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<\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe story takes place in a dystopian galaxy ruled by a so-called Shogun. Once, the world flourished in technological advancement and was inhabited by various clans. A great war for power broke out, destroying nearly everything and leaving the world a vast field of ruins. In the remnants, the clans now lead a meager existence \u2014 fighting for survival, competing for resources, salvaging old technologies, and scraping by as best they can. Oishi, a samurai warrior from the Asano Clan, tells how his clan comes into conflict with the mighty Shogun. The setting is thus a science fiction story with samurai elements and a bit of Star Wars<\/em>\u2013style space battles \u2014 quite an interesting mix.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I was very curious about how such a book scroll would feel and read. At first, it does take some getting used to. I followed the short instructions and read the scroll at a table, unrolling it first. That worked quite well, and the format really impressed me. It looks great when the white and seemingly infinite space illustrated by Paul Rietzl stretches out before you. The characters are colorful, and the cosmos with the planet Eno is vividly and brightly depicted. It\u2019s beautiful to look at and I enjoyed it a lot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Once you\u2019ve read a bit, you simply roll further \u2014 it\u2019s quite effortless, though I always had to make sure not to roll it unevenly. Crumbs are also the enemy, as they get rolled in easily \u2014 something that happened to me more than once. A clean surface is therefore highly recommended. According to the instructions, you can also read the scroll freely in the air, but I didn\u2019t try that. With my two left hands, I doubt it would have gone well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In terms of touch, the book scroll completely won me over. It just feels great when the paper slides through your fingers. The print quality is excellent, and the paper has just the right thickness, making it easy to handle while still feeling smooth in your hands. When it comes to the tactile experience, the scroll definitely takes the lead and fully appeals to my bibliophilic side. I also find it a real eye-catcher when it sits on the shelf, showing the rolled-up paper \u2014 it looks great. I couldn\u2019t help but imagine how impressive it would look to have an entire shelf filled with such scrolls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The cover of the scroll \u2014 essentially the first rotation \u2014 is made of linen printed with the cover design. Magnets are embedded in the linen, keeping the scroll neatly closed so it doesn\u2019t unroll by itself. It\u2019s nicely sturdy and well-crafted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n While I really like the scroll visually and haptically, I do find it somewhat impractical overall. You really need to read it in one go or have a suitable place to lay it out. It\u2019s not ideal for reading on a train. Even if I were more dexterous and could read it freely in the air, I\u2019d be too afraid of tearing or crumpling it while putting it away. For me, this is something to read at home and enjoy consciously \u2014 a bibliophile experience, not for quick consumption. What I didn\u2019t like as much was rewinding it \u2014 which you have to do after reading the 15 meters. It took me about 45 minutes to read through the story, and I did quite a bit of winding to get it back in place. It really reminded me of the 1980s and cassette tapes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The format itself is truly unique. The scroll is perfectly suited for wide, panoramic content. I\u2019m not sure how well it would work for a conventional book. On Round not Square\u2019s<\/a> shop, you\u2019ll find several scrolls, each with content designed to take full advantage of this format. Catching the Eye<\/em>, for example, presents the photography of Larry Yust, who has photographed entire streets and arranged them artistically \u2014 a perfect fit. Reading War and Peace<\/em> in this format would probably be exhausting. For comics, though, the format \u2014 as Shipwreck<\/em> demonstrates perfectly \u2014 is just ideal. Paul Rietzl designed all his illustrations for this layout, and the story unfolds almost cinematically, like a flowing sequence of images. I imagine that even a traditional comic with multiple panels, or even a manga, would be a real pleasure in this form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The story of Shipwreck<\/em> entertained me well. It\u2019s beautifully illustrated, colorful, and filled with magnificent panoramic scenes. There\u2019s a lot of narration and little dialogue, which slows the reading pace somewhat. However, I liked the characters \u2014 they\u2019re well-developed and fit perfectly into this desolate, war-torn world. The story doesn\u2019t end with a big twist but rather sketches a fictional world and brings it vividly to life. It\u2019s not a major showstopper, but overall, the scroll offers a very enjoyable reading experience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Paul Rietzl is a freelance illustrator and comic artist from Augsburg. He showcases some of his work on his website<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you\u2019d like to learn more about book scrolls, I recommend watching the video from the Kickstarter campaign (Round not Square \u2013 The Reinvention of the Scroll<\/a> on Vimeo). It gives a good insight, though the production of Shipwreck<\/em> differs from the scroll shown there. The principle, however, is the same.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Conclusion:<\/strong> I was very curious about the book scroll and think the idea is brilliant. Any attempt to innovate in bibliophilic design and explore new directions nearly always leads to fascinating projects. Even though the book scroll isn\u2019t suited for everyday use and is best for content with wide formats, I found it truly captivating. Shipwreck<\/em> is a comic that flows smoothly before the reader, brings a colorful and beautifully illustrated dystopian world to life, and demonstrates how much potential this format holds. For special reading moments, the scroll is a genuine delight. Anyone who loves beautiful books will surely enjoy this as well. I hope Round not Square publishes more comics of this kind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You can order the book scrolls in the online shop on the Round not Square website: https:\/\/round-not-square.com<\/a>. There you\u2019ll also find other scrolls, such as the illustrated children\u2019s story Wilma and Wolf<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Book information:<\/strong> Shipwreck<\/em> \u2022 Paul Rietzl \u2022 Round not Square \u2022 15 meters<\/p>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For some time now, I\u2019ve also been exploring the world of graphic novels, comics, and manga, and although my primary focus is still on the classics (how could it ever be otherwise), I\u2019ve recently been reading quite a bit beyond that. I can only recommend doing the same, because it leads to discovering exciting content … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/shipwreck_5.jpg\")
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