Spider-Man 2

Rating:
Summary: Web Enhanced
Review: Author Peter David has never let me down. His books are always entertaining and really fun to read. It doesn't matter if he is concocting a story from scratch, or reworking someone else's material, he has a knack for knowing the characters and situations he writes about. I enjoyed his stuff for the Star Trek comics of the late 80's, early 90's, and while I have read most of his novels based on that space saga, I had yet to read his work, regarding a certain wall crawler, comic or otherwise, until now.

The novelization of Spider-Man 2 is a good read. Working from Alvin Sargent's already packed screenplay for the film, David expands on the story even further, giving readers some interesting backstory to chew on. I know what you must be thinking--most novels based on a film do that very same thing. That's true. David's knowledge of Spidey lore helps the book, so much so that, in the hands another writer, it may not have worked out as well. Take the character of John Jameson, for example, in the film, he gets just enough screen time to create an obstacle for Peter Parker and Mary Jane. In the book, we learn much more about how he swept MJ off her feet, his heroics as an astronaut, and his relationship with his father J. Jonah Jameson. It reads as though it was integral to the plot, not as filler or padding. The 320 page book does have a few weak spots, but thankfully, they are few and far between and pretty minor.

A recommended read for anyone who has already seen the movie and liked it.

Rating:
Summary: Peter David rules
Review: Peter David is just the PERFECT writer for Spider-Man 2, the novelization. His novelization of the first book was right on the money--and his Spider-Man comics are among the best comics ever written period. (Obviously, I'm a fan!!). Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: Spider-man still flying high...
Review: This book was great. I love Peter David's brand of humor and the little touches he adds to the screenplay. The story itself is very deep as it's more about characterization than the first book. This book may not be as "action-oriented" but I'm not reading this for the action (I'm watching the movie for that!) and it was fun reading about Peter, MJ, and Doc Ock. Check it out.