Long Lost Reviews is a monthly meme created by Ally over at Ally’s Appraisals which is posted on the second Thursday of every month. The aim is to start tackling your review backlog. Whether it’s an in-depth analysis of how it affected your life, one sentence stating that you only remember the ending, or that you have no recollection of reading the book at all.
Published: 13th July 2021
Publisher: First Second
Illustrator: Carey Pietsch
Pages: 272
Format: Graphic Novel
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Star
A desperate call for help interrupts holiday celebrations at the Bureau of Balance, and sends Taako, Magnus and Merle on a high-stakes mission to find and Reclaim a fourth deadly relic: a powerful transmutation stone, hidden somewhere in the depths of a floating arcane laboratory that’s home to the Doctors Maureen and Lucas Miller. An unknown menace has seized control of the stone, and is using it to transform the lab into a virulent pink crystal that spreads to everything it touches.
It’s only a matter of time before this sparkling disaster crash-lands, but in order to find the stone and save the whole planet from being King Midased, our heroes will have to fight their way through a gauntlet of rowdy robots and crystal golems, decide whether they can trust the evasive Lucas Miller, and solve the mystery of what—or who—has put them all in peril, before there’s no world left to save.
I love the entirety of The Adventure Zone podcast but this was also my least loved arcs so I was surprised to see how much I loved the graphic novel. I mean I still loved it, I loved all of the campaign, but it never stuck with me the ways the others did. Which is weird given how much stuff happens in this arc and how it started shaping the entire rest of the campaign into the masterpiece it becomes.
Seeing it visually play out reignited my admiration for Griffin’s storytelling and Clint’s ability to convert an audio into a visual medium. The illustrations by Pietsch were in top form once again and the effect of the crystal is balanced nicely, the feeling is conveyed of a place entirely crystallised while not becoming an eye sore for the reader.
The catch up on the previous book is as fun and informative as ever. I like how it changes each time, and the way the characters themselves reference previous arcs is a great fourth wall break. I also loved the way the interlude is included: bookending the story with the voiceover of the GM Griffin tantalising us with what is to come and cryptic messages.
This arc introduces some great characters like Kravitz, as well as Boyland. Not to mention the silent reference to the fun with elevators, Hodge Podge, and so many more memorable and quotable moments. The eater eggs and foreshadowing is a delight to those who know the podcast, and are fun additions to engage new readers.
The character designs for new characters are great, and just perfect in the Pietsch style. The end pages of the book include artwork from other artists which include their own designs and interpretations which was fantastic. As great as Pietsch’s are, I loved seeing fan art over the years of the podcast and seeing what people came up with. To have a selection included in the back as a bonus was a delight.
Clint adds a new approach to the characters as he must when adapting from a semi causal real play podcast, but he keeps it in line with the characters people know and love, keeping Griffin’s story on track and true. Key moments remain true and critical scenes and fan favourites keep the humour, romance, and drama going.
While it may not be as action packed as the others, and consisted of more puzzles and storytelling, it is still another step in the journey of this little band of misadventurers and I am keen to see it continue.
You can purchase The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom via the following
QBD | Booktopia | Blackwell’s
