Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Warrior

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This is an adaptation of Robert Clouse's 1975 post-apocalyptic action film starring Yul Brynner and Max Von Sydow.

This book was, I'm sure, considered just a work-for-hire by it's author, Bill S Ballinger. But that doesn't mean that it isn't enjoyable. Even when it comes to grinding out hackwork like "novelizations", talent will out--as they say--and Ballinger's writing is consistently crisp. He sketches the bleak, ruined city with a few deft descriptions and lays out the character motivations believably. Where his writing really shines is--interestingly enough--in the fight scenes; in the film they lack the kinetic punch that the director was able to achieve with Enter The Dragon (let's face it--as cool as he was--Yul Brynner was no Bruce Lee) but Ballinger's descriptions carry a nasty violent snap. He nicely captures the interesting tensions at work in the main character: the bald, bullet-headed Carson--with his unplaceable features and deadly fighting skills. Anyone who enjoys dark pulpy sci fi like DAMNATION ALLEY or has read McQuay's novelization of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK should seek out this book; it is literally available online for mere pennies! Better buy a few before i get them all!

Read this as a kid and liked it a lot and revisited it as an adult and found it to be still pretty enjoyable,just the sort of thing for an airport waiting room or bus ride.Something to be started and finished in one reading. Where have all those books gone? Right here! Those of you out there who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction should find this one of interest. It does set the template for a lot of what came later...in particular The Road Warrior and Waterworld.