Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Eight

I wish they would have made more.

Ambrose! I'm crying for him, literally, about halfway through the volume now and I just felt like posting this. I've had some reservations about the nature and tone of the series at times. But I really do love this story enough that I set aside my reservations and just delve into the story of these characters. And I do love them, even the ones I dislike, but my favorites now are Ambrose, Boy Blue, maybe Bigby, Rose Red and...yeah, just a lot of great, excellent characters, it might turn into a laundry list a bit. The story of Fables is really ramping up here as they prepare to face the Adversary, although it's still staggeringly slow at times. There are lulls in the story where days, weeks, and months pass in narrative time. I never really noticed it until now, but the passage of time is conveyed here, perhaps fittingly as Ambrose and his new allies (won't spoil who they are, won't spoil who they are, gosh, they really are great, won't spoil who they are now) set off on their quest to set up a new kingdom to challenge the Adversary. But Ambrose, of course, does it his own way, as sweetly as he can and it's beautiful. The Deluxe Edition is great in quality, although not so much in portability. I started off reading Deluxe Editions, then switched to reading some of the paperback versions, and switched back to Deluxe Editions to purchase fewer volumes. However, the Deluxe Editions are heavier and I dislike the fact that they did move #64 to Deluxe Edition Volume 7-which was a change in focus from Fly, however, the information contained within issue #64 might have spoiled some things that happened in the Good Prince. I did not read issue #64, The Birthday Secret, in Deluxe Vol. 7 until after having read the first four chapters in Deluxe Vol. 8, issues #60-63 just to keep it in line. Just a heads up.

You won't, I think, be thinking of reading Fables Deluxe Book Eight without reading the previous volumes. Perhaps, unlike myself, you have read the entire story of Fables before the lovely deluxe editions. Either way this volume is quite significant and worth getting. This volumes collects completely the incredible story of how Flycatcher embraces his past and his future to alter the course of the conflict with the Empire. Oh and Lancelot turns up :) That would be enough but there are other goodies in the stories I won't give away here. As with the other deluxe volumes this one contains a moving introduction, beautiful color reproductions of the story pages, and sketches from the artists. Wonderful and I hope they continue and the remaining deluxe editions as they are a great way to encounter the story and keep it handy on the shelf.

I won't give away any spoilers here. The artwork is arguably hit or miss. This is always a matter of personal taste, and I cannot say in this volume there were any glaringly bad artists, I enjoyed all of it. In terms of story, I can't give Fables a high enough rating and I do believe there are many current Movies and TV shows that would 'like' to be up to Fable's incredibly high standards but fall very, very short of what you'll find here. I am speaking of the series as a whole, not just deluxe vol. eight. If you're a fan already, I do not think vol. 8 will disappoint and is a great addition. If you're a newcomer, start with Vol.1 and get hooked on the best series since Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' which is still my all-time favorite series I've ever read. Fables is such a close second though... My only complaint would be that I think the volumes are a bit thin...if you aren't going to include more issues per deluxe edition, give me some bonus material please! More extra artwork, bonus stories, interviews, anything really. Still, 5 stars and no regrets, can't wait for more! I'm actually considering buying the less expensive paperback versions to read or let others read, and keep these hardcovers in pristine condition. It'd be worth it in the long run to preserve this incredible set of fantastic art and storytelling!

Wow, just wow. This continues the greatness of the Fables serious and just sucks you into such great story telling and art. A must read for comic fans looking for an amazing twist on old fables we've come to learn and know as children.

A great plot twist and somehow I felt the story picked up its pace. I cannot say a lot because it will spoil the greatness of this story. All you need to know is that its FABLES being FABLES.

I've said in other volumes of this that the binding is a bit weird, and cuts off images a bit near the spine but otherwise very good.

The entire "good prince" storyline is collected in one go without the focus shift of issue 64, this makes book 8 a much easier read. This storyline is one of my favorites in the series and really paves the way for what comes after.

Great series!

Love this series.

I wish they would have made more.

Ambrose! I'm crying for him, literally, about halfway through the volume now and I just felt like posting this. I've had some reservations about the nature and tone of the series at times. But I really do love this story enough that I set aside my reservations and just delve into the story of these characters. And I do love them, even the ones I dislike, but my favorites now are Ambrose, Boy Blue, maybe Bigby, Rose Red and...yeah, just a lot of great, excellent characters, it might turn into a laundry list a bit. The story of Fables is really ramping up here as they prepare to face the Adversary, although it's still staggeringly slow at times. There are lulls in the story where days, weeks, and months pass in narrative time. I never really noticed it until now, but the passage of time is conveyed here, perhaps fittingly as Ambrose and his new allies (won't spoil who they are, won't spoil who they are, gosh, they really are great, won't spoil who they are now) set off on their quest to set up a new kingdom to challenge the Adversary. But Ambrose, of course, does it his own way, as sweetly as he can and it's beautiful. The Deluxe Edition is great in quality, although not so much in portability. I started off reading Deluxe Editions, then switched to reading some of the paperback versions, and switched back to Deluxe Editions to purchase fewer volumes. However, the Deluxe Editions are heavier and I dislike the fact that they did move #64 to Deluxe Edition Volume 7-which was a change in focus from Fly, however, the information contained within issue #64 might have spoiled some things that happened in the Good Prince. I did not read issue #64, The Birthday Secret, in Deluxe Vol. 7 until after having read the first four chapters in Deluxe Vol. 8, issues #60-63 just to keep it in line. Just a heads up.

You won't, I think, be thinking of reading Fables Deluxe Book Eight without reading the previous volumes. Perhaps, unlike myself, you have read the entire story of Fables before the lovely deluxe editions. Either way this volume is quite significant and worth getting. This volumes collects completely the incredible story of how Flycatcher embraces his past and his future to alter the course of the conflict with the Empire. Oh and Lancelot turns up :) That would be enough but there are other goodies in the stories I won't give away here. As with the other deluxe volumes this one contains a moving introduction, beautiful color reproductions of the story pages, and sketches from the artists. Wonderful and I hope they continue and the remaining deluxe editions as they are a great way to encounter the story and keep it handy on the shelf.

I won't give away any spoilers here. The artwork is arguably hit or miss. This is always a matter of personal taste, and I cannot say in this volume there were any glaringly bad artists, I enjoyed all of it. In terms of story, I can't give Fables a high enough rating and I do believe there are many current Movies and TV shows that would 'like' to be up to Fable's incredibly high standards but fall very, very short of what you'll find here. I am speaking of the series as a whole, not just deluxe vol. eight. If you're a fan already, I do not think vol. 8 will disappoint and is a great addition. If you're a newcomer, start with Vol.1 and get hooked on the best series since Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' which is still my all-time favorite series I've ever read. Fables is such a close second though... My only complaint would be that I think the volumes are a bit thin...if you aren't going to include more issues per deluxe edition, give me some bonus material please! More extra artwork, bonus stories, interviews, anything really. Still, 5 stars and no regrets, can't wait for more! I'm actually considering buying the less expensive paperback versions to read or let others read, and keep these hardcovers in pristine condition. It'd be worth it in the long run to preserve this incredible set of fantastic art and storytelling!

Wow, just wow. This continues the greatness of the Fables serious and just sucks you into such great story telling and art. A must read for comic fans looking for an amazing twist on old fables we've come to learn and know as children.

A great plot twist and somehow I felt the story picked up its pace. I cannot say a lot because it will spoil the greatness of this story. All you need to know is that its FABLES being FABLES.

I've said in other volumes of this that the binding is a bit weird, and cuts off images a bit near the spine but otherwise very good.

The entire "good prince" storyline is collected in one go without the focus shift of issue 64, this makes book 8 a much easier read. This storyline is one of my favorites in the series and really paves the way for what comes after.

Great series!

Love this series.

Awesome one of the best in the series

I have been collecting all the deluxe series and it has taken an amazing amount of discipline to not break and simply order all the paperbacks simply to get to the next part of the story! Looking forward to increasing the collection.

This story is the greatest Fables story to date as well as one of the greatest comics to date. From start to finish it moves effortlessly from panel to panel and tells the redemption of many characters as well as the creation of a king. Prince Ambrose Flycatcher takes Bigby's place as the most heroic of all of the Fable characters and we get the return of some of the most missed Fables. Like any book in a series, it is extremely helpful to read the stories that came before it, but this book can almost stand alone as a wholly remarkable story that only comes once in a blue moon.

SPOILERS>>>>>>>>> Flycatcher's amazing transformation from janitor to king is chronicled here and its a fantastic read. The way he's able change and inspire his followers completely change the face of the war with the Homelands. The best part of it is the other characters in the tale being just as amazed as the readers. Willingham and Buckingham once again are great. The story seemed a little long but it was still very good.

My grandson loves it.

Great buy & read, thanks.

It’s hard to review this book without spoiling anything, but I’ll do my best (which will mean keeping it short). This is, for me, the absolute best of the deluxe volumes so far. A single storyline is consistent throughout, and it captures from beginning to end. It is amazing, artwork, imagination, storytelling. They never fail to impress. Quite simply, if you are interested in Fables, I can only reassure you, book 8 is a masterpiece, this series does not disappoint.

Fables is a great series, and this volume is no exception, this volume tells of flycatcher and his coming to terms with his life and how he decides to deal with the things that have happened. However vertigo seem to be putting less content into these later volumes compared to the earlier ones. Also why do the volumes take so long to come out as this material is quite a few years old and should be coming out at least a volume every 2 months.

Great item.