Arrow: A Generation of Vipers

It's always with just a bit of trepidation that I read a book that is based on a television show or movie, as I am always concerned that the authors will not be able to truly capture the feel of the show or film, or that they will be unable to give the characters the proper feel that they have in the show or film.  In the first half of this two-part story, which began in the Flash novel, The Haunting of Barry Allen, writers Clay and Susan Griffith showed that they had a grasp on the cast of Flash.  With this second part, they show that they have an equal feel for the cast of Arrow.

The Arrow television show is a bit darker and a bit more serious than the Flash, and A Generation of Vipers follows that format.  As Team Flash works overtime to try to find out what is causing Barry's gliches in the speed force, Arrow hits to streets of Central City to protect the town in Flash's absence.  But you can't keep a good hero down, and Barry is determined to help save lives, even if it costs him his own.  A cure, however, may not be as far away as they think.  When the combined forces of Team Flash and Team Arrow uncover a power source that was first created at Queen Industries back in the day, they set out to find it.  But someone else is also on the hunt...

Which, of course, leads to the obligatory Arrow flashback scenes (ugh, how I hate them on the television show, so to have to read them in printed form is pure torture!!  but, as I said, the Griffins definitely keep the flavor of the show, and sadly, those flashbacks are a part of it).  Readers will gain some more insight into Oliver's time on that dastardly island, as well as some pre-island time when Oliver was just another spoiled, rich playboy that influenced a friend that has now become a very dangerous enemy in the present.

Oh, and did I mention that the search for a cure for Barry ultimately leads the combined teams over to Markovia.  Yes, the very country from which Geo-Force and Terra hail from (although neither characters are seen or mentioned here, sadly).  However, we do get a surprise visit from Malcolm Merlyn, who offers his aid to the desperate heroes - but at what cost?

One of the best things about this story is the character interaction.  All the non-super-powered characters of Arrow and how they deal with the super-powered characters from the Flash is always good for a smile and sometimes a laugh.  Felicity and Cisco's geekness, Barry's carefree nature at opposition with Oliver's seriousness, and John's struggle with grasping not only super-powered humans, but the idea of a multiverse.  With 402 pages of story, the book felt like an extra-long episode (or maybe even a two-parter if it were on TV), and had they elected to drop the flashback chapters, I would have found this book to be nearly as perfect as the Flash novel.  Fun, with plenty of action, spot-on characterization, a spectacular climax, and plenty of underhanded tricks and surprises.

Now, I'll admit, the only reason I picked this up was because of the Flash.  While I watch the Arrow television show, I'm not a huge fan of Arrow himself (the character - the actor, well he's a whole 'nother story!).  Not sure if I'll pick up any future Arrow novels, unless they have a crossover with the Flash (or maybe even the Legends of Tomorrow - wonder if we'll be getting any novels of that group?).  But, for what it was worth, this book was a good read, and I enjoyed it - provided a satisfying conclusion to the story started in the first Flash novel.

8 stolen wormhole generators out of 10 for being able to keep the feel of both television shows and all the characters therein and putting them into a story worth reading!