Trinity Blood: The Star of Sorrow Vol. 1

"The Star of Sorrow", is the first volume of 1 of 2 different novel lines, "Reborn on the Mars," of the "Trinity Blood" series. In this story, a mysterious terrorist organization and the bloodthirsty Marquis of Hungary, Gyula, has one agenda -- to shatter the loose string and orchestrate a war between the New Human Empire and the Vatican. Special Ops AX Agent Abel Nightroad is back and with the help of a young girl named Esther, they hope to thwart Gyula and Co. from unleashing their ace weapon, the legendary Star of Sorrow.

Comparing "The Star of Sorrow" with the anime series, the manga, and the novel "From the Empire," this may be one of my least favorite stories. While the overall plot behind the novel could potentially deliver an awesome experience, the execution was less than mediocre, especially for those who aren't new to "Trinity Blood." The story moved a bit slow and the characters felt stereotypical and held no depth. That aspect alone was suprising, as Abel has always held a place in my favorite character list. If you're first encounter with "Trinity Blood" is through "The Star of Sorrow," you are bound to closely compare it to "Trigun," for example, and are more likely prone to choose "Trigun" over the former title. Nevertheless, the action really starts to pick up 3/4 of the way through the book, in a such way that it almost redeems itself in the end.

Overall, "Trinity Blood: The Star of Sorrow" is a good read, but if you're looking for perfection and awe-inspiring entertainment, I can think of plenty of other titles that are worth your while.