It’s probably wrong to criticize this book overmuch, as novelizations are by nature an extremely hasty and disreputable form of literature. It’s true that occasionally a novelization will transcend its limitations, but this one doesn’t.
Here I’ll focus on the sole element relating to THE TERMINATOR that hasn’t already been picked over and/or argued about to death: the two novelizations it inspired
One of the best movie novelizations I’ve ever read, complimenting and enhancing its source film considerably while standing as a uniquely spirited and invigorating piece of work in its own right
My taste for ridiculous movie novelizations continues
A novelization that replicates the unfettered spirit of its Joe Dante directed source
Surprisingly, this novel isn’t all that bad–even if it contains the expected hasty prose and wobbly storytelling I’ve come to expect from movie novelizations–being quite slick and enjoyable overall.
One of the most revered and widely sought-after movie novelizations, Curtis Richards’ HALLOWEEN went through multiple printings (and covers) throughout 1979.
The surprise, then, is how well-written this novel is, with admirably clutter-free descriptions, a semi-successful attempt at three-dimensional characterizations, and convincing descriptions of the psyche of the title character, a mutant grizzly bear.
Interesting the book is, it turns out, even if it plays fast and loose with Cohen’s screenplay–it’s possible that author C.K. Chandler may have worked from an unused draft of the script, because much is different from the finished film.
That’s appropriate, as THE FOG is far and away the best of the bunch. For that matter, I feel it’s one of Etchison’s best novels, period.