A review by villyidol
The Abyss, by James Francis Cameron, Orson Scott Card
3.0
This is my first Orson Scott Card novel. I know what you might think. Never heard of Enders’s Game, or what?
Actually, [b: Ender’s Game|375802|Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1)|Orson Scott Card|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408303130s/375802.jpg|2422333] is sitting on my shelf since forever. It is standing there near loved ones like [b: The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181], [b: Ready Player One|9969571|Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)|Ernest Cline|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500930947s/9969571.jpg|14863741] or [b: 2001: A Space Odyssey|70535|2001 A Space Odyssey (Space Odyssey, #1)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432468943s/70535.jpg|208362]. Which makes for some awkward moments.
From time to time I walk by, seeing one of those books. They look back at me and I start mumbling something like „Yeah, I know. I love you too.“ Then Ender’s Game catches my eye. Looks at me, contemptuously. I stare at my feet. Feeling a bit embarrassed. Then I walk back to one of my reading places. Another book in hand. Again. Ender’s Game starts whispering to his friends Christine, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Dispossessed... They have another meeting of their how-did-I-end-up-here-with-this-jerk-when-millions-around-the-world-read-and-loved-my-twins-and-I-merely-stand-here-bought-shelved-but-never-read-self-help group.
I understand their sentiment, of course. Though I really think they could have come up with a better name for their group. Something a bit more catchy, maybe. I mean, seriously, what kind of jerk comes up with a name like that?
A few weeks ago I watched James Cameron’s The Abyss. A movie I always liked, but never loved. Not like his Aliens or the Terminator movies. Still, I liked it enough to pick up the book, which by the time was threatening to become a full-time member of this depressed group I mentioned above.
The Abyss is about a US submarine apparently being attacked by some unknown enemy and subsequently sunken in the deep sea. A group of SEALs and civilians working for a deepwater oiling company are send there to investigate. We witness as they discover the unexpected truth about the incident.
This book by Orson Scott Card was based on the screenplay for the Cameron movie and partly rewritten after he saw a nearly finished version of the movie. James Cameron and Orson Scott Card apparently have different opinions about what should be called a novelization. Still, they both hoped it can be read without needing to know the movie and experienced by the reader as a proper novel.
Personally I think the book does work without knowing the movie. But I think watching the movie first enhances the reading experience. It also helps to understand some of the book‘s flaws.
Being a book based on a screenplay for a Hollywood movie it is almost inevitable to have some bad dialogue. A lot of times Card is giving us one of these movie lines and then spends paragraphs explaining what went through the characters' minds while they were saying this or that. I guess that's how novelizations are done. And he’s doing it pretty well in my opinion. Though it can get tiring. Sometimes it feels like he’s saying „Look, I know this sounds stupid. But what they really wanted to say was...“
For someone who liked the movie, it was still nice to get some more details about the characters. And I guess for fans of the movie this book is a lot of fun.
Though I don’t think a novelization is fun for the writer. Surely, some of this Hollywood stuff you usually wouldn’t like to have in your book. But, of course, you have to stick to the base material.
I suggest watching the movie first. If you liked it and want to expand on the experience, go pick up the book.
If you didn't like the movie but you're still intrigued by the premise, I recommend [a: Michael Crichton|5194|Michael Crichton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1359042651p2/5194.jpg]‘s [b: Sphere|455373|Sphere|Michael Crichton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1174924200s/455373.jpg|2651694]. It tells a similar story. But Crichton had the artistic freedom Orson Scott Card didn’t have with this book.
Actually, [b: Ender’s Game|375802|Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1)|Orson Scott Card|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408303130s/375802.jpg|2422333] is sitting on my shelf since forever. It is standing there near loved ones like [b: The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181], [b: Ready Player One|9969571|Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)|Ernest Cline|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500930947s/9969571.jpg|14863741] or [b: 2001: A Space Odyssey|70535|2001 A Space Odyssey (Space Odyssey, #1)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432468943s/70535.jpg|208362]. Which makes for some awkward moments.
From time to time I walk by, seeing one of those books. They look back at me and I start mumbling something like „Yeah, I know. I love you too.“ Then Ender’s Game catches my eye. Looks at me, contemptuously. I stare at my feet. Feeling a bit embarrassed. Then I walk back to one of my reading places. Another book in hand. Again. Ender’s Game starts whispering to his friends Christine, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Dispossessed... They have another meeting of their how-did-I-end-up-here-with-this-jerk-when-millions-around-the-world-read-and-loved-my-twins-and-I-merely-stand-here-bought-shelved-but-never-read-self-help group.
I understand their sentiment, of course. Though I really think they could have come up with a better name for their group. Something a bit more catchy, maybe. I mean, seriously, what kind of jerk comes up with a name like that?
A few weeks ago I watched James Cameron’s The Abyss. A movie I always liked, but never loved. Not like his Aliens or the Terminator movies. Still, I liked it enough to pick up the book, which by the time was threatening to become a full-time member of this depressed group I mentioned above.
The Abyss is about a US submarine apparently being attacked by some unknown enemy and subsequently sunken in the deep sea. A group of SEALs and civilians working for a deepwater oiling company are send there to investigate. We witness as they discover the unexpected truth about the incident.
This book by Orson Scott Card was based on the screenplay for the Cameron movie and partly rewritten after he saw a nearly finished version of the movie. James Cameron and Orson Scott Card apparently have different opinions about what should be called a novelization. Still, they both hoped it can be read without needing to know the movie and experienced by the reader as a proper novel.
Personally I think the book does work without knowing the movie. But I think watching the movie first enhances the reading experience. It also helps to understand some of the book‘s flaws.
Being a book based on a screenplay for a Hollywood movie it is almost inevitable to have some bad dialogue. A lot of times Card is giving us one of these movie lines and then spends paragraphs explaining what went through the characters' minds while they were saying this or that. I guess that's how novelizations are done. And he’s doing it pretty well in my opinion. Though it can get tiring. Sometimes it feels like he’s saying „Look, I know this sounds stupid. But what they really wanted to say was...“
For someone who liked the movie, it was still nice to get some more details about the characters. And I guess for fans of the movie this book is a lot of fun.
Though I don’t think a novelization is fun for the writer. Surely, some of this Hollywood stuff you usually wouldn’t like to have in your book. But, of course, you have to stick to the base material.
I suggest watching the movie first. If you liked it and want to expand on the experience, go pick up the book.
If you didn't like the movie but you're still intrigued by the premise, I recommend [a: Michael Crichton|5194|Michael Crichton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1359042651p2/5194.jpg]‘s [b: Sphere|455373|Sphere|Michael Crichton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1174924200s/455373.jpg|2651694]. It tells a similar story. But Crichton had the artistic freedom Orson Scott Card didn’t have with this book.