Product Description
In Das Darwin-Virus zeichnete Greg Bear das gruselige Bild einer Menschheit, die vor einem radikalen Evolutionssprung steht, der die Spezies Mensch für immer verändert. In Die Darwin-Kinder spinnt Bear seine provokante Geschichte der menschlichen Rasse weiter. Diese geht einer ungewissen Zukunft entgegen, in der das "Survival of the Fittest" erstaunliche und kontroverse Dimensionen annimmt. Elf Jahre sind seit der Entdeckung eines alten Retrovirus in der menschlichen DNA vergangen, ein Retrovirus, das Mutationen im menschlichen Genom bewirkt und Tausende von genetisch veränderten Babies hervorgebracht hat. Nun kommen diese andersartigen Kinder in die Adoleszenz ... und stehen einer Welt gegenüber, die über ihre Existenz empört und verunsichert ist. Denn diese Jugendlichen mit ihren weiterentwickelten und außergewöhnlichen Eigenschaften werden von der "alten" Rasse als potenzielle Krankheitsüberträger empfunden, die ihr eigenes Überleben gefährden. Angst und Hass vor den "Virus-Kindern" führen dazu, dass staatlich sanktionierte Kopfgeldjäger sie jagen und man sie in speziellen Heimen, Konzentrationslagern nicht unähnlich, wegsperren lässt. Doch Inseln des Widerstands formieren sich unter jenen, die nicht bereit sind, die Kinder wie Aussätzige zu behandeln. Die Biologin Kaye Lang und der Archäologe Mitch Rafelson gehören zu dieser kleinen, aber entschlossenen Minderheit. Einst an der Spitze der Erforschung des "SHEVA"-Virus, leben sie einige Jahre zurückgezogen mit ihrer Tochter Stella Nova, einem Virus-Kind, in der ständigen Angst, entdeckt zu werden. Als dies geschieht, wird die Familie auseinander gerissen, Mitch wird inhaftiert, Stella Nova kommt in eines der gefürchteten Heime, wo ihr einziger Trost darin besteht, dass sie endlich unter ihresgleichen ist. Erst Jahre später findet die Familie -- unter geänderten Vorzeichen -- wieder zueinander. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagination--such a wondrous gift.And such a delicate one, too.Especially if you're a young boy discovering its powers for the first time.

Come join that boy as he encounters his own imagination--and the forces that threaten it:ignorance, fear and censorship.

The White Horse Child by the Hugo and Nebula award-winning science fiction writer, Greg Bear, is an intriguing interactive story with a powerful message.This multimedia storybook brings to life this message with colorful illustrations, video animation , lively music and narration.There's also a discussion video of Greg Bear himself, giving insight about the story and its creativity.

In addition, The White Horse Child helps your children learn new computer skills, become better readers and develop stronger vocabularies.On-screen dictionary help with the meanings of difficult words is instantly available so that the story is better understood. ... Read more

Product Description
Multi-award winning author Greg Bear established himself as the most ambitious and imaginative of the potential successors to Arthur C. Clarke with his bestselling space operas Eon and Eternity.Tangents is his first collection of short stories and includes two tales that won both Hugo and Nebula Awards: ‘Tangents’ a remarkable account of contact with beings from another dimension, and the original short version of his classic novel Blood Music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sleepy selection of randomenss
This collection of short stories by Greg Bear (his first collection published) feels as if he scoured his desk drawers looking for anything to fill the pages of this collection. His main focus was, obviously, the short story Blood Music. It's great, but the book is even more epic. And the only other story which seems to fit well into a Greg Bear short story collection would be Sisters. This is a sort of precursor to his future society based books Queen of Angels and Slant. Sisters is a healthy grassroots look at being a simple teenager in simple future times.

The rest of the stories range wildly and annoyingly from 1) a story about a man and a magical prostitute, 2) a woman and her dictionary-born boy-toy, 3) a news article about the (quite dated) future of computer graphics and animation.

If you're looking for Bear SF, then look no further than The Venging, which has heaps of hard SF in a number of presentable not-pulled-from-the-back-of-his-desk-drawer stories.

Not Free SF Reader
An earlier story collection, and he writers an introduction talking about the difference between forward looking and 'past=comforted' pepole in America, relating that to science fiction.

A pretty good bunch of stories, averaging 3.44.

Tangents : Blood Music [SS] - Greg Bear
Tangents : Sleepside Story - Greg Bear
Tangents : Webster - Greg Bear
Tangents : A Martian Ricorso - Greg Bear
Tangents : Dead Run - Greg Bear
Tangents : Schrödinger's Plague - Greg Bear
Tangents : Through Road No Whither - Greg Bear
Tangents : Tangents - Greg Bear
Tangents : Sisters - Greg Bear


Microcolony kill failure transfer overrun.

4 out of 5


Escort pruning promotes renewal.

3.5 out of 5


Dictionary definition not the same as the real thing.

3 out of 5


First contact rapid overtaking.

2.5 out of 5


Trucking hell, man.

3.5 out of 5


Coin toss experimental global philosophy pandemic probability.

3.5 out of 5


I see bad things for the SS.

3.5 out of 5


Music just adds that extra dimension.

4 out of 5


Designer defect death.

3.5 out of 5

Hits and misses
"Tangents" is a mixture of mostly strange, bizzarre 'hard' scifi and a few stories that actually are easy to grasp by the casual scifireader (which I am one).Dealing with the drawbacks of genetic programmingin a very futuristic world, "Sisters" was touching emotionally, afascinating short story that was very well written."BloodMusic", the short that spawned an entire novel by the same name, hadan intriguing premise, while "Tangents" (the story) showed us themusical bridge to the fourth dimension but the real star of the show wasthe haunting "Dead Run" which was turned into a Twilight Zoneepisode.Its by far the best of the bunch.The rest range fromdisgustingly strange, "Sleepside Story", which is one of theworst pieces i have ever read, and a giant waste of time, and the samesentiments apply to "Webster".Casual sci fi'ers might want tolook elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Notable science fiction authors are gathered for an out-of-this-world collection! Features "Why I Left Harry's All-Night Diner" by Lawrence Watt Evans and read by Wil Wheaton; "That Only Mother" by Judith Merrill and read by Terry Farrell; "Jeffty Is Five" written and read by Harlan Ellison; "Fermi and Frost" by Frederick Pohl and read by Denise Crosby; "The Nine Billion Names of God" by Arthur C. Clarke and read by Alexander Siddig; "Teangents" by Greg Bear and read by Melissa Manchester; and many others. Unabridged. October '98 publication date. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Greatest Science Fiction Stories Of The 20th Century
This is a very good unabridged audio of short stories. Was sent and received within a reasonable time and was in good shape. I enjoyed it very much, thank you.

I love "why I left Harry's..." - by WATT-EVANS
I love "Why I left Harry's All Night Hamburgers" by Lawrence Watt-Evans.I also really enjoy the performance of Will Wheaton (reader).It's been a while since I could find my copy, but I used to listen to this story once a week.The Editorial Review is right about this collection being incorrectly named, this isn't representative of the "Greatest ... of the 20th Century",but I remember most being pretty good,and I just can't forget "Why I left Harry's...".It's charm, for me, is the way it brings magic and mystery into a very commonplace existence.A young guy who feels trapped by his rural/small-town life and wants out. (CAUTION: SPOILER) He discovers that the local diner, his McJob, is actually an interdimensional/interstellar travelers' rest-stop.It might be a way for him to escape his frustrating life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Complex and intriguing work
"The Infinity Concerto" - Book One of Songs of Earth and Power - is a very deep book; multi-layered and textured.I believe it will likely take me several readings to find all the meanings that are embedded in the story.The basic storyline revolves around Michael Perrin, a thoughtful young man who wants to be a poet.He befriends a composer named Arno Waltiri, who it is said wrote a concerto called The Infinity Concerto that was so unusual that it drove its listeners mad - and many of those listeners disappeared.Waltiri claims that the concerto was primarily inspired by a man called David Clarkham, who subsequently disappeared; Arno gives Michael a key and a piece of paper with directions to follow, that should lead him to Clarkham.Waltiri dies soon thereafter.Despite warnings from Waltiri's wife Golda that Waltiri repented of his choice to give these to him, Michael decides to go ahead and follow the directions - and ends up somewhere . . . that is not Earth anymore.Forced to learn to survive, Michael has to grow up and grow strong very quickly - but is he just a pawn in some hidden power struggle?Or is he something else altogether?

Some sections of this book seemed rather slow moving, but everything was necessary for the plot.Because the plot is so intricate, at times ponderous prose is necessary to bring about all the necessary information.All-in-all, I found the story quite enjoyable and I am also enjoying the beginning of the sequel, The Serpent Mage.

Those who are fans of epic fantasy, stories of the Sidhe (especially of the darker natures thereof) or simply well-crafted alternate realities, please do not miss this one.I do not know how easy it is to pick these books up separately - I have the omnibus edition of the series, as noted above (Songs of Earth and Power).A recommend from me!

If only Bear would write more like these
This story takes fantasy out of the usual dragon, unicorn, and magic users arena. The rewrite of the Serpent Mage in the combined stories of Songs of Earth and Power does full justice to the tale begun by this book. A great read!

A slow but compelling start to a very complex fantasy series
This is the 1st book of a 2 book series.The last is The Serpent Mage. Both books have also been combined as another title, "Songs of Earth & Power." My detailed rating would be 4.1 for this book. Theessential story of this book is very simple. The main character (Michael)is forcibly drafted by the Elves (Sidhe) to learn magic. It's a traumaticexperience.But that's not the strength of the book.Bear generallywrites fairly hard SF. The magic here has some interesting physics to it!But the best thing is the history. Bear provides a detailed historystarting at the beginning of time. Not exactly with quarks either. Thisextremely complex history of the 5+ sentient races on Earth drives thewhole story, and you learn that history a piece at a time through the twobooks. Why is Michael drafted by the elves? You find out by the middle ofthe second book. This first book would not be satisfying all by itself. Youneed the second also. If you like friendly elves, this is not the seriesfor you. Most of the elves here are cold, cruel, and callous. Why? That'spart of the history!

A very complex and detailed land of magic
This is the 1st book of a 2 book series.The last is The Serpent Mage. My detailed rating would be 4.1 for this book. The essential story of this book is very simple. The main character (Michael) is forcibly drafted bythe Elves (Sidhe) to learn magic. It's a traumatic experience.But that'snot the strength of the book.Bear generally writes fairly hard SF. Themagic here has some interesting physics to it! But the best thing is thehistory. Bear provides a detailed history starting at the beginning oftime. Not exactly with quarks either. This extremely complex history of the5+ sentient races on Earth drives the whole story, and you learn thathistory a piece at a time through the two books. Why is Michael drafted bythe elves? You find out by the middle of the second book. This first bookwould not be satisfying all by itself. You need the second also. If youlike friendly elves, this is not the series for you. Most of the elves hereare cold, cruel, and callous. Why? That's part of the history! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

THE WORLD SET FREE by H. G. Wells
The World Set Free (recently reissued as The Last War) is a 1914 science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. When atomic bombs are developed and the world is threatened with universal devastation, its leaders are forced to rethink war, government, and society.

The World Set Free is remarkably prophetic, as Wells forecasts both nuclear war and the capacity for mutually-assured destruction. And while Wells misses the mark on the way atomic bombs work (his atomic bombs have the same explosive power as conventional bombs, but they just keep on burning), he certainly doesn't underestimate their destructive power.

This book feels like a novel only in the sense that it relates a series of fictional events. What few individuals appear here are scarcely characters in the literary sense - other than Egbert, none are developed in the slightest. This simply wasn't what Wells is trying to do - Wells is interested in the technology and its ramifications, and because that's what he focuses on, The World Set Free reads like a fictional history book, or perhaps like an outline for a longer novel. This keeps it from ever getting too interesting, and while it's a short book, it can be hard to get through.

In short, The World Set Free is an impressively-imagined but not very well-written piece of prophetic science fiction.

Surprisingly boring
Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) is best remembered for his pioneering works in the field of science-fiction, most notably The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). In point of fact, Mr. Wells fiction took him into speculation of how scientific discoveries would affect the future. In particular, his 1908 book, The War in the Air, was full of fascinating forward thinking.

In this 1913 book (published in 1914), the author takes speculation he had read about the possibility of releasing energy from atoms, and writes about a future of atomic power and atomic weapons. The atomic weapons of this book make relatively small, but on-going (for centuries!) explosions. Plus, apparently at the time they knew little about the effects of radiation on living organisms. But, nonetheless, this is the very first story ever written about a nuclear war!

So far so good. Unfortunately, by this time, H.G.'s fiction writing ability was in steep decline, and the best of his fiction was long behind him. The Last War: A World Set Free focuses less on the war than it does on humanity's embracing of socialism. Indeed, the book is less a work of science-fiction, than a polemic for socialism.

So, am I saying that this book was no good, and you should avoid it? Well, I'm afraid that I am. In this story, Wells does not show a good grasp of where the world was headed, as the following quotation will show, "For long decades the combative side in human affairs had been monstrously exaggerated by the accidents of political separation." In point of fact, militarism, hatred, and murder stretch in an unbroken line from the Nazi Storm Troopers of yesteryear, to the suicide bombers of today.

And, to make matters worse, this book is surprisingly boring for a book about nuclear war. Overall, I did not enjoy this book, and I do not recommend it. (I do, though, recommend Wells' The War in the Air.)

Socialist Wells writes about nuclear war
By the time British author H.G. Wells got around to writing "The Last War," in 1914, the general public already recognized he was a master of science fiction. "The Time Machine," "The Invisible Man," "The War of the Worlds," and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" had all come out some twenty years before he penned this slim book about global atomic war and the subsequent restructuring of human civilization. Most readers today only remember Wells as an amazingly prescient science fiction author. He was, however, so much more. For example, he wrote a number of non-fiction pieces, perhaps the most important being his two-volume work "The Outline of History". First published in 1920 and an instant success with the public, Wells went on to revise his historical opus on several occasions--a sign of its enduring popularity. Moreover, and many people familiar with the author's name don't remember this little tidbit, Wells was an avowed socialist. I'd go so far as to call him a communist, especially after reading "The Last War". This look at nuclear cataclysm is less a triumph of science fiction and more a pamphlet used by Wells to espouse his socialist/communist belief system. I loathe communism.

I don't, however, necessarily hate this book. The story starts out on a very powerful note, with Wells distilling the technological prowess and advancement of the human race down to a single chapter. According to the author, it is man's destiny to somehow harness a science that will replicate the power and intensity of the sun. Nuclear power! The breakthrough comes soon enough when a young man named Holsten figures out how to release the inner power of the atom in 1933. Benefits galore spring from the wonders of atomic power. Goodbye horse and buggy and steamships, hello atomic powered cars, airplanes, and ships. Mankind realizes a new age in transportation, industry, and myriad other facets of human existence as the atom becomes the centerpiece of technology. Unfortunately, humanity also starts building new weapons incorporating the new technology. Coupled with the capitalist system's failure to adapt to the demise of the industrial age, social unrest and general hostility flare up. Then the wars start, destructive wars involving millions upon millions of soldiers going head to head across the entire world. It's only a matter of time before the atomic bombs start dropping.

Wells complicates things (and increases the deadly carnage) by making his atomic bombs devices that soldiers can throw by hand as well as drop by plane. Even worse, the warheads don't simply level cities; they continue to detonate for years afterwards, burrowing deep into the ground and spewing huge amounts of flame and radiation. Millions, if not billions, die in these atomic fires. Paris goes up in flames, as do Berlin, London, and most other big metropolitan centers around the world. Entire armies vanish off the face of the earth as the war turns into genocidal madness. In one instance, bombs dropped on the dams in Holland unleash floodwaters that kill hundreds of thousands in a few hours. Unleashing the power of the sun leaves civilization tottering on the brink of utter annihilation until a spark of sanity saves us at the last second. The remaining leaders of the world gather to create a single global government that will oversee the banning of atomic weapons and war. Too, this body promises to use technology to elevate mankind to a better existence. Those leaders still devoted to war quickly fall prey to the peacemakers, and the world government receives the support of the earth's war weary population.

"The Last War," manages to put forth some gripping scenes of war despite its annoying socialist/communist message. Wells describes the destruction of Paris in gripping, memorable detail, down to the effects the explosion and radiation have on the human body. The destruction of the dams and the watery aftermath are pretty darn exciting as well. Most entertaining is the author's description of how the bombs work. He invents an element, Carolinum, to fuel his atomic devices. The core of the bomb reacts when introduced to open air, so a soldier or pilot must pull out a plug before throwing or dropping the warhead on enemy troops and cities. You certainly wouldn't want to drop that blazing sucker in your lap while flying a plane! The design of the bomb is absolute malarkey, but it's still amazing that Wells could visualize such devices and their ultimate use as a weapon as early as 1914. Scientists knew a bit about radiation and the power hidden in the atom before and during this time, but the real breakthroughs came in the 1930s, exactly the time in which Wells foresaw the beginning of the nuclear age.

Sadly, the good parts of "The Last War" disappear under an avalanche of socialist agitprop. Wells can't resist slamming the capitalist system early on in the book, blaming it for creating conditions that lead to all-out nuclear conflict. Then there's the single world government stuff in the middle of the book. The really, REALLY scary stuff shows up in the final chapter. Set in a future far removed from the horrors of atomic war, Wells shows us the advances civilization has made without the threat of conflict hanging over its head. What's wrong with that? Nothing, except most of it resembles Soviet dogma of the 1920s through the 1950s. He talks about changing the very structures of the human mind and body as well as radical feminism that denies biological differences, among other things. Wells obviously believed in the malleability of the human mind and body, and that governments should work to bring about this new reality. That's exactly what Lenin, Stalin, and the rest of the killers over in the Soviet Union tried to do. They failed miserably. Give "The Last War" a chance, but beware of the Stalinist propaganda contained within.

The War To End All War
"The Last War" is a novel by H.G. Wells which chronicles the end of civilization by atomic weapons. Like the alien invader theme (also pioneered by Wells), this premise has been used to death in countless books and films and reduced to cliche, but in 1914, when the novel was first published, the idea was completely new. Thirty-one years before Hiroshima and Nagasaki, H.G. Wells wrote the first novel about the effects of nuclear war.

This edition of "The Last War" contains an informative introduction by Greg Bear, describing the social conditions that led to the book's publication, and a lot of background information about Wells himself.

It could be said that "The Last War" is one of the only books where nuclear war proves to be a positive experience. Society is swept away, purged by fire, and a new civilization rises from the ashes of the old. This all happens in a relatively short time. Wells would use this theme again in "The Shape of Things To Come" (1933).

"The Last War" is notable for its prophetic qualities (never mind that the atomic bombs are thrown by hand), but in parts the book can be rather dry. The story doesn't move at the same pace as "The War of the Worlds" or "The Time Machine", for example. Since the end of World War Two and the beginning of the Cold War, the glut of post-nuclear scenarios that followed have been more willing to portray thefull horror that such a conflict would bring. In "The Last War" there is a feeling of detatchment, the sense one gets from reading a history book. The book deals more with events than characters.

In summing up, H.G. Wells had no idea he was starting a genre that would become popular for years to come. The post-nuclear world is a placemany writers have liked to visit and describe in detail. Wells saw it first. ... Read more

Product Description
The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem has been blown to bits by extremists, and, in retaliation, thousands have died in another major attack on the United States. Now the FBI has been dispatched to deal with a new menace. A plague targeted to ethnic groups--Jews or Muslims or both--has the potential to wipe out entire populations. But the FBI itself is under political assault. There's a good chance agents William Griffin, Fouad Al-Husam, and Jane Rowland will be part of the last class at Quantico. As the young ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Greg Bear story was good
This one was pretty good because it's the one with 'The Man Who Would Be Kzin', written in part by Greg Bear, which was one of the more interesting premises. I'd say if you only read 3 stories from the series, it should be the stuff from Dean Ing from books 1 and 2, which are combined in the 'houses of the kzinti', and this one. If you read one more, it should be 'The Survivor' and the continuation 2 books later, also starting in book 4.

However, there are some dubious attributes of this book which really should be made open. First, like at least a FEW others (so they didn't even just make this mistake once), the so-called Kzin on the cover does appear to have 5 fingers in his gloved hand. I mean, what's the deal? Do they keep going back to the same artists who don't even bother to get enough of the picture to know they're supposed to have 4 fingers on each hand?

Even more dubious is the introduction at the beginning of this book by Niven himself, which is basically a warning and a threat to any readers who want to produce any fiction within the universe he established - he expresses his unwillingness to allow ANYone to embed the Kzinti in the star trek universe, but this is ridiculous, because he HIMSELF was responsible for 'The Slaver Weapon', an episode of the original Star Trek animated series, if actually you're old enough to remember the show. To refresh your memory, that animated cartoon is a ludicrous adaptation of 'The Soft Weapon', ludicrous because the man and his wife are verbatim replaced by Sulu and Ohura, and even worse, the puppeteer, supposedly a 2-headed, 3 legged monstrosity of a grazing animal is played by, who else, Spock. In spite of how ridiculous it sounds, it was pulled off, and apparently Niven was pulling the strings, as it attributes itself to him at the beginning. So, since he himself already established the Kzinti into the Star Trek universe, I think it's downright hypocritical for him to chastize anyone for continuing what he started.

And nothing short of outrageous that he should start this book with an self-gratifying essay reproving anyone so wicked as to put the Kzinti into the Star Trek universe, and conveniently forgetting he already set the standard.

So skip Niven's introduction. Or laugh at the lunacy of it all. But I say, this book is a good read other than that. At least it doesn't have any of those terrible, anesthetic (they will put you to sleep) Poul Anderson stories that appear in more than 2 books of the series. Oh man, those are awful.

Excellent!
If you like Sci-Fi and you like Space, then You've GOT to read Larry Niven's Man Kzin books. He's gotten together with scientists and over 20 writers and created a so-fi world unlike any that's ever been created.

His sci-fi world will continue perpetuating itself long after he's gone because many young writers have bought into his sci-fi version of space as well as MANY older well established ones.

Somewhat different from the first three books in the series.
In each of the first three books of this series, the book was made up of two or three stories of relatively equal length. This book varies somewhat from that format; there are two stories, the first a small novel in and of itself, taking up about 75% of the book (240 pages out of 310). The remaining 70 pages are a story more similar to the others we've seen in the series, perhaps a bit shorter.

Both of the stories in this book are excellent, particularly the longer first story ("Survivor", by Donald Kingsbury). I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone not familiar with the basic concept of Kzinti, a race of spacefaring carnivorous cats, constantly at war with us omnivorous monkeys and constantly losing in the long run because we monkeys are capable of THINKING about the long run, whereas Kzinti consider it shameful to be so cautious as to excercise forethought and planning. (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but it conveys the spirit of the situation.) Still, it isn't necessary to have read all of the previous three collections to appreciate this one; granted, the first story refers back to some events in a story in volume three, but if you didn't know that, you would probably simply assume that the events glossed over were events of tangential importance to this story, and you'd be correct.

This is my favorite of the series so far, even if the ending to the second story was somewhat less than satisfying.

One of the more interesting among the M-K Wars
How the hell could this book be out of print?Anyway, I really liked the character Grass Eater, because it shows a whole new side of the Kzinti, and gives insight into who they really are.You see that even the mightiestwarriors among them are not fearless, but are basically brutalized frombirth into constant fights for survival that is the basis for their entiresociety.I liked it.

Kzinti "cats" at all-out war with human "monkey-boys"
Similar to Man-Kzin Wars I through VI: many excellent stories about Kzinti and humans at war across interstellar space.Did I mention that Kzinti telepaths go mad interrogating human vegetarians?Or that human prisoners are considered additions to the meat larder?Or that Kzinti women are not even sentient?This is _not_ for kiddies.Ironically, Niven goes far out of his way in the introduction to Man-Kzin Wars IV to criticize a parody of his work and claim ownership of "his" fictional universe."The Only Fair Game" (an explicit work involving S&M and homosexuality) may be found at http://www.halcyon.com/elf/other/ ... Read more

Product Description
Introduction by Greg Bear
Preface by Mark Cotta Vaz

The giant prehistoric gorilla King Kong is one of the most recognized images in our culture. So great is the mighty Kong’s hold on the popular imagination that his story–a gripping yarn of man versus nature, coupled with a fantastical update of the Beauty and the Beast legend–has been thrice made into a motion picture (most recently in 2005) and referenced endlessly in every medium, from books to prime-time sitcoms.

Beneath King Kong’s cultural significance, however, is a tense and surprisingly tender story. One cannot help but be frightened by Kong’s uncontrollable fury, be saddened over the giant’s capture, mistreatment, and exploitation by venal showmen, or sympathize with the beast’s ill-fated affection for the down-on-her-luck starlet Ann Darrow.

This Modern Library edition of a true colossus among adventure stories is reprinted from the original 1932 novelization of the movie script, and includes a Preface by Mark Cotta Vaz, the preeminent biographer of Merian C. Cooper, producer of the original 1933 classic film.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

THE END OF KONG RUNS OUT OF GAS.
Okay,

This story is a classic no doubt. But, I was feeling like it was the classic up until the end. The pace is great from the moment the story begins to the most memorable moments on top of the Empire State Building! My only problem is that there was not more time being spent on keeping the excitement going during this gut-wrenching action when Kong is protecting Ann before the DRAMATIC FALL.

Our fearless hero Driscoll is Awesome in a "Indiana Jones" way of saving Ann from the clutches of Kong. The somewhat possessive and obsessive Denham, really shows why he is the master of manipulation with everyone and everything during the whole story on his quest to have the ultimate prize to display for his movie company. But obviously he has compassion at times (which are few and far between) which makes him more realistic than your typical antagonist or cowardly bad man.

The love and romance that takes place between Driscoll and Ann is warm and touching and quite fun in their attraction to eachother. It reminded me of the great movie "The African Queen". I really felt like I was there with them on this journey all the way through ti' ll we get to the famous and classic scene at the end. It just did not hold much water for me. I actually started to view in my mind the end in the 1976 movie version of the same scene and it was AWESOME and climactic on knowing that Kong was so in touch with his feelings for his blonde beauty that he sacrificed himself with dignity and respect. In the book I did not get enough of that. The surface was only touched when it should have been the jugular!

All in all, it is worth reading and worth owning. But just be prepared for a lack-luster ending in my opinion.

Some of this was great, but . . .
Years ago, I had a comic book version of King Kong, and I always thought it was a comic version of the movie. When Peter Jackson's KING KONG was coming out, I heard character names mentioned in that comic that were not in the movie. One of the surprises was discovering that the original 1932 novelization of KING KONG was the basis for that comic version, as well as Peter Jackson's remake. I was thrilled to find out that the book was still available for purchase today.

But this edition's presentation could have been a little better, in my opinion. I love the hard cover and the easy to read typestyle, but two things bother me:

1. This book features an insert of photos from the 1933 movie, but they are all in the center of the book. I think it might have been a better idea to spread out pictures throughout the book, making it an "illustrated" story.

2. King Kong has a distinctive look and his leading lady is Fay Wray as Ann Darrow, yet the cover art depicts a generic-looking gorilla holding a contemporary model. I was hoping for a reproduction of the original 1932 dust jacket. This art is still in existence, and is currently used on the Max Steiner soundtrack CD from the original film.

But having the novelization readily available in a hardcover format is a treat to say the least. Maybe next time the publishers might make a few changes. Please note that the text of this book is available in several different editions, so look for the features you want before buying. If you want a sturdy, durable tome to put on your bookshelf, this one might just do the trick.

KIng Kong

Do you love giant gorillas? If you do I have a book for you. I think King Kong should be an award winning book.I love it and if you read it I think you will love it too.The book is about three characters Ann, Denhan, and Weston.But, I can't forget the mighty King Kong. I'm not going to give you all the information but do you know how King Kong gets in and out of the ship and into the town? Read to find out- ages 7 through adult.
By Daria

Lost World classic
King Kong was initially conceived as a screenplay by Wallace and Cooper, but Lovelace was commissioned to novelize the screenplay. It was released before the movie came out. It's a fast easy read non-stop action (like a movie). There is nothing particularly literary since it's just a written version of the movie (indeed it serves to reveal how shallow movies can be compared to literature) but the language is priceless 1930s wise guy with lines like "look here" and "tough egg" and "shove off" peppered throughout (and not in a nostalgic way this is the "genuine article"). King Kong is of course part of the "Lost World" genre which started with H. Haggard's "King Solomons Mines, but the story is most influenced by Edgar Burroughs "The Land that Time Forgot" and Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World". Given what a short book it is (3-5 hour read for an average reader) if you liked the movie this is a great afternoon escape, part of the Lost World canon.

A great Classic
I've never read a king kong book before, and i have to say i was really impressed. This book started out a little "pathetic" but got a lot better towards the middle. THere eventually is a lot of action at a Place called Skull Island where they incounter the beast King Kong. THe story takes place here most of the story. Although the beggining stunk(bad) it really got better. I can't infasize this enough. I'm really suprised this book hasn't gotten the attention that it should get by today's youth.



Beggining. 2 out of 5
middle.5 out of 5
End4 out of 5 ... Read more