Thang L. (lext) reviewed on 2/8/2015 + 4 more book reviews

This version is the most recent reprint of the book, I think to coincide with the launch of the movie. I've read/watched them both.

I find the book decent to read, although at times a bit distracting. This is one of those books where I'd love to see illustration. I had a hard time trying to visualize the supposedly impressive feat of the boy in the training room, to see whethere he's really that clever, or he's just cleaver because the author's intention is for him to be clever. Now, I understand that a book is mostly about the theme and author's intention, and the point of the book is not nitty-gritty but in the grand picture of the plot. Still, I would have liked to be convinced, impressed and swept away by the ingenuity of the actual setting, rather than straining to go through the description and eventually resigning myself to accept that "He's in, he's clever, he's outmanoevred them all, now they're pissed at him".

I do love the ending though, although I guess that's not very surprising. The plot and the setting are also nice, although nothing revolutionary for the fares today (it might have been revolutionary back then). There are some theme/references to the conflicts of those days (Cold War, Stars War) although the readers of today probably won't get. I love the name "bugger" :) I keep expecting some actor with English accent to say "Bugger off, buggers" in the movie, but no such luck.

The post-ending (what happens after the earth-shattering ending) is also interesting. It does have a touch of humanity (or rather, humanitarianism) in it. When it's mankind vs. alien, you know who to root for, but once it's all over, it makes you wonder: is man really kind? Hard to say.

The movie is simply a travesty of what's in the book. I don't remember much from the movie (it certainly didn't show any clever "Gravity"-styled manoeuvre I was hoping to see). The only thing I remember is that the ending of the movie was rather confusing and vague. If you didn't read the book you'll probably have a hard time telling how the movie ends.

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