The Last Days of Krypton

The Last Days of Krypton
Kevin J. Anderson
Harper
ISBN: 9780061340758
Fiction, Science Fiction
Reviewed by Candace Mahoney

Since the defeat of the tyrant Jax-Ur, over a millennium ago, Krypton has been a planet of peace. Technology is viewed as a dangerous thing, and scientific discovery has dwindled to almost nothing. In this world, Jor-El is a frustrated genius. As a scientist whose inventions are consistently confiscated, he stubbornly continues his attempts to discover technologies that can be used for the benefit of Krypton. His brother Zor-El is equally brilliant, but perhaps more pragmatic, devoting most of his energies to politics and a study of Krypton.

Now, as multiple cataclysmic disasters threaten their planet, the brothers must strive against a stodgy regime, suspicious of all science, in their attempt to save the planet. Added to the mix are power hungry Dru-Zod, Commissioner for Technologies Acceptance, who is willing to stop at nothing to attain his own vision for Krypton; Lara, visionary artist and admirer of Jor-El; and Aethyr, once Aethyr-Ka, a former classmate of Lara's who has rejected her own family and the pretensions of Krypton society in favor of an independent life.

When I first got this book, I had nothing more than a rudimentary knowledge of Superman's origins. To be honest, I took The Last Days of Krypton based on the author, Kevin J. Anderson, rather than the subject, which held only passing interest for me. But I was quickly drawn in by Anderson's picturesque descriptions and the imaginative technologies he has created to bring the planet and culture of Krypton to life. Although I knew that Krypton was doomed (my husband assured me that it had exploded, and, well, the title is a dead giveaway), I found myself hoping nonetheless that Jor-El and Zor-El would find a way to save it. I did feel that there were perhaps too many disasters facing the planet in such a short period of time; especially after about a thousand years of apparent monotony. But after a little Googling around, it appears that most (if not all) of these threats are a part of the accepted Superman canon.

The lenticular cover was a bit irritating at first, because its stiffness prevented it from bending naturally while I was in the early pages of the book. The problem dwindled as I got further in though, and I have to admit that I have played with it more than any other book cover, ever. (It's kind of mesmerizing to tip it back and forth and watch the logo approach and recede, and it makes a great 'zip-zip' noise when I run my fingernail back and forth across it, much to the annoyance of whoever is around me.) Overall, I found The Last Days of Krypton to be an enjoyable, fast-paced read with a lot of intriguing elements. I'd give it two thumbs up, but I'm using one of them to play with the cover right now.