Book of Death: Legends of the Geomancer #4 has Anni preparing for the future protection of the Earth while raising her children, the three brothers with extraordinary powers. Decades have passed since she emerged from the tree with amazing powers and Padda promised to stop her from wielding this power. So multiple wars have been waged and not just as an attempt to stop Anni but due to various differences or desire for power for themselves. However, Padda’s armies have gone by the name Nergal and their focus has been to destroy Anni although they have been beaten back countless times by the 3 brothers, Ivar, Aram and Gilad. They have been unstoppable and the only flaw they have is their youthful exuberance that makes them pick on Gilad, the youngest among them. But Anni tells Cuth, her loyal advisor and the first who received the benefits of her powers through the restoration of his legs, that she won’t always be around to wield these powers. She tells him that it won’t be due to her powers lacking but the wisdom she gained over the years showing her that there must be a cycle in order for people to eventually understand each other. And it’s her duty to ensure that there’s a line of those striving to protect the Earth without a break in the succession. But what has become of her former ally Padda, and what role will the 3 brothers ultimately play in her grand plan?

I was patient when the focus shifted to Ivar, Aram and Gilad fighting Nergal because it was good to see them in action. And the action was very well done with Juan Jose Ryp’s artwork capturing the brutality of it as well as the uniqueness of the 3 brothers in this type of combat. And Anni and Cuth’s discussion about them gave them and their actions a context within the scope of the series. It was pretty cool to see that Gilad wasn’t the automatic selection for his role as protector of all future Geomancers and understanding what factored into that.

So the confrontation between Padda and Anni was entertaining but it seemed off because the motives didn’t fit. I won’t give away any spoilers but I imaged Padda as just a random character and I was able to sit back and enjoy what unfolded next. Anni was indeed the greatest Geomancer and worthy of being the start. I just wish there was a series that wouldn’t skip over that and instead show more of her feats.

SUMMARY

Book of Death: Legends of the Geomancer #4 solidifies Anni’s role as the start of the Geomancers but does a disservice to her by skipping over her major feats and solely focusing on her preparing for the future. And Padda’s transformation and portrayal isn’t elaborated on so he feels like a random enemy. However, this issue does a great job in showing the 3 brothers in their youth and explaining Gilad’s selection as protector of future Geomancers. And Anni’s legend overall is still as intriguing as ever. She’s definitely set the bar high for all Geomancers.

Release Date: 10/27/15

Writer: Fred Van Lente

Artist: Juan Jose Ryp