This was a great and very interesting graphic novel. I just loved all the detailed pictures. There was a great use of expression and colour. Making it a fantastic reading experience. The story was great, thrilling and shocking in places. I loved how involved in the story I was. It was great reading about female snipers. I couldn't put it down and read it all in one sitting. The ending was shocking, and I didn't see it coming. This is a great read for teenagers and adults. I really recommend this book.

So much praise goes out to the authors, illustrators, and publishers for creating this brilliant story. I will definitely be looking out for more titles.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/sara-by-garth-ennis-steve-epting-tko-studios-4-stars under ladyreading365

A Garth Ennis war comic? Say it ain't so. Sara is broadly as bloodthirsty as much of Ennis's other work, particularly in this genre, though as it concerns snipers the blood is usually contained to the "pheetoooo" of a bullet whipping through a body. But colour artist Elizabeth Breitweiser gets to do some lovely blood-on-snow compositions, and this is not as mired in the mud and guts of war. The story is a deceptively simple one, Sara is a Soviet sniper - the best of her all-female troop - on the Western Front, as the Nazi's are advancing. We see her day-to-day activities, normally solitary, as she takes out opposition officers, and then in the evening as she socializes in the barracks or deals with the political officer. We also get flashbacks to her training, to see what makes her so good (hint - in the first instance it's hate). As the story progresses she starts to question the morality of her own side, the reports to the political officer, and what is done in the name of morale. And then an inevitable showdown.

Sara is a war comic, and trades in the cynicism, but it is actually more like a Western, with Sara as the Wyatt Earp figure - the tallest poppy in her field. Like a revisionist Western this sees no glory in her actions, or in war. This may be a commentary on communism, but it feels a little more sophisticated than that, at least from this perspective. All that being said, the structure makes the plot rather inevitable, it is going for a classic statement here rather than trying to surprise the reader. It does reach that level as Ennis is good at this kind of clear-eyed cynicism (he is good at all kinds of cynicism), and Epting's art mixes dynamic war comic style with something a little softer and more expressive for the women back at base. Sara, for a mass killer, is a very appealing presence and despite being a loner there is enough going on around her that illuminates her actions (though her narration certainly helps). A cut above the average war comic, even if it doesn't give you much in the way of surprises.

I honestly have never seen the like – five stars from three of the most competent and experienced observers of graphic novels on this here goodreads? Sam Quixote, Chad, and that there Dutchman with the unlikely-looking avatar? Now, when it comes to me, five stars is hen's-teeth rare, along the lines of Graham Greene reviewing cinema for us and finding perhaps three five-star films a year, as he once discussed. They have to go above and beyond expectation, be the things you need to etch on gold discs, stick to the side of planetary probes and send off to alien civilisations as the best of what we are. They have to make me fall in love.

I fell in love with Sara's eyes, but the key point is they're hardened by looking down a gun barrel for too long. She's a WW2 sniper, one of a handful of lasses who got the job in the new Soviet era of women doing high-end jobs while there aren't enough blokes to do them. She does have gorgeous eyes, but the lads on the patrols thereabouts always cat-call to her colleagues. More fool them, for Sara has the drive (cue backstory) and determination (cue steely-faced visage) and talent (cue training montage) to be the last lass standing. Or has she?

The snowy hell-hole of this field of war could not have been done better, for sure, and if you know nothing about comics coming into this, you know immediately the colourist, Elizabeth Breitweiser, is A-grade and beyond. But something about the telling of the piece, the bitty way each and every issue in a six-part story had to flash to and fro in the timeline, put me off. And it wasn't done to bonkers level, but it was there and it just didn't feel that necessary. Ennis does this throughout his war comix – the fighter ace in action, then having a knuckle-dust with his superior officer way back when, then something else, then more action etc. He likes to keep us on our toes. But keeping us on our toes while being breathlessly still like our heroine didn't work as a combination. And isn't just the solitary word "two" in the events leading to the conclusion just a big, bad cop-out?

This has a lot of things – superlative colouring of supreme art; some little bit of the tension of being a wartime sniper in the snow, rifle wrapped up in bandages or some such to keep it from jamming with the cold; and the moral that even to a pioneer like Sara the Soviet entity might not have been all that great to fight for. But did it have a five star quality? No. It has a maturity and a conviction about itself, and of course entertainment at a base level, but I stick with four stars and the title stays earthbound.

* Reviewed in honour of a deluxe edition with shed-loads of bonuses, none of which I got to witness.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher TKO Studios for an advanced copy of this deluxe edition graphic novel of World War II.

World War II for all of its brutality and chaos has long been a source for many different types of storytellers. There are the nonfiction of course books about battles, atrocities, heroism, gallantry and of course villainy and banality of evil. Fiction stories about Germans winning, spies, conspiracies and for some reason recently a lot about female librarians. Comic creators have also used World War II, EC comics and their famous war comics, Sgt. Fury, Sgt. Rock, even the Creature Commandos. Stories about good guys, bad guys and people just trying to survive. World War II is the theater in which Garth Ennis has produced some of his strongest stories. And Sara written by Ennis and illustrated by Steve Epting is one of his best, a war story, a story about comrades, causes, fighting for your country, fighting when you have nothing, and the futility of it all.

The year is 1942 and the Soviet Union is throwing every life it can against the onslaught of the Nazi war machine. Sara is a sniper, part of an all female unit of shooters and spotters, whose job is to go behind enemy lines, stay hidden, cause chaos and get out. Sara goes alone, not wanting to risk others as she punishes the Nazis for the destruction of her family and her entire village. Sara and her team are so good, and the propaganda of these female avengers so boosting of Soviet morale that the Germans has targeted them with their own counter- sniper team. However Sara has a plan.

Garth Ennis can be one of the most out there writers in comics with Preacher, The Boys even Hitman, a personal favorite. However it is the milieu of World War II that really brings all his skills together to create a powerful work like Sara. The story is mean, dark, funny, super violent, depressing, hopeful and full of love and full of despair. Usually on the same page. The characters are all rich, with backstories, and actions that are believable. The violence might be over the top, and a little action movie-ish, but still works. The way the characters speak, the way they act, the paranoia of being under Soviet control, the lies they are told, and what they feel they have to do for the motherland. The art by Steve Epting is almost perfect. The characters are all distinct and different. And they look real, superhero stances here. The snow scenes are cold, and even the trees look different. Just beautiful work. The research shows on every page, equipment looks of the era, the uniforms, everything just looks and reads right.

One of my favorite graphic novels, especially from Ennis This was a work that meant much to him and you can tell. The deluxe comes with script pages and other behind the scenes treats that really are worth it. This is a book that will be read not just for the art not for the story but for how they both work together and make something special.

I wasn't sure what to expect when reading this book. Sometimes Soviet Union narratives seem to feel repetitive and stereotyped, but the author and artist did an amazing job at making this book accessible to all. Soviet female snipers are a topic not greatly explored but a complete thrill to read. Amazing and highly recommended.

A hardened young Soviet female sniper lives through the grind of war with the Nazis during World War 2.

Writer Garth Ennis is best known for his darkly comedic, ultra-violent runs on books such as The Punisher, Preacher, and The Boys, but he is also known for his more realistic war books. Sara is a superior representation of the latter.

The book focuses on young female Soviet snipers, focused on a particularly angry and efficient one named Sara. I appreciated Ennis's attempts to create distinct identities for them, but I did feel like his desire for detailed battle sequences distracted from the attention given to the characters. Sara's experiences and motivations play out effectively, but it feels like it could have been stronger had the other women been fleshed out just a bit more.

The artwork by Steve Epting is clean and expressive, playing well to the more intimate type of war story playing out here. It enhances the story, in some ways helping offset any deficiencies in characterization.

Ultimately, I'd recommend this for fans of Garth Ennis as well as those who enjoy war stories that focus on the psychological impact of war.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to provide an honest review of this title.

The vividly-coloured stark landscape brims with excitement across the pages of "Sara". Even within the traditional limitations of the format, the storytelling is remarkable and, best of all, stays true to the horrors of war, be it the baiting of the enemy, the rather crude deployment of innocents in the conduct of aggressive operations, and even getting baited by the enemy.

The colours truly stay with you, and the "looking over the shoulder" feeling that the narrative imposes upon its characters is palpable.

Dopo l'eccellente The Night Witches, Ennis torna con competenza nella Russia della Seconda Guerra Mondiale per raccontare una storia di donne. Ma qui manca qualcosa, forse l'umanità che comunque, nonostante la durezza del racconto, c'era nella precedente graphic novel; pure si mantiene storicamente impeccabile, appassionante, e credibile nelle caratterizzazioni dei personaggi e nei loro rapporti. In ogni caso una lettura più che consigliata.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved every panel of this graphic novel. The story follows Sara and 6 other girls chosen to be snipers for the motherland after the invasion by Germany, the Nazi.

There's so much emotion packed into this book. With the story told from Sara's pov, she narrates her experience of going beyond enemy line to give the soldiers a fighting chance at taking their country back from the Nazi.

The artwork is exceptionally beautiful and it captures 1942 so well as well as the depiction of the war. It's a bit graphic because it is a story centred on war. But I enjoyed this book so much. ❤

SARA is a gripping war story following a team of female Russian snipers as they beat back the Nazi invaders during a brutal winter campaign on the WWII Eastern Front.

NAZI OCCUPIED RUSSIA, 1942. FIGHT HARD. SHOOT STRAIGHT. DO NOT LET THEM TAKE YOU ALIVE.

Sara is a member of an all female sniper team, a flawed hero with a history and the need to protect and fight for her homeland.
The art work is gorgeous and shows the realistic brutality of war. The story line is gripping and even though i don't usually do many war stories, this was not a disappointment nor a soap box for any agenda.

Thanks to @netgalley, TKO, Garth Ennis, and Steve Epting for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you Net Galley and TKO Studios for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling, feminist war story following Sara who is talented and strong. This is a very easy read, which you could probably finish within 20 minutes. Sara is an inspiring leader and I really enjoyed reading this. The illustrations were fantastic. The reason I didn’t give this a higher rating was because I wouldn’t say it was that unique as it had the same plot as almost any other comic set during WW2. Just a heads up, this book obviously mentions Nazis, so if that is triggering maybe don’t read it or perhaps read the content warnings before reading this novel. If you love Black Widow by Marvel, you will like this.

Sara is a harrowing 6-part comic series surrounding an all-female sniper unit defending the Soviet front. Their best shot, Sara, is a no-nonsense woman with a past full of demons that threaten to spill over into her present. We follow the seven women as they navigate the toils of pushing back the Nazi line, and of fighting a war they aren't sure they can win. The dialogue and storytelling is gripping and well-narrated. The art is stunning, depicting the brutality of war and fighting on enemy lines. And the story is tied together neatly from start to finish, without being superfluous and frivolous. I loved that this surrounded an all-women unit, with unique dynamics and opposing personalities. A great war-story comic for sure, will definitely be checking out more of Garth Ennis's work.

A big thanks to TKO Studios and Netgalley for this ARC.

4.5/5

Exciting and perfectly paced: this is the best of Garth Ennis's war history comics so far. No more need be said!

The women of WW2 were a breed of their own on all fronts and what the snipers did was just another thing to add to the list. Much like the “Night Witches” the acts of these women go I talked about despite how interesting they are. I love the fact that this is based on true events that happened during the war and I am sure some of the conversations were pretty similar as well. The art in this graphic was done very well and the story was easy to follow for the most part. I also appreciated how they used the German language for the Nazis to help differentiate them.

A very quick but confusing read!

I liked the premise: a graphic novel following a team of female Russian snipers fighting Nazis in the brutally cold Eastern front during WWII. Credit to the illustrator for being able to capture the bleakness of the landscape -- I really felt the misery and suffering through the art.

Strong female characters was also a draw for me, however we didn't get to know them enough to separate them as individuals or to really empathise with them. I needed a bit more dialogue or backstory to make the characters feel fully rooted within the narrative.

There were lots of time jumps with no signposting, so I had no idea what was going on both in the past and present timelines. I heard this was based on a true story so it's a shame to feel that this story hasn't given justice to these women? Will have to research more into this area.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you TKO Studios and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was very interested to read this one because I had previously read the first issue (chapter 1) awhile back and loved the art work and found the story intriguing. I still love the artwork and there's a lot to like about this book, but I found myself struggling to finish to book. I just lost interest as it went on. For whatever reason, the story didn't grab me, which I found surprising, because I was prepared love this. I think perhaps if this were a shorter book, I would have rated it higher -- and this isn't a complaint about it being long, but that I don't think it's current length serves it well. But maybe that's just me. Pick this up just for the fantastic art and the interesting setting. You may very well like it more than I did -- and I did like it.

Sara and her squad are snipers on the Russian front in WWII. They spend their days hiding among the trees and fighting the invading Nazi forces, keeping their spirits up as best they can. But war is never easy, and the public enemy may not be the only thing they have to fear.

This is an engaging read, with beautiful illustrations and a decently paced script. Sara and her squad are easy to connect to, and the scenarios they face have decent weight and reality behind them.

4.5 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for honest review)

This was amazing, one of the best graphic novels I have read this year, with a great art style. It focuses on World War 2 era sniper unit made up of all women. Sara is the best in the unit and has a mysterious background with both of her parents being killed in some tragic event. We see all the different personalities and outlooks on their situation. I’m not sure if there is going to be more series of this because it did have solid ending, but I would pick it up.

Garth Ennis once again pens a great comic story. Sara is a Soviet sniper tasked with holding back the German line. Her all-female sniper group faces extreme challenges throughout the six issue run. Steve Epting's art does a great job expressing the inner conflicts of the characters and the brutality of the war the are fighting. Each issue does a great job with balancing action in battle with drama between Sara and her fellow soldiers and commanders behind the line. The final few issues are harrowing and bring a fantastic end to her story. I absolutely love this comic and highly recommend it to any fans of Ennis or of war stories in general.

Thank you Net Galley and TKO Presents for an ARC of Sara by Garth Ennis. As a fan of historical fiction and a new fan of the author, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. Sara is one member of an all-female Russian sniper unit fighting the Nazis in 1942. Sara is their most successful sniper and the Nazis send their best to take her out. The writing and illustration style blend well to create a story that propels you to the end. This was a brutal story of the devastating effects of war and highlighting the role of the Russian women who were vital to taking out Nazis on the Eastern Front. I liked that the relationships of this women sniper group were explored but not exploited. This reminded by of Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn which is about a female Russian spy named Mila. I will be looking forward to reading more of Garth Ennis!