Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen

So many people on my twitter feed shared the clip of the cancelled animated film of this graphic novel. It looked amazing! And reading this book made me even more disappointed that it was cancelled.

When a grain trader is lost, three mouse guards are tasked with finding him. Lieam, Kenzie, and Saxon travel to his last known location and look for clues. After a deadly fight with a snake and its babies, they discover a plot to take the capital city of Lockhaven. This intelligence sends several other guards off on missions to find the traitors to the crown. David Peterson has written and drawn an awesome tale of intrigue and fighting that any fan of fantasy and art will sure to love.

If you’re like me, you love the details of worldbuilding: the mythos, the oaths, the gossip traded in the pub in the small mill town. Peterson does this in every drawing and piece of dialogue. And includes additional details in the fun afterward called: Maps, Guides, and Assorted Extras.

The many threads in the story trace the political unrest and the undying loyalty of the guards to defend their famed city. I read and then reread many pages to enjoy the art as well as the amusing plot points. For example, there’s an ingenious move by the original three guards to distract a spy who is following them. Two stage a duel so the third can get away to find further information about the dark organization call simply, The Axe.’

If you read this, be on the lookout for crab fights, wall breaches, and swordplay by an exciting group of brave mice!