Customer Reviews

Predator: Concrete Jungle

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Obviously the book goes into way more detail and description than the graphic novel. Nathan Archer even goes as far as adding some scenes that give Schaefer's partner Rasche a bit more character and few more things to do.

The plot is what Predator 2 was originally supposed to be. Arnie's character was supposed to be helping the NYPD with a drugs war in an unbelievably hot summer. But when Arnie couldn't schedual in between Total Recall and Terminator 2 the role was re-written for Danny Glover. So the story here is pretty much as much a decent continuation of the first movie as the film sequel is. But with one big difference...

The role of Dutch Schaefer is changed to Detective Schaefer, Dutch's brother. He's just as big, bad and burly. And guess what...he goes by his own rules. If there was ever a REAL inspiration for 'McBain' from The Simpsons...it's probably Detective Schaefer. While reading the book I couldn't help but think of a Rainer Wolfcastle-type hero.

I've never read many action-based novels and I never knew how they'd work. But Predator: Concrete Jungle does manage to be exciting and is a real page turner. It's a pretty thick book but I managed to finish it in about 3 days. I know this isn't particulary fast but I'm not the kind of guy who can spend all day reading.

Not unless what I am reading is interesting or has a reason keep me reading to the end. And this book is definitely all that. The follow-up, Predator-Cold War, is even better. But I do recommend that if you like the Predator movies and comic books that you check out the novels. There are quite few of them and they are well worth it.

This book is a novelazation of the original Dark Horse comic. It is far more descriptive and offers more background. Can be considered the prequel to Predator 2. It stars Detective Schaefer, Dutch's brother, a New York city homicide detective, who suddenly finds himself clashing head to head with a vicious alien hunter. He recalls a story that his brother told him of a failed rescue mission in Central America where he lost his entire team. He described a heavily armed creature that he battled, which the government covered up. Could this be that same one? There are many, many questions that are raised in this book, primarily the whereabouts of Detective Schaefer's brother Dutch, who disappeared shortly after battling the first Predator(see the first movie). The story offers insight as to the habits of the Predators and possible solutions as to why they come here to Earth.

There are a few gripes with the book. There is fairly poor grammar usage throughout and there are far too many questions asked, which detract from the story and will sidetrack the reader. Detective Schaefer is also never named. He is referred to throughout the entire book as 'Schaef' or 'Schaefer'. Not a very big deal, but may annoy some readers. It is also difficult to picture a blonde haired, blue-eyed Dutch(Arnold Schwarenegger)!!! Other than that, there is not much else to say anything bad about that book. The habits and behavior of the Predator are illustrated perfectly. PRedator fans WILL enjoy this book!

Well, I just finished this book, and man was it a page turner! From the beginning to the end, it was action, with Detective Schaefer and Detective Raesche going up against the deadly hunters, and managing to take out more than Arnold did in the first movie. From what I understand, this story was originally set to be the sequel to the first Predator movie, but was rewritten into the Predator 2 that we all know, due to Schwarznegger's scheduling conflicts. Too bad, because it would've made a great movie. Nevertheless, with the character of Schaefer rewritten into Schwarznegger's brother, it becomes a personal quest for the protagonist to teach the Predators a lesson as a large safari group of them hunt through the streets of New York City.

Yes, I did notice the similarities between the book and the movie Predator 2, but so what? I enjoyed both and so should you. Besides, the timeline makes both the book and movie feasible. The book takes place 8 years after the original "Predator", while "Predator 2" takes place 10 years later.

Enjoy the book, I did!

This was a pretty fun book I guess. However it wasn't what I expected it to be though, The book basicly just replaces Dutch with a personalityless brother who just happens to be an NYPD homicide detective. If it were not made so abundantly clear that this is Dutch's brother you would think he is a horrible attempt at ripping him off, this aside the book was a nice read. I didn't like how Dutch had just dissapeared, and they made him out to be a sissy compared to his brother. The detective aspects of this book were really well done, too bad that the writer had to waste his efforts on a poorly written character such as Scheafer. It may sound like I'm being harsh but the character WAS poorly written, one minute he's supposed to be a borderline psycho who never talks to everyone the next minute he's making wise cracks like ... Spider-Man. And his partner, his parnter Rasche, was a very well written and likeable character who for the life of me I can't figure out why he didn't shoot Scheafer himself and give him to the predators, through almost the entire book Scheafer treats Rasche like a doormat and I couldn't figure out why Rasche kept helping him out. This book also feature kind of a cop out ending, that I won't give away, but the ending is about three pages long and it's not one half as good as it could have been.

All in all this was still a fun book to read, I give it three stars for the characters, action, and the nicely written predator sequences.

Nathan Archer does an outstanding job writing this Predator adventure. If only the movies would put this much into it!
Archer has a good knack for cutting through the crap and giving the reader a fun, fast, exciting read.
Highly reccommened.

I was sorely disappointed by the movie "Predator 2," being a huge fan of the original movie, but reading Predator: Concrete Jungle soothed me over. This book reads like it could be a legitimate movie, as does the even BETTER sequel; "Cold War." For some, the thought of trying to envision someone other than Dutch is too much to ask. I know Danny Glover didn't exactly do it for me in Predator 2. But this time around, the story falls on his brother's shoulders, and I loved how they made mention of Dutch from the first movie and his mysterious aftermath since surviving the Predator. Very believable. I cheated and imagined Dutch's brother looking like a twin of Arnold Schwarzegger in both books, but if you ask me, it all seemed to be the reasonably smart choice in getting the best read out of Concrete Jungle. Great book!

And all the better for it!

The book stars a couple of cops in the narcotics division of the NYPD and their fight with a group of Predators. There are not a lot of surprises or twists in the plot, but it is no less fun as a result of those absences. It is a fun read, and it is short enough for a plane trip, a couple hours on the beach, or just a short evening on the couch in front of the fireplace and radio.

In short, if you like Predator (not the second movie, it [was bad]), and you wanted a bit more action, pick this up. You won't be disappointed. If you are looking for something that requires a little bit of thought, keep looking you haven't found it yet. But, like I said, great for a two-hour brain-break. Enjoy!
Harkius

This is a book for people who enjoy action but also want a good story to go with it. Amazing follow up to the Predator movie. It gives you everything you want, aliens, cops, action, and a Jamacian Anti-tank gun! How muck more fun do you want. Although I was a little lost in the end about why the Predators came to NY in the first place. But otherwise it is a must buy for the average action seeker.

Schafer and Rasche of the NYPD discover brutal killings. They are blamed on a gang but little do they know it is something beyond their own power......

Predator lovers paradise is within this book. Action, brutal murders and the alien Predators equal an awesome book.