Graphic Novel Review: Lightfall Book One: The Girl & The Galdurian by Tim Probert

Posted on January 21, 2021 at 9:46 am by Gene Ambaum

Lightfall Book One: The Girl & The Galdurian by Tim Probert. HarperAlley, 2020. 9780062990464. 248pp.

Beatrice, a human girl, lives with her gramps, Alfirid the Pig Wizard. He sends Bea out into the woods to look for ingredients for an elixir, and when she needs help she meets Cad, who is looking for her uncle. Cad is a Galdurian, one of the people who constructed the lights that illuminate their world after the sun was destroyed — he’s looking for his people, and he needs the help of the Pig Wizard to translate some papers.

But the forgetful Alfirid has left to take care of something important that he suddenly remembered, the Seal of the Restless Sleeper. Bea and Cad follow, which becomes the adventure that takes up the rest of the book (and leads into the next). The entire landscape is magical, with evidence of past civilizations. Their journey involves a rat thief, giant crabs, a cursed temple, hungry bandits, and a few great, cartoony fight scenes. (The “restless sleeper” probably has something to do with the sinister bird in the dark place, which we see in interstitial scenes that take place well away from Bea and Cad. Is that the bird that destroyed the sun?) And how important is Bea’s jar, with its magical flame, going to prove to be in the end?

Probert’s art is just wonderful and adds to this graphic novel’s magic. This one is a clear readalike for Kibuishi’s Amulet series (and a great diversion while we’re all waiting for the last book).