Those of us who have been in a traumatic event or know someone who has, usually change the way we react to things. Some people look at is to way cope with trauma of the event. Others look at as a defense mechanism, but no matter how you deal with it, we all have triggers, that take us back to that exact moment. One of the worst days in most recent memory, that personally affected me, was 9/11.

I’m from New York, and I had family members who worked near where those towers fell, as well as other family members who worked throughout the city. I was afraid for their lives, and could not speak to anyone for days because all the phone lines were down. When I finally got in touch, my mother told me then, I know now she felt every time I deployed. In the sequel to the Nameless City, The Stone Heart, we catch up with Kaidu and Rat, shortly after the assassination attempt, as tensions rise over who has claim over the city.

Rat and Kaidu, in the opening pages, are trying to find their new normal, while The General of All Blades, staff particularly his son, is looking for a better security solution so that no one can get close to his father again. Soon Kaidu, finds about a legend of a weapon that brings fire and destruction, that only the monks know, and it is just so happens Rat lives in the monastery. A sudden change of events, a bloodborne betrayal and a death of a very important character, spurns an upheaval in the Dao Army. By book’s end, our heroes, defeated for the moment, set off to save the city and its people from a madman.

Overall, a great installment to this trilogy which just made the previous book feel like a kid cartoon. The story by Faith Erin Hicks is suspenseful, emotional and action packed. The art by Hicks is gorgeous. Altogether, a great sequel to Nameless City, proving that Hicks is master of visual storytelling.

Story: Faith Erin Hicks Art: Faith Erin Hicks
Story:10 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy