Saga Vol. 5

By Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

While Gwendolyn and Lying Cat risk everything to find a cure for The Will, Marko makes an uneasy alliance with Prince Robot IV to find their missing children, who are trapped on a strange world with terrifying new enemies. Collects SAGA #25-30.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Image Comics, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781632156143

Book preview

Reviews for Saga Vol. 5

[darthdeverell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga, Volume Five collects issues no. 25-30 of the titular series. Continuing from Volume Four, three months have passed since commoner robot Dengo kidnapped Prince Robot IV’s newborn and hi-jacked the ship with Alana, Hazel, Izabel, and Klara. They meet up with a Rebellion against both of the two warring parties, aggrieved for the damage the war has done to neighboring planets. Prince Robot IV and Marko continue looking for their respective families and the respective kidnappers. Meanwhile, The Brand travels with Gwendolyn, Sophie, and Lying Cat to look for a way to heal her brother, The Will. The theme of sacrifice permeates Hazel’s narration as well as the bitterness that can build within families, both those biologically related and groups that find themselves thrown together and depending on one another. Vaughan and Staples continue to deliver the quality comicbook space opera that defines Saga and makes it unlike anything else currently in print!

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the 5th TP volume in the Saga series (there are 7 TP volumes out right now). This continues to be a well done graphic novel series, but I thought this volume was the weakest one in the series so far. Despite a lot of storylines going on it just didn’t feel like much happened here.The story jumps between a few different characters. First we have Gwedolyn and Lying Cat as they search for a cure for the Will which leads them to a planet infested with dragons. Then we have Marko and Prince Robot IV who have gone rogue to rescue their children. Then of course we have Alana, Hazel, and her grandmother trying to evade capture.This volume has less shocking scenes than the previous volumes; although there was still a rather disturbing scene with a male dragon having a good time all on his ownsome (seriously I think this scene may have scarred my brain for life). I would continue to recommend an adult only audience for this series.The illustration is still excellently done but I think the story has slowed down quite a bit. I am struggling some with what the endgame is here. Is this just going to be a story about Hazel’s parents struggling to keep her safe? Will the story eventually feature Hazel? Is Hazel some sort of future peace bringer to the galaxy? I am not sure and the story is moving slow enough now that I don’t think we will get any answers anytime soon.Overall this was a good continuation of this space opera graphic novel series. For the most part I enjoyed it and thought it was well done. I think the pacing needs to pick up some, either that or the storylines need to get more focused.

[elam11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I gasped, I cringed, I cheered, I

[benjaminhahn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Vaughan and Staples are keeping it weird over in Saga land. This volume continues the whole tragic story arc from two volumes ago. It's getting harder to watch or read any work of fiction (or nonfiction for that matter) involving children being forcibly removed from their parents. Great images as usual in the volume. They know how to keep the unexpected turning up on the next page.

[cail_judy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A solid addition to the Saga canon. It picks up the pace from volume four and provides closure to a few key plot points while keeping things moving forward. Such a blast to read.

[vonze-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm starting to feel that this series is appropriately named "Saga". It could go on forever. At the end of this volume, Hazel is finally a child. I'm starting to wonder where this series is going. Is Hazel a "chosen one hero"? Is she going to end the war? Make things worse? Be a victim? A leader? Again, none of that is answered in this volume.

Thankfully, in my opinion, Volume 5 is a little less shocking than previous volumes. Great world and characters, still for mature audiences.

[stormraven_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Volume Four of Saga, the story of Alana and Marko became fractured as their relationship splintered apart under the stress of living on the run. Their romantic whirlwind courtship turned into a crushing obligation as the realities of raising a child while the entire universe turned against you began to truly sink in. In the other story line, the futility of trying to heal The Brand was made clear to Gwendolyn and Sophie, their desire to help their friend crushed by the extreme nature of his injuries. One would think that in Volume Five, the fact that Marko and Alana fight across the depths of space against almost impossible odds to reunite and with the help of The Brand a cure is found for The Will, this would result in a brighter, happier story. One would be wrong.[More forthcoming]

[bobbybslax · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Things get even worse for everyone, but the art and writing are still top-notch.

[all_hail_grimlock · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this series so much!7:55 pm 26 October 2015Saga, Volume 5 - Fiona Staples, Brian K. VaughanI continue to love this series. I may just end up buying these on Comixology, despite the fact that I got this collection from the library: I saw it and snapped it up. I own some of these issues, but not all of them. And reading this, I was reminded of why I love this series so much. There's a lot here: it's about war, specifically the effects of war on the psyche although it also touches on what it does to nations, as well as family, loyalty, and... there's just too much to me to list. It's mind-boggling all the themes Vaughan manages to put into such a slim volume, and Staples doesn't slouch on the art. It's not only gorgeously illustrated, each panel compliments the feel that Vaughan is going for perfectly. Dengo and Prince Robot IV were my favorite characters, although I especially appreciated that Marko and IV were forced to work together: the same man had both their children, and although they despised each other, they knew they needed one another to find Hazel and the princeling. In other words, this was perfect, using every narrative trick it could to its fullest potential. I'm only sorry that issue thirty one hasn't come out yet: I'm willing to wait because the quality is just amazing enough to be worth the wait, but I'd still love to see more immediately.

[untitled841 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The family is seperated and the strain of the universe bears down on both sids revealing the weaknesses they hoth have when they're not all together.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This series just keeps getting better. I'm mad that I have to wait for Volume 6.

[tapestry100 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I remember reading this and just not vibing with it originally. Cut to a couple of years later, and a buddy convinces me to try it again, and I was HOOKED. Cut to several years later yet again, and re-reading the entire series in anticipation of the release of the very long overdue next issue in the series after hiatus, and damn this story still holds up. I don't know why I didn't like it the first time. It's funny, brutal, violent, naughty, but at the center of all of it, the story has heart. So glad I'm getting to enjoy this series all over again.

[greeniezona · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was very sad when this came out, because I was on a self-imposed book-buying hiatus in advance of my trip to Book Riot Live. Luckily, Sandy took pity on me and lent me her copy.

I quite liked this volume, but was not as in love with it as I had been earlier volumes. Maybe I'm just sad that Alana and Marko are separated, maybe it's actually an artifact of reading the TPBs instead of single issues. The story is split into so many character POVs now that the advancement of the story over a TPB seems small compared to the long wait until the next one drops.

That's what I get for reading a Work in Progress?

Eager as ever for the next volume.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the artwork but I just don't love the story, I honestly am not invested in them or in what's going to happen next. I know it's beloved of many friends and I'm curious to see what happens but I'm not desperately looking for the next instalment.

[skybalon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I writing the same review for all the Saga Volumes that I read since fundamentally it is one long story just broken up in multiple volumes.

This is what a graphic novel can be when it is combined with singular vision and style. There can be strengths in multiple people (writers, artists, producers) being involved in a long comics cycle, but not changing all the time can lead to an even better experience--if it is a good vision. Fortunately Saga follows through with something that feels both epic and personal at the same time. Weird but relatable. Well worth the read.

[lydia1879 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Uh. So I stayed up late and read this in about an hour.

Oops.

It was great, though. I love the characters, the writing, Fiona Staples' art style, (the colours are beautiful and harmonised and everything is really bold) but I did feel a little like not a whole lot happened in this one. A few loose ends were dovetailed very nicely and I can tell the plot is going really interesting places but it didn't quite get there like the other volumes did.

... but that's nitpicking. Do you really think I would give this book a low rating if I picked it up and didn't put it down? I love the narrative and how feminist that particular volume is. I can't wait to read more. c:

[kmajort · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This only gets better.

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as strong as some of the previous ones, but continues to be an engrossing saga nonetheless.

[tobinelliott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well...that was...lethal.

The Saga continues, and a splendid time is guaranteed for all.

[herenya_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This with the aftermath of Volume Four. Hazel, now a toddler/preschooler, has been abducted, along with some of her family; Gwendolyn, Sophie and Lying Cat search for a cure for The Will. This volume is full of missions which succeed in some way... only to then fail in another way. I was relieved that nothing worse happened, but I didn’t enjoy it much. There were a couple of deaths which disappointed me -- not because I was saddened by them (one was a character I don’t like much at all) but because their deaths didn’t feel necessary and they made the story less interesting and less complex. I like seeing characters grow and change, and there’s just less potential for a character to build new relationships or challenge other characters when they are dead...

[viragoreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OMG this is getting insane! Marko is all sorts of fired up like I've never seen. And Dengo got in way over his head with the rebellion. And it's Alanna, Klara and Hazel who are going to pay for his stupidity. Just when we get the reunion we've been waiting for, there's another division. I'm trying not to spoil.In this Volume things are really heating it. We've got three sides, one trying to keep the war going, one trying to stop it, and I'm not real sure about the third. I'm starting to wonder if anyone even knows what they're even fighting for. And my guess is the side that want to keep the war going is in it for either money or power, likely both. I just have this sinking feeling that we'll ever get a happy ending here.

[macha_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

wonderful stuff, fabulous characters, a complex and yet very simple narrative. and a perfect collaboration between writer and artist.

[lissabeth21 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Moving the story along quite a pace with this one.

[glennis.leblanc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story arc was a series of people finding and losing one another. I still like the overall story but so far this one was the most depressing one I have read so far out of all of them. There is still two separate storylines and I’m not sure when they will converge again if they will. Will keep reading this since I know at least one person survives most of this since she is telling the story. That and Lying Cat is by far my favorite character in this series.

Digital review copy sent to me from Image Comics

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I don't like bad things happening to/around Sophie. NO.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read from October 19 to 20, 2015The artwork is what keeps this volume at 4 stars, the story moved a tad too slow for me. There was some progress: a few reunions, a few seperations, some anger, some death, some weird dragon self-love. At least three different storylines that (at times) were a lot to keep up with. Before the next volume is published, I'm gonna have to revisit vols 4 & 5 to keep it all straight.

[lavaturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Saga, Volume 5 is another solid entry in the series. At the beginning Alana and Marko are each with one of the TV-heads, and the conflict they get drawn into (mirroring how the Landfall/Wreath conflict drew in the rest of the galaxy? There's a great, and solemn, discussion of this war and its impact on people at the beginning of the volume.) largely drives the plot. There's also a side plot featuring The Brand and several other characters on a quest to cure The Will. The characterization, especially of the children, is great as usual.

[lycomayflower · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This comic books series continues to be really excellent, with compelling artwork, intriguing storylines, and complex characters. I don't really have anything more to say except that the whole series is absolutely worth checking out.

[ragwaine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Feels like this is getting back on course after a rough volume 4. The creativity is amazing and the author even managed to shock me with a single absurd panel. Just a warning, looks like Mr. Vaughan has been taking lessons from George RR Martin. Lots of deaths happening in this one. I'm actually hoping that this ends soon because I feel like, even though it's great, it's going to risk getting repetitious soon.

[juva_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Separated by the cock-eyed machinations of a mentally-unstable android, Alana and her mother-in-law are ready to try anything to escape their captor. Unfortunately, his latest brilliant plan is to team up with a blood-thirsty set of revolutionaries. This group, called the Last Revolution, almost immediately turns on the android idealist and decides to sell off Hazel to the highest bidder. They also intend to barter with the androids to return the prince. Eventually, nearly everyone is dead, Alana is seperated from her family, and Hazel and her grandmother are recovered by the authorities and sent to a camp on Landfall.Meanwhile, Marko has temporarily joined up with Prince Robot IV to find their respective families. They catch up with Alana in time to see the ship with the rest of their family leaving orbit. The Prince kills the murderer of his wife and recovers his child.Meanwhile, meanwhile, The Brand, Sophie, and Gwen are on a mission to recover some dragon semen - the only thing that will bring back The Will. They succeed but the Brand is eaten. When the Will wakes up, he is so horrified that his sister died trying to save him that he sends Gwen, Sophie, and Lying cat away.