Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” – Sun Tzu.
“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is one of the most ancient and influential books on military strategies and tactics, believed to have been written in the 5th century BC. I read its English translated version in college, and it turned out to be a dry read, taking days to finish despite its small size. So when I noticed a graphic novel version by Pete Katz available on Kindle Unlimited, I thought, why not revisit the book in a more entertaining format?
For a reader who sort of knew what to expect, the illustrated version definitely turned out to be more engaging. While the original work reads like a long-winded rule book detailing what a good general should do in times of war, this graphic novel version by Pete Katz presents it in a story format, with an old retired war general called Sifu teaching Sun Tzu’s military treatise to a young boy. Sifu kind of reminded me of Master Shifu from the “Kung Fu Panda” movies, the wise old senior master of Jade Palace, who trains the greatest warriors of ancient China.
The artwork by Pete Katz is the highlight of this graphic novel representation of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”. Katz’ illustrations are colorful, and look like pencil-sketches blended with water colors, they look like old world paintings, perfectly complimenting the text of the novel. Most pages are rife with pictures of a warriors in different battle positions.
Pete Katz also introduces some excitement into the text by incorporating attacks on Sifu’s village by bandits and then uses this twist to practically illustrate some of Sun Tzu’s advice about how to handle one’s enemies. Much of the text is indeed cryptic, requiring readers to interpret the ancient general’s intent. However, at its core, “The Art of War” emphasizes strategic planning and the meticulous study of one’s enemy, their territory, and the surrounding terrain. It dwells into the various intricacies of warfare, advocating for shrewd tactics and calculated maneuvers to achieve victory on the battlefield.
Rating: 4 on 5. Art of War: A Graphic Novel is available on Kindle Unlimited.
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