Beowulf

This exhilarating graphic novel edition of an ancient classic honors the spirit of the original as it attracts modern readers.

The epic tale of the great warrior Beowulf has thrilled readers through the ages — and now it is reinvented for a new generation with Gareth Hinds's masterful illustrations. Grendel's black blood runs thick as Beowulf defeats the monster and his hideous mother, while somber hues overcast the hero's final, fatal battle against a raging dragon. Speeches filled with courage and sadness, lightning-paced contests of muscle and will, and funeral boats burning on the fjords are all rendered in glorious and gruesome detail. Told for more than a thousand years, Beowulf's heroic saga finds a true home in this graphic novel edition.

"The king of heroic epics gets a lavish visual interpretation in Hinds's full-color mixed-media gem, originally self-published as three separate issues in 2000. He begins with a credit to two versions of the familiar story (A.J. Church's 1904 translation and that of Francis Gummere), in which a vicious monster named Grendel terrorizes the great hall of King Hrothgar for 12 winters, and the hero Beowulf arrives from afar, to try to defeat the creature and succeeds — with his bare hands. Then he must contend with Grendel's mother, when she comes to avenge her son's fate; the third chapter deals with the mournful end to the hero's life, resulting from a battle with an enormous dragon. Each chapter begins with a brief narrative (paying homage to the cadences of the story's early verse renditions), before giving way to a lengthy, wordless and bloody battle. Hinds's angular perspectives and unusual color palettes (dark, ruddy colors, deep burgundy blood, and not a ray of sunshine in sight) lend the book an almost overwhelming sense of menace. The third and most emotionally forceful chapter centers around an incredible two-page spread that shows the dragon awakening; it's an arresting image in a book filled with many. For fantasy fans both young and old, this makes an ideal introduction to a story without which the entire fantasy genre would look very different; many scenes may be too intense for very young readers. Ages 10-up." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"The book makes a gorgeous whole...the long, wordless battles reproduced on glossy, high-quality paper are particularly noteworthy....[T]his offering will have high appeal for many, particularly fans of video games and action movies." Booklist

"This epic tale is exceptionally well suited to the episodic telling necessary for a successful graphic novel....Hinds's version will make this epic story available to a whole new group of readers." School Library Journal

"The language of the poem — which is quite complex — has been contemporized, and the art is gorgeous: Hinds has an extensive knowledge of human anatomy and color, which he puts to good use." KLIATT

"[F]abulously detailed, action-filled artwork....This blood-drenched, battle-packed story of one of the first superheroes is sure to interest a new generation." VOYA

Told for more than a thousand years, this classic epic is given new life in a graphic novel that honors the spirit of the original tale of the heroic warrior Beowulf and his battle against the monstrous Grendel. Full color. Young adult.

Gareth Hinds lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.