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12 Monkeys
Sent back in time from the year 2035 to 1990 to prevent the apocalypse that destroyed most of the earth, James Cole lands in a psychiatric ward under the care of Dr. Kathryn Railly, who begins to believe his wild story. Original. Movie tie-in.
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1995
24 people are currently reading
2271 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Hand
192 books1,323 followersA New York Times notable and multiple award– winning author, Elizabeth Hand has written seven novels, including the cult classic Waking the Moon, and short-story collections. She is a longtime contributor to numerous publications, including the Washington Post Book World and the Village Voice Literary Supplement. She and her two children divide their time between the coast of Maine and North London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 26, 2025
Novelizations may be considered one of the lowest forms of literature, but I do enjoy reading them on occasion — usually only when I’m a fan of both the movie and the author. I like getting the little bits of extra info, whether it’s scenes that were cut from the final film, newly invented ones, or just getting a peak inside the heads of the characters. This doesn’t really have much of any of that, but the fact that I loved it anyway speaks to how ingenious the screenplay by David and Janet Peoples is.
This sort of thing can be hard to judge strictly based on its own merits, as usually the reader has already seen the movie (and presumably found it entertaining), and they’re likely imagining those actors and sets and such as they’re reading, which was the case for me here. Even though I haven’t seen it in at least a decade, I could still picture Gilliam’s disorienting and claustrophobic cinematography, still hear the unsettling accordion-infused score, still envision Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and (especially) Brad Pitt in their roles. If I had never seen the movie, would I still think this was a 5 star book? Maybe not, as the performances were a major part of the movie’s brilliance, but that doesn’t change the fact that I read the entire thing in two sittings, captivated the whole time. I found the narrative to be every bit as haunting and thought provoking as I did when I first saw the film 30 years ago. It’s profoundly moving as well. And I usually don’t go for time-travel tales.
Elizabeth Hand did a stellar job translating this mind-bending story into novel form, but most of the credit has to go to the original script, especially considering Hand probably knocked this thing out in a week or two, as most writers do when taking on this sort of work. Still, the pacing here is relentless. Just go go go from beginning to end.
It’s definitely a 5 star film and screenplay, and this is as good a novelization I’ve read (I don’t believe I’ve ever given one 5 stars). If you’re someone who’s seen the movie semi-recently, this won’t really add much other than some of Cole and Dr. Railly’s internal thoughts, as well as extra background info and added context to a few scenes.* But if you’re someone like me who just wants to revisit the story in a different form, I can’t see how anyone could possibly find this disappointing. If you’ve never watched the film, you might find the characterization a bit thin, but other than that this is about as good as it gets for a tie-in.
(Btw the reviews here and on Amazon that complain that the whole thing can be read in a few minutes most likely read a defective Kindle version that was accidentally published several years ago, so it’s pretty safe to ignore those, imo.)
*usually novelizations are based on much earlier versions of the screenplay, so that the book’s release can be timed to coincide with the film’s, and if that was the case here, the original script was almost exactly the same as what ended up on the big screen. Usually I look forward to the many differences when reading one of these, but this was pretty much the movie in book form. And I was fine with that.
This sort of thing can be hard to judge strictly based on its own merits, as usually the reader has already seen the movie (and presumably found it entertaining), and they’re likely imagining those actors and sets and such as they’re reading, which was the case for me here. Even though I haven’t seen it in at least a decade, I could still picture Gilliam’s disorienting and claustrophobic cinematography, still hear the unsettling accordion-infused score, still envision Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and (especially) Brad Pitt in their roles. If I had never seen the movie, would I still think this was a 5 star book? Maybe not, as the performances were a major part of the movie’s brilliance, but that doesn’t change the fact that I read the entire thing in two sittings, captivated the whole time. I found the narrative to be every bit as haunting and thought provoking as I did when I first saw the film 30 years ago. It’s profoundly moving as well. And I usually don’t go for time-travel tales.
Elizabeth Hand did a stellar job translating this mind-bending story into novel form, but most of the credit has to go to the original script, especially considering Hand probably knocked this thing out in a week or two, as most writers do when taking on this sort of work. Still, the pacing here is relentless. Just go go go from beginning to end.
It’s definitely a 5 star film and screenplay, and this is as good a novelization I’ve read (I don’t believe I’ve ever given one 5 stars). If you’re someone who’s seen the movie semi-recently, this won’t really add much other than some of Cole and Dr. Railly’s internal thoughts, as well as extra background info and added context to a few scenes.* But if you’re someone like me who just wants to revisit the story in a different form, I can’t see how anyone could possibly find this disappointing. If you’ve never watched the film, you might find the characterization a bit thin, but other than that this is about as good as it gets for a tie-in.
(Btw the reviews here and on Amazon that complain that the whole thing can be read in a few minutes most likely read a defective Kindle version that was accidentally published several years ago, so it’s pretty safe to ignore those, imo.)
*usually novelizations are based on much earlier versions of the screenplay, so that the book’s release can be timed to coincide with the film’s, and if that was the case here, the original script was almost exactly the same as what ended up on the big screen. Usually I look forward to the many differences when reading one of these, but this was pretty much the movie in book form. And I was fine with that.
July 15, 2018
Another very good Post-apocalyptic story. This time the book was published after the movie. An incredible movie which I strongly believe that it is the best movie of Brush Willis and maybe the second best of Brand Pitt (after Fight Club of course).
The book is an exact replica of the film that describes a horrific future where most people have died by a lethal virus.
Is the army of 12 monkeys responsible for this outcome? Or they are just a bunch of harmless lunatics and James Cole, the man from the future, needs to find out the true villain?
The story is awesome. The book could have been better and longer.
The book is an exact replica of the film that describes a horrific future where most people have died by a lethal virus.
Is the army of 12 monkeys responsible for this outcome? Or they are just a bunch of harmless lunatics and James Cole, the man from the future, needs to find out the true villain?
The story is awesome. The book could have been better and longer.
July 18, 2015
I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I picked it up because I had seen trailers for the television show but didn't have time to watch it. The premise sounded interesting, and upon finding out that there was a book (and a short one at that) I figured it would be a good if not better alternative.
Upon sitting down to read it (while doing animal testing in a lab, ironically enough) I was almost immediately gripped by the style of prose and the characters. While the psychiatrist, Dr. Railly, was perhaps a bit more flat than I would have liked, and the romance was a bit abrupt, the book was overall very good. The plot was not only fast-paced but well paced. It was never boring, and left you just the right level of confused to keep you interested without distracting you.
Whether or not you have seen the movie or the television show, I would absolutely recommend this book if you're interested in science, its repercussions, or post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's a short read, and I personally enjoyed every minute of it.
Upon sitting down to read it (while doing animal testing in a lab, ironically enough) I was almost immediately gripped by the style of prose and the characters. While the psychiatrist, Dr. Railly, was perhaps a bit more flat than I would have liked, and the romance was a bit abrupt, the book was overall very good. The plot was not only fast-paced but well paced. It was never boring, and left you just the right level of confused to keep you interested without distracting you.
Whether or not you have seen the movie or the television show, I would absolutely recommend this book if you're interested in science, its repercussions, or post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's a short read, and I personally enjoyed every minute of it.
August 27, 2017
Don't Buy
This is not a book. It is a super condensed version of the movie. It will literally take you ten minutes to read, and leave you feeling unsatisfied.
This is not a book. It is a super condensed version of the movie. It will literally take you ten minutes to read, and leave you feeling unsatisfied.
May 7, 2021
Endzeit, Zeitreise, spannend und überraschend, ständig zwischen den Zeitebenen springend - tolle Geschichte - wie auch der Film. Klare Leseempfehlung!
November 22, 2023
ein sehr unterhaltsamer hollywood roman ohne tieferen sinn. ärgerlicherweise ist mir im letzten viertel des hörbuches der große plottwist wieder eingefallen. ich habe die verfilmung von twelve monkey nämlich schonmal mit 16 sehr high während eines gewittersturmes auf klassenfahrt in italien geschaut
April 22, 2020
This was not an easy book to rate - my love and hate relationship with this story didn't improve over the months that passed since I finished it. But in the end, I settled for 5 stars and persist in my choice. It's a well-paced story that never got boring and its final solution was credible.
One aspect that made it difficult for me: I choose to listen to the story on an audiobook. This was really not an ideal way to conquer the story. It might have been much better to actually read it. Every once in a while, I find a story that is just not suited to be an audiobook - or at least, I can't enjoy it as much. However, as I wanted to know how the story would end and I couldn't get my hands on a physical copy, I continued to listen.
Now, I am a big fan of time travel stories but I haven't seen the movie 'Twelve Monkeys' yet. I know that the book was published after the movie aired and is basically a retelling. The story has its difficulties to be transported from movie to book (which might be the reason why I struggled with the audiobook) but in the end, it worked for me.
Twelve Monkeys is part sci-fi (the time-traveling), part mystery (how could this happen?). It tells the story of Cole who is sent back from a post-plaque world to unravel the mystery of the virus. I liked its back and forth and the constant question for the truth.
The book is rather short and up until today, over a year after reading it, I haven't seen the movie. Maybe I'll manage that in foreseeable future.
One aspect that made it difficult for me: I choose to listen to the story on an audiobook. This was really not an ideal way to conquer the story. It might have been much better to actually read it. Every once in a while, I find a story that is just not suited to be an audiobook - or at least, I can't enjoy it as much. However, as I wanted to know how the story would end and I couldn't get my hands on a physical copy, I continued to listen.
Now, I am a big fan of time travel stories but I haven't seen the movie 'Twelve Monkeys' yet. I know that the book was published after the movie aired and is basically a retelling. The story has its difficulties to be transported from movie to book (which might be the reason why I struggled with the audiobook) but in the end, it worked for me.
Twelve Monkeys is part sci-fi (the time-traveling), part mystery (how could this happen?). It tells the story of Cole who is sent back from a post-plaque world to unravel the mystery of the virus. I liked its back and forth and the constant question for the truth.
The book is rather short and up until today, over a year after reading it, I haven't seen the movie. Maybe I'll manage that in foreseeable future.
May 2, 2009
Sweet movie, book was created after movie. No difference except showing Brad Pitt's and Bruce Willis's bare bottoms on the bigscreen.
February 20, 2014
A fun read, but I like movie novelizations and this movie in particular, so mileage may vary.
May 19, 2010
Two words: why bother. It's a novelization of the film, which was interesting but no masterpiece in itself. Shoddy writing, seems like she phoned it in. Oh well. Two words: don't bother.
July 7, 2023
(ENGLISH BELOW)
Oh wow, irgendwie habe ich echt lang gebraucht, um mich diesem Buch zu widmen – ich weiß gar nicht wieso :’D
Ich habe lang überlegt, ob ich 3,5 oder 4 Sterne gebe, habe mich dann aber für 4 entschieden, weil ich den Großteil der Handlung und auch der Erzählweise echt wundervoll und spannend finde! (Und das Hörbuch war mega gut umgesetzt!!!!)
Zeitweise habe ich mich sehr an Sucker Punch ((auch wenn es an sich was komplett anderes ist) erinnert gefühlt und schon allein deshalb ist das Buch wundervoll, haha. Die ganze Thematik mit Apokalypse und Zeitreise und dann dem Twist a la „Bin ich verrückt und bilde mir das alles nur ein, oder ist das wirklich passiert?“, sind genau meins!
Das Buch hat für mich ein wenig Spannung rausgenommen, weil zu schnell aufgeklärt wurde, ob die Zeitreise nun wirklich stattfindet oder nur im Kopf des Protagonisten geschehen ist. Ich denke, da hätte noch mehr „mindfuck“ und mitfiebern rausgeholt werden können.
Dafür war das Ende ganz arg großartig und hat mich sehr befriedigt.
Ich meine, jeder hat andere Vorstellung, was die Thematik Zeitränge ändern etc angeht und ob es funktioniert oder nicht und wie viele Zeitstränge es gibt etc pp ... hach, so viele Möglichkeiten! Das hier aufgezeigte Ende war für mich perfekt <3
Was mir nicht gefallen hat und weshalb es nur 4 (und fast 3,5) Sterne gibt,
(ENGLISH)
Oh wow, somehow it took me a really long time to pick up this book - I don’t even know why :‘D
I thought for a long time whether to give 3.5 or 4 stars, but then decided on 4, because I find most of the plot and also the narration really wonderful and exciting!
At times I was reminded of Sucker Punch (even if it is something completely different) and that alone makes the book wonderful, haha. The whole theme with apocalypse and time travel and then the twist a la „Am I crazy and imagining all this or did it really happen?“ are right up my alley!
The book took a bit of tension out of it for me because it was resolved too quickly whether the time travel was really happening or just in the protagonist’s head. I think there could have been more „mindfuck“ and suspense.
But the ending was really great and very satisfying. I mean, everyone has different ideas about changing timelines etc and whether it works or not and how many timelines there are etc pp .... hah, so many possibilities! The ending shown here was perfect for me <3
What I didn’t like and why there are only 4 (and almost 3.5) stars
Oh wow, irgendwie habe ich echt lang gebraucht, um mich diesem Buch zu widmen – ich weiß gar nicht wieso :’D
Ich habe lang überlegt, ob ich 3,5 oder 4 Sterne gebe, habe mich dann aber für 4 entschieden, weil ich den Großteil der Handlung und auch der Erzählweise echt wundervoll und spannend finde! (Und das Hörbuch war mega gut umgesetzt!!!!)
Zeitweise habe ich mich sehr an Sucker Punch ((auch wenn es an sich was komplett anderes ist) erinnert gefühlt und schon allein deshalb ist das Buch wundervoll, haha. Die ganze Thematik mit Apokalypse und Zeitreise und dann dem Twist a la „Bin ich verrückt und bilde mir das alles nur ein, oder ist das wirklich passiert?“, sind genau meins!
Das Buch hat für mich ein wenig Spannung rausgenommen, weil zu schnell aufgeklärt wurde, ob die Zeitreise nun wirklich stattfindet oder nur im Kopf des Protagonisten geschehen ist. Ich denke, da hätte noch mehr „mindfuck“ und mitfiebern rausgeholt werden können.
Dafür war das Ende ganz arg großartig und hat mich sehr befriedigt.
Ich meine, jeder hat andere Vorstellung, was die Thematik Zeitränge ändern etc angeht und ob es funktioniert oder nicht und wie viele Zeitstränge es gibt etc pp ... hach, so viele Möglichkeiten! Das hier aufgezeigte Ende war für mich perfekt <3
Was mir nicht gefallen hat und weshalb es nur 4 (und fast 3,5) Sterne gibt,
(ENGLISH)
Oh wow, somehow it took me a really long time to pick up this book - I don’t even know why :‘D
I thought for a long time whether to give 3.5 or 4 stars, but then decided on 4, because I find most of the plot and also the narration really wonderful and exciting!
At times I was reminded of Sucker Punch (even if it is something completely different) and that alone makes the book wonderful, haha. The whole theme with apocalypse and time travel and then the twist a la „Am I crazy and imagining all this or did it really happen?“ are right up my alley!
The book took a bit of tension out of it for me because it was resolved too quickly whether the time travel was really happening or just in the protagonist’s head. I think there could have been more „mindfuck“ and suspense.
But the ending was really great and very satisfying. I mean, everyone has different ideas about changing timelines etc and whether it works or not and how many timelines there are etc pp .... hah, so many possibilities! The ending shown here was perfect for me <3
What I didn’t like and why there are only 4 (and almost 3.5) stars
May 4, 2020
Vu en série télé.
Assez complexe avec des nombreux allers-retours dans le temps pour tenter de mettre fin à la pandémie, des intrigues qui se croisent et se recroisent si bien que par moment on se demande où ça va et d'autres on se dit qu'on ne comprend rien. A voir à la suite parce que je pense que si on laisse passer trop de temps entre deux saisons on doit perdre des détails qui s'avèrent importants à un moment ou un autre.
Mais tout finit par se résoudre de façon satisfaisante après avoir expliqué et remis les pièces en place.
Assez complexe avec des nombreux allers-retours dans le temps pour tenter de mettre fin à la pandémie, des intrigues qui se croisent et se recroisent si bien que par moment on se demande où ça va et d'autres on se dit qu'on ne comprend rien. A voir à la suite parce que je pense que si on laisse passer trop de temps entre deux saisons on doit perdre des détails qui s'avèrent importants à un moment ou un autre.
Mais tout finit par se résoudre de façon satisfaisante après avoir expliqué et remis les pièces en place.
June 10, 2013
In un futuro non troppo lontano una devastante epidemia ha decimato la popolazione mondiale, i pochi superstiti vivono sottoterra mentre gli animali e le piante hanno di nuovo preso il controllo di tutta la Terra. Alcuni scienziati decidono di inviare il prigioniero James Cole indietro nel tempo, nel 1996, l'anno in cui ebbe inizio il contagio. La sua disperata missione consiste nel rintracciare l'Esercito delle 12 Scimmie, un gruppo di eco terroristi colpevoli di aver diffuso il virus.
Ispirandosi alla sceneggiatura originale di David e Janet Peoples, Elizabeth Hand ha scritto "L'esercito delle 12 scimmie", libro che segue fedelmente la trama dell'omonimo film diretto da Terry Gilliam.
E' assai suggestiva e intrigante la vicenda di James Cole, un uomo disperato e senza speranza che si muove tra un passato che corrisponde al nostro presente e un futuro apocalittico e inquietante. La narrazione pulita e coinvolgente dell'autrice rendono questo libro appetibile fin dalle prime pagine. Come tasselli di un puzzle, tra le righe vi sono alcuni elementi che svelano piano piano la strabiliante sequenza finale del libro. Un fanta/thriller originale e intelligente da leggere assolutamente!
Ispirandosi alla sceneggiatura originale di David e Janet Peoples, Elizabeth Hand ha scritto "L'esercito delle 12 scimmie", libro che segue fedelmente la trama dell'omonimo film diretto da Terry Gilliam.
E' assai suggestiva e intrigante la vicenda di James Cole, un uomo disperato e senza speranza che si muove tra un passato che corrisponde al nostro presente e un futuro apocalittico e inquietante. La narrazione pulita e coinvolgente dell'autrice rendono questo libro appetibile fin dalle prime pagine. Come tasselli di un puzzle, tra le righe vi sono alcuni elementi che svelano piano piano la strabiliante sequenza finale del libro. Un fanta/thriller originale e intelligente da leggere assolutamente!
March 10, 2016
"Weißt du, was >verrückt< ist?" fuhr Jeffrey fort, als wäre nichts geschehen. ">Verrückt< bedeutet einfach nur, der Mehrheitsmeinung zu widersprechen."
Endzeit: fast alle Menschen starben an einer Seuche und Cole wird zurück geschickt, um mitzuhelfen, ein Gegenmittel zu finden, für die, die übrig blieben. Denn verhindern kann man nichts. Das widerspräche den Gesetzen der Logik. Oder?
Man weiß mehr, als die handelnden Figuren. Das ist so ähnlich wie bei "Columbo", wo man den Täter schon von Anfang an kennt. Ein tolles Verwirrspiel, spannend und überraschend bis zum Schluss. Ach ja, der Schluss.
Endzeit: fast alle Menschen starben an einer Seuche und Cole wird zurück geschickt, um mitzuhelfen, ein Gegenmittel zu finden, für die, die übrig blieben. Denn verhindern kann man nichts. Das widerspräche den Gesetzen der Logik. Oder?
Man weiß mehr, als die handelnden Figuren. Das ist so ähnlich wie bei "Columbo", wo man den Täter schon von Anfang an kennt. Ein tolles Verwirrspiel, spannend und überraschend bis zum Schluss. Ach ja, der Schluss.
August 19, 2021
Cole goes on a mission back in time to understand how a virus was released into the world killing 99% of the population. His present day is a wasteland, dark, fetid air an apocalyptic world. The past is sunny and pleasant air. He will doubt his mission, his sanity as the truth unravels and something that becomes very dear to him will wither and be destroyed. He will also see his dream sequence come to a fatal conclusion with his six year old self watching his future sell gunned down.
March 28, 2008
Manchmal ist es sehr schwer nachzuvollziehen, in welcher Zeit sich Cole grad befindet, wann er gerade träumt und wann er wach ist und etwas wirklich erlebt. Aber es ist machbar, vor allem wenn man den Film bereits kennt.
In seinen anderen Filmen konnte Bruce Willis am Ende dann doch immer die Menschheit retten, ganz so ist es hier nicht. Aber mehr will ich nicht verraten...
In seinen anderen Filmen konnte Bruce Willis am Ende dann doch immer die Menschheit retten, ganz so ist es hier nicht. Aber mehr will ich nicht verraten...
September 6, 2015
Die Story folgt natürlich dem Film (Novelisation), aber obwohl ich den Film kenne, fand ich das Hörbuch dennoch interessant und gut zu hören. Die Zeitreisegeschichte finde ich noch immer faszinierend und Uve Teschner leistet einen großartigen Job bei der Interpretation und Präsentation der Geschichte, voller Gefühl und einer durchgehenden Traurigkeit.
February 26, 2020
What a fascinating and terrifying view of time travel. Fate is fastened shut, there is no changing it, effectively no free will. Time is an infinitely repeating narrative from which there shall be no deviation nor escape.
August 19, 2007
An intriguing look at the pitfalls of time travel and of the belief that you know what the future will bring.
February 9, 2009
I remember reading it in high school. Not bad reading, but I like the movie better.
October 8, 2013
Once was enough for me to read but I do think that everyone should read it cause it is a great book.
July 4, 2016
Found it a little hard to follow.
January 25, 2017
As expected.
November 27, 2024
2024 READING CHALLENGE
📚 Estou voltando do futuro apenas para dizer que esse aqui é “Os 12 Macacos”, de Elizabeth Hand, também conhecido como o livro número 18 de 2024. Se eu não tiver caindo no tempo errado, estamos em novembro de 2024.
“Save you? How can I save you? It already happened! I can’t save you.”
Os Doze Macacos (inglês: 12 Monkeys) é uma novelização do filme de mesmo nome (12 Monkeys, de 1995), que tem participações geniais tanto de Bruce Willis e Madeleine Stowe quanto Brad Pitt.
Aqui temos uma narrativa pós-apocalíptica boa de verdade. Tudo começa já no ano 2035, quando sobreviventes vivem em comunidades subterrâneas, após um vírus matar 99% da população mundial entre os anos de 1996 e 1997.
James Cole, prisioneiro em 2035, volta ao passado, mais precisamente 1990, para procurar a causa do vírus que obrigou a humanidade a se refugiar no subterrâneo. A meta é descobrir onde o vírus está, para que um cientista possa viajar para o passado e estudar o vírus original.
O problema é que Cole deveria ter sido enviado para 1990, mas acaba indo para o ano errado (duas vezes) e em uma delas (em 1996) vai parar e fica “preso” em um hospital psiquiátrico, onde é tratado como um paciente (quem iria acreditar em você se você dissesse que era do futuro?!). Lá, Cole conhece Jeffrey Goines, para mim o personagem crucial no desenrolar dos eventos.
Mas... onde entram os “12 macacos”? Não digo. Saia das redes sociais e vá ver o filme ou ler o livro. Você que está lendo isso aqui (se estiver lendo) está muito preguiçoso(a) e leu pouco em 2024.
Minha nota para Os Doze Macacos (Elizabeth Hand) é de 4,5 de 5,0 porque o filme é melhor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
⚠️ Sugiro ver o filme primeiro e ler o livro depois. Acredito que experiência fica melhor quando você já viu a parte visual antes de ler o livro.
📚 Estou voltando do futuro apenas para dizer que esse aqui é “Os 12 Macacos”, de Elizabeth Hand, também conhecido como o livro número 18 de 2024. Se eu não tiver caindo no tempo errado, estamos em novembro de 2024.
“Save you? How can I save you? It already happened! I can’t save you.”
Os Doze Macacos (inglês: 12 Monkeys) é uma novelização do filme de mesmo nome (12 Monkeys, de 1995), que tem participações geniais tanto de Bruce Willis e Madeleine Stowe quanto Brad Pitt.
Aqui temos uma narrativa pós-apocalíptica boa de verdade. Tudo começa já no ano 2035, quando sobreviventes vivem em comunidades subterrâneas, após um vírus matar 99% da população mundial entre os anos de 1996 e 1997.
James Cole, prisioneiro em 2035, volta ao passado, mais precisamente 1990, para procurar a causa do vírus que obrigou a humanidade a se refugiar no subterrâneo. A meta é descobrir onde o vírus está, para que um cientista possa viajar para o passado e estudar o vírus original.
O problema é que Cole deveria ter sido enviado para 1990, mas acaba indo para o ano errado (duas vezes) e em uma delas (em 1996) vai parar e fica “preso” em um hospital psiquiátrico, onde é tratado como um paciente (quem iria acreditar em você se você dissesse que era do futuro?!). Lá, Cole conhece Jeffrey Goines, para mim o personagem crucial no desenrolar dos eventos.
Mas... onde entram os “12 macacos”? Não digo. Saia das redes sociais e vá ver o filme ou ler o livro. Você que está lendo isso aqui (se estiver lendo) está muito preguiçoso(a) e leu pouco em 2024.
Minha nota para Os Doze Macacos (Elizabeth Hand) é de 4,5 de 5,0 porque o filme é melhor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
⚠️ Sugiro ver o filme primeiro e ler o livro depois. Acredito que experiência fica melhor quando você já viu a parte visual antes de ler o livro.
February 15, 2022
"Os 12 macacos é o romance baseado no roteiro de Janet e David Peoples, do filme de mesmo nome dirigido por Terry Gilliam e interpretado por Bruce Willis e Brad Pitt, astros de Hollywood. Prisioneiro em 2035 volta ao passado, mais precisamente 1996, para procurar causa do vírus que obrigou a humanidade a se refugiar nos subterrâneos."
O início do livro é um tanto confuso e não melhora muito com o avançar porque você nunca sabe se está no presente, passado, futuro ou doido. Nunca assisti o filme, mas imagino que deve ser bem dinâmico e o livro conseguiu manter isso. A medida que se vai chegando ao final do livro as coisas começam a se encaixar e o desespero vai tomando conta por já saber o que está por vir.
Adorei e se eu curtisse assistir filmes, certamente arremataria a experiência com ele, mas, o que tenho já tá ótimo. Recomendo!
O início do livro é um tanto confuso e não melhora muito com o avançar porque você nunca sabe se está no presente, passado, futuro ou doido. Nunca assisti o filme, mas imagino que deve ser bem dinâmico e o livro conseguiu manter isso. A medida que se vai chegando ao final do livro as coisas começam a se encaixar e o desespero vai tomando conta por já saber o que está por vir.
Adorei e se eu curtisse assistir filmes, certamente arremataria a experiência com ele, mas, o que tenho já tá ótimo. Recomendo!
January 9, 2024
Loved the story. I listened to the audio book and loved how animated the voices were, however the writing style of the author was not my cup of tea - , and it was probably as cringy in '95 as it is today. Ending at some point predictable, when I found out this was a novelization of the movie, then it made sense. Fits the cinematic format better than the novel. Still, will watch the movie asap.
April 12, 2024
Um livro diferente, que adapta o filme Os Doze Macacos (1995).
Fala de um cenário futurista de pessoas vivendo no subterrâneo por conta da dominação dos animais.
Até que conseguem mandar um sujeito, o protagonista James Cole, da ala psiquiátrica para o passado, para ele tentar alterar as coisas impedindo o domínio dos bichos.
Antes que os chatopets falem: "ain, mas eu prefiro pets a pessoas". Não. O livro não aborda nada disso, é uma distopia que traz um futuro sombrio para os humanos.
Livro curto, objetivo, sem projeções poéticas, defesa de nichos sociais ou regionalismos.
Um leitura de entretenimento bacana.
Obs: a capa e as imagens são sensacionais.
"Leiam, antes que o cérebro derreta e vire gelatina com as redes sociais".
Fala de um cenário futurista de pessoas vivendo no subterrâneo por conta da dominação dos animais.
Até que conseguem mandar um sujeito, o protagonista James Cole, da ala psiquiátrica para o passado, para ele tentar alterar as coisas impedindo o domínio dos bichos.
Antes que os chatopets falem: "ain, mas eu prefiro pets a pessoas". Não. O livro não aborda nada disso, é uma distopia que traz um futuro sombrio para os humanos.
Livro curto, objetivo, sem projeções poéticas, defesa de nichos sociais ou regionalismos.
Um leitura de entretenimento bacana.
Obs: a capa e as imagens são sensacionais.
"Leiam, antes que o cérebro derreta e vire gelatina com as redes sociais".
November 13, 2025
A edição da DarkSide é uma obra que impressiona pela qualidade gráfica e estética, sendo quase uma peça de colecionador. Baseada no roteiro do filme, a experiência de leitura se assemelha a revisitar a história cinematográfica, agora transposta para o texto. Na verdade, foram lançados juntos para promover filme e livro, porém no Brasil demorou a chegar! Se você assistiu o filme, segue fielmente, já a série amplia mais o enredo. Porém é uma história bem amarrada e interessante. Todavia, o livro deixa o romance acontecer sem pé nem cabeça, coisa que no filme podemos ter mais visão daquilo acontecendo. Achei tedioso o texto final que busca explorar o livro, filme e série de televisão. São páginas que você pode bem encontrar na Wiki e não levam para lugar nenhum.
January 31, 2023
OK, yes, this book was written as an adaptation of
the movie (and it shows in its film-script-like prose),
but the story is fantastic. There is time-travel involved
but it is kept to a minimum in that it just 'happens'
sort of 'off-screen'. The plot is much more of a race
to save the planet from a deadly virus.
Not much for character development but again I am
being dismissive in deference to the story. And what
an ending. Just wow.
Recommended but keep in mind it reads like it
came from a film ("scene", "scene", ...).
the movie (and it shows in its film-script-like prose),
but the story is fantastic. There is time-travel involved
but it is kept to a minimum in that it just 'happens'
sort of 'off-screen'. The plot is much more of a race
to save the planet from a deadly virus.
Not much for character development but again I am
being dismissive in deference to the story. And what
an ending. Just wow.
Recommended but keep in mind it reads like it
came from a film ("scene", "scene", ...).
May 26, 2025
This is the almost identical story as the movie with the same name I saw a long time ago and then repeats through the years. It had become a favorite time-loop scifi movie for me. Finally I read the book and remember the characters and the scene. There were I think a few added details in the book but possibly that's just some lost of memory details from the last watch of this excellent movie. I love to read books and watch the movie for comparison even when they are the same. IMO if you like great time loop movies you'll love 12 Monkeys!
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