Book Review - The Little Prince: The Planet of Wind Book 1

The Little Prince: The Planet of Wind Book 1

By: Guillaume Dorison
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761387510
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: January 2013

The winds howled and swirled around the flying machine. Eolus wanted to go back, but his father continued to play the organ. “No! We’re almost there!” exclaimed his father. “We can reach the Great Wind of Legend! We just need more music!” The notes flew out into the wind, but the flying machine wasn’t powerful enough to continue on. They were going to crash onto the ice. Eolus would have to journey alone at some point in the future because the swirling winds claimed his father and their flying machine.

It was a mere fifty years later the Little Prince and Fox headed for a planet as he picked “up the path of the Snake.” They landed on what appeared to be an ice planet, but they were “actually on a planet of winds.” A monocopter passed overhead and crashed into a tree. They ran to assist Mr. Foehen, who warned them to leave before they were “trapped by the ice.” The Governor of the Winds had sent him to find the Wind Pirates who were stealing “the winds with their music.” Young Eolus was no longer young ... he was the grandmaster of a very unusual city.

There was turmoil in the city and Eolus did not want to bother with the Little Prince and his tale of being “on the trail of the snake,” who was an “evil being who destroys planets.” Zephyr, Eolus’s son, had been banished to his chambers before they took a tour of the palace and the city. “WARNING! WARNING!” A pirate was flying overhead and the Little Prince took out his magical sword, a sword that was powered by stardust. Soon Fox, Forhen, and the Little Prince were aloft in their own bird-like flying machine. There was only one way to save the planet and that was to find the Great Wind of Legend. Was the Wind Pirate under the influence of the Snake? Would the Little Prince be able to save the planet or forever be plunged into darkness?

This is the exciting tale of the Little Prince who tries to prevent Snake from destroying the Eolians’ planet. The characters in this new series are based on those in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince. This fast-paced, exciting graphic novel will appeal to young readers, including reluctant ones. The Little Prince and Fox left Rose back on Asteroid B612 in search of the evil Snake who is trying to snuff out yet another planet. The contrast between the gentle nature of the Little Prince, who is determined to save everyone, is in stark contrast to the eerie evil that is lurking on the planet. The artwork is stunning and the fantasy panels will have definite appeal to the young reader. In the back of the book is a brief biographical sketch of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and a two-page bonus story by Moebius.

Quill says: The Planet of Wind is the first in a new series about the Little Prince, a graphic novel that is sure to excite young fantasy readers!