Once again, old guy alert here...I'm old enough (and Canadian enough) to have actually watched The Starlost series when it came out.

Can't say I ever enjoyed it, but it was one of those things where, I'm only 12 or 13, I only had five channels, and when four of them are playing stuff I hate, well, hey it was SF, and the ship looked cool...and it did have that dude from 2001: A Space Odyssey...and even Walter Koenig showed up in one of the shows...



Okay, yeah, it was bad. Real bad. Ellison wasn't wrong.

Which brings us to this book, which is based on the script Ellison originally wrote. And I can totally see why a low-budget Canadian broadcaster would turn their nose up at it. It's far too good for what passed for quality Canadian programming back then.

It's actually a fun little story, and the art, by Alan Robinson, has a Gabriel Rodriguez (Locke & Key) vibe to it. The pacing could get a little weird at times, but I put that down to Harlan Ellison being...well...Harlan Ellison. He's the quintessential curmudgeon who's field of fucks was always barren, but he always firmly believed in his own work. If you don't believe me, read [b:The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay|216177|The City on the Edge of Forever The Original Teleplay|Harlan Ellison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387701962l/216177._SY75_.jpg|209287] and witness the debacle between him and Roddenberry. It's good stuff.

Anyway, I can't seem to find any follow-up to this volume, which is a shame, because I would have loved to see where Ellison would have taken it.

Either way, if you're a fan of Harlan Ellison's work, this is fun. If you're just an old fart like me who remembers (not quite fondly) those sporadic episodes of The Starlost you caught as a bored kid, this adds some extra dimension.

Worth the read.

( )

I'm torn on this one. I honestly didn't realize that this was based on a series that flopped, until I read a few other reviews. I know that this wasn't specifically my cup of tea, but I'll explain what I did and did not like as best I can.

The illustrations are detailed, and there is a nice use of light vs. dark to depict the overall tone of each page. In terms of setting, I'd relate it most closely to an Amish homestead. I believe John K. Snyder III is the illustrator, if I'm correct. He does a great job of showing the simplicity in which these people live. As the story progresses and things take a turn for the odd, the panels are more and more detailed and lovely. I really enjoyed Phoenix Without Ashes in this respect.

It was the story where things fell short for me. Devon's character wasn't really fleshed out very well at all, and a lot of the story was rushed through so quickly I felt confused. I really didn't get to know Devon at all. Except of course that he was a heretic and in love with a woman he shouldn't want. I know this is a graphic novel and that means there isn't as much room for story, supposedly. Really though, there is. I've read many a graphic novel where the sparse words and beautiful illustrations marry together to form a cohesive and wonderful experience. This one just didn't do that for me.

Final verdict? It was a good read, but not something I'll pursue further into the series. I would still recommend it to those of you who have an interest in Fantasy/Science Fiction graphic novels. It might be more your cup of tea than mine! ( )

based on Harlan Ellison's original pilot script (as opposed to the one actually filmed) for the shortlived 1973 SF TV series The Starlost. ( )

A nicely drawn comic about a generation ship whose inhabitants believe they are some kind of 18th century American religious group, and the sole unbeliever who flees the tribe to find the secret reality of existence. The plot has been done before, and is not incredibly deep, but it's realised quite well. I was left wondering if there was to be a sequel to this, though it works ok on its own. ( )