about the book
Picking up where the initial book of the Woods trilogy leaves off, the reader will now get to know the characters much more closely.
This book follows two story lines. The first follows the 500 characters who stay at the school and try to set up a whole new social structure as they cope with attacking monsters, dwindling food sources, and no running water. The second story arc follows the six who decide to leave the school and go through the woods in search of who ever or whatever brought them here.
The primary conflict in the first group is over control. While the faculty debates in closed meetings, Maria, the Student Council president, manages to define the most immediate problems and identify potential solutions. But with the far larger ratio of students to faculty, some teens see this as their chance to confront those who have been their oppressors. Then there is Coach Clay, an ex-special ops military man. Now is his chance to build the army he has always dreamed of…with him in charge, of course!
Meanwhile the six that headed off into the woods are working wonderfully together, all striving for the same goal—just to survive in a strange new world filled with gruesome predators. As they work together, relationships grow, new connections are made. It is also becoming obvious that the Woods is a very dark and scary place, and light is a very important resource.
Focus on specific characters and flashbacks give us important information about who they are and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Especially important is the flashback centering on the opening night of the high school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. During that night, the students and faculty crossed paths in a way that seeded the various horrors that were to come!
When Adrian, the leader of the six students, unlocks his powers, reader will finally get a better understanding of just what the planet is. Something is getting ready to swarm…but what?
about the author
Milwaukee born James Tynion the Fourth was not into horror films or books at all when he was a kid. They scared him sleepless! When he got to Sarah Lawrence, he began to wonder why he was so afraid of these stories. To figure it all out, he watched over 170 horror films and actually discovered that he enjoyed the genre! He ended up doing his senior thesis on the subject.
In college James was mentored by famed comic writer Scott Snyder and interned for Vertigo editor Shelly Bond. There was no question whether or not he would make a career writing comic books.
Most days, you can find him in his New York City apartment, spread out over the kitchen table, curled on the couch, or hard at work at his desk, writing away. One of his biggest challenges is getting started. Once he has his story in mind it just flows. His other challenge is juggling all his projects. As a relative newbie to the field, he agreed to do far more than he has time for!
James was inspired to write Woods after Scott Snyder asked him what his most perfect comic would be. James realized it would be an adventure/horror/sci-fi story, and it would include experiences from James’s own life. That Milwaukee school was James’s old stomping ground. He hasn’t been to an alien primordial woods, but his imagination has! The good news is that Woods has been picked up and is slated for a cable television series. James thinks that is pretty darn cool.
James enjoys all forms of geekery. Although he is lousy at video games, he just might show up at your house for a night of multiple player role-playing games. Of course, comics are his king of geek entertainment, followed closely now by horror films.
James has worked with Scott Snyder on DC’s Batman, co-writing the back-up stories for the series, and was the showrunner for the Batman Eternal and Batman & Robin Eternal series. He became the writer for the massive cross-over project Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, one of the best selling comic issues of 2015. He has also written for Detective Comics, and the on-going series Talon and Red Hood and the Outlaws. His newest series is Memetic.
Sources:
Book page: Amazon
Author interview: Comic Book Resources
Author interview: Comic Vine
Author biography: Goodreads
Author interview: Batman News
Article on ‘The Woods’ heading to television: The Hollywood Reporter
Author video interview: YouTube
Also by James Tynion, IV:
Woods (Books 3-17). Boom! Studios. 2014-2015.
about the illustrator
An Athens based illustrator Michael Dialynas (pronounced “Thee-Alley-Nas”) has worked as a writer, penciller, inker, colorist, letterer, and cover artist. Now he has taken on the role as artist on James Tynion IV scary and exciting adventure/horror/sci-fi series and graphic novel, Woods. His best monsters? Absolutely has to be his white blind-eyed, double-rowed fanged, six-winged vampire bat beasties.
In his native language, Michael worked on Trinkets: An Attic Full of Stories and the series Swan Song. He is probably best known for his work on Amala’s Blade and Spera. He is currently working on Superior Spider-man Team Up Special and IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Sources:
Illustrator blog: Wooden Crown
Illustrator biography: Malta Comic-Con
About illustrator: Deviant Art
Also Illustrated by Michael Dialynas:
Woods (Books 2-17) by James Tynion, IV. Boom! Studios. 2014-2015.
read more!
Starborn : 1 : Beyond the Far Stars by Stan Lee
Benjamin Warner is an unlucky and failed fantasy novelist who has always dreamed of far off adventures and other worlds. When a familiar face shows up, trouble follows. Turns out those dreams weren’t dreams but actually memories. He has alien blood in his veins, he is heir to a throne in a far off world, and he needs to assume that throne to prevent a galactic war!
Woods : 3 by James Tynion, IV
The more the five students find out about the Woods, the deeper the mystery gets. Back at the school, Clay and the Duke are teaming up to force the students into servitude for the New London army. The five in the Woods need to think up a plan to save their peers, and fast. And with Adrian uncontrollable and on the loose, no one knows what his next move will be.