Rapid Review: Saga Vol 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.

Saga: Volume 1 

by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.

Finished reading: 2/1/21.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Saga is a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque fantasy/sci-fi tale of two soldiers from opposite sides of a galactic war who are trying to a find a place in the world for their newborn baby whilst being chased by the galactic authorities. The story is narrated by the couple’s daughter who is telling the story of her life as an adult.

I’ve heard so much hype online about Saga over the years but never thought a Sci-fi comic series was particularly my cup of tea. However, I recently decided to give it a chance and wow this was such an entertaining read! I wasn’t expecting it to be nearly as funny, dry or witty as it turned out to be. The ending really had me wanting to get my paws on volume 2 immediately.

The whole concept is so creative and artfully put together. Everything is thrown into this series, winged soldiers, magic goats, robot royalty, multiple-limbed bounty hunters, baby-sitter ghosts, torso-less sex workers, lie-detecting dogs, you name it! Yet somehow whilst reading it, none of it seems particularly weird. I think the witty dialogue really helps to ground these bizarre characters into becoming somewhat ‘normal’ people with everyday problems. And the bold, colourful illustrations really suck you into this alternate universe. At times it almost felt like I was dreaming. The whole universe feels so distinct and real, it is certainly crafted with expertise. I really applaud the imaginations used to conjure such as weird and wacky world for such a weird and wacky story.

I’m still undecided whether to continue with the series. When I found out there are almost 60 volumes in total it made me slightly less desperate to become more invested in the story! I really enjoyed the concept and it intrigued me enough to want to read on a little further. However, it didn’t blow me away enough to fully commit to the series. Overall I really enjoyed the introduction to this story and I can see why it is so popular!