Fables Vol 11 – War and Pieces

My first book review! Before i discovered the wonders of TV serials, books were my first love. I discovered the Fables series quite by accident really, I was looking for new material to read (re: obsess over) and I’d been hearing interesting things about ‘Fables’. What piqued me was that it took these well known story figures and turned them into whole different characters by meshing their lives together, and giving them new pasts and presents. I love the ‘other POV’, the story that could have been/actually was and stuff like that.

Fables Volume 11 - War and Pieces

War and Pieces is Volume 11 in the ongoing Fables series, and collects from issue #70 – #75. In Kingdom Come, we see Boy Blue and Rose Red work out their relationship, how Cinderella would kick Bond’s ass and Fabletown finally wages war on the Empire. Massive Spoilers, proceed only after reading.

#70 – Kingdom Come

Blue definitely has no affinity with anything red – his prior affair with Red Riding Hood (fake riding hoods x 2) turned out to be scams and when he finally did encounter the real one, she fell in love with his bud Flycatcher instead. This time with Rose Red, it’s finally up to right-hand-badger Stinky to point out the obvious to him, and when he does finally admit his feelings for her…

Poor boy, too little, too late – Rose Red had had her crush and already moved on long ago. Boy Blue is left to lament what could have been, if he hadn’t been too busy with War efforts and pining over his lost love.

I love the Boy Blue characterization, and how true to Fables law, because he is named a ‘Boy’, he doesn’t even have to shave, no matter much he tries to deny it. Well at least he’s still able to get some, unlike poor Pinnochio who still resents the Blue Fairy for casting a spell so strong it’s never allowed for him to grow up.

#71 – $72 – Skullduggery

Cinderella, unassuming ditzy shoe retailer on the surface, but in reality the deadliest spy and assassin ever.  As she says herself, she’s had more than a few human lifetimes to perfect her craft. She is sent to retrieve Pinnochio who’s escaped from the Homelands into South America.

I love how they made her really strong and really smart – she’s not your fairy princess in waiting at all as she’s able to disable a quartet of armed men and take out a guy with a stiletto. She started out as just one of Prince Charming’s Ex-wives (as Beauty exclaimed, SHE JUST SELLS SHOES) but turned out to be their best undercover agent (aka ‘Tourist’) and the one tasked to do the most difficult and thankless tasks.

Plans have been made to give Cindy her own spin-off series where they delve a little into her past and what happened to her Fairy Godmother. Very intriguing.

She succeeds in getting them back to New York, and almost completes her mission, but finally with a broken arm she gets taken down, but only after she nearly kills her would-be attackers – Empire undercover assasins the Greenwoods. She’s saved thanks to Pinnochio’s timely intervention, and I’m glad she survives, I love her story.

#73 – #75 – War and Pieces

And… Fabletown goes to war! It’s told from Boy Blue’s POV, as with the Witching Cloak, he’s the one running from point to point making deliveries and carrying messages. We see Prince Charming and Sinbad aboard the beautiful Glory of Baghdad (a gigantic wooden barrel of a ship ingeniously powered by numerous flying carpets trapped in the hull) skyship, Bigby setting up the point of escape with the last giant beanstalk, and Sleeping Beauty waiting…

It starts out pretty light hearted and cheery – PC and Sinbad have a grand ol’ time captaining and complimenting each other and feasting as they easily dispatch the Empire forces with modern guns and unlimited supplies through Blue’s help. Bigby’s bailout crew also take out enemy forces with ease.

Sleeping Beauty uses her sleeping curse to take out the entire ruling city with a prick of her finger. I’m wondering though, that is this her sacrifice to Fabletown, to remain asleep here forever? Or just long enough for Fabletown to come in and take out the Snow Queen and the warlocks? I hope they wake her up soon, it seems a pity for her and her 2 loyal bodyguards to sleep there forever.

Cover of #74 - War and Pieces Part II

I love this cover picture by James Jean. It’s the cover pic for Issue #74, or Part II of the W&P arc.

And then, because there is Fables and there is no ‘happily ever after’, everything goes to shit when the Emperor unleashes a last ditch surprise attack with his last dragon that burns the Glory to pieces, a magic arrow pierces through Blue’s impenetrable cloak and takes out both Bigby and Blue for 4 days.

It seems almost all is lost, but Blue and Bigby wake up eventually and take out the emperor with some ingenuity and the snicker-snacking vorpal sword and proceed to have a barbeque in his burning wooden remains. Sinbad and PC survive, though PC is pretty beat up and disfigured and the latter sets off the last bomb on the last gate, completing their mission but killing himself in the process.

Ultimately everything comes to a close, even if many lives were lost in the process – the Fables finally beat the Empire, and cap it off by bringing the Adversary Gepetto himself to Fabletown to sign the compact, thus binding him as a Fables citizen forever and ending the rule of the Empire.

But will there be a happy ending? I was pretty sad at first because I thought this was the ending of the Fables series which I have enjoyed greatly. But no, it’s just the ending of this particular arc. What happens to the Fables and their old worlds without an Empire? What other misfortunes could befall them? New villains and new problems will arise I’m sure – Fables is after all about the No More Happily Ever Afters.

To quote Boy Blue’s finishing thoughts:

” In the days and months to follow we’d have to deal with the chaos we left behind in the former empire — hundreds of worlds that were suddenly on their own for the first time in centuries. But at the time I doubt there was a one of us who didn’t see a bright and shining future ahead of use.

What can I say? Even immortal fables but be forgiven their rare moments of naivete.”