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The X-Men's oldest and deadliest enemy, Magneto, has taken over the Sentinels, powerful mutant-hunting robots, and the X-Men must fight the Acolytes, Magneto's mutant followers, and the United States government, which holds the X-Men responsible for the takeover. Original.
338 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1996
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547 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
751books2,776followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 30, 2015
Golden's Mutant Empire trilogy is an excellent example of graphic characters being translated successfully into a prose format. His care for the work is evident as he explores peripheral characters that get short shrift in the comics, bringing them to life and showing how important they are to the big-name players and major story arcs. It's a very well-written story, not padded to fill a certain length as many of the similar comics trilogies of the day were, and would serve as an excellent starting point for anyone who wanted to know the X-universe before it became a film franchise. Each volume has very nice illustrations, too.
May 14, 2018
I originally read this when I was in high school, though I never finished the trilogy of books. I re-read this now with the intent of going back and finishing it out. I read a bunch of these kinds of novels during my transitory timeframe from comic-reader to actual book reader. Revisiting it is a disappointing experience, with not enough meat on the bones.
As a kid, I read Marvel comics pretty avidly, and also greatly enjoyed the X-Men cartoon from the early to mid-nineties. Though my memories of the details of the comic universe are beginning to dim, I was still very much familiar with most of the characters in the book. You'd pretty much need to be in order to keep up with the plot and action. However, Golden still has to at least offer a cursory telling of the back story of many of the characters, meaning readers will need to wade through a lot of prose explaining, for example, how Angel became Archangel, etc.
You sense that Golden must not have really had the freedom to tell any story that differs substantially from Marvel canon. There's never any sense that characters we know are in any real danger.
The book is split into two plots, one featuring a confrontation with Magneto at a federal facility in Colorado housing the Sentinel program. This is the better of the two halves of the book by far. It can at least draw on some of the traditional X-Men themes of minority persecution and the knotty politics of mutants. Magneto is of course one of the most compelling enemies of the X-Men. Though the book is occasionally preachy and the depiction of political decision-making is, uh, elementary, it still plays to the strength of this kind of storytelling.
The other plot, occurring off-planet and featuring Kree and Shi'ar alien races, is a bust. These sections of the book are frankly boring and completely without suspense.
The book also lacked the ability to create the kinds of internal lives for these characters I had hoped to see. The strength of the comic format is that we can easily see the powers of these characters demonstrated in ways that are much harder to cogently describe in print. The advantage of print, I would think, it the space to create more full and meaningful inner lives of the characters. Though Golden does some of that work, it isn't enough to justify the existence of this kind of novel outside of the usual comic format.
The prose consists of pretty straightforward descriptions. It's readable but not pretty. It feels like the book was pushed through to meet a deadline. There's not much room for any of the writing to breathe. It serves the plot.
In many ways, comics are now a much larger part of the popular culture than when I was an awkward young person reading them. My guess is that it will continue to be difficult, however, for books like this to be successful. Super-hero comics are well suited for graphic formats.
As a kid, I read Marvel comics pretty avidly, and also greatly enjoyed the X-Men cartoon from the early to mid-nineties. Though my memories of the details of the comic universe are beginning to dim, I was still very much familiar with most of the characters in the book. You'd pretty much need to be in order to keep up with the plot and action. However, Golden still has to at least offer a cursory telling of the back story of many of the characters, meaning readers will need to wade through a lot of prose explaining, for example, how Angel became Archangel, etc.
You sense that Golden must not have really had the freedom to tell any story that differs substantially from Marvel canon. There's never any sense that characters we know are in any real danger.
The book is split into two plots, one featuring a confrontation with Magneto at a federal facility in Colorado housing the Sentinel program. This is the better of the two halves of the book by far. It can at least draw on some of the traditional X-Men themes of minority persecution and the knotty politics of mutants. Magneto is of course one of the most compelling enemies of the X-Men. Though the book is occasionally preachy and the depiction of political decision-making is, uh, elementary, it still plays to the strength of this kind of storytelling.
The other plot, occurring off-planet and featuring Kree and Shi'ar alien races, is a bust. These sections of the book are frankly boring and completely without suspense.
The book also lacked the ability to create the kinds of internal lives for these characters I had hoped to see. The strength of the comic format is that we can easily see the powers of these characters demonstrated in ways that are much harder to cogently describe in print. The advantage of print, I would think, it the space to create more full and meaningful inner lives of the characters. Though Golden does some of that work, it isn't enough to justify the existence of this kind of novel outside of the usual comic format.
The prose consists of pretty straightforward descriptions. It's readable but not pretty. It feels like the book was pushed through to meet a deadline. There's not much room for any of the writing to breathe. It serves the plot.
In many ways, comics are now a much larger part of the popular culture than when I was an awkward young person reading them. My guess is that it will continue to be difficult, however, for books like this to be successful. Super-hero comics are well suited for graphic formats.
May 25, 2020
I found myself actually enjoying this book more the second time around then the first time I read it 20+ years ago when it first came out. That was a pleasant surprise, as I was not the least bit impressed with it the first time I read it. It is a pretty basic book, to be honest. It is not like the author could do very much character development (especially as Marvel seemed to try to work the different novels into the story line and continuity of the comics, to no avail, while they were printed and you cannot have what happens in a book that is supposed to be 'in continuity' contradicting something in the comics). With the author unable to take any risks with the characters and the characters never truly being in danger, it becomes merely a fun romp in Marvel's sandbox. That is not to say the book is not without its weaknesses, but I did feel the author did a nice job capturing the different characteristics and attributes of the different X-Men. I almost wish the author had chosen a different villain (team of villains) as I do get tired of Magneto; the X-Men have this huge cast of villains and it feels like Magneto gets overused (perhaps that also has to do with the movies, too). There is plenty of action (although sometimes it feels "too convenient" or "too cute").
The book is split into two stories pretty quick.
A couple of random thoughts:
The teams were an interesting mix, I guess.
It was actually a more enjoyable book than I remembered it being the first time around. I would rate it between 2.5 and 3 stars, rounded up to 3 (whereas I would have ranked it between 1 star and 2 stars, the first time). So, I do not know if that means the book aged rather well or that my expectations for it were so low from the first time reading it that it turned out to be better than it was the first time. While it did not have the "tension" or "suspense" of a book in which (any of) the heroes might die (such as a novel based on Marvel's Strikeforce Morituri series), it was still a fun romp to read, and it was somewhat fun to see how the author worked things out for the heroes on their respective missions. It will be interesting to see how the second book fares, if it also turns out to be "better" than I remember it being.
The book is split into two stories pretty quick.
A couple of random thoughts:
The teams were an interesting mix, I guess.
It was actually a more enjoyable book than I remembered it being the first time around. I would rate it between 2.5 and 3 stars, rounded up to 3 (whereas I would have ranked it between 1 star and 2 stars, the first time). So, I do not know if that means the book aged rather well or that my expectations for it were so low from the first time reading it that it turned out to be better than it was the first time. While it did not have the "tension" or "suspense" of a book in which (any of) the heroes might die (such as a novel based on Marvel's Strikeforce Morituri series), it was still a fun romp to read, and it was somewhat fun to see how the author worked things out for the heroes on their respective missions. It will be interesting to see how the second book fares, if it also turns out to be "better" than I remember it being.
January 15, 2018
3.75/5 stars
I was so pleasantly surprised by this! I discovered this at a yard sale and bought it because it had good reviews. I adore the X-Men and was curious to see how well my favorite characters translated into novel form. Luckily, it was exactly what I was hoping for! This novel gives a depth and dimension to these comic book characters that I found lacking in the comics that I had read. This story also introduced me to an array of new characters that I found quite compelling. :)
Siege follows to different story lines: 1. Group 1 of X-Men travel to secret government base that has been taken over by Magneto and his Acolytes. 2. Follows group 2 of X-Men + StarJammers as they travel to another planet to save some friends from execution. I went in thinking I'd find the Magneto story line more interesting because I adore Magneto, but I thoroughly enjoyed the StarJammer story! It reminded very much of Guardians of the Galaxy and has me wanting to delve more into the sci-fi space opera genre.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this! I discovered this at a yard sale and bought it because it had good reviews. I adore the X-Men and was curious to see how well my favorite characters translated into novel form. Luckily, it was exactly what I was hoping for! This novel gives a depth and dimension to these comic book characters that I found lacking in the comics that I had read. This story also introduced me to an array of new characters that I found quite compelling. :)
Siege follows to different story lines: 1. Group 1 of X-Men travel to secret government base that has been taken over by Magneto and his Acolytes. 2. Follows group 2 of X-Men + StarJammers as they travel to another planet to save some friends from execution. I went in thinking I'd find the Magneto story line more interesting because I adore Magneto, but I thoroughly enjoyed the StarJammer story! It reminded very much of Guardians of the Galaxy and has me wanting to delve more into the sci-fi space opera genre.
February 3, 2021
Man, I just love these novel adaptations of comics! I realized after I started "reading" this that Christopher Golden wrote this and the last Hellboy book I "read." So, now I'm wondering if I don't just love Christopher Golden's writing style. He is able to add so much depth to the characters with narration or internal monologue. Plus he's great as setting the scene, so I can still picture what's happening. A specific example is when Rogue thinks about the aerial move that Archangel makes and how at those speeds she would've hit the wall and yet Warren was able to do it with his wings. I may have to start seeking out Christopher Golden books outside of the comics-adaptation realm.
June 22, 2020
3.5 stars While not as enjoyable as the previous book in this series, , it does pick up after that novel and continues the relationships between Xavier and his Shi'ar queen, the X-Men and the Kree. In this one, Magneto decides to turn the Sentinels to his own ends.
December 9, 2023
Pretty good start to what I’m hoping is another good trilogy. Half the team against Magneto, The Acolytes & Sentinels and the other half against Deathbird & The Imperial Guard. Both should be epic. Here’s hoping.
November 24, 2017
This book follows two parallel storylines as the X-Men are forced to battle on two fronts. As one group seeks to foil the latest schemes of Magneto, the other travels to deep space on an important rescue mission.
Overall, this was a great book! Christopher Golden obviously has great respect for the comic book source material. While the story is action-packed, there is also a great deal of character development. Given that this is the first book in a trilogy, Golden does an excellent job of setting everything up for the later books. Be warned, however, that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Therefore, I recommend having the second book on hand so that you can jump right in once you’ve finished this one.
Overall, this was a great book! Christopher Golden obviously has great respect for the comic book source material. While the story is action-packed, there is also a great deal of character development. Given that this is the first book in a trilogy, Golden does an excellent job of setting everything up for the later books. Be warned, however, that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Therefore, I recommend having the second book on hand so that you can jump right in once you’ve finished this one.
October 13, 2021
I've been a long-term X-Men fan, but I never got into the novelizations. I saw this on Audible and figured why not give it a shot. The reader had distinctive voices for all the many characters in the book. Her voices seemed clearly inspired by the cartoon I grew up with in the 90's and really added to the experience. There is a huge cast in this book, so I don't know if it would be good for someone new to the X-Men, but the author does do a great job of introducing everyone and giving important background information. Overall, this was a lot of fun to listen to.
March 19, 2025
I liked it; it was fun. Technically I'm reading the version of the book that had all three books in one but I just finished the first one so why not review it. I liked how it was broken down in two halves, one with Storm with her team VS Magneto and the Acolytes, and the other with Cyclops� team in space. I liked how the book jumped to the point of view with many characters, be it different X-Men, Magneto, and Amelia Vought, or Val Cooper.
It was neat how each chapter had a little picture in the beginning. It was nice seeing Ron Lim and Terry Austin’s art again; I haven’t seen their work since the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog days. Funny enough, I’ve never been a big fan of Ron Lim’s art back in his Sonic days. But, hey, maybe I just miss the old comic and will take any reminder of my childhood. That being said, he’s much better at drawing X-Men characters than Sonic characters.
It’s also nice to see some lesser known mutants involved like Amelia, Suvik Senyaka, and Carmella Unuscione. I just think that’s cool. This is why I love X-Men, you always just going to find some random mutant who's been existing for years beforehand.
I thought the action scenes were good and fun. I will admit I’m just getting back into reading chapter books since I was a teen and even then the only books I did read were Harry Potter, so I have read little action scenes in general, but I thought this book did great. Though I got a tad lost in the Star jammers� spaceship fight.
I will say some of the dialog was a bit janky. I’m too lazy to look up any examples and overall it’s a minor problem, so it’s not really a turn off.
Also, how they felt with the “no kill� rule was also flimsily done. Now mine you, I have no problem with superheroes not killing people. I just thought the book did it in a childish way. Like with how Storm’s team dealt with the military trying to kill them, I’m not saying I want the main heroes to start killing every enemy. I just think there could have been done in a more nuance way, and not as if it was a Saturday cartoon. Also, I thought it was funny how the X-Men are all “no we can’t kill anyone!� Then there’s Wolverine stabbing people. Heck, the only reason that one Acolyte even survived was because he got teleported away and had to be saved by Magneto.
Did Omega-level mutants exist in the 90s? I didn’t get into the comics until like 2007. It’s just odd seeing Iceman being all “woe is me� and thinking he’s one of the weaker mutants out there. Which is just odd, since he’s one of the more powerful mutants out there. I could understand if they played it similar to Micky from the 2012 TMNT series, where he has the potential of being a great ninja but is a goofball, but in the story they play Bobby way too serious for that kind of story.
I will say as someone who didn’t start reading the X-Men comics till the mid-2000s, it’s just odd how no one has connected the dots that Professor X has a connection to the X-Men. They live in the same house! And it’s not like the X-Men don’t stand out even in civilian clothes. Didn’t anybody ever realize how odd it is that the school for “gifted youngsters� only had a handful of grown adults living there?
Man, it’s been a while since reading something X-Men related and not having Professor X being a shady b!tch. It’s odd. I will say Professor X is a little too idealized here. Sure, at the end of the Krakoa era comics went a little too far in the shady category, but this book has the opposite problem. Also the CNN interview is a bit silly between him, Kelly, and Creed. It’s odd how the book act as if the Professor X won the debate when the writer didn’t show us the debate. It was also funny him calling Senator Kelly a good person when the only thing I’ve ever seen him in is X-Men 97 when he at the end of the season shoots a missile at the X-men almost killing them.
But overall the book is fun book and I enjoyed it a lot. A great first book to read while getting back into reading.
It was neat how each chapter had a little picture in the beginning. It was nice seeing Ron Lim and Terry Austin’s art again; I haven’t seen their work since the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog days. Funny enough, I’ve never been a big fan of Ron Lim’s art back in his Sonic days. But, hey, maybe I just miss the old comic and will take any reminder of my childhood. That being said, he’s much better at drawing X-Men characters than Sonic characters.
It’s also nice to see some lesser known mutants involved like Amelia, Suvik Senyaka, and Carmella Unuscione. I just think that’s cool. This is why I love X-Men, you always just going to find some random mutant who's been existing for years beforehand.
I thought the action scenes were good and fun. I will admit I’m just getting back into reading chapter books since I was a teen and even then the only books I did read were Harry Potter, so I have read little action scenes in general, but I thought this book did great. Though I got a tad lost in the Star jammers� spaceship fight.
I will say some of the dialog was a bit janky. I’m too lazy to look up any examples and overall it’s a minor problem, so it’s not really a turn off.
Also, how they felt with the “no kill� rule was also flimsily done. Now mine you, I have no problem with superheroes not killing people. I just thought the book did it in a childish way. Like with how Storm’s team dealt with the military trying to kill them, I’m not saying I want the main heroes to start killing every enemy. I just think there could have been done in a more nuance way, and not as if it was a Saturday cartoon. Also, I thought it was funny how the X-Men are all “no we can’t kill anyone!� Then there’s Wolverine stabbing people. Heck, the only reason that one Acolyte even survived was because he got teleported away and had to be saved by Magneto.
Did Omega-level mutants exist in the 90s? I didn’t get into the comics until like 2007. It’s just odd seeing Iceman being all “woe is me� and thinking he’s one of the weaker mutants out there. Which is just odd, since he’s one of the more powerful mutants out there. I could understand if they played it similar to Micky from the 2012 TMNT series, where he has the potential of being a great ninja but is a goofball, but in the story they play Bobby way too serious for that kind of story.
I will say as someone who didn’t start reading the X-Men comics till the mid-2000s, it’s just odd how no one has connected the dots that Professor X has a connection to the X-Men. They live in the same house! And it’s not like the X-Men don’t stand out even in civilian clothes. Didn’t anybody ever realize how odd it is that the school for “gifted youngsters� only had a handful of grown adults living there?
Man, it’s been a while since reading something X-Men related and not having Professor X being a shady b!tch. It’s odd. I will say Professor X is a little too idealized here. Sure, at the end of the Krakoa era comics went a little too far in the shady category, but this book has the opposite problem. Also the CNN interview is a bit silly between him, Kelly, and Creed. It’s odd how the book act as if the Professor X won the debate when the writer didn’t show us the debate. It was also funny him calling Senator Kelly a good person when the only thing I’ve ever seen him in is X-Men 97 when he at the end of the season shoots a missile at the X-men almost killing them.
But overall the book is fun book and I enjoyed it a lot. A great first book to read while getting back into reading.
August 8, 2022
X-Men: Mutant Empire: Book 1: Siege, By Christopher Golden is a original superhero prose based off Marvel Comic’s X-MEN.
The book is split into two parallel conflicts. The first, concerning Magneto’s takeover of Project: Wideawake, is deeply enjoyable. The second, a rescue mission on the Kree homeworld of Hala, is a frustrating mess. What hurts this structure the most is how disjointed the stories feel. There is the thinnest hint of similarity in themes, both discussing a battle against oppression, but it also carries an overwhelming feeling that only half the book is relevant. Splitting up the cast allows Golden to highlight multiple facets of the X-Men, but it also halts momentum every time the narrative shifts.
The highlight of the book is the Magneto plot. The master of magnetism plots and plans to take over the Sentinel’s, the mutant hunting robots, at the US Government’s Project: Wideawake with the help of his zealous followers, the Acolytes. Here we get to understand the conflict from all sides, Magneto’s drive to create a mutant homeland, Xavier’s dream of peaceful co-existence, Amelia Voght’s skepticism and desperation, and Val Cooper’s desire to avoid anything that would make her life harder. Golden is at his peak when he taps into these character’s core and positions them around the conflict. He is less successful with the X-Men proper, Storm, Bishop, Wolverine, Iceman, and Beast. They all have a unique voice but are more passive observers than active participants.
Less successful is Cyclops� mission to rescue his father from Deathbird’s prison on Hala. Cyclops is written as the same dry character he was throughout the 90s, and the book suffers for it. Of the rest of his team, only Jean Grey gets any significant characterization. Rogue, Gambit, and Archangel get very little to do beside get into fights. Worse is the switch to Deathbird as the antagonist, she is a subtle and nuanced as the name suggests. Golden tries to add color by focusing on her lieutenant Gladiator, but his inaction in the face of evil only frustrates readers. This story feels like filler, padding to make this a trilogy, and the book is worse for it. It is incredibly skip able and half of a novel should not feel like that.
X-Men: Mutant Empire: Book 1: Siege is an interesting, if flawed, book. The parallel structure is a massive flaw, and the shift in quality between the sections only amplifies this. There is a chapter in the middle of the book where Charles Xavier debates an anti-mutant activist and an unfriendly politician, all sides laying out their fears, it is gripping. If the entire book could be this smart, this interested in examining the place of mutants in the world, it would be a must read. Unfortunately, Golden drops the ball when it comes to the sci-fi action. Both arcs end on cliff hangers, one fascinating with a promising hook for the rest of the series. The other, groan inducing and promising that the story will continue to drag forward. There is a lot to love and hate in equal measure here, making it hard to recommend to anyone except the most die hard X-Fan.
January 23, 2025
This novel shines not only for its action but also for how it delves into the characters' personal struggles and thoughts, which comics often don’t fully capture. The novel takes the time to explore the everyday lives of the X-Men, showcasing their emotional depth and inner conflicts, particularly as they navigate a world that fears their power. The inclusion of Magneto and his Acolytes adds a powerful layer to the story, as Magneto’s radical beliefs and actions challenge the X-Men’s more hopeful approach to human-mutant relations. The Acolytes, loyal to Magneto, show how dangerous extreme ideologies can become when followers blindly worship a leader, no matter the harm caused. Golden uses these characters to create a nuanced narrative that isn't just about external battles but also about the internal and ideological wars fought within and between groups, making the stakes feel much higher.
November 27, 2019
[ insert X-MEX theme song] whew this little thing is dense and has such small printing 🤷🏾♀�. Okay so one, can we all agree that X-men animated, print, or live action is just a soap opera with powers! Second ,we all love it anyway. If you’re a fan of all that then you might enjoy this. At first I wasn’t a fan of this book having me follow two different stories because as previously mentioned DRAMA I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed or been able to deal with just one. I say this because you get to read about the whole team and not just a few. Anywho BOOKS!
January 29, 2022
Is it nostalgia? Probably, but I did love this novel, and the narrator did a great job, too. I read this novel when I was a teenager back in the day, so revisiting it as an adult in audio form was quite the treat. There are two stories happening concurrently, and both are exciting and dynamic. The characters are faithful to the visions I have had of them in my mind, visions I’ve carried with me since I started reading the comics and watching the cartoon in the 90s when I was a kid. This was great, like revisiting old friends. Such a delight.
April 19, 2024
I get that this book is a first in the trilogy - but it’s structure as an A story and B story, both of which end on a cliffhanger, just leaves a meh feeling at the end of the book. The A story of Magneto’s threat is infinitely more interesting than the B story of Cyclops� space dad being in space jail.
It’s a fine book, nothing special, an easy read. Let’s see if the rest of the trilogy can up the ante.
It’s a fine book, nothing special, an easy read. Let’s see if the rest of the trilogy can up the ante.
March 1, 2020
This book was a RIDE.
The characters were true to who they were in the comics and it was quite mature while not being overwrought, which I have run into reading Marvel novels. I was engaged the whole way through, the action scenes were well written and paced, and I wasn't bored at any point even though most of this book really was just setup for book two.
And man oh man, that ending got me.
The characters were true to who they were in the comics and it was quite mature while not being overwrought, which I have run into reading Marvel novels. I was engaged the whole way through, the action scenes were well written and paced, and I wasn't bored at any point even though most of this book really was just setup for book two.
And man oh man, that ending got me.
August 27, 2020
3½ stars rounded up to 4
A good translation of the X-Men from comic book to novel format as we would expect from the author.
What detracted from my enjoyment we the sickly sweet 'only one for...', 'his lady love' and other variants repeated ad nauseum throughout the book, makes the author sound like a lovesick 9th grade schoolboy.
Recommended with the above caveat.
A good translation of the X-Men from comic book to novel format as we would expect from the author.
What detracted from my enjoyment we the sickly sweet 'only one for...', 'his lady love' and other variants repeated ad nauseum throughout the book, makes the author sound like a lovesick 9th grade schoolboy.
Recommended with the above caveat.
November 12, 2020
Mmm, not my favorite superhero book, but serviceable. I don’t care for the Shi’Ar, didn’t care much for two different and distinct storylines with two teams. Nothing new for the characters, and seeing them like this lets me see how cliche they are. I’m not sure I care enough to read the other two books in the trilogy.
August 1, 2023
I would say I would give this a 4.5. I liked it a lot, however; the split between the two groups kind of through me off. I liked both stories and how they tie together and I look forward to Sanctuary.
May 2, 2020
334 - 2020
April 29, 2022
3 🌟 I did enjoy this book but I thought it didn't really pick up till the end. Character development was lacking.
June 30, 2023
Felt like two stories in one book. Would have been better if they focused on one.
September 3, 2023
Peak 90s style X-Men story. Sentinels?! Star Jammers?! Sign me up. A fun read and I look forward to book 2.
October 16, 2013
I awaited my copy of X-Men Mutant Empire: Siege, in my mailbox with a bit of boyish expectation. This genre is special to me being a comic book fan and collector. My anticipation was heightened by the odd reality that these kinds of books are hard to find. I could not find this novel anywhere in my area. You would think that Marvel and DC would have an excess of novels based on their characters but the reality is that there's only a smattering of these books available.
As I began to read, the one thing that struck me was the constant explanation of back story and lore. The first 80 or so pages are filled with explanations of what had gone on in the past with different characters. If you're a comic fan, you already know most if not all of this already which makes you want to skim or skip those portions. If you are new, it reads like a compendium more than a story. In either case, it only serves to take away from the progression of the plot and makes it appear like a hackneyed Silver Age comic. This was disappointing as I had read Golden's previous work in Daredevil's Predator's Smile and it wasn't like this.
There's a bit of a problem with these kinds of novels because they are written to fit into the continuity of the Marvel universe instead of being stand alone stories. That is part of the reason for writing this way I surmise which wouldn't be Golden's fault but Marvel's policy. But you can't write a novel like a comic.
Though the plot wasn't bad, there was much more telling than there was showing in the writing style. It seemed rushed, and the character development was one-dimensional, like Golden didn't have a firm grasp of how to handle this amount of characters. I don't believe this has anything to do with the time period the book was written. I just think that this is not some of Golden's better work.
Though I gave this a two star review, it's more like two and a half (ŷ should really implement the ability to rate in half stars). I have the other books in the trilogy but it will be a while before I get to them.
As I began to read, the one thing that struck me was the constant explanation of back story and lore. The first 80 or so pages are filled with explanations of what had gone on in the past with different characters. If you're a comic fan, you already know most if not all of this already which makes you want to skim or skip those portions. If you are new, it reads like a compendium more than a story. In either case, it only serves to take away from the progression of the plot and makes it appear like a hackneyed Silver Age comic. This was disappointing as I had read Golden's previous work in Daredevil's Predator's Smile and it wasn't like this.
There's a bit of a problem with these kinds of novels because they are written to fit into the continuity of the Marvel universe instead of being stand alone stories. That is part of the reason for writing this way I surmise which wouldn't be Golden's fault but Marvel's policy. But you can't write a novel like a comic.
Though the plot wasn't bad, there was much more telling than there was showing in the writing style. It seemed rushed, and the character development was one-dimensional, like Golden didn't have a firm grasp of how to handle this amount of characters. I don't believe this has anything to do with the time period the book was written. I just think that this is not some of Golden's better work.
Though I gave this a two star review, it's more like two and a half (ŷ should really implement the ability to rate in half stars). I have the other books in the trilogy but it will be a while before I get to them.
May 25, 2021
I didn't fancy Christopher Golden's X-Men: Codename Wolverine (1998) that much (which actually takes place after this trilogy) but his X-Men: Mutant Empire Trilogy (1997) was simply awesome! You'll like it if you're a comics fan but you'll love it if you're an admirer of the 90s X-Men Animated Series. I felt like I was watching an arc of the show when I was reading these three entertaining stories.
The plot was amazing, the characterisation was top-notch and the only difference that I had noted between these novels and the show was that the former were more adult-orientated as of course it wasn't a cartoon designed for kids.
There were two flaws that I found both with Book #2 Sanctuary and Book #3 Salvation. One was that there were too many characters. Secondly, there was an overabundance of side plots. I felt that these aspects would have been handled better in the graphic format.
Nevertheless, Christopher Golden's X-Men Mutant Empire Trilogy is a must-read especially for enthusiasts of the comics. It's just sad that the last two entries were not perfect like their predecessor, again, due to having an excessive number of individuals and an inordinate amount of subplots.
#1 Siege: 5 out of 5
#2 Sanctuary: 4 out of 5
#3 Salvation: 4 out of 5
You can read a copy of this review on my website here:
The plot was amazing, the characterisation was top-notch and the only difference that I had noted between these novels and the show was that the former were more adult-orientated as of course it wasn't a cartoon designed for kids.
There were two flaws that I found both with Book #2 Sanctuary and Book #3 Salvation. One was that there were too many characters. Secondly, there was an overabundance of side plots. I felt that these aspects would have been handled better in the graphic format.
Nevertheless, Christopher Golden's X-Men Mutant Empire Trilogy is a must-read especially for enthusiasts of the comics. It's just sad that the last two entries were not perfect like their predecessor, again, due to having an excessive number of individuals and an inordinate amount of subplots.
#1 Siege: 5 out of 5
#2 Sanctuary: 4 out of 5
#3 Salvation: 4 out of 5
You can read a copy of this review on my website here:
March 28, 2014
Having read X-men comics in my teen years, I decided to read this trilogy to see how transferring a comic to a print novel would work.
Not bad. I gave it my usual three stars. Like Star Trek or Doctor Who, it is aimed at those who are already fans of the X-men from their comic-book series.
Magneto, the X-men's long time enemy get a group of the evil mutants together and basically takes over Manhattan, renaming it Haven and inviting all mutants to join them.
In this series, the X-men are split up--Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Gambit and Archangel are off in outer space on a mission. So, to stop Magneto we have five X-men only--Storm, Bishop, Iceman, the Beast and the powerful Wolverine.
In true comic book style, the action moves from one group to the other, first Manhattan, then outer space; back to Earth; switch scenes to the Starjammers' ship and so on.
We of course end of a cliffhanger so we can go on to Book 2 in the trilogy.....
With the X-men written true to form and a typical X-men plot this should please most fans. Regular SF readers may want to try it as well.
Btw, try to find all three books in the series before starting as volumes 1 and 2 both end in cliffhangers.
Not bad. I gave it my usual three stars. Like Star Trek or Doctor Who, it is aimed at those who are already fans of the X-men from their comic-book series.
Magneto, the X-men's long time enemy get a group of the evil mutants together and basically takes over Manhattan, renaming it Haven and inviting all mutants to join them.
In this series, the X-men are split up--Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Gambit and Archangel are off in outer space on a mission. So, to stop Magneto we have five X-men only--Storm, Bishop, Iceman, the Beast and the powerful Wolverine.
In true comic book style, the action moves from one group to the other, first Manhattan, then outer space; back to Earth; switch scenes to the Starjammers' ship and so on.
We of course end of a cliffhanger so we can go on to Book 2 in the trilogy.....
With the X-men written true to form and a typical X-men plot this should please most fans. Regular SF readers may want to try it as well.
Btw, try to find all three books in the series before starting as volumes 1 and 2 both end in cliffhangers.
December 13, 2010
I never know how to rate these. Do you rate a book for what it is or what against all other literature? Obviously Mr. Golden knew quite well that he was not writing the next "Grate Expectations" (That's G-R-A-T-E Expectations). So my new system is that books of the paperback, read-em-and-chuck-em brain dump category get a maximum star count of 3. 3 is the new five anyway (everyone knows this). They are easy, quick, fun adventures. And I would be ashamed of my own nerdyness if I had the self-consciousness to be so. However, I enjoy them, I think I read this in just over an hour and a half. The action is well narrated. The characters do not deviate from their stock comic book counterparts. I will probably never find the second book in this series, but if I did I would read it. Loving it. Just plain loving it.
October 9, 2013
This is the second X-Men novel I've read and I have to say that it was much better than the other. This book was released back in the mid-90's and it shows a bit. However, the mid-90's were a great time for the superhero team, so that's definitely not a point against it. This book had a much better way of getting me to connect to the characters and make me forget I was reading a book based on a comic. I really picked this book up because Gambit was on the cover and Gambit is awesome. This book focused on two different story lines. One with a team on Earth dealing with Magneto. One with a team on an alien planet dealing with the Shi'ar empire. Both were good, but the Shi'ar story line was better. The Magneto story line didn't really pick up until the last couple of chapters. This was a great book and I'm very much looking forward to the next in the series. Yay X-Men!
August 10, 2009
I read the Mutant Empire series as one book. I found it to be an enjoyable read and much less childish than I might have initially expected. The story is about Magneto, a powerful mutant taking actions to create a society for mutants and eventually expand to take over large portions of the planet. Of course, The X-Men intervene.
In the first book, Magneto and his crew attack a secret military base and take control of Sentinals, giant robots of immense power. With the Sentinals, Magneto and his group take over Manhatten.
At the same time, Cyclops finds out his father is to be executed on another planet.
The X-Men divide into two groups to attempt to tackle both missions.
In the first book, Magneto and his crew attack a secret military base and take control of Sentinals, giant robots of immense power. With the Sentinals, Magneto and his group take over Manhatten.
At the same time, Cyclops finds out his father is to be executed on another planet.
The X-Men divide into two groups to attempt to tackle both missions.
June 7, 2015
Book one of a trilogy, there are two teams, one led by Cyclops, the other led by Storm. Loaded with storylines, I am impressed with this book. Typically I only care about Wolverine, but I was captivated throughout the whole story. There were times where the word choices the author used was entrancing. Neither storyline concludes at the end; merely a definitive breakpoint in which to gain a resolution you must read the next book, which is fine since I bought all three already, but for others who may be looking to read one know they are not standalones.
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