Dark Mirror (X-Men) [Mass Market Paperback]

Marjorie M. Liu (Author)

Book Description

Series: X-Men | Publication Date: December 27, 2005

Feared and mistrusted by the very people they have sworn to protect, the X-Men are a band of mutant heroes dedicated to defending humans from those mutants who would use their powers to harm and destroy. Blessed -- some would say cursed -- with awesome abilities, the members of the X-Men are Earth's last defense against villains and madmen...and the future's only hope.

Jean Grey awakens in an unfamiliar room. She is weak, disoriented, stripped of her telepathic and telekinetic powers -- and trapped in someone else's body. Also prisoner are her teammates Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, and Nightcrawler -- their minds held hostage within the bodies of strangers. Who has brought them here, and for what purpose? The answers lead to a terrifying plan that threatens not only the X-Men, but all of mutantkind...

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star (December 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141651063X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416510635
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Characters > X-Men

More About the Author

Marjorie M. Liu is an attorney who has lived and worked throughout Asia. She hails from both coasts, but currently resides in the Midwest, where she writes full-time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining & enjoyable to read, December 29, 2005

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Mirror (X-Men) (Mass Market Paperback)

I would never have purchased this book if the author wasn't Marjorie Liu. It's not that I don't like the X-Men but I generally prefer my superheroes in the graphic novel/comic book format. Having said that, I greatly enjoyed this novel. The premise is an intriguing one. Logan (Wolverine), Scott (Cyclops), Jean, Rogue, and Kurt (Nightcrawler) are sent to investigate the Belldonne mental hospital after reports have trickled back that mutants are being arrested on false charges and held in mental hospitals. While investigating, all five are captured and wake up to find themselves trapped, powerless in other bodies. Wolverine, interestingly enough, is in the body of a cute blonde woman named Patty. A doctor at Belldonne, Dr. Jonas Maguire, has left specific instructions on how all five are to be handled (straitjackets and isolation are part of his prescription) but luckily not all of his instructions were followed. The X-Men must escape from Belldonne and contact Storm to stop Dr. Maguire's plan and to regain their own bodies. As usually is the case with novelizations of superheroes, those unfamiliar with the X-Men series may be a little confused by the characters as well as the way in which the X-Men regain their powers. However, Liu is an excellent writer with a gift for combining humor with action which made this a very enjoyable read.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvel, take note. Here's your new star!, January 2, 2006

By 

swamp_dragon "Sam Wise" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Mirror (X-Men) (Mass Market Paperback)

Finally, a comic book-based novel that is actually readable; meaning that it has something more to offer than just endless fights and explosions. Instead we get *gasp* characterization and plot! Hurray!

It's amazing that it took this long for someone to truly explore what can happen when one removes a superhero's powers, without resorting to the "Oh, look! A really big gun!" method of storytelling.

Here's to hoping that Marvel wises up and gets Ms. Liu to continue writing for them; I, for one, would buy more of the X-Men novels if this was the quality that I could expect.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast, fun and refreshing !, January 12, 2006

By 

Inky "the squid" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Mirror (X-Men) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have to say that I was pleased with the direction Marjorie Liu took the characters in this book. It could have easily been just another smash'em up super hero story, where the conflict was so familliar that any reader could easily guess what will happen after reading just the first few pages.

In Dark Mirror, many of the situations were entirely new and it's great to see the characters of Scott, Logan,and Jean(in particular) stretch and adapt. They are doing things in this story that they have never done in any comic book. I loved the different ways that the characters coped with their relative powerlessness as well as their "physical challanges". Logan had some real potential as a Feme Fatale! (haha) Despite the strange circumstances, the characters always remained true to themselves.

And most importantly the book was FUN to read. I tore through it in an afternoon. I laughed a lot and also got choked up more than once.

I would recommend this book to any X-Men fan, (particularly some one with a sense of humor). I hope to read more from Marjorie Liu soon!