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erinlcrane's review against another edition
2.0
I give this two stars for some aspects in the beginning. I thought the setup was decent. The tension between Rambo and Teasle was interesting, and I think reflects the time. I was also overall fine with the humanization of Teasle. There generally aren’t 100% heartless villains in real life, as much as we’d like there to be because it makes people easier to hate. I even liked Teasle’s conversation with his ex wife at the end. It was a bright spot within a bunch of nonsense. I also appreciated that overall the book acknowledged the body count as distressing.
However
However
kreglow's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mrgale's review against another edition
4.0
Fun bleak pulp, a bit quippier than I imagined from the movie.
anon27's review against another edition
5.0
Learning that there was a book before the movie, I of course had to read it. And it easily surpassed the movie (which I had to see again after the book), being that much darker and deeper (although not a very deep story in itself).
topdragon's review against another edition
4.0
Most readers are likely coming to this novel after having seen the Sylvester Stallone “Rambo” movie many years previously. That’s certainly the case for me. While movies are always different from their source material, that is especially true in this case. Yes, we still have the basic former Green Beret fighting solo as an underdog against an army of forces against him. He’s been pushed around and told to get out-of-town even though he’s done nothing wrong other than have long hair and a beard. It’s hard for anybody to be bullied like that. But whereas the movie focused on a single hero character, the novel offers two: Rambo (no first name given in the book) and Wilfred Teasle, the local sheriff. Whether or not either one is a hero is open to debate.
In the author’s forward, he discusses his motivations for writing the book and what he wanted to achieve by creating these two characters and what they represented in American culture. The forward in my copy of the book was written years after the movie and I would strongly urge readers to avoid reading it until after completing the novel itself. Major spoilers are included, even the ending, which is far different from the movie.
The novel is told from both main characters’ points of view, alternating chapters for the most part and offering us plenty of insight into their thoughts, motivations, and personal history. Rambo is clearly suffering from what today we call PTSD. The sheriff is a former decorated soldier from the Korean War and a competent sheriff. When these two clash, it’s unclear who will have the upper hand: the highly trained Green Beret with all of his skills or the sheriff who can bring to bear a vast array of government resources to hunt down his prey. Here again, the movie greatly differs. Here, Rambo is not a near-super-powered being but rather, an entirely human character who gets hurt, bleeds, and suffers tremendously. The violence is far greater than in the movie. Sometimes it's brutal and sometimes it’s almost a simple off-hand comment about another good friend being gunned down but it always drives the narrative as well as the two characters.
After completing the book’s final pages and closing the cover I realized I had just read one of the greatest chase novels I’ve ever encountered. And a fascinating character study at the same time.
In the author’s forward, he discusses his motivations for writing the book and what he wanted to achieve by creating these two characters and what they represented in American culture. The forward in my copy of the book was written years after the movie and I would strongly urge readers to avoid reading it until after completing the novel itself. Major spoilers are included, even the ending, which is far different from the movie.
The novel is told from both main characters’ points of view, alternating chapters for the most part and offering us plenty of insight into their thoughts, motivations, and personal history. Rambo is clearly suffering from what today we call PTSD. The sheriff is a former decorated soldier from the Korean War and a competent sheriff. When these two clash, it’s unclear who will have the upper hand: the highly trained Green Beret with all of his skills or the sheriff who can bring to bear a vast array of government resources to hunt down his prey. Here again, the movie greatly differs. Here, Rambo is not a near-super-powered being but rather, an entirely human character who gets hurt, bleeds, and suffers tremendously. The violence is far greater than in the movie. Sometimes it's brutal and sometimes it’s almost a simple off-hand comment about another good friend being gunned down but it always drives the narrative as well as the two characters.
After completing the book’s final pages and closing the cover I realized I had just read one of the greatest chase novels I’ve ever encountered. And a fascinating character study at the same time.
adrdrz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
markhodderauthor's review against another edition
5.0
RAMBO!!! And THIS is how to write an action novel. The conflict is set out in the first paragraph and, from that point on, the pressure ramps up without a pause. Subtle touches of pathos provide just the right amount of depth amid the gunshots, explosions, and VERY high body count, but essentially this is the story of two men spiralling out of control, brilliantly portraying their groping justifications for insane acts of violence. Superb!
jmanderson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
odin45mp's review against another edition
3.0
Gripping. I love the movie, and finally got to read the source material. It is fast-paced and never really stops moving. I believe the author succeeded in his goal of making both characters worth of hate and sympathy. I wavered between three and four stars, but the language could have used more polish. I also felt that parts of Teasle's story were unnecessary and distracted from getting to know him in the moment.
If you're looking for the book equivalent of a summer blockbuster, this should definitely be on your list.
If you're looking for the book equivalent of a summer blockbuster, this should definitely be on your list.