The cover of this book depicts former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson wielding a gun while wearing a suggestive outfit with an awkward smile on her face, much like a lot of these promo pics where superstars and divas are told to smile in the most unnatural, unrealistic way possible. You look at this cover and you’re wondering why anyone would want to read this in public?
After much hesitation and consternation due to the reading of many reviews and other elements too embarrassing to mention, I relented and picked up Big Apple Takedown about a week ago. I kept my readings of this book to before my bedtime, which makes me thankful that I am still single and not seeing anyone.
For those who don’t know about the book, it’s the recent WWE novel that features select WWE superstars being drafted and trained by the government to form a black-ops group, charged with the mission of taking down a drug ring in New York… all before the big show in Madison Square Garden. I swear to God, if it were possible to make this up…
Make no mistake about it. The plot is downright stupid, the cover is embarrassing, and some of the dialogue and situations are so unbelievable that it borders on pure camp. And that’s probably the whole point of this thing in the first place; these wrestler types that are seen all over the world involved in high-stakes espionage is something that demands a suspension of disbelief in order for this book to be more appreciated. This isn’t high art, it isn’t trying to be high art, it’s never going to be high art. It’s camp; plain and simple.
Even within the realm of camp – and I do enjoy me some good camp – some of the dialogue and depictions come across as pure cringe. Yeah, the cover ensures this is something best read during your private time, but on the flip side, is a poorly written camp book something you’d really want to spend your private time on? I don’t know; maybe it is. Some of you folks might think that way.
Big Apple Takedown requires a certain mindset to be enjoyed and if you can maintain that mindset throughout, you may get a kick out of this one. Is this any better or worse than WWE’s other attempt at prose fiction, the previously released Journey Into Darkness novel that attempts some cohesive narrative into the discombobulated history of Kane? I don’t know. It’s more or less the same thing. I got a couple more chuckles out of this book than I did the other. I don’t know if that counts for something, but there you go.
dtm666 