Kayla, a disinterested peasant, becomes entangled in the high-stakes Kingdom Races when her best friend Mal faces trouble. To rescue Mal, Kayla must participate as a rider, unaware of the far-reaching consequences.

The overall narrative of this story captivated me with its intrigue and excitement. The art is nothing short of incredible, skillfully welcoming readers into a visually stunning world. Every detail is eye-catching, making the entire experience thoroughly engaging. I highly recommend this read for both its compelling story and the visually appealing journey it offers!

Reading Kingdom Riders feels like revisiting a show you've forgotten from childhood. It's remarkably nostalgic, while still feeling fresh, new, and perfect for a new generation of kids and young adults.

Kingdom Riders follows Kayla, a peasant girl who lives in a small village outside a larger central kingdom. Kayla is content with her life in the village, and never thinks twice about entering the famous Kingdom Races, even though the winning would change her village life. Peasants aren’t accepted in the races without a high-born sponsor anyway. When Kayla’s best Mal gets herself in trouble, Kayla knows the only way out is for her to enter her local race. What follows is an adventure full of action, politics, and lots of awesome creatures.

Kingdom Riders is a gorgeous graphic novel that packs a punch. Though it feels familiar at times, Kingdom Riders manages to still feel unique throughout. There are pieces of stories you’ve probably heard before. There's a fate-changing competition, a girl from a lowly village, and a forest full of outlaws. However, Kingdom Riders often eschews conventions. Could Kayla have had a beautiful racing animal passed down from her parents? You might expect that. But, no. She has a giant, colorful mudtoad.

Art:

The art in Kingdom Riders is marvelous. Sometimes colorful, sometimes fantastical, but always beautifully rendered on page. The art betters the story but doesn’t overwhelm the story or the themes. This is a great example of the writer and artist being a perfect match.

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Kingdom Riders. It's an excellent middle-grade graphic novel that somehow manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia while feeling fresh. Hopefully, we see more in this series in the future.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thanks to IDW for providing me with a review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.

** The review will go live on Back Shelf Books on May 8th, 2024.

A young orphaned girl enters a race that no one has ever won to earn freedom for herself and her friend.

What an epic ride!

I absolutely loved everything about this graphic novel. I'm not someone who reads them frequently, but I immediately found myself immersed in both the art style and the world building. To speak briefly about the art style: The art style felt slightly reminiscent of Elfquest if it were heavily modernized (which is so fun)! The colors are vibrant and tell the story of a world with factions, dangerous creatures, and magic. The drawings are clean, crisp, and detailed enough to really understand what is happening. Everything was incredibly eye-catching. Overall, I'd give the art a 5/5, it really drew me in.

The story itself was also quite enjoyable. The premise of a world torn by a war between factions is interesting, though nothing incredibly new. Despite this not being innovative in and of itself, it works so well for the story. The idea that all of these factions can come together and race through this exceptionally dangerous track is magical. We get to experience moments that have us on the edges of our seats, moments that have us absolutely gutted for some of our MCs, and moments which have us unsure of how things will work out.

I think that everyone should give this novel a whirl, and I think that you'll really love it!