I always approach novelizations of movies (or movie adaptations of novels) with some nervousness - not a lot, but enough to fall in the category of mild trepidation. They are rarely good, and are generally somewhere between awful and rubbish. In the case of GOTHAM KNIGHT, I was downright skeptical - the novelization of a direct-to-DVD animated movie? Lucky for your reviewer, this may be the exception to the rule. GOTHAM KNIGHT is actually a fun read.

GOTHAM KNIGHT takes place after Batman Begins and before The Dark Knight Batman movies. It follows the exploits of the Caped Crusader as he attempts to clean up the streets of the eponymous city. The villains he faces are a combination of various mob bosses, the Killer Croc, and a high-priced assassin. I have only two complaints: there is a gadget that strained my credulity just a little bit too much, and the author has a habit of launching into distracting description of clothes.

GOTHAM KNIGHT doesn't introduce any stunning revelations. It doesn't try to break new ground. What it does, Gotham Knight does well - it explores and develops the various characters that Batman Begins introduced, and it tells a good Batman tale. It's not high art, but it's an enjoyable yarn, and absolutely perfect for reading on an airplane.

Book Summary

Ushering in a summer of Batman...

The Caped Crusader returns in this prequel to the Warner Bros. blockbuster film—The Dark Knight.After Wayne Manor is burned to the ground, Bruce Wayne establishes a new base of operations, and— as Batman—refines his personal vigilante mission, encountering foes both old and new.