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Jova’s Harvest #3

By Avi Weinryb
December 25, 2006 - 09:17

Art by Steve Uy

 

Jova is a harvester. That means it is his duty to collect the souls of good dead folk in order to prevent Hell from obtaining them instead. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Jova’s Harvest is far more complex than it seems.

 

The Harvest series is all about family. Jova is a soul harvester who regularly goes toe to toe with the Devil. Luci, the Devil is Jova’s brother. The two of them share a sister who was formerly an angel, but now resides lost within the depths of Hell. Jova seeks to save her, but Luci always stands in his way.

 

Steve Uy engages in references to previous works of his, allowing the formation of an interconnected fictional universe. This may seem jarring for the uninitiated, but it enriches his stories

 

A very unique aspect to the dialogue in Harvest is that it rhymes! I did not notice this right away, but when spotted this scheme I was hard-pressed to think about anything else. Once I got over it, the rhyming couplets ceased to distract, and even served to enhance the tale. In a mysterious and beautiful otherworldly plane of existence, the rhyming serves to emphasize the fantastic elements of Jova’s quest.

 

The plot itself is a tapestry of borrowed mythology and elements of fantasy. Jova and his siblings are engaged in a fantastic quest that moves between realms of existence and realities beyond basic perception. The material demands to be read in sequence, and its hidden references to other books by Uy seem to reward multiple readings.

 

If Steve Uy’s story is layered, his art is even more so. A combination of hand drawn art and computer manipulation creates pages of lush landscapes and otherworldly locations. The distinct tones of colour and careful manipulation of lighting demonstrates his skills as an artist.

 

Jova’s Harvest #3 is a unique book and a welcome addition to the series. Do not think of reading this book before consuming the first two. Things could get a little trippy.

 

Rating: 7.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12