Scan barcode
A review by saareman
Alita: Battle Angel by Pat Cadigan
3.0
Fairly Exact Novelization
Review of the Audible Audio edition (Feb. 2019) of the Titan Books original (July 2018)
This 2018 novelization by veteran cyberpunk author Pat Cadigan follows the 2019 film screenplay by James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis (itself based on the manga [b:Battle Angel Alita|844422|Battle Angel Alita|Yukito Kishiro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533418495l/844422._SX50_.jpg|1715851] by [a:Yukito Kishiro|3450|Yukito Kishiro|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1273227843p2/3450.jpg]) quite closely, but there are a few variations. Cadigan likely had access to the original screenplay and the early cuts of the film which had been slated for release in July 2018 before being pushed back to February 2019. The final cut of the film likely made for the changes that are the difference. These are fairly minor though so you are still getting the same essential story without any huge amount of background information.
The scene change that stuck out for me was that in the novel's Kansas Bar fight scene, the re-modelled Grewishka cyborg enters the bar together with Chiren, whereas in the movie Chiren is there briefly only at the scene's end. Her overt alliance with Grewishka makes her more villainous though and that was likely cut to increase the audience sympathy for her. Similarly, the novel has more explicit sex scenes of Chiren with the villain Vector which I don't remember at all in the film. Those were likely cut for a PG-13 film rating.
The narration by Brian Nishii was well done in all voices.
Alita: Battle Angel was an Audible Daily Deal on August 16, 2019.
Review of the Audible Audio edition (Feb. 2019) of the Titan Books original (July 2018)
This 2018 novelization by veteran cyberpunk author Pat Cadigan follows the 2019 film screenplay by James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis (itself based on the manga [b:Battle Angel Alita|844422|Battle Angel Alita|Yukito Kishiro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533418495l/844422._SX50_.jpg|1715851] by [a:Yukito Kishiro|3450|Yukito Kishiro|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1273227843p2/3450.jpg]) quite closely, but there are a few variations. Cadigan likely had access to the original screenplay and the early cuts of the film which had been slated for release in July 2018 before being pushed back to February 2019. The final cut of the film likely made for the changes that are the difference. These are fairly minor though so you are still getting the same essential story without any huge amount of background information.
The scene change that stuck out for me was that in the novel's Kansas Bar fight scene, the re-modelled Grewishka cyborg enters the bar together with Chiren, whereas in the movie Chiren is there briefly only at the scene's end. Her overt alliance with Grewishka makes her more villainous though and that was likely cut to increase the audience sympathy for her. Similarly, the novel has more explicit sex scenes of Chiren with the villain Vector which I don't remember at all in the film. Those were likely cut for a PG-13 film rating.
The narration by Brian Nishii was well done in all voices.
Alita: Battle Angel was an Audible Daily Deal on August 16, 2019.