Iron Maiden Book:

Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams Reviews:
Ok, but the author seems ambivalent to the subject
2007-11-15 - Well, I'm a big Iron Maiden fan and I read this is in a day when I got it in the mid-90's. However, it's been made obsolete by Mick Wall's "Run To The Hills" (which has extensive background and interviews with band members). Also, the author of "Infinite Dreams" has some odd perspectives considering his subject and audience.
I mean, if you're writing a book on a heavy metal band, presumably your readers will be fans of the band. Yet he spends a lot of time making excuses for Iron Maiden being what they are - explaining why it's OK for them to write the kind of horror/storytelling lyrics they write, but seeming not completely convinced himself. There are many different aesthetics in the artistic world, and in a world that praises artists who splatter paint on a canvas or musicians who play bad on purpose and whine their whiny "poor me" lyrics, it seems odd to have to justify a band writing lyrics on history and literature, or writing thrilling lyrics to match an inherantly thrilling style of music. A heavy metal band tends to either sing about scary things or sex-n-rock-n-roll, just like a horror writer writes scary stories, or a children's film tends to avoid sex and violence.
Plus he sometimes makes comments regarding Iron Maiden's lyrics not being good. Compared to what, I wonder - have you ever listened to the other lyrics by rock and metal bands? Even the much-honored Dylan and Beatles have some lyrics that aren't nearly as good as Iron Maiden's "Revelations" or "Powerslave". Fact is, Iron Maiden's lyrics are probably in the top 10% of rock and metal lyrics (if not higher), and match their music perfectly. It seems rather strange to spend the time writing a book on a band like Iron Maiden and not even to appreciate their strengths!
Similarly, he kind of writes off the "Powerslave" album, which is (I believe) pretty widely considered one of the all-time classics of heavy metal. He does think their new album of the time (The X Factor) is far superior. Sadly, few would agree. I happen to be one of those who did really like the X Factor, but even I realize "Powerslave" was a masterpiece by artists at their peak and "The X Factor" is not!
I may note Dave Bowler also wrote a book on Def Leppard, in which I got the same feeling that he didn't think they were the greatest either. Writing on a musical group is of course a subjective thing, but while a record review or even magazine article is an appropriate place for an opinion, a band bio by someone who doesn't fully appreciate the band for what their strengths are is a little strange!

Pedantic
2003-04-07 - There were some interesting quotes, mostly from Bruce, but the book came off sounding like someone's term paper. Hope they got an "A."

Insightful, but not comprehensive
2000-12-06 - This title arrived on the shelves not that long before the official Iron Maiden biography, Run To The Hills, was published, and the differences between the two are naturally obvious. Whereas RTTH author Mick Wall had direct access to all present, and many past, Maiden members, the authors of Infinite Dreams had to make do with scouring press clippings, newspapers and magazines (and, daresay, their memories) to source this slender volume.

And they do an admirable job, although they do opinionate more than you may expect for a biography, and that gives the book more of an 'essay on Maiden' feel to it - refreshing in itself, tho unfortunately not entirely unbiased as you may desire.

If you had the choice between this and the official bio, go for the official. However, to get a slice of history, which - thanks to the quotes culled from years of interviews - Infinite Dreams is a winner.