writermattphillips's review against another edition
3.0
A postwar novel with mass market appeal... I see why it's so famous.
malachi_oneill's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the book.
So nothing against it at all - and all credit for the originality.
This is one of the rare instances where I actually like the movie even better.
Not better - even better.
Movie did a better job of creating Rambo as a real human and not just a killing machine, by way of the movie-Rambo's intentionally NOT killing anyone. He maimed them, but in the movie, the others really DID draw first blood.
And then of course one of the best soliloquys in Hollywood history at the end of the movie.
Note: I did not like any of the other Rambo movies after the first one. Just Hollywood.
So nothing against it at all - and all credit for the originality.
This is one of the rare instances where I actually like the movie even better.
Not better - even better.
Movie did a better job of creating Rambo as a real human and not just a killing machine, by way of the movie-Rambo's intentionally NOT killing anyone. He maimed them, but in the movie, the others really DID draw first blood.
And then of course one of the best soliloquys in Hollywood history at the end of the movie.
Note: I did not like any of the other Rambo movies after the first one. Just Hollywood.
nachtfalke's review against another edition
5.0
Feels a bit dated, but certainly still a fascinating book. Rambo's descent into madness is one of the most gut-wrenching and genuine stories I believe I've ever read.
literatetexan's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this novel. I've read some of Morrell's other books, and while some were excellent (like Testament), others were pretty bad (like Burnt Sienna). What I got with First Blood was a thoughtful and powerful novel about a generation gap. The Rambo in the book is a less sympathetic and more realistic person. First Blood was a good enough book to read more than once.
cobraforhire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know that the movie "First Blood" was based on this book. So when my friend 11811 (Eleven) reviewed this book I put in a request for it immediately.
Rambo shows up in a small town in Kentucky. The local sheriff doesn't like "his kind" being in his town so he takes him and dumps him out at the end of town. Rambo comes back. Then sheriff Teasle does it again. A couple of times. Rambo takes offense to being told that he can't be in town. He also takes offense to Sheriff Teasle wanting to shave his beard and cut his hair.
So Rambo goes a bit bat-shit crazy on the town. He ends up in the mountains of the area.
That pisses off the sheriff so he and his men go after Rambo.
That does not end very well. For the sheriff's men.
So then let's call in the state police, national guard and everybody else.
"He's an expert in guerrilla fighting, he knows how to live off the land, so he doesn't have the problem that you do of bringing up food and supplies for your men. He's learned patience, so he can hide somewhere and wait out this fight all year if he has to. He's just one man, so he's hard to spot. He's on his own, doesn't have to follow orders, doesn't have to synchronize himself with other units, so he can move fast, shoot and get out and hide some place else, then do the same all over again."
That doesn't end so well either.
I remember watching this movie when I was in about the seventh grade. My household was super religious so we didn't get to watch movies like this at home. One of my teachers at school actually brought in his copy for us to watch one day. I was glued to my seat. Rambo was the shiznit.
Now, I do get forced to watch it every time it comes on TV by my fanboy husband but usually I ignore it while I read.
The movie is a tad different as Rambo is a poor misunderstood hero. I thought in the book he was just a tad nutso and was tired of anyone pushing him around and he pushed back. Hard.
He is not very like-able in the book. The sheriff isn't either though. So I didn't mind that they just wanted to shoot the hell out of each other.
Rambo shows up in a small town in Kentucky. The local sheriff doesn't like "his kind" being in his town so he takes him and dumps him out at the end of town. Rambo comes back. Then sheriff Teasle does it again. A couple of times. Rambo takes offense to being told that he can't be in town. He also takes offense to Sheriff Teasle wanting to shave his beard and cut his hair.
So Rambo goes a bit bat-shit crazy on the town. He ends up in the mountains of the area.
That pisses off the sheriff so he and his men go after Rambo.
That does not end very well. For the sheriff's men.
So then let's call in the state police, national guard and everybody else.
"He's an expert in guerrilla fighting, he knows how to live off the land, so he doesn't have the problem that you do of bringing up food and supplies for your men. He's learned patience, so he can hide somewhere and wait out this fight all year if he has to. He's just one man, so he's hard to spot. He's on his own, doesn't have to follow orders, doesn't have to synchronize himself with other units, so he can move fast, shoot and get out and hide some place else, then do the same all over again."
That doesn't end so well either.
I remember watching this movie when I was in about the seventh grade. My household was super religious so we didn't get to watch movies like this at home. One of my teachers at school actually brought in his copy for us to watch one day. I was glued to my seat. Rambo was the shiznit.
Now, I do get forced to watch it every time it comes on TV by my fanboy husband but usually I ignore it while I read.
The movie is a tad different as Rambo is a poor misunderstood hero. I thought in the book he was just a tad nutso and was tired of anyone pushing him around and he pushed back. Hard.
He is not very like-able in the book. The sheriff isn't either though. So I didn't mind that they just wanted to shoot the hell out of each other.
jimmypat's review against another edition
2.0
I thought that the first half of this book was surprisingly good. However, the second half loses all momentum and becomes an absolute slog to get through. It did make me want to rewatch the film, though.
pirate_jesus's review against another edition
3.0
I rate it good-not-great. This novel predates the movie by exactly 10 years, and provides a wildly different take on the PTSD our main character experiences, painting less a portrait of heroism in standing up for one’s self and more a tragedy, in three parts, of a youth who is hinted at being capable of committing atrocity before his time of war and is pushed to unleash horror by a town’s insensitivity. While I prefer the novel version of Rambo, himself, the execution as an action/thriller lacked depth and dynamic when compared to Nothing Lasts Forever (Die Hard) and at that point in history would not have translated to screen favorably. #readingrainbow #ithinkyoureconfusingyourlifewithramboagaindude
michaelrcalkins's review against another edition
4.0
First Blood was an interesting experience for me, considering that the film adaptation is one of my favorite films ever made.
The book and film, while following a similar general plot, diverge in key ways, particularly in the massive body count that Rambo accrues through the book that just isn’t present in the film. This adds a more murky level to the book, where the lines of hero and villain blur quite a bit. And there are times where it was really tough to take Rambo’s side, particularly towards the end.
But I think the point is that both Teasle and Rambo are good and bad, and that we’re all capable of pushing things far beyond our control. And that theme is important, as well as the portrayal of Rambo as a veteran still reeling from PTSD in a time where that term hadn’t even existed yet. This book was taught in schools for a reason, and it’s sad that the excess of the movie franchise made teachers shy away from this one. It’s a stellar book.
The book and film, while following a similar general plot, diverge in key ways, particularly in the massive body count that Rambo accrues through the book that just isn’t present in the film. This adds a more murky level to the book, where the lines of hero and villain blur quite a bit. And there are times where it was really tough to take Rambo’s side, particularly towards the end.
But I think the point is that both Teasle and Rambo are good and bad, and that we’re all capable of pushing things far beyond our control. And that theme is important, as well as the portrayal of Rambo as a veteran still reeling from PTSD in a time where that term hadn’t even existed yet. This book was taught in schools for a reason, and it’s sad that the excess of the movie franchise made teachers shy away from this one. It’s a stellar book.