By Colleen Hybl
Nathan is just a regular human trying to make his way in the world of Nothing, but that all changes when he crosses the wrong people. Then he discovers that he is not a regular human; instead, he has magic. According to Naoki, the Imperial Prince of Nothing, it is believed that Nathan’s magic is the key to the tenuous peace between the humans and the volken--beings who can shift into animals. Due to Nathan’s newfound magic, the prince enlists his help to find an artifact that belonged to the companion of the goddess Lerina that could save their world.
With Haven--a being that is neither human or volken--and two volkens, Nathan accepts the prince’s quest to find the artifact. Yet time is not on their side, as a group of volkens is trying to stop them, and an impending doom is racing to meet them.
This fantasy graphic novel has great illustrations. There is a foreign language that is used to depict Haven’s native tongue, but through the other characters’ dialogue, readers can figure out the context of Haven’s speech. Some middle schoolers may resonate with Haven, who is referred to as a nonbinary character. The worldbuilding and the adventure story are sure to pull readers through to the end. Fantastic Tales of Nothing is the first book in a series.
