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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seen the movie? Read the book.,
By 42 (Springfield, Virginia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Nothing Lasts Forever (Hardcover)
First of all, I should probably say that Die Hard is one of my favorite movies of all time. For me, reading the book it was based on was a no brainer, but I even recommend it to people who aren't fans of the movie. While retaining the same basic "terrorists seize building" plot of the film, the novel is actually very different. It involves a much older hero (Joe Leland) who is desperately trying to save his daughter and two grandchildren, rather than his wife. The whole thing is a little more realistic and plausible than the movie. For instance, Leland's daughter, Stephanie, is not your average, ethically flawless, damsel in distress. She is obviously not a perfect person. More than once, Joe finds himself thinking about all the mistakes she has made in her life. The book contains variations on all of the familiar stunts and supporting characters (minus the two arrogant FBI agents) that really helped to make the movie great. The action sequences are quite suspenseful, especially for a book. What really enhances the suspense is Leland's vulnerability. He doesn't kill without emotion, and he's definitely not physically invincible. In a few parts it really seems like he's done for. Nothing Lasts Forever is an overall great book that is extremely entertaining and hard to put down. My only major complaint is that since the entire story follows Leland's point of view, you only come into contact with the head antagonist (Gruber) when Joe does. As a result, the character of Gruber is not nearly as memorable as Alan Rickman's portrayal in Die Hard. To wrap up, if you liked Die Hard it would be a mistake not to pick up this book, and even if you weren't crazy about the film, Nothing Lasts Forever is different enough to warrant a strong recommendation.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's the source for "Die Hard", but you'll be surprised...,
By M J Heilbron Jr. "Dr. Mo" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Nothing Lasts Forever (Hardcover)
A grim, more bleak version of what you might have been initially exposed to in the first "Die Hard" film, Roderick Thorp's "Nothing Lasts Forever" was a pleasure to read.
There are enough differences to keep movie-viewers off balance, and the writing is tough and terse, befitting it's hero, Joe Leland (not John McClane). The plot similarities are as such: it opens on a plane from NYC to LAX. He's visiting an estranged family member in L.A., who works in a high rise and they're having a Christmas party when the building gets taken over by terrorists. There's a cop on the outside, there's the cop's "superior" who's not the most competent, the big bad guy is Anton (not Hans) Gruber...but... ...the tone is really quite different. It's a bit more introspective, withe Leland feeling himself consumed by hatred toward his enemies. When he takes out a terrorist, you get an impression of how it affects him. They're not casual. And as he "gets better" at it, it starts to change his thinking. It's pretty interesting stuff. The media presence is handled much more seriously, not as a comic plot device/aside in the film. I thought it was much more realistic...the way media can manipulate the real story, and also how those people actually involved in the news story can manipulate the media right back. There's a few clever sequences that wouldn't have fit in the film, but are nevertheless pretty cool. I'm withholding the numerous plot differences between the two, as I hope you'll discover them for yourselves, but as a teaser, the hero is going to visit his daughter, not his wife... The film's screenplay, I think, is a masterpiece of action film writing. Good dialogue, nice exposition, decent plot twists. But the book is not that story; it's waaaay different. It has a different bent, and works equally well. Thorp writes action well, so many scenes play out vividly in your imagination, without the help of the movie's imagery. There are enough differences that I wasn't sure how the book was going to end, and you won't be sure either. Prepare for an unexpectedly pleasurable reading experience...
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Darker and grittier than the movie.,
By
This review is from: Nothing Lasts Forever (Hardcover)
Die Hard (The Movie) fans may be intrested in reading this book, but beware, there are some major differences. One disappointing difference is the absence of Hans Gruber. The colorful mastermind from the movie is no where to be seen in this book. In fact there is no snappy banter to be found because the terrorists don't speak English. The realism factor is higher in this book too, not that Die Hard wasn't believable, but when you puke after realizing you've killed someone, you're talking real life. Other differences are abound in this book. You should read it to see them all. It's entertaining, and Thorpe is a talented writer, but this book is not quite as entertaining as the movie. Still, don't let that discourage you, I throughly believe that books hold more depth, detail and darkness than Hollywood.
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