The Accursed Inheritance of Henrietta Achilles: Book 1

by Haiko Hörnig, Marius Pawlitza (Illustrator)

Overview

"Beautifully drawn, great facial expressions, great humor and mystery and fun, all the things you want an adventure fantasy comic to be!" —Kate Beaton

The life of Henrietta Achilles is about to change. After years of living as an orphan, she receives a summons to the strange town of Malrenard. To her surprise, she's the only living relative of Ornun Zol—a notorious wizard, now deceased, who leaves Henrietta with his house and everything in it.

With Ornun Zol gone, escaped creatures and misfired curses have been spilling out into Malrenard. If that's not enough, Henrietta will discover countless squabbling squatters inside her uncle's abode: soldiers, bandits, tiny monsters, and more. Then there's the matter of the strange black cat following Henrietta around . . .

"[A]n absolute delight." —Entertainment Weekly

"This story is full of adventure and is perfect for those that enjoy role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons...a joy to read." —Comicbuzz.com

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541586925
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Series:	A House Divided , #1
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.38(w) x 9.75(h) x (d)
Lexile:	GN250L (what's this?)
Age Range:	11 - 12 Years

About the Author

Haiko Hörnig is a writer of screenplays and graphic novels. He lives in Frankfurt, Germany, where he writes for various clients and works with Marius Pawlitza on their fantasy series A House Divided.

Marius Pawlitza was born in Königshütte, Poland but grew up in Ludwigshafen, Germany with comics and video games. After studying communication design in Mainz he started his first job in an advertisement agency. Today he lives in Frankfurt, draws comics and works as a freelance illustrator and art director.

Editorial Reviews

"[A] delightful romp through a lusciously illustrated fantasy world... definite recommendation where fantasy circulates." –School Library Journal Online

From the Publisher

06/19/2020

Gr 6 Up—Henrietta Achilles has had it rough: Because of the war, she grows up in an orphanage. But her life changes when she learns she had an uncle, the great wizard Ornun Zol, who died and left her his house. Henrietta is brought to Malrenard, a run-down town where even the sheep give her the side-eye—and where she discovers her uncle's house is really a tower stretching high into the sky. Each floor has different themes and labyrinths, and adventurers routinely enter to seek treasure. Henrietta is now responsible for any and all damage caused by her inheritance—easier said than done. This is a delightful romp through a lusciously illustrated fantasy world. Hörnig and Pawlitza draw inspiration from Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Saturday morning cartoons. Characters' expressive faces and body language make this goofy graphic novel incredibly fun. This first installment in a series introduces characters almost up until the cover closes; readers looking for a self-contained tale might be disappointed, but those seeking a new series to dive into will be pleased. VERDICT A charming graphic novel, and a definite recommendation where fantasy circulates.—Matisse Mozer, Los Angeles P.L.

School Library Journal

2020-01-07
Orphan Henrietta Achilles inherits a magical house in this action-packed graphic novel.

A war 9 years ago left Henrietta an orphan, so she's surprised when Renault, a gentleman in a top hat, takes her on a carriage ride to the mysterious town of Malrenard. She learns she's the last living relative of an uncle she never met—and he's died and left her an estate with treasure allegedly hidden all over the house. Upon arriving, Henrietta quickly gets pulled into a battle with two groups racing to search for a secret vault hidden inside the house. Cannons boom and swords flash, and dashing blond bandit Nate Flemming and his crew come to Henrietta's rescue. Humor abounds with witty banter, quiche thievery, alienlike creatures riding giant rats, and unexpectedly helpful stone statues that give either directions or riddles. Henrietta's hesitant to share that she's the owner of the estate—and when she's captured by the rival crew, they laugh at her and lock her in a cupboard. The plot is heavy with setup and brief introductions to numerous characters, laying the foundation for the mysteries of the estate to be revealed in future installments. Pawlitza's breathtaking illustrations of the skyscraper-sized house will delight while darker, claustrophobic scenes provide a nice emotional balance. Renault is black, and the majority of the cast appears to be white.

An entertaining adventure. (quiche recipe) (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews