Download Locke Key: Clockworks, Vol. 5 ePub

I had been eagerly awaiting the release of this trade from the moment I put down Locke & Key, Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom, and I would like to say it does not disappoint! I would assume that anyone who is on the page for volume five has already read the first four, but if you have not, drop what you are doing immediately and go to a place where trade paper backs are rented or sold and rent or buy them. I'll wait.

Ok, so Clockworks. This is probably my favorite book so far. As opposed to moving the main plot forward in this volume, Joe Hill takes an opportunity to fill us in on all the back story before the final volume (Omega) is released. And when I say "all the back story" I really mean "all" of it. Almost all of the story's long running questions are answered within the pages of Clockworks, and these answers don't disappoint. You get the history of the keys, key house, what's behind the black door, what happened with Rendell and his friends in the drowning caves, Dodge's history, why only children can access the magic of the keys, and so much more!

Because the bulk of the volume deals with the past, Joe Hill has ample opportunities to introduce new characters to the story. I think one of the main things I liked about the book was how relatable and real Rendell and his friends seemed. The characters all have flaws and vulnerabilities that make them read like real people. Because of this, you feel a connection to them and a sense of dread knowing the tragedy that will soon befall them. And you will feel that impending sense of doom for the majority of the volume. It's like watching a horror movie and just wanting to scream at the girl not to run up the stairs. But they can't hear you.

Lastly I'd like to touch on Gabrielle Rodriguez's phenomenal art. Again, anyone familiar with the series already knows how talented he is, but I would be amiss not to at least give him some credit myself. The way he captures characters facial expressions is truly top notch. There are scenes where characters are running the gamut of emotion, and Rodriguez captures it perfectly. He flawless takes Bode from looking like an adorable care free kid, to a totally menacing force. In addition to that, the amount of Easter eggs and small details in the art cannot be overlooked. I found myself going back to panels to triple check to make sure I didn't miss anything!

All in all I'd rate this book 6 stars if given the opportunity. Joe Hill truly does a great job setting up the final volume. So good in fact I'm going to break routine and buy these next six chapters in issue form, I truly cannot wait! Clockworks will more than satisfy any fan of the series, and if you're not a fan I'm not sure why you're still reading this review. Great writing, great dialogue, great art, great story, great construction on the book, honestly I can't say enough. Bring on Omega!

George Sanyana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

The fifth volume of Locke & Key begins in 1775 Massachusetts Bay as Tyler and Kinsey look-alikes Ben and Miranda watch while their parents are hung by the British, who think to oust them from their home and claim it as their own. Their plans are thwarted when they realize that the house is owned by another, so for now the teenagers are allowed to stay. Sneaking out from under their keepers' watchful eyes, they head to the caves, where a group of patriots awaits, only to learn that their brother Joshua has fallen victim to something most foul indeed.

One of Bode's little friends unwisely lets Luke/Bode know that he realizes he isn't Bode, and suffers the consequences. Bode is determined to find the omega key, but having little luck. While rooting around in Kinsey's room, he accidentally smashes the bottle containing her tears and fears. They get inside Tyler's head and mess with him severely. When Bodes confesses to what happened, Kinsey uses the head key to see what's going on inside Tyler's head (a very scary place) and removes Ugly and Gloomy, but in the process also reveals valuable information to Bode.

Tyler and Kinsey use a key and the grandfather clock to travel to 1775, where the events of the past unfold before them, including the flooding of the cave. After their return, Kinsey asks what he'd like to see next, and Tyler doesn't hesitate. He wants to see their father. So it's off to 1988 they go, to Lovecraft Academy. After the play, everyone is anxious to hear what Mark Cho's movie-agent uncle thought of the production. Disappointment wells when they learn he never showed up, having skipped out to see The Naked Gun instead. Kim is especially ticked off and makes some very nasty comments before storming off. A distraught Rendell agrees to do what he vowed he'd never do--let a demon through the black door.

Can this possibly end well?

Time is certainly fluid in this volume of Locke & Key, as we move between the far past, the past and the present, watching as the forces that shaped what is came to be, including the forging of the keys. Talk about the sins of the fathers...

We see a lot of Rendell and his group of friends, including the treacherous Luke, and the dynamics of the group, which can be turbulent at times. Who likes who, who loves who, who's a bitch and who's just lovesick. There is no doubt that Luke is evil, even if they don't realize to what extent. I don't like Kim at all, either. Not sure what Rendell sees in her. I love seeing Duncan as a little boy as his personality traits are being formed.

I love the ways the characters are drawn, so realistic, so much like people anyone might known, drawn into strange situations and doing their best to handle them. The writing and the drawing of this book work in perfect harmony, one with the other. This one's definitely a keeper.