Leviathan (2011)
Author: Mike Carey | Illustrator: Peter Gross | Page Count: 144
‘He had wondered before, who had imagined his world. Now he had a new question. Who was narrating it?’
In some cases Tom's extensive 'literary geography' is just that, a geographical knowledge, he hasn't read the text to which the location pertains. But now, whether he's read it or not, he's living inside someone else's novel and he'll share the ultimate fate of its characters if he doesn't find a way out before the story reaches its end.
But what choice does he have? To discover his truth he must "walk the map" created by his elusive father, Wilson Taylor, a man who turned his son into a living weapon.
The confidence that author Mike Carey has in his work shines through in Volume 04, particularly in the quiet moments, of which there are many this time; too many, perhaps, for some folks, but they serve a purpose.
About halfway through things get kicked up a gear and our understanding of what and why happenings are the way they are for Tom is expanded.
Searching for something but unaware of what is a feeling that many of us will be able to relate to. Tom's search is for 'the source'. He has a name, yes, but he doesn't know what it actually is.
The nautical theme is everywhere, which isn't surprising given the location that the story is set. Most of the literary characters used have some connection to water, but, while most of them will be recognisable even to people who haven't read their source text — such is their contextual influence in popular culture — not all of them are explicitly named, which was a little frustrating.
The book isn't all about Tom's watery journey, though. Both Lizzie and Richie have problems of their own - Richie, perhaps, most of all. And in spite of everything new, it seems like every forward advancement in comprehension connects back to the Villa Diodati, and to Wilson Taylor.
The book collects together The Unwritten, issues 19-24.
Individual covers. Click for FULL size:
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