Man of Steel: The Official Movie Novelization

by Greg Cox

The official novelization of the new Man of Steel movie featuring Superman. The film, from director Zack Snyder, stars Henry Cavill (The Tudors) as Superman/Clark Kent, three-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams (The Fighter) as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (What's Love Got to Do with It) as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Oscar® nominee Diane Lane (Unfaithful) and Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves).

Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Oscar® nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), and Faora, Zod's evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman's native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman's mother, played by Ayelet Zurer, and Superman's father, Jor-El, portrayed by Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

Man of Steel is being produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer, from a story by Goyer and Nolan, based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

Currently in production, Man of Steel is slated for release on June 14, 2013 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

TM & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s13)

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Comics, Superheroes, Dc Comics, Fantasy, Superman

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a review!!!


THANKS TO HIM

I've been a fan of Superman all my life.

So, maybe you won't get an impartial review, but hey, I can't think of somebody who would take the time to read a novel about Superman and not being previously a fan of the character.

It's not like he is new around.

It's a character with 75 years of history.

The character who started the whole super-heroes genre.

There were already comic books but they were about other kind of topics and other type of characters.

Even the term "super-heroes" is because of Superman. If he would be called, I don't know... Powerman, then they would be called "power-heroes".

Admired by many ones, hated by many others.

It doesn't matter if you liked Superman or not, if you are into the genre of super-heroes, you have a debt of respect to the character.

Due its initial success in sales of its comic book, the world of super-heroes started and it leads to the invention of the rest of super-heroes.

A new age in literature was born.


NOVEL OF STEEL

I watched the film before reading the novel, so it wasn't a total surprise my reading experience.

However, I can tell you that if you watched the movie, I still recommend you to read the novel, since it has some changes here and there in the story.

A flashback that it's not displayed in the movie.

Dialogues in a scene with subtle BUT key differences giving a new kind of feeling to the conversation in the scene.

Also, you get several details that in the film version you didn't get as the name of Zod's vessel between other details.

Also, Greg Cox was quite able to insert the key emblematic words about the legacy of Superman in 75 years of history to increase the impact of the conceived scenes in the original screenplay by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan.

Recommended to any Superman fan.

[Vivek Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man Of Steel by Greg Cox

I have been a Superman fan all my life. Growing up watching cartoons, reading comics and so I couldn't ignore getting my hands on this book, from one of those used book exhibitions that was there in town.

Man Of Steel is actually a novelization of the movie with the same name which was released in 2013.

Greg Cox, the author, has written official novelizations for many movies like The Dark Knight Rises, Ghost Rider, Daredevil etc.

One striking difference that I particularly felt from the movie is the detailed articulation of the subtle emotions of each and every other characters in this story.

The funny thing is that at some point of time I even thought that the fighting/action sequences were a bit more interesting in the book than in the movie.

Through this novel, Greg, per my opinion, has successfully transformed the movie into a more fine tuned version, which helps readers like us understand the complexities of such superhero characters and more importantly gives out the message "Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith first. The trust part comes later."

[Alexander Draganov · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic book! Greg Cox did well with the novelization of The Dark Knight Rises as well, but he was a little bit scared not to repeat the mistake of Denny O'Neil in The Dark Knight, so he added almost nothing new to the script. Here he is again not contradicting the movie, but adds some very interesting details. The first part of the book is a little bit slow, which on paper is more evident than on a big screen, but the second part does justice to the film and masterfully puts the apocalyptic action in words. A great novel and highly recommended for superhero fans. I am now convinced that Greg Cox is the right man for the Batman vs Superman novelization and he has written two great books for both characters.

[Sara Weather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good
•Krypton~ (best part of the entire novel) most of Superman stories do not spend that much time here. Usually, the story starts five or ten minutes before Superman is being put into the ship to earth. So spending six chapters learning about krypton government, culture, and society really enriched the story.
•More insight into characters
•Analyzing the whole conflict between Zod and Superman/Jor-El

The Bad
•suffers from flaws of the movie: they made superman all dark/superman manpaining/can we have superman just enjoy being a hero like Wonderwoman
•suffers from flaws because it is not a movie: scientists, military, and government mambo jumbo was boring
•boring for large part of the book
•Lois Lane

The Meh
•The Destruction of Metropolis: reading the novel made me realize the destruction that Superman did with the entire fight of this movie (people talked about this a lot when the movie came out but I do not know why I could not see it). The destruction seemed like the sort that is extreme global catastrophe level but has not been delivered on (doubt it will be)
•Lois and Clark has zero chemistry
(my blog: https://themollyweather.wordpress.com...)

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

My love for Superman started several years ago with Smallville. I watched every single episode in a row ... in a month and a half. I simply loved Clark Kent and Lois Lane (hated Lana's guts) and wanted more of them. Then I watched all of the movies that were out at that point (Man of Steel hadn't been made just yet) and now I'm at this point in my life where I see a Superman T-shirt on sale somewhere, I want to own it. At one point I had four different Superman T-shirts ...

Naturally, I have seen the movie Man of Steel more than once, but I have to admit that the novelization gave me some new knowledge about the movie. Some little tidbits I hadn't thought about before. Mostly it's the same stuff you've seen in the movie. And also the newfound knowledge that men's writing style differs from women's and sometimes it is quite easy to understand that the author is a man.

I liked it.

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[Dan Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike many other novelizations, this book has an almost slavish adherence to the theatrical source material adding perhaps two small scenes. Interestingly though Cox does seem to be trying to bridge the Nolan/Goyer/Snyder version of Superman with the more traditional version. Clark's inner monologue in this book often reflects what I wanted to see the character actually doing on screen, almost as if Cox were trying to explain why certain plot points were "allowed" to happen. The book feels choppy in places, but it is really just reflecting the changes in scene that occur in the film. I won't claim to know how much leeway Mr. Cox may have been given here, but his writing would have been strengthened were he able to perhaps combing some scenes for a mother narrative.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novelization follows the movie pretty much scene by scene, complete with the rapid switches between perspective. Being that I have always preferred the written medium to the visual, this story was more effective for me being able to read it. I found the dialog to be more detailed and compelling in this medium, and it included some internal dialog that really helped me to better comprehend the whole story. The action sequences and fight scenes are more impressive visually than trying to describe them in written form, but I much prefer the toned-down violence.

[Tracy Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read for Cavill Superman fans

I’ve seen the movie “Man of Steel” more times than I’ll admit, so thought I knew it well. Still, reading this novelization was enjoyable. Details you miss during a 2-hour film come across in print, and it’s fascinating to get a glimpse into the minds of the characters. The author did a great job bringing a faithful rendering of Henry Cavill’s Superman in book form. I recommend it for a nice escape.

[Jason Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!

Wonderful novelization that was the precursor to a fantastic movie. This really was a page turner for me even though I had seen the movie many years ago. If you are the slightest Superman fan this is a must read.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your father’s Superman. This is not George Reeves in Spandex and a blue cape. This is not your father’s Lois Lane. This is not Noel Neill in heels. Yes, you will find a Perry White in charge of the Daily Planet. But, you won’t find a Jimmy Olsen. He’s been replaced here by Jenny the intern. In this novelization of a screenplay, Superman doesn’t even work for the Metropolis newspaper until the last two pages.

For those of us who grew up watching the 1952 to 1958 TV series, Greg Cox’s version may overload your senses like Earth’s atmosphere clobbers the helmet-less Kryptonian invaders. This is a roller coaster ride with no brakes. Cox employs a lot of flashbacks in reviewing Clark Kent’s alien roots, much like a printed version of Ralph Edwards’ "This Is Your Life."

If you’re familiar with the Bible’s New Testament at all, you can’t help but be struck by the subtle references Cox includes here that seem to parallel the written account of another savior of the world. Here we see a god-like figure on a distant planet dispatching his only son with the help of his wife to save him by sending him to Earth. That infant is discovered by human parents who adopt and raise him. Thirty-three years later, (also the earthly life span of the Biblical Messiah), this alien from Krypton is put in a situation where he must sacrifice his own life to save seven billion souls on his adopted planet. In that decision, he faces the evil forces of Zod. Could it be just a coincidence Earth’s number one enemy from outer space has a name very close to the creator of the universe? Could it be just a coincidence that one of Zod’s diabolical weapons he attempts to use to eliminate the world’s human population and replace them with his own Kryptonians is named “Genesis?” Could it be just a coincidence that Cox paints Zod as the essence of evil and Zod’s opponent , the “man of steel” comes across as nearly sinless and a lover of humanity? Just a coincidence? I don’t think so.

This is Kal-El’s back story. This is Superman’s back story. This is Clark Kent’s back story. It’s well worth your time to watch through Cox’s eyes the Americanized Kryptonian out fly speeding bullets, airborne locomotives and leap tall buildings in a single bound. Truth, justice and the American way win this never-ending battle yet again. This should make you want to watch the movie.

[Mylan Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves Zack Snyder's Man of Steel (my favourite movie of all time), this book was a treat. It was basically an extended version of the film with internal thoughts. What more could you ask from your favourite movie? If you really enjoy the movie (or maybe if you don't) this book will only enhance your appreciation for it. Maybe there was something subtle in the film that you didn't completely understand, the book might explain it.
Definitely worth your time and I can't wait to give it another read. Really well done!

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This stuck pretty close to the script, so it had the same pros and cons that the movie did. The few extended scenes and explored motivations of the characters helped to flesh things out a bit more. Overall, an enjoyable way to pass a few hours.

Listen in to hear about some of my favorite novelizations: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/ep...

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man of Steel: The Offi­cial Movie Novelization by Greg Cox is exactly what it claims to be, a book adaptation of the 2013 DCEU film.

The novel is a fairly straightforward adaptation of the film, but a few notes here and there do add to the narrative.

Novelizations are always a tricky thing to handle. On the one hand, you have to be respectful to the source material, yet you don’t want to just be a shell of said material and offer nothing new or of note. Greg Cox takes on adaptation duties here, working with the Man of Steel screenplay devised by David S. Goyer. Fast-paced, fluid and with just the right amount of detail, Cox’s book is a great companion to Zack Snyder’s(2013)Superman film. Yes, we’ve seen and heard it before… alien baby arrives in Kansas, grows up to become the greatest superhero of all time: Superman. But just as the Man of Steel movie is a refreshing new take on the Superman mythos, so is this novelization.

Told primarily from Clark’s point of view, the novel is able to unpack why characters make certain decisions, an advantage given the controversy surrounding a few key sequences of the film — particularly the process that Clark goes through as he comes to terms with where he came from and what he wants his relationship to be with humanity. Without giving specifics, yes there is a very clear throughline for the finale of the film and it makes perfect sense in the context given. Clark’s point of view and the aftermath are more readily explored than they can be in the film.

The Man of Steel novelization covers every minute of the 2013 film, yet there are certain elements that it adds to the story. For example, at one point it is described how General Zod’s weaponry has been constructed, just giving enough added information to the reader to make the book worthwhile, yet not going into so much into detail that these little nuggets become lost in a sea of words. Cox’s detailed and descriptive prose helps progress the story rapidly, no more so than when describing Jor-El’s actions during the demise of Krypton, or the arrival of Zod and his crew as they descend upon Earth on the hunt for Kal-El. Cox’s words also do wonders in the aftermath of the climactic battle between Zod and Superman, although the actual battle itself feels a little lacking at certain turns.

There are also a few deviations from the film and a few welcome extra beats. An additional flashback early in the novel has Martha Kent taking baby Clark to a doctor for his breathing difficulty. The naming of Superman, which happens a bit earlier in the novel than the film. We also find out the answers to: Why was the suit in the scout ship? Why is Lois so chummy with the military? And we read how the lazy susan challenge of Clark’s ship was originally to play out a bit differently.

All in all, Man of Steel the Novelization is an solid adaptation of the 2013 DCEU film and gives an opportunity to better explore the conflicts at play, especially the relationship of Zod and Clark. If you did not enjoy the film, I don’t think there is anything here that will change your mind. If you did like the film, however, the novel will be a good addition to the experience.

[Joe Whitfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not normally one for novelisations of movies, but I'd been wanting to rewatch Man of Steel for a while and Forbidden Planet just gave this away with a purchase, so I thought, "why not".

As it turns out, Man of Steel the book is pretty much Man of Steel the film.

If you like the film then you'll probably like the book. If you don't like the film, then you might be surprised by this. It's descriptive and follows the film carefully. what sets it apart is how quickly the author moves the story.

The pacing, the book is fast and snappy. Reading 10 pages can quickly turn into 50. It's a far cry from the meandering movie.

At the end of the day, it's still a Superman book and is the same as the film. Personally, I love the film and this is just as good. I know some people would prefer to watch rather than read but if you're interested in Krypton's last son and don't care about the prose format, this will keep you entertained.

[Seth Morast · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I think I did not like this book is because I am not big into superheroes and that sort of thing . I don't like how the names in this book are so hard to pronounce, and I tried to make thim simple but everytime I would do that I would get confused with who was who and then I would try and say there names but that just made it worse. The book is very confusing and is not enjoyable to read. I do not recommend this book to anyone. I would give this book a one out of a hundred if I could.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is actually exceptionally well thought out. Cox gives light to some inconsistencies in the movie, with timing and placing. As well, he took into account the different emotional reactions that were sometimes not shown in the movie. Overall, a really great book adaptation.

However, there were a lot of grammar mistakes. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the most obvious mistakes throughout the book. Clearly needed a good read through by some beta-readers to fix some of these mistakes.

[Paul Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a lot of fun reading a book about Superman, instead of a comic or a movie. There is so much detail filled in about the background of Superman that helped me understand the comics better. This book follows the movie to a large degree which I had watched before and it brought the narrative alive for me. Having enjoyed a Star Trek book written by Greg Cox, I was not disappointed by this one he kept ones attention in every chapter. Now off to make some popcorn and watch the movie again, this time with more insight.

[Bookreader1972 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novelization of the movie screenplay. I read it before seeing the movie.
A rare time where the novelization was better then the movie. Despite all the great special effects of the movie, I didn't feel they got the visuals correct for what I was imagining while reading this. The editing of the movie also seem more frantic then this book read.
I like, & have read movie novelizations for over 3 decades.

[Melvin Nava · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the film and I loved the book, but by the end of the read I felt like I had learned nothing new. This had happened to me before, for example, after reading "Sphere" by Michael Crichton.. but that book came before the film. In contrast, many Star Wars novelizations tend to (annoyingly) change dialog and stories told in film. I understand Man of Steel is a novelization, and as such is a pretty good one that doesn't change the story, but I was expecting a bit more.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novelization of a great movie.

As is with all other movies-turned-into-books (and sometimes vice versa), Man of Steel (the film) was playing in my head while reading this. The novel retained the brilliance and swift action of the film, but also added new scenes and explained things that the film only briefly mentioned. I would definitely recommend this novel.

[Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just OK. It shows--painfully so--that the publisher relied on the reader to have watched Man Of Steel. The characterization and descriptions were really low quality and lacking. I really wish they had treated this as something no one had ever seen/heard of before.

[Tony Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read of the novelization of the "Man of Steel" movie. I find these novelizations helpful either before or after watching a movie because they sometimes may explain some elements left out of the book. I think the only drawback to me was the "darker" imaging of the world of Superman.

[Charles A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always like superman.

I loved the movie and I love the book I like when Clark was looking for what was pulling him north and the person that he became. I believe that other people will like this book.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the movie tie-in from 2013.

[Foggygirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but not much in the way of extra background information different from the movie. The movie was decent.

[Paxton Holley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novelization to the Zack Snyder film. Very good, but could have cut out 30-40 pages.

[Ahmad Hibala · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first try with novel version of a movie. I like the movie and sure enjoyed the book.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

217 - 2020

[Angelina Titeryakova · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Superman. It’s Louis Lane. It’s Zod. It’s got superpowers. What more can I say??? The movie was phenomenal, and so was the book!!