Customer Reviews

Wicker Man

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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Robin Hardy and Anthony Sheffer, The Wicker Man (Crown, 1978)

The emergence of a rabid cult following for the film version of The Wicker Man prompted the publication of the novel on which it was based. And a good thing, too. As fine as the film is, the book has its own special charm.

If you've been living in a cave the past thirty years, the plot of The Wicker Man goes as follows: Neil Howie, a Scots police Sergeant and fine upstanding Christian fellow, receives an anonymous letter saying that a girl has gone missing on Summerisle, a small island only barely under Scot protection, thirty-eight miles west of the last of the Outer Hebrides. Howie goes out to investigate, and finds that, while all the inhabitants of the island are seemingly quite forthcoming with what they know (save the none of them acknowledge the missing girl so much as exists), Howie is torn between his desire to see the case through and his offense at the various heathen goings-on on the decidedly non-Christian island.

The movie does an absolutely lovely job in detailing the various conflicting emotions of Neil Howie throughout, and in this it lies faithfully close to the book. Where the book does the movie one better is in the expanded opening (even the opening to the 104-minute version of the film, rarely seen, leaves quite a bit unanswered about the whole mess) and allowing us to get inside Howie's head for a few of the harder-to-understand decisions he makes over the course of his time on Summerisle. The downside of it all is that the same strengths one can get from a book opens up its weaknesses, and while The Wicker Man does handle sudden emotional changes with a more deft hand than most novels of its ilk, there are still some embarrassingly jarring ones (from offense to affability in an instant simply isn't convincing, no matter how you dress it up it still looks like an ogre). Still, it's obvious Hardy spent a lot of time thinking and plotting this one out before coming up with a final draft, and what finally got released is a pleasure. This is not at all easy to find these days, but whether you've seen the film or not, this is definitely one to pick up. **** ½

Based on the marvelous film of the same title, this book is a must for those who've seen the movie, whether the long or short version. Beyond filling in the gaps of the background and true personality of Sergeant Howie, it is, quite simply, a great read! Rather than a novelization of exact dialogue and events, this gives a more complete picture of Howie and Summerisle, why he feels so adamant about his Christianity and the need to mission to the "poor pagans." Unfortunately out of print in the US (I purchased my copy used), it was available from Amazon UK last time I checked.

The book makes for enjoyable, easy reading. I've never seen the movie, so I cannot comment on its resemblance to it. The plot is interesting and moves fluidly. The books only weak points are its somewhat lackluster prose and the main character's self-righteousness, which becomes nauseous at times. Also, I wish the author would've delved a bit deeper into the pagan rites. Overall, its a good read.

This is a fairly pedestrian novelization of the movie by Robin Hardy and Anthony Schaffer. If you have seen the movie, it won't really enhance the experience much. There are a few lines which give some insight into Detective Howie's character but its nothing you can't extrapolate from Edward Woodward's performance in the film. If you are, as I am, a devoted fan of the film, you will want to have this as a memento - but don't expect it to reveal anything profound about the film.

I am a great fan of the Original Wickerman and while this book offers some more details and perhaps makes Howie more human - not that I think his character needed it, It certainly could not capture the allure of Willow or the Sinister dark seductive air of Lord Summersile.

The ending could never have the impact on paper that it does have on film as it it the shock of the sight of the Acutal Wickerman from Howies point of view that is starkly horifying..

Howie at the very end of the book did something I do not not remember noticing in the movie and I need to check it out to see if I missed something. About the birds being liberated to God---It seemed to be more of a victory for howie then the stunning emptiness that the movie seemed to present. Al least I have a reason to the the movie again---I never forget about it for long---

I won't bore you with details since someone has essentially given you most of the plot. The film as well as the book adaption are absolutely brilliant, a believable Horror story hasn't been done better before or since. Get ready for the American film remake/reimagining starring Nicholas Cage/aka The Wooden Indian, The man who acts the same, sounds the same(monotone) in everything he's ever made and it will probably have a rap or hiphop soundtrack even though it takes place on an island off the coast of Scotland, EEWWWWW!...God! I dread it. This is almost guaranteed to suck s#!t out of a Horses A$$!!, read the book or see the classic original movie before the new one spoils it for you.