Review: Eden

Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Marc Laming
Creators: Alain Bismut, Abel Ferry
Publisher: Humanoids, Inc
Released: April 9, 2024
Received: NetGalley

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Summary:

The world is dying. We all know it. Many pretend to think otherwise, but denial won’t keep you safe. That’s why Gabe Oximenko and his family are trying hard to find their way off the planet.

Unfortunately, the odds have never been in their favor. Opportunity struck – but for their next-door neighbors. Yet this family isn’t inclined to take the end of the world sitting idly, so they made their own opportunity.

Review:

Eden tells the story of one desperate family trying to survive. Interestingly, their desperation comes in many forms. Gabe is a dreamer – he wants to see the good in everyone and everything. His wife is a realist – she’ll look at everything in the worst light, so at least she’ll never be disappointed. Meanwhile, their daughter is a tech genius who just needs to be given a chance to flourish.

Together, they end up in an impossible situation. In truth, there’s something vaguely familiar about it. I can’t quite put my finger on it – so I would love to hear from others on what they think it is! I loved seeing the family fight and work together.

The artwork is probably the biggest highlight for me. It made the story even more enjoyable, and I was happy to keep on reading it. That said – for some reason, I kept getting interrupted while reading Eden. I distinctly remember thinking, “Just let me read! I need to see what happens next.” So please make of that what you will, and feel free to infer my investment from there.

I’m going to address the elephant in the elephant in the room. I enjoyed Eden. I don’t think that it deserves all the negative reviews it’s gotten. Yes, it is taking the “billionaires are evil” beyond the logical extreme. But let’s be real here; it’s not that far off from many other cyber-punk-based plots. So maybe it’s because I’ve been indulging in that media so much lately, but it didn’t bother me.

Admittedly, I think I would have enjoyed Eden more had the scale been just a tiny bit smaller. When talking in the millions, it’s hard to picture it. It’s even harder to relate to that sort of loss. How does the saying go – one is a tragedy, one million is a statistic?

Highlights:

• Sci-Fi
• Family Bonds Know No Limits
• Corruption and Billionaires
• Dying Earth

Thanks to Humanoids, Inc and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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