|
| Batman Begins | 
 enlarge | Author: Dennis O'neil
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: $12.40
Buy New: $3.59
You Save: $8.81 (71%)
New (7) Used (3) from $3.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 2072521
Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 1845761626
Dewey Decimal Number: 741
EAN: 9781845761622
ASIN: 1845761626
Publication Date: June 16, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Based on the eagerly awaited new feature film–the exciting origins of the ultimate crime fighter!
Bruce Wayne is dead. The young heir to the Wayne empire disappeared seven years ago. His vast fortune has been given away, and the crime wave that began with the brutal murder of his parents has turned Gotham City into a living hell. The last holdouts against corruption–the cops who can’t be bought, the D.A.s who can’t be intimidated–are outnumbered and outgunned. They need help . . . fast.
A world away, in a dank Himalayan prison, a nameless, hardened man fights every day to survive. He has spent seven years scouring the globe, studying the criminal mind, looking for an answer to the ugly riddle of his childhood. But something has been looking for him, too. Here, in the darkest places of his own anger, Bruce Wayne will discover his destiny–and an ordinary man will become a legend.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Next time, try Mace! June 27, 2005
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I enjoyed reading this novelization. Enthralled by the first 135 pages, I was able to widen the voyeur lens on Master Wayne. I also met characters not introduced in the movie. Young Bruce has a tutor named Miss Daisy. Later, Vagrant Bruce has an encounter with a bosun named Hector, and hijacks a truck with a bandit Bruce nicknamed "Stocky". We also get the scoop on Ra's Al Ghul/Ducard: He is a "methodical man" of "rationality and science" who "keeps records"; he has "sired 414 children", yet "must have a son"; has a daughter named Talia who he wants Bruce to impregnate because up until now "no man . . . has ever been worthy of mingling his genes with his" [Note that Talia is not mentioned again in the novel after this, which is a misstep in my opinion]; and one more surprise regarding his "origin".
Unfortunately, by page 136 the novel dips ever so slightly, but provides some insight into motives of the main players. The creation of Bruce Wayne's backstory was the high point. Some of the dialogue is verbatim from the movie, which works 80% of the time.
It took me 6 hours to read this novel. If you enjoyed the movie, you may enjoy the book. Ra's Al Ghul's journal almost steals Bruce's thunder, but who can really steal anything from Batman? He's the Guardian of Gotham City.
5 stars: pages 1-135
3 stars: pages 136-320
Total: 4 stars
If the movie is half as good as the book, it will be great. June 14, 2005
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
Dennis O'Neil adaptation of the screenplay of Batman Begins is a great read from the first page to the last. The story packs a real punch and tells how Batman began his career. A few surprises are thrown into the mix and you get a top notch read all the way.
If the movie is half as good as the book was, it will be great.
Four Stars
Woooo June 11, 2005
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
This story clearly shows how Batman came to be. The author gave us just what we wanted and even more. A lot of action and even a mystery that surrounds one of the main characters. Batman is truly a hero and a legend that will always be a part of our culture.
 Good Representation of the Film, but Needs Better Scenes NOT in Film July 7, 2005
8 out of 26 found this review helpful
Comics veteran Dennis O'Neil does a good job of recreating the scenes from the film, but the additional depth of material that is in the book, (but not the film), is not very interesting in this book.
After a movie is released, a movie tie-in book is best read for more in-depth coverage and material. This book has a lot of Ra's Al Ghul diary notes and biography, more details about Bruce Wayne's homeless wandering years, and a long, extended Bruce Wayne search for research about Ra's Al Ghul.
I was hoping for more scenes and character development with Bruce Wayne and his Dad, more Scarecrow, and some more Rachel scenes that are not in the movie: but, no luck on those topics in this book.
One thing that kind of irritated me was written on page 130, "Bruce lowered the manuscript. THIS IS GETTING POSITIVELY BIBLICAL... He had a sudden need to do something physical; he could finish his research later." (The emphasis is the book author's, not mine). This passage seems to insinuate that if something seems Biblical then it is unwanted. Is Batman supposed to bored by the Bible? Is the author bored by the Bible?
The book would have been fine without this passage, its inclusion here seems like a swipe at the Bible. This does not belong in a Batman book, in my opinion, and the author will be bettered served if he would skip this type of insensitive religious commentary in future works, please. I rated this book lower over this unnecessary passage.
Overall, there are very minor differences between this book and the movie. It's a decent representation of the film, but I can only recommend it for those who are the most serious fans of the film. Casual readers will not likely get much more than they already got from seeing the film.
"All Those Push-Ups For Nothing..." July 6, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I always read the novel before I see the movie, rule of thumb. I have not yet seen Batman Begins but after reading this book I can only hope it's as good. The first few chapters are entertaining and suck you into the story of an only child raised by his billionaire parents. The plot thickens as young bruce discovers a crevice in the well he has fallen into, while playing, and bats fly at him and nearly scare him to death. The story trudges on, chronicling the death of bruce's parents, his insane travel across the globe in dark trashy shipbottoms, his discovery of an ancient temple dedicated to martial arts, and his rise into the role of Gotham's own Dark Knight.
Overall this book is an excellent telling of Batman's origins, but lacks in thematic elements. Most action scenes are rushed through and written poorly, and some moments don't seem to make much sense.
Being the complete comic book nerd I am, this story seems too good to be true. I reccommend this if your looking for a short fun read.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
