The Last Days of Krypton

By Kevin J. Anderson

Book Overview

Everyone knows how Kal-El--Superman--was sent to Earth just before his planet exploded. But what led to such a disaster? Now, in The Last Days of Krypton, Kevin J. Anderson presents a sweeping tale of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006134074X
• ISBN13: 9780061340741
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Harper Entertainment
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Worth it!

Absolutely enjoyed this book. While not necessarily canon, it has become Superman's official backstory for me. The book is focused on Jor-El and is very well written. A 10 out of 10 for sure.

Almost a masterpiece!

You don't have to be a die-hard Superman fan to love this book (even if it helps), you might just be a lover of 'ordinary' sci-fi and exotic worlds. I've been wanting to read this book for for decades, or at lest since I first got into Superman. And I was almost afraid of being dissapointed. I was not! Because this has all, this has Jor-El and Lara and their developing romance, it has Jor-El's brother Zor with family, it has Dru-Zod with followers and a quite interesting plot to describe his ascension to power and it has a rich backdrop of a culture which seems different and familliar at the same time. It's really a page-turner to read how Jor and Zor save Krypton several times only to see the planet lost due to plain stupidity. You might even find a far-fetched flirt with Platon's description of Atlantis in 'The State' here. The plot is fast and believable, the people make sense even if they often have that 'alien tilt' of alofnes to them and the scenery is fascinating and colourful - inclusive a fast dip into Krypton's history. All right, some Superman fundamentalists might become a bit irritated with some change of facts, like turning the mad scientist Jax-Ur into an ancient war-lord and changing the names of some people (Ursa becomes Aethyr) but to me these changes work well. In fact there was only one thing that annoyed me, and it was - how the #¤% did the Kryptonians understand the old message from the Solar System's Mars? Is there some interstellar linga franga out there or what? But besides that little irritating part it was one great ride and I can fully recomend it!

Excellent Science Fiction Tale!

Mr. Anderson has wound together a wonderful "science fiction" tale that stands on its own away from the comic book universe. You would not need to be familiar with the Superman story to enjoy this book which addresses politics, greed, human tragedy and many other intriguing themes. The book answers all the questions that many Superman readers have always asked such as: * With all of Krypton's great science, why was only Ka-el spared the destruction of the planet? * How was Krypton actually destroyed? * Who was Zod and what evil deeds did he do? * What really happened to Kandor? * What is actually the story behind the use of The Phantom Zone? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone that likes a good science fiction story!

Wonderful book by KJA

I'll start this one by simply stating that I am not the biggest DC guy out there - nor am I much of a Superman comic reader - but as someone who loves the super hero genre away from the artwork of comics and in novel form I decided to pick this up once it hit the paperback stands not too long ago. Granted its not really a superhero story but the tale of the events that led to Kal-el (aka Clark Kent)'s home planet's destruction. It is really more of a sci-fi story than a Superman story - and quite frankly I thought it was excellently written and told beautifully well by KJA. As I read this book I really fell in love with SM's "real" parents: Jor-el and Lara and the story of their relationship and romance. The more I read the sadder I got because of the impending doom that I knew awaited them at the end of the story. KJA goes into great detail on how the two met and fostered a friendship that soon turned into romantic love. I must say that Krypton's tragic story as told here was both compelling and thought provoking. KJA paints a picture of an inept government that really is the main contributer the planet's demise. They are over-run by inaction and complacency - and I kept getting the sense that everyone's take on Jor-el's warnings of planetary collapse was one of, "it will never happen to us." KJA also does a great job of presenting General Zod as a classic villain - that you absolutely love to hate. His partners in crime, Nam-ek and Aethyr-ka are also presented and much of the story centers on how these three are hell bent on ruling Krypton. I couldn't help but to keep thinking of that opening sequence of scenes in Superman the movie that came out in the 70's as I read this. I suppose its understandable since it was there that I was first introduced to all of these characters - but in all honesty what this book presents is ten times better. I'm not exactly new to KJA's stuff - as he has been a prominent author in the Star Wars universe in years past, but quite frankly I think this is better than anything he has written in the Star Wars genre. Julius Schwartz would be proud of this fine piece of writing...

Get this book now!

I wasn't sure what to think when I picked this one up. Kevin J. Anderson has written a lot of books, and the ones I've read have been good, but not great. I thought his Star Wars novels seemed.... simplistic. I thought his Dune novels (at least the ones I've read) came across as unfocused, relating a series of events as opposed to a coherent story. But, I picked this one up as I'm a die hard Superman fan, after reading a couple good reviews. Wow. I was totally blown away. The book did a number of things I would have thought possible. It told a remarkable and engaging Superman story, without Superman in it. It made General Zod interesting (I have always hated that character) And it even took what I considered to be the dumbest bit of Superman lore (the bottled city of Kandor) and made it into the Superman equivalent of 9-11. This is not a good book. This is a great book. Highly recommended for Superman fans, Sci-fi fans, and just about anyone who likes a good book. Go pick it up, and read it, and then try and tell me I'm wrong!

Simply "Super"

Brilliant. I have been a Superman fan as long as I can remember, and have worked on some Superman-related projects over the years. This book is incredible. With nods to nearly every incarnation of Superman from over the years, as well as other subtle references to the DC Universe, this book is a Superman fan's dream. I can't recommend it highly enough. Wether you remember George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Brandon Routh, or Tom Welling, this book is an enjoyable read from start to finish. Kevin J. Anderson's reverence for the material and apt storytelling make Krypton's final year (or so) engaging and captivating. The book is simply "Super." :-)