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Max August #2
The Long Man
In The Point Man , DJ Max August was thrust into a hidden war between the forces of chaos and order, where he learned how to use magick and become Timeless!
More than twenty-five years later, Max is summoned by a friend to save Dr. Pamela Blackwell from a mysterious force that is using magick to kill her. Pam’s research could save the lives of countless millions, putting her in the crosshairs of the FRC, a cabal of powerbrokers intent on world domination.
From San Francisco to Barbados to the shores of Suriname, Max and Pam must fight off magick-wielding assassins and legions of zombies. Max may be powerful and Timeless, but he’s not indestructible. He’s going to have to keep his wits about him if he’s going to stop the FRC before they kill millions.
Supernatural enemies, dazzling magic, and romance abound in this page-turner from a longtime master of storytelling.
More than twenty-five years later, Max is summoned by a friend to save Dr. Pamela Blackwell from a mysterious force that is using magick to kill her. Pam’s research could save the lives of countless millions, putting her in the crosshairs of the FRC, a cabal of powerbrokers intent on world domination.
From San Francisco to Barbados to the shores of Suriname, Max and Pam must fight off magick-wielding assassins and legions of zombies. Max may be powerful and Timeless, but he’s not indestructible. He’s going to have to keep his wits about him if he’s going to stop the FRC before they kill millions.
Supernatural enemies, dazzling magic, and romance abound in this page-turner from a longtime master of storytelling.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
9 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Steve Englehart
1,395 books97 followersSee also John Harkness.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 13, 2010
Max August is a timeless "alchemist" who manipulates gravitational forces and light. As part of his abilities, he has become Timeless, that is he does not age and has not aged from 35. He is off the grid. He was taught by Agrippa, another Timeless warrior.
Max August has an enemy, Alexandra, a sorcerer, who killed Agrippa and Max's wife Valerie Drake a few years before the action in this novel.
As the novel starts, Max August is called to the dying bedside of Fern, an old friend, who knew Max when he was a deejay. Fern who knows that Max does not age, asks Max to look in on a friend of hers -- a doctor who is in a hospital because she has been poisoned. As a favor to Fern, Max visits the hospital and finds Pam Blackwell, who seems to have a magical dart in her side. Max cannot cure her but he can arrest the progress of the dart. They have to find the maker of the dart to heal her completely.
After he heals her, they are attacked in the hospital by a gunman and zombies. Blackwell has discovered a cure for a deadly nerve toxin, which is the main ingredient in the making of zombies.
Apparently someone wants Blackwell eliminated and the nerve toxin cure destroyed.
Max and Blackwell go on the run seeking to find out who sent the magical dart and in the process discover and seek to stop a conspiracy by a group of power hungry criminals who seek to take over a small country as a stepping stone, for (trumpets blaring") world domination.
I thought this quest novel, with a unique "super hero" character who uses gravity and light to do things, was a really cool fast read.
There are small interruptions in the main story, as the author digresses to some mysterious patient in a mental institution, who the reader will guess soon enough, and to Max's past activities with Agrippa and Valerie Drake, but these are plausible breaks to situations to fill in the big picture.
I would recommend it for people who want to try a new thing.
Max August has an enemy, Alexandra, a sorcerer, who killed Agrippa and Max's wife Valerie Drake a few years before the action in this novel.
As the novel starts, Max August is called to the dying bedside of Fern, an old friend, who knew Max when he was a deejay. Fern who knows that Max does not age, asks Max to look in on a friend of hers -- a doctor who is in a hospital because she has been poisoned. As a favor to Fern, Max visits the hospital and finds Pam Blackwell, who seems to have a magical dart in her side. Max cannot cure her but he can arrest the progress of the dart. They have to find the maker of the dart to heal her completely.
After he heals her, they are attacked in the hospital by a gunman and zombies. Blackwell has discovered a cure for a deadly nerve toxin, which is the main ingredient in the making of zombies.
Apparently someone wants Blackwell eliminated and the nerve toxin cure destroyed.
Max and Blackwell go on the run seeking to find out who sent the magical dart and in the process discover and seek to stop a conspiracy by a group of power hungry criminals who seek to take over a small country as a stepping stone, for (trumpets blaring") world domination.
I thought this quest novel, with a unique "super hero" character who uses gravity and light to do things, was a really cool fast read.
There are small interruptions in the main story, as the author digresses to some mysterious patient in a mental institution, who the reader will guess soon enough, and to Max's past activities with Agrippa and Valerie Drake, but these are plausible breaks to situations to fill in the big picture.
I would recommend it for people who want to try a new thing.
August 28, 2010
Like others have already said, reading The Long Man felt like reading a scene-by-scene novelization of a comic. An early scene with the "woman with the lurid red hair" played out like a novelization of Phoenix' scenes in the X-Men animated series. At times, I couldn't decide whether I was being talked down to or being "educated", since Englehart name-drops a horde of mythical and pagan terms and at other times takes readers on a ride called rampant exposition. The pop-culture and location references were especially jarring; reading about a place I've lived in for years described in a sci-fi/fantasy novel just took me out of the story completely.
I have to admit, though, the exciting parts were exciting. It was the endless amount of description and exposition that ruined the book for me.
I have to admit, though, the exciting parts were exciting. It was the endless amount of description and exposition that ruined the book for me.
June 7, 2018
A fun book to read nothing exceptional but very fun. Magic and espionage
February 2, 2020
This book is the best my reading
March 23, 2010
I really wanted to like this book because I've gotten to the point where so many novels just don't do it for me anymore. I’ve become a little afraid of them. I pick ‘em up, read ‘em and am left wishing I hadn’t bothered. One man's (or woman's) fiction tends to be this man's Kryptonite. Because, really, just like music, film, whatever, literature is the game of everyman these days and not every man (or woman) is very good at it.
Englehart's got a comic book background. A little Cap America for Marvel, a little Batman for DC. In fact, those two most recent and terribly successful Batman flicks? Based on Batman stories Englehart wrote. Sh*t, his "about the author" section comes off like some paid lackey introducing Kiss. "You wanted the best, you got the best..."
Well, bullsh*t.
Englehart has a clumsy fixation on visual details that could only be explained by a reliance on PICTURES. "Oh, crap. The reader can't see the action! I better overcompensate!"
The dialogue in The Long Man goes from pretty standard to complete and utter b-movie bologna. The philosophical explanations disguised as conversation are out of hand. People don’t talk that, don't explain things the way these characters explain things. And only in superhero comics do the hero and the villain do a bunch of talking before, during or after duking it out. So much of the dialogue here is forced. It's just... ridiculous. Not campy and fun, mind you. Ridiculous.
Like when Max says, "See, I happen to come from a time, not so long ago, when this country was pretty decent. It was never perfect, but I lived, actually lived in a time when it was the world's best hope." No. No, you didn't. You lived in a time like any other time in the United States when the rich and powerful sent the poor and disenfranchised off to die far from home and made sure to piss off everyone, everywhere in the world. And what a bunch of sh*t to have your magic using, record spinning, Vietnamese killing protagonist spout that line of nonsense.
The pop culture references were rough, too. I mean, Shrek? The Chemical Brothers? Dumbledore? Rhianna? Seriously? It’s too much, it's clumsy and it distracts and detracts from the story.
Englehart is very good at getting you to care about his characters and what happens to them. Regardless of all those paragraphs of complaining up there, I had a hard time putting the book down. The shaky writing was not enough to keep me from wanting Max and Pam to stay alive kick serious bad guy butt. Some of the other characters were a bit thinly sketched for my taste but Englehart gets the job done.
The most striking thing about The Long Man is the amount of research and knowledge that went into it. The concepts are very cool, the ideas put forth intriguing. The way Englehart ties it all together is impressive and, for me, the most fun part of this book.
Englehart's got a comic book background. A little Cap America for Marvel, a little Batman for DC. In fact, those two most recent and terribly successful Batman flicks? Based on Batman stories Englehart wrote. Sh*t, his "about the author" section comes off like some paid lackey introducing Kiss. "You wanted the best, you got the best..."
Well, bullsh*t.
Englehart has a clumsy fixation on visual details that could only be explained by a reliance on PICTURES. "Oh, crap. The reader can't see the action! I better overcompensate!"
The dialogue in The Long Man goes from pretty standard to complete and utter b-movie bologna. The philosophical explanations disguised as conversation are out of hand. People don’t talk that, don't explain things the way these characters explain things. And only in superhero comics do the hero and the villain do a bunch of talking before, during or after duking it out. So much of the dialogue here is forced. It's just... ridiculous. Not campy and fun, mind you. Ridiculous.
Like when Max says, "See, I happen to come from a time, not so long ago, when this country was pretty decent. It was never perfect, but I lived, actually lived in a time when it was the world's best hope." No. No, you didn't. You lived in a time like any other time in the United States when the rich and powerful sent the poor and disenfranchised off to die far from home and made sure to piss off everyone, everywhere in the world. And what a bunch of sh*t to have your magic using, record spinning, Vietnamese killing protagonist spout that line of nonsense.
The pop culture references were rough, too. I mean, Shrek? The Chemical Brothers? Dumbledore? Rhianna? Seriously? It’s too much, it's clumsy and it distracts and detracts from the story.
Englehart is very good at getting you to care about his characters and what happens to them. Regardless of all those paragraphs of complaining up there, I had a hard time putting the book down. The shaky writing was not enough to keep me from wanting Max and Pam to stay alive kick serious bad guy butt. Some of the other characters were a bit thinly sketched for my taste but Englehart gets the job done.
The most striking thing about The Long Man is the amount of research and knowledge that went into it. The concepts are very cool, the ideas put forth intriguing. The way Englehart ties it all together is impressive and, for me, the most fun part of this book.
March 22, 2010
Max August has been a soldier and a radio DJ, but now he's an alchemist who has learned enough to become Timeless, which means he'll stay thirty five years old until someone manages to kill him. When a secretive group bent on world domination tries to murder Pam Blackwell, a scientist who's developed a cure for fugu fish toxin, Max steps in to spoil their plans.
As any horror fans have likely guessed, the fugu fish connection means that zombies are involved. And these aren't the modern day "run around after brains" type zombies, they're old-school worker automatons being used as slave labor. Pam's cure can return them to a normal, though likely injured, human state, so it has the potential to seriously screw up the intentions of those that tried to assassinate her.
I liked the characters but they're kind of static. Max is an understated badass, Pam is smart and capable and determined enough to get by in his world. Max does finally show a willingness to move on from a tragedy in his past, but that part is fairly predictable and it doesn't seem to change him as a person.
The biggest problem I had with The Long Man was its pacing. Many of the chapters are short, rapid-fire scenes, they keep the action moving but can make it difficult to settle down into the story. When things do slow down, it's usually for a glimpse of Max's past or a lecture on magic. I have to say that I could have done without the Magical Theory 101. Using a character that's new to magic is a typical way to explain the rules to fantasy readers, but in this case it often felt more like an attempt to show off research or world-building than a way of giving us necessary info or advancing the characters.
Max is the main character, but we also get plenty from the viewpoint of his various enemies. This gives the reader a better overview of the plot, but it makes some things seem less suspenseful because we know more about what's going on than Max does.
I liked this one okay, but I'm not sure if I'd read another Max August book unless the style changes a bit. In addition to the overdone magic chat, there's a lot of pop cultural references to bands and movie quotes, and that kind of thing is really annoying. But if the theory and constant references were toned down, this could make for a good turn-off-your-brain adventure series.
As any horror fans have likely guessed, the fugu fish connection means that zombies are involved. And these aren't the modern day "run around after brains" type zombies, they're old-school worker automatons being used as slave labor. Pam's cure can return them to a normal, though likely injured, human state, so it has the potential to seriously screw up the intentions of those that tried to assassinate her.
I liked the characters but they're kind of static. Max is an understated badass, Pam is smart and capable and determined enough to get by in his world. Max does finally show a willingness to move on from a tragedy in his past, but that part is fairly predictable and it doesn't seem to change him as a person.
The biggest problem I had with The Long Man was its pacing. Many of the chapters are short, rapid-fire scenes, they keep the action moving but can make it difficult to settle down into the story. When things do slow down, it's usually for a glimpse of Max's past or a lecture on magic. I have to say that I could have done without the Magical Theory 101. Using a character that's new to magic is a typical way to explain the rules to fantasy readers, but in this case it often felt more like an attempt to show off research or world-building than a way of giving us necessary info or advancing the characters.
Max is the main character, but we also get plenty from the viewpoint of his various enemies. This gives the reader a better overview of the plot, but it makes some things seem less suspenseful because we know more about what's going on than Max does.
I liked this one okay, but I'm not sure if I'd read another Max August book unless the style changes a bit. In addition to the overdone magic chat, there's a lot of pop cultural references to bands and movie quotes, and that kind of thing is really annoying. But if the theory and constant references were toned down, this could make for a good turn-off-your-brain adventure series.
February 20, 2012
Steve Englehart’s “The Long Man” is a part two of a trilogy but you would not know it, as the author quickly gets the reader up to speed in the first few chapters.
Other reviewers have complained that the book moves slow as the characters begin to lecture to each other but I disagree that this is a necessary negative. I think it’s helpful that we know and understand why Max August is who he is – a Timeless alchemist, recent disciple of Agrippa, a man who is a few centuries old – both Agrippa and Max’s wife Val murdered by a female demon who wants to control the world. Pretty evil stuff.
Max sets a trap for an unknown organization that wants to take over the Western Hemisphere via a small country in South America. He uses Pam, a biologist who has accidentally discovered a cure for a poison that turns people into Zombies (or “Zombi” as Englehart likes to spell it). However, he fall s in love with her and it turns out he can’t survive without her.
She plays the foil where she has the same questions we have – why is Max immortal, what does he believe in, how does the universe work in his doubtful mythology? And why is he searching for his now dead wife Val every Halloween night?
The book has some political commentary – bought senators and ambassadors, women who use sex for their own political ends, and an organization, the “Necklace” whose only job in life is to subjugate the Earth for the demon Alexsandra, who is a former lover of Max August. Complex, perhaps too much so, but interesting.
Bottom Line: I met Steve Englehart when he autographed this book for me, but regardless I let the book stand on its own merits. If you know Dr. Strange from the Marvel Comics and James Bond films, then your young adult may enjoy a good read. The book always has some action and suspense, mystery and exploration of mysticism and cultures that maintains interest. Recommended.
Other reviewers have complained that the book moves slow as the characters begin to lecture to each other but I disagree that this is a necessary negative. I think it’s helpful that we know and understand why Max August is who he is – a Timeless alchemist, recent disciple of Agrippa, a man who is a few centuries old – both Agrippa and Max’s wife Val murdered by a female demon who wants to control the world. Pretty evil stuff.
Max sets a trap for an unknown organization that wants to take over the Western Hemisphere via a small country in South America. He uses Pam, a biologist who has accidentally discovered a cure for a poison that turns people into Zombies (or “Zombi” as Englehart likes to spell it). However, he fall s in love with her and it turns out he can’t survive without her.
She plays the foil where she has the same questions we have – why is Max immortal, what does he believe in, how does the universe work in his doubtful mythology? And why is he searching for his now dead wife Val every Halloween night?
The book has some political commentary – bought senators and ambassadors, women who use sex for their own political ends, and an organization, the “Necklace” whose only job in life is to subjugate the Earth for the demon Alexsandra, who is a former lover of Max August. Complex, perhaps too much so, but interesting.
Bottom Line: I met Steve Englehart when he autographed this book for me, but regardless I let the book stand on its own merits. If you know Dr. Strange from the Marvel Comics and James Bond films, then your young adult may enjoy a good read. The book always has some action and suspense, mystery and exploration of mysticism and cultures that maintains interest. Recommended.
April 13, 2010
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. I didn't realize this was a sequel (to "The Point Man") and was afraid I would be lost, but the author does a fairly good job of filling in the back story of the main character, Max August, while still leaving enough out to make you want to read the first book.
Max August is a Timeless One, which means, through his mastery of magick (yes, I spelled it correctly) he never ages past the age of 35 and is an extremely powerful sorcerer. Max comes to the aid of Dr. Pam Blackwell, who, by discovering an antidote to puffer fish poisoning, has unwittingly become a threat to an amoral & dangerous cabal's plan to take over the world.
This story has lots of voodoo, zombies (of a different kind), astrology, Mayan calendar references and supernatural "stuff", for lack of a better word. I have to admit, I got totally lost whenever Max tried to explain to Pam how he does what he does. I finally decided it was not meant for me to understand, so I just forgot about trying to understand the "how" and enjoyed the plot line.
Besides the complicated explanations of magick, the only other thing I didn't really like about this book was the cover. When I opened the package, my first thought upon seeing it was, "Oh, no, it's a graphic novel!" (I'm not a big fan of g.n.'s.) Since the author is a comic writer and has written for Batman, among others, I guess this is being marketed to comic book and graphic novel folks. Not a bad idea, I'm sure, but on the other hand, if I had seen this is in the book store I wouldn't have given it a second glance, since I would have thought it was a graphic novel. Which would have been a shame, since I did enjoy the story well enough that I would probably read not only the first one, but any others that might follow.
Max August is a Timeless One, which means, through his mastery of magick (yes, I spelled it correctly) he never ages past the age of 35 and is an extremely powerful sorcerer. Max comes to the aid of Dr. Pam Blackwell, who, by discovering an antidote to puffer fish poisoning, has unwittingly become a threat to an amoral & dangerous cabal's plan to take over the world.
This story has lots of voodoo, zombies (of a different kind), astrology, Mayan calendar references and supernatural "stuff", for lack of a better word. I have to admit, I got totally lost whenever Max tried to explain to Pam how he does what he does. I finally decided it was not meant for me to understand, so I just forgot about trying to understand the "how" and enjoyed the plot line.
Besides the complicated explanations of magick, the only other thing I didn't really like about this book was the cover. When I opened the package, my first thought upon seeing it was, "Oh, no, it's a graphic novel!" (I'm not a big fan of g.n.'s.) Since the author is a comic writer and has written for Batman, among others, I guess this is being marketed to comic book and graphic novel folks. Not a bad idea, I'm sure, but on the other hand, if I had seen this is in the book store I wouldn't have given it a second glance, since I would have thought it was a graphic novel. Which would have been a shame, since I did enjoy the story well enough that I would probably read not only the first one, but any others that might follow.
September 1, 2010
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It's still an honest review, but the FTC wanted you to know...
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I won this in a Firstreads giveaway (yay!). Too much integration of pop culture and alternative spellings of words (magick, zombi, etc), but overall an entertaining story about some cool concepts. It's an urban fantasy, but written more like a thriller than other books in the genre (which I think is a good thing). Max August, the protagonist, is reminiscent of Brad Thor's Scot Harvath or Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne, but with some extra magical abilities. It didn't seem too hokey, and while there was a romance subplot, it wasn't any more front and center than it would be in books by the aforementioned authors. It feels like an action movie or comic book in pacing, perhaps a little heavy on the exposition.
It turns out this book is the second in a trilogy, but stands pretty well on its own. The first one (The Point Man) was originally written over 20 years ago and is out of print, but is being republished by Tor within the next year. The third book, The Plain Man, should also be coming out within a year. While I wouldn't be set on recommending this book to everyone I know (hello, Hunger Games), I liked it enough that I plan to read the other two.
Rating: R, for strong language (f-words, scatological references, and more), action violence, and some sexuality.
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I won this in a Firstreads giveaway (yay!). Too much integration of pop culture and alternative spellings of words (magick, zombi, etc), but overall an entertaining story about some cool concepts. It's an urban fantasy, but written more like a thriller than other books in the genre (which I think is a good thing). Max August, the protagonist, is reminiscent of Brad Thor's Scot Harvath or Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne, but with some extra magical abilities. It didn't seem too hokey, and while there was a romance subplot, it wasn't any more front and center than it would be in books by the aforementioned authors. It feels like an action movie or comic book in pacing, perhaps a little heavy on the exposition.
It turns out this book is the second in a trilogy, but stands pretty well on its own. The first one (The Point Man) was originally written over 20 years ago and is out of print, but is being republished by Tor within the next year. The third book, The Plain Man, should also be coming out within a year. While I wouldn't be set on recommending this book to everyone I know (hello, Hunger Games), I liked it enough that I plan to read the other two.
Rating: R, for strong language (f-words, scatological references, and more), action violence, and some sexuality.
October 3, 2010
An interesting story about an immortal radio Disc Jockey from the 70s that has magic powers drawn from the energy of the universe. He lost the love of his life years ago and has been searching for her since, while trying to avoid being recognized. Along the way he's made enemies of other powerful magic users that want him either dead, or to join their cause.
This time out, Max August uncovers a conspiracy of powerful people who are trying to take over small country by turning the population into zombies, and then killing them all. Only Max has found a new friend, the very attractive doctor Pamela Blackwell, that has inadvertently discovered the antidote to the zombie potion.
As Max saves Pam's life and introduces her into the world of magic, together they seek out the evil people set on controlling this small country.
The Long Man is a sequel to a book I didn't read, but it make any difference. The Long Man was easy to get into and covered enough back story to bring me up to speed on the world and the characters.
The presentation of magic in this book had a very clear "new age" feel to it, as did much of Max's own belief system and everything he explained to Pam about how the world works. That turned me off a bit due to my own personal beliefs, but I still enjoyed the book. It had action and adventure, nice personal interaction, and a fun story.
This time out, Max August uncovers a conspiracy of powerful people who are trying to take over small country by turning the population into zombies, and then killing them all. Only Max has found a new friend, the very attractive doctor Pamela Blackwell, that has inadvertently discovered the antidote to the zombie potion.
As Max saves Pam's life and introduces her into the world of magic, together they seek out the evil people set on controlling this small country.
The Long Man is a sequel to a book I didn't read, but it make any difference. The Long Man was easy to get into and covered enough back story to bring me up to speed on the world and the characters.
The presentation of magic in this book had a very clear "new age" feel to it, as did much of Max's own belief system and everything he explained to Pam about how the world works. That turned me off a bit due to my own personal beliefs, but I still enjoyed the book. It had action and adventure, nice personal interaction, and a fun story.
September 19, 2011
This is the second book in Steve Englehart's "Max August" series. I've long been a fan of Englehart's comic book writing, and this book brought much of that enjoyment to the longer form. Where the first book in the series was something of a disappointment due to the author's weak prose skills, this book more than makes up for it. In the decades between their publication Englehart has become a much stronger writer.
The story picks up from threads in the first book. In a series of short vignettes, Max August is updated from 1985 to 2007. The things he has been up to form the start of a background story that is not resolved in "The Long Man." Instead, the primary story of this novel begins when August receives a phone call from an old, dying friend who asks him to look after a young doctor who has been mysteriously poisoned. From there a furiously paced story is launched that takes place over the following 4 days and sees Max August travel to Barbados and then Suriname. Along the way Max explains some of his philosophy, and we are given several glimpses into the larger world of magic in which he is involved. Readers can expect to see an evil sorcerer, zombis, and a vengeful demon before they finish the book.
I would give this book three-and-a-half stars if this website were capable of half-star ratings. I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series.
The story picks up from threads in the first book. In a series of short vignettes, Max August is updated from 1985 to 2007. The things he has been up to form the start of a background story that is not resolved in "The Long Man." Instead, the primary story of this novel begins when August receives a phone call from an old, dying friend who asks him to look after a young doctor who has been mysteriously poisoned. From there a furiously paced story is launched that takes place over the following 4 days and sees Max August travel to Barbados and then Suriname. Along the way Max explains some of his philosophy, and we are given several glimpses into the larger world of magic in which he is involved. Readers can expect to see an evil sorcerer, zombis, and a vengeful demon before they finish the book.
I would give this book three-and-a-half stars if this website were capable of half-star ratings. I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series.
November 6, 2010
In the early 1980's, Vietnam vet and DJ, Max August became involved with the magician Cornelius Agrippa, discovered his own magical talents and was able to make himself "timeless", so that he no longer ages. However, Agrippa and Max's girlfriend Valerie were killed by the demon Aleksandra. In the present day, Max stays on the move to avoid Aleksandra while trying to find a way to bring Valerie back. He becomes involved with a doctor, Pam Blackwell who has been poisoned by a magical dart, which soon turns out to be one move in a much bigger conspiracy.
This book was OK, but definitely nothing special. Most of it just didn't work for me. The magic system just felt like a random collection of things from various mythologies that gets explained in a lot of long infodumps. The entire plot of the story hinges on the attempt to kill Pam with a slow-acting magical dart, instead of just having her killed with a more conventional and immediate method. The action was never compelling enough to interest me. I won't be looking for the other books in this series.
I received this through the Goodreads giveaway program.
This book was OK, but definitely nothing special. Most of it just didn't work for me. The magic system just felt like a random collection of things from various mythologies that gets explained in a lot of long infodumps. The entire plot of the story hinges on the attempt to kill Pam with a slow-acting magical dart, instead of just having her killed with a more conventional and immediate method. The action was never compelling enough to interest me. I won't be looking for the other books in this series.
I received this through the Goodreads giveaway program.
May 26, 2010
An enjoyable adventure story from also comic book writer Steve Englehart. It's got fights, chases, zombis (old school Haitian style, not Romero flesh eaters), and a well-developed implementation of both magic and technology. Actually, as I read it, John Twelve Hawks' The Traveler kept coming to mind, insofar as both books deal with secret societies, technology, and magic. The difference is that Steve Englehart doesn't ask you to leave your brain at the door like Twelve Hawks does. The characters and magic system are much better developed, and the technology is used in a much more realistic fashion. You can tell this is a writer who cares about realistic science. Recommended for fans of fantastical adventure fiction or for anyone who found the later books in the Fourth Realm trilogy disappointing.
Englehart, by the way, is the writer who created the (truly) insane Joker character and Two-face as they appeared in the film of The Dark Knight (adapted from his characters in Batman: Dark Detective).
Englehart, by the way, is the writer who created the (truly) insane Joker character and Two-face as they appeared in the film of The Dark Knight (adapted from his characters in Batman: Dark Detective).
March 17, 2010
The Long Man is a graphic novel without the graphics. Certain passages remind me of reading Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four as a kid, which is not a surprise as the comic genre is Englehart's home. He does a great job with action scenes but also hammered in long expositional passages of philisophical babbling between characters. I don't know why he felt the need to explain the protagonists powers. It's like reading a Superman comic and dealing with pages of scientific description on the molecular differences between Krypton and Earth. It just isn't necessary. Action speaks louder than words.
Another aspect adding to the disjointed feel of the story is the insertion of pop culture phrases and references. Suspending belief is a must for this type of story. Tossing in familiar asides jostles the reader between milieus and makes for a bumpy ride.
Another aspect adding to the disjointed feel of the story is the insertion of pop culture phrases and references. Suspending belief is a must for this type of story. Tossing in familiar asides jostles the reader between milieus and makes for a bumpy ride.
May 31, 2013
The plot of this is well-constructed. The underlying ideas were obviously thought out in some depth, and do not feel at all half-assed as I've come to expect from novels with similar themes. The pacing is decent. The characters are sympathetic (when Englehart wants them to be sympathetic). It was a very easy read that kept pulling me along toward the conclusion.
The dialog is corny, and not in a good way. The character motivations can be a little hard to swallow. The descriptions are a touch too involved.
In the end, I felt like I would have been justified just ignoring it rather than picking up a copy to read -- and, if it hadn't been a gift as part of a yearly book exchange with my second family, I would have passed it by based on the back cover text. It wasn't hard to pick up and keep reading, but it wasn't hard to put down either.
The dialog is corny, and not in a good way. The character motivations can be a little hard to swallow. The descriptions are a touch too involved.
In the end, I felt like I would have been justified just ignoring it rather than picking up a copy to read -- and, if it hadn't been a gift as part of a yearly book exchange with my second family, I would have passed it by based on the back cover text. It wasn't hard to pick up and keep reading, but it wasn't hard to put down either.
March 16, 2010
I won this book in a give away. I was concerned about not having read the Point Man which is the first book in this series. I should not have worried.
Steve Englehart tells an easy going tale full of action, adventure, and magick that is pleasant to read. This story moved swiftly and kept my intrest through out. The story gave enough background information to explain the past so a new reader can catch up without being lost looking for explanations as to what led up to this point.
That being said, I just ordered the Point Man today and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Overall, The Long Man was a good read with heros you can cheer for and villans everyone will love to hate.
Steve Englehart tells an easy going tale full of action, adventure, and magick that is pleasant to read. This story moved swiftly and kept my intrest through out. The story gave enough background information to explain the past so a new reader can catch up without being lost looking for explanations as to what led up to this point.
That being said, I just ordered the Point Man today and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Overall, The Long Man was a good read with heros you can cheer for and villans everyone will love to hate.
April 9, 2010
The Long Man is a good book, a nice thriller with magick. It's not the type of book I usually read, but I still enjoyed it. It was entertaining and fun to read.
I wasn't as happy to see real-world politics and religion brought into this. I was reading about alchemists and wizards, I didn't care to sit through the author's political views, or their explanation that the God of the Old Testament is actually just Magickal energy. But this was a fairly small part of the book, so it's not a huge deal.
Oh, and I loved the Young Frankenstein reference at the end. It was just a tiny bit out of place, but I give serious points for pulling out that quote.
It's a good book, I'd recommend it, and I'll be watching for the first and third books in the series to read now.
I wasn't as happy to see real-world politics and religion brought into this. I was reading about alchemists and wizards, I didn't care to sit through the author's political views, or their explanation that the God of the Old Testament is actually just Magickal energy. But this was a fairly small part of the book, so it's not a huge deal.
Oh, and I loved the Young Frankenstein reference at the end. It was just a tiny bit out of place, but I give serious points for pulling out that quote.
It's a good book, I'd recommend it, and I'll be watching for the first and third books in the series to read now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2010
The Long Man is a story about an newly immortal man, he's about 30 years into his immortality. Seems brilliant as you get stories of Acquiring Immortality and stories of 500 year old dudes. This is a guy nearing AARP membership but he looks 35.
Englehart used the phrase "Sanctum Sanctorum" so that should please comics fans. Near the end of the book a character rants for 3/4 of a page and as I read it I thought that he could never do that in a comic.
++++++ +++++++ +++++++ ++++++ ++++++ +++++ ++++++ ++++++ ++++++ +++++ +++
I'm looking forward to going out and reading the first book in the series, and next year's third book.
+++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++ +++
Won this book through Goodreads.com . I've read his comics before.
September 18, 2010
Wow, what a surprise! This was honestly one of the best fiction books I've read so far this year. I was worried I wouldn't understand what was happening because this book actually follows The Point Man, which was written several years ago, but I was just fine.
You can tell Englehart has a background in comics and graphic novels, because his descriptions are vivid without being excessively wordy. It's not often that I can clearly picture what's happening in a book, but I was able to in this one.
I was expecting a light sci-fi read, but I'm finding myself continuing to think about it now that I'm done. This is actually a book I'd like to read again -- and you know how rare that is for me.
Well done!
You can tell Englehart has a background in comics and graphic novels, because his descriptions are vivid without being excessively wordy. It's not often that I can clearly picture what's happening in a book, but I was able to in this one.
I was expecting a light sci-fi read, but I'm finding myself continuing to think about it now that I'm done. This is actually a book I'd like to read again -- and you know how rare that is for me.
Well done!
September 12, 2010
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway anhave to say I enjoyed it more than I thought going in to it. Being the second book in the series I felt a bit lost for the first few chapters, but the backstory unfolds well and kept me interested. More than anything though, I enjoyed the unfolding, both the use and the explanation, of Max's magic system. That there are many paths from the same source, and the fact that having a greater understanding of multiple paths helps you to better understand your own, makes as much sense for magick as it does for religion. Finally, I think the Necklace make an excelent nemesis during this book, and for future books. Let's hear it for world spanning shadow organizations.
July 2, 2011
Max August became Timeless (or immortal) back in the eighties, not long before his mentor and his wife were murdered. Hunted by their killer, he's gone off the grid until an old friend from his radio days in the seventies calls him to help a friend, Doctor Pam Blackwell, who unknowingly has found a cure for the zombie drug.
This starts them on a race to escape, then stop, a conspiracy to take over the Americas, starting with the tiny nation of Suriname.
The author is best known for his comic book work, and the cover goes with that feel. The story was interesting, but it was a little too heavy in exposition. His research was showing a little too much. Some of that could have been moved to showing not telling, which would have tightened things up. Still, and enjoyable summer read.
This starts them on a race to escape, then stop, a conspiracy to take over the Americas, starting with the tiny nation of Suriname.
The author is best known for his comic book work, and the cover goes with that feel. The story was interesting, but it was a little too heavy in exposition. His research was showing a little too much. Some of that could have been moved to showing not telling, which would have tightened things up. Still, and enjoyable summer read.
March 16, 2010
I received this in a first-reads giveaway. The plot is amazing. It keeps you guessing and sometimes it's hard to put down. I'm from WV so I was interested to see WV mentioned and there weren't any zombies there. Most of the story I was trying to guess what would happen next...and I was usually wrong! Many of the concepts he mentions as to dates and things that happened on those day as "guided" by the codex was interesting and made you think, "hmmm, that makes sense."
December 15, 2010
I was disappointed by the writing quality of the Long Man. Seemed really amateurish, or unedited, or something. Odd things, like long stretches of exposition, the worst of tell-not-show, awkward dialogue... Really seemed like it was just passed on unedited to the printer. The story-telling was unexceptional -- if the writing hadn't been strikingly bad, it would have been a decent genre novel.
And Michael Chabon is on the cover praising it? Leaves me wondering if he read it first.
And Michael Chabon is on the cover praising it? Leaves me wondering if he read it first.
Want to read
March 30, 2011It's the second in a series. I've tried to read it, like, 6 times and I never get past page 20. Maybe the first one is good, I haven't found it yet, but I think the author has promise. But no matter how hard I try, this book feels like I walked in to a conversation I know nothing about, can't follow, and have about 300 questions that no one is bothering to answer. Sorry, first reads.
April 12, 2010
I can't believe this thing got published. Not only that it got published, but that it was published in hard cover no less. Did somebody at Tor lose a bet? Holy crap. I thought it was an interesting premise for a character but it was so poorly written that it failed on every level.
July 19, 2012
Steve Englehart has created a new hero, and a unique brand of protagonist, using cliched writing. I wanted to enjoy this more. I tried to like it. But I kept getting tripped up by clumsy, supposed-to-be-suspenseful situations and very predictable plotting.
Yawn.
Yawn.
January 1, 2013
Magic, zombies, a secret society seeking world domination, a strong hero, a capable damsel in distress. If that is what you're looking for in a fast moving, imaginative, easy read to take the mind off the hum-drum world for a while, then you should enjoy this book. I did.
October 12, 2013
Good action novel with an interesting cast of characters. I enjoyed Englehart's comic book writing many years ago and was pleasantly surprised to find this novel by him in the used bookstore last week. I'll definitely be reading his other Max August books.
March 18, 2010
Typically not a book I would search out to read. Glad I came accross it it though. Very enjoyable read.
Want to read
March 1, 2010I won this book on First-reads
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