Meet Antimony Carver who is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl, studying at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court - a very British boarding school, albeit one which includes robots, body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature. Now follow Antimony through her orientation year at Gunnerkrigg Court: the people she meets, the strange things that happen, and the things she causes to happen as she and her new best friend, Kat, unravel the mysteries of the Court and deal with the everyday trials of growing up...

Orientation is the first in a series of books about Antimony Carver, a girl who attends school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court, and the people she meets, the strange things that happen, and the things she causes to happen as she and her new friend, Kat, unravel the mysteries of the Court. Antimony and Kat deal with the everyday adventures of growing up at a school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature.

Gunnerkrigg Court started life as a webcomic written and illustrated by Tom Siddell. The illustrations are bold and colourful, and bordering on cute, but what really sells this collection is the clever storytelling. There's magic and mystery, cute creatures that are malevolent, shadows that need help and a secret from Antimony's past that is revealed.

It's a gothic fairytale that throws a little of everything into the melting pot to create something new and original.

This graphic novel is printed on some of the best glossy, paper stock and hardbound to ensure this will find pride of place in any comic fan's collection.

If you're already a fan of the series then you'll need no incentive to rush out and buy this, and if you're new to the story then this is the perfect place to start - you'll be hooked.

9

Nick Smithson