Batman: The Stone King (Justice League of America) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Alan Grant (Author) "This is Anneka Marram, for GCTV, reporting live from the Gotham County Dam, where a disaster of unparalleled proportions is fast becoming reality!..." (more)
Key Phrases: Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Peter Glaston (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. The Flash. Green Lantern.

They are the world's greatest super heroes, fighting endlessly against corruption and injustice. Each of them alone is a formidable opponent of evil, but banded together their powers are unmatched. Ever ready, they stand united as the --

JUSTICE LEAGUE of AMERICA

Something has been unearthed in Gotham City, something that should not have been disturbed. An ancient pyramid has unleashed supernatural energies throughout the world. Drawn to the eye of this arcane storm, the heroes of the JLA become caught in the grip of a force far beyond their extraordinary powers. Only Gotham's protector, the Batman, manages to escape -- but to free his allies and stop the chaos that is fast engulfing the world, the Dark Knight must somehow unlock the pyramid's secret curse.

About the Author
Alan Grant is well-known as an author of superhero titles, amongst them several bestselling Batman novels. Alan Grant is a bestselling author of numerous graphic novels and comics including Judge Dredd, Robocop 2, Lobo Comics and Batman: Shadow of the Bat comic book series.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743417100
• ISBN-13: 978-0743417105
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #484,285 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 47 years old and Still a fan!, May 21, 2002

By	DarkKnight "darkknight55" (Glendale Heights, IL United States) - See all my reviews

I don't want to give away any spoilers so I won't go into any great detail. I've been a Batman fan since I first started reading the comics back in the 60's and love the way that the character has progressed through the years, especially how he's gotten a lot tougher and less tolerant of the criminal mind. (By the way, I hated the TV series because it wasn't true to the comic!)
The Stone King is by no means a great novel but it did keep me intrigued. Alan Grant did a wonderful job on converting his comic book talent to paperback by describing the characters in such detail that it doesn't take much imagination to picture the whole Justice League, especially Batman, in action. In describing the disasters leading up to the Stone Kings first appearance Grant did such a good job in a couple of events that I found myself reacting as if I was watching it firsthand. The only complaint that I have on this book is that I would have liked to have seen a couple of hundred more pages on it. Right now I have just started reading "Batman: No Man's Land", and just from the first 20 pages I've read it's got me hooked. I'll post a review when I'm done but I can tell you now that this book goes into much more detail than "The Stone King" did, so I'm sure that I'll love it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Meanwhile..., March 13, 2002

By	Thomas E. O'Sullivan (Knoxville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

JLA:THE STONE KING seems to be the first in a series of books based around the JLA, and if the rest are as fast, powerful and confused as the frist, they should all prove to be a quick fix for fans of the JLA. THE STONE KING is hard to pin down in a few words - it is geared towards the young adult crowd, and its central plot feels very similar to the one in GHOSTBUSTERS II (save that the names have been changed to protect the innocent), and there is nothing wrong with that (even the TARDIS from DOCTOR WHO makes a small unnamed cameo here), but Alan Grant then takes his story into "Thomas Harris/Silence of the Lambs" country - where we are treated to violent acts, brutal ritual killings and major diasters that befall both the Earth and mankind (not to give too much away here - but by the end of the book the author clearly states that "millions" of people have been killed all over the world at the conclusion of the adventure). It's all a heady rich mix that will leave you both bored and breathless all at once. BATMAN is the focus here, and I was hoping that this adventure would be more central to his personal world, but as this is also a JLA novel it means that the threat here has to be a world threat, and thus THE STONE KING is. While riddled with clunky lines and a overly familiar plot, it is also touched by striking moments coupled with some serious adult action. While THE STONE KING is geared for the serious fan, first time readers will still get a jolt from the unexpected twists and turns, if not a few lurches in the gut from the violence and action.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for fans of Batman or the Justice League, August 19, 2002

By	D. A. Dodd (Huntsville, AL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Stone King", the first in a new series of novels featuring the Justice League of America, is an excellent story for those who are fans of the comic book. While Batman is the central character in this one, all but one of the "big 7" play a role in the overall story. The only one of the big 7 who has a minor appearance/role is Aquaman.

The story involves a pyramid that is unearthed when Gotham Dam breaks and exposes the long buried structure. Soon after, the individual members of the Justice League experience weird occurences (undead rising from their graves, an out of control subway train, a problem with a space shuttle launch, etc.), all of which have one thing in common -- the presence of a blue light. Eventually the team unites to fight the menace, but are all captured leaving Batman and the Martian Manhunter to save the team and the world.

Alan Grant, the writer of numerous comic books, gives a good background to many of the characters. The origins of Flash, Green Lantern, and Superman are described to help casual reader who may know little about the characters. Minor characters' origins are also revealed (Oracle, Scarecrow, Commissioner Gordon). Even longtime readers would find this background to the characters refreshing. Other heroes are mentioned (Plastic Man, Atom, Zauriel), but have minor roles. Overall, if you are a fan of the Justice League or any of its "big 7", you should enjoy this original novel.