Death Note: Another Note (Novel) [Hardcover]

Of course, it goes without saying that those who aren't fans of Death Note need not even consider reading this book. Similarly, those who spent the series rooting for Light (you poor saps!) may be a bit bummed out by the story found herein. Another Note has little to do with Shinigami, with Kira, or with Yagami San. Thankfully, it also has nothing to do with Misa. God, I hate Misa. No, this is not a key extension of the Death Note saga. Instead, it tells the story briefly alluded to in the series, the story of the bizarre series of murders that resulted in L working with Naomi Misora. It's a proper detective novel, in the sense that it features a group of sleuths working to solve a mystery whose solution isn't known to the audience until the very end (although they are invited to play along). The mystery in question is that of the Los Angeles BB murder cases, a series of grizzly homicides scattered throughout L.A. The scene of each killing is laden with hidden clues that can point those clever enough to decode them to the next victim. For reasons all his own, L sees this as a direct challenge to himself, and after three murders have taken place, he steps in to prevent the fourth. He uses his substantial influence to recruit Misora (whom he chose virtually by chance), manipulating her through his own clever and indirect means.

The strengths of the novel are many. First of all, it's a dream come true for L fans (trust me, I adore the hell out of that sugar-sucking insomniac, so I know what I'm talking about). It reveals a good deal about his background and the nature of his work, allowing readers a peak behind the smoke and mirrors with which he operates. It cements his legend as the greatest detective the world has ever seen, and simultaneously reveals his most dangerous weaknesses and compulsions. Indeed, this is as much a study of L's passive-aggressive ego as it is a look at his phenomenal detective skills. And then there's the fact that Another Note is simply a gripping story- it's got a dark atmosphere, great characters, and a labyrinthine plot (with a solution that'll turn your brain inside out). It's also quite refreshing to see a story where Naomi Misora isn't a wasted opportunity (from a narrative standpoint). Her death in the series itself was stunningly untimely, as her obvious intelligence and resolve could have made her a truly compelling character. Here, she reaches her potential, working beside L with startling ability and intuition.

A few flaws knock this book down a peg: The beginning is a bit boring, and the ending (despite the cool denouement) feels rushed and dry. The final chapter is a dreary, abstracted explanation of the mystery's solution, its tone suggesting that the author simply wanted to finish the damn novel and get on with his life. It's a strangely anticlimactic way to finish things off, and it saps the story's resolution of its inherent drama. In addition, there are a few other hackneyed plot contrivances. And the character names are terrible.

But these little things aside, Another Note is an excellent novel, and author's hints that a couple more prequels are forthcoming fill me with smiles.

I was really disappointed the fun was over after the Death Note series ended, so it was a no-brainer I'd pick up "Death Note: Another Note" when I saw it in a bookstore one afternoon. I had no expectations, and all I can say is "what a page turner it is!" This novel does what I wish more books would do when based on an existing property. It's fleshes out the backstory hinted at of major characters, and secondary characters that served their purpose in the main story, but you wanted to know more about. Best of all, you don't feel let down with the new knowledge. DNAN keeps up the suspense and tension that the original series had, and manages to throw in some unexpected twists that really surprised me, especially considering this is a prequel of sorts (you'll understand soon enough). Author, Nisiosin is to be commended on an excellent addition to the Death Note mythos, and I hope to read more translations of his work.

A prose novel spinoff of the popular manga?
It's about L instead of Light?
Huh. Sounds worth a look.
And it was...kind of.

This book is a prequel to the Death Note series. It covers the Los Angeles BB Serial Murders that are briefly mentioned in the manga. It tells of the first time L ever worked with FBI Agent Naomi Misora, arguably his greatest collaborator.

What's interesting is that, unlike a lot of whodunnit mysteries, this one is actually more effective with a second reading. As a Death Note fan, I found the first reading of chapter two mildly intriguing. When I reread it after finishing the book and knowing who the killer was, that chapter became much darker, creepier, and more engaging. The same can be said about other parts of the book, but it was most effective here.

Another unusual thing about this book is the way it's written. Essentially, its narrated by L's protege, Mello. He starts out by trying to write about the case like he was writting a true crime report; very straight forward and admittingly speculative. Very quickly though, his tone changes to that of a novelist. He ends up writing down what the characters are thinking or feeling. Only occasionally does he catch himself and revert back to the other style. Mello even interrupts the story at various points when he has a problem with how he worded a certain sentence or how he had a character speak. It gave me the feeling that I was looking over Mello's shoulder as he was writing it. This all provided some quirky, self-aware humor at parts where the book risked becoming too ridiculous. Also, it was an interesting way to provide infodumps and backstory when it was needed.

There were some problems though.

First, is a bizarre contradiction with the rules established in the Death Note canon. Not only that, but it's never really explained. Both Mello and the real author just expect us to accept it without question.

Second, when you finally get to the final chapter and realize what was truly at stake if the mystery wasn't solved, you want to yell out, "So What?" Although L admits in the manga that he's childish and hates to lose, his reasons (and Mello's justifications for those reasons) for getting involved in the BB case make him come across as uncharacteristically petty.

Third, the names of most of the characters are unbelievably stupid. The best example would be "Backyard Bottomslash" (no, I'm not joking). Unless Mello "changed names to protect the innocent", there is no reason for having such bizarre names. If they had been used in a comedic manner (much like Mello's inconsistent narration style), that'd be one thing. They weren't, and they really weakened the parts of the book that we're expected to take seriously.

This book is only recommended for fans of the manga. If you're a Death Note fan, you'll have certain expectations while reading the book which will make the twist ending that much more surprising. For anyone else, the twist will lose all of its power because they will not have said expectations.

This book was decent, but it "cooled" my enthusiasm for any future Death Note Spinoffs. If you want something truly great, stick with the original.

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