Dusty and the Great Champion – Learoyd – are making their way through the mountains. They’re trying to find a great source of magic to restore Dusty’s fallen city to the clouds. They find along the way other animal clans having trouble – a goat clan, all slaughtered save one, and a sheepfold losing their children and elderly to poisoned water. Dusty seems to be getting more powerful – he can do more advanced spells, and sustain them for a longer amount of time. Learoyd and Dusty know they must be getting closer to the magic source – but who, or what, will be waiting for them when they find it?

… To be honest, this volume really didn’t make a lot of sense. There are so many new elements that are introduced, and they all seem to clash together. Nothing is explained, so it’s not apparent how everything fits. I felt I had to go back and read the first volume to try and pick up the story again (and who’s got time for that?). The art is still beautiful, and I enjoy the way it’s laid out, with chapter title pages and things, like a blend of a print book and graphic novel. It’s pretty to look at; however, the story completely lost me.

– Kathleen

Busiek, Kurt, Benjamin Dewey, and Jordie Bellaire. The Autumlands (Vol. 2): Woodland Creatures. 2017.