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Max August #1
The Point Man
Dell paperback original, 1981. A wonderful supernatural adventure novel. The author, a renowned Marvel and DC Comics writer, later wrote two more novels about his hero Max The Long Man (2009) and The Plain Man (2011).
350 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1981
7 people are currently reading
109 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 15, 2020
I liked this book a lot more than I expected to when I picked it up. It caught my eye because of the author, Steve Englehart. I am a follower of many comics/graphic novels, and Mr. Englehart has written many series and stories that I have enjoyed. But I also know that success in one medium does not always translate to others.
This story starts off strong, with interesting characters like Barnaby/Max and Madeleine. The story looks like it is going to be a thriller using ESP as a shtick. Then it takes a left turn into a fantasy story with wizards (but not the usual kind) and battles on unearthly plains for the fate of the earth.
Some of the characters are well done (I like how Max is written throughout the story) but most of the characters don't have much depth to them. Valerie and Cornelius really deserve to have more development to them.
I don't want to reveal the story here as the surprises make it enjoyable, but the story becomes a mundane climactic battle with moments of tension. I found it entertaining but will probably not reread it.
This story starts off strong, with interesting characters like Barnaby/Max and Madeleine. The story looks like it is going to be a thriller using ESP as a shtick. Then it takes a left turn into a fantasy story with wizards (but not the usual kind) and battles on unearthly plains for the fate of the earth.
Some of the characters are well done (I like how Max is written throughout the story) but most of the characters don't have much depth to them. Valerie and Cornelius really deserve to have more development to them.
I don't want to reveal the story here as the surprises make it enjoyable, but the story becomes a mundane climactic battle with moments of tension. I found it entertaining but will probably not reread it.
May 21, 2020
I received the second book in this quadrilogy as a white elephant gift a few years back and finally got around to reading the first; I will not be continuing the series. The general premise of James Bond meets Artemis Fowl is one I expected to love, but aside from some great descriptive writing there's nothing here to fulfill (or even satisfactorily explain) that concept. My biggest complaint is that the titular Point Man is among the least likable protagonists I've ever read; I found myself actively rooting against him at many points.
June 1, 2021
Was unexpectedly liking this halfway through until it all began to unravel. The build up of the ego centric hard headedness of the main protagonist to the point of just plain stupidity combined with the gratuitous sexual tension, the overdone social commentary interplay, the transcendental mumbo-jumbo, and the unfathomable gloppy mysticism all tended to accelerate disinterest in the whole. Author should really stick to his comics.
January 22, 2018
I really like the way Steve Englehart uses words.
I always have...superheroes or heroes not so super.
The stories and people have weight. [enjoy, I did.]
I always have...superheroes or heroes not so super.
The stories and people have weight. [enjoy, I did.]
August 23, 2018
Over the top fun and a thrill a minute to read. I was fascinated when I read this book and continue to skim it from time to time for the enjoyment.
August 20, 2022
I love Steve's comics, his Avengers run, his JLA, his West Coast Avengers run-- even his Coyote comics for EPIC back in the day. But I didn't like this novel... seems pretty dated in a negative way in its odd digressions into idiosyncratic music, stereo-system porn of the 1970s hi-fi (?!) and portrayal of misogynistic 1970s culture, etc. For me, I'll continue to read his comics work with joy.
March 14, 2010
I grew up as a huge Steve Englehart fan, reading many of the comics he wrote from Captain America to Detective Comics. So when I heard that his 1981 novel Point Man was finally seeing print again, I jumped at the chance to buy it. While many of his comic work feels dated at times, this early Urban Fantasy (because what else can I call it?) still feels fresh, amazingly so when I think what an early take on the Urban Fantasy genre this is.
However, while not feeling dated, I don't think this is a particularly successful work. It has a nice premise, of ancient battles with wizards fought using a basis in astrology and ancient "scientific" arts, but I never found myself totally engrossed in the story. Perhaps it's because I've now spent years reading work similar to Point Man, which may have felt fresh 20 years ago but now feels a bit stale. I never really felt connected to the main character, and I found myself 150 pages in on the verge of that ever prescient feeling for a reader (do I keep going or drop it), but since it's only about 300 pages long I figured why not keep going. It got better, but not enough to warrant wanting to read the sequel Long Man which just came out. Let me say this though, a sequel to a book which came out almost 20 years ago? Kudos to Mr. Englehart for continuing the story.
So yeah, a book with interesting concepts that I don't think was executed all that well. If you're new to the Urban Fantasy genre then you may like this one, otherwise it's a pass. 2.5/5 stars.
However, while not feeling dated, I don't think this is a particularly successful work. It has a nice premise, of ancient battles with wizards fought using a basis in astrology and ancient "scientific" arts, but I never found myself totally engrossed in the story. Perhaps it's because I've now spent years reading work similar to Point Man, which may have felt fresh 20 years ago but now feels a bit stale. I never really felt connected to the main character, and I found myself 150 pages in on the verge of that ever prescient feeling for a reader (do I keep going or drop it), but since it's only about 300 pages long I figured why not keep going. It got better, but not enough to warrant wanting to read the sequel Long Man which just came out. Let me say this though, a sequel to a book which came out almost 20 years ago? Kudos to Mr. Englehart for continuing the story.
So yeah, a book with interesting concepts that I don't think was executed all that well. If you're new to the Urban Fantasy genre then you may like this one, otherwise it's a pass. 2.5/5 stars.
May 14, 2013
Book 0, of a sort. Not unlike Issue 0 of some comic books. Apropos, I suppose. While it doesn't really feel dated, there are a few giveaways that are there if you're looking (the female characters are defined mostly by their sexuality - one healthy and open, one manipulative and malicious, another broken and childlike). Mostly it just doesn't convey the sense of wonder and excitement I'd hoped to find in an urban magic story. It had all the right elements, but didn't quite tick them the way I'd hoped. It's more like a massive infodump with a story woven around it and a character that never really faces his demons, but has them waved away into nothingness.
The writing was engaging enough I got past the warts. The time warp to the early 80s was fun, and the author portrayed an engaging and believable music scene and the whole narrative was very down to earth for something about wizards.
If nothing else, it's quite unlike most urban fantasy floating around these days.
The writing was engaging enough I got past the warts. The time warp to the early 80s was fun, and the author portrayed an engaging and believable music scene and the whole narrative was very down to earth for something about wizards.
If nothing else, it's quite unlike most urban fantasy floating around these days.
July 1, 2015
While there is a certain thrill in seeing Stainless Steve write prose (kudos to the typesetter for ending the first page with the phrase "Marvel Comics"), the story got less involving as the magic and dueling wizards took over, with a chapter-long "explanation" almost derailing the novel. Also, the treatment of women is problematic, and the hero's wartime activity, for which he should be in prison, is passed off as a mere unfortunate episode that led to personal growth. But the novel has its moments, and I read to the end.
May 30, 2012
Reminds me of Dean Koontz in this era. Same style. Set in California - begins as a routine mystery - becomes more and more fantasy as it unfolds - same pacing as all of the not-so-good Kontz from the 80s and 90s.
November 28, 2013
Really wanted to like this one. I'm a fan of Englehart's comics, but this novel felt like a mess. Disjointed awkward prose. No clear through line to the story. Hodge podge of occult ideas and pulp tropes. Unfortunate misogynist bits.
June 21, 2012
An entertaining series. If you like magickal realism with a dash of Lee Child, this wouldn't be a bad way to go.
December 22, 2013
The more magic that came into this book the less I liked it. The characters were good, the set-up more than enough to grab my attention in the book store but the rest of it fizzled.
March 16, 2014
Didn't grab my interest, gave up on it. Might come back to it because I don't normally abandon books.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews