Thank you for the opportunity to read Sentient by Jeff Lemiere. I love the art style, but unfortunately I just couldn't get in to the book at all. Some of the things were just too nonsensical

Lemire likes to write about children, and there is something about comics - even if aimed at adults - which can do children a little better than say movies. Sentient is on the page a very cinematic idea, there is an uprising on a spaceship that leaves all the adults dead and the ships AI as their mother. There's some big widescreen stuff here, space always is, though Gabriel Walta renders it in jagged, chunky and distinctly unsleek lines and the colour palate is greeny-brown. But given a cast of children and a disembodied computer voice, you don't have to cast precocious stage school kids to pull this off. And the audience won't feel weird watching a book about kids.

The problem with Sentient (which kind if is hinted by its very generic title) is that the above scenario is the situation, not the story. This is a six issue done in one (whether it got cancelled or was always a limited series is hard to say, it does seem to end quite abruptly). The secondary storyline plays into the poloitics of the story which we never really get into the bones of. Its fine, and broadly well done - albeit one of the largest pieces of suspense here is basically watching a progress bar complete. And little is made of or done with the idea in the title, is the ships computer Sentient, are other systems similar to it also sentient, and is that why they might have very different personalities.

Sentient is a decent sci-fi short story, written well and told well (even if the lead kid looks a little too like Bobby Hill from King Of The Hill). The package is also bulked out with a lot of designs and full script for the first issue. I suppose it only really let me down in having a bit more promise in that killer first issue, and then meandering into more staple topics later.

Cool art and concept. The actual plot uses nonsensical devices, e.g. Valarie being "overwritten" by Victor then Victor being "purged" from his ship by Isaac. I also think the basic concept of children alone in space with their AI "mother" could have sustained a much more substantial volume.

Jeff Lemire creates another amazing book in Sentient. The U.S.S. Montgomery is travelling to a new human colony carrying families from Earth. When all of the adults die, the A.I. on board, Valarie, has the responsibility of transporting the children safely to their new home. Lemire pens a story of humanity on the furthest edge of civilization, with strong central characters. The contrast between Lil and Isaac creates tension amongst the children, and Valarie is thrust into the role of a mother figure as she has to contend with turning the children into a functioning space crew. Gabriel Walta's art is fantastic, conveying the emotion of the characters excellently and showing numerous cool sci-fi designs for Valarie's various robots aboard the ship. There were many stand-out scenes in the book elevated by Walta's dramatic art. This is an excellent graphic novel that tells a deep and complete story, and anyone who lives sci0fi and horror should read it.
The Deluxe Edition also has a full script to the first issue along with many in-process drawings from the development of the book. It is a great add-on to the already wonderful story.
Thank you to TKO Studios and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, TKO Presents, TKO Studios, Jeff Lemire, and Gabriel Walta for the opportunity to read Sentient in exchange for an honest review.

If you have ever read the Illuminae files, you know how an A.I. can take a form of sentience for itself, sometimes for better, but sometimes for worse. The A.I. in this story reminds me a bit of AIDAN. It tries to do the right thing, but as it is an A.I., it technically cannot understand the difference between right and wrong.

On the Montgomery, a spaceship with colonists on a mission, the ships' A.I., Val, makes a call to kill one of the adults as they seemed to be a threat to those on the ship. In an onslaught, the A.I. goes a little more than overboard.

With the children having only Val to be their parent now, they strive to survive on their ship with the A.I. When one girl notices a distress signal, she defies Val's wishes and disembarks while the ship refuels. Lil investigates and finds a raving madman (supposedly) who seems to once have been part of another colony on the ship they are refueling from.

With disastrous warnings, Lil make her way back to the Montgomery and Val, only to soon be pursued by Victor, another ship's A.I. A battle of sentience ensues. What can be determined right and what is morally wrong?

This is a fantastic work of science-fiction. The art is realistic and the story is exquisitely crafted. It has a lot to hint at the fate of humanity and Earth's future, as well as the power of technology. This is an excellent read for an older teen or adult audience.

A gripping space adventure chronicle that centers around an unlikely crew made up entirely of children. Lemire's narrative ability shone in this science-fiction tale. Gut-wrenching, fast-paced, and emotional; this graphic novel does not hold back on the harshness of surviving in space but there is a surprising optimism and sense of hope to Sentient.

When an attack leaves all the adults of the colony ship, the U.S.S. Montgomery is left in deep space, in a communication dead-zone, the children are left in the care of the ship's AI (Valerie). Both the children and Valerie must adapt quickly to survive in deep space with the unknown dangers lurking in the darkness of space.

Jeff Lemire never disappoint me. This comic was fun and had good artwork as well. I also enjoy all the bonus material at the end.

I was originally disappointed when I picked this up, because the art is perhaps my least favorite of all the graphic novels I've consumed recently. But where the illustration might let me down, I think Sentient has really good pacing (hard to find in some of these graphic novels), and manages to create dimensional characters (children to boot!) going through some serious emotions. I'd definitely read more from Lemire, and would have continued this storyline if more issues existed.

I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and TKO Studios in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Jeff Lemire’s work because it always has a rich complexity to it. I loved the character development, the twists in each chapter, and how the reader gets emotionally pulled into the storyline. The artwork is equally compelling, with interesting juxtapositions and color work to denote different AI systems. This book was really clever.