Wonder Woman: Mythos (JLA (Pocket Star)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Carol Lay (Author)

Book Description

Series: JLA (Pocket Star) | Publication Date: January 31, 2003

Mysterious events in the Bermuda Triangle propel Wonder Woman on a desperate search for the truth behind the disappearance of a diver near Themyscira, home of the legendary Amazons. But her discovery of a mirror island - one populated entirely by men - sets events in motion that ultimately cause the Justice League to come into conflict with a figure from Wonder Woman's own mythological past. But is she powerful enough to save them?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Each character has an actor voicing them; this isn t one actor voicing all the characters like in some audio books. Colleen Delany voices Wonder Woman, and she brings the Amazon princess to life. Superman by James Konicek sounds like the iconic character should, while Richard Rohan s Batman sounds menacing as the Dark Knight. I would have liked more Batman in the story, but Rohan also directed the story so he might not have had time. There s no skimping on quality, and that comes across in the final product. --Blogcritics.com --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From AudioFile

Graphic Audio's full cast and amazing special effects create a total package for Carol Lay's story about the discovery of a dimension with a race of warlike men, the mirror opposite of Wonder Woman's peaceful Amazons. Clever sound effects allow the listener to imagine Green Lantern's solid light beams and the "whoosh" of the speedy Flash racing to the rescue. Colleen Delany masters the difficult role of Wonder Woman, who sounds regal and human at the same time. She heads a cast of almost two dozen actors who create an entertaining five hours with the story of how the Justice League prevents the warriors from invading our own dimension. M.S. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (January 31, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743417119
• ISBN-13: 978-0743417112
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #423,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Wonder Woman story ever!, February 13, 2003

By 

Bob Nathan (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wonder Woman: Mythos (JLA (Pocket Star)) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've been a fan of Wonder Woman for a long time, and she's certainly been kicked around a lot. For some reason, DC has never even tried to maintain continuity with her story lines. So it's up to each new writer to reinvent the character and place her in some sort of context. For that reason, I can't quibble about details of WW's present or past that vary from author to author.

To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, my favorite Wonder Woman writer up to now is George Perez. I love Carol Lay's version of the Amazon Princess. She's smart, funny, strong, dynamic and exciting. And so is this book.

I found the writing in The Stone King overblown and predictable. I prefer a more straightforward style, where the author gets out of the way of the story. Lay doesn't write like Alan Grant, and to me that's a good thing. She writes more like Steven King or Robert Heinlein.

Here's an example, from one of my favorite scenes, a dream sequence:

"The golden lasso tigthens around her neck when they land on Themyscira. Henry looms over her, his mask a part of him now. He puts his sword in her hand. The day is bright and sunny. The sea is turquoise, but it will soon be red.
[...]
"Polyxena, the poet who sings of love and beauty, fights as fiercely as her sisters, but is brought down by a mace that takes off half her face. The poet is still alive. Jerks and twitches animate her body as she tries to gurgle out a scream. Diana turns her head away from the horrid sight. Henry notices and commands her to look. A warrior approaches the wounded woman, kneeling to mount her. Diana internal screams of rage and despair grow louder. The sword she carries mocks her. She wants to swing it around and cut off Henry's head, but she's powerless to do so. He holds her golden lasso."

Obviously, there are parts of this book that are not appropriate for young teens. I'd say Mythos is best suited to more mature readers who can appreciate its craft and power.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad fan fiction, December 21, 2005

By 

Patrick McArdle "Grouchy old man" (Always moving) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wonder Woman: Mythos (JLA (Pocket Star)) (Mass Market Paperback)

There's a term that I can't remember because I don't really follow it for a subset of bad Star Trek fan-fiction where the author adds a character we've never seen before who is obviously a thinly veiled, idealized version of the author herself who ends up saving the Enterprise, the galaxy and reality and winning the hearts of Kirk and Spock.
Do I need to explain more? (If so, I'll give you a hint. The woman in this book who saves the lives of those helpless weaklings Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and the Flash is a diver who lives in LA with her husband and the author's bio says she lives in LA with her husband and dive buddy.)
As others have pointed out, the previously existing JLA members are wildly out of character and incompetent. The "villain" of the piece, a red orb that makes people fight, (speaking of Star Trek...) is a bland cliche and the dialogue, especially the "funny" lines delivered by the author's wish fulfillment analogue and her "All You Need is Love" sections are embarassing and wince-inducing.
Comic book fans are completists so they'll need to buy this but don't add insult to injury by reading this godawful tripe.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down!, January 12, 2003

By 

Johanna Went "buysalot" (Los angeles,, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wonder Woman: Mythos (JLA (Pocket Star)) (Mass Market Paperback)

A lot of people have written Wonder Woman over the years, most of them men.
I picked up this book to see how a woman would handle the star-spangled icon
of kitschy feminism and was NOT disappointed. From page one I was drawn in
with vivid visual descriptions (Lay's scuba diving passages made me feel
like I was underwater), caped crusaders with more than the usual two
dimensions, and a plot that, while certainly comic-booky, nevertheless had
me glued to my chair, turning the pages.

Lay crosscuts between team members to weave tension and build toward a
climax that has every one of the JLA working for a solution, with WW acting
both alone and as a member of a team. The human protagonist, Ana, is
wonderfully drawn - spirited, courageous, and resourceful - a positive and
strong feminine voice who complements and reinforces WW's own powers.

Psychological horror spices the story as several JLA members are seduced and
controlled by the evil entity in Mythos. One passage in particular gave me
the willies; another charmed me completely until Lay threw in a dash of
creepiness, sending a shiver down my spine. Other bits are amusing, such as
when WW contemplates how the Greek Gods could benefit from counseling from a
good therapist, or when Hippolyta chides her daughter for using the vulgar
word "TV."

Because so many revisionists have trampled over WW, it's refreshing to see
her portrayed as a warm and human woman, not some feminized version of a

standard-issue super hero. She probably most resembles George Perez's
version of the character, a refined and strong individual who can still
react like a typical daughter when hanging around Mom.

Another gratifying aspect of the novel is Lay's treatment of Paradise
Island. Her description of Themyscira makes sense - a Greek city-state
operating communally, with a good explanation for why these women haven't
slit their immortal throats out of boredom for having been stuck there for

3000 years.

Lay pulls off this novel with a splash of fins and a pirouette in the air.
Highly recommended. MUCH better than the Batman book in the same series.