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gwaevalarinI just finished the first Supernatural tie-in novel but before I write the review I have some work related news: My mother told me yesterday that the company I work for needs some things like their web pages and stuff translated into English and she asked me if I was interested in performing the task. Am I interested? Hell, yeah! Of course I am. *is excited*
Okay, Nevermore:
May include spoiler!
I have read better fanfiction but I also have read worse novels and I have read far worse tie-in novels. Actually the only better tie-in novels I can remember reading are two or three of the X-Files ones.
And keep in mind that it's probably much harder to write a tie-in novel than to write a fanfic. You don't "just" have to get the characters, the past events and the mythology right you have to keep the future events in mind as well. Be careful not to write anything that'd change them ot even the characters view on them. In fact you can't really have any major events cause the show might always come up with something in the future that may conflict with what you wrote so your novel doesn't fit in any more. And you're probably not allowed to try some crazy ideas or an unusual style. Which is a shame really.
The storyline isn't the greatest. The Roxy storyline is not really inventive but not too bad. I like the part that's written from her point of view all confused and pretty pissed after she got shot with rock salt. The Poe storyline sounded promising but if you don't know the stories the murders are about - which I don't *hangs head in shame* - then it's just a bunch of weird murders. And it's not even supernatural. As far as we know the ritual is fake. And the murderer... well, after Mackey is part of the team there really is just one suspect left so no surprise there.
The original characters are okay. A little stereotype but I can picture them. I kinda like how Marina McBain doesn't stop calling Dean "brushy-top" which of course annoys the hell out of him.
So, with a not too great storyline and only okayish original characters why doesn't the novel suck? Because the interaction between Sam an Dean is hilarious. They are mostly in character, I can hear them say the lines, see their facial expressions and every other line they say is quote worthy. I laughed out loud a few times.
And there's one amazing serious scene and that's Dean's nightmare. That returning image of "...[insert a more or less important female character of the show here] pinned to the ceiling, bleeding from the belly, fire consuming her...". Powerful image if you know the show. It starts with Mary and Jess and then goes on with Cassie, Sarah - I squeed when she got mentioned, even though it was in Dean's nightmare - Ellen and Jo. And then one last image that differs a little: "... Sam pinned to the ceiling, bleeding from the belly-
-but the fire doesn't consume him. Instead, his eyes open, and they're yellow.
'You have to kill me, Dean. Dad said so.'"
That one gave me goosebumps.
One other thing: References to the show are great once in a while. It's nice to read some familiar names and get reminded of past events. But to my taste there's too many of them. It's almost like the author wants to prove he's actually watched the show.
So to sum things up: The books not genius or anything. Nor is it anywhere near the show's league. But if you don't expect too much it's a nice read. You just have to sit back and enjoy to get some more Sam and Dean. I'm grateful that our show even has things like tie-in novels and comics and stuff.
Okay, Nevermore:
May include spoiler!
I have read better fanfiction but I also have read worse novels and I have read far worse tie-in novels. Actually the only better tie-in novels I can remember reading are two or three of the X-Files ones.
And keep in mind that it's probably much harder to write a tie-in novel than to write a fanfic. You don't "just" have to get the characters, the past events and the mythology right you have to keep the future events in mind as well. Be careful not to write anything that'd change them ot even the characters view on them. In fact you can't really have any major events cause the show might always come up with something in the future that may conflict with what you wrote so your novel doesn't fit in any more. And you're probably not allowed to try some crazy ideas or an unusual style. Which is a shame really.
The storyline isn't the greatest. The Roxy storyline is not really inventive but not too bad. I like the part that's written from her point of view all confused and pretty pissed after she got shot with rock salt. The Poe storyline sounded promising but if you don't know the stories the murders are about - which I don't *hangs head in shame* - then it's just a bunch of weird murders. And it's not even supernatural. As far as we know the ritual is fake. And the murderer... well, after Mackey is part of the team there really is just one suspect left so no surprise there.
The original characters are okay. A little stereotype but I can picture them. I kinda like how Marina McBain doesn't stop calling Dean "brushy-top" which of course annoys the hell out of him.
So, with a not too great storyline and only okayish original characters why doesn't the novel suck? Because the interaction between Sam an Dean is hilarious. They are mostly in character, I can hear them say the lines, see their facial expressions and every other line they say is quote worthy. I laughed out loud a few times.
And there's one amazing serious scene and that's Dean's nightmare. That returning image of "...[insert a more or less important female character of the show here] pinned to the ceiling, bleeding from the belly, fire consuming her...". Powerful image if you know the show. It starts with Mary and Jess and then goes on with Cassie, Sarah - I squeed when she got mentioned, even though it was in Dean's nightmare - Ellen and Jo. And then one last image that differs a little: "... Sam pinned to the ceiling, bleeding from the belly-
-but the fire doesn't consume him. Instead, his eyes open, and they're yellow.
'You have to kill me, Dean. Dad said so.'"
That one gave me goosebumps.
One other thing: References to the show are great once in a while. It's nice to read some familiar names and get reminded of past events. But to my taste there's too many of them. It's almost like the author wants to prove he's actually watched the show.
So to sum things up: The books not genius or anything. Nor is it anywhere near the show's league. But if you don't expect too much it's a nice read. You just have to sit back and enjoy to get some more Sam and Dean. I'm grateful that our show even has things like tie-in novels and comics and stuff.
