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NON-FICTION & READING◆A Literal Corner

The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

May 25, 20092 min read
A Literal Corner

the-book-of-lies_lI have read every novel that Brad Meltzer has written. I picked up The Millionaires when I was in DC back in 2002. Then he went on to write Identity Crisis, the Justice League, and Green Arrow. I have enjoyed every one of his novels and his comics...until this one. I finished the book and did not really feel like I got anything out of it. Unlike The Book of Fate, his last novel, the mystery did not interest me and did not have me guessing. I saw where this was going and none of the twists caught me off guard. The writing was typically short and not high in characterization or details, but it is a thriller, not John Updike. I understand that much, but it seemed very thrown together. By the time we get to Cleveland and the Superman related mystery aspect, I knew who the bad guys were and I knew where the story needed to go.  If you want a somewhat interesting summer read where you can quickly enter a world and leave without much of a taste in your mouth, this will be a good book for you. If you want a better thriller, find one of Mr. Meltzer's earlier novels. Any of them. I am very fond of The Tenth Justice and The Book of Fate but really, they are all very good. I hope his next novel hits on more of the right notes.
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