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Fence #3

Fence, Vol. 3

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Combines Issues #9-12.

Scrappy fencer Nicholas Cox comes to the end of his path to prove himself worthy of a father he never knew in the face of surly upperclassmen, nearly impossible odds, and the talent of his rival, sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama.

Sparks fly white-hot on the pitch as Nicholas and Seiji finally face off once again in the halls of King’s Row. It’s a match that will change King’s Row (and both of them!) forever, and set the stage as the team journeys to face their bitter rivals and prove themselves once and for all. 

The third volume of the breakneck series from writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad comes at you as fast as a parry and hits as hard as a strike.

112 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 2019

About the author

C.S. Pacat

63 books14.4k followers
C.S. Pacat is the USA-Today best-selling author of Dark Rise, the Captive Prince trilogy, and the GLAAD-nominated graphic novels Fence.

Born in Australia and educated at the University of Melbourne, C.S. Pacat has lived in a number of cities, including Tokyo and Perugia, and currently resides and writes in Melbourne.

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5 stars
6,356 (35%)
4 stars
8,206 (45%)
3 stars
3,004 (16%)
2 stars
284 (1%)
1 star
43 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,283 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,242 reviews101k followers
July 24, 2020


1.) Vol. 1 ★★★★★
2.) Vol. 2 ★★★★

I truly feel like this graphic novel series just gets better and better each installment. I feel like after I finished the last page of this volume, I felt like the story (and real angst) is just now going to be starting and I truly cannot wait. This truly has been such a purely joyous serotonin ride getting to this point, and I already can’t wait to see what happens next. And I also predict the next issues will have a much different tone, as well.

But if you don’t know what Fence is all about, it basically follows some kids trying to join their boarding school’s fencing team! And some of the kids need to make the team in order to be able to stay at the school! And some kids are really just trying to live out their dreams of becoming famous fencers. In this installment in particular, we get to see so many of the kid’s families! And we also get to see some really pivotal matches that will dictate the future for some of these fencers!

The stars of this graphic novel are for sure Nicholas and Seiji, who are currently maybe having the slowest burn romance of all romance! But Bobby and Eugene must be protected forever and I vow to make it my new life mission. And Harvard is my favorite character, and not only would I give my life for his, I also want to remind this fictional character that he deserves the world and to never settle for the best. [rest]

I always do a breakdown on my thoughts and feeling of each individual issue for Fence. So, the next portion of this review will have SPOILERS! Nothing too pivotal, but I will talk about some of the themes and events that each issue had inside.



➽ CHAPTER NINE
Aiden lost to Harvard! Nicholas has a chance at making the team, he only has to win against Kally! Seiji is still very much still thinking about Jesse, and him and Nicholas get in quite the confrontation speaking about him.

➽ CHAPTER TEN
Bobby has my whole entire heart. I love the seeing all the diverse families of color and their relationships! Yet, both Nicholas and Seiji do not have families there.

➽ CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jay vs. Aiden (and maybe they hooked up before this match). I love Eugene and his family a lot. Truly like so much pure friendship going on this issue, please hold my bursting heart. And when coach says “I’m proud of you” I still can’t stop crying. I’m too attached to these kids.

➽ CHAPTER TWELVE
Seiji and Nicholas and their dorm situation. Two reserves = friendship. “Welcome to the fencing team!” and the pure serotonin this issue gave me. And then Jesse shows up and makes me question everything and where this next part of the story is going to go.

Overall, this is really just a top tier graphic novel series if you’re looking for a diverse cast of sports gays! I really recommend it with my whole heart, and it is truly one of my favorites of all time! And again, I really can’t wait to see what happens in Vol. 4, because I truly suspect that the entire story has just now started to begin!

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Profile Image for Whitney Atkinson.
1,008 reviews12.9k followers
May 15, 2020
I feel like this is the turning point in the series for stuff to actually start happening (which is a nice way of saying the series is good but the first three volumes could've been consolidated into one)
Profile Image for Snjez.
869 reviews782 followers
May 25, 2022
Ugh, I remember that cliffhanger from the first time I read this and I’m very glad that this time around I have book 4 in my hands. 😊

This was another fun sequel. I loved seeing the team members bonding and I’m looking forward to see how certain relationships will develop. And I’m not only talking about Nicholas and Seiji. Also, I love the coach and her notes on the wall. They are hilarious!

*I initially read this online as single issues #9-12.
Profile Image for Maryam Rz..
220 reviews3,241 followers
January 20, 2021
Nope, I’m totally not addicted to this delightfully diverse, engagingly dramatic, and adorably young adult series peppered with humour like this (see below)—whatever do you mean?





Fiiiine, who am I kidding? I totally am. The aforementioned fantastic, intense storytelling and one-of-a-kind art still prevails, but the real gem of this volume was the added depth to the characters and their bonds that ended up breaking my icy heart and healing it. I mean, I even cried, I swear!

I shall now proceed to explain.


I said it before, I won’t say it again (*starts singing in Dan Reynolds voice* love is a game to you, it’s not pretend; maybe if I fall asleep, I won’t breathe righ—*realises she’s in the middle of a review, smiles sheepishly*) OK let’s not pretend I’m not gonna say it again because I absolutely am.


See that dork in the above image? The one who scored one hit when he was 14 marks behind and acts as if he’s been handed heaven on a string? Yeah that one—that’s Nicholas Cox the overconfident cinnamon bun who will make everything a race and is determined to succeed yet never wants to win at the cost of walking on someone else. And yet people keep dragging him, saying he’s confident for no reason; well let him! At least he’s not arrogant and dismissive like another certain guy...


Yup, that guy. Though TBH I no longer hate Seiji (I even like him) and yes I still want to kick him for being stuck in his head like an insecure obsessed little teen (which I’m realising he technically is??) but I just appreciate the friendship blooming between these two idiots (I’m also realising I tend to refer to them like this in almost all my reviews of the series *grins*) and how their palpable chemistry spills into their fencing gah.

Look at the above pic and tell me that’s anything other than the epitome of the dynamic of an ESFP and ISTJ (these are Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality types BTW, I’m not actually spewing gibberish). Speaking of MBTI types...





THAT’S AN ESFP-ESTP INTERACTION RIGHT THERE, YES. And nope, just because Trump is an ESTP doesn’t mean all ESTPs are Trumps; Eugene is my optimistic, loving baby who might have seemed like a bullying jock at first, but he’s a layered human being so you fiends will back off! *brandishes sword*

Now allow me to bother you with a commercial break. Just reminding you that this wall of forbidden sentences exists and y’all should get one cos it ain’t ever gonna get old. ⇓





Yes, Aiden dumped him. Yes, my fave fencer and delightfully manipulative Aiden Kane King is a careless, lonely kid with no present family and childhood of neglect and he dumps everyone except one guy and that is Harvard the benevolent, wise leader who is trying so hard to shower the flighty playboy with love and support and save him from himself and Aiden has no idea what to do with it except protect it and awwww this is the cutest thing ever, no?

Whoever doesn’t agree can take a left down the cliff.
*grins*



Among other treasures contained within this volume are: ➊ Tanner the spiky, loyal, caring angry hedgehog trying to keep his friends together, ➋ Kally the hardworking and admirably gracious scholarship student who shocked me with his wisdom, ➌ a diverse cast with beautifully represented and fleshed out families and, finally, ➍ a team that looks out for each other.


You know me, I’m always craving team spirit and found families like a lil kid demanding his favourite toys, so the glimpse into the depth of these teens’ bonds and the promise of more, more than satiated me. I LOVE THEM ALL OKAY.

This 3rd volume is the best one yet, aiming to close a main chapter of this comic series and oh boy does it do so with a bang—because, duh, cliffhangers. Now, off to the future we gooooooo.





Companions: Playlist & Related Reviews

Book series playlist: Spotify URL


Books in series:
Fence #1 ★★★✯☆
Fence #2 ★★★✯☆
Fence #3 ★★★★☆
Fence #4 ★★★✯☆
Fence #5 ★★★★✯
Fence #6 ★★★★✯
Fence #7 ★★★★✯
Fence #8 ★★★★✯
Fence #9 ★★★★✯
Fence #10 ★★★★★
Fence #11 ★★★★★
Fence #12 ★★★★☆
Fence, Vol. 1 (Fence, #1-4) ★★★★☆
Fence, Vol. 2 (Fence, #5-8) ★★★★✯
↬ Fence, Vol. 3 (Fence, #9-12) ★★★★★
Fence, Vol. 4 (Fence, #13-16) ★★★★✯
Profile Image for Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora).
1,009 reviews42.2k followers
December 5, 2020
Creo que este tomo es uno de los más emocionantes, llenos de sentimientos y de tensión que leído hasta ahora en Fence. Se están acabando los tryouts y realmente todo el mundo está esperando los resultados, obviamente quieren ganar todos los duelos y demostrar que tienen lo que se necesita para hacer parte del equipo.

La rivalidad de Nicolás y Seiji y también está alcanzando un punto cúspide porque incluso ellos mismos ya no pueden controlar esa energía caótica que los rodea. ¡E incluso llegan a los golpes! Lo que me fascina es que, en el fondo, los dos son más parecidos de lo que creen. Sí, está la diferencia en la técnica y su capacidad de esgrima, pero sí que tienen muchas cosas en común, así que creo qué se van a llevar bien eventualmente.

Tengo muchísimas ganas de ver cómo se sigue desarrollando esta rivalidad y cómo funciona todo en el campeonato regional y en el nacional. Y por encima de todo quiero saber qué pasa con este pasado oculto de Nicolás y también quiero saber cuál es la verdadera razón por la que Seiji odia tantísimo a Jesse. Es decir, creo que esto va mucho más allá de una simple derrota.

Cada vez me gusta más que involucren a los demás personajes y los otros chicos de King’s Row porque le dan una profundidad mucho más cool a la historia. Es decir ver esta relación extraña que tienen Harvard y Aiden y todo lo que sucede con Bobby y con Eugene... no sé, todo me intriga mucho y quiero saber más de todos, pero sólo me queda un tomo y no sé cómo voy a sobrevivir después de esto.

Por cierto, yo necesito que pase algo entre Nicolás y Seiji, por favor, es lo único que pido.
Profile Image for Christy.
4,191 reviews35k followers
October 3, 2019
I love these! I only wish a little more happened in each one, they're over far too soon. I can't wait to see what happens next. This one left me with a big smile on my face!
Profile Image for shei ღ (got my first job!!).
205 reviews903 followers
June 7, 2024
—— 4.25 ✰ stars.

This just keeps getting more and more interesting and more and more fun 😎.
And these books are gayer than me, so, a plus ✌🏻.

Fence:
╰┈➤Vol I , 3.5.✰ stars.
╰┈➤Vol II , 4.✰ stars.
╰┈➤Vol IV , 4.✰ stars.
Profile Image for Dave Schaafsma.
Author 6 books31.8k followers
September 3, 2019
Okay, so the first arc is done and tryouts are over, with a resolution reminiscent of The Hunger Games (I mean the first book, where we are supposed to narrow down to one survivor, but since we care so much about more than one person. . . ). This is still good, a sports-themed manga-ish story of competition (you don't have to know anything about fencing or even care about it, really) with undercurrents of m/m attraction, it is feeling like we need to do something just a bit different in the next arc.

For teens, primarily. The art is simple, not backgrounds at all, and there's more drama than depth, but it's fun and everyone in this house just raced through it and now await the next volume.
Profile Image for Larry H.
2,731 reviews29.6k followers
May 1, 2020
More fencing, more drama, more suspense!

We return to Kings Row and the tryouts for the fencing team. Ever since he surprised everyone by showing up at this school rather than someplace more prestigious, everyone is expecting Seiji Katayama to make the team. But who else will join him?

Nicholas has wanted to do nothing but fence for as long as he can remember. But can his skills overcome his lack of training and technique? Will his desire to make Seiji respect him cause more friction with his sullen roommate?

Volume 2 and Volume 3 of the series cover the remainder of the tryouts, culminating with the selection of this year's fencing team. Will Aiden finally get his comeuppance for being the cocky, love-em-and-leave-em fencer who only wants to be on the team to prove his superiority? Will Eugene finally make the team? And of course, will Nicholas, or will he watch his dreams and his scholarship go up in smoke?

What I really enjoy about this series is not only how well it is drawn, but how C.S. Pacat delivers tension, emotion, and so many facts about fencing. I like that the characters (at least most of them) are starting to get a little more depth. I also like that the sexuality of the characters is a total non-issue, which you wouldn't expect in such close quarters.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Vol. 4 will be published until the summer, although I may be able to read the rest of the 12-volume series online. I hate having to wait to see what happens next!

I’ve been loving graphic novels lately, particularly those with LGBT themes. Anyone have any recommendations?

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.

Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Profile Image for Emma.
973 reviews1,044 followers
February 17, 2019
The tryouts are finally over! I'm so happy for all the fencers who made the team, but especially for Nicolas and Seiji. Now it's all about training and becoming best friends. Ok, I actually hope for more than best friends, but I know it will be a long road for our two main characters. I'm going to be happy if in the next volume we get to take down that duck curtain in their room.
Can't wait to read more!!
Profile Image for Calista.
4,655 reviews31.3k followers
February 1, 2020
Finally, it took 3 volumes, but they picked the members of the fencing team. It happened at the end of the volume. The end of the rounds were the beginning of the volume. It probably won’t happen, but I think there are sparks between Seiji and Nicholas. We’ll see if something happens.

This series is giving me everything I want. I wish they came out quicker and we didn’t have to wait so long. It’s a great series. I can’t believe how small the fencing team is. Only 3 people with a backup. That seems so small. I would think they would want like 7 or 8.

I love seeing inside the world of fencing. This series is a lot of fun. I’m all in. I recently realized that this seems to be a boys school, they all seem to be gay or bi and this is the fencing team. It should have happened sooner, but I realized that this is a very phallic sort of symbol. Interesting.
Profile Image for Bibi.
1,288 reviews55 followers
July 30, 2021
This series is free to read with a 7 or 30 day free ComiXology subscription on Amazon US.
Profile Image for Bella.
612 reviews17.3k followers
August 4, 2020
Honestly if I were invested with these characters this easily would’ve been 5 stars but I think the more graphic novels I read, the more my expectations do as well >.<

I still really enjoyed this volume, definitely my favorite out of the three, and will probably continue reading (virtually!) because it’s still a very fun, lighthearted novel :”)
Profile Image for ˗ˏˋ lia ˎˊ˗.
370 reviews445 followers
April 10, 2022
“this is what it feels like to have your dreams go up in smoke.”

april 2022:
i’ve seen someone else say in their review that this is where the series shifts and becomes more plot-based, and i totally agree. rereading through all them so i can finally get to vol. 4 made me realize that this is definitely my favorite volume out of the three so far, because you can really see their friendships blossom. so pure, ugh, i love them.


november 2019:
there’s not much to add to my reviews of the previous volumes other than the fact that i love these characters so incredibly much. after such a short time, i’ve grown attached to them and love them all to pieces. this volume made me laugh and cry like none of the ones before, and i can’t wait to see how this story will develop in further issues!

→ 5 stars
Profile Image for Katie Colson.
729 reviews8,935 followers
September 2, 2021
I love how sharp and soft this is at the same time. They are competing so hard against each other. Like, it keeps them up at night. It is all they think about. But they also have a grudging respect for each other and appreciate the other's determination and will power.
I eat that shit up.
These boys are all hot and funny and fun in different ways. It's like a game where there's 6 different love interests you get to chose from. But instead, you are watching them all be in love with each other. Fantastic. Love it.
Having such a great time reading this.
Though I have heard that they are being made into novels now and I don't think I'm down for that...
Profile Image for winnie ₊ ⊹.
812 reviews291 followers
April 14, 2021
reread april 2021; four stars! ❀ this might be my favorite volume so far!

four stars ∗ i absolutely love this graphic novel series with my whole heart!!!
Profile Image for Maryam.
312 reviews193 followers
May 1, 2020
this is my favorite so far!! i admit it got me a little emotional🥺these characters are so cute!! but that ending tho👌🏻😦
i want more😩😩
Profile Image for Lia Strange.
536 reviews244 followers
October 21, 2020
mientras lo terminaba, lo terminaba con miedo ¿es acaso el próximo el ultimo Vol de Fence? no estoy preparada para eso
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,283 reviews

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