Book Review: Monomyth Vol. 1

What if the secret school of magic you were chosen for...was trying to kill you?

Magic is all but extinct. When the last ailing wizard casts a final desperate spell to summon the descendants of ancient bloodlines to a school for magic now in disrepair...those chosen ones find a horror of the likes they've never experienced. They will have to confront the deepest parts of themselves and defeat each other in order to survive the ordeal.

Monomyth Volume 1 by David Hazan, Cecilia Lo Valvo and Federico Bertoni will be released December 26, 2023. Mad Cave Studios provided an early galley for review.

This year I have read several collections from Mad Cave Studios - all different and all entertaining. This looked to be another that fell into those categories. This volume collects the original six issues of the series and also includes some extras in the form of alternate covers by other artists.

The art style on the series has a very "classic" feel in that it evokes an old-world feel. The line work is often thick with colors that are rich yet muted. That fits very well for a fantasy book about magical legacies. It works very well to set the mood and tone of the story.

Speaking of story, it opens with a brief introduction of the cast and the bringing of them together. We get to know each of them as they get to know one another. It is a literary tool that works well here. It quickly turns into a tale of survival, of facing ones truth and accepting it. There are several layers at work here.

In the end, it was an interesting story that will appeal to readers looking for something a bit out of the norm.