The Secret History Omnibus

This was initially recommended to me by a friend at work and was eventually purchased for my by another set of friends after they saw it on my Amazon wish list.  Now that I’ve read through it, I have to thank my other set of friends for buying it because they saved me the cash. 

This was originally a French series of graphic novels written by Jean Pierre Pecau and illustrated by four different artists, with Igor Kordey and Goran Sudzuka being the most recognizable to us Americans.  The story starts off in prehistory with four siblings gaining immense power through four runestones and then they nearly wipe out humanity after they cause an asteroid to fall on the village of their enemies.  I have to give Pecau credit for his scope as we’re treated to a story that spans from Moses’ battles with the Pharaohs, to the wars of the Crusades, the Renaissance and WWI. 

Unfortunately he was so concerned with scope that he forgot to include anything resembling characterization for his cast.  The four siblings remain one-note ciphers throughout the story and while book boasts a colorful supporting cast including everyone from Nostradamus to Hitler, none of them have more than one dimension either.  I understand that the next part of the series is currently being serialized, but I’m not going to be in any hurry to pick up the collected edition when it hits.