I’d intended to read the book to my son, but the day it came in, I sat down with it and read it from cover to cover. It felt a little strange to me because the characters are so clearly Doc Savage and his crew. This isn’t a take on this kind of adventure as much as it is a pastiche and update of the original hero. A second generation, if you will.
I have to admit I felt a little protective of Doc Savage while reading this novel. Especially when the action moved to the 86th floor of the tallest building in New York City. I had to remember that this was an homage to the character.
The pace of the book is blisteringly quick, and the short chapters make the adventure speed by even faster. I enjoyed Doc Wilde’s relationship with his children, Brian and Wren, as well as his relationship with his parents. (However, I must note that it felt really weird finding out the original Doc married Pat, who was his cousin in the original books.)
Byrd also throws in a villain that seems to be straight out of a H. P. Lovecraft story – only twisted really weirdly and with a lot of humor. Of course, the fate of the world is still on the line.
I loved the book, with reservations regarding the source material, but it’s absolutely fantastic to read and return to those childhood days. Even better, I found that it’s great to give to your son. I shoved the copy in his backpack so he could start reading it at school. It wasn’t long before he started coming home and talking to me about the events in the story. Since he’s seen my Doc Savage books around the house, he’s more curious about them than ever. So I think Tim Byrd has opened the door to even more books I can share with my son.
Not only that, but now we’re both looking forward to the second book in the Doc Wilde series: Doc Wilde and the Daughter of Darkness!
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