Customer Reviews

Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder

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

 

 

And not just in novel form, either; Christopher L. Bennett's DROWNED IN THUNDER is better even than most stories told in the comicbooks lately.

The fight scenes are great, the humor is great, and the characterization is spot on.

Best of all, it's so continuity-rich you'd swear Mark Gruenwald wrote it from beyond the grave. There's references to things like Aunt May hitting Spidey with a vase and MJ trying to hit him with a pillow (from a little BACK-UP story in an ANNUAL!). And even better, there's references to the previous novels, not just "Down These Mean Streets" by Keith R.A. DeCandido and "The Darkest Hours" by Jim Butcher, but even the novels from the previous series, including the ones by Diane Duane and Adam-Troy Castro. And a direct quote from the 1960's Batman movie.

And even a nickname for JJJ that's taken from the 90's animated series!

Pick it up, you will not regret it.

This is the first Spider-Man novel I've read, and though I wish I'd read the other novels that preceded it, I found the story fun and action-packed.

This book isn't as good as it should have been.
I understand that Marvel novels and novellas aren't typically the height of literary genius but if I learned to write better sentences in my sophomore fiction class, Bennett should definitely write better. There are simply too many sentences that you could read anywhere, as though Bennett typed up the book in a hurry and didn't bother to edit it more than once, as though his editor didn't care to make the prose tighter and more powerful.
On a plot level, it's not bad. The twists work. Bennett obligingly introduces the major bad guy early on and then dismisses him, only to bring him back at the end with enough logic to make it work. Agatha Christie style, though not as good. There are some plot points that seem a little stretched, like Peter's reaction to his aunt and wife when he begins to distrust everyone, but for the most part, the plot works on a fun level. There's nothing too surprising but then again most people who read this are looking for a slightly more in depth version of the comics. There's certainly nothing soul-shaking in here and, unlike the comics, there are no powerful drawings to catch the eye and mind.
It's okay but I feel Bennett could have done better.