Good day to you all, SoBros Network Patreon subscribers. Welcome to the SoBros Book Club, on which I will share some book recommendations for those of you who enjoy taking in the written word. Today, we’re discussing The Shadow by James Patterson and Brian Sitts.
I have to admit that I’m not the biggest James Patterson fan in the world. There’s nothing wrong with the classical popcorn page-turner the likes of which Patterson shells out as prolifically as any author in history. By the way, what’s his rate? 85 new books per year? Nonetheless, Patterson’s stuff just doesn’t usually stimulate me the way I like to be stimulated when I’m reading. It’s like watching an episode of Law & Order on television. If it’s on, I know I’m probably going to get sucked into some campy twisting story…but if it’s not on, I don’t even notice it’s gone.
And funny enough, this book was recommended to me by my mother, at whose house there’s usually an episode of Law & Order running in the background. She knows that I’m more into the “weird stuff,” as she calls it – science-fiction, action, dystopian post-apocalyptic settings. That sort of thing. So, when she recommended it to me and passed along a copy of her friend’s, I said I’d give it a go.
Only two people know Lamont Cranston’s secret identity as the Shadow, a vigilante of justice: his greatest love, Margo Lane — and his fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. Then Khan ambushes the couple, who have the slimmest chance of survival … in the uncertain future.
A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a more than passing familiarity with the legend of the Shadow.
Most disturbing, Khan’s power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. He also knows he’s the only one who stands a chance. The Shadow must prove that he’s not only a super crime-fighter, but an icon.
By and large, I’d say I’m happy I gave this one a shot. To boil it down into a sentence, The Shadow reads like a good graphic novel – this feels like something from the pages of Marvel or DC lore. Apparently, that’s because there is a DC hero named The Shadow that a lot of folks thought the book was going to be about. Goodreads is littered with negative reviews from people who were outraged at how Patterson and Sitts departed from the source material. But, I’m not sure that same Shadow is the source material. Maybe we ought to adjust our expectations here? Just a thought.
It doesn’t come without its criticisms, for sure – the characters are rather cookie-cutter, the plot has its fair share of move-along-before-you-notice-the-hole-here moments, and it’s a rather predictable tale. But, in there somewhere is a fun little superhero story that alternates between timelines and rarely slows down once it gets going. This strikes me as an easy one-day read, and while it may be a little more “out there” than what Patterson is usually known for, I think it’s still something that will deliver in spades to his devoted fan base. I thought it was fun, easy, and action-packed.
Other SoBros Book Club Features
- The Boys in the Boat
- Dodge City
- Fevre Dream
- How the Irish Saved Civilization
- The Junction Boys
- Meddling Kids
- Murder Most Festive
- Nuclear Jellyfish
- Playing for Pizza
- Pretty Paper
- The Toynbee Convector
- Wildly Into the Dark
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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