In-Wan Youn

Hello Fellow Readers!

So like everyone else I've heard of this being adapted to Netflix and before I dive into that I wanted to read the Graphic Novel. The premise of this sounds amazing, and it was...to a point. The first thing I would say is that it sort of starts and ends abruptly. I was looking to see if this was going to continue as a series or if this was a one-off but unfortunately, I can't find anything anywhere. If this was a series I would have rated it higher, because then I know I would be getting a conclusion to Yi Moon and Jae-ha's story.

I really liked Jae-ha and I really wish this was longer so I would be able to understand his character more, He definitely has the potential to be such a complex and great character, his banter with the other characters in the novel was one of the highlights. I also really like the way they created the undead in this, as well as showing the fact that in order to really stop this you had to heal the famine and resolve the war. This story had a amazing potential and if it was continued it could have become a favorite of mine.

The illustrations were also very good, I wished they would have been in color but it doesn't take away from the artwork that is just personal preference.

The bonus story was good, but a little too short for me to really give a rating on. It had a lot more violence and action than the first story, but I still found it interesting and would be willing to read more if it came out.

Overall, if this story had a conclusion or was a continuing series I would have rated it much higher, but as it stands I would need more

*A Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this for an honest and unbiased review*… (mere)

Hello Fellow Readers!

So like everyone else I've heard of this being adapted to Netflix and before I dive into that I wanted to read the Graphic Novel. The premise of this sounds amazing, and it was...to a point. The first thing I would say is that it sort of starts and ends abruptly. I was looking to see if this was going to continue as a series or if this was a one-off but unfortunately, I can't find anything anywhere. If this was a series I would have rated it higher, because then I know I would be getting a conclusion to Yi Moon and Jae-ha's story.

I really liked Jae-ha and I really wish this was longer so I would be able to understand his character more, He definitely has the potential to be such a complex and great character, his banter with the other characters in the novel was one of the highlights. I also really like the way they created the undead in this, as well as showing the fact that in order to really stop this you had to heal the famine and resolve the war. This story had a amazing potential and if it was continued it could have become a favorite of mine.

The illustrations were also very good, I wished they would have been in color but it doesn't take away from the artwork that is just personal preference.

The bonus story was good, but a little too short for me to really give a rating on. It had a lot more violence and action than the first story, but I still found it interesting and would be willing to read more if it came out.

Overall, if this story had a conclusion or was a continuing series I would have rated it much higher, but as it stands I would need more

*A Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this for an honest and unbiased review*… (mere)

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

The Kingdom of the Gods by In-Wan Youn is a book that I tried to write a review for about 3 times. I really struggled with what to say about this book. Because things happened but then not enough happened at the same time. This volume is only 4 chapters long, with the bonus story Burning Hell that is also 4 chapters long, so it just cracks the surface of the story by introducing the characters and the Living Dead Curse.

I thought this volume/book was a really good start and introduction to the story, characters and the world. But it also wasn’t the easiest to understand at times, the pacing felt a little off to me, possibly because some things got a little lost in translation from the original Korean to English making some of the dialogue and the flow of the story feel a little off.

I liked the characters, I especially like the dynamic between Doctor Su-Jeong, Jae-Ha and the Prince. I don’t remember his name or remember if his name is even mention honestly. It probably is but I just can’t remember it.

There was definitely some very creepy moments; abandoned villages, cannibalism, the zombies themselves. The art style definitely upped the creepiness factor to this story. I do think that it has some very good visual horror elements to it. But I didn’t feel much suspense while reading this story. Nor did I fear for the characters that much. By this I mean I wasn’t scared that they were going to die during this volume.

I enjoyed reading this book but I wasn’t 100% gripped by this story. For me, I found that it was just an easy, quick read that wasn’t that memorable. Definitely a good start with a decent amount of intrigue, and a different take on the whole zombie plague by setting this story in the Joseon period (1392–1897 Korea, the exact date isn’t stated when this is set) and calling it the Living Dead Curse. I liked that it wasn’t the typical way that such a virus spreads. Rather than it being air born and being bitten or scratched by a zombie this is spread in a pretty horrific way. I’m not going to say how exactly it’s spread because that would definitely spoil it.

Also, I liked that the zombies aren’t active the whole time. It’s only at night, when the sun is down, that the dead get up, walk or run (yeah these are fast zombies) and eat people. It’s not great for one of the characters that can’t see when the sun goes down. They can’t see at all and it’s hinted that has been caused by past trauma.

Overall, I found this book interesting. I liked the art style but sometimes thought that there was a little too much detail at times. More so during action scenes where there was just a lot visually to take it. I think that it’s a good start to a story but I don’t know if I found it enjoying or memorable enough for me to want to read the next one.

Bonus story: Burning Hell

Blurb: In ancient times, Japan and Korea would send its criminals to a penal colony called “Kyokudo”, situated in the channel between the two nations. There the cannibal Juu was sent for murdering over a thousand warriors while in Edo. Yet for an island meant for criminals, there was but one Korean medic, Han, exiled from Korea for killing and dissecting over a thousand people.

There is also a bonus story included in this volume, which I actually found more entertaining than The Kingdom of the Gods. I think this was probably because it had a slightly more lighthearted feel to it. There was humour there and it didn’t take itself too seriously.

It is a story about convicts that get sent to an island between Korea and Japan. They have no outside contact and are stuck there. Events lead to just two convicts, one from Korea and one from Japan, being the only living convicts on the island. And they want to kill each other.

I actually forgot that there was a bonus story included, so I was initially a little confused about why it was there.

I found the fights between Juu and Han to be pretty entertaining. And a little weird. Especially as they somehow seemed to communicate and talk to each other without either knowing the other’s language.

This isn’t a self-contained story, there’s a very open ending as if there should be more. From what I have managed to find about this story is that it was originally released in 2008 and hasn’t had any news or new releases since.

One thing is though is that if you get this volume of The Kingdom of the Gods you get a bonus story lifts the mood after you finish it.… (mere)