Customer Reviews

The Wolfman

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Being a fan of all things lycan and having enjoyed Bad Moon Rising, I had to check this book out before seeing the film. The book is a very quick read, it's just over 300 pages and the text is rather big. But although it is a quick read, it's still worth the ten spot because it compliments the film very well. In the book, Maberry gives the characters much more depth, not that that's abnormal, books have more time to play around with characters than films. However, if one reads the book first and keeps it in mind while watching the film, they may find the film to be more enjoyable. The book gives Gwen and Lawrence far more intensity and the locals are made to look far more "disturbed". Sir John is also much more of a solid character in the book than he is in the film.

The film itself isn't bad at all, it just seemed to be edited in an unnatural way that made many of the scenes seem abrupt. I'm hoping when it comes out on blu ray that a director's cut is released with additional footage. However, if that is not the case, I can still praise the film for not being some lousy b flick like Dog Soldiers or some angsty, girly teen drama like New Moon. The film almost captures what Coppola's Dracula had, almost.

Movie novelizations are usually a mixed bag of quality, ranging from terrible to acceptable, with most being on the terrible end of the scale. That's why this book, a very enjoyable read, was such a surprise. There is nothing new in this story for either the book or movie; the movie is, after all, a remake of an earlier work who's story has become a cliche, but this novel does an excellent job of filling in the movie's broad plot holes. Further, the characters are much more developed than the movie's characters, and the physical and emotional torment experienced by the doomed hero and those around him is expressed here much more thoroughly and coherently than in the movie.

If you like dark, angst-ridden, classic horror fiction, it is worth giving this one a shot, even if you don't see the movie.

I always like getting the movie novelization for the added info in the book and in that I was not disappointed. I found the growing love between Gwen and Lawrence handled more appropriately and believably in the movie rather than the novel, but the story and connections between the characters were better in the book. I agree with another reviewer stating that the movie seemed oddly edited/cut in places which a Director's Cut will probably fix. Thankfully the book expanded upon those areas and made the story make more sense. Definitely recommend for those who enjoyed the movie and all those who enjoy stories about real werewolves, not teen shape shifters.

Doomed by destiny and a curse hanging over his family, Lawrence Talbot is a monster, a man turned into a ferocious beast after he is attacked by a werewolf on the moors near the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor. Unable to prevent the change sweeping over him, Talbot is infected by the disease and hunts on the nights of a full moon, his entire being fueled by bloodlust and a desire to feed. Yet through all the turmoil and anguish that surrounds him, Talbot has found love in the strangest place: the heart of his brother's fiancée. Can his new love save Talbot's soul, or will she become the next victim of The Wolfman?

This is the plot for The Wolfman, a novelization by multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jonathan Maberry, and while the concept promises a great thrill-ride of a story the novel itself fails to deliver the tension and horror that such a plot demands. A lot of this unfortunately has to do with the way the book is written: the characters with their stunted personalities, the lack of foreboding that should be apparent with the book's dark settings, and a glut of repetitive words that don't litter the novel but do happen to jump out at you when you least expect it.

With that said, it is a survivable read. Maberry has taken this new script of a timeless classic and produced a story that is fast-paced and keeps the reader interested just enough to explore the book from cover to cover. This is achieved not by the writing but by the plot itself and the wretched, cursed existence of Lawrence Talbot which concentrates the reader's morbid interest onto Talbot's personal demons and his attitude of doom and gloom. Although quite how Gwen Conliffe, Talbot's love interest in the book (and film), could possibly be attracted to this man sometimes beggars belief. Maberry has painted Talbot to be a moody, dark, and sinister character and this is even before the werewolf has taken a chunk out of his flesh on the moors.

There are certain horror film novelizations - and Glen Cox's Underworld books spring immediately to mind - that breathe new life into the movie and fill them out to give those who have both read and watched the project have a greater feel of the world within the film. The Wolfman by Jonathan Maberry falls short of achieving this, regrettably. The ending comes too quick, with the final battle and forest chase being covered in the fleeting span of 40 pages, when everything that led to that point demanded a more grandiose finale. While the book does stick close to the script and also includes sections of the original movie that were cut from the cinema release, it does not give the reader an in-depth glimpse into the lives, thoughts, and desires of Talbot, Gwen Conliffe, or Sir John Talbot, the film's three main characters. However, as with the film, the character of Inspector Aberline is perhaps the most rounded and intriguing of them all.

If the reader has yet to watch the motion picture release by Universal Studios in 2010, then they might find the novelization a better read than is described here. For those who have already watched the film and enjoyed the experience, it might be better to just leave it at that.

This book fleshes-out the characters in ways the movie couldn't. If you watch the movie, look at the director's cut. The theatrical release had too much missing, leaving the viewer thinking there was something missing. The book is much closer to the director's cut and then goes slightly beyond, making the plot & the machinations of the individuals much more understandable (and interesting). More psychology is involved here with echoes of Oedipus complex, but it is more, as Sir John Talbot's feelings towards Lawrence are less ambiguous than those of King Laius towards Oedipus. This book reads easy, is entertaining and should keep the reader busy for a weekend if you love to read. Is it great literature? It doesn't go far enough to be called that. But neither does it feel like the usual pulp or programmer book (the mass produced ones tailored specifically for movie releases). This IS unusual, since this book IS indeed one of those mass produced tailored for movie release. However, there is a "something" more to it that goes beyond a programmer. I have read several other books by Mr. Maberry. They usually start giving me the chills & foreboding a good horror writer gives, but later on most of them made me loose that "spirit" as the book became more mundane & predictable, with stereotype characters. The Wolfman though is different. Great atmosphere prevails from start to finish regardless that the main protagonists have been in popular culture since the 1940 movie. Must be the greater depht of character presentation. Try as I might to give the book 4 and a 1/2 stars it deserves, the system only allows me either 4 or 5, so I give it 4.

great book, basically exactly like the movie. i think it would be better to watch the movie because of the special effects.

I always enjoy Mr. Maberry's work. This is no exception though it doesn't quite live up to his other stuff. I have yet to see the film version of this piece but from what I can tell by the previews it matches well. Scary, colorful, dramatic...it will keep you reading well into the night.

I have not seen the new version of the movie yet, but I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was well written, suspensful, and kept you engaged throughout the story. If you like werewolf fiction, I think you will like this book.

And after reading the book I don't think I could see the movie. This is really gory! And it should be, but with today's high quality creation of gore I think I would have nightmares. As for the book itself, it plays out much as one would expect and seems to be a scene by scene recreation of the movie. The entire time I was reading I could imagine what the movie scene would look like. Also, I had already figured out what was what just by seeing the movie preview commercial so there were no surprises for me. I like werewolf movies but kinda prefer the cheesie ones for the sake of my sleep time. All the darkness and feeling of doom are here so I think the book is somewhere between a 3-4 rating for me.

Normally when a book accompanies a movie it is second rate at best. However the highly talented Jonathan Maberry pulls off a definite winner with this work.