Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours

Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours  
Author(s) Jim Butcher
Country United States
Genre(s) Spider-Man
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date June 27, 2006
Media type Paperback
Pages 304
ISBN ISBN 1416594760
LC Classification 2007583176

Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours is a novel written by Jim Butcher featuring characters from the Spider-Man Marvel Comics created by Stan Lee. The book was first published by the Pocket Books division of Simon & Schuster on June 27, 2006.

Plot

The book opens with Peter Parker being forced to be a substitute basketball coach at the high school where he teaches science. He is challenged by Samuel Larkin, a star basketball player, who refuses to work with the other players. Peter soon finds out that Samuel never got the regular and required vaccines, and will be suspended and therefore unable to play for the rest of the season, making it nigh-impossible to get into a good university. After coaching, Peter returns home to find that Mary Jane Watson got a part as Lady Macbeth, but since the show is playing in Atlantic City, she bought a car, despite not knowing how to drive. As they are discussing Peter teaching her, The Rhino attacks Times Square, and Spider-Man is needed. As he swings to the battle, Felicia Hardy, otherwise known as "The Black Cat", tells him that he is in danger and the Rhino's attack is a trap. Spider-Man swings on, and easily defeats the Rhino. After he knocks him unconscious, the three vengeful siblings of Morlun (Thanis, Malos, and Mortia), appear and say that Spider-Man caused the death of their brother. Spider-Man evades them until a SWAT team appears. In the end, it is Mary-Jane who defeats the siblings. Already angry that she can't help Peter like Felicia can, Mary-Jane is enraged by what the siblings are putting her husband through. she defeats them by driving into them with her car. Another Marvel Comics character, Doctor Strange is included in the novel as a figure from whom the wall-crawler seeks assistance.

Reception

A review described Jim Butcher to manage Spider-Man's character well. However, it criticized action in the story, and considered it to have too short a plot for an over 300-page novel. Thus, it commented that the books' illustrations did not indicate utmost significant text, notably scenes featuring Doctor Strange and the Rhino's characters.[1]

References

  1. ^ Lott, Rod (7 August 2006). "Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours". United States: Bookgasm. http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/sci-fi/spider-man-the-darkest-hours/. Retrieved 21 November 2009.