Member Reviews

This was great! The art was well done and the stories were pretty creepy. I only wish there were more of them.

Was this review helpful?

I really loved the art style for this!! These mangas are some of my faves. A new way to present this awesome classic!

Was this review helpful?

This was pretty good! It was interesting to see the visuals to go along with each story. And I really enjoyed that some of the stories had a little info about when Poe wrote the story or how much he made.

Was this review helpful?

This is a clever idea, especially for teaching Edgar Allan Poe in middle or high school. I was really enthralled with how the author made Poe’s works into Manga. I would love to use this as a teacher because my students would have images and flow to get them through difficult passages. The formatting helps with any clarity issues. You still would want kids to look up vocabulary and you’d have discussions, but this is a fun idea to get kids interested. As an adult, I’d read these stories before, but I enjoyed rereading them with pictures to tell the story. The images were well done and interesting.

Was this review helpful?

*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

Rating: 5 stars
Reading period: Nov. 29th, 2018
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley – I have received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: Oct. 27th, 2017

PROS
I don’t even know where to begin! I have read a fair share of Poe’s works so far and I love almost everything I’ve read. To see such classics turned into manga with such quality and great adaptations is a dream come true!
Udon Entertainment chose some of my favorite stories to adapt and I must say everything looked even spookier with real images! Brr, why am I shivering in this warm weather??

CONS
Why only 5 stories?? Why only one volume?? Oooh, I wish Udon Entertainment did adaptations of all his stories! :(

COVER ANALYSIS
Just as Poe’s stories, this cover gave me the creeps! It’s beautiful, but full of fear and horror! I meant it all on a good way, I swear, haha!

RECOMMENDED FOR
Manga, Comics and Classic lovers!

Was this review helpful?

I've been a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe since middle school. I'm a little surprised I don't have all his stories already memorized. When I saw this available on NetGalley I knew I needed to take a peek. First of all, I'm not going to talk about the stores. This is mostly because almost everyone has read a story from Poe. The first story that I have read was The Mask of the Red Death, and my favorite is The Raven. This book is filled with his most notable stories, either you like his writing or you don't, I don't need to go on about it.

Secondly, let us talk about the illustrations. Each story is done by different artists and I love each of them. It's done in the general "manga-style" so if you've ever read one that's how it looks, Of course, each artist puts their own spin on it. I love how the animation really brings a whole new spin on the macabre of Poe's work. It is really refreshing especially as a Poe lover, to read his stories in a new way. It does make you pay more attention to each story to the details that each illustrator adds.

If you're a Poe lover I do recommend

Was this review helpful?

Somebody explain to me why manga comic books have come to the US in the format they have. How does reading them from back to front add to the reading enjoyment? It does not. The comic book format here does add to the understanding of Poe's works but the awkwardness of adjusting your eyes to move in a way that seems wrong is unnecessaryand mearly a gimmick.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this a four out of five stars. I really love Poe's writing it was different reading it in manga style. I really enjoyed it and it was different but I prefer to read Poe in the traditional way, in his book not so much in manga. I liked the art style of the artwork used. I recommend this to people who haven't read anything by Poe but are intimidated by his works to pick it up in this format.

Was this review helpful?

This manga is one of the most elegant adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's works. Like all of Udon's works, this is an absolute must to have on your bookshelf!

Was this review helpful?

I was approved to read an advanced e-copy of Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe and Stacy King from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts on the book and why I think you should pick it up: 
This manga is based on some of Edgar Allan Poe's best known stories. I have read a few of his works and this telling really adds to the creepy affect with its outstanding artwork! I loved Poe before reading this and love him even more after. It is a great manga for anyone who has read his work or who is new to his work but wants to dive in with the added bonus of pictures. I have already read two others from their Manga Classics series and they are great. Definitely go check it out!

Was this review helpful?

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the Manga Classics line—I actually kind of expected them to be abridged or rewritten, whereas this is more like Poe's writing with illustrations in a manga format—but as a die-hard, lifelong lover of Poe's writing, this did not disappoint! The collection includes a few stories of his, and luckily for me, all five of these are my favorite Poe works: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Masque of the Red Death, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

The artwork is different from one story to the next, but it's all absolutely exquisite, with my favorite style belonging to the artist responsible for The Raven, as it's very fluid and whimsical in a sense. I thought the illustrations matched the stories perfectly and it really was such a fun way to reread these old favorite stories. I highly recommend it not only for long-time fans of Poe, but also for those who are looking to read these stories for the first time! There are also some fun little factoids about Poe's career as a writer and his personal life strewn between the stories.

Thank you so much to Udon Entertainment for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Manga version of some of Edgar allan Poe works. The art work combined with the writing set the eerie tone better. Some of the adaptations were better than some of the others. Good read overall

Was this review helpful?

Much like <i>The Count of Monte Cristo</i>, the manga edition of <i>The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe</i> does a splendid job of depicting several of Poe's most well-known written works into the visual medium. With a collection of short stories and one poem like this, it really is all about atmosphere and pacing, and all of the artists do Poe's dark works justice in this regard. Whether generating terror, malice, or outright pandemonium, the stories in this manga edition will certainly cause one's skin to crawl or heart to jump.

For me personally, I've only ever read <i>The Mask of the Red Death</i> and <i>The Cask of Amontillado</i>, and I would say both stories really reflect Poe's original works. Even without the use of color (though I wonder how that might have increased the sense of overwhelming and anticipated chaos from <i>The Mask of the Red Death</i>), Nagao and Chagen brought new life to these stories about death.

As with other Manga Classics, I highly recommend this edition of <i>The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe</i>.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great October read. It is a collection of Edgar Allan Poe's more popular and famous tales as a manga. The artwork made the tales spookier. I would have liked to have seen "The Masque of the Red Death" in color because of the different rooms, but it was still good and creepy. I never really understood "Nevermore," but the artwork helped me understand and I get it now. I'm really impressed with the artwork and the thought that went into it. I'm sure it was hard to come up with something, especially for certain scenes in "The Fall of the House of Usher."

Was this review helpful?

Okay, as a former English teacher I am all for finding a way to take classic stories and make them more interesting for the modern day student-reader. Also, just as a side note 2018 has been my year to read a lot of manga and graphic novels.

So, I was set to give a review of THE STORIES OF EDGAR ALLAN POE a Manga Classic by Udon Entertainment. It features some of Poe’s most commonly read stories such as: THE RAVEN, THE TELL TALE HEART, THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, and THE MASQUE OF RED DEATH.

Now, I know these are the most common Poe stories that are read, but they are also (excluding the Usher story) my absolute favorite. I will review the classic itself and at the end of this post recommend some other Poe reads and adaptations for you to enjoy.

So, the story opens with THE TELL TALE HEART a story of a psychotic man who tries to prove that he is not psychotic by describing how he murdered an old man with a creepy eye and the sound of the dead man’s heart drove him to confess. Again, he believes he is not crazy.

I was happy to see that Poe’s original dialogue was not mangled by being put into a manga. I also had the thought of, “Wait, why does this guy hang out with this old man?” In all the time I have been reading Poe, I never thought to wonder how the narrator was involved with the old man to begin with. Was he a relative? Was he a Victorian version of a hired CNA to care for the old geezer?

Following this short story is THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO. My favorite parts to this story are: the word amontillado; the aspect of the man being drunk and panicking as he watches someone close him up in a wall. Like, imagine a parody retelling of this story. It would be hilarious.

THE RAVEN follows that story. Here the artwork is what intrigued me most, since the poem is something I am all too familiar with at this point in my life. The narrator is drawn to be younger than most other depictions cast him. I think the tragedy of the story itself that is represented in the poem is better illuminated given that you are seeing a younger narrator. The little facts about the poem that are presented at the end of the story said that Poe at one point debated using a parrot instead of a raven as the bird of choice. Imagine if we had grown up with Iago from Alladin reciting that poem. Now I just want to see it because…well, it is a thought now.

The next story is my all time favorite story to teach, read, analyze and that is THE MASQUE OF RED DEATH. Any time I see anything that is hinting at this story I give off a little fangirl squeal. The story itself can be analyzed in so many ways and that would be a blog post all on its own. Lets just say the artwork was wonderfully done. I again loved this story.

Last is THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. I first encountered this story in eleventh grade and I have not been a fan ever since. I don’t find much enjoyment in this story. I don’t fully understand it. Lets just say I was glad it was last because I just wanted to get through it.



Overall, I loved this retelling collection. I loved that manga was the art form used. Are there Poe pop-up books because that would be awesome as well. For anyone wanting to encounter the classics in a new way I definitely recommend this series as they also have many other classics in manga form from ROMEO & JULIET to SENSE AND SENSIBILITY.

Definitely give it *****.

Now, if you want some Poe retelling in your life let me recommend the following:



THE RAVEN (2012) A movie that follows Poe through a mystery of finding his girlfriend while someone is killing people using his stories as inspiration.

THE MASQUE OF RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin: This is a dystopian novel based around a Poe like world and society. It is a duology and I fell head over heels for it when i first read it in 2013.

Was this review helpful?

Rich and luscious, Poe's chilling tales are presented through hauntingly vivid imagery! A perfect October read - or for anytime you fancy giving yourself a few chills! The Manga Classics series is a joy to read! Thank you so much to the creators for bringing this series to life!

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, Edgar Allan Poe stories are made for Manga. 1) Reading from the back of the book to the front seems so Poe already. 2) Manga artwork is unusual, odd, and powerful - all things you can say about Poe's writing. 3) Manga gets at the essence of a tale.

This collection of Poe's work transformed into Manga is amazing. I flew through the book and was disappointed when I came to the end (which here is the beginning). I wanted more. I need that book in my collection. I want to re-read it often. Seeing Poe's words illustrated created an eerie atmosphere. I felt urgency. I felt fear. I felt dispair. This was the perfect reading experience.

Was this review helpful?

The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe is a brilliant collection of some of his best-known stories: The Tell Tale Heart , The Cask of Amontillado , and The Fall of the House of Usher an ancient house full of dark secrets. Also included in this collection are The Mask of the Red Death , and the most famous of all his poems: The Raven .

The art was great and I love reading graphic novel adaptations of Poe's works. The stories themselves are so descriptive and it's always interesting to see an artist interpret that and bring it to life.

Was this review helpful?

Edgar Allan Poe is a prolific writer whose works have been read again and again by a great number of people. I, myself, have only truly really liked a small number of his works though I know many who deeply adore much more than that. For me, horror has never been my most enjoyed genre. And yet, as a result of my reading a number of my previously beloved stories in graphic novel or manga format, I found myself curious about how the works of Poe would translate into such a format. And I can say that, while certainly creepy at times, the illustrations truly worked to move my interest in a more developed manner.

There was certainly something quite fascinating about reading <i>The Tell Tale Heart</i> in the format of a manga. Naturally, the tale was dark and the images would reflect that, but somehow I enjoyed reading it quite a lot more than I ever initially had while reading the story on its own. To have the character telling the story while in a mental institution was, quite frankly, masterful to see and I enjoyed the other works illustrated in this book much more as well. It’s amazing, truly, what a few brilliant illustrations can do.

Ultimately, I was a lot more impressed than I imagined I would be. Initially I had requested this out of curiosity and as a result of having friends who have enjoyed the works of Poe for nearly their whole lives and I am pleased to say that I see this as a well-crafted and enjoyable restructuring of the stories we have all, at some point in our lives, been introduced to.

<i>I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Was this review helpful?

I received this book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

Having read few times the same stories I wasn't surprise about the stories themselves . But I'm definitely very very happy with this manga adaptation of some of Edgar Allan Poe most famous stories.
The dialogs and the descriptions are really well written. Keeping for the most part the old fashion English language in contrast with the more modern manga style, make this book an interesting read.
The manga side is surprisingly refreshing, I was hesitant at first because I couldn't really imagine it. The highly define drawings in the mid XIX century context is an unexpected fusion that works in every single one of the stories.

I'd recommend this book to everybody, from big Poe fans to people new to the genre, it's a particularly good read before bed time in autumn, around Halloween time.

Was this review helpful?