Review:
Review: Iron Man - Virus by Alex Irvine

Virus is the second Iron Man novel to be published by Titan Books, but it is a standalone story that does not require any knowledge of the previous book. Knowledge of the world of Iron Man is essential however, as the novel does not pander to the uninitiated – there is no origin or back story here and characters are dropped in with the expectation that the reader will already know who they are.

The book begins with mentalist and genetic supremacist Arnim Zola replacing Madame Hydra as the head of the sinister HYDRA organisation. Zola goes on to set up a new base in New York with the intention of getting rid of Iron Man once and for all. Meanwhile, Tony Stark is busy in his lab losing himself in his work on a new technology called ‘instant control’, not realising that Zola has plans to steal this technology so that he can use it against him.

The book is the size of a typical pulp paperback novel and the 283 pages can be easily digested in a short number of sittings. The prose of the book is brisk and tight, moving the story along at a snappy pace without sagging or wearing the reader out. The action scenes are deftly executed and the climax is appropriately nail-biting. Thankfully, characterisation is not completely overlooked, and the protagonists and antagonists alike all receive careful attention to make you care about what happens to them. A nice touch is found at the beginning of every chapter – we are either treated to an excerpt of a Stark Industries patent application, or a rousing speech made by Zola to one of more of his HYDRA cronies.

The only criticism I have is that, as a fan of Marvel comics, the story is lacking somewhat in its wider context. Is this the Iron Man from the classic Marvel universe, the Ultimate version, or the version seen recently in the movie (directed by Jon Favreau and released in 2009)? Although Nick Fury and SHIELD feature prominently in the story, there is no mention of the Avengers or the other superheros based in New York. Neither is there any reference to the recent Civil War, Secret Invasion or Dark Reign stories from the comics.

This is a minor quibble however, and as a standalone novel it works a treat. The author Alex Irvine clearly knows both the material and how to churn out a decent ripping yarn. Hopefully we’ll see more quality stories like this from Titan Books in the future.