Customer Reviews

The Death and Life of Superman: A Novel

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When DC Comics killed off Superman and and then resurrected him, the three storylines (Death of Superman, Funeral For a Friend, Reign of the Supermen) went from good, to excellent, to lackluster (in that respective order). Long time comic scribe Roger Stern turns all of that into one exceptional story that is a nonstop thrillride from beginning to end. It starts out when a mysterious hulk of a monster named Doomsday begins to destroy and kill anything and everything in his path, and naturally it's up to Supes to stop him. After he takes out the Justice League, Doomsday makes his way to Metropolis where he and Superman fight until both are dead. The next chapter picks up at a mass funeral for Superman where Stern's writing talent truly shines (the emotionative punch when Lois Lane sees and hears a woman claiming to have been Superman's secret wife packs a wallop), and culminates in the disappearance of Superman's body. The third story arc begins when four mysterious beings appear all claiming to be Superman (The Cyborg, The Eradicator, Steel, and Superboy), and when the true adversary is revealed, it is a nonstop fight to the finish culminating in the return of the true hero. As I said before this is a great read and it packs more emotion and action than any of the comics the story is taken from (it even flows so well that it could be used a screen play; hmmm...), and is a must own for comics fans or Superman fans alike.

The Death and Life of Superman is an excellent novelization of a long series of comics originally published in 1992-93. Roger Stern does an great job of fleshing out the story and adding details that you just can't get from a comic book. I remember when these comics first came out they were almost impossible to get. There were several from the Doomsday battle that I never did get to read. Stern captures the spirit and feel of the comics perfectly. The only issue I had with this book was that it really started to drag halfway through. After Superman's death the plot seemingly stops while everyone grieves for dozens of pages. I know that everyone's reactions to Superman's death was a major focal point of the story, but it just really caused the novel to drag at that point. When the new 'Supermen' started appearing things picked up quickly. This lag was the only thing that stopped me from giving the book four stars. I highly recommend this to any Superman fan, or to anyone who enjoys a good action adventure novel.

Roger Stern's "The Life & Death Of Superman" is a thrilling, action-packed adventure that I enjoyed from the first page to the last. It's almost like watching a movie! This novel has all the great elements of a great story: Romance, action, bone-crunching battles, and thrilling drama. I recently read Cinescape and read how the Superman movie project has gone down the tubs. They should simply adapt this booK! Imagine the incredible movie this novel would be! All the characters here are really interesting and the storyline is complex, intelligent, and full of some dynamite action sequences. "The Death & Life Of Superman" is superior to the comic book series it is based on!

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. The main reason for that is because it is about Superman. I am a die-hard Superman fan, and I felt like I was atually living this book when I read it. When Superman died, I felt that there was a huge void in the world. What would a world be like without a Superman? I had read all of the comics as they came out. We've still got them in a box somewhere. It was very interesting to read the same story as a novel. It really draws the reader in. Even people who have never read the comics, and don't really care about Superman that much love this book. The idea of Superman appeals to everyone, and his death and the effects of his death are moving. Please read this book! You will not regret it. It is well written and sends you through the whole gamut of emotions. I can't say enough about this book and about Superman!

I've read alot of novels based on comics, movies ,and comic characters, but this takes the cake. the imagery that Stern uses in Section 1 during the battle between Doomsday & Supes is breath-taking. I felt like i had front row tickets to the biggest show on earth. i'll admit that after the death of Superman, the actions slows but is still obviously present.

hands down this is a must-have for any fan of Superman, or anyone who likes a gripping & emotional tale

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was reading this novel equivalent to reading the comics? By no means. It was better. Why? Beyond the fact that IT IS A SUPERMAN BOOK, there goes some reasons: 1. An incredibly complete (yet concise)chronicle of the facts surrounding the death of Superman 2. A deep introspective study on the main characters: Why Superman cares?, What makes Steel tick?, etc. 3. As it was pointed out by other reviewers, this book has a lot of background: you do not have to know anything about anyone (I liked a lot the guardian's origin). If you are a Superman fan, you will enyoy the ride; if you aren't, you could become one for reading this book

This is the first comic book novel I have read, and I was not disappointed. Roger Stern does a great job of bringing certain aspects of the epic story to life. His descriptions of the epic battle between Superman and Doomsday are even more vivid than the comics themselves.

On the downside, there are times when the dialog comes across as awkward and stilted, to the point that it becomes a distraction. His portrayal of Luthor and his girlfriend Supergirl is almost painful; thankfully it a minor part of the overall story. That part reads more like a daytime soap.

All in all, this is a fun read that is highly recommended to any fan of Superman!

I just finished reading this novel and I must say that it is excellent. The writing is exceptional for a novel based on a comic book series. Highly recommended!!

I think of myself as a serious reader. I am constantly reading, and I read books from all genres. I've read non-fiction, biographies, science ficition, historical fiction, fantasy, comedy, adventure, mystery and suspense. I've read books by Clancy, Koontz, Grisham, Brown, Pressfield, and King. With that said, I read this book almost 10 years ago, and it still stands atop list of favorite reads. I have read and reread this book several times.
This book was excellently written, and a great novelization of the comic series which tells the story of Superman's epic battle with the beast that is Doomsday. Stern also does a great job of establishing an emotional connection with the reader. The branching stories of the pretenders who claim to be the real Superman is engaging but drags along more than it could. Fortunately the book is full of action which keeps you from putting it down. It is longer than a person would expect a comic based novel to be, however because of the great flow and tempo of the story, the read goes fast, and ends sooner than you would hope.

All three parts are distinct, yet are certainly part of a greater whole. I've heard a lot of complaints about how funeral for a friend "drags". Of course it does! Superman is dead! And besides, it's not as if the entire story comes to a standstill during this time as a great many schemes are hatched during this time.

Stern does a great job of providing background on all of the characters and their relationships. This is a glaring improvement over the comic version.

Great tale of glory, loss, confusion, and then a taste of the feeling that we all wish after we lose something that we love. You never quite appreciate something great until it's gone, and at that time you always wish you could have it back.