All Quiet on the Western Front
by By Erich Maria Remarque; Adapted by Wayne Vansant
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Pub Date Jun 12 2019 | Archive Date Jun 30 2020
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Description
Hailed by many as the greatest war novel of all time and publicly burned by the Nazis for being “degenerate,” Erich Maria Remarque’s masterpiece, All Quiet on the Western Front, is an elegant statement on a generation of men destroyed by war.
Caught up by a romantic sense of patriotism and encouraged to enlist by authority figures who would not risk their lives to do the same, Paul Bäumer and his classmates join the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front in World War I. He is soon disenchanted by the constant bombardments and ruthless struggle to survive. Through years in battle, Paul and those he serves with become men defined by the violence around them, desperate to stay as decent as they can while growing more and more distant from the society for which they are fighting.
This graphic novel recreates the classic story in vivid detail through meticulous research. The accurate depictions of uniforms, weapons, trenches, and death brings the horrors of the Western Front to life in a bold new way.
Advance Praise
“German novelist Remarque's 1928 novel introduces a motley crew of soldiers—from peat digger to postman—and then pins you to the witness stand as World War I kills them off horribly. Relentless, captivating, and iconic for conveying the tedium, brutality, and senselessness of war, the story's small triumphs, such as stealing and eating a goose, sneaking sex across enemy lines, or seeing a hated schoolmaster humiliated keep the men going. This adaptation from Vietnam veteran Vansant nails the novel's doomed fascination—of narrator Paul Baumer's original army gang, none survive. Also, the historical detail of uniforms, weapons, and settings has been well researched…. Unsparing of gross atrocities and small humiliations alike, Remarque's chronicle and Vansant's images capture the descent from idealism to frozen despair experienced by soldiers over millennia of combat. Adults and teens interested in war will learn much, in and outside of classrooms.” —Library Journal
“This isn’t a Classics Illustrated version of the story, it’s a very adult, brutal retelling. There’s bravery and cowardice, hope and fear, life and death all through the story. This book will have its place in libraries and in places where graphic adaptations of classic literature are popular.” —ICv2
“Bäumer’s story is a universal soldier’s story that sees past nationality to show how horrible the war was on everyone, regardless of side.” —Comicon.com
“The graphic novel format ... is easily readable and digestible. The adaptation is well done…. If you are not familiar with this story, I recommend this graphic novel as the way to do it. This adaptation could be well-used in a school setting to truly convey the horror of war, as opposed to just the history of it.” —Sequential Tart
“If I suddenly had universal authority, I would order every world leader, every man or woman capable of summoning an army to fight for a cause, to read this book, either in the original that was published shortly after World War I, or in this modern graphic version. It tells a story so compelling, so necessary, about the human costs of war, that those leaders might, at least, think twice before ordering young men to lay down their lives amid the gore and senselessness of battle.” —San Diego Jewish World
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781682473337 |
PRICE | $24.95 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
For those who are unfamiliar with this classic novel, it is set in World War I, on the German side of the fighting. The same gas and bombs and trenches that the French and British fought in, are just as brutal as the German side.
The story is told from the point of view of a young man whose who class joined up to fight for the Kaiser, and despite being wounded, he keeps getting sent back to fight again and again.
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He follows his friends, and tells stories about them, such as how hard basic training was, and how you could be killed in an instant, or how some get shell shock, and run out into No Man's Land.
This is a brutal retelling of the classic, and no holds are bared.
But, it is a good way to get classic literature into the hands of those who prefer graphic novels.
Be warned, though, this is depressing as all get out.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
'All Quiet on the Western Front' by Erich Maria Remarque with adaptation and art by Wayne Vansant is an adaptation of the famous novel that was sanctioned by the Remarque family.
This story is about World War I and told from a soldier on the German side. Paul Bäumer is filled with dreams of glory by his professor. He and his friends join up and head to the front lines. What Paul finds is hardly the glorious battle he thought, and as he slowly loses those around him, he sees the true horrors of war.
I found this to be a solid adaptation of the book. The art conveying people at times is a bit confusing, as characters can tend to look alike, but the color palette with it's grim colors is fitting for the story.
I was happy to review this title from Dead Reckoning, a new imprint from Naval Institute Press, and I look forward to other titles from this publisher. Thank you also to NetGalley for the chance to read this.
"All Quiet on the Western Front" works well as a graphic novel. The art style is simple, but lends itself to the story.
A wonderful adaptation of the classic novel.
It's been many years since I read the original book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (who was himself a veteran of World War I). This graphic novel captures the spirit of the source material nicely.
It is the story of a group of idealistic students who, at the urging of a teacher, join the war time army with romanticized notions of honor and valor. They soon discover the harsh truth that war is a kind of hell that will begin to change them until they hardly recognize who they were or even who they've become.
This is a good introduction to a classic work but it is dark stuff. The kind of trench war fought in WW I was physically brutal and psychologically devastating so while this version doesn't exploit it there is also no softening or sugar coating.
***Thanks NetGalley, Dead Reckoning Comics, and artist Wayne Vansant for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for the oppportunity to read and review this book. How do you make one of the classic novels of the 20th century better? By making it into a beautifully scripted graphic novel. The original does a good job describing the horrors of war but to some readers the complete visualization is difficult. This graphic novel helps put everything in perspective. The reader cannot help but give sympathy to the young German soldiers that populate this book.
This graphic novelization of the original novel by Remarque did a wonderful job of showing the story visually. It didn’t stray from the original text at all, and whilst we loose some of the poetic nature of the original text—the visuals truly make up for it. We see the images of war: the injuries, sorrow, pain, and the bits of humanity felt so strongly it makes you wonder what it’s all for. Wayne Vasant’s comic art style pairs well with war (or in this case anti-war) pieces.
Overall this was an adaption worthy of a read; while the original text is more detailed, poetic, and personal—for those who retain information better visually or are simply looking for a way to remember what war truly looks like this is a great option.
I was given a copy of this title from Dead Reckoning/Naval Institute Press via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I have always loved this story and it was great to read it in a graphic novel form. I think this is a very important book for people to read about WWI. I also loved the art in it.
I really enjoy these classic books adapted into graphic novel form. The original story is honored in a respectful abridgment and the artwork is nuanced and moving. This book is brilliant and devastating. It speaks to the truth about war and its effects on the men and women who must fight in it. The book is told from the perspective of a German soldier in WWI, but its application is universal to soldiers in any war from any country. And this adaption is spot on. It makes a book that many might avoid into something more accessible for a new and younger audience.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Dead Reckoning and the author for my digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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Biographies & Memoirs, Comics, Graphic Novels, Manga, History