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Riddick #1
Pitch Black
A fantastic futuristic thriller of a deadly new frontier.
A rogue comet spears an earth-bound commercial spacecraft, forcing it to plummet to the surface of an unknown planet. With the captain dead, a brave pilot performs a perilous crash landing. Other than three suns-which create perpetual light-and a slight oxygen deficiency, a search party discovers that the planet isn't much different from Earth...until they stumble across a ghostly settlement littered with the human remains of geologists who mysteriously perished exactly sixty years ago. And the most horrific discovery of below the surface of the soil, where darkness reigns, live hungry predators with a deadly appetite.
Once every sixty years a solar eclipse darkens the skies and allows the blood-hungry creatures to escape from their underground tomb. With only hours before total blackout, everyone must unite in a race to raise the geologists' abandoned ship before becoming a long-awaited meal...
A rogue comet spears an earth-bound commercial spacecraft, forcing it to plummet to the surface of an unknown planet. With the captain dead, a brave pilot performs a perilous crash landing. Other than three suns-which create perpetual light-and a slight oxygen deficiency, a search party discovers that the planet isn't much different from Earth...until they stumble across a ghostly settlement littered with the human remains of geologists who mysteriously perished exactly sixty years ago. And the most horrific discovery of below the surface of the soil, where darkness reigns, live hungry predators with a deadly appetite.
Once every sixty years a solar eclipse darkens the skies and allows the blood-hungry creatures to escape from their underground tomb. With only hours before total blackout, everyone must unite in a race to raise the geologists' abandoned ship before becoming a long-awaited meal...
195 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 15, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 15, 2015
I didn't enjoy them. I love the films and I thought to myself, maybe I will learn something more about Riddick but no... They are pretty weak.
The first I noticed that it lack some editing. Some typing mistakes. ( I ussually don't notice so...), I like what the author do Riddick but it says nothing that we already know. Honestly is not worth reading. See the movie instead. I notice that one minor plot doesn't exist. In the film we don't know that the "boy" is a girl. Only in end we are revealed to that. In the book they know from the beggining. Honestly... One of the worst books I read in 2008.
The first I noticed that it lack some editing. Some typing mistakes. ( I ussually don't notice so...), I like what the author do Riddick but it says nothing that we already know. Honestly is not worth reading. See the movie instead. I notice that one minor plot doesn't exist. In the film we don't know that the "boy" is a girl. Only in end we are revealed to that. In the book they know from the beggining. Honestly... One of the worst books I read in 2008.
October 24, 2010
I am a huge fan of either sci-fi books made into films, or film novelizations...as long as they are done well. Pitch Black was done WELL. The book was just as exciting, terrifying, "keep you on the edge of your seat", plus provided some instances of extra information which gave depth and breadth to the characters we saw. For example, the character of the Imam is expanded more, and we read when his faith was strongest and when it was buckling. In the case of Fry, the woman who became the captain, it made me appreciate her more because I didn't think the actress which portrayed her in the film did particularly well in the role.
Lauria managed to convey the razorblade humor and dark charisma Vin Diesel infused in the character Riddick. Several times I found myself laughing out loud and deep intelligence, honesty and brutality of Riddick. That's why so many of us love him though he is a murderer extraordinaire. I thoroughly enjoyed this novelization, and it's probably in the top five all-time for me. If you liked or loved the film and are a reader, get this book. Frank Lauria did another excellent job.
Lauria managed to convey the razorblade humor and dark charisma Vin Diesel infused in the character Riddick. Several times I found myself laughing out loud and deep intelligence, honesty and brutality of Riddick. That's why so many of us love him though he is a murderer extraordinaire. I thoroughly enjoyed this novelization, and it's probably in the top five all-time for me. If you liked or loved the film and are a reader, get this book. Frank Lauria did another excellent job.
July 1, 2021
CW/TW: graphic violence, graphic gore, death, knives, blood, stabbing, murder, attempted murder, beheading, racial slur, racism, drug abuse, chronic pain,
Is this— Is this someone's fanfiction? I'm— who is Audrey? Why is this happening? What is happening?
For a book based on one of my favourite movies ever, I'm really disappointed in this novelization. I don't know what I expected when I started it, but it was like, slightly more than 'meh' and somewhere below 'okay'. It changed some things, and I'm mostly okay with that, but then one of the biggest plot twists got ruined and just— that ruined it the most for me.
Like when you reveal one of the movies biggest plot twists by changing the entire character, including their name, then what? Like why? Who? WHAT?
It's not baaaaad, the novelization, but it's not great and I'm hella disappointed.
Is this— Is this someone's fanfiction? I'm— who is Audrey? Why is this happening? What is happening?
For a book based on one of my favourite movies ever, I'm really disappointed in this novelization. I don't know what I expected when I started it, but it was like, slightly more than 'meh' and somewhere below 'okay'. It changed some things, and I'm mostly okay with that, but then one of the biggest plot twists got ruined and just— that ruined it the most for me.
Like when you reveal one of the movies biggest plot twists by changing the entire character, including their name, then what? Like why? Who? WHAT?
It's not baaaaad, the novelization, but it's not great and I'm hella disappointed.
July 11, 2022
I really enjoy these movie novelizations. They usually give you a little extra insight into the characters and how a particular scene was written or rewritten to fit.
In the end this one is almost beat for beat exactly like the movie except for a partial rewrite of Riddicks past to make him more sympathetic right off the bat which.. I dont agree was necessary but did help set the atmosphere for the finale a little better.
In the end this one is almost beat for beat exactly like the movie except for a partial rewrite of Riddicks past to make him more sympathetic right off the bat which.. I dont agree was necessary but did help set the atmosphere for the finale a little better.
October 10, 2010
A really good novelization. There were a couple of changes from the movie, but that is to be expected from any book based off a script. There's just no telling what the film makers will feel needs to be changed after the script has been handed over to a writer. I didn't find the changes at all upsetting, they were really minor changes. Over all I thought this was a great read.
April 26, 2010
Extremely disappointing. The movie is much better.
The book also seems to be based on an earlier version of the script as some things are very different to the movie, including the characterization of the characters.
Get the movie, don't waste time and money on the book.
The book also seems to be based on an earlier version of the script as some things are very different to the movie, including the characterization of the characters.
Get the movie, don't waste time and money on the book.
May 8, 2022
I'm a big fan of the movie and, as I am wont to do from time to time, I went looking for the novelization.
Minus a few changes and some added details , this is pretty much a barebones retelling of the film that I slammed out in a little under the time the movie itself would have taken to watch.
The writing suffered in a few places from either overdone descriptions or overworked prose, but it was quick and covered a lot of ground nicely. It might read a bit differently if you don't already have the film's images to fill in, but overall, I had a good time. Worth its little place on the shelf next to the movie.
Minus a few changes and some added details , this is pretty much a barebones retelling of the film that I slammed out in a little under the time the movie itself would have taken to watch.
The writing suffered in a few places from either overdone descriptions or overworked prose, but it was quick and covered a lot of ground nicely. It might read a bit differently if you don't already have the film's images to fill in, but overall, I had a good time. Worth its little place on the shelf next to the movie.
January 11, 2022
I don't normally read novelizations, but Pitch Black is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I couldn't resist. That said, I have no idea if I'd still like the book if I didn't already love the movie so much. I've seen it so many times that reading this was like watching it again, but in a new light. I loved it.
The only things I was disappointed in are Audrey and Paris. They were both definitely cooler in the movie, and I'm not sure why their characters got adjusted for the novelization. It still works, but they get the short end of the stick as far as translating from the movie to the book.
The only things I was disappointed in are Audrey and Paris. They were both definitely cooler in the movie, and I'm not sure why their characters got adjusted for the novelization. It still works, but they get the short end of the stick as far as translating from the movie to the book.
November 30, 2019
Totally fine novelisation of the movie. Doesn't add much new, but does a good job of describing the scenes in the movie. Short and sweet, worth the quick read for a fan.
Full review on my blog:
https://redletalis.wordpress.com/2019...
Full review on my blog:
https://redletalis.wordpress.com/2019...
September 16, 2017
Futuristic thriller that takes readers into the science fiction realm. Good story of evil and fighting it any way you can.
May 22, 2023
Easy read. Interesting storyline.
April 17, 2016
I suspect some of the other glowing reviews here were influenced by how much the reviewer liked the movie. I loved the movie as well, and reading this book, well, it feels like watching the movie. And I'm not sure that's a good thing.
The characters, the flow, the pacing, all stay faithful to the movie's script, more or less. I'm not sure whether this lack of embellishment and extrapolation was a directive from the movie's producers. But to me, a book is not movie. Sure, reading the book makes me recall the movie scenes in nostalgic pleasure, but I think there's a big missed opportunity here.
To the author's credit, he added in internal monologue and thoughts of most of the characters, but they're very basic, things you'd glean from just watching the movie. There's actually very little descriptive passages, beyond the minimum needed. For example, there's no tension in the book. The movie had special effects and auditory support to provide tension, but the book doesn't attempt to provide that; it just tells you what you happened. Another example is the world and that savage species. It's another missed opportunity to describe that alien planet in more detail, make it beautiful or depressing, to paint a picture so to speak.
In short, the book successfully describes all the scenes in the movie, and provides sufficient insights into their mental states and thoughts. A quick enjoyable read if you liked the movie, but you're better off just watching the movie again.
The characters, the flow, the pacing, all stay faithful to the movie's script, more or less. I'm not sure whether this lack of embellishment and extrapolation was a directive from the movie's producers. But to me, a book is not movie. Sure, reading the book makes me recall the movie scenes in nostalgic pleasure, but I think there's a big missed opportunity here.
To the author's credit, he added in internal monologue and thoughts of most of the characters, but they're very basic, things you'd glean from just watching the movie. There's actually very little descriptive passages, beyond the minimum needed. For example, there's no tension in the book. The movie had special effects and auditory support to provide tension, but the book doesn't attempt to provide that; it just tells you what you happened. Another example is the world and that savage species. It's another missed opportunity to describe that alien planet in more detail, make it beautiful or depressing, to paint a picture so to speak.
In short, the book successfully describes all the scenes in the movie, and provides sufficient insights into their mental states and thoughts. A quick enjoyable read if you liked the movie, but you're better off just watching the movie again.
March 7, 2015
I loved this movie. The book takes the movie one step forward. I prefer the back story for Riddick given in this book to the one that was later manufactured for the sequel movies. This is one of my re-read books that I pick up and read every couple of years.
October 11, 2016
This is one of my favorite movies and I found the novelization to be pretty good. Mostly stuck right with the movie. I wasn't crazy about some of Riddick's backstory or some of the glimpses into his thoughts, but all in all it was a decent read.
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December 21, 2010very good book
March 3, 2012
I can't help it, love this story. The novel fills in some of the blanks of the movie
September 19, 2012
Well-done sci fi that stacks up as a worthy book on its own. That is the highest praise I can give novelizations and Frank Lauria does a good job here.
July 15, 2013
This AMAZING BOOK, think all fans say that about book, films and Diesel)
May 28, 2011
A SUPERB NOVELIZATION OF THE MOVIE.
April 3, 2017
enjoyed reading, fun to pass the time like watching the movie but better.
April 19, 2017
Basically, a cut-and-paste from an early draft of the script. One major twist in the movie is missing from the book due to revisions. It does add a little bit of backstory for Riddick in a couple of spots, but those have been made non-canonical by the later films and video games, so it's not even worth reading for those spare bits of info.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews