Terminator Salvation: The Official Movie Novelization [Mass Market Paperback]

If you're like me, you can't wait to see the movie "Terminator Salvation." The book serves as a good fix, and if it's any indication of what the movie is going to be like, I think it's going to be a winner and give the franchise a much needed boost. I always enjoyed the thought of man vs. machine in the post apocalyptic world envisioned in the very first film. Now we'll get to read about it and see it soon on the big screen.

If you've seen the trailers, I think you have a pretty good idea of the plot of the film - and obviously the book, as well. Skynet is no different from man in that engineering takes a bit of R&D. During the time of the time period of the book, there are no T-800 (similar to the one played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the films) or more advanced models, such as the T-1000, etc. As seen in the trailer and detailed in the book, Skynet is using harvesters to capture the survivors of Judgment Day for some unknown project. Skynet it seems has an unpredictable side. One could even say it possesses a human aspect in that it starts to show it needs to use trickery and subterfuge in addition to cold machine calculation in order to finish the extermination of man, especially John Connor and Kyle Reese.

The book follows the exploits of John Connor and his band of fighters, which are part of the overall Resistance movement formed by the survivors of Judgment Day. This group includes a number of old guard military members, who seem to show a disdain for Connors sometimes independent attitude.

The book also follows the character of Marcus Wright, who serves as the enigmatic centerpiece of Skynet's R&D work. As seen from the trailer, Marcus Wright is a new kind of Terminator, one that no one has ever seen. Even John Connor reflects that this "is not the future his mother warned him about." John, it seems, is not expecting to see the T-800 line so soon. Moreover, Marcus is something new altogether. Marcus is also followed by Kyle Reese and Star, who are ignorant of his true nature - as is he (again, see the trailer...no spoilers here...nothing new).

The book follows these threads, as the finally come together with John and Marcus meeting each other - as also seen in the trailer. Around this time, Command discovers a way to seemingly end the war with Skynet once and for all. Wise beyond his years and conscious of his own fate in the outcome of the war with Skynet, Connor begins to doubt this plan and questions the actions of Skynet, fearing that it's not Skynet's imminent destruction that is coming, but man's final end.

The book is full of action, mystery, and even philosophy (What is a man? Is he not just an organic machine after all?). I recommend it to anyone that loves the setting and anyone who can't wait for the movie.... Like me. :)

Unlike some Terminator diehard fans, we liked the new Terminator: Salvation movie.

Although the weak part of the movie was Christian Bale's John Connor. The script lacked where his part was concerned, needing his deeper characterization that was built up in the last 3 movies. The scenes with him were merely 'action hero' placed here - and that's pretty much it. He ignored the glaring fact that his wife was pregnant.

And a solid actress who payed Kate Connor was wasted, as well. The scenes in the book that were not in the movie - we're exactly what the movie needed to balance drama with sci-fi action.

But where the movie showed you all the special effects in glorious color and panorama view, the book lacked in descriptive prose. I filled in that lack of detail with the movie. But overall, I liked this book better than the prequel, because it showed the inner fighting with the newly-created Terminator, Marcus Wright. The actor did a solid job in the movie, and stole the show away from John Connor, but the book can descriptivelt tell you his inner turmoil, which came off much better than the silver screen did.

We still liked the movie, despite its flaws, but the different types of Terminators were cool to watch, and we really hope there will be a continuation of this fresh new look and feel to a great franchise.

The plot is excellent. It adheres closely to the movie, with a few interesting variations, until the end. The end diverges entirely, and in my opinion, this ending is superior. First, it makes more sense. The largest logic flaw in the end of the movie never makes it to this book. Second, it sets up some amazing stuff for a later book. There will be more books, and I'm looking forward to them.

There is additional content available online using a code towards the back of the book. There is a preview for Terminator Salvation: From The Ashes in the back.

I suspect Alan Dean Foster is crying over what happened to this book. Please, don't think this is his normal writing style. He's brilliant. This looks like someone from the studio with delusions of being a poet, got a hold of the work and decided to "improve" it with wanton visits to the inkwell "Connor evinced no such anxiety" and an excess of metaphor. We get such gems as "The body proceeded to address him". If mishandled prepositional phrases bother you, please avoid this book.

Overall, the story is excellent, but the prose is overwritten.

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