinkling of illustrations throughout really helps make it a great link between his standard fully-illustrated graphic novels and this novel. Also as expected, he’s made a great start here with his first novel. The writing’s just as good as any you’d find in a standard Fables graphic novel, and is detailed and evocative enough that I really don’t miss the surplus of illustrated imagery.

   If you’re new to Bill Willingham’s writing, and the world of Fables itself, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Mr. Willingham does a great job of giving a brief, yet concise, overview of his world and its characters, as well as the basics of their origins. I’ve been an avid Fables reader for years, and have read all but the two most recent graphic novels, and even with that knowledge base, found new and interesting information on the origins of some of his characters, and how they came to be referred to as “Fables”. As for the story itself, he transitions between present and past chapter by chapter, never really letting you get lost in the continuity of one part of the story or the other. Having him guide you through the current and past events keeps you running with the tale as he writes it. This book is SUCH an easy and pleasant read that I think anyone’d be hard-pressed to NOT fall right into the story and enjoy it right off the bat!

   Bill Willingham has, again and as always, delivered a great story to his readers. I think anyone would enjoy this, and if you’re not already a fan of his work, I believe this would convert you. His writing is so different from all the other stuff out there, you’d have to WORK to dislike it!
   Rating: 5 / 5