Novelizations are a tricky thing, especially if you’re working from a film that roundly sucks. While I haven’t seen the Milla Jovovich film on which Yvonne Navarro’s ULTRAVIOLET is based, it’s taken quite a beating. Navarro does what she can with lackluster material.

In the 22nd century, man thumbs his nose at a race known as “hemophages,” which is the futuristic euphemism for vampires. One of them is Violet, whose blood was infected against her will and is seeking a cure. She’s kind of at odds with both humans and hemophages, which only escalates when she comes into possession of a briefcase purportedly containing a weapon that either side can use to eliminate the other. Inside, she’s surprised to find a boy. Named Six, he’s so quiet he may as well be mute. He’s also a clone with genetic makeup wanted by both sides. Violet’s maternal instinct kicks in; she kicks ass.

At first, the book is a challenge, because there’s too much backstory, too much explanation and exposition. It’s about 50 pages in before Violet really takes an active role, and 100 before the plot actually takes hold. That plot feels more like a subplot, and the characters are thinly drawn, which is probably more the fault of screenwriter Kurt Wimmer than Navarro. But like the movie, I assume, this is not about story; it’s about action, with Violet forever running up walls and on ceilings, thanks to a gyroscope.

In that aspect, Navarro performs quite well, describing it as quickly as you’d expect to see it take place onscreen. (She’s had plenty of practice, responsible for similar cinematic she-woman novelizations of SPECIES and ELEKTRA). It’s upfront where she falters; some readers may not stick it through to reach the good stuff. ULTRAVIOLET is by no means essential, but it’s an agreeable time-passer. –Rod Lott

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