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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Enemies & Allies -- a disappointing read

Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson.
 
I have to say that I was sorely disappointed by this cookie cutter approach to the iconic characters of Superman and Batman.

There was no depth to the characters whatsoever. As an avid superhero enthusiast, I was expecting a lot more from this novel.

I did enjoy the setting, but there was more attention to detail with brands of soda and the cost of things in that era than I felt were used in regards to the origin stories of our heroes, even when they reflected on how they came to be where they were.

The tension between the two was enjoyable but the rest of it was so lacking in personal warmth and detail that I kept reading, in the hopes that it would get better.

I have to say that it did not do so.

It was almost like reading a caricaturization of these comic book legends because some aspects were defined or stressed upon but there was so much more that did not appear in this novel.

Batman came across as a James Bond wannabe. Superman (always referred to as Kal-El when in the famous suit) seemed more invested in contemplating Lois than in finding out more about Batman, despite the on-going mistrust and curiosity between them.

All in all, no single character stood out in this book and while it might be an OK introduction to the characters for people with little knowledge of them, there is more depth in many of the comics and even cartoon outings of these characters.

Save your time and your money.

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