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Planet of the Apes #2

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm - The Official Movie Prequel

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The official movie prequel to the eagerly anticipated Dawn of the Planet of the Apes movie, scheduled for release in July 2014.

No Planet of the Apes fan should miss out on this original Apes story written by New York Times bestselling author Greg Keyes, whose previous works include the Star Wars: New Jedi Order novels Edge of Victory I: Conquest, Edge of Victory II: Rebirth , and The Final Prophecy .

Bridging the gap between the events of the box office smash Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the eagerly anticipated sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , this movie prequel takes readers on a journey through the build up that leads to the action on screen.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

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About the author

Greg Keyes

84 books652 followers
Gregory Keyes is a writer of science fiction and fantasy who has written both original and media-related novels under both the names J. Gregory Keyes and "Greg Keyes".

Greg Keyes was born in to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of Georgia before becoming a fulltime writer.
He lives in Savannah, Georgia.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Profile Image for Trekscribbler.
227 reviews10 followers
May 14, 2014
Apes Together Strong

There must be something written so very deeply into human DNA that makes us imagine, craft, and almost long for tales of our own Apocalypse. Did something happen over and over millennia ago that caused some derivation to appear in our gene sequencing that – in ways we cannot consciously understand – makes us somehow seek out our own destruction? I’ve heard it said that it’s a particularly human trait to survive, so perhaps in a way that’s what drives us to explore so many creative tales about our impending demise. Global cooling. Global warming. The Mayan prophecies. The predictions of Nostradamus. If they promise us anything, it’s that tomorrow may indeed by bleak; and perhaps there was no better cinematic version of man’s eventual fall from grace than the late 60’s PLANET OF THE APES, a franchise so powerful it exists still today.

In fact, we’re collectively prepped for the return of the apes as DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES premieres theatrically this summer (of 2014) … so it’s only fitting that the media tie-ins start trickling down the pipe. One of the first I’ve seen (and been given a chance to review) is called FIRESTORM, and it examines that fitful days after 2011’s RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES ended and the apes first real struggle begins …

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

Caesar has led the apes into the wilds surrounding San Francisco, but – unbeknownst to him – he never realized what lay ahead. Despite only wanting to be left alone, men have begun incursions into these woods. Hoping to maintain the fragile peace and not wanting any war, Caesar teaches the others to practice every skill to avoid capture he can imagine; furthermore, he’s even begun using strategies to deflect would-be hunters away from his race, sending them instead on wild goose chases where no ape will be harmed. However, the San Francisco political machine is under pressure from a potential scandal: did the mayor or others in the local government cover-up elements of the apes’ rampage from the city? And, if so, what greater secret could they be hiding? It’s clear that the clock is ticking for both man and ape as the Simian Flu rages from city-to-city, and a team of gorilla experts are brought in to – once and for all – capture a specimen so that scientists can find a cure before it’s too late!

There’s plenty at play throughout FIRESTORM. While there are familiar faces including Caesar and his trainer/friend Will Rodman (who appears several times in flashbacks which further flesh out the events of the RISE motion picture), there are enjoy new players – Malakai (a skilled hunter); Koba (one of Caesar’s closest soldiers); Clancy (a female ape specialist who joins the hunt for Caesar); David (a journalist on the verge of breaking the ‘Monkeygate’ story wide open); Dreyfus (former Chief of Police and San Francisco mayoral candidate) – but what FIRESTORM does uniquely well is bring these people into this universe along with their own stories to tell. Unlike other movie tie-ins I’ve read, FIRESTORM gives these new players not only a shared existence but also a significant reason to be in this story, in this time and place, witnessing the inevitable fall of man. Author Keyes ratchets up each of these narratives, giving the novel a richness I’ve rarely seen in what most critics would probably dismiss as crass commercialism; instead, he serves up a smart and topical ‘next phase’ in the evolution of the entire APES universe, showing us what’s ahead for a world that’s only beginning to unravel.

There’s a terrific parallel between our world (a political one) and the new ‘rise’ of these apes drawn up in the idea of a ‘firestorm.’ Each of these new players somehow finds himself or herself wrapped up in this brewing ‘firestorm,’ and – in order to try to bring down the simian counterparts – the ‘establishment’ is promising a firestorm all of its own. To add yet one more layer of complexity, an End-of-Days cult calling itself “the Alpha/Omegas” also chooses to use their own brand of fire with which to broadcast their own prophecies. Wherein other authors would be content to just play in the APES’ mythology, Keyes rather expertly crafts a read as inclusive as it is prescient … and I’ve no shame in revealing I read it in (mostly) a single sitting.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: FIRESTORM is published by Titan Books. The story is written by Greg Keyes, and (as per the cover artwork) it’s based on the film’s screenplay as written by Mark Bomback and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. It bears the cover price of $7.99 (U.S.), and that’s a bargain so far as this knuckle-dragging ape enthusiast is concerned.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Picking up largely where the events of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES left audiences, FIRESTORM serves as a motion picture tie-in prequel novel to the events forthcoming in DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Caesar and the apes are back – now that they’ve escaped their cages, they’re in even greater jeopardy as mankind seeks to wipe them out for allegedly spawning the ‘Simian Flu’ wiping out cities worldwide. Lucky for the leader, he’ll find he has a few allies in high places amongst the hunters, giving him the chance to not only save himself but put apes well down the path toward achieving their freedom.

In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Titan Books provided me with an advance copy of DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: FIRESTORM (by Greg Keyes) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
Profile Image for James Caterino.
Author 175 books197 followers
July 8, 2014
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm”
The official movie prequel novel by Greg Keyes

Disclosure: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011) is my favorite movie of all time and “Planet of the Apes” (1968) is my sixth favorite, so this is not exactly an unbiased review. But being a fan is a double edged sword that brings with it the baggage of huge expectations. I am pleased to report “Firestorm” met those expectations. This book not only serves as a great primer for the new sequel movie “Dawn”, it works as an exciting science fiction novel that anyone can enjoy.

“Firestorm” picks up right after the events of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, not long after Caesar and Will had their emotional “E.T.”-esque good-bye scene in Muir Woods. Events unfold rapidly as the deadly retro-virus ALZ-113 explodes across the human population, sending San Francisco (and the rest of the world) into chaos. Meanwhile, the corporation who created the virus, (Gen Sys), hires a shadowy black-ops organization to erase the truth and clean up any and all loose ends, including Caesar and his troop of apes now trying to live peacefully in Muir Woods. The pace is furious, a lot happens, and still author Greg Keyes finds a way to seamlessly develop a whole host of characters. This is a book packed with action and suspense but never at the expense of character or emotion.

The writing is quite impressive. Keyes smoothly transitions between several narrative viewpoints, including that of a former a Police Chief named Dreyfus, who will be played by Gary Oldman in “Dawn” and be the film’s main antagonist. Two human female characters are particularly well done; an anthropologist, Clancy, and an emergency room doctor, Talia. We really get to know these characters with a limited amount of word count. This is strong, tight writing at its best.

Where the author really succeeds is when writing from the apes view point. Some may feel there is not enough Caesar in this novel, but this book really focuses on the broader, epic story. There is plenty of Caesar, and all of it beautifully done. But the ape who gets the most “screen time” in this book is Koba. The chapters and passages written from Koba’s viewpoint are artfully done. While the writing is memorizing, it is often very upsetting, to the point of being hard to read.

Koba is the bonobo chimpanzee with the scarred/blind eye from “Rise”. He was the one who looked like he had been through hell and was given the retro virus ALZ-113 mist and wrote “Jacobs” name on the screen after. In “Firestorm” we learn all about Koba’s backstory and what happened to his eye. Koba’s story is sad, infuriating, and quite graphically portrayed. As is the back story of Malakai, a former poacher turned mercenary. Some of the scenes are hard to take, but tragically, they are realistic. The backstories of real life great apes rescued from the entertainment industry, labs, and abusive private owners by wildlife organizations and sanctuaries are full of horrific tales of heartbreak. As Dr, Zaius said in the original 1968 film, “Man is evil.”

The author is working with a sense of purpose here and both characters and their stories have an arc that contributes immensely to the story. And I appreciate the author (who has a Master’s Degree in Anthropology) not sanitizing the material. Because when people know the truth (good, decent humans anyway), they might work to try and change things, and maybe think twice about chuckling at the toddler chimpanzees in that Super Bowl commercial.

Bottom line: “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm” is one of the best movie/television tie-in novels I have ever read. It is a fast-paced, graphic, violent, emotionally affecting story with vivid, tight writing. “Firestorm” is a mesmerizing, page turning novel and a must read for any “Planet of the Apes” fan, or anyone who enjoys well-crafted, action packed, character-driven science fiction.
Profile Image for Natt Cham.
176 reviews49 followers
November 26, 2018
เติมเต็มเรื่องราวได้ดี ในจุดเริ่มต้นของวานร การแพร่กระจายที่รวดเร็วของไวรัส และสถานการณ์โกลาหลตื่นกลัวของมนุษย์เป็นตัวเร่งของการล่มสลายของมนุษยชาติ แม้จะไม่ใช่ไอเดียแปลกใหม่แต่ก็สมเหตุสมผล ถึงแม้ว่าการรับมือต่อสถานการณ์ไวรัสระบาดออกจะแย่กว่าความเป็นจริงไปมากสักหน่อย
Profile Image for Patrick Hayes.
664 reviews7 followers
June 28, 2014
I thought that Rise of the Planet of the Apes was an okay movie, but I wasn't so moved by it to purchase it on DVD or pay to see it again. I had no plans to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes until I received this book. Now I will definitely see the film, this book got me so hyped for it.

The main plot of this book is the outbreak of the simian flu and the beginning of the end of human civilization. I knew going into this that's what this would be, and having seen the trailed for Dawn I knew what would happen, but author Greg Keyes makes this a surprising, action packed novel.

The focus is in San Francisco, following a young ER doctor, a reporter, and a former Chief of Police now running for mayor. It's how they interpret and act during this crisis that makes things really riveting.

No knowing what the humans are going through, Caesar and his apes are trying to exist in the forest: live and let live, right? The problem is that they are being hunted by the same corporation that created them, and things are going badly for the hunted and the hunters.

I couldn't believe that I couldn't stop reading this book once it started. There were several times I found myself telling characters that their choices are going to doom humanity, but if has to be this way for this saga.

A readable disaster that has me hyped for the film.
Profile Image for Nicholas.
153 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2016
I didn't think I could get any more excited to see Dawn, but Greg Keyes' prequel novel just ratcheted up my anticipation. A gripping read with a tension that grows and grows as San Francisco spirals out of control with the spread of the 'Simian Flu'. The book successfully spits the book in three; a cast of characters dealing with outbreak of the flu, while a team tries to capture the apes in the forest. The pandemic and the collapse of the city is quite the page turner, a disaster that keeps getting worse and worse, and as the reader you hope for the best for the cast of characters. When a crazed religious sect known as Alpha/Omega rears its head, the novel takes some really scary turns. The sections in the forest offers a relief to the tension of the global breakdown, its characters isolated for most of the book. Two ape experts; Malakai skilled in poaching them, and Clancy, a primate specialist seem a pair destined to be enemies, but how they come to work together is one of the best parts of the novel. Their characters stand out, especially Malakai, a former African child solider with a hardened back story that in most novels would prepare for him for anything; but not here. The struggle of the apes to survive is quite involving, with Keyes capturing deftly the outsider views of the apes as they try to understand the chaos around them in the human world, as well as surviving attempts to capture them. The biggest plus coming out of this novel is the complete back-story to Dreyfus, played by Gary Oldman in the movie. A man of real conscious, running as a mayoral candidate when the outbreak occurs, the reader feels great sympathy for him as his city starts to crumble around him. For fans of the newer Apes movies, this book is essential reading and one that, like me, you probably won't be able to put down till you're done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Uptown Horror Reviews.
193 reviews193 followers
July 7, 2022
Detailing the events between Rise and Dawn of the Planet of The Apes, this original story has all the charm of the films, while also providing much needed origin stories for characters like Koba and Dreyfus.

This is a must read for any fans of the newer Planet Of The Apes trilogy.
Profile Image for Jeremy Campbell.
472 reviews6 followers
July 6, 2017
Fun novel for those looking for a backstory into these movies but the editing was so poor it took away from the story
Profile Image for Pete Stolz.
68 reviews5 followers
September 16, 2024
Wenn man die Filme kennt, dient dieses Buch gut um verschiedene Fragen zu beantworten. Es spielt zwischen dem ersten und zweiten Film (Prevolution und Evolution). Man kann das Buch aber auch gut unabhängig der Filme lesen. Es greift viele Geschehnisse und Charaktere des ersten Teils auf.

Hauptsächlich geht es hier um den langsamen Verfall der menschlichen Zivilisation. Ein Alzheimermedikament welches an Affen getestet wird, entwickelt ungeahnte Nebenwirkungen sowohl an Menschen als auch an Affen. Die meisten Menschen sterben in kürzester Zeit und die Affen werden immer intelligenter. Einige Affen wollen für ihre erlittenen Qualen Rache an den Menschen und andere wollen in Ruhe gelassen werden.

Was mich besonders mitgenommen hat, ist die Vorgeschichte eines wichtigen Affen (Koba) aus der Filmreihe. Wie er in Gefangenschaft aufgewachsen ist und sein Leben lang von Ort zu Ort gebracht und ständig gequält wurde.

Es war sehr einprägsam. Auf der einen Seite das Leid der Affen und auf der anderen der emotionale Ausnahmezustand der Menschen. Es ist beängstigend wie schnell die menschliche Zivilisation zerfallen kann.
Profile Image for Allen McLean.
Author 22 books19 followers
June 9, 2023
Drawn to leadership, \\ Power exists in vacuums \\ Like burning redwoods.
#HaikuPrajna - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm [Book Review]
Read online [ https://haikuprajna.blogspot.com/2023... ]

...

Hello readers,

I have always enjoyed reading adaptations from Titan Publishing, and Greg Keyes’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm was a great tie-in novel that I am thankful for over how it captures Caesar and this version of the franchise.

Keyes blended relatable and tragic original characters, such as Malakai, with more recognizable members of the series, including Gary Oldman’s Dreyfus and all the other sasquatch-like evolved apes--like Koba and Maurice--who are more inexperienced and are still learning about their changing world.

Firestorm takes place in the San Francisco Bay redwood forests area from “Rise” before civilization fell by the time period of the sequel movie, “Dawn”. Its story is really carried by its connection to that series; the best parts of the book in itself were its multiple points of view, which seldom converged [in a good way], along with its depiction of Caesar’s colony’s thoughts, memories, motives and inner conflicts.

The rest of the book’s highlights come from the interactions between members of Caesar’s colony. Some favourites include Cornelia and Caesar’s relationship, him recognizing Koba overcoming his vengeance, the government’s coverup of the previous story’s events and insight into what the apes think about the humans and their technology [GPS trackers and TVs].

I had a few minor complaints, though.

The dialogue at times felt “cinematic”, for lack of a better word; there were some instances where I felt characterization was forced or edgy. I even found some spelling and grammar mistakes, which however did nothing to detract from the plot. As I said, the story is carried by its connection to the larger PotA series, and served to bridge the gaps between the movies by exploring aspects like the human Alpha-Omega extremists, and that is where Firestorm really works out.

Back to the good, there is a little neoplatonic idealism [aka. philosophy] that threads the book together, where characters accept and transcend the negative aspects of their apocalyptic situations. While both human and simian characters were faced with certain death and the fear of each other, the focus is without a doubt on the colony with apes like Caesar and Koba being used to explore topics ranging from Plato’s Cave to more abstract ideas such as the ALZ drug opening a kind of empty space in the minds of the apes, which explained the apparent fatal regression in the human’s.

Time to read the other novels based on this series.

Thank you for reading,

Until next time!

Allen W. McLean

...

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Profile Image for Siwabhorn Anothaisintawee.
536 reviews63 followers
January 3, 2024
เล่มแรกว่าดีแล้ว เล่มนี้สุดกว่า

ถ้าอ่านตอนปี 2019 คงอินกว่านี้อีกล้านเท่า เพราะนี่คือคำทำนายวิกฤตโควิด

เรโทรไวรัส หรือไวรัสไข้หวัดลิง เล็ดลอดออกมาจากห้องทดลอง และระบาดไปทั่วโลก จนเป็นเหตุให้มีผู้เสียชีวิตจำนวนมาก

ประชาชนออกมาเรียกร้องหาผู้รับผิดชอบ เกิดจลาจลไปทั่ว มีการปล้นสะดมร้านอาหารและร้านขายยา  ทางการจัดตั้งเขตควบคุมโรคเพื่อกักตัวผู้ติดเชื้อ

แพทย์และนักวิจัยมีความหวังว่าทางรอดจากวิกฤตไวรัสครั้งนี้จะอยู่ที่ลิงในห้องแล็บที่ซานฟรานซิสโก

แต่วานรเหล่าหลายร้อยตัวกลับพากันหลบหนีจากที่คุมขัง สร้างความวุ่นวายจนมีเจ้าหน้าที่เสียชีวิต ก่อนจะพากับหลบหายเข้าไปในป่า

มีการนำตัวผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านพฤติกรรมมาติดตามหาวานรกลุ่มนี้ไม่ว่าเป็นหรือตาย เพื่อเก็บตัวอย่างมาวิเคราะห์หายารักษาโรค

นี่คือศึกการชิงไหวชิงพริบครั้งสำคัญระหว่างมนุษย์และวานร

หนังสือเน้นไปเล่าถึงอดีตของแต่ละตัวละครทั้งคนและสัตว์ ที่ส่งผลมาถึงการกระทำในปัจจุบัน

ตอนแรกคิดว่าจะได้รู้ประวัติของซีซาร์แบบจุกๆ แต่ในเรื่องกลับเน้นไปที่เรื่องโคตรสะเทือนใจของโคบา ชิมแปนซีตาเดียวที่เปรียบเสมือนมือขวาของซีซาร์

มันต้องเจอกับความโหดร้ายของมนุษย์มาตลอดทั้งชีวิต โดนทำร้ายทั้งร่างกายและจิตใจ เพราะเกือบทุกคนที่เข้ามาเห็นมันเป็นเพียงวัตถุที่จะทำอย่างไรก็ได้

สุดท้ายแล้วที่ป่าเถื่อนไม่ใช่สัตว์ แต่กลับคือมนุษย์เรานี่เอง

Goodreads ให้ 4 เราให้ 5
Profile Image for Amanda.
78 reviews4 followers
March 2, 2018
4.5 stars. With the caveat that most movie tie-in books are not the greatest of literature - I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK. If you're a "Planet of the Apes" fan, this is a must read. I was expecting some decent world building and extra back story on Caesar and the events between "Rise" and "Dawn," but was pleasantly surprised by the compelling writing and fantastic character development. Learning more about Koba was the best part of this book - I'm rarely moved to tears when reading, and I was twice while reading Koba's back story. I love that this adds more complexity and depth to his and Caesar's relationship in "Dawn." Koba was never a villain I didn't feel sympathy for, and now I feel it more than ever. Lost a half a star for what I felt was over-focus on the human characters and their tediousness towards the end of the novel. Anyway, I normally don't write reviews this long, but this book just demanded I do so.
Profile Image for Georgia Francis.
25 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2025
I loved this book so much! I’m a very big fan of the Planet of the Apes reboot series and recently read the original Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle for the first time.

Firestorm was a wonderful addition to the reboot series. I really enjoyed getting to experience the inner monologue of the apes, especially Koba. Koba’s backstory was heart wrenching and added so much to his character, making his characterisation in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes all the richer. I also really loved Caesar’s inner monologue and watching him develop from living in captivity to being free for the first time.

The human stories in Firestorm were brilliant, too. I enjoyed getting to see how the human world began breaking down with the Simian Flu. After Covid, it feels all the more powerful. My favourite of the human stories was definitely Malakai and Clancy, followed by Talia.

I probably would have rated Firestorm 5 stars if it wasn’t for the sheer amount of typos! I can excuse a couple, but there were so many I found it distracting and frustrating. But overall, a very enjoyable read.
426 reviews3 followers
March 17, 2024
For a book written before 2020, it hit so many of the real-life pandemic exactly. Very eerie reading it in 2024 and remembering how close we could have been to Armageddon.

Book is fantastic, being that most of the characters are new and were not in RISE movie. Greg Keyes did masterful job making you care for human and ape alike.

I hope Disney continues trend with these expanded universe novels.
Profile Image for Andres De La Rosa .
Author 3 books
July 27, 2024
This was a good bridge for Rise of The Planet of the Apes to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Backstories are shown and it really explains what the movies don’t. In a post pandemic COVID-19 world, it’s insane to read this and see all the decisions that led to the world collapsing. Regardless, I would recommend if anyone is a fan of the movies.
Profile Image for Frederikke.
1 review
May 21, 2024
You must be out of your mind to think I want read about humans in a planet of the apes book 🙄
Profile Image for Doug.
66 reviews2 followers
August 9, 2014
The story in between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. What I found most interesting was the outbreak of the Simian Flu and how it wiped out a large percentage of the world's population. The ensuing chaos that followed with people turning on each other was depressing but fascinating. Unlike the stories from the 60's movies, this updated version has you rooting for the apes.
Profile Image for Paul Wilson.
5 reviews3 followers
December 5, 2017
Makes you feel bad for Koba, and you kind of wish he wasn’t vilified completely in the films. Such an awesome character, “big black caterpillars.”
Profile Image for Joe Kessler.
2,345 reviews72 followers
June 20, 2024
A surprisingly strong media tie-in novel, especially compared to the same author's more aimless later work, War for the Planet of the Apes: Revelations. Like that volume, this one is aimed at bridging the gap between the events of two films in the modern Planet of the Apes franchise: in this case, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Released a few months ahead of the latter, in functions in part as an extended (re)introduction to two characters who would play an important role in that movie -- Dreyfus, leader of the remnant of humanity eking out an existence in post-apocalyptic San Francisco, and Koba, bonobo lieutenant to Caesar in the liberated ape troupe nearby.

One interesting element here is that both those figures wind up functioning as eventual villains in the film, yet are still rather sympathetic heroes when we meet them on the page. That shouldn't be too surprising for audiences like me coming to the book after having previously seen the movie, since one of the strengths of that script lies in how its antagonists are generally presented not as evil or overtly cruel, but simply as reasonable yet scared people whose priorities are in conflict with Caesar's. And in this prologue / prequel, of course, such tensions have not yet arisen, though certain latent trajectories are already being set. So the human is a former police chief turned mayoral candidate, the ape is a newly-freed laboratory subject still processing a lifetime of abuse, and both are easy to root for (along with Caesar and a handful of other viewpoint protagonists not featured in the movie series) as the story unfolds.

Another aspect of this text that I love is how, despite its full title and the presence of Dreyfus, it is written less as the setup for Dawn and more as a direct sequel to Rise. Ten years pass off-screen between those installments, so there is plenty of potential plot that could be spun to link them more tightly. Yet audiences don't particularly need to know the exact circumstances that lead into the later piece, while the immediate aftermath of Rise is inherently pretty compelling. (Amusingly, the main human characters in the two respective movies, Will and Malcolm, are nowhere to be found in this novel.)

So the present tale traces the downfall of human civilization in the wake of the deadly virus that also amplified ape intelligence, and for a 2014 title, it's fairly electrifying to read after living through the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our plague's fictional predecessor is far more fatal, but the commonalities like the politicization of facemasks, the swift overwhelming of hospital capacities, the general social unrest, and the conspiracies about quarantine orders are certainly striking. Meanwhile a dogged reporter is trying to learn the truth behind the recent ape attack on the bridge and why the local government is covering it up, a primatologist and a reformed poacher get tasked by a shady paramilitary group to help track down the animals, and the apes themselves are attempting to get their bearings and establish what their new life will look like, free from human captivity. An air of tragedy hangs over the entire contingent from our species, who like the cast of Star Wars: Rogue One are doomed by the narrative to lose everything as their inevitable fate plays out.

It's not quite an essential read, even for fans, and obviously most moviegoers will have gone into Dawn without ever being aware of this publication, let alone having read it (whereupon they and readers alike will wonder what's up with Malcolm's remarkably thin backstory). But it's a worthwhile entry in the overall Apes saga, slowing down to explore a key moment in time that the movies quickly glossed past.

[Content warning for gun violence including against children, torture, and implied rape.]

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Profile Image for Χρηστος Αθανασόπουλος.
59 reviews4 followers
November 19, 2018
Σκοπός του βιβλίου αυτού είναι να μας αφηγηθεί τα γεγονότα που συνέβησαν ανάμεσα στην πρώτη και τη δεύτερη ταινία αλλά και πριν από αυτές. Κι αυτό το κάνει και με το παραπάνω. Δεν είχα μεγάλες προσδοκίες από ένα βιβλίο που θα γέμιζε τα κενά δύο ταινιών αλλά εξεπλάγην ευχαριστα. Αν και για κάποιον που έχει δει τις ταινίες είναι αρκετά προβλέψιμο το βιβλίο αυτο, το ότι κατάφερε να κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον μου ως το τέλος είναι μεγάλο κατόρθωμα. Και για όποιον έχει δει μόνο την πρώτη ταινία φυσικα το συνιστώ, είναι μια πόλη καλή συνέχεια της.
Υπάρχουν πολλά πράγματα που χειρίστηκε εξαιρετικά αλλά υπάρχουν και κάποια θέματα που με ενόχλησαν λίγο.
Αρχικά να αναφέρω πως γενικότερα είναι ένα γρήγορο και ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα γιατί είναι χωρισμένο σε πολλά μικρά κεφάλαια, η ροή είναι πολύ καλή και οι χαρακτήρες είναι γενικά ενδιαφέροντες.
Παρόλα αυτά λόγω της δομηε της ιστορίας πιστεύω πως οι χαρακτήρες αδικήθηκαν και ενώ κάποιοι ηταν πολυδιάστατοι και εξερευνημενοι άλλοι αγνοήθηκαν. Πιο συγκεκριμένα ο Κομπα και ο Μαλακαι ήταν αυτοί που τους δόθηκε περισσότερο προσοχή καθώς μας δόθηκε και το παρελθόν τους κι αυτό έγινε με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο. Επίσης χαρακτήρες όπως ο πρώην αρχηγός της αστυνομίας, Η Κλανσι, και άλλοι δευτερεύοντες ενώ δεν έδειξαν ιδιαίτερο βάθος στέκονταν σε χαρακτήρες αξιοπρεπώς. Άλλοι όμως οπως ο Ντέιβιντ και η Ταλια μου φάνηκαν πως ήταν εκεί απλά για να προχωρήσει η ιστορία. Για την ακρίβεια η Ταλια είχε μια συνεισφορά στην ιστορία κι αν δεν υπήρχε αυτή τότε θα μπορούσε άνετα να παραλειφθεί. Τουλάχιστον η οπτική γωνία της μας έδινε την σκοτεινή ατμόσφαιρα της αποκάλυψης που περιμένουμε καθώς το Σαν Φρανσίσκο βυθίζεται όλο και περισσότερο στο χαος. Δεν είναι ότι αυτοί οι χαρακτήρες δεν ήταν ρεαλιστικοί αλλά είναι κάτι παραπάνω από προφανές πως ο συγγραφέας τους χειρίστηκε περισσότερο σαν πιόνια για την πλοκή και την ατμόσφαιρα παρά σαν χαρακτήρες ιστορίας.
Το πιο ενδιαφέρον κομμάτι είναι η οπτική των πιθήκων, οι τρόποι που προσπαθούν να επιβιώσουν αλλά και το πως αντιμετωπίζουν αυτήν την νεοαποκτηθείσα νοημοσύνη. Αν και νομίζω πως σε ορισμένα σημεία μονοπωλούν το ενδιαφέρον από το ανθρώπινο κομμάτι δημιουργωντας μια ανισορροπία.
Όπως και να έχει ήταν μια ικανοποιητική ιστορία που ξεπέρασε τις προσδοκίες μου παρά τα ελαττώματα της.
Profile Image for Yasmeena.
9 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2024
Good book that ties the events of Rise and Dawn. It doesn't exactly fill in what happened in the 10 year time frame of the two movies. Only the first month?
The book focuses on the initial plans to capture the escaped apes, and the very quick spread of the Simian Flu and subsequent fall of modern civilization.

The novel switches back and forth between multiple POVs, the main two being: Human POV and Ape POV, which can be further divided into:
Human POV - The doctor, the ex-police chief, the journalist, and the ape capture operation crew
Ape POV - Caesar, Koba (including Koba childhood flashbacks).

It's... a LOT of POVs, but each one add something to the depth of the story.

It's very fast paced to the extent that it seems everything is exaggerated, but that's hard to tell since it's a rather unique situation. Much of the bizarre events concern the spread of the Simian Flu and the problems it caused to society. They go from conspiracy theories, to riots, to full-blown civil war (in the span of what... a month? and primarily in San Francisco) We kind of experienced that with COVID, but I don't think we went past the conspiracy theories phase. The Simian Flu kills quickly, so again, it's different.

I noticed a lot of typos, I thought it just might be my e-book acting up, but other reviews say they are annoyed by the editing. One thing that DID annoy me is the ape hair being called 'fur'. Apes don't have fur, they have hair.

The Koba POV sections were incredibly sad. The description of our modern equipment is explained in the way an alien might describe them, so it took me a while to understand what Koba was talking about.
For example (might be a spoiler?)****:

Koba keeps talking about having to make silly faces and tricks to create little pictures that move. He keeps talking about the little pictures on the rectangular prisms and it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize he was talking about a TV screen with a film playing. Yeah, our world is kind of strange.

Overall pretty good book and I recommend reading it if you are a fan of the Apes series.
Profile Image for Jason L..
33 reviews
January 24, 2023
I haven’t written a review on GR forever but this is something I need to put out. A preface: Dawn is one of my most cherished movies and I’ve rewatched it so much every frame I’ve practically memorized. It’s a nearly perfect film for me, one I needed no extra backstory to complement, which is why I wouldn’t have gotten this book if it wasn’t in the bargain bin and needed something light to read.

This tie in prequel has no reason being this good.

It starts off exactly how I pictured: a story of an impending apocalypse, with an interesting but unexciting cast of on-the-ground POVs that are promisingly investing. Keyes is a competent if procedural writer, and his prose is inviting enough to keep the breezy plot going.

Then came the Koba’s chapters.

Without spoiling the film, Koba is one of the standout characters that not only is well-written, well-acted, but has enough layers in an already dense movie to make a classic sci-fi antagonist. This novel offers his backstory and character development in such a way that it KNOWS that. Knows how much of a goldmine of complexity and social nuance this character offers. And his story, especially the parts divorced from both films, is exceptionally told, and builds on his already impressive on-screen counterpart. That alone, makes this novel worth the entry ticket.

But then the novel takes a turn. The human characters reveal their cards, and they carry an unspoken amount of pain and trauma, and a blossoming understanding of the world and those living in it. Malakai and his relationship with Clancy is complex, riveting, and addicting to read. Dreyfus offers a great look into the socioeconomics of this collapsing world that scratches the worldbuilding itch left by the film’s timejumps. Even those less fleshed out, like the hospital and journalists subplots, are fascinating to read in their own rights, offering detailed looks into how a society buckles and thrives under the weight of humanity’s mistakes.

A prequel that actually escapes its confines and turns into a captivating, fully fledged tale in its own right
Profile Image for Joe Pranaitis.
Author 23 books87 followers
November 7, 2021
Author Grege Keyes brings us the official Prequel to the film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with FireStorm. The book opens just five days after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes as Caesar brings is apes into the wood just across the bay of San Francisco. The Simian Flu of which we only got a little bit of from the opening credits of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is explained. The people of Las Angles and the rest of California are patient Zero for the pandemic that has wiped out the majority of mankind within two weeks of being released. As this is going on Gen Sys is attempting to bring Caesar and his apes back so they could reverse engineer the flu that they had created. But that every trick in the book that they had to capture them doesn't work since Caesar knows most of their tricks. We also get a lot of the back story on Korba and how he was mistreated by the humans that had been his owners. This book should be held up as a warning of what could go very wrong if another Pandemic comes about. I highly recommend this book especially now to those in the medical community and those running every country. And I highly recommend this book for science Fiction fans.
Profile Image for S.L. Barrie.
Author 3 books15 followers
August 16, 2024
A decent bridge between two movies (Rise and Dawn)

It was much of what I expected from a filler story, but there was also a little extra that I wasn't, for instance Koba's back story, which was some of the most heartbreaking sections to read. There was also quite of bit of what seemed like irrelevant back story to flesh out the character Malakai, however I think it helped highlight the treatment of apes not just in captivity but also in the wild.

The story jumped around between characters, human and ape, at intervals within chapters without much indication that we were sometimes jumping backwards/forwards in time, which could be a little confusing. I would have given the book a 2 star rating because even though I love the films, mostly due to Andy Serkis's stellar performance, this story was a little lackluster in parts (mostly the military sections) I'm not sure why but they just didn't capture me as much as Koba's storyline and the aftermath of the simian flu outbreak. However due to the uncomfortable reading in regards to ape treatment I bumped it up to a 3 star, because that was some of the more impactful writing.

If you like Planet of the Apes and would like to get an idea of what took place post Rise but pre Dawn, give it a read.
Profile Image for Steven Shinder.
Author 5 books19 followers
July 11, 2014
Billed as a bridge between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this story takes place in the days following the apes' journey across the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Muir Woods; it is a bridge from a bridge, so to speak. When I finished the first film in this series, I wondered how the apes from the zoo who had not been given the ALZ-113 serum knew where to go, as well as whether or not the apes would starve in the woods. This novel touches upon those questions, revealing that the apes from the zoo, though not as intelligent, could follow simple commands, and that the apes stole fruit from stores, searched for insects, and hunted animals. Before reading this, I had not been aware that chimpanzees were omnivores, unlike their herbivore cousins the orangutans.

Another question that was on my mind (as well as the minds of others) was the ultimate fate of James Franco's character, Will Rodman, as well as Rodman's girlfriend, Caroline Aranha. I knew that the characters would not appear in the sequel film, and I hoped that they would appear in this book. Though Will is mentioned frequently and though he appears in a flashback, he never appears following the events of what is known as "Monkeygate." When reporter David Flynn, searching for answers, goes to Rodman's house, he finds that there is nobody there, implying that Will caught the Simian Flu. This fate is realistic, but it would have been nice to have seen Will and Caroline experiencing the outbreak. I predicted that Rodman would appear at the end of the novel just as Taylor appeared at the end of Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Alas, that prediction did not come true.

Speaking of David Flynn (whose realization that human civilization was durable buildings but fragile people is very heartbreaking), it seems too convenient that he knows Dr. Talia Kosar, another protagonist in this book. On top of that, their connection is glossed over for the most part. David's lover, possibly a promiscuous woman, Clancy Stoppard (who has an uncle named Hamm, causing me to wonder if his name is a reference to Sam Hamm, who wrote a screenplay for a Planet of the Apes reboot in the 1990s), joins Malakai Youmans, a man who has lost his wife and son during a conflict between the Hutu and the Tutsi decades earlier. Despite their age difference, the two of them have sex when they realize that human civilization is falling apart. This is a cliché that ruins the pacing of the story.

The only human character from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes who appears in this story is Dreyfus, former chief of police who is running for mayor and has a wife named Maddy, with whom he has a 12-year-old son named John and a 14-year-old son named Edward. I kept expecting Dreyfus' family to be infected by the Simian Flu, and they did in the end. The new film even implies that this is what happened to them. I feel that Malcolm's family would have been a good addition to the story. It would have been emotional having his young boy Alexander see his mother as she dies from the illness.

Koba the bonobo is given more depth; throughout the book, he experiences flashbacks to his life before Monkeygate. These passages reveal that, after he was taken care of by Mary at a primate research facility, his mother was beaten to death by an alcoholic caregiver named Roger (who, whether or not the author realizes it, shares the same given name as Roger Mason, the first person to encounter the apes in the woods during this book). He was then sold to a TV studio under the care of Tommy, and starred in a comedy show titled Monkey of the House. There, he met a chimp who knew sing language named Milo (whose name is a reference to Dr. Milo from Escape from the Planet of the Apes). After the show's cancelation, Koba witnessed Milo biting a drunk Tommy after being abused, resulting in Milo having a permanent muzzle. Tommy ended up slashing Koba's face and committing suicide. When Koba was taken to Gen Sys, he bonded with Amol, who was fired by Steven Jacobs (the man whom Koba would kill on the Golden Gate Bridge). In the timeframe of Firestorm, Koba's desperation for Caesar's approval, as well as Caesar referring to Koba as a brother, makes it all the sadder to see Koba become Caesar's Brutus in the new film. Characters calling Koba ugly also brings to mind a scene from the 1968 Planet of the Apes film, during which Zira calls Taylor ugly.

We also see the beginning of the relationship between Caesar and Cornelia. I am glad that they did not fall in love with each other right away, as that trope can be tiring. She does, however, try reasoning with him on certain issues and bond with him by cleaning his fur.

There are some typos throughout the novel, and I feel that another round of editing could have fixed all of them. One glaring error is Koba having a flashback of riding on top of the trolley with Buck, Caesar, and Maurice when it was actually Rocket who rode with them in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I suppose that we could pretend that Koba pushed off Rocket offscreen and took his place. One detail that the author did incorporate was the fact that Simian Flu spread to France right after it originated in San Francisco (which seems fitting since Pierre Boulle's original Planet of the Apes novel was initially released in France). The Alpha/Omega graffiti all over buildings is a nice touch; it echoes the Alpha-Omega Bomb from Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

As for the title, I can understand why they reuse the title of the new film: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes came out soon after this novel, and it is nice for the public to know in which continuity this novel takes place. In my opinion, a nice alternative title would have been Plague of the Planet of the Apes, or even Plague of the Apes. The "Firestorm" in the title makes sense when you see the realistic reactions to Simian Flu resulting in the burning of the Muir Woods.

Though Firestorm is missing elements that would have made it more emotional, it does somewhat enhance the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes viewing experience, if only a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Orca_de_wils.
133 reviews3 followers
February 13, 2022
Kurzweilig geschrieben ist dies eine feine Tie-in-Novel.
Zwischen "Dawn" und "Rise" angelegt geht es auf der Seite der Menschen um die Seuche. Hierzu zeichnet der Autor neue, aber durchaus interessante Charaktere und bringt außerdem den Fokus auf Gary Oldmans Figur, die hier durchaus an Sympathie gewinnt (seine Backstory ist in "Rise" ja angelegt, kann sich aber hier mehr entfalten.)

Bei den Affen wächst Caesar weiter in seine Führungsrolle hinein und auch die "Romanze" mit Cornelia nimmt einen zarten Anfang.
Ein großer Augenmerk liegt aber auch auf Koba und seiner Vergangenheit.
Manchmal sind mir Kobas pre-Droge-Gedanken zu menschlich, aber man kann natürlich argumentieren, dass er sich nachträglich mit schon "aufgemotzten" Gedanken daran erinnert. (Ich persönlich denke im Gegenteil eher, dass durch die Droge die "tierischen" Erinnerungen nebelhaft wie frühe Kindheitserinnerungen werden, anstatt die Erinnerungsfähigkeit auch noch zu steigert, aber das ist freilich offen für Spekulationen.)
Ihn aber deutlich im Fokus zu haben, ist ein cleverer und interessanter Kniff.

Fazit: Das Buch unterliegt freilich den Begrenzungen eines Tie-ins, innerhalb dessen aber macht es alles richtig und ist alle mal eine Bereicherung für den interessierten "Planet of the Apes"-Gucker.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Derek.
521 reviews5 followers
April 16, 2023
I know what people tend to think of media tie-in books like this. I can't say it's undeserved; a lot of forgettable stuff has been published. So I expect you won't believe me when I tell you that this is an excellent genre novel, one worthy of your time.

Which is a shame because you'll be missing out on a lot.

But if you're an Apes fan, or just a fan of the Caesar trilogy, I strongly urge you to read this. You don't know the treat you're in for: a cast full of compelling, rounded characters (both human and ape) and urgent storytelling that practically hums with electricity and energy.

A word of warning: one major plot point of the novel is a virus that rages through San Francisco and eventually the world. Anyone who's lived through COVID will hear uncomfortable echoes and some unpleasant memories will likely resurface.
Profile Image for Stamp.Phongpisit_Read.
21 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2024
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes : Firestrom รุ่งอรุณแห่งพิภพวานร : ไวรัสมรณะ

คะแนนวานร : 🐵🐵🐵🐵🐵🐵🐵🐒 /10

*เตือนอาจมีสปอย์เนื้อหาจากหนังภาค1&2 ใครยังไม่ได้ดู ข้ามก่อนได้ครับ

นิยายต่อจากหนัง Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) เลย เรียกว่าเป็นภาค 1.5 ก็ได้ เป็นช่วงเวลาสั้นๆก่อนที่มนุษย์กับลิงจากห่างกันเป็น10ปีตามหนังภาค 2 เล่าถึง

- ซีซาร์ว่าจะทำยังไงต่อหลังจากหนีเข้าป่าไป
- มนุษย์ต้องรับมือกับการระบาดของไข้หวัดลิงยังไง
- และทำไมโคบาเจออะไรมาถึงได้เกลียดมนุษย์นัก

เล่มนี้เขียนออกมาได้ดี เนื้อหาเล่าอดีตสลับกับปัจจุบัน เล่าง่ายเพราะ ส่วนมากเป็นลิงคุยกัน คำเลยง่ายไม่ค่อยซับซ้อน

ถ้ามีเวลาอ่านไว้เก็บลายละเอียดของจักรวาลนี้ก็ดี แต่ไม่อ่านก็ไม่เป็นไร ดู Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ได้รู้เรื่องอยู่
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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