A prequel to the TV show. And the TV show is a prequel to the whole Batman thing. How far do we have to go back to know that it was all just a series A prequel to the TV show. And the TV show is a prequel to the whole Batman thing. How far do we have to go back to know that it was all just a series of unfortunate events?
Someone (either Megan Abbott or Charles Ardai) once described noir fiction as a story that starts bad and gets progressively worse. And that definitioSomeone (either Megan Abbott or Charles Ardai) once described noir fiction as a story that starts bad and gets progressively worse. And that definition pretty much describes the third Fringe novel. Peter Bishop's bad luck is good news for the reader. A tip o' the hat to author Christa Faust. She's written a couple of novels for Ardai's Hard Case Crime imprint, and her affinity for hardboiled fiction suits the Fringe universe nicely.
"I'm not a superhero," says Olivia Dunham at one point in this novel. But I beg to differ. Her Cortexiphan-induced powers give her the ability to caus"I'm not a superhero," says Olivia Dunham at one point in this novel. But I beg to differ. Her Cortexiphan-induced powers give her the ability to cause electrical disturbances and fires when emotional distraught. Plus she holds the key to an alternative universe. That sounds like superhero stuff to me.
In a nutshell: William Bell and Walter Bishop travel to San Francisco to stop the Zodiac Killer. Lots of hallucinogens are ingested and the formula foIn a nutshell: William Bell and Walter Bishop travel to San Francisco to stop the Zodiac Killer. Lots of hallucinogens are ingested and the formula for Cortexaphan is discovered. Added bonus: Nina Sharp without a bra.
The Man from Atlantis (otherwise known as Mark Harris, the water-man, the dolphin-man, and/or Bobby Ewing) is the first homo aquatis, the next step upThe Man from Atlantis (otherwise known as Mark Harris, the water-man, the dolphin-man, and/or Bobby Ewing) is the first homo aquatis, the next step up the evolutionary ladder. The future of mankind is not on land, he says, but below the water. "When man learns how to breathe water he will become more than human."
Gotham City was a total crap mess. “Decent people shouldn’t live here,” said the Joker in a rare moment of clarity. “They’d be happier someplace else.Gotham City was a total crap mess. “Decent people shouldn’t live here,” said the Joker in a rare moment of clarity. “They’d be happier someplace else.” Like Metropolis, perhaps.
This is how the authors describe a young Magneto: “There was always something about metal he loved.” Really? Is that so? A mutant super villain named This is how the authors describe a young Magneto: “There was always something about metal he loved.” Really? Is that so? A mutant super villain named Magnet-o who hearts metal? That's uncanny! I wonder: did Archangel always have a thing for down pillows too?
The Iron Man movies are fun because of Robert Downey, Jr. He’s a charismatic actor who’s turned Tony Stark into a swishy disco playboy. Downey’s patteThe Iron Man movies are fun because of Robert Downey, Jr. He’s a charismatic actor who’s turned Tony Stark into a swishy disco playboy. Downey’s patter is (more or less) retained in this Iron Man 2 novelization, although you get a sense that the author is working from a preliminary script that was later rewritten by script doctors, ad-libbed by actors and edited in the studio. That’s good news for the movie audience, but bad news for the novel reader.
This time around, the villain is a guy named Ivan Vanko. He doesn’t get tagged with his snappy superhero name Whiplash until page 215. Consequently the author sticks him with a handful of unimaginative nicknames (Whip Guy (I’m not kidding) being the most popular). Interestingly (or not), Vanko is more compelling as a sad Soviet sociopath bent on revenge, and less so as a super villain.
Also in the mix is Natasha Romanoff (never explicitly identified as the Black Widow), an up-and-coming agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. If I remember correctly, in the comic books she was a super-athletic, high-tech spy from Russia. In this novel she’s Russian, but she’s just a sexy lady with a funny accent. It might have been interesting for Romanoff and Vanko to have one scene together to explore their individual (yet shared) cultural identity. But no such luck. The two never meet. Instead, Romanoff breaks into Vanko’s messy and abandoned laboratory, takes one look around, and dismisses him as a tragic doomed hero. “How very Russian,” she concludes.
It’s hard to fault the novel for the movie’s failings. But it’s easy to see where the author stumbles in his adaptation. When Iron Man and Whiplash clash for the first time in Monaco, the writing doesn’t service the events as they happen (that whole football/briefcase thing really didn’t work at all). And later, during the final explosive scene, the pacing seems rushed. All things considered, this is probably not the best book Alexander Irving has ever written. But that’s okay. Iron Man 2 is probably not the best Iron Man movie ever made, either....more
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