Chuck Palahniuk’s Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to Color is a hardcover book that posits the rather interesting concept of having a story unravel besides full-page illustrations that are available for readers to color. Palahniuk is well-known for Beautiful You, Fight Club, and Choke, as well as writing 14 novels and authoring a New York Times-bestselling graphic novel.
Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to Color follows apathetic Vincent, an investment banker who appears to have received an inheritance that promises him eternal life. However, on the way to living forever, Vincent runs into a host of colorful characters that seek to prevent him from receiving his prize.
I was not sure how this concept would work, since it could have very easily been too childlike for typical graphic novel or comic book audiences. However, Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to Color includes coloring pages that incorporate the right amount of camp and fun without taking away from the story.
More importantly, these coloring pages, while beautiful are actually colorable and will not be ruined by a poor color choice or a mistake outside the lines. Hence, because they are more accessible they are more enjoyable for readers who want to enjoy bringing the story to life instead of being afraid to ruin an entire page.
In addition to the wonderful illustrations, the story of Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to Color is fascinating and compelling throughout the entire novella. Vincent himself is a quasi-unlikeable character, but is just charming enough to compel you to keep reading and the other characters are all full of personality that bring Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to
Color to life. Additionally, Vincent’s and his antagonists’ colorful dispositions lead to many interesting and enjoyable exchanges that keep the story going at a fun and engaging pace.
Overall, if you are looking for something different book wise and want to break up the monotony of novels I highly recommend Legacy: An Off-Color Novella for You to Color. Not only is the coloring potential for the full and half page illustrations endless, but the story is enough to help you relax just in time for the madness of the holiday season.
Chuck Palahniuk’s Legacy is now available from Dark Horse Books.
