Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama...
Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. From acclaimed writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad.
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I picked this up kind of on a whim. I knew it had gotten pretty good reviews, but I didn't know much about the story. I have been really into anime shows that are revolved solely around sports for the last handful of months, so when I saw this I thought it would be right up my ally. And I was right, I absolutely loved this. I had such a good time reading this first volume I requested the second one the minute I finished.
Our main character, Nicholas, is an easy character to root for. He's the underdog and the fencer who has a lot of potential, determination, and raw talent but not the training needed to be as good as he needs to be. His rival, Seji, is the opposite. He's intimidating, almost unstoppable, and has the same determination with the advanced training he needs in order to warrant his over-confident attitude. I think they have a really passionate and interesting rivalry and I am excited to see where it goes. I like both characters for completely different reasons and I cannot wait to keep reading. I think for so much that goes on in this volume, Nicholas and Seji's teammates are introduced fairly well. I feel like I get a general idea of their personalities, and I hope it continues as I continue to read.
The art style is gorgeous. I love the way the faces are illustrated. Johanna the Mad is the illustrator and the colors are done by Joana LaFuente. Both do a fantastic job illustrating the characters features while also making it really aesthetically pleasing to look at. I typically like more cartoon-y styles versus realism and I feel like Johanna the Mad does a great job with a hybrid style of both. This art style makes me super happy and I can't wait for more.
I haven't read anything by C.S. Pacat, so this is my first exposure to her writing. Obviously writing dialogue for a comic is different from writing a novel so I don't know how their writing style is in novel form but I think the dialogue in Fence was great. I found so much of the dialogue really funny and entertaining. I loved all the competitive banter between the athletes, especially Nicholas and Seji.
Once the second volume arrives I'll be reading that ASAP and I imagine the same goes with the third volume. I am already so hooked in this story. I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a really fun story about fencers who are constantly at each other's throats and want to be the best. I honestly want this to be a television show. I'd love that.
Thanks for reading!
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