The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

Michael Chabon

A long novel, but I still didn't want it to end. Set against the backdrop of WW2, this is an unusual, funny, warm and tragic read, and a must for anyone who's ever watched Batman or Superman or collects the comics - and wondered about the lives of the creators of these all-American heroes.

Extract
Anapol came around from behind his desk, lodged the burning cigarette in a corner of his mouth, and took the pad from Sammy. 'Look at that' he said. In the drawing it was midnight, in a cobblestone alley crosshatched with menacing shadows. There were evocative suggestions of tiled roofs, leaded windows, icy puddles on the ground. Out of the shadows and into the light of the bat-scarred moon strode a tall, brawny man. His frame was as sturdy as his hobnailed boots. For costume he wore a tunic with deep creases, a heavy belt, and a big, shapeless stocking hat like something out of Rembrandt. The man's features, though regular and handsome, looked frozen, and his intrepid gaze was empty. There were four Hebrew characters etched into his forehead.
Parallels
  • Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
  • Destiny of Natalie X by William Boyd