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Spider-Man 3: A Novelization

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With his Spider-Man alter-ego finally being accepted by the public, Peter Parker is finally beginning to find a balance between his college studies, work as a Daily Bugle photographer, romance with Mary Jane "M.J." Watson, and crime-fighting duties, until a mysterious dark force begins to affect him and threatens to destroy everything and everyone he cares about. Original. (A Marvel/Columbia Pictures film, written by Alvin Sargent, directed by Sam Raimi, releasing May 2007, starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, and others) (Science Fiction)

355 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

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About the author

Peter David

3,567 books1,364 followers
aka David Peters

Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

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5 stars
143 (33%)
4 stars
123 (28%)
3 stars
115 (26%)
2 stars
32 (7%)
1 star
13 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Craig.
6,353 reviews177 followers
August 12, 2025
This is a novelization of the third Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie, not an original Peter Parker adventure, so the primary duty of David was to novelize the Alvin Sargent script (screen story by Sam & Ivan Raimi and rumored uncredited diverse meddlers), not to change or improve it. It was my least favorite story of the three (and my least favorite film of the three) and the most in need of some changes and improvement, and considering the constraints I thought he did both of those things pretty well, adding quite a bit of character depth, to Eddie Brock and Flint Marko particularly, and offering some explanation to Peter's weird wanderings. David had been a comics writer for a very long time, so he knew and understood the characters and the Marvel universe intimately. It's not a brilliant piece of fine literature, but it's not supposed to be. It's a helpful companion to the film, though my least favorite of the David novelizations. I wish they would have let him write the story and then filmed that! But he did his job very well and then added a lot of depth and detail that enhanced the film. Excelsior, true believers!
Profile Image for Lena Morrison.
573 reviews1 follower
October 4, 2019
I know a lot of people really hate Spider-Man 3. I don’t. The movie does have plenty of flaws, from an over abundance of villains and plots, to an awkward and ineffective constant shift in tone. But despite all that, it’s not a terrible movie. It’s just okay. What saves it from being trash, at least in my eyes, is Peter Parker’s arc.

I read this novelization because I heard it was better than the movie. While it certainly helps explain certain parts, and elaborates more on others, I feel it takes certain liberties with the dialogue and characters that I personally did not like.

One thing that bothered me was Peter’s character himself. In the movie, he goes darker in certain ways. For example, in the movie, he consciously chooses to kill Sandman by choosing to put on the black suit to go meet him. And he makes that decision without the suit on. Here, he is wearing the suit when he decides to kill Sandman. Also, it actually really bothered me that he swore without the suit on. I know this novel was geared towards adults, but it’s just not the Spider-Man that I grew up with. I missed more of the dialogue he had with Aunt May, like when he tells her that he hurt MJ and she told him to forgive himself. I felt that it didn’t explore Peter Parker’s attitude and humility after wearing the suit well, something that the movie does well through his facial expressions. The way the forgiveness thing with Flint Marko was handled bothered me as well. Flint Marko left Spider-Man alone out of his own accord in the movie. Also, the way the movie ended also still left Peter somewhat responsible for Uncle Ben’s death, since it was the shock of seeing his comrade run out that caused Marko to shoot Ben. The book takes that away, and I can’t overlook that. Also, Gwen is so sweet in the movie, and in this book she’s more... fierce somehow. I don’t like it.

The book in general just had a more modern and less comic-book vibe. I missed the comic-book vibe the movies had. It’s one of their most charming aspects.

Even though my comments so far are negative, I did like this book. I liked getting some insight into the characters’ minds. The movie’s greatest weakness is that it did not take the time to really explore the characters’ motivations. Some of that actually falls on us, the audience, because some of the situations are pretty obvious. But something like the black suit, however, is poorly explained. The audience isn’t really told that it is a life form that makes its host greater, more evil, and clouds its better judgment. Yes, there is a small conversation between Peter and Dr. Connors, but it’s just not enough. The book takes care of that.

All in all, since it’s a book that causes people to give a mediocre movie a second chance, I like it. Spider-Man 3 isn’t as bad as it seems.
Profile Image for Paxton Holley.
2,151 reviews10 followers
July 7, 2025
This was a really good companion to the movie. It clarifies a lot of things and gives a bit more story resonance to others. Some of the goofier elements like Peter's Saturday Night Fever walk down New York sidewalks isn't given any more clarity. Like is it supposed to be serious or goofy? I also hate how the story changes how Uncle Ben is killed and essentially guts the entire reason that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. I hate it so much. But other stuff makes more sense and we get to see more of Flint Marko's daughter.

I won't say it saves this movie, because there are still a lot of problems, but it definitely makes it better.
66 reviews3 followers
January 2, 2022
A great companion to the criminally underrated finale of the greatest ever superhero trilogy!

Alongside the “Editor’s Cut” of Spider-Man 3, this novelization may very well be the closest thing we’ll ever get to Sam Raimi’s original vision for Spider-Man 3 before the accursed Avi Arad’s meddling in the film.

While the plot remains relatively the same as that of the movie's, this expertly written book by Peter David expands on the already jam-packed story. David achieves this by adding minor details, including the internal monologues of almost every character in the book which makes it all-the-more enticing. The dialogue in this book is reminiscent of that of the movie, but the lines are either changed but retain their meaning or extended.

Additionally, the various subplots in the film are expanded upon, including how Eddie Brock is even more deranged than he seems, why MJ was so jealous of Peter, Harry's back-and-forth conflict with the hallucinations of his father, the complex dynamic surrounding Flint Marko (Sandman) and his family, what Peter Parker was thinking as "Emo Peter," and arguably most importantly whether or not Mr. Ditkovich finally fixed Peter's door (I won't spoil it, you'll have to read it yourself to find out).

A delightful companion to one of the most epic superhero movies ever, 9.5/10.
1 review
November 8, 2019
#Spoiler Alert
You’ve been warned
Spider Man 3 is a fictional book that was based off the movie and was written by Peter David. The book mostly focuses on Peter Parker finally balancing out between his life as a superhero (Spider Man) and his life at college. When all seems fine a symbiote attaches itself to him and turns into a Black Spider Man suit which makes him stronger and faster, but also more aggressive and rude.
As a little kid, I enjoyed watching all three Spider Man (Sam Raimi/Toby Maguire) movies. So when I found out there were books based on the movies I just had to read them. I started with my favorite, which was the third/last Spider Man movie book. I like that the book also focused on Peter seeking revenge against the man that had helped in the killing of his beloved Uncle, Flint Marko (The Sandman), which really was mislead. You can probably see why I like the comic version more than the movie. Maybe that is why Spider Man 3 didn’t make that much money.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rami Abuhamra.
50 reviews
October 19, 2024
I've been a fan of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy for many years. I've enjoyed the world-building, characters, development, and arcs that occur within the films. Spider-Man 2 still remains my favorite Spider-Man movie of all time. However, Spider-Man 3 has grown into a film that, while I still recommend and enjoy, I have some problems with. I can't place most of the blame on Sam Raimi, as Avi Arad meddled with the script and forced Raimi to include Venom in the film, instead of Vulture. This led to a messy story. The novelization, on the other hand, is surprisingly a more definitive version of the story.

Peter David, the author, follows the script but isn't afraid to add or fix things. This is similar to the Editor's Cut, but even that cut doesn't fully resolve all the silliness in the film. The novelization actually allows us to get inside Peter's mind, helping us to understand his motives, feelings, thoughts, and actions. For example, when Gwen Stacy approaches Peter and MJ's table at the fancy restaurant, we get to see Peter's surprised reaction. When Gwen places her hand on Peter's shoulder, we can sense how uncomfortable Peter feels around her. Another example is during the Spider-Man event when Peter senses something is bothering MJ, and she’s hiding it from him. None of this is present in the film, and I wish we had more insight into Peter's feelings, as Raimi effectively showed us in Spider-Man 2. I'm not sure why he ignored it in the third film.

Aside from Peter, several scenes and character moments are expanded compared to the film. One notable difference is the deeper exploration of the symbiote's psychological impact on Peter Parker, offering more internal dialogue and conflict. There are also additional scenes that flesh out Flint Marko’s (Sandman) backstory and motivation, making him more sympathetic. Eddie Brock’s descent into becoming Venom is more gradual, emphasizing his jealousy and bitterness toward Peter. The novel also delves into Harry Osborn’s struggle with his father’s legacy in more detail, offering a more well-rounded portrayal of his redemption arc. In the Editor's Cut, there's a scene where, instead of Bernard, the family butler, telling Harry the truth, Harry picks up a photo of him, Peter, and MJ, and realizes they were once all friends. This allows him to forgive Peter, even without knowing the full truth.

These differences make the story a lot better and give the characters more depth, similar to the Attack of the Clones novelization by R.A. Salvatore. I had a great time reading it and even laughed at some of the classic, hilarious scenes from the film. Peter David does a good job capturing what I like to call the "Raimi humor." It seems like he understood what kind of novelization he was writing, keeping it aligned with the films.

It's a shame that Avi Arad had to meddle with the final product because he made a lot of bad decisions. Apparently, he didn't trust Sam Raimi after the success of the first two films, even accusing him of not listening to the fans and relying too much on his favorite villains. We may never get a "proper" version of Spider-Man 3, but this novelization can be considered the closest we'll ever get to a "Raimi Cut" of the film. Peter David was able to give the film justice and fix as many mistakes as he possibly could, making this an excellent read and an "apology" to Spider-Man fans.

3.5/4 stars.
Profile Image for Deeshie.
31 reviews
December 27, 2023
Hrrghhh that took so long. Did the novel really need that many 20-page-long fight scenes....

For obvious reasons, Spider-Man 3 suffers from the same core problems as the movie. The women are tools to move the plot along and I'm not a fan of Peter's arc (if you're going to undermine "with great power comes great responsibility" at least do it well!!). The novel format makes it easier to juggle all the characters and backstories, and it ends up being a lot more serious than the film. I don't think that seriousness does it any favours, though. Many fans of the movie like it because of its humour and charm, and without any of that to hold it up the book isn't very enjoyable.

I recommend reading this novel as a character study (if you ignore comic accuracy) or if you want Spider-Man fan bragging rights for reading a book no one else has. If you're looking for absurdity or fun, watch the film!
Profile Image for Roger Walker.
37 reviews
December 20, 2017
Love this book you should totally buy it! Sooooo much better then the movie you can definitely tell almost everything bad about the movie was because Sony changed Sam Raimi's original ideas...
2 reviews
February 27, 2018
Really good book. It was a little different than the movie but showed other peoples' perspectives. It advanced quickly and included all of the important parts of the movie.
6 reviews
April 8, 2021
A great read for a comic fan. It takes the best parts from the movie's story and makes it so much better. A must read if you're a fan of Sam Raimi Spider-Man!
8 reviews
March 25, 2014
This is truly a web slinging action packed book. I recommend this book to anyone with the love of action and drama. I really found the plot of this story to be enjoyable and realistic. Peter Parker finally found how to balance his two lives, one of a normal citizen and the other of a super hero. However, his life turns upside down after finding his uncle’s true killer who he swears vengeance on. During his sleep, Peter has unknowingly bonded with a symbiotic substance which then brings out his dark side. However, his actions lead put his girlfriend in mere danger. In order to save her, he has to face two of the most devastating villains, Venom and The Sand Man. I really liked the internal struggle that each of the two characters, Peter and The Sand Man, had to face. Peter was forced to choose between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be. Similarly, we saw The Sand Man’s struggle between being a good and loving father and the villain, forced to commit crimes and steal in order to gain money to save his daughter.
21 reviews
May 28, 2013
May 26
65 minutes
7 words summary
famous,sand,mind,darkside,venom,black,friend
Discussion question
1 Can you control your own mind?
A Yes I can. We have to control in any cases. However, I cannot control my mind when I drink too much.
2 If you lose your friend, what would you do? Can you recover soon?
A In my case, I cry in a few days. After crying, and I will think it is not a bad thing but a precious opportunity in my life.

These days I continue to read Spiderman series. I like this serise very much. Especially, there are a lot of action scenes in Spiderman 3. It was really exciting for me.
Profile Image for Indah Threez Lestari.
13.4k reviews270 followers
October 4, 2009
Yang paling inget: dibacanya sambil ngantre tiket bioskop di hari pertama pemutaran film Spiderman 3 di Blitz Megaplex PVJ. Meski nggak niat pamer, just wanna know the story before watch the movie, tetep aja seneng kalo para pengantre lain jadi penasaran sama buku yang gw baca. wkwkwk...

n.b. seperti biasa, even if novel ini katanya diadaptasi dari naskah filmnya, coz banyak adegan yang berbeda, jadi bertanya-tanya naskah versi berapa yang dijadikan acuan, ya? tapi tentu aja, hak prerogatif sutradara sih kalo at the last minute mengubah adegan dalam naskah sesuai selera pribadi...
Profile Image for Timothy Carter.
Author 33 books59 followers
July 2, 2012
Just like with Batman Forever, Peter David manages to take a fairly mediocre movie and make an entertaining novelization from it. I particularly liked how he got around some of the story's more obvious flaws. For instance, the highly unlikely coincidence that placed Spider-Man and Eddie Brock in the same church, or that science experiment Flint Marko happens upon when he becomes Sandman. After reading this book, I came away feeling that perhaps the movie hadn't been quite so bad after all. Well done, Peter!
Profile Image for Yuki Miyashita.
25 reviews3 followers
November 10, 2012
-scholastic level 3
-Time: 9/11=30min 10/11=55min
-7 words summary: antagonists-kiss-suffering-black-revenge-bestfriend-forgive
-2 questions
1. Can you forgive the person who the life of person who is important for you
maybe I cannot. I will take revenge.
2. If your friend would become your antagonist, what would you do?
It is difficult question. I would say "Let's talk before we fight"

there is one of my favourite wise remark in this story
"With great power comes great responsibility"
by uncle Ben
14 reviews
October 30, 2007
If you love spiderman you will love this book. spiderman 3. based of the movie it was a great book. Peter parker wants to marry mj. But spiderman is in the way. After getting a new costume from outer space. He does things he normolly would never do. Be prepared as spidey faces sandman, green goblin, and the evil VENOM. GO SPIDEY.
5 reviews1 follower
March 25, 2010
Peter finally strikes a balance between his relationship with Mary Jane and being Spiderman. But one night his Spidey suit changes, turning jet-black and making him feel powerful and changes peter's anger and he must choose between the suductive power of the new suit and the compationate hero he used to be.
Profile Image for Andrew.
16 reviews
August 28, 2011
For those of you who were a little lost during the actual motion picture, this book fills in all the movie's failings and gaps. Peter David does an amazing job of illuminating us in all of the characters' motivations and histories. It is always too bad when the movie-version doesn't live up to expectations; always a minor plus when the book-version helps out.
10 reviews
August 10, 2016
This book is pretty much based on the movie and did not have much of non-canon material in the book. Also the book shows detailed information characters like emotions and why they fight.
Also the cover shows dark and sad and depression on the cover. Also it is a fun book to read in summer vacation(=summer homework).
Profile Image for Blackmagic.
25 reviews
May 14, 2008
Spiderman is a really good book and tight.And its about this boy who is a regular person then he gets by a spider and transform into this human spider and becomes this hero.
Profile Image for Tj.
23 reviews
May 13, 2008
Spider-Man 3 was about Spider Man turning into a a terrible monster. Revenge just got to him because he wanted to kill the guy that killed his grandapa.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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