danstro
Sustainer
"Draw your own confusions"
Posts: 75
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Post by danstro on Oct 10, 2007 13:48:41 GMT -5
I thought I'd start a thread to discuss Miki Falls: Autumn. This is the place to share your thoughts on the third book of the Miki Falls series. If you post any spoilers, be sure to mark your post with a SPOILER WARNING. The book has been out for over a week, but I haven't seen much discussion about it. Has anybody here but me and Dan T. Davis read the book yet? I read it a few days ago and thought it was excellent. I'll write up a more detailed review when I get some free time on my hands. Mark, I can't wait for the conclusion to this thrilling tale in Miki Falls: Winter. It should be a real doozy of a barn burner! Oh, Nellie!  -Danstro |
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Post by dvandom on Oct 10, 2007 20:34:17 GMT -5
My copy just shipped today.
---Dave
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Post by dvandom on Oct 12, 2007 21:24:34 GMT -5
Of course, now that my copy has shipped, I see it at Waldenbooks. D'oh.
---Dave
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Post by dvandom on Oct 15, 2007 19:47:19 GMT -5
Cut and pasted from my review column to be posted on Wednesday: Miki Falls: Autumn: Harper Teen - Because "Miki Falls: Fall" would have been an awkward title.  Anyway, autumn is often thought of as the time of dying, of ending, with winter's bleakness approaching. And that sort of desperation certainly suffuses this installment, as Hito and Miki face the consequences of their forbidden love. But autumn is also when the harvest comes due, when you reap what you have sown. And sure, they're experiencing the consequences of breaking the rules, but what did they really sow? Love. And despite all the troubles they undergo here, their love is a bumper crop. It's even implied that despite the hopelessness of fighting the system, they may well find that the winter's frost will be thawed by a new spring. Recommended. $7.99/$9.99Cn ---Dave |
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 17, 2007 8:21:50 GMT -5
Thanks for the great review, Dave! I guess it's too late for me to prove you wrong with a crushingly tragic ending now. *imagines Miki weeping at Hiro's grave in final panel of Winter* Cut and pasted from my review column to be posted on Wednesday: Miki Falls: Autumn: Harper Teen - Because "Miki Falls: Fall" would have been an awkward title. Anyway, autumn is often thought of as the time of dying, of ending, with winter's bleakness approaching. And that sort of desperation certainly suffuses this installment, as Hito and Miki face the consequences of their forbidden love. But autumn is also when the harvest comes due, when you reap what you have sown. And sure, they're experiencing the consequences of breaking the rules, but what did they really sow? Love. And despite all the troubles they undergo here, their love is a bumper crop. It's even implied that despite the hopelessness of fighting the system, they may well find that the winter's frost will be thawed by a new spring. Recommended. $7.99/$9.99Cn ---Dave |
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Post by dvandom on Oct 17, 2007 9:03:06 GMT -5
Well, he could be weeping at her grave...we see her take a nasty fall in the teaser opening of Spring, after all.  ---Dave |
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danstro
Sustainer
"Draw your own confusions"
Posts: 75
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Post by danstro on Nov 2, 2007 13:10:33 GMT -5
Ah, another wacky adventure featuring those crazy kids Miki and Hiro. Hmm, lets see what they’re up to in the spiffy new book by Mark Crilley: Miki Falls: Autumn.
Short attention span recap (SPOILERS!):
BOO! Troublemaker Reika looks like she’s ready to rat out our favorite flirty couple.
NO! Don’t run away, Miki! Running away will just make things worse.
OOOH! That little old lady sure swings a mean ax!
ARRGGH!! Miki is destined to never find true love? So unfair!
DELIVERERS!! Run Miki!
CURSES! They found your backpacks! Run Miki! Run Hiro! RUN!
DRAT! They’re lost!
YAY! Three cheers for Anra!
AAAHHHH!!! Rest. Relaxation… Reika?!
CAT… GIRL FIGHT!!!
A-HA! An interesting turn for Reika that is probably my favorite moment in the book. It’s nice to see a character like Reika experience a genuine emotional moment like she did on page 163. It definitely gives more substance to a character who at first-glance seemed like just an obstacle to Miki and Hiro’s happiness.
WHOA! Safe for now, but an inevitable chill is fast approaching…
-THE END-
Okay, now I will list some pages from Miki Falls: Autumn that caught my attention. These are not necessarily my favorite pages, but something about them just caught my eye…
Pages 8 & 9: I never noticed before that the title pages in all three books are of the same scene shot from the same angle. The only difference is that the weather of the three seasons (spring, summer, autumn) has altered the look of the scene.
Page 30: Hmmm. Seems to be a lot of slanting panels with a lot of close-ups of eyes. Love the pleading expression on Reika’s face at the bottom of the page.
Page 47: I like the way the page is structured, but for some reason I found myself drawn to the leaves at the bottom of the page.
Page 72: Miki sticking her tongue out in a carpenter-at-work kind of way was rather cute. And more leaves. I guess I just like the way you draw leaves, Mark.
Page 79: Whump! The way this page tilts gave me the feeling of being knocked-off balance. Just the way Miki must have felt.
Page 98: Oops! Miki Falls! (Sorry. My bad.)
Page 99: I love how Miki’s expression goes from scared to sheer determination. Hey, look! There’s a leaf coming out of the top of the panel. And Miki’s kicking some dirt out of the bottom of the panel!
Page 104: More panels with more eyes. Is it just me or does this book seem to have a lot more panels with only a pair of expressive eyes in them? I think it’s a great technique, but sometimes I feel it can be a tad overdone.
Page 119: I loved the facial expressions and body language of Miki as she attempts to make fire.
Page 133: I love the way the rain is dripping off of Miki’s face. Plus… wet leaves!
Pages 152 & 153: Wow. Those sharp, jagged lines of the panels really accentuate the frantic nature of the conflict between Miki and Reika. Gotta say that I loved their facial expressions at the top of page 152.
Page 154: Loved that bottom half of the page with the tears streaming from Miki’s eyes.
Page 163: Reika slumping into Hiro’s chest was a revealing moment. No words needed.
Page 164: Miki’s cold breath foreshadows trying times ahead.
Page 165: Barry Bonds. (Baseball purists know what I’m talking about.)
Page 167: Nice and sweet. Looks like something that belongs on a Christmas card.
Overall, I feel that Miki Falls: Autumn did a fine job of setting-up the explosive (and chilly) conclusion in Miki Falls: Winter.
Here’s my prediction on how it will all end: Miki and Hiro both die leaving Yumi and Reika heartbroken. Yumi and Reika then run off together and cause nothing but widespread havoc all over Japan. Thelma and Louise have nothing on these two … "Whirlwinds of Style and Woe". Hmmm… Smells like a spin-off to me!
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Post by Mark Crilley on Nov 10, 2007 5:30:55 GMT -5
Hey Dan, thanks so much for your incredibly detailed response to 'Autumn', I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And as always I greatly appreciate you taking the time to point out page by page the things that you thinnk worked best. Very helpful stuff, esp. as I begin the prep work on my new series.
Oh and you had me chuckling with this:
"Here’s my prediction on how it will all end: Miki and Hiro both die leaving Yumi and Reika heartbroken. Yumi and Reika then run off together and cause nothing but widespread havoc all over Japan. Thelma and Louise have nothing on these two … "Whirlwinds of Style and Woe". Hmmm… Smells like a spin-off to me!"
Quick, get me HarperCollins on the phone. We've got to redo the last book!!
mark
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Post by tasblue on Jan 1, 2008 19:17:47 GMT -5
SPOILER WARNING
I liked how Reika turned out to be nice (a lil) and also how the whole story was stuck in a twister and transformed greatly, that is what makes me want to get winter much more.
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Post by colindc on Jan 23, 2008 12:43:03 GMT -5
Yesterday my copies of Autumn and Winter finally arrived (yay for gift cards!). So instead of doing math homework before math class I must post my thoughts! This review is as lame and fanboyish as ever and may include some spoilers! Page 5-6: I like the change in expressions in the two panels at the top of page 6. Also I like how over the top the foreshadowing is; the fwooo sound effect is great. Page 20: Reika's cool as ever! Page 35: I can't help but think of the video game phoenix wright because of Reika's gesture here: "Objection!" Page 37: 未来? Is this for a fortune teller or something? Page 47: Excellent panel placement, really gets Hiros state of mind across well. Page 72-73: I love Miki's happy faces here. Page 89: I like it whenever you do the 3 or 4 panel expression changes. Page 94: The deliverers look is perfect. Page 97: I found this line about Hokkaido really funny. Page 119: All these expressions rock. Page 120: I like all the big nature backgrounds such as this one (see also pages 142-145, 168, etc.). Page 137: "If this is an ordinary spider I'm going to fall over" is a good line. Page 152: Awesome leaping into action Page 163: I wonder If Hiro ever realized Reika loved him before this point (She does, doesn't she!?). As for the book as a whole: I liked the whole running away from home bit as it allowed for all the beautiful nature scenes. I also liked all the character expressions. The plot was good and I like how their relationship developed. I also must say that Reika was my favorite character in this volume, not that she's changed all that much since the last volume, but for her character that's a good thing! Winter review coming up no sooner than Thursdays math class! |
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Post by Mark Crilley on Jan 23, 2008 17:46:24 GMT -5
Thanks Colindc, for your wonderfully detailed feedback on Miki Falls Autumn. I feel very fortunate to have readers as attentive to detail as you are! And of course I'm delighted you were pleased with so many parts of the book.
As for this:
"Page 37: 未来? Is this for a fortune teller or something?"
Those kanji--"mirai"-- are actually a very obscure reference to a Japanese gift shop of that name here in Michigan. Sometimes I go there to check out the cool Japanese stuff they've got!
Thanks again, my friend; I really enjoyed hearing from you!
mark
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Anyway, autumn is often thought of as the time of dying, of ending, with winter's bleakness approaching. And that sort of desperation certainly suffuses this installment, as Hito and Miki face the consequences of their forbidden love. But autumn is also when the harvest comes due, when you reap what you have sown. And sure, they're experiencing the consequences of breaking the rules, but what did they really sow? Love. And despite all the troubles they undergo here, their love is a bumper crop. It's even implied that despite the hopelessness of fighting the system, they may well find that the winter's frost will be thawed by a new spring. Recommended. $7.99/$9.99Cn
