And It Snowed – Review
Marking the final part of Nick Bryan’s Monochrome Trilogy – alongside The Little Deaths of Watson Tower and Moonframe (review coming soon) – And It Snowed launched on kickstarter at the start of this month.
You may have seen the press release we put out a couple of weeks ago, but now it’s And It Snowed review time.
Synopsis
Ever walked home at night in the snow, long past the last bus, wrapped up in cold and loneliness? Staring up at the sky, wishing you’d gone home earlier as you trudge your way through slush?
Imagine if you had to run.
And It Snowed
And It Snowed follows a brother and sister, Luke and Sam, as they undertake a perilous journey across London pursued by a powerful and very dangerous force. You see, Sam has gotten herself into trouble with a very shady character, and the only way out is to steal something for him. Turns out the thing he wants is a powerful artifact and the magical authorities are less than thrilled. Crossing a suddenly frozen April London the story unfolds over the present and the past as we learn what Sam did and how she came to be indebted to The Baron.
At 36 pages And It Snowed is a quick read but with surprising depth. There’s enough detail in the characterisation to really pull you in to the story fast. By the end of page 3 I was hooked and eager for more. Nick Bryan’s writing pairs beautifully with Robert Ahmad’s (The Devil in Disguise) art to evoke the dangerously chilly landscape across which our protagonists have to travel. That negative panel on page 3 might be my favourite of the entire thing!
There’s a real sense of danger too. Not just from the forces persuing the siblings, but also from the city itself as spring turns to deep mid-winter and familiar streets become otherworldly. If you were in the UK when Snowmageddon happened a few years ago you might well know the feeling. That strange silence that descends when streets are blanketed in snow, the way shapes you recognise become altered.
I am a big fan of Nick’s writing, having loved Little Deaths and The Catalyst. I can’t wait to read Moonframe (up next on my list).
The Kickstarter
The project went live on Kickstarter on September 1st and has already exceeded its target of £1000. Fear not though as there’s still 3 weeks to go, so plenty of time to get on board.
Tier rewards include And It Snowed in digital or physical form, the complete Monochrome Trilogy, as well as prints from the artists involved on all three books. There’s also a phenomenally bargainous deal that will get you the entire Monochrome Trilogy AND The Catalyst plus all the cover prints for a mere twenty quid. Honestly that’s ridiculously good value and you should get it now.
There are still chances to get digital commissions by each of the 3 artists that worked on the trilogy up for grabs too, but I don’t think they will last long.
A stretch goal was added recently to produce the beautiful back cover illustration (by Rosie Alexander) from The Little Deaths of Watson Tower as a print along with the trilogy covers.
All of Nick’s work apart from And It Snowed is currently available on the Comichaus streaming app if you want to get a taste before you back the kickstarter.
