What do you think?
Rate this book
Terminator Movie Novelisation #1b
The Terminator
A novel by Randall Frakes & Bill Wisher; based on a screenplay by James Cameron with Gale Anne Hurd.
More deadly than any man alive.
The time is now... but he comes from the Year of Darkness, 2029. He was created to reshape the future by destroying the present. He feels no pity, no pain, no fear. He feels nothing. He is an unstoppable killing machine programmed for murder. He is...
The Terminator
More deadly than any man alive.
The time is now... but he comes from the Year of Darkness, 2029. He was created to reshape the future by destroying the present. He feels no pity, no pain, no fear. He feels nothing. He is an unstoppable killing machine programmed for murder. He is...
The Terminator
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1985
48 people are currently reading
1402 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 4, 2017
The future is set.
We're all fucked.
We're all fucked.
November 2, 2013
It really is an eye opener when you get two novelisations, about the same film that are COMPLETELY different. The Terminator by Shaun Hutson, I have read, but I really wasn't too fussed about it. It was just average, and I didn't feel the need to review it.
However, I was eager to compare to this one, especially after re-watching the first film again. This copy of the book is definitely the superior version, in every which way. Every single character in this book, whether they were a big part of the film or not, get a back story. The guy at the start in the truck, the "punks" at the beginning who the Terminator takes the clothes from, even down to Sarah's fellow waitresses and boss get a back story and more time on the page, than they did on the screen.
Also the writng style is far better than the Shaun Hutson version. That edition felt very bland, considering they were both taken from the same screenplay, I find it hard to believe that they are so different!
I actually read the Terminator novelizations in a strange way, mainly because I didn't get the two copies of the first book until after I had read 2 and 3. Actually goes in the same order of how I rate them.
As with the other books, I do find this quite a slow read - it's packed full of description and obviously the characters get more of a chance to spread their wings. Not in any way is the film boring, but obviously certain characters and scenes were left on the cutting room floor, to give more time to the action scenes, rather than the development of characters who weren't really crucical to the storyline. My favourite characters were definitely Sarah's boss (who doesn't appear in the film at all), Ginger & Matt. There's a couple of extra scenes including the latter characters, which definitely would have been great to see on screen.
The action scenes are so very well described in the book, that you can almost smell the fire and feel the heavy tread of the Terminator's boots as he advances on his prey. Randall frakes definitely doesn't skimp on the description, but at the same time, it doesn't feel overly done or forced, like some authors can do. When they're describing a blade of grass for two pages - thankfully, in my opinion, that shows a bad writer.
I would still highly recommend reading the Shaun Hutson copy of this book, as long as you can get it for cheap - thankfully, these novelizationsrun reasonably well priced, even considering coming from the USA, if you're willing to wait. (Unlike some novelizations, these seem to have stayed in print, or had a high print run - I'm looking at you Labyrinth!) Even if it is just for comparison to the film, and to this book - both are definitely worth the price.
I am definitely interested in reading some of the Terminator spin off novels now.
However, I was eager to compare to this one, especially after re-watching the first film again. This copy of the book is definitely the superior version, in every which way. Every single character in this book, whether they were a big part of the film or not, get a back story. The guy at the start in the truck, the "punks" at the beginning who the Terminator takes the clothes from, even down to Sarah's fellow waitresses and boss get a back story and more time on the page, than they did on the screen.
Also the writng style is far better than the Shaun Hutson version. That edition felt very bland, considering they were both taken from the same screenplay, I find it hard to believe that they are so different!
I actually read the Terminator novelizations in a strange way, mainly because I didn't get the two copies of the first book until after I had read 2 and 3. Actually goes in the same order of how I rate them.
As with the other books, I do find this quite a slow read - it's packed full of description and obviously the characters get more of a chance to spread their wings. Not in any way is the film boring, but obviously certain characters and scenes were left on the cutting room floor, to give more time to the action scenes, rather than the development of characters who weren't really crucical to the storyline. My favourite characters were definitely Sarah's boss (who doesn't appear in the film at all), Ginger & Matt. There's a couple of extra scenes including the latter characters, which definitely would have been great to see on screen.
The action scenes are so very well described in the book, that you can almost smell the fire and feel the heavy tread of the Terminator's boots as he advances on his prey. Randall frakes definitely doesn't skimp on the description, but at the same time, it doesn't feel overly done or forced, like some authors can do. When they're describing a blade of grass for two pages - thankfully, in my opinion, that shows a bad writer.
I would still highly recommend reading the Shaun Hutson copy of this book, as long as you can get it for cheap - thankfully, these novelizationsrun reasonably well priced, even considering coming from the USA, if you're willing to wait. (Unlike some novelizations, these seem to have stayed in print, or had a high print run - I'm looking at you Labyrinth!) Even if it is just for comparison to the film, and to this book - both are definitely worth the price.
I am definitely interested in reading some of the Terminator spin off novels now.
February 4, 2025
4/5
This worked much better than the other novelization as a stand-alone novel.
This worked much better than the other novelization as a stand-alone novel.
February 25, 2024
Appearing from nowhere, the short hair smoking, skin coveted by white ash, the perfect muscled specimen with dark eyes, scanning like a target tracking radar, the Terminator was here. The classic line, "your clothes, give them to me". Then a fist into the sternum. The Terminator knows his weapons, picking them off the wall, blasting the gun shop owner. Scanning the Yellow Pages he finds three Sarah Connors. The first bullet in the forehead, the rest of the clip in the chest, exploding gourmet of goodies. A mention of an Apple Macintosh 128k with multiplan spreadsheet, haha. Two Sarah Connors dead. The last one is scared shitless. Trapped in a cool tech noir nightclub, Sarah waiting for the police. The Terminator pulls out the .45 with red laser pointed at Sarah's forehead. Sarah looks directly into the blackest deadliest barrel Resse her savior, the chosen.one to protect her from the cyborg pumps his Remington into the Terminator. Bringing him down but not out. The Terminator can't be reasoned with, can't be bargained with, it doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear. It will not stop until Sarah is die, eraded from history. Terminator takes out a police station with 30 cops, eliminated. The Terminator cops some bullets and his flesh is rotting, flies laying eggs in his flesh over the metal. The Terminator blown to pieces still in pursuit. This is a good adaption but the Shaun Hutson book of the same movie script has more gore and captures the movie better.
January 20, 2023
Probably more of a 3.5
I've been a big fan of the Terminator series since I was quite young. This plus Aliens and Predator are my main childhood joys! I usually don't bother with movie novelizations, but then I found out there were two movie novelizations for The Terminator and now... now I just have to know! In an article I read, it turns out that this was sort of in vogue in the 80's. There would be a U.S. movie novelization released and there would be a UK version, written by different authors based on the same script. I have no idea why anyone would think this is a good idea, and obviously it wasn't because no one does this anymore and it seems like the practice died off pretty quickly. In any event, I definitely plan on reading both of these, this version was just the first I was able to track down.
Most people herald the Randall Frakes and Bill Wisher novel the best one. However, this is probably because they had a bit of an unfair advantage. One major thing is that these two authors knew James Cameron and they worked with Cameron on previous projects. This book also came out quite a bit after the film was released and it seems rather likely both authors had seen the film. Most of their descriptions of the characters and what happens are spot on to the film, and based on other movie novelizations I've read, that is definitely not usual. These authors are probably lucky to even know who's been cast in the film half the time, and instead they're just working with a script.
All that being said, it seems to have benefitted the novel quite a bit and lovers of The Terminator would actually find it worth their time to give this a read. This book is a bit more than just a re-telling of the iconic film, Frakes and Wisher have really spent a good deal of time fleshing out the details of the script. There are a lot of moments that were downplayed or just left out of the film, either due to budget or running time of the film.
One of the major details is the fact that Sarah is supposed to be 19 and going to college. The film just seems to treat her as a "young woman" working as a waitress, her going to school is all but removed from the film. There are even parts of the book where she is on campus dealing with classes, which I didn't expect at all when I started this. In the film I felt more like Sarah was in her 20's for some reason. I think the Reese in the novel was supposed to be much younger, but, like the Sarah of the film, I got the impression of he was supposed to in his 20's as well. We get to see Sarah's and Gina's relationship in a lot more detail as well in this book, and the loss of Gina and Matt later in the book is a lot more meaningful.
One of the other aspects of the book that was pretty significantly different from the film is the way the Terminator was going about identifying his target. Remember, in the film, they said a lot of files were destroyed so Skynet didn't really know who was who, this is why Terminator was killing everyone in the phone book with the name Sarah Connor. Well, in the book there was another means to identify her and that was that she had pins in her leg from a break at some point in time. So, whenever the Terminator killed someone he would cut open their legs and look for the pins. This created an even crazier mystery for the police arc of the story, which was pretty interesting. In the book we find out Sarah gets the pin in her leg after the end of the movie, meaning the Terminator was never going to be able to identify her this way, so it made me wonder what would have happened if he killed all the Sarah's and none of them had the pin in their leg? Maybe they realized this problem and just left it out of the film. Apparently though, the original treatment had her getting the pin from a skating accident when she was younger, so it would have been a valid identifier in that case.
In addition to these changes we also find that Reese's reflections of the future are far more detailed. Naturally, this would have probably made the movie too expensive to make, but they were, by far, the more interesting things to read about in the book.
In the end, this was a very well done fleshing out of a great movie. Now, granted, I did personally Like T2 more, but I don't deny the original movie is still quite good. So, if you enjoyed the movie, this novelization is actually worth your time. Now, hopefully I will get to read the Hutson version of this soon.
I've been a big fan of the Terminator series since I was quite young. This plus Aliens and Predator are my main childhood joys! I usually don't bother with movie novelizations, but then I found out there were two movie novelizations for The Terminator and now... now I just have to know! In an article I read, it turns out that this was sort of in vogue in the 80's. There would be a U.S. movie novelization released and there would be a UK version, written by different authors based on the same script. I have no idea why anyone would think this is a good idea, and obviously it wasn't because no one does this anymore and it seems like the practice died off pretty quickly. In any event, I definitely plan on reading both of these, this version was just the first I was able to track down.
Most people herald the Randall Frakes and Bill Wisher novel the best one. However, this is probably because they had a bit of an unfair advantage. One major thing is that these two authors knew James Cameron and they worked with Cameron on previous projects. This book also came out quite a bit after the film was released and it seems rather likely both authors had seen the film. Most of their descriptions of the characters and what happens are spot on to the film, and based on other movie novelizations I've read, that is definitely not usual. These authors are probably lucky to even know who's been cast in the film half the time, and instead they're just working with a script.
All that being said, it seems to have benefitted the novel quite a bit and lovers of The Terminator would actually find it worth their time to give this a read. This book is a bit more than just a re-telling of the iconic film, Frakes and Wisher have really spent a good deal of time fleshing out the details of the script. There are a lot of moments that were downplayed or just left out of the film, either due to budget or running time of the film.
One of the major details is the fact that Sarah is supposed to be 19 and going to college. The film just seems to treat her as a "young woman" working as a waitress, her going to school is all but removed from the film. There are even parts of the book where she is on campus dealing with classes, which I didn't expect at all when I started this. In the film I felt more like Sarah was in her 20's for some reason. I think the Reese in the novel was supposed to be much younger, but, like the Sarah of the film, I got the impression of he was supposed to in his 20's as well. We get to see Sarah's and Gina's relationship in a lot more detail as well in this book, and the loss of Gina and Matt later in the book is a lot more meaningful.
One of the other aspects of the book that was pretty significantly different from the film is the way the Terminator was going about identifying his target. Remember, in the film, they said a lot of files were destroyed so Skynet didn't really know who was who, this is why Terminator was killing everyone in the phone book with the name Sarah Connor. Well, in the book there was another means to identify her and that was that she had pins in her leg from a break at some point in time. So, whenever the Terminator killed someone he would cut open their legs and look for the pins. This created an even crazier mystery for the police arc of the story, which was pretty interesting. In the book we find out Sarah gets the pin in her leg after the end of the movie, meaning the Terminator was never going to be able to identify her this way, so it made me wonder what would have happened if he killed all the Sarah's and none of them had the pin in their leg? Maybe they realized this problem and just left it out of the film. Apparently though, the original treatment had her getting the pin from a skating accident when she was younger, so it would have been a valid identifier in that case.
In addition to these changes we also find that Reese's reflections of the future are far more detailed. Naturally, this would have probably made the movie too expensive to make, but they were, by far, the more interesting things to read about in the book.
In the end, this was a very well done fleshing out of a great movie. Now, granted, I did personally Like T2 more, but I don't deny the original movie is still quite good. So, if you enjoyed the movie, this novelization is actually worth your time. Now, hopefully I will get to read the Hutson version of this soon.
March 8, 2016
Get ready for the book adaption of one of the best sci-fi, action and thriller movies ever. The Terminator! Dun dun dun dun dun! Anyways, written by Bill Wisher and Randall Frakes, this epic novel will keep you glued to the pages throughout the entire book!
Set in Los Angeles in the spring of 1984, 19 year-old Sarah Connor is living a normal life, that is, until she is being followed. Somebody has murdered the two other Sarah Connor’s living in the city for a mysterious and unknown reason. She doesn’t know it, but it’s her he’s after. Nobody can save her, except for one man. Kyle Reece came from the future to stop the cyborg sent back in time to kill the one woman who holds the key to humanity. The Terminator has only one goal: to destroy Sarah Connor. A story like nothing you have seen before. The Terminator.
Now, down to business. Overall this book was top notch. Written directly from the original script, this book contains scenes and details that are not even in the movie itself. This book is definitely a book fans of the movies and just, everybody should read! There are more details mainly about random people who sadly were in the Terminator’s way, like their names, where they came from,or sometimes their final words.
I genuinely loved this book, and I hope you do too, if you are prepared. Also, if you liked this book, here are more by Randall Frakes. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Titanic: James Cameron's Illustrated Screenplay, How to Make Money Making Movies: The Secrets of Becoming a Profitable Filmmaker, and A Promise to Zoe. If a phrase could describe this book, it would be, (You might know this) “I’ll be back!”
Set in Los Angeles in the spring of 1984, 19 year-old Sarah Connor is living a normal life, that is, until she is being followed. Somebody has murdered the two other Sarah Connor’s living in the city for a mysterious and unknown reason. She doesn’t know it, but it’s her he’s after. Nobody can save her, except for one man. Kyle Reece came from the future to stop the cyborg sent back in time to kill the one woman who holds the key to humanity. The Terminator has only one goal: to destroy Sarah Connor. A story like nothing you have seen before. The Terminator.
Now, down to business. Overall this book was top notch. Written directly from the original script, this book contains scenes and details that are not even in the movie itself. This book is definitely a book fans of the movies and just, everybody should read! There are more details mainly about random people who sadly were in the Terminator’s way, like their names, where they came from,or sometimes their final words.
I genuinely loved this book, and I hope you do too, if you are prepared. Also, if you liked this book, here are more by Randall Frakes. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Titanic: James Cameron's Illustrated Screenplay, How to Make Money Making Movies: The Secrets of Becoming a Profitable Filmmaker, and A Promise to Zoe. If a phrase could describe this book, it would be, (You might know this) “I’ll be back!”
July 13, 2018
Such a good concept and thought this novelisation was really decent. I did find Sarah annoying at times in her naivety but she is only meant to be 19. I liked that her relationship with Kyle as not Hollywoodised and they don't have a happy ending but they still have an intense relationship. Favourite part of book and movie is Sarah thinking of Kyle while the famous Polaroid is taken.
January 20, 2009
If there is anybody out there that like the Terminator series, then you got to read the first Terminator book. It's about a robot that was sent to planet Earth,(disguise as a human) to save a guy named John Conner from getting killed by an enemy robot that is sent out to kill him.
March 19, 2012
I read The Terminator during my summer break after 7th or 8th grade, don't remember for sure now. I was impressed! The love story line, and Kyle's life story in general. I cried for few days straight over Kyle's death. I was totally in love with his character! Great, great story.
June 30, 2021
In 2029 when machines have taken over the planet, they seem to be losing the battle against mankind fighting back. The only way to win the war is to eliminate the source of the resistance, by going back in time and killing his mother, so that John Connor is never born in the first place. A Terminator is sent 45 years into the past to complete the mission. A human soldier follows the enemy through the time portal, before John Connor destroys the portal for good so that no one else can go through, or come back.
James Cameron's iconic film is known by almost every action/sci-fi/horror fan. Sarah Connor, John Connor, Kyle Reese have been legendary characters, alongside the Terminator himself. I picked up this novelization keen to read Cameron's vision in creating one of the most memorable franchises in cinematic history. The book takes us through alternating perspectives, as we read from the point of view of each of the characters - Sarah, Kyle, Terminator, even the truck driver who first encounters Terminator, the teenagers who make fun of him, the neighbours of the other unfortunate Sarah Connors, and the person at the phone booth who notices Terminator looking up his mission. Every single character, major or minor, is an important part of the narrative, which shows Cameron's precision in creating his stories.
We also read nuances that might have been overlooked while watching the movie - Kyle always waits for Terminator to aim and specifically shoots his hand, because shooting anywhere else won't make any difference, but disrupting his aim will; Terminator is not built for conversation, so he always waits for the opposite person to speak, records voices, and plays them back; Kyle is sent back in time to the exact same place he has lived all his life, but 2029 and 1984 Los Angeles are two completely different places for him; Terminator has to fail for Skynet to be born from his chip, Kyle has to fail for John to be born - the future will arrive whether we want it to or not. Cameron's storytelling really needs to be marvelled at in all these tiny details.
A highly recommended book, whether one has seen the movie or not, for the sheer brilliance of James Cameron's attention to detail, and for Randall Frakes' commendable novelization.
James Cameron's iconic film is known by almost every action/sci-fi/horror fan. Sarah Connor, John Connor, Kyle Reese have been legendary characters, alongside the Terminator himself. I picked up this novelization keen to read Cameron's vision in creating one of the most memorable franchises in cinematic history. The book takes us through alternating perspectives, as we read from the point of view of each of the characters - Sarah, Kyle, Terminator, even the truck driver who first encounters Terminator, the teenagers who make fun of him, the neighbours of the other unfortunate Sarah Connors, and the person at the phone booth who notices Terminator looking up his mission. Every single character, major or minor, is an important part of the narrative, which shows Cameron's precision in creating his stories.
We also read nuances that might have been overlooked while watching the movie - Kyle always waits for Terminator to aim and specifically shoots his hand, because shooting anywhere else won't make any difference, but disrupting his aim will; Terminator is not built for conversation, so he always waits for the opposite person to speak, records voices, and plays them back; Kyle is sent back in time to the exact same place he has lived all his life, but 2029 and 1984 Los Angeles are two completely different places for him; Terminator has to fail for Skynet to be born from his chip, Kyle has to fail for John to be born - the future will arrive whether we want it to or not. Cameron's storytelling really needs to be marvelled at in all these tiny details.
A highly recommended book, whether one has seen the movie or not, for the sheer brilliance of James Cameron's attention to detail, and for Randall Frakes' commendable novelization.
October 7, 2024
This was an excellent adaptation of the movie! It added some new information and a few new scenes that weren’t in the movie. Really really enjoyed this.
December 1, 2020
Pleasantly surprised that this was really well written! Adds a lot of depth to all characters as you get to see inside their minds as well as extending a few scenes. Love it!
July 16, 2019
É o roteiro do filme adaptado para livro , portanto fantástico !
June 27, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
3.5
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
3.5
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
September 24, 2015
I liked this book. It was good and adds much more to what was stated in the movie itself in character stories and information about this book's worlds, present and future. It's a little more graphic and gory than the movie as what was done to characters killed by the Terminator is rather disturbing. Actually, several points of the book are kind of disturbing in description of the deaths and fights, though thankfully not overboard. Some of the suspense is ruined though when the authors say something along the lines of "this was so-n-so's last action" before that character is killed. Instead of saying this, just show the character being killed. We can easily figure out if this happens, whatever they were doing beforehand was their last official act on Earth. Still, a good book and novelization of the movie.
February 17, 2016
Of course this is based upon the movie, and the second film was probably my favourite. But this works very well, both as a standalone novel and an excellent to-page version of the film. There are things that jar, but really it is a bit of a cult classic.
January 6, 2017
I enjoyed getting inside the head of Kyle Reese. Something we didn't get enough of in the film.
If you enjoyed the movie, then give this one a read.
One of the better novelizations of a Hollywood blockbuster in my opinion.
If you enjoyed the movie, then give this one a read.
One of the better novelizations of a Hollywood blockbuster in my opinion.
September 5, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was better than the movie. I started reading the book. But in the first chapter stopped and rewatched the movie first. Then took my time with the book, and enjoyed all the extra nuances and information lacking in the movie.
August 2, 2017
What an amazing thriller! I can't say if it's as good as the movie, or even better, but it certainly is a very good book, with an intense story. The Terminator is a frightening machine.
Want to read
October 1, 2022"Come with me if you want to live." -K. Reese
Disguised as a human, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator T-800 travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose son will one day become a savior against machines in a post-apocalyptic future. Sent to protect Sarah is Kyle Reese, a soldier from the future, who divulges the coming of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system that will spark a nuclear holocaust. Sarah is targeted because Skynet knows that her unborn son will lead the fight against them. With the virtually unstoppable Terminator in hot pursuit, she and Kyle attempt to escape.
With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.
Each and every one of the actors gives great performances in this movie, especially Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor and Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese.
The idea of making a killer cyborg time travel back to kill a civilian in order to break a timeline is pretty original.
A bunch of awesome, well-executed and/or action-packed moments, such as when the Terminator fights off a street gang in an attempt to get their clothes, even killing one by ripping his heart out with his bare hands.
Despite being the low-budget film, the special effects looked very well for the 1984 standards.
Despite its low-budget, the very smooth stop motion animation for the T-800, looks very good.
Likable and unforgettable characters, mainly the sympathetic and entertaining protagonist, Sarah Connor.
Due to Arnold's thick accent, his performance as the Terminator has many memorable quotes such as the iconic "I'll be back" line.
Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese share some amazing chemistry together.
The T-800 is an entertaining antagonist with unpredictable moments and sometimes steals the show with its intimidating personality.
Spawned many lines such as "Get out" and more famously, "Fuck you asshole" & "I'll be back"
Well-done character and story development.
The scary scene in the final battle where the T-800's endoskeleton is revealed and chases Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese.
Although the 5.1 audio remix sounds so good, it surprisingly had some issues.
Due to low-budget, the original theatrical Mono mix, wasn't sounds so good.
The special effects, while looks very good for the higher-budget standards, haven't aged well mostly due to the film's whole budget being only a bit above $6 million (even in 2020, around about $15-16 million) but the script called for effects that, in the following century, would use processes demanding ten times that budget. Cameron and his crew did their best to make it work with 1984 filming technology and a comparatively limited effects budget, but as the examples below demonstrate, they still ran into a lot of problems.
The dummy Terminator head used in the "eye removal" and "Fuck you, asshole" scenes is very obvious (although good by '80s standards).
The endoskeleton itself is considered as such by several people. Largely with the poorly animated, poorly composited stop-motion model. The SFX team built it out of steel, not realizing how difficult it would be to move and animate.
Early in Kyle's nightmare, when Kyle and his squaddie are moving out to attack the machine tank, the "tank" beyond the cover is very obviously either composited behind the actors and the prop or is just outright a film projection during the shot itself; it's not even the same resolution or focal length as the rest of the scene.
In the shot immediately before Kyle wakes up from his nightmare, it's quite obvious that the fire is superimposed over the shot.
The relationship between Kyle and Sarah Reese claims to have been in love with Sarah ever since seeing her picture. Sarah is suspicious of him at first, but comes to trust him. Then, thanks to the fast pacing of the movie, they suddenly have sex, followed by them being too busy fighting the Terminator to develop their relationship for the rest of the movie.
The Terminator wouldn't have found Kyle and Sarah if it wasn't for Sarah.
When Sarah and Kyle are on the run, Kyle repeatedly informs Sarah not to contact anyone she knows because the Terminator will find a way to use that to track them down. Sarah is understandably worried about her mother and calls her anyway, vaguely warning her to get out of her house. But, that's not the dumb part; concern for her mother is natural. Where it becomes outright dumb is when Sarah calls her mother again and allows herself to be guilt-tripped into giving out the phone number of the motel she and Kyle are staying in. Then it turns out that the voice on the other end is the Terminator, and he immediately hangs up and calls the motel to get an address.
This awesome film is truly one of the best and most important films ever and also one of my favorite franchises ever. I'll be back...for what's left of the franchise.
Disguised as a human, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator T-800 travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose son will one day become a savior against machines in a post-apocalyptic future. Sent to protect Sarah is Kyle Reese, a soldier from the future, who divulges the coming of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system that will spark a nuclear holocaust. Sarah is targeted because Skynet knows that her unborn son will lead the fight against them. With the virtually unstoppable Terminator in hot pursuit, she and Kyle attempt to escape.
With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.
Each and every one of the actors gives great performances in this movie, especially Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor and Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese.
The idea of making a killer cyborg time travel back to kill a civilian in order to break a timeline is pretty original.
A bunch of awesome, well-executed and/or action-packed moments, such as when the Terminator fights off a street gang in an attempt to get their clothes, even killing one by ripping his heart out with his bare hands.
Despite being the low-budget film, the special effects looked very well for the 1984 standards.
Despite its low-budget, the very smooth stop motion animation for the T-800, looks very good.
Likable and unforgettable characters, mainly the sympathetic and entertaining protagonist, Sarah Connor.
Due to Arnold's thick accent, his performance as the Terminator has many memorable quotes such as the iconic "I'll be back" line.
Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese share some amazing chemistry together.
The T-800 is an entertaining antagonist with unpredictable moments and sometimes steals the show with its intimidating personality.
Spawned many lines such as "Get out" and more famously, "Fuck you asshole" & "I'll be back"
Well-done character and story development.
The scary scene in the final battle where the T-800's endoskeleton is revealed and chases Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese.
Although the 5.1 audio remix sounds so good, it surprisingly had some issues.
Due to low-budget, the original theatrical Mono mix, wasn't sounds so good.
The special effects, while looks very good for the higher-budget standards, haven't aged well mostly due to the film's whole budget being only a bit above $6 million (even in 2020, around about $15-16 million) but the script called for effects that, in the following century, would use processes demanding ten times that budget. Cameron and his crew did their best to make it work with 1984 filming technology and a comparatively limited effects budget, but as the examples below demonstrate, they still ran into a lot of problems.
The dummy Terminator head used in the "eye removal" and "Fuck you, asshole" scenes is very obvious (although good by '80s standards).
The endoskeleton itself is considered as such by several people. Largely with the poorly animated, poorly composited stop-motion model. The SFX team built it out of steel, not realizing how difficult it would be to move and animate.
Early in Kyle's nightmare, when Kyle and his squaddie are moving out to attack the machine tank, the "tank" beyond the cover is very obviously either composited behind the actors and the prop or is just outright a film projection during the shot itself; it's not even the same resolution or focal length as the rest of the scene.
In the shot immediately before Kyle wakes up from his nightmare, it's quite obvious that the fire is superimposed over the shot.
The relationship between Kyle and Sarah Reese claims to have been in love with Sarah ever since seeing her picture. Sarah is suspicious of him at first, but comes to trust him. Then, thanks to the fast pacing of the movie, they suddenly have sex, followed by them being too busy fighting the Terminator to develop their relationship for the rest of the movie.
The Terminator wouldn't have found Kyle and Sarah if it wasn't for Sarah.
When Sarah and Kyle are on the run, Kyle repeatedly informs Sarah not to contact anyone she knows because the Terminator will find a way to use that to track them down. Sarah is understandably worried about her mother and calls her anyway, vaguely warning her to get out of her house. But, that's not the dumb part; concern for her mother is natural. Where it becomes outright dumb is when Sarah calls her mother again and allows herself to be guilt-tripped into giving out the phone number of the motel she and Kyle are staying in. Then it turns out that the voice on the other end is the Terminator, and he immediately hangs up and calls the motel to get an address.
This awesome film is truly one of the best and most important films ever and also one of my favorite franchises ever. I'll be back...for what's left of the franchise.
November 14, 2024
A love story through death from the future
The Terminator is one of the iconic characters who gave way to the now famous actor and politician in the past. I really wanted to read the book after watching the movie. Not without worries about what you might not like, but the book turned out to be very cool.
"Terminator" is a story not only about the confrontation between humanity and machines that decided to kill their creators. For me, this is primarily a wonderful love story between two strangers who, by the will of fate (or not quite fate, depending on how to relate to this concept), met and fell in love with each other.
The author perfectly reveals the feelings and emotions of the main characters Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor in the work. There are quite a few details that are simply impossible to see in the film, but which are so appropriate in the book. And in this regard, the book and the film complement each other.
The important point of the book is the narrative note. You are literally immersed in this atmosphere of an endless night in the future, where at every step you are being chased by killer machines. In our time, the city is perfectly shown, in which something alien to the human world settles, ready to go through anyone and tear out your heart if you become a target for the killer. This book is a true thriller. Reading it, you involuntarily shudder, because the events and experiences of the characters are masterfully described by the author on the pages.
With all this, a beautiful love story is perfectly woven into this canvas, showing people who are ready to fight for their own to the last, for whom a complete stranger suddenly becomes closer and dearer than everything else in the world. And it's good that such characters exist on the pages of books. This gives hope that there are probably such people in the real world.
Kyle Reese appears as a Resistance soldier who has seen nothing but war. It is very difficult for him when he finds himself in a strange time, in a strange world, and moreover with a dangerous pursuer walking backwards. You empathize with a young man, you understand what a strong character you need to have in order to get through this and not break down.
Sarah Connor is a victim. She suddenly turns out to be a very important person for humanity for herself, but she herself declares that this is not about her. Throughout the book, you can clearly see how her character evolves and develops. Sarah Connor at the beginning of the book and at the end are already two different people. She is learning to live in a new way right here and now. There is no other way. Otherwise, death.
The Terminator is a cold—blooded killer. His character is boring enough because he is a robot without any emotions. In the film, the actor Schwarzenegger gave him color. The author's skill is in the book. It is interesting to watch the cyborg and read the description of its capabilities, although in modern realities its computing abilities, judging by the figures from the book, are ridiculous — 40,000 bits of memory. But this is not such an important moment when you are immersed in an interesting story.
The confrontation between man and machine in the book "Terminator" is shown perfectly. This is a great book, which you read occasionally, but reread to enjoy the author's style and a wonderful story.
10 out of 10
The Terminator is one of the iconic characters who gave way to the now famous actor and politician in the past. I really wanted to read the book after watching the movie. Not without worries about what you might not like, but the book turned out to be very cool.
"Terminator" is a story not only about the confrontation between humanity and machines that decided to kill their creators. For me, this is primarily a wonderful love story between two strangers who, by the will of fate (or not quite fate, depending on how to relate to this concept), met and fell in love with each other.
The author perfectly reveals the feelings and emotions of the main characters Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor in the work. There are quite a few details that are simply impossible to see in the film, but which are so appropriate in the book. And in this regard, the book and the film complement each other.
The important point of the book is the narrative note. You are literally immersed in this atmosphere of an endless night in the future, where at every step you are being chased by killer machines. In our time, the city is perfectly shown, in which something alien to the human world settles, ready to go through anyone and tear out your heart if you become a target for the killer. This book is a true thriller. Reading it, you involuntarily shudder, because the events and experiences of the characters are masterfully described by the author on the pages.
With all this, a beautiful love story is perfectly woven into this canvas, showing people who are ready to fight for their own to the last, for whom a complete stranger suddenly becomes closer and dearer than everything else in the world. And it's good that such characters exist on the pages of books. This gives hope that there are probably such people in the real world.
Kyle Reese appears as a Resistance soldier who has seen nothing but war. It is very difficult for him when he finds himself in a strange time, in a strange world, and moreover with a dangerous pursuer walking backwards. You empathize with a young man, you understand what a strong character you need to have in order to get through this and not break down.
Sarah Connor is a victim. She suddenly turns out to be a very important person for humanity for herself, but she herself declares that this is not about her. Throughout the book, you can clearly see how her character evolves and develops. Sarah Connor at the beginning of the book and at the end are already two different people. She is learning to live in a new way right here and now. There is no other way. Otherwise, death.
The Terminator is a cold—blooded killer. His character is boring enough because he is a robot without any emotions. In the film, the actor Schwarzenegger gave him color. The author's skill is in the book. It is interesting to watch the cyborg and read the description of its capabilities, although in modern realities its computing abilities, judging by the figures from the book, are ridiculous — 40,000 bits of memory. But this is not such an important moment when you are immersed in an interesting story.
The confrontation between man and machine in the book "Terminator" is shown perfectly. This is a great book, which you read occasionally, but reread to enjoy the author's style and a wonderful story.
10 out of 10
March 27, 2023
For a novel written after the movie was written, this is about as good as it gets. The book includes some parts that sort of feel like "deleted scenes", and it has more insight into some of the characters and a little more detail about the future timeframe. With Terminator being one of my favorite movies, this is an easy high rating and a fast read for me. It would be tough for me to say how good this would be if you've never seen the movie and read the book first. Some of the scenes may not make quite as much sense, but overall the author did a great job of making the book flow well enough that I think it wouldn't be much issue.
I believe there are two major themes in Terminator, both in the book and the movie:
The first being that part of our human nature is to create technology, sometimes at an unrelenting pace and without any regard to the consequences. This is especially relevant now with the onset of "AI" tech and modern warfare such as drones and other wireless and/or automated defense systems. Machine learning systems like Chat GPT are obviously not the Terminator, but these along with true AI systems and advanced CPUs (think quantum computing) that some large companies are working on could lead to something just like a fully automated defense network. (The thing that becomes self aware and decides to exterminate humans in the Terminator series.) Our world is fully connected in an almost irreversible way (hardwired, wireless, satellite networks) so if something like this were to even be accidentally created it's possible it could get out, move itself freely among networks, and the future in the Terminator series may not be as far-fetched as it seems. This part of Terminator is a warning that we should take to heart in the oncoming years of technological advancement.
The second major theme in Terminator is the idea of destiny and fate. The Terminator coming back through time to murder Sarah Connor, and essentially her unborn child John Connor, creates a sort of tear in whether you control your fate or not. It becomes even more complicated (and sort of plot-holish) that John Connor's father turns out to be the man who comes back through time to save Sarah, Kyle Reese. Sarah is supposedly the mother of the savior of mankind in the fight against the machines, so it seems that she must be destined for this unless the Terminator succeeds in killing her or she potentially dies later in a car accident, plane crash, etc. In the book, concerning the photograph of Sarah that Reese had in the future - "Sarah would have given it to John, and he would then give it to Reese. This was the beginning of the circle. But of course circles have no beginning or end." There's a definite turmoil for Sarah as she begins to believe Reese about the future in this story whether she believes in a pre-destined fate. The phrase "No fate but what we make" doesn't show up until T2, but the first book does a great job covering the beginnings of this belief in Sarah and the theme overall. (Something that is not expressed as much in the movie.)
I believe there are two major themes in Terminator, both in the book and the movie:
The first being that part of our human nature is to create technology, sometimes at an unrelenting pace and without any regard to the consequences. This is especially relevant now with the onset of "AI" tech and modern warfare such as drones and other wireless and/or automated defense systems. Machine learning systems like Chat GPT are obviously not the Terminator, but these along with true AI systems and advanced CPUs (think quantum computing) that some large companies are working on could lead to something just like a fully automated defense network. (The thing that becomes self aware and decides to exterminate humans in the Terminator series.) Our world is fully connected in an almost irreversible way (hardwired, wireless, satellite networks) so if something like this were to even be accidentally created it's possible it could get out, move itself freely among networks, and the future in the Terminator series may not be as far-fetched as it seems. This part of Terminator is a warning that we should take to heart in the oncoming years of technological advancement.
The second major theme in Terminator is the idea of destiny and fate. The Terminator coming back through time to murder Sarah Connor, and essentially her unborn child John Connor, creates a sort of tear in whether you control your fate or not. It becomes even more complicated (and sort of plot-holish) that John Connor's father turns out to be the man who comes back through time to save Sarah, Kyle Reese. Sarah is supposedly the mother of the savior of mankind in the fight against the machines, so it seems that she must be destined for this unless the Terminator succeeds in killing her or she potentially dies later in a car accident, plane crash, etc. In the book, concerning the photograph of Sarah that Reese had in the future - "Sarah would have given it to John, and he would then give it to Reese. This was the beginning of the circle. But of course circles have no beginning or end." There's a definite turmoil for Sarah as she begins to believe Reese about the future in this story whether she believes in a pre-destined fate. The phrase "No fate but what we make" doesn't show up until T2, but the first book does a great job covering the beginnings of this belief in Sarah and the theme overall. (Something that is not expressed as much in the movie.)
June 22, 2022
I've been rewatching the Terminator films and decided I'd give the spinoff novels a try. I picked one by SM Stirling a while back, but when I heard the novelization of the first film was worth reading I figured I'd start here. And overall this feels weird. It's not a bad book - it's clear the author has put in effort when adapting James Cameron's enjoyable time travel slasher movie. But given that this was written when there was just the one film and Terminator wasn't the big ponderous confused media property it is now, I can't help wondering if the effort was well spent.
The pacing of the book is odd, especially in the first half leading up to the shootout at TechNoir. This is largely because Frakes goes through the effort of giving the perspective and story of basically everybody. He spends paragraphs detailing the failed football career of the guy driving the garbage truck who's the first to encounter the T-800, and then goes on to give insight into the streetpunks, the cops, the kids who witness one of the wrong Sarah Connors getting gunned down, and so forth. It lead to the first hundred or so pages of the book dragging a bit, because some expansion of character is nice - I sure felt worse when Ginger and Matt get killed - but this was ridiculous.
It is interesting when Frakes gets into Sarah and Reese's heads. Sarah especially spends a lot of the first part of the novel having a terrible day and reacting to it like any 19 year old would, a nice contrast to her growth by the end of the novel. There's even a bit where Sarah thinks about the prospect of having kids and how she'd do as a mother which was nice. And the novel includes some scenes of Reese freaking out about how different 1984 is compared to 2029 which I really liked. But on the other hand, there isn't much of an attempt to get into the Terminator's head. Admittedly that's not inappropriate since he's an unfeeling killing machine, but it would've been interesting to see the way that cyborg brain ticks in much the same way we see his POV in the film.
As for differences in plot, there isn't all that much here. Part of why I like reading novelizations of films is they're often based on earlier versions of the script and thus have different scenes and interesting story details. There's some of that here, with the Terminator examining the murdered Sarahs for a leg pin to prove he's killed the right person, but it's nothing as exciting as Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the original Star Wars. And there's also none of the huge expansions on worldbuilding seen in some novels I've read - the only scenes of the robot war future are the ones that were in the film.
So overall this isn't a bad book, but I don't know that it adds enough to the experience of just watching the film to really be worth tracking down. Nonetheless, I plan to read the same author's novelization of T2 because if this style of expanding on the interior lives of characters continues, there could be some interesting stuff with John and Sarah. Plus maybe T2 will have more of that glimpse of an alternate version of the film stuff I like.
The pacing of the book is odd, especially in the first half leading up to the shootout at TechNoir. This is largely because Frakes goes through the effort of giving the perspective and story of basically everybody. He spends paragraphs detailing the failed football career of the guy driving the garbage truck who's the first to encounter the T-800, and then goes on to give insight into the streetpunks, the cops, the kids who witness one of the wrong Sarah Connors getting gunned down, and so forth. It lead to the first hundred or so pages of the book dragging a bit, because some expansion of character is nice - I sure felt worse when Ginger and Matt get killed - but this was ridiculous.
It is interesting when Frakes gets into Sarah and Reese's heads. Sarah especially spends a lot of the first part of the novel having a terrible day and reacting to it like any 19 year old would, a nice contrast to her growth by the end of the novel. There's even a bit where Sarah thinks about the prospect of having kids and how she'd do as a mother which was nice. And the novel includes some scenes of Reese freaking out about how different 1984 is compared to 2029 which I really liked. But on the other hand, there isn't much of an attempt to get into the Terminator's head. Admittedly that's not inappropriate since he's an unfeeling killing machine, but it would've been interesting to see the way that cyborg brain ticks in much the same way we see his POV in the film.
As for differences in plot, there isn't all that much here. Part of why I like reading novelizations of films is they're often based on earlier versions of the script and thus have different scenes and interesting story details. There's some of that here, with the Terminator examining the murdered Sarahs for a leg pin to prove he's killed the right person, but it's nothing as exciting as Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the original Star Wars. And there's also none of the huge expansions on worldbuilding seen in some novels I've read - the only scenes of the robot war future are the ones that were in the film.
So overall this isn't a bad book, but I don't know that it adds enough to the experience of just watching the film to really be worth tracking down. Nonetheless, I plan to read the same author's novelization of T2 because if this style of expanding on the interior lives of characters continues, there could be some interesting stuff with John and Sarah. Plus maybe T2 will have more of that glimpse of an alternate version of the film stuff I like.
May 11, 2022
Two words come to mind after reading this book: Instant classic!!!
A movie like this comes first before the book but when you find a decent writer you become convinced that the book came first because it is just as good if not better. My guess was the penultimate script before the final shooting script that was adapted to make this book. But make no mistake most of the plot of the book is essentially the same with a few deleted scenes that aren't exactly found on the DVD/Blu-ray. For example, the book has Reese breaking down in sorrow as he watches children happily playing in a park, whereas in the movie's deleted scene he breaks down with Sarah looking around a meadow. The book ends with two men finding something that leads to the creation of Cyberdyne while the movie's deleted scene ends with the realization that the showdown happened at Cyberdyne itself.
But what gets me excited is that the author writes backstories on not just the main characters but on almost every character from the truck driver and the punks in the movie's beginning, to the landlord that the T-800 says "f##k you, @$$hole." The details are marvelous from the nerve-wracking pain Reese feels from the time displacement to the agony endured by the punk killed by the Terminator for his clothes. The nastiness of the T-800's rotting flesh or the description of the pain in Sarah's leg. Randall Frakes knows how to write.
The story itself is adapted perfectly, and it's one anyone should know by now. But unless you are living under a rock, a dystopia has reached its end as two beings are sent back in time. One is a human sent to protect an innocent woman whose unborn son will destroy the dystopian regime created by artificial intelligence that saw humanity as a threat to its very existence as the other is a machine itself, a terminator out to ensure that its creator will not fall. The Terminator is a powerful cyborg, a being that feels no pity, or fear and it will not stop ever until its mission is accomplished.
So much of this story has been a benchmark of pop culture, from Arnold Schwarzenegger's legendary performance to its ominous soundtrack. When the movie is not in your grasp, this book is a perfect tether.
A-
A movie like this comes first before the book but when you find a decent writer you become convinced that the book came first because it is just as good if not better. My guess was the penultimate script before the final shooting script that was adapted to make this book. But make no mistake most of the plot of the book is essentially the same with a few deleted scenes that aren't exactly found on the DVD/Blu-ray. For example, the book has Reese breaking down in sorrow as he watches children happily playing in a park, whereas in the movie's deleted scene he breaks down with Sarah looking around a meadow. The book ends with two men finding something that leads to the creation of Cyberdyne while the movie's deleted scene ends with the realization that the showdown happened at Cyberdyne itself.
But what gets me excited is that the author writes backstories on not just the main characters but on almost every character from the truck driver and the punks in the movie's beginning, to the landlord that the T-800 says "f##k you, @$$hole." The details are marvelous from the nerve-wracking pain Reese feels from the time displacement to the agony endured by the punk killed by the Terminator for his clothes. The nastiness of the T-800's rotting flesh or the description of the pain in Sarah's leg. Randall Frakes knows how to write.
The story itself is adapted perfectly, and it's one anyone should know by now. But unless you are living under a rock, a dystopia has reached its end as two beings are sent back in time. One is a human sent to protect an innocent woman whose unborn son will destroy the dystopian regime created by artificial intelligence that saw humanity as a threat to its very existence as the other is a machine itself, a terminator out to ensure that its creator will not fall. The Terminator is a powerful cyborg, a being that feels no pity, or fear and it will not stop ever until its mission is accomplished.
So much of this story has been a benchmark of pop culture, from Arnold Schwarzenegger's legendary performance to its ominous soundtrack. When the movie is not in your grasp, this book is a perfect tether.
A-
May 4, 2020
Usually books are translated into movies and for some reason the movies are usually only fifty percent of what the the book was. How ever, in this instance the opposite is true. I would consider this book to be tantamount to the movie. Of course the book can express unspoken words and add a few extras which this book did do.
Terminator is an excellent fictional theme and probably one of the best,
It is a shame that the movies took the road of franchise and kept repeating its theme with slight variance per movie. Which is why I wanted to see if there were Terminator books. There are and this book was not found wanting. I was encouraged to buy the second book by Frakes because this one was so well written.
Terminator one was made two years before I was born so I was inaugurated with Terminator two, which I though was the best of the series, how ever, I realized that this book is the best of the series closely followed by the movie.
I enjoyed the fact that Frakes would write from characters perspectives and not his own unlike many modern authors who intercept their characters with their own personality.
The wording is detailed and precise but not confusing, it is easy to follow and goes down well.
I think they should of put this book in reprint and handed copies to everyone and labelled it a
" The Covid 19 survival guide"
Terminator is an excellent fictional theme and probably one of the best,
It is a shame that the movies took the road of franchise and kept repeating its theme with slight variance per movie. Which is why I wanted to see if there were Terminator books. There are and this book was not found wanting. I was encouraged to buy the second book by Frakes because this one was so well written.
Terminator one was made two years before I was born so I was inaugurated with Terminator two, which I though was the best of the series, how ever, I realized that this book is the best of the series closely followed by the movie.
I enjoyed the fact that Frakes would write from characters perspectives and not his own unlike many modern authors who intercept their characters with their own personality.
The wording is detailed and precise but not confusing, it is easy to follow and goes down well.
I think they should of put this book in reprint and handed copies to everyone and labelled it a
" The Covid 19 survival guide"
February 6, 2025
I started reading this and just could not get into it. I love The Terminator, and I can see why some fans like this book, as it adds a bit more depth to the original story. My biggest issue with this book is the writing. It is atrocious. Reading through several passages in the beginning made me stop and think, why would you write this sentence that way? I also feel like the personification of the characters in the beginning of the story was just purely unnecessary. There are reasons why the film chooses to leave certain characters flat. Not every single character needs depth or a backstory. I may go back and try again, but as of right now it didn't do a great job to hook me as the reader.
I am actually very surprised because I decided to start reading the Terminator 2 novelization, which was written by the same author, and let me tell you it is a night and day difference. The writing in that story is so much better.
I am actually very surprised because I decided to start reading the Terminator 2 novelization, which was written by the same author, and let me tell you it is a night and day difference. The writing in that story is so much better.
June 17, 2020
LIVRO 10/35 2020
Em mais uma belíssima edição da Darkside, aqui temos uma das grandiosas obras da ficção científica, imortalizada no cinema pelo genial James Cameron e por Arnold Schwarzenneger. A edição nos ajuda a mergulhar na nostalgia, com fotos de cenas do filme e descrições da visão do Exterminador.
A leitura é fácil, envolvente e muito rápida. O autor opta por não se ater a descrições excessivamente científicas ou tecnológicas (coisas comuns nesse gênero) e prefere descrever os fatos de maneira totalmente palatável. Frakes derrapa somente em dois momentos: na descrição de sonhos e flashbacks, e no final, onde sua descrição dos fatos parece cansada e confusa, mas nada que prejudique o trabalho final dessa formidável história.
Em mais uma belíssima edição da Darkside, aqui temos uma das grandiosas obras da ficção científica, imortalizada no cinema pelo genial James Cameron e por Arnold Schwarzenneger. A edição nos ajuda a mergulhar na nostalgia, com fotos de cenas do filme e descrições da visão do Exterminador.
A leitura é fácil, envolvente e muito rápida. O autor opta por não se ater a descrições excessivamente científicas ou tecnológicas (coisas comuns nesse gênero) e prefere descrever os fatos de maneira totalmente palatável. Frakes derrapa somente em dois momentos: na descrição de sonhos e flashbacks, e no final, onde sua descrição dos fatos parece cansada e confusa, mas nada que prejudique o trabalho final dessa formidável história.
June 6, 2021
I don't like reading film novelizations. I've read only a few such books in my life. Among them are two books based on the first two masterpiece movies about the terrible terminator. And I can say that they are what a good novelization of a feature film should be and nothing more. Obviously, the book was written by professionals, but it has no soul, no original essence, which is inherent in real, original literary creations.
March 12, 2023
A surprisingly thoughtful and well written novelisation. Frakes has an excellent understanding of character, action and psychological fear.
What could have been a shabby and one dimensional account of an action packed movie is actually a layered and rich story brimming with intensity and fan service.
There’s a great deal of backstory lore added to the characters and the post apocalyptic events. Any fan of the movies will love this piece of fiction.
What could have been a shabby and one dimensional account of an action packed movie is actually a layered and rich story brimming with intensity and fan service.
There’s a great deal of backstory lore added to the characters and the post apocalyptic events. Any fan of the movies will love this piece of fiction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews