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Review: Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows #3

Written and illustrated by: J.M. DeSantis
Publisher: Rosarium
Release Date: February 15th

The story of Chadhiyana follows the first woman to be a member of the Tal-Ifatiir. An organization dedicated to hunting and killing the Aghal-Paraag. So far they have captured the demon's right hand servant. A powerful witch. However, the witch seems to know secrets from Chadhiyana's past that are haunting her.
Issue #3 has the Tal-Ifatiir traveling to their prison with the witch in custody. The warriors have become tired and are running low on supplies during their journey across the hot savanna. One member even suggests killing and eating a zebra which he calls a strange horse. While it seems like everything may be going find disasters start to strike them one after another. First a sudden rain storm, followed by lighting, a tree being set on fire and falling, the horses being spooked and running loose with the witch. These accidents cause several members to die. During all of this Chadhiyana goes into shock from what she's seeing. Most likely due to the secret the witch holds over her. In the end of the issue the only thing they can do is move on to catch the witch again.

Maybe it was a serious of bad luck, but I can't help but feel as if the witch had something to do with these events happening in quick succession. During one scene she's seen calmly watching as a man burns to death under a fallen tree and she shows no worries as the horses flee in fear of the lightning. One of the things Chadhiyana does well is move the story forward without giving many details. There's a lot of external exposition that isn't directly related to the story but it serves to demonstrate the humanity of the Tal-Ifatiir who are these shrouded and shadowy warriors. That all serves a purpose when they inevitably die.

Additionally having the series completely illustrated by DeSantis really helps out. It can be a little jarring when you read a series and artists change issue to issue with varying quality. Having one person provide all of the art helps keep distractions to a minimum while reading through an issue.

I'm still a little on the fence about Chadhiyana. On one hand the story is definitely something I find interesting. It's unique and something that I'd like to see through to the end. Yet, I can't help but feel that it would be better in novel form. But, I can't help but feel as if that's just a personal preference I have. Chadhiyana is a strange experience but it should be read to determine for yourself if it's something you'll enjoy.

You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
Darrell S.

Hey, I write stuff, a lot of different stuff, that's all.

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