The Blue Lotus
 Herge
 (Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan)
 2003 Little, Brown & Co.
 ISBN: 0316358568

Tintin and The Blue Lotus & The Black Island -- Herge's ever-popular The Adventures of Tintin republished for a whole new generation to enjoy.

Sr. Reviewer Narayan Radhakrishnan writes:

Being a Tintin aficionado & passionate collector, I am the proud owner of 23 Tintin albums. I have already reviewed for this wonderful site, Tintin: The Complete Companion & the two classic albums The Land of Soviets & the Land of Congo -- the first Tintin comics ever to be published.

The two albums, presently under review, written in the Thirties are classic Tintin stories, best-sellers since the day they were published.

Tintin and The Blue Lotus, in my opinion, is the best ever. Set in the inter-war period (1920s & 1930s), the book follows the adventures of this intrepid reporter in Shanghai, investigating the horrible atrocities committed by an Opium Mafia gang.

The story may appear quaint by today's standards, but what will strike the comic lover is the attention to detail in each frame Herge has shown. Authenticity in narration, in plot setting & a satirical look at the (then) political situation in China & Japan provides interesting social history reading. Which is now the hallmark of every Tintin adventure!

Another highlight of the album is the cartoonist's use of color & graphics which is nothing short of spectacular -- it should be remembered that all Herge's works were published in the Thirties computers were not in existence. A grand read, & one recommended for every youngster between age 8 & 88.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Black Island is a quaint English-style mystery, with Herge putting to best use the fears the people of the world-over had about the Yeti, Sasquatch, Loch Ness Monster, et al. Focusing on an English island terrorized by a “Beast,” The Black Island tells of the adventures this reporter went through while tracking down a bunch of forgers.

As in The Blue Lotus, Herge's attention to detail is praiseworthy. If The Blue Lotus used dark colors (red & black) to convey a spirit of somberness & evil, then in artistic irony The Black Island is in a more jolly setting, where the author uses greens & yellows to capture that spirit of gaiety.

Both The Blue Lotus & The Black Island will be enjoyed by comic lovers & for the connoisseur of good comics, start reading & buying Tintin -- it is truly a worthy collection.

More Adventures of TinTin:
The Lake of the Sharks
Red Rackham's Treasure
The Red Sea Sharks
Tintin and the Picaros
Explorers on the Moon
Secret of the Unicorn
Tintin in America
Cigars of the Pharaoh
Seven Crystal Balls
Crab With the Golden Claws
The Shooting Star
Flight 714 for Sydney
The Broken Ear
Tintin in Tibet
King Ottokar's Sceptre
The Castafiore Emerald & more!

(08/03/03)

Narayan
2003©Narayan Radhakrishnan
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I am a 26 years old lawyer practicing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Along with my legal practice, I have finished post-graduate studies for both Business Law & Human Rights. I am a self proclaimed numero-uno legal thriller lover & am the proud owner of all of Grisham's & Turow's novels. I enjoy John Mortimer's Rumpole & relish an occasional Martini & a rare Scot(ch)t-oline with a Patterson on the side.

My work A FICTION OF LAW is now about 500 pages in length & features 500 lawyer authors & 2000 legal thrillers covering a 300 year period - inclusive of entries from the USA, UK, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East etc. Still in search of a publisher.
www.keralatourism.org