Brief Thoughts on The Shadow

It has been a VERY long time since I read an entire book in less than 24 hours. That is exactly what I did with James Patterson’s The Shadow. I had only finished the first chapter or two when I wrote my blog yesterday. Once I picked it back up, I couldn’t put it down.

As I read it, it was just like listening to an old Shadow radio show. As a fan of the show, I wonder if that is what kept me turning pages. I was already familiar with the characters Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane, and I thoroughly enjoyed this new adventure.

I have to wonder if someone who is unfamiliar with the Shadow would find it as entertaining as I did. I don’t know. One really doesn’t need to know much about the show to enjoy it. While the cover of the book calls it “a thriller,” I guess it falls into the drama/adventure/sci-fi category in my opinion.

Here is the Amazon.com description:

Only two people know that 1930s society man Lamont Cranston has a secret identity as the Shadow, a crusader for justice. One is his greatest love, Margo Lane, and the other is fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. When Khan ambushes the couple, they must risk everything for the slimmest chance of survival . . . in the future.

A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a knowledge of the legend of the Shadow.

Most disturbing, Khan’s power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. And only the Shadow knows that he’s the one person who might succeed before more innocent lives are lost.

I won’t spoil the ending or give away any secrets. I will just say that I really hope that Patterson and Sitts decide to write more adventures with the Shadow. It is a character that, despite his age, still has many adventures to experience.