The Mushroom Knight Vol. 1

by Oliver Bly

Overview

A chivalrous faerie mushroom embarks on a quest to uncover a clandestine threat that has brought calamity to his magical woodland kingdom. An adolescent girl from northwest Philadelphia desperately searches for her lost dog. As their destinies coalesce, a whimsical friendship forms. But peril is nigh, and their respective journeys threaten to challenge the foundation of their realities...and reality itself. David the Gnome meets David Lynch in this boundary crossing ecological fantasy filled with humor, horror, depth and delight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781545809884
Publisher:	Mad Cave Studios
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Series:	The Mushroom Knight , #1
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	49 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Oliver Bly is a cartoonist, mycology enthusiast, and invasive Philadelphian currently residing in Western Washington. His debut graphic novel, The Mushroom Knight, is an ontological urban faerie tale that explores the ecology of our day from a variety of perspectives—some plant, some animal, some human-animal, and some... decidedly none of the above. He is the winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award at the 2024 Eisner Awards. 

Editorial Reviews

Bly’s riotously imaginative dark fairy tale debut plunges readers into a “wide green world” of adventure beneath the feet of oblivious humans. [...] Fantasy lovers will relish this gorgeously wrought escapade.

Publishers Weekly

A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.

Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW

★ 2024-01-19
A heroic mushroom works tirelessly to maintain balance in his magical hidden world in Bly’s graphic novel.

Outside the veil of human perception is a magical world, Glöd, created by the Gödels, a mysterious, ancient group. When the Candle Fly, an important crystal with life-altering magic, is stolen from the small village of Pertwee, Gowlitrot the Gardener is sent to find it and bring it back. His friend, Ranger Erdagaude, is the presumed culprit, so, in addition to the Candle Fly, Gowlitrot seeks answers about his friend’s apparent betrayal. But when he does find her, he is only left with more questions. The worldbuilding is gradual; Bly weaves details about the setting into the narrative using flashbacks and alternating point-of-view characters. The inhabitants of Pertwee are a diverse menagerie of fairy-like creatures, ranging from rodentlike Grekin to the goblin-inspired Chief. Gowlitrot self-identifies as a Tridipidean, “a species of sentient bipedal basidiomyc-…er, well, mushroom.” Gowlitrot is a Ranger; he explains there are two other types of his species: Magi, who are unseen in this volume, and Knights, to whom readers are introduced in the imposing figure of Primrod. Rendered in vivid, colorful detail in Bly’s illustrations, the creatures of Glöd are a combination of creepy and cute, in the manner of Tim Burton characters. Their diction matches their adorable/weird designs; absurd phrases, like “I can see your Filbert,” “you’ve made me squirt out a cuss,” and “mind yer clompers, ya goose!” dominate the dialogue, endearing the populace to the reader. Much of the story is told from Gowlitrot’s perspective, but others’ perceptions of him complicate the character in compelling ways (the aforementioned Grekin seems to idolize Gowlitrot while side character Mr. Perchant considers him a fascist). Though it lacks a satisfying resolution, this series-starter hooks the reader sufficiently to return for further installments of the whimsical fantasy story.

A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.

Kirkus Reviews