Rating:  -
DeCandido has been labeled by Trek fiction fans as the second coming of Peter David, which is an apt description but a bit unfair since it shortchanges the fact that DeCandido is a damn good storyteller. He started out his professional novel publishing career with a Spider-Man novel and he returns to it here with this novel. The storyline follows some of the current comic book continuity with Peter teaching high school science, Mary Jane pursuing an acting career and Aunt May knowing Peter Parker equals Spider-Man. A new gamma-radiation treated version of ectasy is on the market and its killing people left and right--after they "Hulk-out" and Peter realizes that in order to stop the deaths, he'll have to find the source of the drug and put it out of business. DeCandido's great strenght in writing novels set in universes not of his own creation is that he's able to capture the voice and nuances of each character and that strength is on display here. But within that context, DeCandido is able to put his own stamp and interpretation on the characters and, for the most part, that works really well. Make not mistake--this novel is not going to win any awards for best fictional novel published this year, but it's a fun, fast-paced and enjoyable read that any fan of Spider-Man should enjoy.
Rating:  -
Comic books and superheores have been around a LONG LONG time. But those who have endured most are the ones who have well developed three dimensional characters. Even though the settings may change, the quintessential nature of the character remains unchanged.
In this book, Keith stays true to the basic nature of Peter Parker as Spiderman, focusing on the classic themes of power and responsibility and how the responsibilities of a super hero overlap and conflict with those of his or her alter ego. In with this he mixes a realistic look at drug dealing as well as the effects of sudden and unexpected power. Of course, there are still exiciting battle scenes around the city.
If you enjoy a well crafted, well plotted, character oriented story featuring a classic Marvel character pick up this book.
Rating:  -
Only Mr. DeCandido could seamlessly combine a fantasy topic with procedural police work. As we've seen in his previous novel "Dragon Precinct", this particular brand of cross-over is a forte of Keith's.
Once again, we are gifted with a fun read set in New York City- a place that Mr DeCandido obviously knows very well- centering around one of the most well-known of superheroes- Spiderman.
With this excursion, Spiderman is actually working with the NYPD to quell the explosion of what appears to be a new designer drug hitting the streets.
Suffice it to say that we get a look into the workings of Spiderman's relatively familiar psyche as well as a fresh look at the New York City Police Department.
Mr DeCandido threw in enough twists and turns to keep this story fresh, however, as an avid reader, I was able to guess the final twist well in advance. Nevertheless, if you enjoy Spiderman books and comics, "Down these Mean Streets" is a definate must read.
Rating: -
A quick and fun read. All of the characters 'sound' right, and KRADs knowledge of the characters and their history is evident.
My only complaints are how late in the book the main villain was introduced, and I felt that the cops in the story got a little too much of the focus.
I loved how KRAD described the act of swinging through the city on a web-line and the fact that MJ was involved in the main story and not just in some unrelated sub-plot.
The story leaves itself open for a sequel, and I hope to see one soon.
If the Marvel novels continue, I'd love to see some coordination between the various stories and heros and supporting characters ala the recent Star Trek book universe.
Rating: -
This is the first Spider-man novel by Keith R.A. DeCandido (known by his followers as KRAD) in a very long time. I have to say his writing and story telling has improved with each book. I'm a police officer in the United states and thought his protrayal of the job was pretty accurate with nods to the paperwork, lack of funding, public outrage, as well as the positives such as a love of the job and for the most part great co-workers. This is a lot more relastic approach to Law enforcement than shows like "CSI" and even "law and order". CSI is nothing like true crime scene analysis.
These characters were a lot richer than most comic book adaptions. Most of the time all the cops love the super-hero or hate the super hero. This book has people who have been hurt by these super hero battles.
I'm more of a fan of DC characters such as Batman, Green Lantern, and superman. The recent JLA books by pocket are no where near KRAD's work here. I still like KRAD's "Articles of Federation" and his "Lost Era" entry but this is a good book which is a bit shorter than those two books.
This book also seemed more like a set-up to another book to me also. KRAD often does leave little threads which he can pick up in later books and has done so in the Star trek universe sometimes to surprising measures.
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