Customer Reviews

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is truly a story that belongs in the marvel comic universe. The Silver Surfer who is one of my favorite characters finally made it to the big screen. This story has great appeal and great action. I recommend it to everyone. Galactus the planet eater is also part of the story which gives this new story even more zest and excitement. I will see the movie when it comes out in june. Can't wait!

Warning, this may contain spoilers for the book if you are planning on reading it.

The Silver Surfer was introduced in Fantastic Four comic #48... The sequence played over the new few months to culminate in a final confrontation between the FF and Galactus, which caused the surfer to be bound to Earth. There are a lot of differences between the original story and this story, but we have seen that in all the recent Marvel movie adaptations.

The book itself appeared to be rushed to make it out when the movie hit the streets. The editor did a poor job of catching sentence structure and tense. The author did a poor job of keeping time sense and story content together as the book moved on (why else would he not want his real name associated with this book).

One chapter declares the FF have 48 hours to save the world. Later in the same chapter, they talk about several days passing since that deadline is mentioned.

Another section describes Johnny's powers swapping at touch, but yet he hugs Ben at one point and no power swap. Then later he touches all, including a dying Susan, to absorb all their powers and somehow retains his own for the upcoming fight with Victor Von Doom. Sounds like Super Skrull was inserted here.

Also, earlier we saw how the surfer transmuted Victor from the fight to another location because he was a pest, not because he was doing any real damage to the surfer, but when Victor had these same powers and was demonstrating powers that the surfer hadn't thought about, he seemed unable to pull off the same transmutation on Johnny when this fight was going on.

Also during this fight, Victor loses full track of Johnny as he becomes invisible, but Norrin Rad senses Susan in his cell even separated from his board.

Finally, Galatus (spelled Gah Lak Tus in the book) appears on the scene to absorb the world, but instead leaves to chase the surfer with no intervention from those on Earth. Very inconsistant since there is no reason found in the book to demonstrate why he should leave before absorbing all life from the planet.

In the midst of all this story, you have Victor Von Doom fighting for power and showing extreme jealousy of Reed and his love of Sue Storm. The original comics had it better with the contest of science between Reed and Victor (which is also mentioned in this series as a side note and secondary).

And rather than credit Reed's inventions and contributions as the means to financially back the FF (as in the comics), the book seems to think there is no money in science and instead makes Johnny the money maker with marketing ploys of FF merchandise.

The story is ok, but could have been much better if they had taken the time to edit it properly and remove the inconsistancies and grammer found throughout the book.

Obviously I think it could have been great if they had adapted the original line in the comics over that which I found here, but can acknowledge that some changes in the story are necessary over the years. I just wish they had thought them through before introducing them here, so there wouldn't be the rushed feeling found in the book.

I always forget whether I prefer to read the book and then watch the movie or watch the movie and then read the book. lol
Either way I always end up at least slightly disapointed by something that didn't add up between the two.

I do recall that I read this first, and then spent the entire movie thinking, 'wait, that's not how they said it happend in the book!' I think I actually missed some of the movie cause instead of just enjoying them seperately I always expect them to be more similiar. lol

It is however a nice read and for the most bit like the movie, but I'd just read it the night before and ruined it for myself. Otherwise I might have given it four stars.

Having read both the Peter David book and this one I will say that the story lines in both books have expanded scenes, dialogs and changed some things that the movie edited (for time constraints or dragged the story down) to make the movie more dramatic and fast paced for the movie goer.

I.E the Doom vs surfer battle. The movie shows Doom regaining his humanity after being deposited in the cave after the battle while the book still has him as a disfigured Freddy Kruger clone. The movie also shorted Doom's conversation with the surfer before the battle as well.

IF you want a expanded storyline and scenes that the movie cut out or modified a bit then read this book, but IF you want a action packed movie then watch the DVD.

This is a very good book i liked it alot and i think people will like it as well as i did. If you like the f.f. then you'll like this book. and don't forget to read Fantastic Four the movie novel by Peter David.

It was good i love to F.F comic and movie...so any book of the F.F is always a good read.

The book didn't (I think) add a whole lot to the story as presented in the movie, but it was a good read.