Customer Reviews

Ring

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Being a big fan of both "Ringu" and its American remake "The Ring," I was intrigued to read the book that started it all. As one might suspect, much of the plot will be very similar to those who have seen one or both of the films. However, the book does hold a few of it's own surprises.

Asakawa is a reporter who unintentionally comes across a story while taking a cab home from work. The cabdriver is explaining how a young man died on the street one day right next to his car. The day and time he notes that the event took place is the same day and time that Asakawa's niece died. Both deaths were described as sudden heart failure. Odd coincidence? Further digging reveals that two other young adults died the same night, at approximately the same time, from the same strange unknown cause. Asakawa's investigation leads him to a resort in the woods, where he discovers and watches the infamous mysterious videotape with the odd, surreal images. Asakawa enlists the aid of his friend Ryuji, a philosophy professor, to help him solve the riddle and save his life. Together they are in a race against time to survive an ill fate.

The two gradually peel away layers of a distant past, and a child named Sadako who was known to have psychic powers. What is Sadako's wish? What is the ultimate purpose of her tape? Will Ryuji and Asakawa discover the truth in time to save themselves?

Some of the differences between the book and the movies are small, such as the fact that the main character in both films was female while the reporter and main character in the book is a male. In addition, the age difference between the reporter's child in both films was slightly older than the child in the book. However, there are some major differences as well. I loved the differences in the plot surrounding Sadako and her mother, as well as the video Sadako mentally produced. The process of discovery varies immensely as well in the book, and for the better in my opinion. The book did a wonderful job of keeping the tension level high as Ryuji and Asakawa painstakingly researched every tidbit of information they could ascertain from the videotape. Every aspect every step of the way is described with great detail and in a way that is easily understood by the reader. The author never asks the reader to take any great logical leaps. Yet another big difference is the way that the deaths of Sadako's victims are described. Clearly the directors of both versions of the film took a great deal of artistic liberty in this area, which is what was needed in order to make this book into a scarier film. Don't get me wrong, the story is still quite intense and even scary. However, it is quite different in the form of text. Suzuki focuses on the thrills and the detective-like inquiry rather than the in-your-face horror and vividly gory description that might have detracted from the plot. Furthermore, the bond between Ryuji and Asakawa and their clashing personalities are expertly described and make for an intriguing side-plot.

Overall this is a great book that any fan of the movies, or even horror or suspense in general, should definitely read. Koji Suzuki gives the reader a slightly different and highly unique spin on the well-known films that should not be over-looked. I most definitely look forward to reading "Spiral" and "Loop" next!

Koji Suzuki, Ring (Vertical, 1991)

So you've seen The Ring. Or, better yet, the Japanese film Ringu. Or both. (You should watch both. See Ringu first.) Or you haven't. It doesn't matter. You must read Ring.

The story is relatively similar, but both Nakata and Verbinski took very large liberties with the original text (for example, both made Asakawa's character female-- which allowed the world to get weak-kneed at seeing Nanako Matsushima and Naomi Watts gracing screens again, but was otherwise seemingly gratuitous), including some major messing with the backstory. So if you've seen the films, the book will be familiar, but will still end up being a whole new experience.

Asakawa is a reporter. He was disgraced a couple of years ago during a sudden, unexplained outburst of popularity of stories about the occult in Japan (though you don't find out exactly how early on). One night, on the way home, he catches a cab, and he and the driver strike up a conversation about an event that happened a month previously to the cabdriver: a kid on a motorbike died of sudden heart failure. The death is eerily similar to that of Asakawa's niece on the same night. And from that coincidence, Asakawa starts to research the connection between the two deaths, which turns out to be far more than he bargained for.

What made for a creepily effective thriller on screen actually reads more like a hardboiled detective thriller (those familiar with the premise will note the obvious similarity to certain crime films of the past, notably D. O. A.). Suzuki keeps the horrors even farther offscreen than did Nakata (and the difference in the "revelation" at the end will surely startle those who are expecting the same kind of special-effects extravaganza Nakata used as a payoff), focusing on the mystery and the bond between Asakawa and his best friend, Ryuji, who gets involved in the investigation with him.

The book's flaws are minor, and conducive to mystery writing. Asakawa's edtor is a dead ringer for Tony Vincenzo (the editor in "Kolchak: The Night Stalker"), and a few of the other minor characters are about as shallow. Still, there are less obvious "kill me" characters running around, and the minor characters aren't really given enough screen time to make it an issue.

Compelling, well-written, expertly translated, and full of twists, even for those who have seen the movie. Highly recommended, and a shoo-in for this year's ten-best list. **** ½

Koji Suzuki could easily be considered the Stephen King of Japanese horror, with several movies (and remakes) of his bestseller novels -- particularly "Ring." Yes, that one. The one where you die in a week after seeing the cursed tape. While not quite the same as either film, Suzuki's original novel is a quiet, understated horror classic.

Four teenagers watch a seemingly cursed videotape, which will kill them in one week's time. Seven days later, all four die of heart attacks, including one young man simply keeling off his motorcycle. The uncle of one girl, Kazuyuki Asakawa, also finds the videotape and watches it. Now he has seven days to figure out the mysterious instructions, which happen to be missing. If he doesn't, he's dead.

Accompanied by a less-than-pristine professor, Ryuji Takayama, Asakawa goes in search of what is going on -- he suspects a virus that causes a heart attack. As he goes hunting through the woods for the secret to the videotape, he discovers a legacy of death and terror, left behind by the malevolent Sadako Yamamura. Asakawa's time is running out -- how can he unravel the mystery of the Ring?

Don't expect a carbon copy of the "Ring" movies: No TV apparitions, the lead is a man, and despite her beautiful female appearance, Sadako is a hermaphrodite. However, the "Ring" book is far more horrifying, solidifying Suzuki's position as a classic horror writer. It's impossible not to shiver when you look at the TV, after seeing this.

Suzuki's skill is in calmly, coolly describing horrific events in simple words. It packs a more visceral punch than if he just had floods of blood and gore in detail. The scene where Takayama sees the curse working on his own body is enough to make your skin crawl. And as good horror writers do, he creates a horrific plot based on something everyday. It's so easy to set off the curse, and that is what is so terrifying.

As Suzuki often does, he doesn't make his characters all sympathetic and noble. Asakawa is a cynical, rather self-absorbed man -- although this is what the plot hinges on -- and Takayama is a nihilistic rapist. It weakens the book slightly to not care much about either. Though in a way, the book is more about the "curse" -- which is more a virus -- and about Sadako than either of these men.

Perhaps that's a part of Suzuki's subtle cultural critiques in here, as well as Japanese supernatural beliefs -- nensha, for example, which is how Sadako created the lethal tape -- and the male and female roles in society. Finally he takes a hard look at this question: Should you allow your loved ones and yourself to die, or risk contaminating the world with the lethal videotape?

There's an almost apocalyptic note to the finale of "Ring," although it resulted in two more books. And Suzuki's original, deeply creepy novel is a must-read.

Like so many others, I read this after seeing both The Ring and Ringu. However, with several months gap between the experiences, I was able to start this book with only the faintest memories of the movies, other than the lingering fear that refuses to disperse to this day.

Besides having a story and plot that will suck you in deep with all its twists and turns, it's also an interesting glimpse at modern Japanese culture. Westerners will spot the differences imediately, both in way Suzuki-san's words were translated and in the cultural peculiarities themselves. However, as with Ringu, I believe this only enhances the effect of the story; the slightly foreign feel both adding to the unease one feels and letting us pull away just enough so that we feel we are only skimming the surface of something greater.

Indeed, as Asakawa and Ryuji (and consequently, the readers) spiral closer and closer to learning the true nature of Sadako's (Samara's) curse, we find that it's something far greater than anyone can possibley imagine. It's terrifying in it's simplicity, yet the scope of what it can lead to is so large that it boggles the mind.

Nothing about this book is predictable, even if you read it soon after seeing the films. The basic plot may be the same, but the ideas and concepts it encompases are wildly different and hold you glued to the page until the very last word. The scientific explanations are all written and explained so as to be easily understood by any reader, but at no time (unlike some American pieces) does the author talk down to his reader. The characters, while restrained in a way that only the Japanese can be, still hold your attention and make you WANT them to live, even the dispicable Ryuji.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, whether you enjoy mystery/horror or not!

This book is possibly the best book I have ever read. After seeing The Ring in October when it was released in theaters, I loved it. I became obsessed and read every website on Earth about Ring. I then purchased Ringu and loved that also. I decided to get Ring, which "started it all", as some put it. I loved this book because it explained some things that were unclear in both Ringu and The Ring. As you may have read in previous reviews, Ring is much different from both movies so if you choose to buy it, you will still be surprised throughout the book because it isn't something you have ever read or watched. This book is about Asakawa ( a reporter ) and Ryuji ( his friend ), two men in Japan, who team up to solve the mystery of an 'eerie' tape that is responsible for the death of Asakawa's neice and 3 of her friends. This book is NOT poorly translated; I never once had trouble reading and understanding it. For those who have seen the movies, the ending will come as a surprise. This book is a must--have for Ring fans.

I bought _Ring_ after watching _Ringu_ in the hopes that the book would explain some of the things that I didn't understand about the movie. Although the premise--a cursed videotape kills any watchers within seven days--remains the same, the main characters, the general feel, and a few major elements of the mystery are very different. If you were taken with the plot of the movie and would like to see it from a different angle, you may enjoy this book.

If you liked the movie's intrepid Ms. Asakawa and her surly-but-charismatic ex-husband Ryuji, you may be sorry to see them as very dull Mr. Asakawa and his unpleasant (and probably criminal) friend Ryuji. I got over my initial disappointment because their dynamic is intriguing. It seems their friendship is based on a horrible confession Ryuji made to Asakawa some time ago--something so awful, Asakawa knows he himself is capable of nothing worse. Because of this, they can be very open with one another. It also enables Asakawa to quell any feelings of guilt over showing Ryuji the tape and asking for his help breaking the curse. Ryuji, it seems, may well deserve to die.

The images--even those on the videotape--are different from the ones in the movie, keeping things fresh and a little more mysterious than they might be otherwise for someone who came to the book after watching the movie. The writing (or perhaps the translation) struck me as a bit clumsy; it reminded me more of Dean Koontz than of Stephen King. The supernatural and psychic elements of the story remain very creepy.

_Ring_ is a light read that delivers a feeling of dread and faint queasiness, but little in the way of scares. Overall, I preferred _Ringu_'s treatment of the story. For Japanese horror books, I'd much rather read a Junji Ito _manga_. If other books in this series were translated into English, I might read them, but I'd wait until they were in paperback to buy them.

Although the quality of the prose in this English translation is not exactly sterling, I would point out that the prose of the Japanese original (which I have also read and compared against this translation) is nothing to crow about, either; if anything, the translators were a little too faithful to Suzuki's Japanese, with all of its failings.

That said, reading a book like this in search of fine literary prose is a bit like looking for love in a whorehouse. What this book promises, and delivers in spades, is horror and thrills. That is the purpose of the genre, and this book achieves the demands of the genre in fine form, with a premise that is highly original and narrative development that is genuinely chilling. My opinion is that this is a strong, 4-star book (knock one star off for the clunky writing), but I'm giving it 5 stars here to compensate for the silly and unfair carping of previous reviewers.

Being a bit of a Japanophile (I lived in Tokyo for years) I'm always keeping my eye out for good, modern Japanese fiction. I heard of the 'Ring' movies, the original Japanese film and the American remake ... but hadn't seen either one. So I thought perhaps reading the book, which received fine accolades from amazon.com reviewers, a try. I'm glad to say it was a terrific read. Order it. Read it. ...NOW!

Well maybe I should share a bit more about the book. It concerns a Tokyo-based newspaper reporter investigating the curious deaths of his niece and, separately, her classmates. At first the deaths seemed coincidental, albeit similarly bizarre (sudden heart failure). As he and his cronies investigate they get trapped into a web of surreal, paranormal mischief and terror. They discover their own lives are at risk and are racing against time to find the answers. ... and that's all I should share with you. Anything more would contain spoilers, and this book would be ruined if spoilers are divulged.

SUMMARY: an original, supernatural thriller that indeed thrills. Well-written, even for a translation. Strongly recommended.

I was interested to read the books after seeing "Ring Two" in movie theatres and being a bit disappointed. I thought I'd like to see how the actual author told the story, and was going to get "Spiral" but decided I should start at the beginning, and I was definitely NOT disappointed.

"Ring" at first appears as though it's going to follow a fairly similar plot as the movie, but the telling is so striking, in it's suprising differences and the way it's told. It's not horrifying as the movie by any means, but it's certainly creepy, and also beautiful, much the same way as the elusive Sadako herself is.

I'm glad to see such human elements in the main characters, making mistakes, being truly scared, paralyzed by their own fear, and also at the same time disbelief that this could really be happening and that they would be under threat.

At first it was easy for me to just read a chapter here and there, but as the end drew closer I wound up reading the last half of the book in one sitting, because I needed answers just as Ryuji and Asakawa did.

Although now, I'm just as desperate, if not more so to read "Spiral" to find out what's going to happen next.

How embarrassing! A while ago I found Ring while looking through the mysteries and bought it because it was 1) Japanese, and 2) sounded interesting. It went on my to be read pile where it waited without me ever making the connection between the novel and two films by the same name. I only realized when its turn came that I was going to read a book that had spawned two hit films. Of course, the films are really only based on the novel rather than reprise of the novel, but that only makes the book more interesting.

Kasuyuki Asakawa is a journalist, one who writes those slightly boring special articles and interviews that appear in the weeklies. A series of coincidences lead Asakawa to several peculiarly similar deaths. One of the fatalities is a niece, and shortly, Asakawa is investigating. The trail leads him to an out of the way resort where he finds an unlabeled video tape. One that threatens his death if he doesn't follow the instructions. Unfortunately, the instructions have been erased.

This touches off a frantic hunt for clues to the missing ritual. Asakawa must save not only his own life buth the life of his wife, child, and friend Ryuji. The investigation turns to volcanic islands, rural clinics and Tokyo itself. Not only is the answer hard to find, but when found, it raises as many questions as it resolves.

Think of this as a procedural horror story. Suzuki writes a classic Japanese novel, delving into his characters as much as he writes narrative. Asakawa's rising panic as the date of his death approaches is contrasted with Ryuji's stoicism and outlandish ideas. There is no graphic horror here but instead Suzuki gradually turns up the tension and our imagination takes off from there. When done, the irony of the conclusion leaves a lasting impression.