There are no moments of action, no fights or pyrotechnics on display, this book is about small moments of humanity, not spectacle. Of course this means that the book is not for everyone. Zoc is a deceptively simple book, from the story to the art, and it does not underline its message, but instead charms its readers with well drawn characters and convincing locations. It not only explores Zocs work prospects but considers the effects of her attempts, leading her to consider the wider moral implications of her actions. Essentially Zoc is a drama set in an only-just fantasy world. The writing is as crisp as the art, with very little extraneous to the actual story, and though the story is devoid of any fast action it never feels slow. This comparison is what initially drew me to the book, but quickly Jade Khoo moved past any such similarity. Zoc is written and illustrated by Jade Khoo, an artist I had not previously been aware of, and consists of 160 or so pages of coloured line art that reminded me a great deal of the art of Kouhaku Kuroboshi (Kino’s Journey).

She offers to help drain water-logged land, and in doing so she begins a journey that will bring her alongside the minstrels she so loves, and bring her in contact with a strange boy called Kael, who may become the perfect partner in her quest. Though slight in stature, Zoc can pull huge amounts of water in such a way, and aside from her love of minstrels it is her only interest and only gift.Īpproaching the age where she will have to find work, she decides to try to use her gift. Water is drawn to her hair, trailing along behind her like a bridal train. Travelling minstrels drift between these enclaves and here and there exist people with strange gifts that defy logic. Farmland spreads over hill and vale and people live in pockets of population resembling an agrarian culture from a simpler time. At first glance Zoc’s world is a lot like our own.

Zoc by Jade Khoo