Gestalt: Volume 1

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

The myth of the creation of Salsaroa is a tale of eight gods and an act of betrayal so awful that the traitor is now considered a demon god.  So feared is this god that instead of speaking his name, “Gestalt,” people call him “G.”  Still, some seek him out.  One of them is Father Olivier, a priest of the Vasaria Order, who renounces his vow so that he may find G and find the truth.

In Gestalt, Vol. 1, Father Olivier finds himself in possession of a mute slave girl named Ouri, but when Ouri finally regains her ability to speak, she proves to be an increasingly mysterious and amazing person.  Meanwhile, the Vasaria Order has sent the female dark elf, Suzu, to retrieve Olivier, but she’s not the only one seeking the priest and his merry band.

THE LOWDOWN:  A quest fantasy, Gestalt is like an outrageous Dungeons & Dragons campaign, full of eccentric characters and perplexing and unexpected plot twists.  Sometimes, it seems as if only creator Yun Kouga understands the meandering internal logic and every-changing mythology.  Yes, this may be a problem with readers, but the determined reader may find something in Gestalt to like, because it isn’t actually bad.  The characters, especially Olivier and Ouri, are out of the ordinary and worthy of attention.  Father Olivier’s quest is also interesting, if for no other reason than to see if the god, G or Gestalt, is really such a scary mutha.

Kouga’s art is composed of a thin, wispy line, and the toning and shading don’t give the art much texture.  It looks much better in color (and there are a few color pages).

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of quest fantasy may want to give Gestalt a try.

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