The story is told in different points of view through either Batman, The Huntress, Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon relating events that are occurring to them at the time making the character portrayal better than any comic can give, where their thoughts, fears and despair are all noted in detail and help add to humanise the characters from the two-dimensional characters we've seen in the past. The Batman being the most interesting, having being victim of destruction and adaption throughout his whole life, with the death of his parents, death of Jason Todd (Robin II), having his back broken by Bane, both cases of the Clench disease and now finally the destruction of his beloved city, we see him have to try and change his whole attitude to survival, fighting crime and guardianship over his colleagues just to survive in this new destroyed Gotham.
If you're a follower of the comic series, you'll find that not all the NML adventures were able to put into print. i.e. there are no mention of little known players like Azrael. But this does not lessen the novelised version of the NML story in anyway.
So, if you feel you need a change from the comic adventures of the Batman or you feel like reliving and adventure of a childhood hero, you'll find that you cant go wrong by reading this book. RECOMMENDED for a fantastic read!
If you are seeking a Fairy Tale, this isn't the book for you. If you like a cutting edge and a darkness to your books you might want to take a look. Not as Dark as Vachss' Bat but close. This Bat is much more real than the old Silver Age one. He grew up.
After a massive earthquake levels Gotham, the US government cuts off support and blocks off the city from the rest of the country. Arkham Asylum's most dangerous inmates are freed, and gang wars rage as each take various chunks of Gotham for themselves. This is the situation Batman and his allies find themselves in in No Man's Land, a massive crossover that ran between 1998/1999. Vol. 1 of this collected edition contains two story arcs; the first highlights a new, unknown Batgirl, Batman's return to Gotham, and the beginnings of Jim Gordon's vow to retake his city. The second story features Huntress and the Scarecrow as they deal with a weapons cache hidden beneath a refugee center.
While DC seems to have gotten carried away with massive crossover arcs after the infamous "Knightfall" saga, "No Man's Land" is an excellent read. Characters are stripped of their normal trappings and forced to fend for themselves in new and interesting ways. Batman operates in daylight to make his presence known; Jim Gordon resorts to unethical tactics by turning gangs against each other; even Scarecrow finds new ways to create fear without his toxins. What helps "No Man's Land" trememdously is that while each chapter of a story was published in a different Batman title, they retained the same writer and visual team. The continuity is served much better this way, without awkward pauses while switching writers or varying art styles that distract from the story. The art itself is very good, conveying the hopelessness of ruined Gotham. It's nothing overly spectacular or notable as far as comics go, but it's a solid effort.
Again, the writing is very good. I'd say that the Scarecrow story could've been trimmed down by a quarter and not lost anything, but it still does a good job portraying the ethical and moral dilemas that come in times of need. Highly recommended, though be sure to read Batman: Cataclysm first to get some background on the actual earthquake itself.