Lois & Clark: A Superman Novel

As I read my share of comics and the black and white TV show, I confess I missed "Lois and Clark" as TV. Only deep joy reading this author's other novels prompted reading this book. Supergirl has many charms, especially her challenging "Devil wears Prada and built her own media empire" boss, but do not look for endlessly multiplying aliens or spear carrier Krypton fellows hovering in formation. This novel is closer to the simple wonder, gee-wow awe of the original, but a fine author brings the best of the novel's long form characterization, reflection and depth - the lady can write, as Alice "Andre" Norton observed back when comic books cost a nickel. All the stock characters are here, but somehow they are living and breathing, thoughtfully fleshed out with a novel's power and depth. Superman can save people from a dam breaking in the Caucasus, and his flight is described from the inside, and later we find he does liaison with the State Department and the Red Cross. Without the perhaps excessive navel gazing of some comics, a person wrestles with great power but also uncertainties that go beyond just which power will save the day. As a person, Lois is still a bit held back by her 2 dimensional comic persona,notably by her failed engagement to Lex Luther shadowing her engagement to marry Clark, but Cherryh shows Lois as a hero in her own right. Her slight size and great courage saves lives in a vividly realized building collapse - and in her own voice she shows a range of human feelings that make heroism more real. As a counterpoint to Superman thinking and feeling, rather than just leaping tall buildings in a single bound and yet again preserving his secret identity from Lois' curiosity, this is Lois and Clark in a relationship with challenges but also reinforced by sharing the adventure. Cannot speak for the TV show or other novels, but C. J. Cherry is a wonderful story teller, and perhaps this book will introduce you to many more truly enjoyable novels.

I have been proud of the fact that I have read every novel penned by CJ Cherryh numerous times. She is that good of a writer to me. That being said, I had never read Lois and Clark, for a few reason, first, I didn't even know about it when it was in print, and second by the time I found out about it, collectors are selling it for the kind of crazy prices that I see today ($133.00) I would have to have it read to me by CJ Cherryh for that kind of money. And probably the biggest reason, is I have never been a comic book guy, and I didn't watch Lois and Clark when it was on the air. So... when I finally did end up with a copy last year, it stayed in the trunk for almost a year and yesterday on a whim, I read it in a couple of hours. Is it up to Ms. Cherryh's normal standards? well no... and yes. Here is a story where, you see a conflicted Superman, with a Lois that you can understand Superman being in love with. I never could understand that with the original Black and White series as a kid. But what is cool about this story is, Ms. Cherryh shows a Superman with powers that make sense, going into detail about laws of conservation of matter and energy. I don't think any Hollywood screenwriter is going to pull that off. So bottom line is it is a story that I enjoyed reading, and I think any Superman fan, who is somewhat educated may find fascinating. But that's just what I think.

Fun! A great addition to my Superman collection.

Luckily, as far as this book goes it is pretty far away from the other Lois & Clark type books. It is much more of a straight Superman adventure. This, as far as reading the thing goes, is most definitely a good thing. Cherryh does a reasonable job of handling Superman doing one thing, and Lois another, as usually happens. If you are a Superman book fan and see this somewhere really cheap, you may as well grab it.

This is a hard SciFi novel & has nothing to do with the TV series. That being said if you are a fan of CJ Cherryh you will enjoy this book. If you are curious how real world physics affects the man of steel this book is for you. If you are looking for romance it's not for you.

This book is just not good. The shows goofy cuteness doesn't translate well. There is a several page description of the bullpen that is painfully long and antiquated, and I don't understand why the author felt the need to describe 90s computers in so much detail. Pretty much everyone who watched the show was there.

I bought this for my daughter who is a huge Smallville fan. She loved the book, and suggested I read it. I gave it a try, and I greatly enjoyed it. This book is a great buy for any fan of the Man of Steel!

I was very disappointed with this book I bought it expecting a great story of Lewis and clark's adventures and maybe another look at the chemistry between them but this book as none of the spark that the show had they don't even spend that much time together. There are numerous inconsistencies that do not follow the feeling of the show I mean come on when Clark was Clark when did he ever after him and Lois started dating show fear of being seen in public with her? And as I recall he was very concerned about her welfare, I can't see him saying , all well you're sick so now I'm going to go off and play in Russia I mean come on the writer says are engaged that yet they show very little affection toward each other he wouldn't even let Lois, over his apartment when she was feeling Bad ? But there's a chapter after chapter of Clark worrying about the political problems and climate of Russia and some little village I mean I think throughout the whole book there might have been for instances of them having a conversation that lasted a pager to a time but there's page after page of this Russia problem while Lois is busy trying to figure out what happened elsewhere buy her self? Seriously... And on top of that the one time it mentions Lex Luther who in this book apparently is in jail and it's not too long after the wedding fiasco the author got Lois thinking about the feel of Lex luther's hands and his soulful eyes It's just a really big letdown after watching that the end of the show and all the other episodes and you think a wow there is this book may be the story doesn't have to end or maybe all get to see things that the show didn't tell me but honestly in my opinion this this author borrowed the names of Lois and Clark and the faces of Teri hatcher and dean cain to write a story that had very little to do with the new with the series Lois and Clark I mean to me that was more about the authors view of the political climate in Russia or some other country that have disaster as I know very little about the climate and Russia But I also know that look at very little to do with the TV series other than character names like it said if you wanna collect it because you want to collect all things having to do with the series then OK but if you're looking for a story to bring you back to the chemistry of the show and the venture and the hardships between Lois and Clark this is not the book you're looking for.

This is an ingenious story, written with a zest that more than makes up for the author's poor style. You can race through it, and then look forward to enjoying it again in a few year's time.