A sword-wielding boy on a quest facing monstrous obstacles against a dramatic landscape–what more could fans of graphic novels and adventure stories ask for? 'Niko and the Sword of Light' delivers all that and more in colorful, animated panels and a pitch-perfect narration that translate into a whopper of a tale.   During the war between dark and light, darkness emerges from a volcano. As it travels the land it devours any light in its path and enslaves anyone who stands "in it's way." Niko, the last of a people whose village was destroyed has taken up the fabled Sword of Light to defeat the darkness forever. The app is presented in the form of an interactive graphic novel with animated panels. Readers are quickly drawn into Niko and the Sword of Light, (Imaginism, Free; Full Story, $3.99; Gr 4-6) a story incredibly rich in detail and illustration, as the boy travels to confront the forces of the dark. Along the way he encounters a variety of fantastical creatures both good and evil, and a number of geographical obstacles from the "whispering swamp" and "eerie hills," until he reaches "the cursed volcano."

Interior screen from 'Niko and the Sword of Light' ( Imaginism Studios)

Dramatic music plays in the background and listeners are encouraged to use headphones for the full effect. Individual panels can be replayed. Although the dialogue is spoken by the voice actors (each with a unique, well-cast voice), it also appears in the traditional speech bubbles common to the genre. Brief expository bits of text are peppered throughout the story and read in a voice reminiscent of Vincent Price's. There is little interaction with the story itself beyond tapping the icon to move between pages. Niko's exciting, adventure-filled story is one that will captivate readers of graphic novels and fans of anime series such as "Naruto." Once the first few free chapters of the story are read, viewers have the option to purchase the entire story for one price. A cool concept, well executed. —Wayne R. Cherry, Jr., First Baptist Academy, Houston, TX