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The Walking Dead (Volume 16) A Larger World by Robert Kirkman.

"Another "this is our chance to stop surviving and really start LIVING" issue. And as with all the volumes before it that have had that vibe, the feeling won't last. The cliche is getting tiresome."

3 Stars. 

Pros:  Again, I like the character Eugene and also with the introduction of Negan, there's a new bad guy in town. 

Cons: Same old, "this is our chance to stop just surviving but really LIVING" cliche/Rick's hairline trigger temper and his first instinct is always violence. 

Full Review: 

Rick of course regrets hooking up with Andrea as he admits that it seems that every person he's let himself get close to has died, so he rejects her advances. While Abraham and Michonne are out checking the perimeter, they run into a man who asks to see their leader. They get Rick and the man, who he says his friends call him Jesus, explains that he comes from a community about twenty miles away on the other side of D.C. They have two hundred people and are in desperate need of anything that Rick's group can spare. 

Rick's answer is to knock the man out and take him back to the infirmary and keep him tied up. Typical Rick reaction. Though Jesus tries to explain that his people aren't waiting out there to attack Alexandria, Rick doesn't believe him. So instead, he takes himself, Michonne and Abraham outside of the perimeter to act as bait. If there are people out there waiting to attack, they'll draw them out. 

Nothing happens and so Rick grudgingly admits that maybe this Jesus guy is telling the truth. Still keeping him tied up, they go in the van, extra Carl as a stowaway to Jesus' community, which he calls the Hilltop. He gives them the tour, shows them around and their leader, Gregory, asks to speak to Rick. Though as they're talking, a man comes rushing in, saying that Ethan's come back but no one else. 

The man, Ethan is hysterical, saying that Negan killed the others and they're holding Crystal hostage. He's been sent back to deliver a message. And that message is to stab Gregory in the stomach. Rick tackles the man, Ethan to get him off of Gregory and in the ensuing scuffle, Rick cuts Ethan's throat. The gathered populace are horrified and all just stand there frozen. Gregory is rushed inside to be worked on and Jesus explains that there are some things he should probably talk to them about. 

It turns out that Negan is the leader of a group called The Saviors. In return for half of everything the Hilltop has, food, clothing, weapons etc, Negan has agreed to keep the Hilltop free of Roamers. Jesus explains that though Gregory is good at some things, he's not good at others, such as confrontation, which is why the Hilltop caved to Negan's demands so quickly. 

Rick asks that if they agree to destroy Negan and his group, will the Hilltop agree to give Alexandria half of everything they have instead of the Saviors? Jesus agrees and after discussing it with Gregory, it's decided that Rick and his group will take care of the Negan problem for the Hilltop. And though the feelings about the Hilltop community are mixed, Rick honestly believes that this is the change they've been looking for. This is the chance they've been waiting for, to where they can stop simply surviving and actually start living. 

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