Like most of the deluxe editions, there are three stories. First, a story about Rodney, a wooden soldier in the Adversary's army, who falls in love with June, who repairs his wounds, and they journey to ask their creator, if they can be made human. Yes, but the creator exacts a terrible price, which will likely see in a future story arc. The main story is Mowgli's ongoing search for Bigby Wolf to win Basheer's freedom, and returning him to New York, at the behest of Mayor Charming. Mowgli was very resourceful and clever to find his quarry. Finally, there is a story about Cindy (Cinderella) aligning with the giants in the clouds, where Bigby threatens the Adversary with dire consequences, if he continues to harass Fabletown. A joyful reunion. ( )

Man mano che vado avanti nella lettura delle Fables si Bill Willingham apprezzo sempre più l’ampiezza del progetto, la capacità di inserire all’interno di un racconto di ampia portata narrativa dei piccoli camei. Come la “Ballata di Rodney e di June”, la bellissima storia d’amore che apre il volume nella quale due componenti dell’esercito dei soldatini legno decidono di diventare umani per dare un senso al loro amore. Quando Willingham torna alla storia principale riappaiono Moegwli e Luca Wolf, la sopravvivenza di Favolandia è più importante delle storie dei singoli personaggi delle favole, i cui destini sono relegati ad una funzione ausiliaria. Un esercito importante, ed imponente, che in questo volume vendica la battaglia dell’esercito dei soldati di legno, bruciando il bosco di Geppetto. Grandi storie per una grande saga. ( )

Brilliant continuation of a truly wonderful series.

This gorgeous hardcover edition contains a decent amount of added material in the back. The script for the main story, artwork, alternative covers.. it's beautiful and I love it.

In addition to continuing the main thrust of the Fables series plot this volume contains two additional tales. One is from the perspective of a Wooden Soldier, which adds an interesting depth to the enemy that hasn't been previously seen. The other is another Cinderella adventure, which is always entertaining as I'm a bit of a sucker for a good caper. What more could you need?

The artwork is stunning, the writing sharp and effective. Every page just pushes the reader onward deeper into the rich and vibrant worlds that [a: Bill Willingham|12444|Bill Willingham|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1347423972p2/12444.jpg] has created. Who could ask for more? ( )

This volume contains 2 two-parter's (The Ballad of Rodney & June and Wolves), one longer story (Happily Ever After) and a one-shot (Big and Small) which makes this the smallest book in the series so far. Rodney & June is a love story with both protagonists being members of The Adversary's wooden army. Rodney is a lieutenant currently helping to defend a captured town from the Arabian fables who keep insisting on trying to win it back. He meets June after one such attack leaves him wounded and in need of repair. June is a woodcarver and is currently serving with Rodney's unit as a temporary replacement to cover the leave of the regular woodcarver. He keeps making excuses to go and see her and thinks he might be falling in love and maybe June feels the same way. But what do two of the wooden folk know of love and surely it can't end well for the two of them?

Wolves follows Mowgli's search for Bigby, as he has a proposition for him from Prince Charming. Mowgli follows the trail to Russia but seems to meet a dead end when he reaches the Bering Strait but Mowgli has a few tricks up his sleeve but will it be enough and what will he find at the end of the trail? Happily Ever After follows on immediately after this and as I don't want to give anything away I'll just say that a plan of action is put into play which could see the beginning of the end of Fabletown's war with The Adversary. Finally, Big and Small sees Cinderella doing something she'd rather not, a diplomatic mission in the Cloud Kingdoms. Much more at home with cloak and dagger, can she keep her temper and impatience under wraps to get a treaty signed?

Filling out the volume are the full script for Happily Ever After (always interesting to see how a comic book is put together), maps of Fabletown and The Farm and a gallery featuring full page posters of some of the Fables characters by various artists as well as some pages from the sketchbook of Mark Buckingham and finishes off with the biographies of those involved with making this particular edition.

The illustrations are once again gorgeous and really suit the glossy paper format of these deluxe editions. It was hard to read some of the letter/journal entries that abound in the first tale as they portend to be actual excerpts from the actual documents themselves. Overall it does add something to the story though and differentiates between that and other text formats used. A little on the short side perhaps but still a very good read. ( )