The best movie novelizations do what the films can’t, by giving space to consider more than what you’ve seen onscreen: delving deeper into a character’s thoughts and motivations as they rocket through the sky; giving us the tragic backstory of a planet about to be obliterated; and – because a book doesn’t have a running time – even giving the deleted scenes life through words.

So does author Greg Cox’s achieve that extra Phantom Zone dimension of detail afforded by the page? Just about, yes. But then it’d be surprising if it didn’t because Cox is no stranger to translating movies and comics to the printed word.

Just as with his Dark Knight Rises novel he does a grand job of containing the crash-bang-wallop of a summer blockbuster into a book you can fit into your pocket. There’s an economy to his writing that reflects the speeding bullet pace of the film, but which crucially doesn’t overlook the emotional consequences.

Indeed, Cox’s novelization probably works best as a ‘post-game’ replay for those who’ve seen the film and want a little more context, as it gives greater insight to each character’s state of mind amid the action. That brings with it a greater understanding and weight to certain scenes, including that fan-dividing forum-igniting moment between Superman and Zod. If you were one of the fans left angered by it then it’s worth reading the novel just for the more understanding perspective it gives.

That’s not to say that opportunities to further explore Supes’ psyche aren’t missed (there are one or two occasions where you wish for a little more mental torment) but remember, this is a book based on a Zack Snyder movie. Cox does a good job of articulating Snyder’s signature action-packed moments with clarity – particularly Superman’s final battle – keeping the reader aware of every blow and reaction but never getting so bogged down in detail that the fight feels sluggish.

It’s that mix of brisk pace and space for characterisation that leaves this a worthy replication of the film. A textual Jor-El hologram of a summer blockbuster: not quite capturing the real thing, but a damn good representation of it.

Published on Tuesday 18 June 2013 by Titan Books.

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