Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu

by Devin Grayson, Flint Dille

The novelization of the hot new video game from Ubi Soft Entertainment, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. Interactive, featuring a Batman milestone: the introduction of a new major villian.

Genres: Batman, Fiction, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comics, Science Fiction

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Devin Grayson is an avid gamer, former acting student, and enthusiastic reader fortunate enough to have turned a lifelong obsession with fictional characters into a dynamic writing career. She has a B.A. from Bard College, where she studied creative writing with novelist Mona Simpson. Best known for her work on the Batman titles for DC Comics, Devin has been a regular writer on Catwoman, Nightwing, and The Titans, and contributed to the award-winning No Man’s Land story arc. With the publication of Batman: Gotham Knights in March of 2000, she became the first (and, sadly, only as of 2020) female to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title.

Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.

Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.

Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I never played the video game this was based on, my sources say it was mediocre at best. So, could this book be any good?

Surprisingly, yes; it was a different way of telling a superhero story, but an enjoyable one nonetheless.

Unfortunately, adding some profanity and blasphemous exclamations--seriously, one narrator really abused Jesus' name--kept this from being as good as it could have been.

[Jack Stubblefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from a tie-in novel for a videogame, but was pleasantly surprised with Rise of Sin Tzu. I didn't have to know the game to enjoy the book. REALLY enjoyed the viewpoints of all the different characters to tell the story. Definitely recommend if you like Batman. If you're like me, I'm always on the lookout for Batman Prose novels and this one didn't disappoint. Good stuff, Maynard.

[Trekscribbler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've tended to avoid delving into superhero novels largely because, of those I've read, I haven't been as overwhelmed by a great story without the graphics that generally accompany superhero adventures. As a result, there's something lost from the 'bang,' 'pow,' and 'ziff' in the translation from panel-to-panel stories to straight prose ... but, wow, THE RISE OF SIN TZU is different ... so strongly different, in fact, that I could imagine a whole series of Batbooks (non-comic) to spring up in the years ahead. This adventure is just that good.
Devin Grayson and Flint Dille know a thing or two about the Batman and his Rogues Gallery: in fact, Flint Dille is responsibility for the video game, BATMAN: THE RISE OF SIN TZU ... these are no lightweights. What they've accomplished here is no small feat: through an interesting narrative device -- dedicating each chapter to an entirely different person in this well-told tale -- is lay the foundation for superhero novels that could and should follow in these footsteps.

Gotham City's darkest fears have come to pass: someone dastardly has freed all of the inmates of Stonegate Prison, as well as several select lunatics from Arkham Asylum, to send the city swirling into chaos. The leader behind it all -- the mysterious Sin Tzu -- appears to have a simple purpose in mind: destroy the city ... when, in reality, his true goal is far more despicable: destroy Batman.

Terrific supporting players from the Bat-universe (Nightwing, Commissioner Gordon, Robin, Batgirl, Alfred, etc.) are all along for the ride, and the individualized focus that the writers give each of these players brings out yet even more fascinating characterizations for the players as well as for their unique perspective on the Batman, what he does, why he does it, and what it means to the city-at-large.

An exciting tale told at breakneck speed, THE RISE OF SIN TZU is one great yarn from start to finish!

[H. Givens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so, this is the novelization of a Batman beat-em-up video game from 2003. You're well within your rights to expect it to suck, right? I sure did, but hey, it was a Batman novel, so I figured what the heck. I'm glad I did, because it was so good.

Basically the story is that a previously unheard-of villain, a mastermind of war known as Sin Tzu, is going to conquer Gotham. He's bored, he needs a challenge, and he chooses Batman's city. He leads all the criminals in Gotham as their "general," with three well-known Batman villains as his "captains." As I understand it, the video game is basically you (as Batman, Batgirl, Robin, or Nightwing) beating up enough bad guys to get to the boss battle with each captain, finally culminating in the battle with Sin Tzu.

In light of that, the authors don't pay so much attention to the fighting itself, but delve into the thoughts of the characters. Not just "Why are we fighting this battle?" but "Why do we fight at all?" Each chapter is written from a different 1st-person POV, including all the Bat-family and multiple villains, with several from Sin Tzu's perspective, and the result is a subtle, many-faceted look at the six hours the book covers. It's intense. The pacing is excellent, everything is orchestrated perfectly.

They really get the Batman-ness perfectly. Everything I love about Batman is there, all the characters' motivations and relationships are pitch perfect. Another great thing was that I never wished it was a graphic novel... The story is exactly suited to its medium, the story couldn't have been told like this any other way.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Any literature based on video games is bound to feel like a video game itself. With the creation of Sin Tzu - a game-exclusive character to the animated Batman mythos - writer Devin Grayson attempts to add personality. Kudos to Grayson for her unique storytelling approach; each chapter is narrated by a different character in the story. While the tome is bogged down with events and occurrences straight from the animated show, the individual chapters voiced by Scarecrow and the minor human players provided fantastic drama and insight. Sadly, the gloating Sin Tzu feels like a metaphysical Bane, while Clayface, Nightwing, Robin, and others feel less expressive due to constant references to their backstories. Luckily, Devin is one of many writers to expand into comics themselves and uses her skills to chronicle less-constrained creations.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the need of something mindless and quick to read after a week of classes and this book fit the bill. For all that I went into not expecting much, I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Grayson does a great job analyzing the characters and giving them more depth than in the run of the cartoon series which the book (and the game) was based on. Though it is quite obvious that her background is in the comics--she's the current writer for the Nightwing comic book--it was nice to see things from the comic come through to flesh out the universe. I think I'll have to reread this at a later date since I'm sure I missed a lot because of the fast rate I was reading the book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu was a thoroughly enjoyable read, especially considering that it was based on a video game. I never got to play the game, but a good friend gave me the action figure that was packaged with it.

Anyway, the novel chronicles the strategist Sin Tzu, as he attempts to take on Batman and take over Gotham City. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character, and Devin Grayson brings them to life with her amazing writing.

If you enjoy superhero books, pick this one up.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really underated. It's based on the somewhat forgetable video game of the same name (thank god for Arkham Ayslum, and Jim Lee's original creation of the evil conqueror Sin Tzu.
The story is played out in narriation between characters in the Batman's world like Clayface, a thug, Sin Tzu, and others.
It's a pretty interesting way to write a book.
Skip the game, but get the book. It's worth it.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It really is something for the teenage market, but it was still a fun read. I do think it took me way too long to read, but then, I didn't really sit down and read it very much. I recommend it, and the video game was fun too :)

[Robert]

So far this book is better than the monotonous game. Good stuff.

[Colleen Hillerup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly well-written.

[Brandon Kazimir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the decision to have a different character narrate each chapter of the book. A surprisingly good and unexpected adaption that exceeded my expectations, from what I remember.