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The Phoenix Requiem #1
The Phoenix Requiem: Volume One
The Phoenix Requiem is a Victorian-inspired supernatural fantasy story about faith, love, death, and the things we believe in.
On a cold December night, a gentleman stumbles into the town of Esk, gunshot wounds leaving a trail of blood in the snow behind him. Despite making a full recovery at the hands of an inexperienced nurse - and deciding to make a new life for himself in the town - he is unable to escape the supernatural beings, both good and bad, that seem to follow him like shadows.
As they try to discover why, the nurse must question her beliefs and risk her own life in order to protect her family, her friends, and those that she loves.
Warning: Contains horror, violence, supernatural themes, drug use, and brief suggestive content. PG-13.
From: http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/
On a cold December night, a gentleman stumbles into the town of Esk, gunshot wounds leaving a trail of blood in the snow behind him. Despite making a full recovery at the hands of an inexperienced nurse - and deciding to make a new life for himself in the town - he is unable to escape the supernatural beings, both good and bad, that seem to follow him like shadows.
As they try to discover why, the nurse must question her beliefs and risk her own life in order to protect her family, her friends, and those that she loves.
Warning: Contains horror, violence, supernatural themes, drug use, and brief suggestive content. PG-13.
From: http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/
198 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
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657 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 29, 2016
Gosh, Phoenix Requiem is simply indescribable. Not only is the plot laden with mystery and thick with suspense but the art was surreal and taken to a whole new level. I felt as if I myself was physically present among the beautifully drawn characters who had a backbone, background and distinct personalities.
I mean look at this gorgeous art. It seems painted and utterly realistic because of the attention to detail. The fact that the two MC's were charming and as quirky opposites of each other made me fall in love with them even further.
Additionally, it wasn't just a romance story with really interesting multi-layered characters. No, it was something much more since it had elements of fantasy and suspense beautifully tied together with tendrils of mythology. The key question surrounding the novel drove me to read on till the very end since my thoughts were a collection of all the silly assumptions I had made.
Sarah Ellerton manages to craft a story that makes you think one way and then takes a complete U-turn and stuns you. Basically, though you're given hints you never see it coming until the very end when you're left shocked and in utter disbelief.
The story revolves around Anya, a nurse who aspires to be a doctor amidst the disbelief in a setting similar to Victorian England who happens to resurrect the life back into Jonas, a sophisticated man on the brink of death through her care and constant vigilance. As time passes, romance slowly stirs but so do the supernatural. Ghosts, shades,spirits, helions- they all emerge...
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Initially, the characters didn't really seem fleshed out but as the pages turn and the story gets more gripping you eventually notice their unique personalities and can identify the airs around them. It gets faster and faster paced and then suddenly you get trapped along with them. Having the same concerns and sharing the same joys. You can't help but root for happiness amidst the chaos that slowly builds up until its a raging furnace and all hell has broken loose.
March 11, 2017
I honestly feel a little bad rating this graphic novel. I read this for r/Fantasy's 2016 Bingo card to fulfill the Graphic Novel requirement. This is the first graphic novel I've ever read (it's a medium that just didn't interest me in the past) so I have no concept of if this is fantastic, mediocre or awful. I read it via the author's website in a web format.
The art is pretty but didn't blow me away. The setting is sort of small-town/village Victorian. Generally I like Victorian era things, so that worked for me. The main character is Anya, an aspiring doctor. In the setting it's clearly unusual for a woman to be pursuing a career in medicine. The other characters are a man (Jonas) who is found shot in the woods that Anya nurses back to health, Anya's friend Petria (supposedly a tomboyish-girl, though that sort of confused me because she was drawn pretty obviously female despite the text indicating otherwise), and Robyn, a potentially mentally-disturbed military veteran with a crush on Anya.
I had a few things that were jarring to me that reduced my enjoyment. Petria - supposed to be barely recognizable as a girl (text) but drawn very flirty and feminine even if not in a dress. There seems to be a real confusion on how the author wanted to deal with sexism with Anya's chosen career and other character's reactions to it. Also completely inconsistent with the treatment of Petria. I get it since it's an alternate-Victorian era thing, but it was also a little odd as a reader. Lastly, there seemed to be a lot of unexplained plot holes/timeline holes you were supposed to fill in by inference, especially in time jumps between chapters.
The art is pretty but didn't blow me away. The setting is sort of small-town/village Victorian. Generally I like Victorian era things, so that worked for me. The main character is Anya, an aspiring doctor. In the setting it's clearly unusual for a woman to be pursuing a career in medicine. The other characters are a man (Jonas) who is found shot in the woods that Anya nurses back to health, Anya's friend Petria (supposedly a tomboyish-girl, though that sort of confused me because she was drawn pretty obviously female despite the text indicating otherwise), and Robyn, a potentially mentally-disturbed military veteran with a crush on Anya.
I had a few things that were jarring to me that reduced my enjoyment. Petria - supposed to be barely recognizable as a girl (text) but drawn very flirty and feminine even if not in a dress. There seems to be a real confusion on how the author wanted to deal with sexism with Anya's chosen career and other character's reactions to it. Also completely inconsistent with the treatment of Petria. I get it since it's an alternate-Victorian era thing, but it was also a little odd as a reader. Lastly, there seemed to be a lot of unexplained plot holes/timeline holes you were supposed to fill in by inference, especially in time jumps between chapters.
February 13, 2012
I absolutely love Sarah Ellerton's work.
I first read this when it was just a webcomic but life caught up with me and I eventually fell so far behind that I couldn't remember what was happening anymore that I just stopped reading it with the aim of re-reading it when it was finished. However, I discovered that she was printing the story into graphic novels and so I purchased the first volume.
I flew through it on a 2 hour train ride and was reminded of exactly why I love Ellerton. The story is beautifully told through both the mediums of text and drawings (and those drawings are beautifully done). She intertwines mystery, fantasy and humour to make a story that keeps you turning the page.
I can't wait until she prints the rest so I can finally find out what happens to the lovely Jonas.
I first read this when it was just a webcomic but life caught up with me and I eventually fell so far behind that I couldn't remember what was happening anymore that I just stopped reading it with the aim of re-reading it when it was finished. However, I discovered that she was printing the story into graphic novels and so I purchased the first volume.
I flew through it on a 2 hour train ride and was reminded of exactly why I love Ellerton. The story is beautifully told through both the mediums of text and drawings (and those drawings are beautifully done). She intertwines mystery, fantasy and humour to make a story that keeps you turning the page.
I can't wait until she prints the rest so I can finally find out what happens to the lovely Jonas.
May 10, 2015
3-4*
Tohle jsem četla už dost dávno, ale hrozně se mi to líbilo. Nadpřirozeno, magie a dechberoucí kresba. S dvěma fešáky v hlavních rolích a sympatické slečně do party. Naneštěstí jsem to nikdy nedočetla úplně do konce. Už ani nevím, kde jsem přesně skončila, jestli u 3. nebo 4. svazku? :/
Tohle jsem četla už dost dávno, ale hrozně se mi to líbilo. Nadpřirozeno, magie a dechberoucí kresba. S dvěma fešáky v hlavních rolích a sympatické slečně do party. Naneštěstí jsem to nikdy nedočetla úplně do konce. Už ani nevím, kde jsem přesně skončila, jestli u 3. nebo 4. svazku? :/
December 29, 2014
Very slow paced.
March 13, 2018
This is a visually lovely graphic novel, with excellent color/shading and expressive, well-defined character visuals (I want to say it's almost manga-esque in style). I can't recall who recommended it to me (Misty?) but thanks- it was a beautiful thing to read while dealing with work stress and medical procedures.
The story is set in a mythical kinda-English, kinda-Russia, with a somewhat Victorian feel (and shades of steampunk). The main character is a nurse, studying to be a doctor by basically being a maid to a curmudgeonly old surgeon- so clearly this is an era where women aren't encouraged to study medicine. At the same time, one of the side characters dresses like Audrey from Atlantis: The Lost Empire and does odd blue collar jobs around town for money and a place to sleep, which indicates a less strident set of gender norms. Oh, and there was a war (or several?) so another side character has ignored-by-everyone PTSD. In short, it's a world with a lot going on, but which felt a bit shaky to me.
The only area it fell a little flat for me was the pacing of the story. Maybe it picks up in future volumes, but this first novel is a bit...ethereal. The primary tension is romantic, and although there's an underlying "why are we seeing ghosts" and "what's killing the townsfolk" mystery, the romantic tension is by far the most present and driving. And I would rather see the others brought more to the fore. (Given the way the first volume ended, I suspect the ghosts one will be more established in volume 2).
Given how pretty it is, I'm going to see if I can get my mitts on volume 2, and see if the story gets any more solid for me.
The story is set in a mythical kinda-English, kinda-Russia, with a somewhat Victorian feel (and shades of steampunk). The main character is a nurse, studying to be a doctor by basically being a maid to a curmudgeonly old surgeon- so clearly this is an era where women aren't encouraged to study medicine. At the same time, one of the side characters dresses like Audrey from Atlantis: The Lost Empire and does odd blue collar jobs around town for money and a place to sleep, which indicates a less strident set of gender norms. Oh, and there was a war (or several?) so another side character has ignored-by-everyone PTSD. In short, it's a world with a lot going on, but which felt a bit shaky to me.
The only area it fell a little flat for me was the pacing of the story. Maybe it picks up in future volumes, but this first novel is a bit...ethereal. The primary tension is romantic, and although there's an underlying "why are we seeing ghosts" and "what's killing the townsfolk" mystery, the romantic tension is by far the most present and driving. And I would rather see the others brought more to the fore. (Given the way the first volume ended, I suspect the ghosts one will be more established in volume 2).
Given how pretty it is, I'm going to see if I can get my mitts on volume 2, and see if the story gets any more solid for me.
July 31, 2023
2023: Overly dramatic and a boring ending, with lovely artwork
I will be completely honest: I only read this because I am working through the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2023 and one of the prompts was "a finished webcomic". This is not something that I would seek out on my own, so I'm glad to have an excuse to try a new genre, but it's also not something that I would really recommend that you also seek out for yourself. I felt that the characters were not well-fleshed out, and I think the comic really could benefit from more thought bubbles and not just dialogue bubbles.
The plot of this comic leaves something to be desired. It was all very dramatic, without going anywhere. The end result was basically "you're half dead, which means that you're also half alive, so no worries, that's cool, let's get married!" *eye roll* But we love a lady doctor during a time when it was difficult for women to become doctors (what time period was that exactly though?) It was a little spooky to find out that this was written between 2007 and 2010, because some of the scenes with the masks and the contaminated water supply were giving me Covid vibes.
I will be completely honest: I only read this because I am working through the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2023 and one of the prompts was "a finished webcomic". This is not something that I would seek out on my own, so I'm glad to have an excuse to try a new genre, but it's also not something that I would really recommend that you also seek out for yourself. I felt that the characters were not well-fleshed out, and I think the comic really could benefit from more thought bubbles and not just dialogue bubbles.
The plot of this comic leaves something to be desired. It was all very dramatic, without going anywhere. The end result was basically "you're half dead, which means that you're also half alive, so no worries, that's cool, let's get married!" *eye roll* But we love a lady doctor during a time when it was difficult for women to become doctors (what time period was that exactly though?) It was a little spooky to find out that this was written between 2007 and 2010, because some of the scenes with the masks and the contaminated water supply were giving me Covid vibes.
January 10, 2017
Well, I like it.
I like the story and the characters but I'm not too fond of the art. Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of digital comics: they look way too perfect to be true. And yeah, the shapes are perfect the color are perfect (though a bit weird here and there)... but it lacks naturalness.
The story in this volume is more an introduction than else. We see the two main protagonists starting to interact with each other and the secondary characters completing the picture. There should be a supernatural element but for the time being there are only weird shadows. And the bizarre sickness that's killing tons of people.
Anya is a nice main protagonist but I haven't made my mind up on Jonas yet. I really dislike the doctor, that's sure.
I don't know if I'll read the web-comics, though. I like the story but I hate reading comics on the web: I can't concentrate enough to read them. Don't ask me why.
I like the story and the characters but I'm not too fond of the art. Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of digital comics: they look way too perfect to be true. And yeah, the shapes are perfect the color are perfect (though a bit weird here and there)... but it lacks naturalness.
The story in this volume is more an introduction than else. We see the two main protagonists starting to interact with each other and the secondary characters completing the picture. There should be a supernatural element but for the time being there are only weird shadows. And the bizarre sickness that's killing tons of people.
Anya is a nice main protagonist but I haven't made my mind up on Jonas yet. I really dislike the doctor, that's sure.
I don't know if I'll read the web-comics, though. I like the story but I hate reading comics on the web: I can't concentrate enough to read them. Don't ask me why.
March 4, 2018
I love the art style, the storyline, the fact that I have no idea what is going on at all which is so new to me because I either have heard about it or know about it ahead of time. On top of that, I can usually guess pretty quickly what is going to happen or what it is going to be about. It's serious but also incredibly playful in the way it is written and drawn and I absolutely love that. It is so good.
Comic books are so amazing, especially if you don't have a lot of time to grab a physical book to read because they usually only take a top of an hour to read so you can easily read for five or ten minutes and go through a large chunk of the book.
I borrowed this one and the second volume from a friend and can not wait to get into the others as well and learn a lot of the story and what is really going on.
Comic books are so amazing, especially if you don't have a lot of time to grab a physical book to read because they usually only take a top of an hour to read so you can easily read for five or ten minutes and go through a large chunk of the book.
I borrowed this one and the second volume from a friend and can not wait to get into the others as well and learn a lot of the story and what is really going on.
May 20, 2019
This is the first true web comic I've read. I enjoyed it very much despite not being able to read a graphic novel as I usually would - with lots of pondering the art, holding the pages right up to my face to see what little easter eggs I missed, etc.
The premise is that a mysterious wounded stranger shows up in town on a cold winter's night. A young apprentice named Anya takes him into her care. We meet her friends Robyn and Petria, and get a sneak look at her boss and another character just known as "the professor". The plot isn't muddled, which I find happens too often in this form of media. There is some vague mention of spirits or some such hocus-pocus, but mostly the focus just seems to be on introducing the characters.
I look forward to the next one.
April 23, 2018
When I first read this webcomic series about 7 years ago, I thought it was just a little too lacking in good structure for my taste. Come to find out that there is a broken link that jumps you from the mid 50's to page 203 when you hit the 'next' button. I was missing over 100 pages of story. No wonder I thought it lacking in structure and development!!!!
I'm re-reading now with great interest and keep thinking, "I have no memory of this scene! WTF?" so I'm paying attention to the page numbers every time I hit 'next.'
I'm re-reading now with great interest and keep thinking, "I have no memory of this scene! WTF?" so I'm paying attention to the page numbers every time I hit 'next.'
January 22, 2023
A mysterious, wounded stranger is found in the woods. Anya, a nurse training to be a doctor, takes over the stranger's care. Meanwhile, a strange new disease emerges leading to many gruesome deaths in the village.
For the 2023 Read Harder Challenge, I needed to read a completed webcomic and this Victorian-inspired paranormal fantasy seemed like one that I would enjoy. The first volume introduces the major players and mysteries. I liked it, but didn't feel like I got too into the meat of the story. Looking forward to working through the next 4 volumes.
CW: gore, guns, medical procedures, religious shaming
For the 2023 Read Harder Challenge, I needed to read a completed webcomic and this Victorian-inspired paranormal fantasy seemed like one that I would enjoy. The first volume introduces the major players and mysteries. I liked it, but didn't feel like I got too into the meat of the story. Looking forward to working through the next 4 volumes.
CW: gore, guns, medical procedures, religious shaming
June 4, 2017
I read the five volumes of The Phoenix Requiem in one go, and will review them in one go. My thoughts: A very beautifully illustrated fantasy graphic novel with an intriguing story which started well and kept me reading, but left me feeling a bit confused and let down by the end of it.
January 23, 2019
Dear Author, the world didnt deserve such a well written and beautifully drawn book, but you still gave it to us. You're story is captivating, and so thought out. Nothing was missing. I've read the series multiple times, and have forced my friends to read it too.
March 22, 2017
Good quality art and a cheesy but addictive story.
June 8, 2017
This is the best comic I have read in a while.
September 27, 2017
Absolutely lovely. The art is beautiful and the story is very interesting. I love Jonas. He's so odd, yet charming.
January 24, 2018
Well, this was an unexpected pleasure to read!
February 17, 2018
3.5 stars
July 23, 2018
3.5/5 Stars
The plot is intriguing and the art is good. I'm interested in seeing where the story goes.
The plot is intriguing and the art is good. I'm interested in seeing where the story goes.
January 27, 2023
Uma graphic novel maravilhosa, bem do estilo que eu gosto, com mistérios, um pouquinho de terror, e mulheres fortes e inteligentes. É a primeira webcomic que leio, gostei muito da experiência.
March 22, 2023
Review to come
August 20, 2023
I guess I'm really in the mood for comics lately, because I'll be reading this entire series over the next few days instead of being otherwise productive. I'm not sure this is the best graphic novel I've ever read, though, or even one of the best. The art, which I don't dislike, occasionally bugged me with its overreliance on digital shading tools. The facial expressions were pretty good, though, and were exaggerated, though realistic.
The characters were nice, too. Anya was definitely a decent protagonist, though the story kind of skirted around the issue of her being a doctor in a Victorian setting. I suppose Jonas was my favorite, since I always love snarky, mysterious characters, and I really liked Robyn as well. Petria I could take or leave, though.
I think my biggest problem with her was that she was very tomboyish, which is fine, but didn't match the setting. The author noted in her FRQ section that the comic is not supposed to be historically accurate, but it still annoyed me, mainly because besides gender standards, I have no idea how the world the story takes place in is different from our own, especially since it never left the one town. But a lot of the story felt like setup, so maybe I'll find out in the next volume.
The characters were nice, too. Anya was definitely a decent protagonist, though the story kind of skirted around the issue of her being a doctor in a Victorian setting. I suppose Jonas was my favorite, since I always love snarky, mysterious characters, and I really liked Robyn as well. Petria I could take or leave, though.
I think my biggest problem with her was that she was very tomboyish, which is fine, but didn't match the setting. The author noted in her FRQ section that the comic is not supposed to be historically accurate, but it still annoyed me, mainly because besides gender standards, I have no idea how the world the story takes place in is different from our own, especially since it never left the one town. But a lot of the story felt like setup, so maybe I'll find out in the next volume.
January 24, 2016
The artwork is amazing. The story is amazing. And the characters are amazing. You could not ask for a better story. I have to be honest, I binge read the entire webcomic over the weekend. For some reason, I felt like diving into an old comic that I hadn't read in a long while. When I first read this, I just couldn't get into it, which really annoyed me. The plot is unique and the characters are real. There are spurts of action; however, I wish that there were more. I do have to say that there is only one thing that I dislike about this. With webcomics and graphic novels, the story solely depends on the scenes and the dialogue. Sometimes, long and drawn out dialogue takes away from the story. Often, I couldn't skip it because the dialogue is critical to the story. Though there was some action, I do wish that there was a little bit more. Sarah excellently portrays each emotion, each thought, and each action throughout her work.
November 4, 2013
So I binged on the whole webcomic over the course of this weekend, and holy crap it was amazing. The artwork is beautiful and I do love the chemistry between the two main characters - however, there were bits of the story that were lacking. The ending, for example. It just sort of...ends. Drops off. The history and religion of the world they're living in is never really explained, and the whole plague thing never really feels like a threat - it is just there in the background. I kind of wish that this comic had gone on for a lot longer than 800 pages. I would have gladly read 1,500 pages worth of this comic.
But, then again, despite it's problems it really is damn pretty to look at. I would rather have had a super-happy love-conquers-all-wedding-sex-and-babies ending. Because I'm a schmuck.
Definitely recommend. Go read now.
But, then again, despite it's problems it really is damn pretty to look at. I would rather have had a super-happy love-conquers-all-wedding-sex-and-babies ending. Because I'm a schmuck.
Definitely recommend. Go read now.
April 19, 2014
I am on again/off again browsing the internet for new and exciting webcomics. This one caught my eye on an a completed webcomics list. Although labeled a supernatural romance, this is essentially the origin story of the "Grim Reaper". The characters are lovable, if a bit eccentric, and their back story is what makes this a tale worth reading. In this first volume, Ellerton is allowing the reader to become attached to the characters before anything too serious starts happening. I won't give any spoilers for this first volume, but I do highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in supernatural tales.
February 7, 2016
Loved this and continuing on (immediately!) to Volume 2. I normally don't sit and read webcomics but I started reading this and couldn't tear myself away...Broke a cardinal rule and ate my lunch at the computer even so I could keep reading. I will be interested to see exactly what the disease is that is spreading, whether there is a romance brewing between Jonas and Anya and what Armand's "deal" is.
February 5, 2014
Just going to say that it's very good and that I liked it. A good psuedohistorical supernatural mystery-romance with some good worldbuilding.
And hey, the male lead looks like David Tennant and has moments when he sounds like the Doctor (with a flashback cameo to a Tennant!Hamlet look). How much better could it get?
And hey, the male lead looks like David Tennant and has moments when he sounds like the Doctor (with a flashback cameo to a Tennant!Hamlet look). How much better could it get?
June 2, 2015
Took me two days to read, well worth the hours spent. Lovely artwork. The story could get a little twisty -- I must admit, I'm still not 100% sure of what happened in the conclusion. But that'll probably come with a second read. Fantastic indie comic, more that just a fluffy romance for sure there is a lot by way of discussing morals and ethics regarding faith.
October 19, 2012
Ellerton's artwork is so gorgeous. The pacing of this first volume is a little uneven, but the characters and story are interesting and engaging enough that I still had a hard time putting it down, figuratively speaking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews