Sojourn, Vol. 1: From the Ashes TPB
Review by Dindrane
Story:
Art:

Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Greg Land
Inks by Drew Geraci
Colored by Caesar Rodriguez
Letters by Troy Peteri
Cover Art by Greg Land and Justin Ponsor

Published by CrossGen
Contents: Collects the Prequel and issues #1-6
Price: $19.95

My advice: Buy it FAST

Sojourn tells the story of Arwyn, a woman who once had everything—-a loving husband, a beautiful daughter, a nice home—-and now, because of the evil sorcerer warlord Mordath, Arwyn has nothing. Nothing that is, except pain and the sincere desire for revenge. From the Ashes beings with the back story of Mordath’s former life as a warlord and his eventual defeat by the mysterious archer Ayden. With this tale, readers immediately learn a great deal about the culture of this new world, as well as the various races that inhabit it. After some years of peace and prosperity, readers are introduced to Arwyn and see what happens to make of her a heroine, when all she wanted was a normal life.

The characters of Sojourn are fascinating, even the dog Kreeg, who may not be so cliché as to talk, but is still a presence on the scene. Arwyn is conflicted, but not irritating or possessed of to much post-modern angst, Gareth is amusing and clever, and the mysterious Neven is, well, mysterious. All of the characters work together to form a world that’s consistently interesting and can sustain a reader’s interest the length of a trade paperback and beyond.

The plot is nicely crafted as well, combining fantasy, adventure, and tragedy deftly. There’s enough comedy to relieve the grittiness of Arwyn’s world, but not enough to degrade the real tragedy all around her or to minimize her own personal loss.

The art of From the Ashes is by turns beautiful and terrible, as the story demands. The scenes of Mordath’s army in the beginning of the book are suitably grand and frightening, as is the imagery of the resulting destruction. Yet Arwyn, Neven, and the positive aspects of this world provide a perfect contrast, reminding the reader that all is not yet lost and that there’s something worth fighting for.

From the Ashes is, in short, a finely-crafted story of a strong woman and her search for revenge and justice that becomes, somehow, about more than just causing pain to those who caused her losses. What more it becomes will be revealed in future issues, but for now, the reader is content to know that Arwyn has a path before her and, difficult as it is, she isn’t afraid to walk it--nor must she walk it alone.