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The Ghost and the Darkness
Based on the true story, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo, this novelization tells the story of two renowned hunters' attempts to track and kill a pair of man-eating lions--one ghostly white, the other black as night--who terrorized workers building a bridge in the heart of Africa's wildlands in 1888. The Paramount Pictures film set in Africa stars Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer. Original.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 12, 2018
I only watched the movie which was terrifying! These lions were very smart. The date we watched the movie is a guess but I believe we own the video!
January 19, 2013
The ghost and the Darkness it's a really scary true story, it is about two lions (man-eaters) and Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson, he was an Irish soldier. Patterson was commissioned by the British East Africa Company to oversee the construction of a railway bridge over the Tsavo river in Kenya. When he reached Tsavo he heared about man eaters. The lions were called the ghost and the darkness because those lions killed many people in Tsavo , people tried many times to kill the man eaters but they were so hard to kill so then many people thought they are evil spirits and not real lions. Patterson aim was to kill the lions.
This is an amazing true horror story.
This is an amazing true horror story.
February 21, 2008
This was a great book. It reads like a good novel but is a true story.
The Ghost and the Darkness are the names the native africans gave to two lions that were terrorizing the railroad builders in the late 19th century. Several attempts to kill and capture the lions failed. An incredible story.
The Ghost and the Darkness are the names the native africans gave to two lions that were terrorizing the railroad builders in the late 19th century. Several attempts to kill and capture the lions failed. An incredible story.
July 21, 2016
What an amazing story and then to know this really happened makes the hair stand on end. I love the characters and the setting for this book. The author does a great job bringing this story and the lions to life. I also watched the movie and found it to almost do the book justice.
May 13, 2019
Impressive and entertaining novelization. Great usage of information from the real Patterson’s book as well as allowing us to see things from the lions’ point of view. Lots more violence and not-inferred gore here, which raises the stakes and enhances the formidable nature of the “antagonists” (sorry—can’t roll with the idea of lions being lions as their territory is being dismantled equating to a villainous venture).
I seem to remember some small differences from the film, namely the death of the final lion. Guess that merits a rewatch. Glad I own the DVD!
I seem to remember some small differences from the film, namely the death of the final lion. Guess that merits a rewatch. Glad I own the DVD!
June 2, 2009
This book is both terrifying and amazing. It was a personal favourite of a former teacher and he read it to the class both years I was his pupil. This story is a perfect example of how reality is often scarier than fiction. It is most definately a page-turner. Every time I read this book I still find myself glued to the edge of my seat reading (with all the lights on in the house to scare away any stray lions). I would highly recomend this book.
July 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this Hemingwayesque story. Gram minimalizes his prose but uses his descriptions of two alpha male lions, one black and one white, well as they terrorize a work site in Southern Kenya in 1898.
Like the late 90s film with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer, the pace is rapid and violent. The British army engineer Patterson, his assistant Samuel and a mercenary hunter from Mississippi, Remington, engage in a biblical war. The geopolitical setting of empire and colony build adds to the intrigue. Indian Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, all from the Empire work, fight and die together while distrusting each other.
Gram levarages history well in this primordial battle of good vs evil, with metaphors galore. The lions are almost supernatural despite their age, weighing in around 500 lbs each. Like a cowboy western, we wait to see who is standing at the end. The book seems much happy at the end than the film despite the Body count, with John's wife and infant child visiting at the end with the triumphant Bridge built across the Tsavo River complex and modernity conquering primitive beasts and civilizations.
Of course, part of me was rooting for the lions to stop the inevitable and unknown progress. The evil lion spirits were part of an old and dying Africa. On the last page Samuel muses alone, on the bridge, about the resilience of Africa, and the intersection of the old and new. Such optimism! strongly recommend.
Like the late 90s film with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer, the pace is rapid and violent. The British army engineer Patterson, his assistant Samuel and a mercenary hunter from Mississippi, Remington, engage in a biblical war. The geopolitical setting of empire and colony build adds to the intrigue. Indian Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, all from the Empire work, fight and die together while distrusting each other.
Gram levarages history well in this primordial battle of good vs evil, with metaphors galore. The lions are almost supernatural despite their age, weighing in around 500 lbs each. Like a cowboy western, we wait to see who is standing at the end. The book seems much happy at the end than the film despite the Body count, with John's wife and infant child visiting at the end with the triumphant Bridge built across the Tsavo River complex and modernity conquering primitive beasts and civilizations.
Of course, part of me was rooting for the lions to stop the inevitable and unknown progress. The evil lion spirits were part of an old and dying Africa. On the last page Samuel muses alone, on the bridge, about the resilience of Africa, and the intersection of the old and new. Such optimism! strongly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2021
Growing up I loved watching The Ghost and the Darkness, it very quickly turned into one of my most favorite movies. I just happened to stumble upon the book adaptation recently, and boy was I excited, I immediately bought a copy. This novelization follows the movie closely, pretty much word for word, and being a little over 200 pages long is a very quick read. All in all a fantastic book, and an excellent movie.
May 29, 2011
560th - 2011
Film ini diangkat dari kisah nyata, berdasarkan buku "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo" yang disusun Letkol John Henry Patterson--insinyur berkebangsaan Inggris yang membunuh kedua singa pemakan manusia itu--yang dalam film diperankan oleh Val Kilmer.
Tapi dasar Hollywood, barangkali kurang oke kalau jagoannya cuma ada satu, orang Inggris lagi, maka diciptakanlah tokoh fiktif pemburu berkebangsaan Amerika bernama Remington--diperankan oleh Michael Douglas--yang dalam film sempat membunuh The Ghost, salah seekor singa. Belakangan tokoh ini dibunuh The Darkness, tapi tak masalah, toh tokoh ini tidak pernah ada dalam sejarah.
Selain itu, entah mengapa kedua singa jantan dalam film memiliki surai, padahal aslinya kedua singa itu jenis yang tidak punya surai. Mungkin para pemeran singa tidak bersedia digunduli hanya demi menjiwai peran... :)
Eh, kok malah bahas film? Ya iyalah, novel ini kan diangkat dari naskah film gitu...
N.B. Tokoh yang diperankan Val Kilmer sebenarnya tokoh utama, entah kenapa malah jadi peran pembantu di film ini. Mungkinkah karena campur tangan sponsor? Tokoh utama harus orang Amerika, bukan Inggris. Titik.
Film ini diangkat dari kisah nyata, berdasarkan buku "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo" yang disusun Letkol John Henry Patterson--insinyur berkebangsaan Inggris yang membunuh kedua singa pemakan manusia itu--yang dalam film diperankan oleh Val Kilmer.
Tapi dasar Hollywood, barangkali kurang oke kalau jagoannya cuma ada satu, orang Inggris lagi, maka diciptakanlah tokoh fiktif pemburu berkebangsaan Amerika bernama Remington--diperankan oleh Michael Douglas--yang dalam film sempat membunuh The Ghost, salah seekor singa. Belakangan tokoh ini dibunuh The Darkness, tapi tak masalah, toh tokoh ini tidak pernah ada dalam sejarah.
Selain itu, entah mengapa kedua singa jantan dalam film memiliki surai, padahal aslinya kedua singa itu jenis yang tidak punya surai. Mungkin para pemeran singa tidak bersedia digunduli hanya demi menjiwai peran... :)
Eh, kok malah bahas film? Ya iyalah, novel ini kan diangkat dari naskah film gitu...
N.B. Tokoh yang diperankan Val Kilmer sebenarnya tokoh utama, entah kenapa malah jadi peran pembantu di film ini. Mungkinkah karena campur tangan sponsor? Tokoh utama harus orang Amerika, bukan Inggris. Titik.
Want to read
April 24, 2016#
NC
Own in paperback.
FS: "A watcher looking down on The City - the business district in the heart of London - on a rainy night that winter would have seen a quarter bustling under the civilizing influence of electric lamps, thronging with commercial men buzzing on errands aimed at improving their lot and the lot of mankind."
LS: "And even now, after they have been dead a century, if you dare to lock eyes with them, you will be afraid. Sleep well."
NC
Own in paperback.
FS: "A watcher looking down on The City - the business district in the heart of London - on a rainy night that winter would have seen a quarter bustling under the civilizing influence of electric lamps, thronging with commercial men buzzing on errands aimed at improving their lot and the lot of mankind."
LS: "And even now, after they have been dead a century, if you dare to lock eyes with them, you will be afraid. Sleep well."
September 8, 2016
A riveting tale based on a true story. The Tsavo lions were on display at the Chicago Museum of Natural History (Field Museum) when I was there in 1983. I intend to revisit this book again.
Read
November 25, 2008c:\
November 30, 2012
This book hooked me. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews