Customer Reviews

Wing Commander: The Novel (Movie Universe, Book 1)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The WC universe has finally found itself an author who respects the source material and who can also tell one hell of a story - and the fan's have never had it so good. While Baen's Wing Commander novels usually cause the more fanatical WingNuts headaches with their continuity errors, this movie adaptation does just the opposite; it actually takes time to explain such problems caused by the movie's script! (according to the movies producers they `ignored' much of the original material - thank Sivar Peter Telep didn't). Of course, the writing also shines - anyone familiar with Peter Telep's previous books (Space: Above and Beyond, Descent) knows he can tell a great war story. I'm eagerly looking forward to the second book in the series, so we can see what the author can do without having to base everything around a movie script!

Before I ever knew about this book I saw the Movie Wing Commander, and I was a little disapointed with it. I was expecting more, and there was a lot of potential for this story to becoma something like Star Trek or even Star Wars. But unfortunately it wasn't. Then I found out about this book, bought it and read it. And it was EXCELENT! Much better than the movie, really fun to read, really enjoyable, and not tiring at all! Great action, great story, great characters. Too bad PETER TELEP wasn't envited to write the movie script as well. I was really glad I bought it, and I recomend it for all the sci fi fans out there!

I have never read or known anything about the Wing Commander universe until I saw the movie which left me eagerly awaiting to learn more. After reading thso novel, I felt full again. Now to preamble this review, it is generally that the novel of the movie far exceeds it and it is true once again of the work of Peter Telep. I can understand that any fanatic finds fault with incoming authors so it's best that I am bringing a completely new point of view coming here, leaving alone Chris Robert's movie script and concentrating on the storytelling of the author. Peter Telep's, work, I find to be inspired and driving as he easily dramatizes war with the decrepit and dark events cascading onto people--along with ship hull plating. He meticulously constructs his characters with each their own sorrow past, reflections of wars long ago, and then drives in the conscious rendering of how each person copes with his or her situation in the present. Each finds their own avenue of choice. Although the book remains albeit of dynamic story telling, (seeing the enemy Kilrathi's point of view is quite refreshing and all the time gives you a bigger broad of what it was like for them) Telep continuously paints out the emotions and actions on a level most efficient with war. Feeling that both sides of the battle, Confederation and Kilrathi, both suffer the same kind of agony, pain, and vengeance, Telep drives in the heart of his version of Wing Commander. Aside from the characters, the plot moves undulating with brilliant battles and scenes alive, although the landscape of space was not as unique or detailed as some Sci-Fi authors. Telep can find interesting ways of rewording the destruction of Dralthi fighters or Rapiers so that the story doesn't feel repetitive. He highly details the fighters yaws and pitches fully to the pilot's reactions, a technique of accuracy with enhances his story as if you were there with Blair in his Rapier or Gerald on the bridge in dead still and quiet. The book is a vibrant tableau of war hell. The ending is honorable as it pulls you in to really want to experience the next chapters. After, I myself, 'enduring' the extent of the hate of Pilgrams and this total unanswered void of Confederation and Pilgrim chaos, I find myself eagerly awaiting Telep's next novel and seeing what Pilgram Stars will lay ahead.

Peter Telep's adaptation of the original screenplay blew the movie out of the stars! I, for one, did enjoy the movie a great deal. However, after reading the novel, the movie disappoints. While Telep captures the essence of each charater from the movie incredibly, you'd better hold on to your hats for the twists and turns the novel took that the movie didn't show you! If you didn't like the movie, you'll still like the novel, and if you DID like the movie, you'll LOVE the novel. Highly recommended.

While the movie left a few aspects without explore and anothers that are imposible to show in the silverscreen, the book fills the gaps and add to the plot in the movie. Read the book is something indispensable if you want to understand better the movie. Excelent storytelling and description. An fine addition to the WC novels. I'm already waiting for the sequel, "Pilgrim Stars".

Telep writes a well-paced novel, that is one of the most pleasant novels I've read this year. Readers are treated to a good degree of depth to the characters, more drama, a history to their plight, and can read scenes edited out of the film. As such, this work offers more than the film could, and is certainly a work any science-fiction reader should well add to their reading list. Telep's use of resources and his respect for other Wing Commander works and the fans, has allowed him to create a novel, that stays true to the spirit of "Wing Commander". And at the same time, you need not know what "Wing Commander" is to enjoy it.

The Wingcommander universe is a bold step away from what most of us are used to. It awakens the mind with its innovations. The fact that Christopher Blair is a minority member deeply imapacts me and puts a new human face on the normally all white Scifi universe. The courage that it took to jump a garavity well must have been a monumental leap for the farm boy of Nephele. Other than Lord of the rings, this book tells a story of more courage than any other book I've read. It is so deeply moving that I hope you'll read it too.

The novelization of the Wing Commander movie is defiantly better than the movie itself. It's charecters are more in depth, and the plot makes more sense. After reading the novel, I had a sense that I fully understood what happened. I didn't get that feeling from the movie.

I defiantly recommend this book to both Wing Commander fans and general sci-fi fans.

Well, i thouroughly enjoyed this book. It definately gave a feel to the movie, and some more background that answered all the questions I had about the movie. It was just cool! The insight into the Characters emotions at certain points were also good. Overall i think the book was very good!

Anybody else realise that Telep should just write MORE WC novels? I mean, anyone that can make the Kevin Droney movie script *readable* deserves some kinda reward...The book is fun to read, interesting and full of something the movie lacked: Character. Some come on Telep, a few more novels after Pilgrim Truth ok?