Back to the Future, Part 2

Back to the Future #2

by Craig Shaw Gardner

There was a time when Marty McFly was never in time for classes and never in time for dinner. Then one day, he wasn't in his time at all. Thanks to Doc Brown and his impossibly fast DeLorean, Marty returned to the past, changed his future (or present, depending on how you look at it), and then he...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Fantasy, Media Tie In, Novels, Film

251 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1989

About the author

Craig Shaw Gardner was born in Rochester, New York and lived there until 1967, when he moved to Boston, MA to attend Boston University. He graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Broadcasting and Film. He has continued to reside in Boston since that time.

He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.

As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.

He also published under these pseudonyms:

Peter Garrison

Reviews

[Sean Carlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whereas the first novelization is full of strange story digressions, redundant conversations, and contradictory characterizations, this one -- on the other end of the spectrum -- sticks to the script verbatim. In place of Robert Zemeckis' cinematic wizardry, though, it offers only Craig Shaw Gardner's pedestrian prose. Back to the Future is absolutely magical storytelling... but you'd never know it from these tie-in novelizations. Like Grays Sports Almanac itself, we're better off without this book.

[Pappy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot like the movie, almost exact but with a few minor additions. However, I still really enjoyed it. I’m glad I ran across these books and am now going to read the last one, which has always been my favorite of the trilogy.

[Jason Pierce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Winner of Pierce's 2024 Razzie

1.5 stars rounded up to two. God, this shit sucks a pygmy's rectum.

I think I have to face the fact that I am never going to like Gardner's prose. It's not absolutely terrible, but it's pretty damn close and extremely obnoxious. Every character sounds the same. Marty sounds like Doc, who sounds like Biff, who sounds like Jennifer, who sounds like the Joker who sounds like Selina Kyle, who sounds like Batman... You see? It doesn't even stop with this book series. He gives every character from whose point of view we're seeing things the same stupid, chatty, inner-monologue. And the exclamation points! He must've gotten them wholesale! They were everywhere! I've never seen such an excited writer!

Thank God this isn't a difficult read. I'm committed to reading the whole series, and Gardner did part III as well, but I intend to soldier through. He also wrote the novelization for The Lost Boys, and I suspect you'll find the same thing over there, but I have no intention of reading it myself to find out.

George Gipe wrote the first book, and while it had its issues if you've seen the movie, it's actually well written (as far as novelizations go). He fleshed out scenes, added some stuff, took out other things, gave some depth to the characters (even if the characters weren't quite right when compared to their movie counterparts), etc. Gardner didn't do any of that and stuck to the screenplay, but then he made everyone a contradictory idiot.

As for the story, it's not as good as the original, and it spends some time echoing scenes from the first movie. (E.g. the confrontation in the diner and the ensuing hoverboard chase.) Also, there are plot holes galore, like how Biff got back to the same 2015 that he left after giving the book to his 1955 self. Shouldn't he have ended up in an altered 2015 where he was king of the world, or something? I'm actually not that interested in it, though. If I start picking apart every instance of "that couldn't possibly work in time travel" in this story, I'd fill up the rest of this review space and still wouldn't list everything. You should see some of the internet arguments over it though. People sure do get up in arms about it.

It's funny to think that we're now (2024) further away from the time setting of the original movie (1985) than they were to the past they went to (1955). We also passed their future setting (2015) nine years ago. Bizarre. 30 years seemed like such a long time when I was a kid. Now that I'm 45, it's a mere two thirds of my lifetime.

I think this was my favorite movie in the trilogy when they came out (I was 11 years old and impressed with the special effects; cut me some slack, Jack), but now it's my least favorite. I still love all of them, and will always watch them, but this ranks third. As for the book, I don't know... Actually, I do. Don't read this. Just watch the movie instead.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, AV Club, for pointing me to Audiobooks for the Damned, some dude who reads all those old, bad novelizations of movies and puts them up for free on YouTube.

My favorite Back to the Future movie? Yes, please. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Uh-huh. Clue? Definitely. Time Bandits, even. Super Mario Brothers... eh, maybe I'll pass on that one, actually.

Edit 6/13/16: So this may be an obvious statement, this being a novelization, but it's pretty much exactly like the movie, but with bad writing instead of wonderful filmmaking. The narrator isn't great, but he gets the job done. I just wish he'd go for some of those voices. Marty, Doc, Griff, Biff... they all have wonderful, distinctive voices, but he didn't even try.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael J. Fox was my first celebrity crush. Since I couldn't rewatch the movies all the time (although I did see them frequently), I really enjoyed being able to read the story, particularly being able to reread just my favorite parts.

[Paxton Holley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this when it was originally released back in 1989. Loved it then.

Reread it this year. This is an excellent adaptation of the movie. Adds a few new details, and keeps the lighthearted fun of the movie. Really enjoyed it.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the novelisation of the original movie, this book was point for point the plot of the movie. It was completely faithful and I almost feel it stumbled a little because there was nothing that surprised me.

[Vinnie Civitillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novelization of Back to the Future Part II is fine for what it is, but deviates very little from the movie itself. It offers almost nothing in the way of additional insight into the characters, presents only two scenes not in the film (one a filmed, but deleted, scene involving Marty's brother Dave and the other with "Old Man" Peabody talking to the police about the DeLorean), and changes the dialog only enough to clean it up from its already PG rating down to what would probably be more of a G (although, I would argue that making Mr. Strickland chug cough syrup rather than slipping a shot of whiskey in his coffee was probably worse). It's neither a particularly good piece of literature, nor the "so bad it's funny" train wreck that the first movie's novelization was, leaving it as merely OK and hesitantly recommendable to fans only.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review 60. Back To The Future Part 2 by Craig Shaw Gardner

Page Count : 216

Continuing the story from the 1st book, this is another fantastic story.

I love the fact that Marty and the Doc travel forward in time to 2015, 1985 and 1955.

Again, like most film novelisations there are differences with the story from the film to the book which are noticeable.

This is another book that I will reread again and have loved reading it this time just as much as I have the previous times.


5*
*****

[Ole Andreasen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is heavy. BTTF2 is a lot more movie transcript than BTTF1.

But that is great. It´s just like wathing the movie, only TOLD instead of seen.

Marty and the Doc goes to 2015, to clear up Martys kids - then all goes to hell and they have to go back to 1955 again. All goes well, but lightning strikes, and Doc Brown and the Time Machine is zapped back to 1885.

How will Marty go back to 1985 now? well Part 3 will tell, so I´m off to BTTF3

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUTHOR: Craig Shaw Gardner
TITLE: Back to the Future II
DATE READ: 11/12/20
TIME/PLACE: 1:00 pm, in bathtub in Master Bathroom
RATING: 7/10
FIRST SENTENCE: Great Scott!
GENRE: Science Fiction (time travel)
PUB DATE/PUBLISHER: 11/1/1989, Berkley Books
TYPE: Paperback
# OF PAGES: 251
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: series, #2 Back to the Future
CHALLENGE: none
LIST READ: book/movie combo
CHARACTERS: Marty McFly (George, Lorraine, Dave & Linda), Doc Emmett L. Brown, Jennifer Parker, Biff & Griff Tannen
LOCATION: Hill Valley (fictional), CA
TIME: 1885/1955/1985/2015
COMMENTS: I always enjoy time travel, especially when it goes forward to futuristic-2015 and backward to 1955. It also gets tense when there's two of you in each time, who can't see each other. Novelizations are a fun way to remember the movies you watched years ago. It's also a great way to encourage reading for your readers' favorite movies.

[Zheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

In all honesty Back to the Future, Part 2 wasn't all that bad but I'd still rather watch the movie then read the book if given the choice. There are no other actors that could seize the role of Marty and Doc Brown the way Micheal J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd did. There's so much depth missing in the story and a lack of details/descriptions. It really helped seeing the movie first or some parts I would have had a much harder time following. It still however was a quick, fun read.

[Clayton Barr · Rating 1 out of 5]

The movie is my favorite of the BTTF trilogy, but the novelization is written so blandly that it's a struggle to get through. No additional insight to the characters you don't get from the movie. It also seems to be "cleaned up", as there is no cursing at all, Strickland gulps a swallow of cough syrup at his desk instead of a shot of booze, and Biff does not get buried in manure again. It was like reading a juvenile novel with no spark in the writing at all.

[Jonathan Irvine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty much like the movie, there are some differences in scenes and dialogue, and in sections you get a better show of emotion, but still mostly the same. It is a fun read, not quite as good as the first one, but it is still worth going through once for sure.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of the movies, it was really fun to experience the story this way. And I liked some of the ‘deleted scene’ moments adding a few little details to things in the movie that weren’t explained.

[Jason Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Andrea Pugliese · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite movies, book was fun to read as well.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good in its own right, not just good for a sequel.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite film, and my 2nd book report in roughly 3rd grade. Craig does a damn fine job adding his own narrative take to the greatest cinematic achievement in modern history.

[Stephen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book about Back to the Future, Part 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joseph Fleming IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading part two i loved the additional parts and how close the book was to the movie

[Gr1972 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working from an earlier version of the script, there are subtle deleted and trimmed scenes, which round things out.

[Maria Vittoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scritto in modo semplice, molto simile alfilm

[Jo Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the collection.
This book sticks to the movie much more than the first book so not as many new scenes but still an amazing story that holds up 30+ years later.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Youtube

[Angelika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it!

[Magpie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly poorly written, definitely not well written. More like written for a 10 year old to read. But that's ok. I still enjoyed it all. It was like experiencing the film for the first time again. Great fun!

[Eric Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining adaptation of the hit sequel! This is one of the rare movie novelizations that doesn't delve too far from its source. As some may not know, when a writer is commissioned to write a novel based on a movie, they're giving an early copy of the script and the writer fills in the gaps in terms of what the characters are thinking, exposition, etc. Having said that, there are a few differences. Mostly they seem to be scenes that were cut from the film (Marty seeing the demolished school and his encounter with Dave in the alternate 1985) or were removed before they were even filmed. These included additional scenes of Doc's POV during the climactic chase when Marty acquires the book in the tunnel as well as Doc encountering a crazed Mr. Peabody (the pine tree breeder) who swears he saw the "spaceship" again. These were unnecessary but still fun. However, the writer does treat Marty like an idiot, having Marty not figuring stuff out on his own or wondering stupid things. The author also treats us, the reader, as morons too. He's constantly reminding us that Marty's from 1985 and of scenes that just happened. He even reminds us that it was 2015 where Marty acquired the hoverboard! Well, no shit! Overall, the writing could've been better but if you're a fan of the franchise (like me), you'll still enjoy it!

[Lina Dalmau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortunatamente in questo volume gli errori di battitura sono quasi zero, rispetto al primo volume dove erano così tanti che ho faticato a leggere. In questo sono comunque presenti, ma non sono presenti errori di battitura gravi, ne ho contati 3 o 4 ma senza valore. Tuttavia c'è comunque un errore grave nelle ultime pagine del capitolo 17, dove, c'è il pov di Doc ma a un certo punto si fa riferimento a Marty che in quella scena si trova da tutt'altra parte. In breve è stato scritto un nome per un altro.
A parte ciò! Il libro è fantastico. La narrazione è scorrevole e sopratutto fedele al film. Adoro che in questo, come anche nel primo, ci sono avvenimenti non presenti nel film, che danno al tutto un significato diverso e migliore. Ho terminato questo libro con la voglia di voler subito leggere il terzo e ultimo volume che, sfortunatamente, ancora non posso comprare per problemi finanziari. E quando termino un libro e ne voglio subito leggere il seguito significa che mi piace proprio tanto. E tutto ciò anche se conosco la storia a memoria perché guardo i film da sempre.