The Phantom of Manhattan

Rating:
Summary: one star is too generous for this book
Review: trash. aside from murdering the story of the phantom altogether, this book is an insult to every thinking person out there. the book was so bad I actually laughed out loud during the supposed 'tearjerking' moments. spare yourself and don't bother reading this one.

Rating:
Summary: Poor, very poor....
Review: Very, very poor writing, story, plot....just about EVERYTHING in this book truly sucked (sorry for the slang, but it really did suck). DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE for this sorry book. It's flat, unbelievable and the Phantom is nothing like Leroux, Susan Kay....even the pathatic ALW. I read this book only once and will probably never pick it up again. I paid $1.00 for a hardcover and even that was TOO much. Only reason I have this book is so I can say it's in my Phantom Library....I don't even want to give it one star....

Try these books instead:

Phantom by Susan Kay
Beauty by Robin McKinley
The essential Phantom of the Opera by Leonard Wolf
Progeny by Becky Meadows
Phantasy by Becky Meadows

and, of course:

The Phantom of the Opera (original) by Gaston Leroux

Rating:
Summary: I think Gaston Leroux is rolling in his grave!!
Review: What were Forsyth and Webber thinking when they conjured up this idea and story?? When I first bought this book, it was against my better judgement. I knew after reading other Phans' reviews from various websites about how lousy the book was, I should have never even laid eyes on it. Did I listen? NOoooo!
It says on the front of the cover at the bottom: "The stunning continuation of the timeless classic "The Phantom of the Opera." I think someone should have thrown one of Erik's punjab lassos onto the whole idea and yanked it off Mr. Forsyth's desk.
In Gaston's original book, we find out that Erik died of a broken heart. But not before he goes to see his old friend, the Persian, and emotionally relates the story of how he set Christine free to marry Raoul -- because she had shared the Phantom's sorrow and cried with him. So, our beloved Phantom is dead.
Now, I have no problem with bringing the Phantom back to life in another story. But, if you are going to do so, would you mind making sure that your own story doesn't contradict the original or even the musical that was based on it?
Also, give your characters some emotions and feelings, please. Gaston's characters had expressed themselves with many tears, plenty of anger, joy and happiness. The characters in this so-called sequel, hardly had any emotions to speak of. They were just cardboard characters.
And for pity's sake, if you're going to write in a death scene for one of your major characters, please don't be so abrupt about it! Gaston devoted an entire chapter called:
"The End Of The Ghost's Love Story" when the Phantom was dying from his broken heart. It was one of the most emotional chapters I had ever read!

Thank goodness "Phantom of Manhattan" was never made into a musical. It would have never made it past Broadway.