Customer Reviews

Underworld: Book 1 (Underworld (Pocket Star Books)) (Bk. 1)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love the film "Underworld" and bought this book hoping to get more background information on the characters. The film warrants a sequel (and filming on "Underworld 2" starts Fall 2004) and even after several viewings of the dvd I always found new facts and tidbits that I hadn't caught before.

This is where the book comes in handy. Greg Cox does a fantastic job not only of bringing the film to life with his vivid descriptions, but he also does a great job of telling you what the characters are thinking and feeling. There is also more background info on the characters and the vampire and lycan culture that is not obvious or even mentioned in the film. For instance, I didn't realize that the vampire culture has a certain hierarchy and that the character Erika is considered a mere servant. Kraven and Lucian's plans are also explained here while only alluded to in the film. Many of my questions were answered in this book and this is why I find this an indispensable companion to the movie/dvd.

If you are an "Underworld" fan, then this book is a must have. It is a quick and enjoyable read that will give you new insight on the characters and cultures of the movie.

The plot captivates you from the first page. Taking two of horrors most legendary creatures and pitting them against each other, Underworld grabs an old idea and adds an element fans have been wondering for years. Who would win in a fight, Dracula or the Wolfman? What would be the repercussions if the strengths of both villains were combined into one individual? Another fear of mine was that there would be more action than story. Not so. Although the action is constant throughout the book, there is significantly more dialogue. Which would be a plus in any book, but in an adaptation it's a gold star. What I will say though is that for a complete overall enjoyment, read the book and watch the movie. Keep the balance and share the love.

The pace in the book is hypersonic. You are constantly moving and shifting with just a brief pause in between. The atmosphere is dark, dank and heated. The location constantly shifts between a centuries old castle and an underground hideout. Both carry an air of desperation and the smell of decay. Cox's style of writing is both generous and sympathetic. He pens his tales with compassion, as though this battle existed inside him. Be it the screenplay or his own identity shining through, the man creates a world that is hauntingly alluring.

The characters come off as cold, vengeful monsters. With loyalty the only tie that binds them, each one screams villain. That is the biggest twist in the book. Granted, they have barely any morals, kill daily and regret very little and yet, they still manage to extract sympathy. Even gaining love and understanding. Also just for the record, the book clearly explains the development of the attraction between Selene and Michael.

I have read a few movie tie-ins before, but none compares to this. If you enjoyed the movie, definitely buy this book. It will fill in a few blanks for you. I especially liked how the author actually emphasized the Hungarian setting.

I usually do not read book novelizations of movies because they turn out very inadequate and make the movie look bad. I liked Underworld so much that I decided to buy the book anyway. I read a lot of mediocre reviews, but I gave the book a try and I am not in the least bit disappointed. This book by Greg Cox is excellent. It follows every sequence in the movie and his usage of vocabulary makes the book all the better. His writing is very descriptive, but not to the point of boredom. I really like how he characterizes Selene and Kraven, who is not too detailed of a character in the movie. If I hadn't watched the movie first, I would probably think the book is better.

For any vampire genre fans, read Underworld (as well as watch it)! It's an excellent book as well as sophisticated and descriptive. I am surprised that the book turned out so good; it's definitely surpassed my expectations. I can't wait for the second book and movie!!!

The movie is great without a doubt. This book is also. It has everything the movie does and more. Any questions that you have, or characters you want to get a firmer knowledge about, are problems easliy fixed with this book. Every setting is easy to visualize, and every character is easy to get a feel for.

The book adds some scenes, in-depth character description, and let's you know what is going on inside characters heads. There are many new fight scenes, which includes extended fight scenes in the sewer between the vampires and the lycans. My favorite thing about the book is the fact that every character you encounter, even if only for a couple pages, they are given a great description. Every character is made to be a vaulable part of the story.

Overall, this book is well written, quick to read, and a great telling of the movie. Whether you have or haven't seen the movie, this book is enjoyable, and worth the time it takes to read it.

Now, as much as I loved the film, it's nothing in comparison to the novelization. Though the characters here differ slightly from those in the film, I believe all Underworld fans should read this. Greg Cox' vocabulary is amazaing, and the way he describes each moment in the book makes me love the film even more. It does indeed contain a good deal more romance than the film, seemingly at no expense. The characters are far more fleshed out, due to the fact that you get to see their thoughts and emotions, rather than just struggle to decipher them from the actors expression.

A must read for all Underworld fans.

I usually don't bother with novelizations, as they are, by nature, little more than movie transcripts. But Greg Cox has taken a screenplay and turned it into a full-fledged novel. This isn't a classic for the ages, but Cox's "Underworld" is as good as the best high-end paperback original vampire novels. The writing is crisp and moves things along at a fast pace, filling in details without being obtrusive. Not having seen the movie yet, I can't vouch for it's quality; however, if you are a fan of vampire fiction, then I highly recommend checking out this novel.

I am not a fan of the vampire or werewolf genre, yet I found myself drawn to this movie. As I walked through Borders one day I thought, "I wonder if there's a novelization of Underworld?" So I went to go search for it. Thank God for my simple-mindedness. I'm only on page 30 and I already found myself lost in the characters and the story. It's just so vivid and descriptive. I actually feel like I'm in the story with Selene and Michael and everyone else and I've never read a book like that before. Movie novelizations are inferior by nature, but this one is... unexplainably good. And I'm only on page 30! Excuse me, but I think I'm going to read it now. Get this book. Anyone will like it whether they're a fan of the genre or not.

I am a fan of the vampire genre. When I found out that the book was coming out I got it the first day it was released to insure that I would complete the book before the movie. All I can say is that while the movie is very good, the book is that much better.

The details and time that a book can take to develop the characters more or to give you more of an inside understanding is always well worth the extra time it takes to read a book.

It was a wonderful read and I was surprised becuase I thought it would be on the lines of the Anne Rice Vampire Chronciles, but it was its own unique story.

I will say that I thought that after reading the book, the character chosen to play Kraven left a little to be desired.

I say, See the movie first, then read the book. The movie lays a nice foundation for the book. Each character in the movie, including the characters who had non speaking roles, have a personal history that was explained very well, in the book. The book is a mixture of gothic, medieval history, and modern day Budapest Hungary. The Lycan ( werewolf ) leaderLucian's character ( Lucian was my favorite character in the "Underworld"movie. ) was explained very beautifully in the book. Lucian's character's personality had culture, ethics, passion, and so much past history, that an entire book should have been written about him. The characters of Michael Corvin and Selene had more depth in the book, than they ever had in the movie. The book did a better job, slowly developing the caring aspects and attraction, between the characters Michael and Selene. But, in the movie, you feel that their "romance" was too much of a rush. For the most part, books based on the movie ( Movie Tie in books ) are suppose to be an extended version of a movie. This book not only follows in order, each scene from the movie "Underworld", But, The author does such an excellent job in writing the scenes, that were not in the movie. This book is the movie and much, much, more. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting and fun read. I would like to hear from other Females, 21 years old and older, who are fans of the movies "Underworld" and "Lord of the rings". Please, E-Mail me. My name is Suzanne, and My e-mail address is: skywatcher171@yahoo.com