During a baseball game, Clark discovers a chunk of Red Kryptonite. Immediately tempted by it, he nonetheless buries it.
Meanwhile, a french exchange student, Jamie, is proving to be popular with the ladies, including Lana and Chloe. Soon, Clark is experiencing jealousy and, in a desperate attempt to gain the confidence he needs to regain Lana's attention, Clark recovers the Red K. Reasoning that as long as he limits his exposure, he won't go homicidal, Clark lets Red Clark out to play... But the longer he becomes Red Clark, the harder it becomes for him to stop. But Clark's not the only one becoming addicted to power: Jamie soon reveals a problem he has with self-combustion... A problem which he must steal breath... killing the doner in the process... to stave off. But as the bodies pile up, it remains a question as to whether the real threat is Jamie... or Clark. |
I'm
almost done with the middle-aged series now (only one left to go). This
was the one I was most excited about since I loved the RedK story with
Clark in the Smallville series, but this book didn't deliver as well as
some of the others.
It was interesting to see Clark's struggling with the RedK, and I didn't know he could tolerate it for short periods. The author invented a new meteor freak character for the purpose of plot - a boy of smoke and fire - which was a creative enough invention for this sort of story, and of course he gets involved with Lana, the girl who may as well have a meteor ability of her own to attract any man in town. (sigh)
The timeline seems to be before his big Metropolis crime spree but after the school ring purchase, after the prom dance with Chloe that didn't go anywhere but before she knows his secret, after Peter is aware of the secret and after Whitney has gone on to that great football field in the sky. The series isn't always consistent on getting it all right with adhering to the series storylines, but I'm thinking this one is a little more loyal to the series.
No Lex Luthor hurt the story since he has shown to be a drawing character in the other books (and show). The Kents, Chloe, Lana and Pete are around - I miss Pete the "boss" Ross
Overall it's an okay edition that, even with the RedK, misses some of the layers I'd like it to have.
It was interesting to see Clark's struggling with the RedK, and I didn't know he could tolerate it for short periods. The author invented a new meteor freak character for the purpose of plot - a boy of smoke and fire - which was a creative enough invention for this sort of story, and of course he gets involved with Lana, the girl who may as well have a meteor ability of her own to attract any man in town. (sigh)
The timeline seems to be before his big Metropolis crime spree but after the school ring purchase, after the prom dance with Chloe that didn't go anywhere but before she knows his secret, after Peter is aware of the secret and after Whitney has gone on to that great football field in the sky. The series isn't always consistent on getting it all right with adhering to the series storylines, but I'm thinking this one is a little more loyal to the series.
No Lex Luthor hurt the story since he has shown to be a drawing character in the other books (and show). The Kents, Chloe, Lana and Pete are around - I miss Pete the "boss" Ross
Overall it's an okay edition that, even with the RedK, misses some of the layers I'd like it to have.

