The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan M. Aldridge

What worked:

The issue of parent expectations compels Prince Arlo to undertake an adventure into the kingdom of Skald. His mother is Toril Brightblade, hero and ruler of Skald. She expects Arlo to learn the ways of royalty since he’s a prince, but Arlo has dreams of becoming a heroic bard. Toril is good with speaking during negotiations with other leaders, but she’s not as successful when speaking to her son. Arlo decides to run away, but he encounters more than expected. The stability of the kingdom and establishing a treaty with the troll king are the two big-picture issues.

Music holds power in this story, and Arlo is training under Eluvian, a master bard and creator of a famous ballad that made Toril famous. Arlo isn’t able to master his magical power yet, and Eluvian says he must control his feelings and his will. Arlo teams up with a rogue troll and a carpenter’s apprentice to form a troupe. They’re destined to face off against an evil troupe intent on revenge and destruction of Brightblade and Skald. This group’s magical ballad is more devastating than any spell ever seen before, and they only need one more piece to finish the powerful weapon.

The colorful illustrations replace words missing from the book. Most of the characters have elf-like ears, while others have the tusks of trolls. The vibrant Hearth is the traveling home for the trio of main characters as they venture across the lands. The evil spells are abstract shades of blue and purple, while the good magic is recognized by shades of green and red. The clashing colors create a kaleidoscope of shapes during the battle scenes.

What didn’t work as well:

This graphic novel has less text hence it has less detail and description. The characters aren’t fully developed, and readers need to make inferences to fill in any missing information. How do the bards know what the spells will do when the music is played? There’s no evidence that Arlo is aware of what his music will create. However, accepting the magic as presented will allow readers to fully enjoy the quest to save Skald. Don’t overthink it.

The Final Verdict:

There’s more to becoming a hero than expected. The beautiful illustrations and action-packed adventure combine to form an enjoyable book. I recommend you give it a shot.