Lush, disturbing artwork by Takeda (Ms. Marvel) creates an atmosphere of chaos, oppression, magic, and dread in this fantasy tale. Writer Liu (Astonishing X-Men) spins an interesting if confusing yarn about a war between humans and animal-like Arcanics, centering around a young -chosen one--type Arcanic, Maika Halfwolf. Human witches imprison and chop up the bodies of their Arcanic enemies in secret to eat their life force, an act that includes the dismemberment of Arcanic children. Maika breaks free from her fate, only to find that she-s possessed by a demon hiding within her arm. Takeda-s visuals recall realistic, gritty manga such as Lone Wolf and Cub, with magic and monsters to rival those of Hayao Miyazaki-s films. The bleak worldbuilding will satisfy fans of grim but humanist SF and fantasy. The labyrinthine drawings enchant, but the convoluted storytelling and extreme violence may drive away more casual readers. (July)

Gr 10 Up-In the aftermath of a terrible war, tension still exists between the humans and the animal-hybrids, Arcanics. Surviving Arcanics are sold as slaves by the Federation of Man and even experimented on by the Cumaea, powerful human witch-nuns who mine the precious life-giving Lilium produced from the bodies of captured Arcanics. Maika Halfwolf, a 17-year-old Arcanic, survived the war but at a devastating cost. Looking for revenge, she allows herself to be sold as a slave to infiltrate the Cumaean stronghold in Zamora. Once there, she uses her newly developed, terrible power to escape, free the captured Arcanics, and brutally attack the witch-nuns. She also steals a fragment of an ancient and powerful mask and murders a Cumaean elder who knows secrets from Maika's past. On the run from the Cumaea, the humans, and her own people, Maika must rely on herself and very few allies if she is to discover the secret of why her mother was murdered and, more important, who she is and what awful power she possesses. Collecting the first five issues of the popular comic, this is a beautifully written and complex book. Intricate and detailed, with a definite manga influence, Takeda's artwork creates a lush and dangerous world for Liu's equally dangerous characters. The work is infused with feminist themes; almost all of the characters are strongand deadlywomen. VERDICT Intended for mature audiences owing to the violence and nudity and filled with rage and barely contained fury, this is a book that will be wildly embraced by all fans of graphic literature.— Erik Knapp,Davis Library, Plano, TX