The Moonlit Spiral - by Mike Maihack (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the creator of the Cleopatra in Space series comes a wildly imaginative, enormously thrilling, and deeply felt story of treasure-hunting friends.

Best friends Rion and Zyla live in the fantastic world of Helix, where treasure hunting was once a way of life. Nowadays, though, it seems like people are more concerned with researching the past than looking for real treasure in the present. Life has gotten pretty dull, which is how Rion likes it. He lost his parents to adventure, so playing video games and hanging around his guardian Henry's dusty, failing bookstore are all he wants to do. Then Rion discovers hidden pages in a cryptic journal left by his parents. They give clues to the biggest treasure of them all--the last prize of the famed treasure hunter Orion Flynn! It's clear what Rion's parents would have wanted him to do, plus Henry needs the money to stay in business. Fearless Zyla insists they have to act fast--the treasure can only be found during the once-a-decade Silver Moon, which will shine for the next six days. Accompanied by a magical fox girl, the friends make their way through twisting caves, colorful forests, and mountainous spires, encountering a host of fascinating creatures along their way to a discovery so great, it will unlock the past, present, and future.

Review Quotes

Maihack not only fills the clean, bright, digitally rendered panels with stunning architectural and geological marvels, but also trucks in a host of fantastical creatures, like mystically glowing blume snails and a friendly jellylike monster.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Maihack (the Mighty Marvel Team-Up series) presents a whimsical fantasy graphic novel, a treasure-hunt adventure that boasts enchanting worldbuilding. . . . Action-adventure plotting and epistolary storytelling with echoes of Indiana Jones derring-do combine for an inviting offering.
--Publishers Weekly

Beautiful artwork features a journey through secret passageways, into technicolor forests, and over rocky mountains. Helix is a world readers will be eager to revisit and to accompany Rion on many more adventures to come. . . . An ideal blend of humor, adventure, and heart, this is a highly recommended read-alike for fans of K-Pop Demon Hunters who are eager to recreate those feels.
--School Library Journal

Mike Maihack has created a world of wonder and danger that's thrilling to explore. On every gorgeous page, his art is surpassed only by his incredible storytelling.
--Chris Schweizer, Eisner-nominated creator of the series The Creeps and The Crogan Adventures

Brimming with maps and magic, mysterious ruins and bioluminescent snails, The Moonlit Spiral is irresistible.
--Ben Hatke, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zita the Spacegirl and the travel memoir Home/World

The Moonlit Spiral is a magical tale about the power of stories. It is a book to be shared between generations.
--Kazu Kibuishi, New York Times bestselling author of the Amulet series

About the Author

Mike Maihack is the author of the Cleopatra in Space series, which was also made into an animated series. A graduate of the Columbus College of Art & Design, he is also the creator of the popular webcomic Cow & Buffalo and has contributed to books including Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman; Parable; Jim Henson's The Storyteller; Cow Boy; Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities; and Comic Book Tattoo. His graphic novel Cleopatra in Space: Target Practice won a Florida Book Award and was a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Mike Maihack lives with his wife, two sons, and Siamese cat down in the humid depths of Florida.