A fine entry in an excellent series. And unlike many other series, events in one novel have ramifications in those that follow. Definitely worth buying.

This is a delightful read: learn all about Belle Guiness, the homesteading murderess who planted her various lonely hearts suitors all along her farm; read about Dorothy Puente, the malevolent landlord who seemed to be a benevolent caretaker of the elderly by day, murderous, mercenary monster by night; and who can forget Lizzie Borden, Bonnie Parker and Charlotte Corday?

Some of my favorites are mssing such as Caril Fugate and Myra Hindley, but by Robbins intent and design, she concentrated on women who acted alone without the influence of men. It's still a good read.

Read the book, it was great, saw the movie and it was good, but nothing compared to the book.... In the book, Terrorists seize Air Force One with the president, the first lady, their thirteen-year-old daughter, and more than fifty staff members.

The terrorists threaten to execute a hostage every thirty minutes if their demands are not met. Washington has a NO HOSTAGE policy and they refuse to give in to the terrorists demands. The suspense escalates from there... The president is left to protect his family with the help of some of his staff.

This is great reading material. I read it while on a nine hour flight, so that made it more intense...

Sometimes I wonder why Max Allan Collins doesn't write the scripts of the films he novelizes. His entries in the genre, including In the Line of Fire and Dick Tracy,often have better dialogue and more fleshed out characters than the films themselves (though in the character department, you couldn't really improve on In the Line of Fire). His novel Air Force One is the book the movie should have been based on. I really enjoyed the film, but, having read this fine book, I think I would have believed the film more if it was, I don't know, more like the novel! As you read the book, you'll discover there are scenes and dialogue you wish were in the film (the sequence where President James Marshall drinks a beer before takeoff becomes a funny discourse with his aides over the political mileage the President could get from drinking Russian beer as opposed to Heineken), and best of all, the characters and there motivations are a good deal more believable, somehow, on the printed page than on the silver screen, maybe because a writer can just write things as exposition that a screenwriter can't put effectively into dialogue. I've always enjoyed Mr. Collins' work, especially his series of historical mysteries about private eye Nathan Heller, and this is a great addition to his body of work. Most of the people I know would think themselves above movie novelizations, but this one is a terrific book anybody'd be glad to have read. I know I was.

If you enjoyed other great books by Collins and havent tried this well written book. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy. I read it before I saw the movie. A greay story from beginning to end.

I would recommend this book only to those Mummy fans who cannot wait to know what the movie is about. The story is simple, which this novel does a good job of letting you know what it is about. But this book is by no means a replacement for the action-packed, FX scenes. So read this book but WATCH the movie. The novel will satisfy your curiosity but the movie will thrill you!

The part that O'Donnel being the reincarnate of a Knight Templar and Evelyn being the reincarnate of an Egyptian princess is, in my opinion, unnecessary CRAP.

I've always been a huge book-fan; and let's face it, if you fall in love with a movie while it's still in theaters, you're going to go fairly crazy waiting for it to be released on video once it *leaves* the theaters so that you can finally see it again (only 24 more days until "The Mummy Returns" will FINALLY be available to own and watch again and again)----so anytime I fall in love with a movie, one of my first steps is to go racing out to get the novelization.

And, to be honest, most of them really disappoint me. "Galaxy Quest" was a simplistic version of the script put into the past tense, as near as I can tell; "X-men" failed to impress me as anything special. "Dungeons & Dragons" was descriptive, but it treated the characters _so_ vastly differently than the movie that it hardly seemed to be telling the same story.

So was I pleasantly surprised by the excellence of the novel of "The Mummy Returns". I absolutely love it. It is descriptive, action-packed, humorous, and fills in some gaps and scenes that the movie either cut or didn't bother with; it filled us in on some loopholes (ie, that mysterious train track in the middle of the desert wasn't far off the base at all). I didn't find it repetitive in the least, nor did I think the character portrayals were off, either. I think it was simply a matter of how Collins interpreted the characters (because, let's face it, they come off differently to everyone); I think he saw O'Connell as a bit more rugged than others do. But I didn't find his portrayal out of sync in the least. That bit of cynicism that Rick has was still there, off-balanced by his good humor. Evy was quite different from how she was in the first one----but the *movie* makes her quite different to begin with! The characters have changed in ten years (what people don't?), and the movie reflects that.

Attention is given to all the characters (I especially like hearing about my two favorites, Jonathan and Ardeth Bay), and the book is over-all well written. If you love "The Mummy Returns" as much as I do, I highly recommend this book. It's not a flaky read----it's a *quick* read if you want it to be, but not a flaky one. This book is actually trying to say something about friendship and the strength of love----if you give it a chance and keep your eyes open, it might actually touch you. Give it a whirl. You won't regret it.

The Mummy Returns is easily one of the best movies I have ever seen. I find it fresh, original, emotional, and suspensful, and reading the novel is just as gripping as watching the movie.
I found the first movie to be very cliched, with Evelyn as a clumsy damsel in distress. In the Mummy Returns, her character undergoes a considerable and very welcome improvement: Evelyn is now as strong as rick, and she even saves the day herself a couple of times. This book is differant from the movie, and that involves the methods of worshiping the scorpian King, but the story still wraps up satisfying

As other reviewers have noted, we expect books to be better than the movie they cover. This is certainly not the case with Saving Private Ryan. It almost seems like the author was in such a hurry to finish the book ( to coincide with the release of the movie ), that he had no time to proof-read or research his subject. I found numerous little quirks that, although minor, added up to make the book a less than perfect reflection of one of the best movies of all time. Just a couple of examples ; Capt. Miller has to cut the pack off a drowning soldier in order to lessen his weight, then, within a few paragraphs, is hauling this same soldier out of the water by the same straps he cut off minutes before. The author also describes the shoulder patch of the 101st Airborne as " the blue and red double-A". The reference he is making is to the 82nd Airborne, not the "Screaming Eagle" patch of the 101st. Minor, maybe, but to me it shows a lack of research into the subject matter. I wonder if the book would have been better if Dale Dye ( the military advisor of the movie and an author himself ) had been given the go to write it. Unfortunatly, we'll never know.

I think this book is very well written. First of all, the book develops all the characters extremely well. Unlike the movie, where most of the characters' backgrounds remain unknown, when each soldier is introduced into the story their name, rank, and some background is provided. The way the author described the characters makes the reader feel they know each soldier personally.
Another strong point of the book that can not be obtained through watching the movie is the thoughts of the soldiers. Not only is the reader provided with the soldiers thoughts in battle situations, but also their thoughts about the purpose of their mission.
The author does an excellent job of describing the hellish atmosphere of war. In the movie, some of the battle scenes are so complex and distorted that it is somewhat difficult to understand the horror that the soldiers go through in battles. In the book, the reader is provided with the soldiers' thoughts and also their feelings when wounded.
One of the few things I would change about this book would be a better explanation of some of the military terms and tactics. Some areas of the book seemed unclear because I did not understand some of the termanology.

I am an avid reader, but I like to take my time reading a book so that (1) I don't miss anything, and (2) because I enjoy reading. I went to see the movie with my father on the last night of the showing. My father & I are both US Army veterans (my father a combat vet), so it seemed the perfect movie to see. When it was over, I had gained a world of respect not only for my father but also every combat vet. The next day i purchased the book, and was finished within a day and a half. I was totally unable to put it down (despite my reading habits). Most people think of WWII as a glorious time in our history, when in reality, it was one of if not the most tragic. Now when I think of WWII, I no longer think of the victory parades or dances you see in the movies, I think of the blood, sweat, and many tears shed by American and Allied troops in the defense of freedom. My thanks to the author of the book, and the director of the movie for a true classic to be

Looking over some of the glowing reviews for this novelization, I have to wonder if these people read the same book I did -- or if they were swayed by the incredible movie or the even better graphic novel. As a novelization, though, I found this pretty weak.

Max Allan Collins is a great crime writer, and his original "Road to Perdition" is one of the best graphic novels I've ever read, but this novelization of the movie based on his graphic novel really lacks teeth. I understand Collins turned in a draft nearly twice as long as this book and the publisher forced him to trim it -- if that is the case, it shows. The book feels tremendously abbreviated, with important scenes and dialogue condensed at every turn. The emotion isn't quite there.

Collins intends to write two more novels to complete what he envisioned as a trilogy to begin with. If he does that, I hope he can convince the publisher to release the unabridged version of this book first to really do the story justice.

Before I sat down to watch The Road To Perdition recently, I had no idea that the film is based on a graphic novel, from the well known comic book author Max Allan Collins. After seeing the movie, I knew I had to seek out the book. Even though I thought the movie was OK--The book is far better as far as I'm concerned. As with most book to film adaptations, certain things are altered or even deleted all together, for the sake of the cinema format. The Road To Perdition is no excpetion.

The father/son dynamics of the story are brought into greater depth. As is O'Sullivan's role as chief enforcer for the irish crime boss he works for. Due to a tragic turn of events, Michael O'Sullivan and his son are forced to travel a road filled with danger, deception, Al Capone's money, and murder. The book does an even better job tying in historical figures Capone (the one scene of his in the film was cut) and his right hand man Frank Nitti, than the movie did. Collins keeps both men around to tell the story. Collins gives readers a no holds barred look at the 1930s and the mob

The black and white art of Richard Piers Rayner only adds to the gruffness of the story. His work, simple, yet at the same time somehow detailed. By electing to use black and white for the entire layout, one really gets the sense that they are watching a classic older film on the late show. The panels of book indeed, gave director Sam Mendes and crew a baseline, for the movie. I just wish I read the book before I saw the film. One of my criticisms of the movie was that I thought that many of the twists of the story were easy to spot. Since the book goes into certain areas the film barely touches, those twists may not be as easy to forecast

Whether you have seen the film or not, the book is a must read. Don't let the fact that it tells the story in "comic book form deter you. It's not same as reading an issue of Superman or Spiderman. This is not for the kiddies. Collins provides a well written introduction that sets the stage The book has 302 pages and comes highly recommended

What a powerful read. The pure power of morality and love coupled with the intensity of the violence in these pages make this book unforgettable. The art meshes perfectly with the writing. In fact, if I had to pick Max Allan Collins or Richard Piers Rayner as the star of the book, I'd have to go with Rayner. Some of the detail in his panels are simply mind numbing. Collins has crafted a great father-son/assassin tale along the lines of the Japanese comic Lone Wolf and Cub, but Rayner's work is what really puts Perdition over the top as a graphic novel.

This book is a touching if disturbing look into a mob assassin's relationship with his older son, and his quest for vengence for the death of his wife and younger son. A noir-ish tale deftly told as it weaves in conflicting notions of religious morality, loyalty, vengence, and proper guidance for a child. A gripping tale.

The book does a very good job of capturing the feel of the show. Collins does a great job of writing dialogue that sounds as though it was lifted straight from the show and his descriptions of the characters are spot on. The book also does a great job running the dual plotlines that are most always seen on the show where the CSI's are split up into two and sometimes even three groups, each one investigating a different crime. But, most importantly, these books are a little more realistic as far as language and even plots go than the sometimes "cleaned" up stuff that airs on CBS.

I can't get enough of the TV show CSI, so I was delighted to find this book series. Gil Grissom is investigating the disappearance of a woman. Catherine is looking into the murder of a stripper. Collins has captured the characters as seen in the TV show perfectly and the humorous banter between the characters lightens the mood as it does in the TV series. I was afraid this would be a story I had seen before, but it was all new. A must read for fans of CSI.

I hardly ever sit down and read a book. I purchased this one and couldn't put it down, i'm getting ready to purchase more of the C.S.I. books. The book really kept you glued, and the way it describes things to a TEE !!!!

This is a lack luster book. If you want to read a really great fictional story about the black dahlia case then read Ellroys The Black Dahlia. Collins should stick to Dick Tracy.

Max Allan Collins is as good as it gets when it comes to mysteries, and especially in his chosen genre -- true crime solved by his own fictional detective, Nathan Heller -- Collins is unbeatable. ANGEL IN BLACK is a haunting rendition of the Black Dahlia murder in L.A. -- a story I didn't know when I began reading the book. As usual, his research is impeccable (I've since done my own research on this) and his rendering of the people involved brings you straight into the heart of the story. His solution may not be correct, but it is compelling (and no one really knows, either -- the Black Dahlia murder remains officially unsolved). And like his other brilliant Heller stories -- STOLEN AWAY (the Lindbergh kidnapping), FLYING BLIND (Amelia Earhart disappearance), MAJIC MAN (Roswell, New Mexico UFO incident) ... you believe it and cannot help but be drawn in further. Don't miss this; it has its gruesome moments (which I know will automatically recommend it to some people) but it also has some marvelous characters and surprising relevations. Heller solves this one the way he does all his investigating -- he's tough, sexy and can't help but get involved. This one is a five-star winner.

Max Allan Collins is a sort of a Renaissance Man. He's an independent film-maker, scripted the Dick Tracy comics series for 16 years, and writes mystery novels (ten Shamus nominations, won twice). You wonder how he has time to breathe and eat, let alone make a life with a wife and son. Of these accomplishments, the mystery novel series is perhaps the best known. A dozen of the books are private eye novels with a main character who's a sort of guide to the crime world of the late 20's to the late 50's. This character is Nathan Heller, the half-Irish half-Jewish ex-cop who is friends with Capone, traded shots with Dillinger, and searched for Amelia Earhart and the Lindbergh baby. You have to be willing to accept that one person would be involved in this many different famous crimes of the century, but once you make this leap of faith, the books are wonderful evocations of life in the first half of the century, replete with characters and scenes that stay with you. The solutions to the real-life mysteries are well-researched and believable, and often the author has done original work that leads non-fiction writers to new sources and accounts of the crime in question.

The crime in question is the Black Dahlia murder case, in which an aspiring actress was tortured and murdered, the body being cut in half at the waist after death. Collins has to hook Heller in somehow, and as is often the case, his libido gets him involved: he had a short affair with the victim, Elizabeth Short. Coincidentally, Heller is in Los Angeles, and happens to be there when the body's discovered, and recognizes his former lover. Soon he's working for a local paper, doing background, and unofficially looking to find the killer himself. Admittedly, this beginning is a bit of a stretch, but if you read the series, you're used to this sort of thing and accept it. If you're not, just go with it, it's worth it.

Heller has an interesting problem, which is two-fold. First, he has the problem that if the L.A. cops figure out that he was having an affair with the victim, he might wind up a suspect, especially as he's in L.A. with his new wife, who wouldn't be amused by an old girlfriend. Second, and perhaps worse, he's the only cop on the case who thinks this killing might be something other than a bizarre sex-crime. The plot zips right along, with Heller crossing paths with Orson Wells, Mickey Cohen, and other famous figures from L.A. history, entertainment, press, and politics. There's even a cameo with Heller's old friends Barney Ross and Eliot Ness. The solution is something of a surprise, possible but a bit of a stretch, but fun none the less. I would highly recommend this book, with the caveat that if you haven't read the author's earlier book Butcher's Dozen, you're going to be a bit taken aback when the twist comes. I know I was, even though I'd read the previous book.

Max Allan Collins' novelization of the 1999 film "The Mummy" is a lot of fun. Which is of course what you would expect, since the movie itself was such pure unadulterated fun.

It does what most good novelizations do, it fleshes out the characters a little more. It provides some background information on the characters and storyline. The novelization is also very helpful for explaining a bit more about the ancient Egyptian ceremony where Imhotep tries to resurrect his dead love, Anck-su-namun. The novel also focuses on the romance aspect between Evelyn and O'Connell, much more than the movie.

If you enjoyed the recent Mummy movie, you would probably enjoy this book. It's a fun and fast read. As long as you don't expect anything more from it, you should enjoy this book.

The storyline was very good.The movie was very good too.The storyline was really enchanting,I fell totally in love with it.Horror and comedy--what a combination!Resurrecting the Mummy and The Mummy Scrapbook was very good too.Best books I've ever read.Best movie too.It was well worth my money.I guess my name being the same as the hero is very good for my ego too....(No kiddin)If you're still deciding whether to buy the book,don't hesitate!Go buy it now.You won't regret it.

This novel was a real page-turner. I couldn't stop reading, and I finished it in 2 days. It started out slow in the beginning, but got faster as the story built up. The story has a strong plot and the characters were very well-developed. The scenes with the Mummy and the City of the Dead are fantastic. This was probably a great adaptation of the movie, which I'll be seeing. Max Allan Collins probably did the best adaptation of a movie then any other movie-tie in that I've read. I recommend this book to anyone!