‘Trees – Volume 1: In Shadow’ – Warren Ellis, Jason Howard (Image Comics)

 

Page Count: 160 Pages

Apologies for the ‘blogging silence’ yesterday; I was trying to sort stuff out at work and sort the flat out, for an inspection, at the same time… I did it though! Well, I sorted the flat out, work might take a little longer to tame ;o)

Anyway…

I was looking at copies of Warren Ellis’ ‘Black Gas’ and while I balked at the price, Volume 1. of ‘Trees’ was a lot more affordable so I figured ‘what the hell’ and took a chance. I’ve never said that my reading choices are based on any kind of decision process other than impulse or, at the very most, whatever catches my eye (which, now I think about it, is the same thing)

Anyway… One day, I’ll find an affordable copy of ‘Black Gas’ but for now, I’m very glad I took a chance on ‘Trees’. Let me tell you all about it.

Ten years after they landed.

All over the world. And they did nothing, standing on the surface of the Earth like trees, exerting their silent pressure on the world, as if there were no-one here and nothing under foot. Ten years since we learned that there is intelligent life in the universe, but that they did not recognize us as intelligent or alive.

‘Trees’ looks at a near-future world where life goes on in the shadows of the Trees: in China, where a young painter arrives in the “special cultural zone” of a city under a Tree; in Italy, where a young woman under the menacing protection of a fascist gang meets an old man who wants to teach her terrible skills; and in Svalbard, where a research team is discovering, by accident, that the Trees may not be dormant after all, and the awful threat they truly represent.

I’ve always said that it isn’t necessarily the apocalypse that is the big deal (although a ‘well told apocalypse’ is never a bad thing), it’s what happens next that really makes the tale worth telling. Whatever the apocalypse, it inevitably brings tough choices and watching people try and deal with these has always grabbed me. While ‘Trees’ isn’t necessarily about the apocalypse, the concept is life altering and definitely apocalyptic in scope. This really throws what faces our cast into a whole new light and makes for a compelling backdrop for these stories to unfold against.

Although there isn’t an imminent threat to life (although don’t be in the vicinity when a ‘Tree’ decides to expel its waste…); there is still real uncertainty around what life can mean now that the Earth has been changed. That change is inevitable and Ellis really shines a light on how different people react to what is, at the root of it all, an opportunity to… Well, that’s the real joy of ‘Trees’ :o) People will look to advance their own ambitions and the Trees prove to be useful here with Ellis not only getting innovative but sowing seeds for further developments down the line. People can also reinvent themselves though, and when the landscape is changing around you, that sense of discovery can be so liberating. Ellis really harnesses that energy and Chenglei’s story is beautifully told as a result.

And are the Trees as benign as they see…? Well, that’s an answer for another Volume but some intriguing questions are posed here and I’d love to see how they pan out.

‘In Shadow’ is a real slow-burner and obviously, how you feel about ‘slow and steady plotting’ will determine how you get on with the book. Personally, I didn’t mind it as there are plenty of questions being asked here and I was there for all of them. Your mileage may well vary though.

For me, ‘Trees: Volume 1’ was the perfect combination of ‘beautifully drawn and well told’; a tale that takes its time asking questions that will stay with me for a long time. ‘Trees’ has carved itself a very deliberate space in my thoughts, there’s no doubt that I’ll be filling it with the next two books.