DFC LIBRARY: MEZOLITH
By Ben Haggarty and Adam Brockbank
MeZolith is a graphic novel for older children and adults, written by a leading oral storyteller, with extraordinarily immersive illustrations by one of Britain's top film concept artists. It imagines a year in the life of Poika - a Mesolithic boy on the cusp of adulthood. Set in what is now North East Yorkshire, 10,000 years ago before Britain became an island, stories of a small tribe's daily struggle for survival are interwoven with some of humankind's most ancient myths, fairytales and legends. Grounded in detailed archaeological research, this is a book of action and adventure, horror and romance, magic and beauty.
MeZolith was one of The Times's Graphic Novels of the Year in 2010.
Fabulous . . . Mezolith is one of the gems that emerged from Fickling's attempt at getting a new comic book going. Brilliantly illustrated by Adam Brockbank it is perfect for 9+ readers
Amanda CraigThe Times
Violent, beautiful, magical, compelling, this makes you want to go back in time and visit the landscape of the book
Neel MukherjeeThe Times
Ben Haggarty and Adam Brockbank have created a compelling narrative that attempts to get under the skin of hunter-gatherer psychology. The result is an original and beautiful addition to the cannon . . . To most of the comic reading public, Mezolith is a stunning example of its form. To prehistorians it also offers a great deal of inspiration in how we bring to life a long lost world
Mathew Pope, Senior Research Fellow, UCL Institute of ArchaeologyBritish Archaeology Magazine
I read a lot of comics, but this one of the best I've encountered; moving, haunting, thrilling and compelling. Once you enter the story, it wont let you go . . . The lush visual detail will have you revisiting pages in wonder
Daniel HahnUltimate Book Guide
Haggarty and Brockbank have one of those exquisite storytelling relationships that completely absorb the reader and effortlessly draw them into their fictional reality
Broken Frontier
An evocatively written, visually stunning piece of work . . . Those who love graphic novels or just plain good storytelling owe it to themselves to buy this book
James LovegroveFinancial Times
An instant classic . . . a terrific piece of work
Grovel
Visually powerful and with a text that is equally compelling and ferocious, this is an amazing stone-age horror story told as a gripping graphic novel . . . Full of mystery, magic and threat interspersed by rare moments of compassion, this is a gripping read
Love Reading 4 Kids
Mezolith has a timeless feel and and it is pleasing to say that although there are undeniably educational aspects to the work it is mainly written with the intention of entertaining. It succeeds in this goal with ease. A wonderful graphic novel, highly recommended
Fantasy Book Review
A dazzling evocation of ancient life and lore through the wide eyes of a young boy
Paul GravettPerfect writing and perfect art - where did these creators spring from all of a sudden? If this is the standard to be expected from the DFC Library in the future then I'm definitely on board
Boo CookForbidden Planet
The art in this book is nothing short of breath-taking . . . The marriage of story and art create an evocative and thrilling piece of work
Liam GeraghtyInis
There are moments in MeZolith where it's almost possible to believe that the strip's various characters might turn towards the reader and step off the page
Matt BadhamJudge Dredd Megazine
The imagery and narratives are hauntingly beautiful. This book works as a single self-contained volume, but is a world the reader will want to explore further
Just Imagine
Beautifully crafted . . . this evocative and cinematic piece of art will make a welcome addition to any secondary school library's graphic novel collection
School Librarian
Mezolith is the most important British graphic novel of the last twenty years . . . It's not something to put alongside Tintin, it's something to put alongside Dickens or Steinbeck
Dave MorrisMirabilis
Dramatic, frightening and often graphically violent. But the story is also incredibly beautiful, as the tales of daily life are dreamily interwoven with tales from the tribe's mythology
Armadillo Magazine
MeZolith was one of The Times's Graphic Novels of the Year in 2010.
Fabulous . . . Mezolith is one of the gems that emerged from Fickling's attempt at getting a new comic book going. Brilliantly illustrated by Adam Brockbank it is perfect for 9+ readers
Amanda CraigThe Times
Violent, beautiful, magical, compelling, this makes you want to go back in time and visit the landscape of the book
Neel MukherjeeThe Times
Ben Haggarty and Adam Brockbank have created a compelling narrative that attempts to get under the skin of hunter-gatherer psychology. The result is an original and beautiful addition to the cannon . . . To most of the comic reading public, Mezolith is a stunning example of its form. To prehistorians it also offers a great deal of inspiration in how we bring to life a long lost world
Mathew Pope, Senior Research Fellow, UCL Institute of ArchaeologyBritish Archaeology Magazine
I read a lot of comics, but this one of the best I've encountered; moving, haunting, thrilling and compelling. Once you enter the story, it wont let you go . . . The lush visual detail will have you revisiting pages in wonder
Daniel HahnUltimate Book Guide
Haggarty and Brockbank have one of those exquisite storytelling relationships that completely absorb the reader and effortlessly draw them into their fictional reality
Broken Frontier
An evocatively written, visually stunning piece of work . . . Those who love graphic novels or just plain good storytelling owe it to themselves to buy this book
James LovegroveFinancial Times
An instant classic . . . a terrific piece of work
Grovel
Visually powerful and with a text that is equally compelling and ferocious, this is an amazing stone-age horror story told as a gripping graphic novel . . . Full of mystery, magic and threat interspersed by rare moments of compassion, this is a gripping read
Love Reading 4 Kids
Mezolith has a timeless feel and and it is pleasing to say that although there are undeniably educational aspects to the work it is mainly written with the intention of entertaining. It succeeds in this goal with ease. A wonderful graphic novel, highly recommended
Fantasy Book Review
A dazzling evocation of ancient life and lore through the wide eyes of a young boy
Paul GravettPerfect writing and perfect art - where did these creators spring from all of a sudden? If this is the standard to be expected from the DFC Library in the future then I'm definitely on board
Boo CookForbidden Planet
The art in this book is nothing short of breath-taking . . . The marriage of story and art create an evocative and thrilling piece of work
Liam GeraghtyInis
There are moments in MeZolith where it's almost possible to believe that the strip's various characters might turn towards the reader and step off the page
Matt BadhamJudge Dredd Megazine
The imagery and narratives are hauntingly beautiful. This book works as a single self-contained volume, but is a world the reader will want to explore further
Just Imagine
Beautifully crafted . . . this evocative and cinematic piece of art will make a welcome addition to any secondary school library's graphic novel collection
School Librarian
Mezolith is the most important British graphic novel of the last twenty years . . . It's not something to put alongside Tintin, it's something to put alongside Dickens or Steinbeck
Dave MorrisMirabilis
Dramatic, frightening and often graphically violent. But the story is also incredibly beautiful, as the tales of daily life are dreamily interwoven with tales from the tribe's mythology
Armadillo Magazine
11 Reviews
Brian Barry
Monday 7th November
Matt Ritchie (FCS Archaeologist)
Tuesday 20th September
Inigo Jones
Monday 20th June
Mark Young
Friday 10th June
Matteo Gennaro
Sunday 13th February
Alex Chapman
Saturday 9th October
Graham Adamson
Thursday 19th August
Graham Adamson
Sunday 15th August
Ismini
Tuesday 1st June
P J Ebbrell
Saturday 24th April
ILYA
Wednesday 24th February
Monday 7th November
It was the cover illustration that first attracted my attention. Here was a story of an ancient civilisation mainly revealing the world of a young boy, Poika, and his adventures. Adam Brockbank's drawings are true to life and mostly coloured in a pleasing brown/green tone.
Perhaps, when book 2 comes out, there will be less of the horror aspect and more of Poika's adventures. I trust he will still be a youth and so better able to enjoy the mysteries and wonders of a time before Man had turned to agriculture and the domestication of animals.
In the book, I also liked the two front and back papers depicting the area around the village during the day and at night.
A pleasant tale of a boy living in a time long gone. An excellent work.
Perhaps, when book 2 comes out, there will be less of the horror aspect and more of Poika's adventures. I trust he will still be a youth and so better able to enjoy the mysteries and wonders of a time before Man had turned to agriculture and the domestication of animals.
In the book, I also liked the two front and back papers depicting the area around the village during the day and at night.
A pleasant tale of a boy living in a time long gone. An excellent work.
Tuesday 20th September
An absolutely first class book - a beautifully illustrated masterclass in classic storytelling AND an informed insight into Mesolithic life. I recommend it!
Monday 20th June
It's good to have such stories included in the DFC. I'm not going to forget reading Mezolith. All those characters, and all those features: action, adventure, magic, mystery and scarine
Please sir, may I some more?
Please sir, may I some more?
Friday 10th June
A wonderful book full of life affirming stories, the art is just breathtaking! It captures the spirit of a long ago shamanistic, hunter- gatherer society, with it's fondness for storytelling, perfectly and allows as to connect in a way that is not possible with atifacts alone.
Some more, soon, please!
Some more, soon, please!
Sunday 13th February
Amazingly drawn and great stories, too bad you can give it just 5 stars. It's worth 10. . Hope to see the second one pretty soon….
Saturday 9th October
Just a quick question......
Are there any plans for a volume 2 of mezolith?
My nine year old son got book 1 for his birthday and its one of the few books he has picked up and read without being prompted. The whole book seems to catch his imagination with its engaging stories and impressive illustrations. He was even asking questions after reading them and we noticed him studying the artwork closely. He says Urga, the Swan lady and the owl people are his favourites. From a 'grown ups' prespective the artwork looks top notch and i can see the stories have a depth to them and touch on timeless themes. Well worth a book 2 if the quality is this good.
Are there any plans for a volume 2 of mezolith?
My nine year old son got book 1 for his birthday and its one of the few books he has picked up and read without being prompted. The whole book seems to catch his imagination with its engaging stories and impressive illustrations. He was even asking questions after reading them and we noticed him studying the artwork closely. He says Urga, the Swan lady and the owl people are his favourites. From a 'grown ups' prespective the artwork looks top notch and i can see the stories have a depth to them and touch on timeless themes. Well worth a book 2 if the quality is this good.
Thursday 19th August
For some reason , in my first letter , I gave only 3 stars ... should have been 5 ... apologies .
Sunday 15th August
I have been reading books for over 60 years now , and haveonly recently discovered the world of graphic novels . Having worked in archaeology , and having a particular interest in early man and early human cultures , I found 'Mezolith' to be a wonderful combination of imaginative fiction ,and beautiful convincing artwork ... a book to keep next to Michelle Paver's magical children's books , about a very similar world with it's roots in human mythology and the ancient art of storytelling . I look forward to the next book ... thank you for giving so much pleasure .
Tuesday 1st June
I bumped into this amazing book on the Expo at Excel, brilliant reminded me of Moebius, can't wait for the next one? When is it out?
Saturday 24th April
Absolutely stunning. Worth every penny. Looking forward to the next book.
Wednesday 24th February
This strip was not only a definite standout in the weekly DFC, but also the comics scene as a whole, and this collection is one that I can't wait to see.
Do whatever it takes to make sure there's more to come!
Great work Ben and Adam.
Do whatever it takes to make sure there's more to come!
Great work Ben and Adam.
David Fickling Books
31 Beaumont Street
Oxford
OX1 2NP
31 Beaumont Street
Oxford
OX1 2NP