Rise of the Halfling King - David Bowles - ★★★★.¼

AUTHOR: David Bowles

ILLUSTRATOR: Charlene Bowles

SERIES: Tales of the Feathered Serpent, #1

GENRE: Middle-grade Graphic Novel.

PUBLICATION DATE: September 1, 2020

RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: An OwnVoices middle-grade graphic novel narrating the story of “The Dwarf King of Uxmal”, a Mesoamerican myth. Fun story and interesting characters. Perfect for the age group.

Plot Preview:

A thousand years ago in the Yacatan Peninsula, the city of Uxmal was ruled by a cruel king named Kinich Kak Ek. So sure was he of his power that he was unfazed by a prophecy announcing the kind of person who would threaten his throne.

On the outskirts of the city, Sayam grew up with his grandmother, knowing that he was different from other kids: he was born from an egg, after all! His grandmother, who was a kind witch, taught him the ancient ways of magic.

What brings Kinich Kak Ek and Sayam into direct confrontation with each other? How will the prophecy be fulfilled? Read and find out!

Most mythological retellings seem to focus only on Greek or Norse mythology. But there are so many other indigenous cultures around the world that have a rich mythical heritage. This is my first time reading a retelling of a Mesoamerican myth, and I am keen to read more!

Author David Bowles has penned a nonfiction book on the myths of Mexico: ‘Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky.’ For a reason that he beautifully revealed in the author’s note, he has decided to take ten myths from his book and turn them into graphic novels for middle-graders. A brilliant idea, I say! Graphic novels are the best way of grabbing kids’ attention, so this format would certainly appeal to them and also teach them some amazing new indigenous stories. ‘Rise of the Halfling King’ is the first book of this planned series.

The story is exactly as you would expect from a children’s adaptation of a mythological story: simple but straightforward storytelling, good vs. bad theme, loads of magic and action, some fun animals, and a scary mythical creature to boot. As the ancient world and its denizens, especially the elfin Aluxes – the wise ancients – might be a bit unfamiliar to most readers, having the Dramatis Personae at the star helps a lot. (Bonus points for not revealing any plot spoilers in this section.)

Sayam and his grandmother are both fabulous characters. I love how his grandma doesn’t have just the ‘old dependent woman’ kind of role. She is an active part of Sayam’s learning and of his challenge against Kinich. Their story proves how magic is incomplete without wisdom and guidance. I’ve not often seen mythological stories giving older women such a powerful role in the narrative, so this was wonderful. I also loved the creative choice of making Sayam use modern phrases that not only prove his age as younger than the other characters but also allow little readers to identify better with him.

The illustrations are perfect for a middle-grade work. The simple art style brought back memories of childhood days filled with Tinkle and Amar Chitra Katha comics. I loved the characters and the depiction of their emotions.

At just 64 pages, the plot doesn’t go too deep, so some of the background details I wanted weren’t available. Then again, there are no loopholes and the story is complete, so children will definitely enjoy it. I’d love to pick up the original nonfiction work and learn more about this amazing mythology.

Definitely recommended to tweens and teens interested in reading an uncommon retelling of a Mesoamerican myth. It would also work well for adult readers wanting to test the waters of this mythology, though you must keep in mind that this is a beginner-level story and is written at that level. Looking forward to the rest of this series!

My thanks to Lee & Low Books and Cinco Punto Press for providing the DRC of “Rise of the Halfling King” via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.