Brocéliande, Forêt du Petit Peuple #6

The sixth volume of Betbeder and Frichet's enchanting Breton fantasy series brings us "Le Val sans retour" — the Valley of No Return — and the cover sets the mood beautifully. A long-haired figure seated on a rocky outcrop gazes across a sweeping, mist-threaded forest toward a distant hilltop where a mysterious flame and plume of smoke rise into the pale sky; perched on the figure's shoulder is a tiny fairy-like companion, while a red fox, a magpie, and a frog share the ledge alongside them, with a squirrel nestled in the flowing hair. Frichet's artwork captures both the vast, atmospheric grandeur of the legendary forest of Brocéliande and the quiet intimacy of this ragtag band of small folk and forest creatures, making this 2018 Soleil Celtic release a thoroughly inviting entry in the series.