What do you think?
Rate this book
Cowboys and Aliens
1875. New Mexico Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. It’s a town that lives in fear.
But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.
Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force.
But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.
Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he’s been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
About the author
Joan D. Vinge
136 books420 followersJoan D. Vinge (born Joan Carol Dennison) is an American science fiction author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award-winning novel The Snow Queen and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
November 14, 2015
This is a novelization of a movie...maybe that should be my entire review. I haven't seen this movie yet. Now I wonder if I will at all(well,probably for the special effects).
As noted in my "shelving" I didn't finish this one (I even considered starting a "new shelf"..."total crap"). It finally burned me out.
This wants to be a genre bending western meets space invaders type movie book. My big question is this. How can a cowboys meet ET goes postal movie adaption book manage to hit every cliche of both genres?
My thought here? I decided not to waste my time as my mind just kept wandering (yes the problem was I have a mind and can actually think). This being the case, I can't really recommend this for the perusal of anyone else ...I mean you have a limited amount of time in this vale of tears to.
1 star...I couldn't give it less without it looking like I didn't rate it at all.
***Update***
By the way I went with a friend to see the movie later. Amazingly he's still a friend. I mean he didn't know how bad it would be either, and I had no excuse. I'd read this and still went.
This action (going to the movie after reading the book) caused me to seriously question my own sanity.
As noted in my "shelving" I didn't finish this one (I even considered starting a "new shelf"..."total crap"). It finally burned me out.
This wants to be a genre bending western meets space invaders type movie book. My big question is this. How can a cowboys meet ET goes postal movie adaption book manage to hit every cliche of both genres?
My thought here? I decided not to waste my time as my mind just kept wandering (yes the problem was I have a mind and can actually think). This being the case, I can't really recommend this for the perusal of anyone else ...I mean you have a limited amount of time in this vale of tears to.
1 star...I couldn't give it less without it looking like I didn't rate it at all.
***Update***
By the way I went with a friend to see the movie later. Amazingly he's still a friend. I mean he didn't know how bad it would be either, and I had no excuse. I'd read this and still went.
This action (going to the movie after reading the book) caused me to seriously question my own sanity.
December 28, 2017
A fun story, direct adaptation of the movie, so no surprises. The description slowed & dragged it down for me. A lot of it wasn't necessary. Still, it was enjoyable & well narrated.
June 19, 2014
You know, I was pleasantly surprised by this western/sci-fi/horror/action/adventure book! I have not seen the movie which spawned the book, but I do know that it didn't do particularly well at the box office. I didn't really have high hopes for this book, but I wanted something, well, different. You know how that goes sometimes. The thing about Cowboys and Aliens is it was different, and yet, it wasn't. This book had all of what you expect in a good western. Cowboys (obviously), good guys, outlaws, ranchers, saloon keepers, sheriffs, Apaches, horses, guns, and spurs. It had heart and it stressed morals and values, and honor. All that good western stuff. It also had everything that you'd expect in a good (evil) alien book. Massive, nasty, mean, scary aliens who don't give a crap about humans other than as nice little lab rats for disection and experimentation. The book also had all you'd expect in a good action/adventure yarn, namely action and adventure. There was a lot that was formulaic and familiar about Cowboys and Aliens. But the combination of these genres made the book different. It's just odd to try to wrap your head around a band of Apache warriors using bows and arrows, spears and Winchester rifles to take down big pissed off aliens spewing out of a mothership like black ants out of an ant hill. It's kind of comical to have our mysterious outlaw/hero cowboy falling for our beautiful (good) alien heroine. And yet, all of this works out to be "right."
I was really rather pleasantly surprised with the writing, too. To me this didn't read like a book based on a movie. Believe me, I've read a lot of books inspired by movies because I have a young niece and nephew that have these sorts of books marketed to them pretty much relentlessly. Those books are very much the movie transferred to the page. In this book, though, there was some real and deep exploration of the characters. Their backgrounds were built in such a way as to make their personalities understandable. The characters were rich and vibrant. Even the dog had character (which any dog in any western worth its salt would). The language was pretty, scenes were described, place and time were established. In other words, this book can stand on its own, separate from the movie. It can be read and enjoyed with absolutely no knowledge of the movie.
I listened to this on audio book, and it was narrated by Fred Berman. Berman did a wonderful job of narration. Each character was voiced differently and real emotions were behind the characters' voices. You could feel the sorrow, intensity, hate, whatever emotion the character was supposed to be expressing.
The book did have a moral. Several morals, actually. While I appreciated these, and recognized them, I did feel like this was a part of the book that should have been a strength, but didn't quite get there. I'm not quite sure why these "lessons learned" fell flat. It's hard to chalk them up to the fact that they were cliched, because the whole book was full of cliches. Maybe it's because these "lessons" desperately wanted to be deep and profound, but they weren't really as deep and profound to the reader as they were to the characters experiencing them. But then again, that's kind of life, isn't it? Some realizations may be earth-shattering, life-changing to one person, and may be completely insignificant to someone else. That's how these lessons felt to me--sort of, "well, duh."
The other thing that this book (and probably the movie) had going against it was the title. Seriously? Cowboys and Aliens? Are you going to fork out $20 to go see that in a theater? Cowboys and Aliens? How worthwhile of a read could that possibly be? The town in this story was named Absolution. This story was, in some ways, about absolution. The town was well named. The book (and probably the movie) could have been named after the town, and maybe it would garner more consideration and less giggle-and-snort.
I was really rather pleasantly surprised with the writing, too. To me this didn't read like a book based on a movie. Believe me, I've read a lot of books inspired by movies because I have a young niece and nephew that have these sorts of books marketed to them pretty much relentlessly. Those books are very much the movie transferred to the page. In this book, though, there was some real and deep exploration of the characters. Their backgrounds were built in such a way as to make their personalities understandable. The characters were rich and vibrant. Even the dog had character (which any dog in any western worth its salt would). The language was pretty, scenes were described, place and time were established. In other words, this book can stand on its own, separate from the movie. It can be read and enjoyed with absolutely no knowledge of the movie.
I listened to this on audio book, and it was narrated by Fred Berman. Berman did a wonderful job of narration. Each character was voiced differently and real emotions were behind the characters' voices. You could feel the sorrow, intensity, hate, whatever emotion the character was supposed to be expressing.
The book did have a moral. Several morals, actually. While I appreciated these, and recognized them, I did feel like this was a part of the book that should have been a strength, but didn't quite get there. I'm not quite sure why these "lessons learned" fell flat. It's hard to chalk them up to the fact that they were cliched, because the whole book was full of cliches. Maybe it's because these "lessons" desperately wanted to be deep and profound, but they weren't really as deep and profound to the reader as they were to the characters experiencing them. But then again, that's kind of life, isn't it? Some realizations may be earth-shattering, life-changing to one person, and may be completely insignificant to someone else. That's how these lessons felt to me--sort of, "well, duh."
The other thing that this book (and probably the movie) had going against it was the title. Seriously? Cowboys and Aliens? Are you going to fork out $20 to go see that in a theater? Cowboys and Aliens? How worthwhile of a read could that possibly be? The town in this story was named Absolution. This story was, in some ways, about absolution. The town was well named. The book (and probably the movie) could have been named after the town, and maybe it would garner more consideration and less giggle-and-snort.
May 16, 2012
I'm not sure if this was a novelization, or if the movie was based on this book. Further, I haven't seen the movie, but from listening to the audio book, I suspect it makes a better movie.
What's not to like about this story, aliens invade a dying mining town out west, and band together to fight them off. So far, I'm there. For me the book fell down with too much navel gazing. What would have made a great double barreled action piece, instead spends way too much time setting up and executing character growth story arcs for the heroes. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy books with complex characters who have involved and subtle motivations, it's just not what I was looking for in a book called Cowboys & Aliens, much like I'm not looking for angst and extended soliloquies when I rent the movie Megashark vs. Giant Octopus.
Some people may love this more sensitive take on the plot. If so enjoy, but if you're looking for a summer-popcorn-flick of a book, I'd suggest picking up Hellhound on My Trail by D.J. Butler instead.
What's not to like about this story, aliens invade a dying mining town out west, and band together to fight them off. So far, I'm there. For me the book fell down with too much navel gazing. What would have made a great double barreled action piece, instead spends way too much time setting up and executing character growth story arcs for the heroes. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy books with complex characters who have involved and subtle motivations, it's just not what I was looking for in a book called Cowboys & Aliens, much like I'm not looking for angst and extended soliloquies when I rent the movie Megashark vs. Giant Octopus.
Some people may love this more sensitive take on the plot. If so enjoy, but if you're looking for a summer-popcorn-flick of a book, I'd suggest picking up Hellhound on My Trail by D.J. Butler instead.
July 16, 2022
3.5 stars
I have a love/hate relationship with novelization of screenplays. This one wasn't that bad. It was an interesting blend of the two worlds.
I have a love/hate relationship with novelization of screenplays. This one wasn't that bad. It was an interesting blend of the two worlds.
October 22, 2020
Рядка холивудска бозица, но то друго не съм и очаквал. И все пак Джоан Д. Виндж я е разляла майсторски, а от биографията ѝ се вижда, че каката има доста романизации на филми - книги от вселените на Междузвездни войни, Лудия Макс, Изгубени в Космоса... В конкретния случай - оценка 3 и 1/2 :) (знаете, че аз имам тристепенна оценъчна система в този сайт)
October 20, 2016
I had my misgivings as movie was nothing special, but this book is actually better than movie. It has its cliches and alien tech seems really alien in 19th century western, but adventures with gunslingers, indians and romance make it quite decent audiobook.
October 19, 2020
This was actually a ton of fun!
I don’t remember much about the movie but I really feel like the author did a bang up job translating it from screen to pages.
I don’t think I’ve read a movie to book adaption that was done so well.
I don’t remember much about the movie but I really feel like the author did a bang up job translating it from screen to pages.
I don’t think I’ve read a movie to book adaption that was done so well.
February 2, 2021
Случвало ли ви се е да си вземете кафе от центъра на града по местообитание. Най-евтиното кафе — разбира се — е 3 кинта (на менюто пише Буонди, Лаваца (какви — няма смисъл!) или друго, но с минимум сто процента арабика (?!).
Давате 3 кинта (примерно), получавате кафе в пластмасова чаша (за из път), ама направена с най-тънката възможна пластмаса… поглеждате надолу към изгорелите си пръсти, деформираната чаша и виждате фугите на плочките през дъното. Съответно, като недоволен клиент, почвате да се вайкате (дали на висок глас или не, зависи от географията, биологията, финансовото състояние, и семейното администриране през първите ви седем години) — как от едно кафе се печели толкова много, има еди-каква си надценка, не знам си какво и прочие благини за богатството, майката и чинката на тоя де ви е 'зел парите и ви е дал… кафе, ама не точно. В тоя ви ред на изказани мисли хората са съгласни с вас… Да: наеми, ток, данъци и заплати — на кого му е лесно?… ама все пак 3,00 лв. сума за плащане за „подобен продукт“ не върви, нали?
Обаче! — когато си купим книга и почнем да мрънкаме нещата загрубяват. Издателствата работят на загуба: българите не четат (генерализация, която иска да ни вмени простота?), българите не щат да дават пари, а само да крадат (вие може и през живота си филм на аванта да не сте гледали, ама сте българин — по презумпция недоволен, крадлив и неграмотен!)… Така че, защо да не кихнем едни найсе кинта за книга, която:
Има редакторско каре дълго колкото надписите на турски сериал, ала резултатът е като смисъла на турския сериал — никакъв!
(*) Българите не могат да си напишат името без правописна грешка, кому е нужно двама коректори — двама — наистина да коригирВат?
(*) Българите са тъпи и дори не знаят, че в книжарниците освен моливи се продават и книги — що пък редакторУ да пипне стилово текста?…
Викам: направо да замеряме с камъни г-н Томов и г-жа Виндж, всички пари от печалбата са в тях, а останалите по трасето са fiction characters с некомерсиална цел.
П.П. Инак за самата книга — гледала съм филма, та знам точно какво да очаквам:
Давате 3 кинта (примерно), получавате кафе в пластмасова чаша (за из път), ама направена с най-тънката възможна пластмаса… поглеждате надолу към изгорелите си пръсти, деформираната чаша и виждате фугите на плочките през дъното. Съответно, като недоволен клиент, почвате да се вайкате (дали на висок глас или не, зависи от географията, биологията, финансовото състояние, и семейното администриране през първите ви седем години) — как от едно кафе се печели толкова много, има еди-каква си надценка, не знам си какво и прочие благини за богатството, майката и чинката на тоя де ви е 'зел парите и ви е дал… кафе, ама не точно. В тоя ви ред на изказани мисли хората са съгласни с вас… Да: наеми, ток, данъци и заплати — на кого му е лесно?… ама все пак 3,00 лв. сума за плащане за „подобен продукт“ не върви, нали?
Обаче! — когато си купим книга и почнем да мрънкаме нещата загрубяват. Издателствата работят на загуба: българите не четат (генерализация, която иска да ни вмени простота?), българите не щат да дават пари, а само да крадат (вие може и през живота си филм на аванта да не сте гледали, ама сте българин — по презумпция недоволен, крадлив и неграмотен!)… Така че, защо да не кихнем едни найсе кинта за книга, която:
Има редакторско каре дълго колкото надписите на турски сериал, ала резултатът е като смисъла на турския сериал — никакъв!
(*) Българите не могат да си напишат името без правописна грешка, кому е нужно двама коректори — двама — наистина да коригирВат?
(*) Българите са тъпи и дори не знаят, че в книжарниците освен моливи се продават и книги — що пък редакторУ да пипне стилово текста?…
Викам: направо да замеряме с камъни г-н Томов и г-жа Виндж, всички пари от печалбата са в тях, а останалите по трасето са fiction characters с некомерсиална цел.
П.П. Инак за самата книга — гледала съм филма, та знам точно какво да очаквам:
March 25, 2017
Even though I had the scenes from the movie all the time in front of my eyes while listening to it, the Jake in the book was a lot more human than "the robot" played by Daniel Craig in the movie. I become much more fond of the character by listening. The story was exactly the same though, so no surprises. But it was very well read, good to listen to.
And yet. Aliens with red eyes. Somewhat reptiloidian, digging for gold on planet Earth. I feel like I've heard this story somewhere already :P
And yet. Aliens with red eyes. Somewhat reptiloidian, digging for gold on planet Earth. I feel like I've heard this story somewhere already :P
January 23, 2024
No one would expect much from this screenplay turned novel. But it was fun and kept me engaged.
October 16, 2015
I obviously wasn't looking for a serious read when I picked this book up to listen to. I thought it might be silly and fun, and since I never saw the movie, I'd at least know the plot then. The problem is that I didn't realize that it is a novel based on the screenplay for the movie, as opposed to the book the screenplay is based on. Thus, it reads just as a movie would play out and any of the additional depth that makes a book preferable to the screen is missing.
While I the occasional shadows of important themes pop up, not a single one is ever explored or expanded on. The book is action-packed, but not much else. All-in-all, there wasn't much to recommend it. At least the movie had some cool actors in it; all this had was an overly breathy, over-acted voice. (I had an audio edition.) Meh
While I the occasional shadows of important themes pop up, not a single one is ever explored or expanded on. The book is action-packed, but not much else. All-in-all, there wasn't much to recommend it. At least the movie had some cool actors in it; all this had was an overly breathy, over-acted voice. (I had an audio edition.) Meh
September 8, 2011
Disclaimer
I got this as a no brain required summer read, and I was pretty surprised that this was a book, as the movie (which I have not seen yet) seemed like an interesting concept.
When I got to the point that said "A Novelization of the movie" I should have given up, but alas I didn't.
The first half opens up with a few interesting points, but once the action starts it is clear that things that make a good popcorn spectacle on the big screen are just tedious in book form.
Also some of the things the characters work out are clearly the thinking of a modern mind, I am not sure someone who has no understanding of the fundamentals of aerodynamics could decide if a spaceship made a maneuver that was possible or not.
A big book of meh, with a healthy dose of suck.
I got this as a no brain required summer read, and I was pretty surprised that this was a book, as the movie (which I have not seen yet) seemed like an interesting concept.
When I got to the point that said "A Novelization of the movie" I should have given up, but alas I didn't.
The first half opens up with a few interesting points, but once the action starts it is clear that things that make a good popcorn spectacle on the big screen are just tedious in book form.
Also some of the things the characters work out are clearly the thinking of a modern mind, I am not sure someone who has no understanding of the fundamentals of aerodynamics could decide if a spaceship made a maneuver that was possible or not.
A big book of meh, with a healthy dose of suck.
September 21, 2011
Vinge does a good job fleshing out the film, strengthening the characters by providing insights into their past. She also delves into the setting, which influences the story as much as the invading alien trope, drawing comparisons between the pioneer migration and exploitation of native Americans. The desert stands in for the emptiness of space, showing the difficulties of survival and how these struggles shape people.
Only low point for me was the development of a romantic angle between Jake and Ella. There isn't a lot shown on screen, but there's a lot in the book, perhaps Vinge attempting to humanize Jake. I would have preferred more about his involvement with Alice rather than a budding romance.
Only low point for me was the development of a romantic angle between Jake and Ella. There isn't a lot shown on screen, but there's a lot in the book, perhaps Vinge attempting to humanize Jake. I would have preferred more about his involvement with Alice rather than a budding romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
My god! The cliches! Most of it wasn't too awful. It wasn't good, but it wasn't awful. I borrowed it for some nice, light, brainless fun. But the end was just a barrage of every feel-good movie trope ever written.
Want to read
August 1, 2011Once again we revisit the eternal dilemma: what to do first? Watch or Read?
July 6, 2019
When I came across this book, I couldn't believe a random movie such as Cowboys & Aliens ended up getting novelized. Honestly, my experience with novelized movies haven't been too bad, but maybe that's because the ones I came across were such as The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar. Then in 2015 it was Jurassic World's and Inside Out's turn, and both were pretty small novelization that were both perfectly readable, but it made me see how cheesy Jurassic World could get despite still being an enjoyable enough movie. Also, the other 3 movies listed I have read the novelizations for were amazing movies. So needless to say, Cowboys & Aliens as a novel is risky business, especially when I don't really remember much about the movie compared to the other 4.
Due to the reception the movie got, it's safe to say Vinge didn't have a lot to work with when writing this novelization. With that in mind, really what I'm looking for is just a book that could in anyway make the movie more memorable or improve on the movie in any sort of way. On that end, I'd say Vinge did a fine job. When I was reading the first half of the book, there were descriptions in the book that I felt kind of gave life in a way the big screen couldn't emulate. Furthermore, despite being 369 pages, it felt just a little bit shorter, yet not so much so that I felt ripped off when reading the novel. All in all, as a novel, Cowboys & Aliens isn't terrible in the slightest. It's actually commendable because someone took the risk to make into a novel a movie that didn't do well in the box office and turn it into what ended up a passable novel.
The novel does naturally suffer some of the same setbacks the movie did, but to blame it on the novel isn't really fair given the source material. All the same under-developed characters we got in the novel were because the movie didn't develop these characters well. What the goal of the aliens were and how they meant to achieve that goal was cheesy and cliched, but that's once again because of the source material. I didn't really buy the relationship between Ella and Jake at all because I felt like that was forced, but once again this derives from the movie.
So I leave this review with this: if you lower your expectations, you won't be too disappointed. If this were a standalone novel, I wouldn't be mad. I enjoy a good Western from time to time because it's a fun genre, and that's coming from someone who doesn't care for historical fiction. Take it for what it is and that's the best way you can hope to enjoy the book at all.
Due to the reception the movie got, it's safe to say Vinge didn't have a lot to work with when writing this novelization. With that in mind, really what I'm looking for is just a book that could in anyway make the movie more memorable or improve on the movie in any sort of way. On that end, I'd say Vinge did a fine job. When I was reading the first half of the book, there were descriptions in the book that I felt kind of gave life in a way the big screen couldn't emulate. Furthermore, despite being 369 pages, it felt just a little bit shorter, yet not so much so that I felt ripped off when reading the novel. All in all, as a novel, Cowboys & Aliens isn't terrible in the slightest. It's actually commendable because someone took the risk to make into a novel a movie that didn't do well in the box office and turn it into what ended up a passable novel.
The novel does naturally suffer some of the same setbacks the movie did, but to blame it on the novel isn't really fair given the source material. All the same under-developed characters we got in the novel were because the movie didn't develop these characters well. What the goal of the aliens were and how they meant to achieve that goal was cheesy and cliched, but that's once again because of the source material. I didn't really buy the relationship between Ella and Jake at all because I felt like that was forced, but once again this derives from the movie.
So I leave this review with this: if you lower your expectations, you won't be too disappointed. If this were a standalone novel, I wouldn't be mad. I enjoy a good Western from time to time because it's a fun genre, and that's coming from someone who doesn't care for historical fiction. Take it for what it is and that's the best way you can hope to enjoy the book at all.
August 14, 2014
This was an interesting book to read. It is a novelization of a movie based on a comic book [graphic novel]. The graphic novel is quite different than the movie [especially the end of the graphic novel ].
The book starts off as it does in the movie: A lone stranger wakes up not remembering who he is or how he ended up in the middle of the desert. He discovers what appears to be a manacle around his wrist composed of metal unlike any he has ever encountered on Earth. Three bounty hunters run into him and the book comments that the scalps the men carry are . The stranger overpowers [i.e. - kills] the strangers, takes what he needs to survive, and rides off into the sunset. He rides into Absolution and through a series of events encounters a preacher who tends to the stranger's wounds and creates a bond of friendship [of sorts] that appeals to the stranger, beats up the son of the most powerful man in town, and gets thrown into jail for murdering a whore and robbing a bullion coach. The town is attacked, Jake [the stranger] escapes, and the survivors go looking for their kin [taken by the aliens]. Jake rides off on his own as more of his memory returns; he then returns and catches up with the 'posse' before running into his gang. After escaping from the gang [and another alien attack], Ella is killed and the 'posse' is captured by a mixed group of Native Americans. Ella's corpse is thrown into a fire and after several minutes she walks out of the fire. She and Nate Colorado are instrumental in getting the Indians [mostly Apaches] to help Dollarhyde and his group to fight the aliens. Realizing they need more men, Jake again leaves the group to return to his gang and convince them to help fight the invaders. Plans are made to draw the aliens out while Jake and Ella infiltrate the alien vessel. After freeing the surviving townspeople, Native Americans, and gang members, Ella takes the manacle from Jake and presses deeper into the ship. Jake ends up being saved by Dollarhyde, and the two men escape from the ship just before it lifts off. It explodes in mid-air,coating the surrounding land [and survivors] with gold dust [some of which congeals into nuggets of varying sizes]. At the book's end, the town is seeing a resurgence [due to the knowledge there still is gold in them thar hills! waiting to be found] and Jake decides it is time to leave. Dollarhyde and the Sheriff wish him well as he leaves.
So, yes, if you have seen the movie you essentially know what happened. The only real reason to read a novelization is that they tend to be based on the script at a certain point in the movie and not necessarily on the final product. So there will be differences between the novelization and movie [some more nuanced than others] which makes it interesting to 'discover' how the movie might have gone had it stayed with the 'original script' at the time the novelization was written. The novelization also gives background information of the various characters in the movie that is either not given or merely hinted at in the movie, so it helps fill out the characters and make them more rounded as individuals. It can also help make a minor character in the movie more important because of the background history/information that cannot be presented in the movie.
The novelization does have a bunch of 'political statements' in it, such as the wasting of men fighting in wars, of men stealing from the environment instead of learning to live 'in harmony with the environment,' and frowning upon men killing other men as well as the stupid things men kill each other over and for [such as gold, which is a 'dead thing' anyway]. It also makes social commentary on how women are treated as well as how the Native Americans were treated, making Jake and some of the other characters seem more progressive than their time.
The preacher was definitely an interesting character; the book did help flesh him out a bit more than the movie, hinting there was much more to his character [and background] than a moviegoer might realize. It seemed like there was more interaction with Jake's gang than I remembered in the movie, and there was definitely more of an 'emotional attachment' [love interest ?] between Ella and Jake in the book than the movie.
The ending of the book was very similar, in one respect, to the graphic novel [but not with the alien armada overhead looking for more recruits to overthrow the Galactic Empire]. I will not say anymore about it .
It was a good book. overall. The social and environmental commentaries did seem a little anachronistic and, at times, a bit much, but the commentaries themselves did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. Joan Vinge did a great job adapting the movie into a 'movie tie-in novelization.' Kudos to her!
I thought naming the town 'Absolution' was a nice touch [in the graphic novel as well as the movie and book]. Absolution means "formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment" and we see this happen in the book. Jake Lonergan receives absolution from his crimes [robbing, murder] as well as crimes accused of committing [murdering the woman he loved]. Woodrow Dolarhyde receives absolution from the deaths of the men under his command during the Civil War as well as his hatred of the Native Americans and how he has treated his son Percy. Percy Dolarhyde receives absolution from how he treated the townspeople and grows into a respectable young man. Doc Sorensen receives absolution [of sorts] and receives his wife back, safe and sound. So it was interesting to read the book and see the 'spiritual side effects' [backdrop ?] of men [and women] who needed absolution from wrongs committed. The preacher was great - filled with grace and mercy; not judgmental. He was a nice foil in terms of the town and how the townspeople were able to grow [even after his death].
The book starts off as it does in the movie: A lone stranger wakes up not remembering who he is or how he ended up in the middle of the desert. He discovers what appears to be a manacle around his wrist composed of metal unlike any he has ever encountered on Earth. Three bounty hunters run into him and the book comments that the scalps the men carry are . The stranger overpowers [i.e. - kills] the strangers, takes what he needs to survive, and rides off into the sunset. He rides into Absolution and through a series of events encounters a preacher who tends to the stranger's wounds and creates a bond of friendship [of sorts] that appeals to the stranger, beats up the son of the most powerful man in town, and gets thrown into jail for murdering a whore and robbing a bullion coach. The town is attacked, Jake [the stranger] escapes, and the survivors go looking for their kin [taken by the aliens]. Jake rides off on his own as more of his memory returns; he then returns and catches up with the 'posse' before running into his gang. After escaping from the gang [and another alien attack], Ella is killed and the 'posse' is captured by a mixed group of Native Americans. Ella's corpse is thrown into a fire and after several minutes she walks out of the fire. She and Nate Colorado are instrumental in getting the Indians [mostly Apaches] to help Dollarhyde and his group to fight the aliens. Realizing they need more men, Jake again leaves the group to return to his gang and convince them to help fight the invaders. Plans are made to draw the aliens out while Jake and Ella infiltrate the alien vessel. After freeing the surviving townspeople, Native Americans, and gang members, Ella takes the manacle from Jake and presses deeper into the ship. Jake ends up being saved by Dollarhyde, and the two men escape from the ship just before it lifts off. It explodes in mid-air,coating the surrounding land [and survivors] with gold dust [some of which congeals into nuggets of varying sizes]. At the book's end, the town is seeing a resurgence [due to the knowledge there still is gold in them thar hills! waiting to be found] and Jake decides it is time to leave. Dollarhyde and the Sheriff wish him well as he leaves.
So, yes, if you have seen the movie you essentially know what happened. The only real reason to read a novelization is that they tend to be based on the script at a certain point in the movie and not necessarily on the final product. So there will be differences between the novelization and movie [some more nuanced than others] which makes it interesting to 'discover' how the movie might have gone had it stayed with the 'original script' at the time the novelization was written. The novelization also gives background information of the various characters in the movie that is either not given or merely hinted at in the movie, so it helps fill out the characters and make them more rounded as individuals. It can also help make a minor character in the movie more important because of the background history/information that cannot be presented in the movie.
The novelization does have a bunch of 'political statements' in it, such as the wasting of men fighting in wars, of men stealing from the environment instead of learning to live 'in harmony with the environment,' and frowning upon men killing other men as well as the stupid things men kill each other over and for [such as gold, which is a 'dead thing' anyway]. It also makes social commentary on how women are treated as well as how the Native Americans were treated, making Jake and some of the other characters seem more progressive than their time.
The preacher was definitely an interesting character; the book did help flesh him out a bit more than the movie, hinting there was much more to his character [and background] than a moviegoer might realize. It seemed like there was more interaction with Jake's gang than I remembered in the movie, and there was definitely more of an 'emotional attachment' [love interest ?] between Ella and Jake in the book than the movie.
The ending of the book was very similar, in one respect, to the graphic novel [but not with the alien armada overhead looking for more recruits to overthrow the Galactic Empire]. I will not say anymore about it .
It was a good book. overall. The social and environmental commentaries did seem a little anachronistic and, at times, a bit much, but the commentaries themselves did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. Joan Vinge did a great job adapting the movie into a 'movie tie-in novelization.' Kudos to her!
I thought naming the town 'Absolution' was a nice touch [in the graphic novel as well as the movie and book]. Absolution means "formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment" and we see this happen in the book. Jake Lonergan receives absolution from his crimes [robbing, murder] as well as crimes accused of committing [murdering the woman he loved]. Woodrow Dolarhyde receives absolution from the deaths of the men under his command during the Civil War as well as his hatred of the Native Americans and how he has treated his son Percy. Percy Dolarhyde receives absolution from how he treated the townspeople and grows into a respectable young man. Doc Sorensen receives absolution [of sorts] and receives his wife back, safe and sound. So it was interesting to read the book and see the 'spiritual side effects' [backdrop ?] of men [and women] who needed absolution from wrongs committed. The preacher was great - filled with grace and mercy; not judgmental. He was a nice foil in terms of the town and how the townspeople were able to grow [even after his death].
October 30, 2019
I have not seen the short film this book was based off of so there isn’t much I can compare it to so this is completely about the book.
As a person that somewhat likes the whole fantasy/sci-fi thing, it’s a bit strange to see such a theme placed in a time period far back but I see it sort of as like a fantasy taking place back in medieval eras. The mix of fantasy and sci-fi is a bit strange at first, in the prologue we’re immediately hit with demons and a “demon gun”. Considering the title is Cowboys and Aliens, I did not expect demons to be a part of this at all. I have yet no real opinion on this mix yet considering I’m only about 1/3 through. However, I do like some of the characters for their personalities. I have yet to really see anything super sci-fi aside from Jake’s alien weapon and the aliens themselves, though the story doesn’t stray very far from the title. I enjoy Jake’s down to earth character and his feud with Dolarhyde. It’s interesting to see their different morals and how they get along.
The writing is good in my opinion, it really plays off of emotions and scenery. I’ve heard though that the dialogue is pretty much the same as the film which doesn’t surprise me really. Usually it’s films being based off of books which get butchered in the end. There’s not much I can say about the comparison.
As a person that somewhat likes the whole fantasy/sci-fi thing, it’s a bit strange to see such a theme placed in a time period far back but I see it sort of as like a fantasy taking place back in medieval eras. The mix of fantasy and sci-fi is a bit strange at first, in the prologue we’re immediately hit with demons and a “demon gun”. Considering the title is Cowboys and Aliens, I did not expect demons to be a part of this at all. I have yet no real opinion on this mix yet considering I’m only about 1/3 through. However, I do like some of the characters for their personalities. I have yet to really see anything super sci-fi aside from Jake’s alien weapon and the aliens themselves, though the story doesn’t stray very far from the title. I enjoy Jake’s down to earth character and his feud with Dolarhyde. It’s interesting to see their different morals and how they get along.
The writing is good in my opinion, it really plays off of emotions and scenery. I’ve heard though that the dialogue is pretty much the same as the film which doesn’t surprise me really. Usually it’s films being based off of books which get butchered in the end. There’s not much I can say about the comparison.
October 24, 2020
Каубои и извънземни се вкопчват в битка на живот и смърт: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/k...
Историята може да я предвидите и от корицата. Един мъж, Джейк, се буди в пустинята без спомени, но пък със странно изглеждаща гривна на ръката си. Съвсем скоро хладнокръвно претрепва трима души, които го заплашват, а в близкото градче разбира, че е опасен издирван престъпник, който само една отракана мадама успява да повали. Правосъдието обаче трябва да почака – извънземни машини нападат градчето и отвличат хора (така и не разбрах защо, между другото, хранеха ли се с тях?!), а гривната на ръката му се оказва единственото оръжие, което може да причини вреди на пришълците.
Pro Book
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/k...
Историята може да я предвидите и от корицата. Един мъж, Джейк, се буди в пустинята без спомени, но пък със странно изглеждаща гривна на ръката си. Съвсем скоро хладнокръвно претрепва трима души, които го заплашват, а в близкото градче разбира, че е опасен издирван престъпник, който само една отракана мадама успява да повали. Правосъдието обаче трябва да почака – извънземни машини нападат градчето и отвличат хора (така и не разбрах защо, между другото, хранеха ли се с тях?!), а гривната на ръката му се оказва единственото оръжие, което може да причини вреди на пришълците.
Pro Book
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/k...
February 18, 2021
Things I enjoyed about this book:
- Varying characters with their own personality traits that evolved over time and made them better people.
- Some enjoyable fight scenes that I enjoyed.
- Good interaction between characters that made a difference throughout the book.
- Some surprise moments that I was genuinely shocked at.
Things I didn’t enjoy:
- The aliens weren’t interesting at all, and their end goal of stealing all the Earth’s gold was kinda’ wack.
- Some unnecessarily lengthy character soul searching.
Overall thoughts: An enjoyable read if you don’t take it seriously and want a fun romp through the Wild Wild West as a ragtag group of humans fights against a superior foe.
- Varying characters with their own personality traits that evolved over time and made them better people.
- Some enjoyable fight scenes that I enjoyed.
- Good interaction between characters that made a difference throughout the book.
- Some surprise moments that I was genuinely shocked at.
Things I didn’t enjoy:
- The aliens weren’t interesting at all, and their end goal of stealing all the Earth’s gold was kinda’ wack.
- Some unnecessarily lengthy character soul searching.
Overall thoughts: An enjoyable read if you don’t take it seriously and want a fun romp through the Wild Wild West as a ragtag group of humans fights against a superior foe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2024
I'll be honest--I didn't like this book. It started interesting and promising, but I ended up dreading to read it the rest of the way. The plot line was interesting but the characters and "demons" felt cheesy. Even the goal of the aliens was cheesy. Gold, really? They seemed to just want gold, so why on earth did they also want to take humans? Maybe I missed the details because I found myself reading at times but not taking in the information. After all, I was getting tired of the book. Also...I hated the romance. Jake moved on long before he knew what happened to Alice and it made me feel bad for the girl. RIP Alice.
I hate seeming so judgmental about the book, but I genuinely was disappointed in it.
I hate seeming so judgmental about the book, but I genuinely was disappointed in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2019
Consumed as an audio book. I enjoy media tie-ins and novelizations in written form, but the slower pace of audio book delivery was a barrier for me in this. Less of a comment on the quality of the material than on the format.
On the story itself, I suspect anyone who enjoyed the movie would enjoy the book as well - all the characters were interesting and well rounded, which is the improvement I look for in a good media tie-in. To be expected from such a talented author, which is what drew me to the book in the first place.
On the story itself, I suspect anyone who enjoyed the movie would enjoy the book as well - all the characters were interesting and well rounded, which is the improvement I look for in a good media tie-in. To be expected from such a talented author, which is what drew me to the book in the first place.
December 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this title. I love when a book takes you out of the doldrums of everyday life and takes you to a different place and time. This book had me in the old west and the characters were very well written. It is another novelization of a movie but don't count that against it, because it was really a great read! I loved letting my mind create the landscapes and bring the characters to life in my imagination! I got my copy thru ILL from another library but, it is on order for us at the VPL and you can find it soon in the paperbacks section! As always enjoy!
November 19, 2017
Having saw the movie a while back and not remembering much about it I decided to give the novelization a go. I enjoyed it, a lot better than the movie. Having cut my teeth on Louis L'Amour and Star Trek novels this was a great combo. For me it was like Bowdrie meets the Borg. Great story and great characters
June 13, 2018
I enjoyed the movie so much, I thought I would also enjoy reading the book--usually there are enough differences between the two entities that it's worth it to me to watch and read. Well, this time it was a letdown because the book and movie were pretty much identical--same dialog, same scenes and sequences, same-0 same-o.
April 2, 2021
This could have been so good. Sadly, even a writer I like, the combination of genres I enjoy, and having seen the movie with Daniel Craig couldn't save this. The movie was as choppily fight-scene-, love-interest-; characters-who-come-to-respect-each-other-driven as the book, but took a shorter time to traverse, and was therefore easier to enjoy the enjoyable parts of it.
August 23, 2021
Audiobook. This is A NOVELIZATION of a Bad sci fi western movie. The book reads like a serious western where the man with no name and memories teams up with a little town and robbers and native americans to battle... ... aliens that want our gold.
Takes itself way to seriously for the plot, but fun in its so bad it is good sort of way.
Takes itself way to seriously for the plot, but fun in its so bad it is good sort of way.
February 6, 2019
I've never been into reading about cowboys very much...at least not as an adult. However, I enjoyed this "what if" story...what if aliens visited during the days of the Wild West? The book and the movie were both enjoyable.
November 29, 2019
Tbh i didn't go into this book with high hopes because of all the reviews but this book was actually really good.
I watched the movie and that was also really good.
It's action packed with even some funny bits mixed in
I watched the movie and that was also really good.
It's action packed with even some funny bits mixed in
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews