Ibought this book because I liked the movie "The Ninth Gate"
929878
Ibought this book because I liked the movie "The Ninth Gate"  . The book seemed incomplete to me. The movie did a better job of finishing the plot.
3674570
This book is about more than just an invitation from Aliens: It shows what would happen, IF we got in contact with another species. It describes all the conflicts, religious problems and how the government would deal with such a unknown situation. The book is much more detailed than the movie, and that's probably why Carl Sagan (the author) didn't like the movie. I enjoyed reading the book because it makes you think. And you stop reading a lot of times just to think for yourself about the topic! Nevertheless, some scenes seem to be too unreal, like  Dr. Arroway's trip to the Space Station during such a hectic situation while planning the "Real Journey". No wonder the film team left those sequences out. The book also gets some times repetitive. To sum it up: I would say it is worth reading, but don't expect any unknown wisdom in it!
1696989
I don't read a lot of suspense types of stories, but as I do enjoy watching those movies, this book was definitely one that fit into something I might like.  And as I read it, I could totally see it being a movie.  While at first I had a little issue telling the difference between some of the characters, specifically the two girls, after a while it got to make more sense.  Th idea behind Project Pandora was very intriguing, although I would have liked a bit more background information.  You really felt for the characters, especially as their minds began to flash back to what they had done in the past, or what they were in the middle of doing.  You felt the connection between the teens for sure.  Hades, one of the main characters, and Elizabeth, or Persephone, had a connection that you really rooted for.  Although at first Hades came off as a psychopath, which really he probably was, you really got to feeling for him the more you read about his life and what he'd been subjected to.  On Goodreads it lists this as a series, and I could see there being more to the story, so I'll be interested to see if it does go on.
This is a very easy read, lots of excitement to keep you turning pages, needing to know just what is actually going on, and who is pulling the strings of these teens.
1529101
I was anxious to read the novel as I thought the movie was so well done -- plus I was encouraged by the positive reviews of the book. The writing style was unique and almost gave the sense of being a narrative by one of the family members of the protagonist. The characters were vividly described as were the surroundings and the incredibly gloomy weather. I found that, although the book was very short, often there were pages of fill that really didn't pertain much to the story. I skip-read much more than I usually do in a book for that reason. It was almost as though the author's descriptive words were more important than the story itself, which I did not care for. The plot was well developed and the story came to a gratifying conclusion. It's the type of story that I pondered for a time after reading it.
3849526
I loved the movie, I'm positive this book is great!
1162654
I think I might say some of the same things about the book as I would the movie:
It struck a chord and resonated very deeply with me.
For me, I think it spoke to some of my own experiences in school - or lack thereof, and was able to identify with a lot of the fear and the heart ache both boys went through.
The writing was composed well enough that I was able to forget I was analyzing words on a page. I've yet to read anything else by this author but if I don't then this is more than satisfactory.
620094
I just re-read Susan Minot's Evening.  I originally read it around ten years ago.  I was a the movies not too long ago and saw the preview for the movie, I thought it looked good and I wanted to re-read the book before seeing the movie.  I had forgotten pretty much everything about the book except for the fact that I liked it.

This is the story of Ann Grant Katz Stockpole Lord, married three times and the mother of five children.  She's sixty-five years old, she has terminal cancer and from her death bed narrates the memories of her life as well as the vivid hallucinations she experiences from the morphine used to treat her pain.

Her children have all gathered around, friends have come to call.  Ann Grant keeps returning to the long weekend of her youth when she met Harris Arden.  She remembers the details of this time like it was yesterday.  Other memories float in and out of her thoughts in random order.

This was very realistically done, so much so that I found it to be quite depressing.  I thought the writing was very good and the story very sad.
I'm wondering what the movie will be like.  I see that Minot wrote the screenplay for Stealing Beauty and there is a certain similarity between these two stories at least in the way they effected me if nothing else.  I found them to be deeply moving.

My three star rating has nothing to do with the quality of this novel but rather how I felt about it.
1523125
I have watched the first version of Straw Dogs movie many years ago. Last year, I had a chance to see the newest movie based on the novel. I liked the first version of the movie much better, but both versions made me puzzled about the behavior of the professor's wife and some other situations in the story.  That and some lack of "continuity"  led me into buying the book a couple of months ago. The plot and the way all characters were constructed in the book, please me much more. Things in the book make a lot more sense and the author does a very good job building the situations that culminate with the Siege of the Trencher's Farm.  I believe, like many others that reported here, that even if you had seen the movies before you will enjoy reading the book.
89301
I was very fond of the movie but haven't watched it in several years. I had never read the book, but given my enjoyment of the movie I thought it was worth a shot. I enjoyed it and it had been long enough since I last saw the movie that I didn't have those frustrations that you can sometimes have when the movie and book are dissimilar. It was sort of like revisiting a favorite spot it seemed familiar :-)
4591282
My regrets that I watched the movie and then bought the book. I read the the first few chapters and was a little thrown off by the difference in Dr. Arroway's character. A few months later (book half read) I received the audio version as a late birthday present, and I was absolutley captivated by Jodie Foster's voice as she took me through the book.  Without a doubt the book offers the reader something the movie just could not deliver.  I would suggest reading the book first and then renting the DVD.  It's fun to pull together the theatrical elements and the very philosphical points that Carl Sagan throws in there for the atheist and agnostic reader.  Thought provoking and a very good read.
2242747
This book was heavily amplified by watching the movie first. I don't know if this would have been as enjoyable without having the imagery from the movie to go with it. And reading it all in the voice of Pat Bateman portrayed by Christian Bale was quite entertaining.

This book dives deeper into not only the mind of a psychopath who doesn't just inflict pain on others but also on himself.

"For the past three days I've been drinking my own urine. It hasn't been a good week for me." - Patrick Bateman
1320925
I came to this book after multiple viewings of "The Ninth Gate", an excellent interpretation of the novel which unfortunately changes the setting (from Spain to New York) in order to appeal to American consumers.  I love the movie, but hoped to gain more insight into the final scene by reading the original text.
I loved many of the same things in the book as I enjoyed in the movie:  the seedy world of underground book detectives and collectors in a wonderful setting, and ought to be used more often.  Lucas Corso in particular should return for further adventures, as he's a very fun character to read: very intelligent and well-read, with nerdy hobbies (book-hunting and Napoleonic battle recreation) and regrets about past relationships.  He's a unique everyman, which is a tough thing to pull off.
The writing style (in the English translation) carried the characterization and plot well, too.  I became interested in the lives of these dusty old books, and very few authors could have accomplished a similar feat.
The plot begins strong--similar to but not parallel to the movie.  There a whole extra plot in the book which took some getting used to, and which turned out to be more tightly crafted than the Nine Doors plot--the plot I'd hoped to read more about.
But in the end, the book failed to satisfy my craving for more knowledge about that plot.  It becomes more and more interesting right up until the end, and then doesn't really go anywhere--at least, not anywhere satisfying.  I understand the desire to keep the mystery intact, but this can be done in a more reader-friendly way.
Anyhow, it's a worthwhile read, especially if you like off-kilter mysteries, and if you've read The Three Musketeers (which I have not).
1312247
As someone who's a fan of the kind of media that definitely inspired this work (IE Tokusatsu or Japanese giant monsters: Godzilla, Ultraman, etc) I can say Daikaiju Yuki satisfied that sweet tooth really well, but I can recommend this book to anyone who likes sci-fi/fantasy mixed together and even just monsters as a concept.

  It's been a long time since I was engrossed in a novel. I had to physically stop myself from reading the whole thing in one sit.

  There's a great quality to this book that reminded me of the kind of fun easy reads of the books from my childhood, with more of an impact and a punch, so it's more satisfying. It's in no way as simplistic as what I'm thinking about, but it had that effect on me. It felt super nostalgic even though it was the first time I was reading it. Something about the world building, the like-able characters, and the fun premise, had such a personal effect on me.

  Even just on a visceral level, you can't help but love the action beats and these evolving set-pieces the monsters and the humans get into. The pacing and the imagery will give you a mental image so clear, it will feel like you're watching a movie, more than reading a book.

  If any of this sounds interesting, go for it. Even if you feel like it's not your genre, it will show you the ropes and the appeal of said genre with ease.

  I can't wait to read the sequel!
373279
I really enjoyed this book, having been made aware of it through the film "The Ninth Gate" with Johnny Depp, directed by Roman Polanski. The reason I gave it 3 stars and not 5 was because in regards to the works of Alexandre Dumas, it cannot be said that I am a fan. While I recognize the importance the work has in modern writing and literature, the degree of clich, melodrama and predictability prevent me from enjoying it. Thus, given that a major subplot of this book revolves around a manuscript of Dumas' I found myself much more attracted to the plot surrounding "The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows".

The cat and mouse game, as well as the direct imitation of the Three Musketeers in the roles played by the widow and her cohorts was playful and fun, but not enough for the book to be much more than a romp in a intellectual country hop.
568183
I'm not much of the SF fun. But I enjoyed this book a lot as I was watching the movie.
1766495
The reasons I like this book is the characterization where you have two different people who are friends named Rose Rita and Lewis. One is adventurous the other one isn't, one is athletic the other would rather eat chocolates and read books all summer. But this makes it a funny book even if it is a mystery.

Another thing I liked about the Tower at the End of the World was that it was a mystery, an adventure, and a scary story all together which made it interesting.

Also the imagery was very good because when it came to an action scene you felt as though you where there running from the hairy monster with yellow eyes or looking for the doomsday clock before it was too late. One quote I thought was exciting and scary was, "The creature suddenly reared, its arms spread wide in menace, its glowing yellow eyes flashing".

The last thing I thought was great was the ending because it gave you a sense of relief. The world didn't blow up by the doomsday clock. Izard was killed (again) and everybody that was good survived.

There are also follow ups for this book which I would highly recommend. It also could be turned into a scary movie but I don't think I would have the guts to watch it.
3759293
I have travelled all over Mexico, Central and South America and maybe that is why I loved the book and the movie.  I have been in some places that reminded me of the jungle setting of the Ruins.  I have also seen enough nave tourists get themselves into some horrible situations.  The plot may seem a little predictable in the movie, but I had read the book beforehand and really envisioned it in my mind.  Movies rarely are as good as the books, but I enjoyed the movie nonetheless.  I really can imagine something like this happening off the beaten path.  There are so many places that exist that we never really hear about in the United States. Have an open mind and enjoy the movie.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Power-Path-to-Love/dp/1604941987/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Power Path to Love</a>