This book caught me by the throat and would not let me go.
It’s the perfect mix of anxiously rooting for your fav fencer and giggling because SEIJI!!
The relationship development between Seiji and Nicholas got me emotional, they’re the cutest. And the fencing team?? LOVE THEM. ALL OF THEM.
So happy for this opportunity. Thank you to NetGalley and the author. Can’t wait to read the rest of this amazing series.

I have been a huge fan of C.S. Pacat but for some reason I never read her comic Fence before! And as a former epee fencer I am kicking myself in the butt for waiting so long to check this story out because it is incredible. It is clear to me that either C.S. Pacat is a fencer herself or she put in the research to make this an authentic telling of the fencing rules, moves, and overall environment. I am also delighted that it seems to be epee focused! I see foil and sabre a lot in stories but in my very biased opinion epee is the best weapon so glad to see the representation.

This book covers the first 12 chapters of the story. It gives a great introduction to the fairly large ensemble cast. According to the book's blurb this is a YA queer sports romance but it must be a slow-burn because I don't see the romance yet (not at all a criticism!). I do like that the general vibe seems to point to a potential rivals-to-lovers situation between the MCs Nicholas and Seiji. I was also picking up vibes (or maybe it is just my wishful thinking?) between several of the other characters, namely Harvard/Aiden, and maybe Dante/Bobby? No matter how this story turns out I am here for it! The story had me going "just one more chapter" until I ended up finishing this book in one sitting. The artwork is so beautiful. I loooove that it is completely in color instead of a couple of color pages and then all in black and white. The extra artwork at the end of the book was also a really nice touch, especially all the extra cover art designs.

Needless to say I recommend this book and can't wait for book 2! Check it out if you like comics, sports romance, stories set at elite private schools, and lots of queer representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the eARC of Fence: Book 1. This review was freely given and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I’ve never read Fence before but have always wanted to, and boy did I breeze through this comic! It was an entertaining and earnest story, and kept me at the edge of my seat. I loved how the story was paced, things made clear progression and at the same time there was still space for all the characters to be fleshed out. The expressive art style is so good and really was 50% of the storytelling.

eARC courtesy of NetGalley & BOOM!Box

Wow! This was absolutely fantastic! The storyline had me hooked right off the bat, and the art was wonderful and did a great job of backing up the story. There is so much detail in both the story and the art.

Nicholas Cox is a fencer with a big secret about the identity of his father and has the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps as a fencer, if only he can get a scholarship to King’s Row by qualifying for the fencing team. He has a bit of a shock when he discovers that his roommate is none other than Seiji Katayama, a very skilled and highly nationally ranked fencer that Nicholas once looked up to. Seiji has a prickly personality that causes a lot of problems throughout the story. Can both boys make the team as freshmen? Will Nicholas have to leave the school and his dreams behind? There is a tournament to determine who makes the three man team, and the competition is tough.

You can’t go wrong with this graphic novel!

C.S. Pacat continues to be one of my favorite authors.

The focus on fencing was really interesting, and I learned so much. The story definitely has a big cast, and I’m excited to explore all the character and how they come together as a team. This volume was primarily focused on Nicolas’ and I loved his ambition bumped up against his backstory.

Queer, sports, just generally fun? What’s not to love.

I have officially found my new obsession. I went and binged the rest of the series for the most part. This definitely will go down as one of my all time favorite graphic novels.

Fence is an adorable queer sports graphic novel. I’ve been reading it for years and it was great to have it all together instead of piecing it together. Can’t wait for more!