Customer Reviews

X-Men: Doctor Doom (Chaos Engine Trilogy, Book 1)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am not even finished reading this book and can't wait to read the next one. The review by Sophia says it all. I am thankful I missed the review that spoiled an important event in the book. And like her I cried, re-read, cried, etc. Best X-Men book I have read in a while. If you like Cyclops, Phoenix, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Phylocke, and Angel, you will like this book.

First just a note on bad advertising, unlike the last book (Chaos 1 - Dr Doom) where the character appearances were fairly balanced, this book is not balanced at all. Rogue and Logan appear on the cover and are hardly in the book. Logan of course more than Rogue.

For those who like the first book of this trilogy (which I would have given it 4 stars or better), I'm very underwhelmed with this next installment. First, it's nearly all Magneto (which is the good part), Xavier (ok), Psylocke mooning and crying over Warren and being the only one not affected though we don't know why she gets to be this heroine over everyone else (as Sophia noted in her review of the first book, Betsy and Warren were not that interesting to begin with in this story, and they become actually overkill here) and too much of the cosmic players (Roma, etc.). Also unlike the last issue with Storm, it totally blows by how the X-Men stuck in Magneto's new world are generally affected and feel about this and they don't even get to do anything to help or figure it out themselves as Betsy got to. They are pretty much just there except in the most shallow of ways though it does a little more with Jean, Scott, and Logan than Rogue and Kurt. The latter two might as well not be in the story. For anyone who read the first one and wonders about Gambit, he like Warren is not only in the same situation from the first one but unlike Warren who gets to come back in his way, Remy doesn't and no one seems to care, especially Betsy and Xavier who go on and on about Warren since they are the ones who know what's going on. I think Gambit's mentioned twice in an almost off-handed way. Unlike the last book, I found little to care about in this story but Magneto regaining what he lost. The Magneto characterization is very good, Xavier ok but in general I found the the rest terribly lacking. Unless you just need to keep up, like Magneto when done well (which was the only thing that kept me reading), or are a huge Betsy/Warren fan, I could almost say skip this middle book and hope the last one is as good as the first and not more of this.

I've probably read all of the X-men novels out and this trilogy is looking to be as good as the mutant empire one. THe first book set up a dictatorship with Doom and this one shows how Magneto's dream could work and shows sympathy for magneto because he only fight's for his dream. I have no idea how Roman will fix this situation because of the bleak ending. This isn't as action packed as the mutant empire trilogy but the intrigue and suspense is better.

This is a great book, and a great X-Men story! It's the best Marvel novel I've read. It has all the action and suspense of a thriller, and it has great characterization. Steve Roman did a great job with the story, and I loved the Mark Buckingham art inside. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

FIrst and foremost let me ask you if you have read another on of X-men's trilogies, time's arrow? If the answer to the above is yes, then let me ask you this. Do you remember the evil x-men from another time line? And do you also recall when they were about to have a fight with the rest of other super-powered heros/villans just before thier time line blew up? Did you ever wonder what would have happened if the time line had not blown up and the x-men would have lived to fight everyone else? I know I did. And now I am glad to say I know the answer, well sort of anyway. For you see this is what this book is all about. The X-men fight everyone else. For you see, Doom is the ruler of the world now and it has been like this for some ten years now. He has taken care of the FF and he has killed some other super-hero/villans who opposed him and the rest of the superpowered being are either serving Doom or they have gone to early retirment, part from of course Magneto. So now the task of saving the earth has fallen to the X-men who has just returned from another dimention to find out all of this has taken place. Thie promisses to be one of the best marvel novels I have read, but having said that I am yet to get my hands on the second and third part and if they are anywhere as good as the first one, then my words will stand correct. I urge you, the X-fan, to buy this book. I know you will not be sorry you did

I liked this book!

This book has many surprises. It's a real thriller. What I liked was that it wasn't a comic book story turned into a novel like what happened with some of the earlier Marvel novels. If I want a Marvel super heroes story in continuity then I'll pick up the comic book. One of the things I've always wanted to see in the Marvel novels is a writer having the courage to try new things. Steve Roman did just that--and he did a great job!

It's a real page-turner. I've got some friends who read suspense books who look down on super hero books and I've been telling them to pick this one up because it's worth it!

The only thing I don't like about the book is the fact that there are so many illustrations. I like Mark Buckingham's artwork, but I think that having all that art takes away from it being a book.

Anyway, I hope to see more books like this--I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how Steve Roman finishes this trilogy.

There is no alliance with Dr Doom, or plan for world domination/genocide in this book. Don't get me wrong, I love the story, but the product description is wrong. Dr Doom plays a minor role in the story.
What really happens is that Magneto uses the cosmic cube to create a society where humans and mutants are equals and Psylocke and Professor X have to try to restore normalcy before the entire omniverse is destroyed by the cosmic cube (all the other X-Men are affected by the Cube and are allied with Magneto so Psylocke and the Professor are on their own).

This book is extremely well written, and exciting. A major character dies (not telling which one!) in a creepy and emotional way. I would recommend the entire set of books to any reader who is a fan of the X-Men.

Also, is it just me or does the author put a lot of the locations in the DC/Metro area? I guess he is from there!

I came into this series with this first novel. It wasn't hard to gather what happened at all with the wonderfull writing of roman. He brought you up to speed quickly and enveloped you in the book. It was very creative. I had to buy the third installment the day after I finished this one, because i had to know what happened next. There wasn't a whole lot of action, but it was enough to be percieved as a novel and not a comic book. I think that if the movie studios got a hold of this series, it would make a ton. I loved it!

This book was so cool because it showed how smart Dr. Doom really is (smarter than that cretin Reed Richards)Even in a place where no weapons can be fired Doom still makes a weapon and eliminates Roma the omniversal majestrix(The supposed protector of the omniverse) The Red Skull also one of my favorite villains defeats the highly over-rated Magneto and Prof. X and gets the Cosmic Cube! In the third one The Red Skull and Dr. Doom (my favorites) will have to fight and The Red Skull has an advantage with the Cosmic Cube, but as we've all seen Dr. Doom has a trick up his sleeve.