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Final Destination #8
Final Destination 3
The Black Flame novelization of the latest and greatest Final Destination movie. Young photographer Wendy Christiansen has a gruesome vision of death at an amusement park and as a result manages to escape from a thrill ride just before it crashes, killing her boyfriend and best friend. To her dismay, she discovers the photographs she took before the accident foretell the deaths of others who escaped the disaster. Now Death wants to reclaim each victim in the order they were meant to die?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 3, 2006
29 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
Christa Faust
79 books396 followersChrista Faust is an American author who writes original novels, as well as novelizations and media tie-ins.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 15, 2024
I like it! I liked how it was written and didn’t feel like a direct retelling of the movie. Like it included background information that we didn’t know when watching the movie. I super appreciated that. I know it’s a bit controversial but I do like the Kevin and Wendy romance. There was always some tension between them in the movie. ALSO that ending was so abrupt. I get it that the train scene was awful and I’m glad it’s not on here but come on give me something. Give me an ending fr. Maybe one with Kevin and Wendy living it up at Yale. Or something.
December 28, 2018
A group of high school seniors are at the Red River Adventure Park, ready to spend the night enjoying all the varied rides, especially the Devil's Flight rollercoaster. It is when they are getting on that Wendy has a horror vision of the rollercoaster suffering a fatal crash, and in her mind she sees in horrific detail how each of her friends die. Her panic leads to a group of them coming off the rollercoaster before it goes and they all watch in horror as the crash unfolds in front of them. In the aftermath, fear replaces grief as the survivors start to die in the order that they would have on the ride and Wendy needs to find a way to stop Fate killing them all.
I love this series of films! I've always enjoyed the way it unfolds, seeing the disaster as it would have happened, the panic as the person with the vision tries to get their friends to safety and then seeing the accident unfold as they watch. The tension really begins as the survivors start to get killed and the others realise what is happening and have to find a way to stop it. The book is quite faithful to the film from what I remember-it has been a while since I watched it-but the difference is that we get more to the personalities and home life of the main characters, which is good for character development.
Wendy is the chosen yearbook photographer and is trying to get good photos at the park, but nothing seems to be coming out right, with images being blurred or having a creepy look to them. She is feeling unsettled about the whole trip and not enjoying it and is also worrying that her sister is there when her health could be at risk from her heart condition if she goes on the scarier rides. Wendy starts seeing death omens and is reluctant to go on the rollercoaster but feels she has to do it. She gets into a panic after seeing a vision of the coming crash and seeing all of her friends and herself die. After freaking out and being responsible for a few kids being thrown off the ride, they watch the crash.
In the aftermath Wendy is suffering from grief over the death of her friends and boyfriend, along with the guilt of surviving and wishing she had stopped everyone going on the rollercoaster. The survivors take comfort in each other but then the first death occurs and they slowly start to realise that Death is coming for them after all. It is very tense through the book as the 'accidents' start to happen and Wendy tries to convince each person who is to die ahead of her of what is going to happen, to try and break the chain. I actually found the whole idea of a cheated Death coming after them in brutal ways to be pretty unsettling! I don't get scared by books but I found this one kind of disturbing!
I liked the tension and action around the theme park at the beginning and then at the big event at the end. It was exciting and nerve jangling as disaster creeps closer and closer. The only niggle I really had was with the actual rollercoaster crash, where I found it kind of difficult to imagine the details of the crash and destruction of the tracks happening. Maybe it was just me but I couldn't get a clear image of the events unfolding, the way it happens in the film.
I did very much enjoy this book though and I see that this authors writes novels on other horror series so I hope I can find more of her books in the future.
I love this series of films! I've always enjoyed the way it unfolds, seeing the disaster as it would have happened, the panic as the person with the vision tries to get their friends to safety and then seeing the accident unfold as they watch. The tension really begins as the survivors start to get killed and the others realise what is happening and have to find a way to stop it. The book is quite faithful to the film from what I remember-it has been a while since I watched it-but the difference is that we get more to the personalities and home life of the main characters, which is good for character development.
Wendy is the chosen yearbook photographer and is trying to get good photos at the park, but nothing seems to be coming out right, with images being blurred or having a creepy look to them. She is feeling unsettled about the whole trip and not enjoying it and is also worrying that her sister is there when her health could be at risk from her heart condition if she goes on the scarier rides. Wendy starts seeing death omens and is reluctant to go on the rollercoaster but feels she has to do it. She gets into a panic after seeing a vision of the coming crash and seeing all of her friends and herself die. After freaking out and being responsible for a few kids being thrown off the ride, they watch the crash.
In the aftermath Wendy is suffering from grief over the death of her friends and boyfriend, along with the guilt of surviving and wishing she had stopped everyone going on the rollercoaster. The survivors take comfort in each other but then the first death occurs and they slowly start to realise that Death is coming for them after all. It is very tense through the book as the 'accidents' start to happen and Wendy tries to convince each person who is to die ahead of her of what is going to happen, to try and break the chain. I actually found the whole idea of a cheated Death coming after them in brutal ways to be pretty unsettling! I don't get scared by books but I found this one kind of disturbing!
I liked the tension and action around the theme park at the beginning and then at the big event at the end. It was exciting and nerve jangling as disaster creeps closer and closer. The only niggle I really had was with the actual rollercoaster crash, where I found it kind of difficult to imagine the details of the crash and destruction of the tracks happening. Maybe it was just me but I couldn't get a clear image of the events unfolding, the way it happens in the film.
I did very much enjoy this book though and I see that this authors writes novels on other horror series so I hope I can find more of her books in the future.
June 17, 2025
so this was really fun and I honestly had a blast with it. this is very reminiscent of when I was in middle school and I'd watch a movie where I thought two characters should be together romantically but they don't get together at all, so I'd immediately turn on the computer and go to fanfic dot net, LOL. I know the Wendy and Kevin pairing is a mildly controversial take bc they make a great platonic male/female friendship, but I think I'm happy either way. I like them as platonic but the romance in the book was really cute. it did in fact have me giggling and kicking my feet!!!
there's some sexist writing (actually a lot of it), a lot of referring to girls as sluts because they care about how they look. that was icky but this is a product of 2006 - it's to be expected. that can be forgiven with how quickly this captured me until I genuinely couldn't put it down.
the ending was abrupt, I think other reviews mention that. I would've wanted some sort of final.... destination *wink* *wink* instead of the story kind of floating off with a 'oh that's it?' feeling. not even an epilogue with the train scene! still, liked this a good amount and it had me up all night reading.
there's some sexist writing (actually a lot of it), a lot of referring to girls as sluts because they care about how they look. that was icky but this is a product of 2006 - it's to be expected. that can be forgiven with how quickly this captured me until I genuinely couldn't put it down.
the ending was abrupt, I think other reviews mention that. I would've wanted some sort of final.... destination *wink* *wink* instead of the story kind of floating off with a 'oh that's it?' feeling. not even an epilogue with the train scene! still, liked this a good amount and it had me up all night reading.
July 8, 2025
This is the novelization of the third Final Destination film. You may know it as the one that had the infamous roller coaster crash and interactive DVD options to “Change Their Fate.”
No campy 3D here folks. But I honestly didn’t know this movie had a novelization (cause really, who would have thought that?) but I found out about it because, and I’ll just be honest here, I always liked Wendy and Kevin. (Spoilers ahead)
Yeah, yeah I’m a fan girl at heart. I’m always pairing characters together in books, movies and TV shows I like and for some reason Wendy and Kevin (Wevin? Kendy?) appealed to me back when I saw the movie in 2006 and still to this day. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ryan Merriman should totally do another film together, I’d watch it cause they were super cute on screen together in a gory horror movie of all things.
Plus, whatever happened to Ryan Merriman? I had such a teenage crush on him with all those Disney movies he starred in. Zac Efron just came in and stole everything Ryan Merriman built up for years.
But let’s get into the book, with some film references, and break it down:
Plot: if you’ve ever seen a Final Destination film then you know the plot; a group of teens/adults get saved from a disaster because one of them has a premonition but then “Death” hunts them down one by one because when your time is up, it’s up.
Now, it’s not a bad concept. I’d say the only flaw is that it’s predictable from the start. You know they’re going to initially survive only to get whacked later in a totally different way. And the third installment actually has clues that Wendy and Kevin decipher from photos she took at an amusement park. Sometimes the clues work and either misdirect the reader (Frank Cheek) or it sets up fear and a knot in the pit of your stomach (Kevin). But other times, the pictures don’t contribute much cause Wendy can’t figure it out.
Pacing: it’s a fairly quick read. I’ll admit the dialogue reads better than the actual exposition. And obviously for all you gore hounds out there actually watching the deaths is more scary than reading about how a character slips and falls and gets his head crushed. I found the parts with the cops (which were not in the film) to be kind of slow and then Kevin and Wendy scenes held my interest more and I read on more earnestly.
Character: okay, this is probably the most important part (of any story but particular this one) because the plot and events are so predictable. The Final Destination series has never had super likable characters with lots of depth but I feel this installment was one of the last that had a blend of characters that you wanted to live and little poop stain characters that you didn’t mind seeing go.
Wendy: our main character and premonition haver. Wendy is a decent character and was played so well by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Her biggest thing/theme through the film and book is control, or a lack of control. She doesn’t want to ever feel like she doesn’t have control of her life. Well somebody better tell her she’s in a Final Destination story, and the fit is about to hit the shan. Wendy is an all around good person and goes through a wide range of emotions. Personally, I liked this. Previous characters always had a “I can beat death, I’m not scared, I’m tough” mentality and while Wendy does try to beat death, she is still a real person with real emotions. She’s constantly reminded how difficult actually beating Death is when the next person dies and she’s affected by their deaths, particularly the manner in which they go (gruesome and cruel) and this scares her. Rightfully so.
Kevin: then comes the deuteragonist Kevin. He’s Wendy’s boyfriend’s best friend that sits next to Wendy on the roller coaster so is spared by the crash, it also means he’s going to be second last in the death order. He and Wendy initially don’t like each other much. Wendy being much more mature and a control freak, and Kevin being a goof and immature. This all changes after the crash scene. Kevin quickly matured and takes his promise to protect Wendy very seriously. Honestly, Kevin goes through more development than Wendy I’d say, but that’s a good thing. He’s tormented by the deaths of his friends but has the “we can beat this” attitude more than Wendy does.
Julie: she’s more important than the other crash survivors but I honestly couldn’t stand her. She’s conceited, self-absorbed, selfish and isn’t even supportive of her own sister. She shows no compassion for Wendy at all when her boyfriend dies or throughout the rest of the book when everyone else starts dying one by one. Anyway, and spoiler, she’s one of the mystery riders on the roller coaster who gets off before it crashes. Wendy finally pieces it together and then we the reader are supposed to care if she lives or dies. Honestly, it’s like the writers knew they came up with an awful character but thought if they just made her related to the protagonist then we the audience would want her to live. ... ... ... I did not.
The Other “Survivors”: I don’t want to give a block to all the other characters but I’ll mention them here. All of them get more back story about who they are than the movie touched on but it’s not really needed. They’re still cannon fodder and not as likable as Kevin and Wendy are. Ashley and Ashlyn are your typical stuck up teen girls that die getting fake suntans (one of the most brutal and iconic deaths in Final Destination history), Frank(ie) Cheek(s) is a pervert and obsessed with boobs and lewd comments. He’s a sleaze and gets his head cut off. Lewis is a dumb jock stereotype that gets killed by work out equipment. Erin and Ian probably get more development than the first four. They’re the goth/emo kids that actually come to believe Wendy’s claims about Death but Erin dies suddenly and Ian is saved by Kevin. Ian then becomes an antagonist thinking if Wendy (last in line) dies out of order then the rest will be saved. Apparently, he never saw the first Final Destination or else he’d know that when Death reaches the bottom of the list he doesn’t call it quits but instead loops back around to the top.
Setting: nondescript town. Nothing special. The amusement park in Act I probably gets the most detail. Act II is all around town (tanning salon, Butchie Burger fast food, a college gym, and a hardware store). The Final Act is the McKinley fair and this sets up the final showdown. Not much attention is spent on the setting but it didn’t need to be. Just the park opening scenes and that was done well.
Writing: the writing isn’t the best I’ve ever read. But for this type of book I didn’t mind that much. It’s a novelization of a movie I’ve already seen. So of course as I’m reading it, I’m seeing it in my head but I’m giving credit to the film more than the writing really describing things well. Lots of run on sentences and some odd word choice (dived vs dove) but again, I can forgive this because this isn’t a Pulitzer Prize nominee. It’s the retelling of a campy horror film that most viewers go to see the imaginative way characters get killed off.
Theme: you can’t cheat death? It’s the most prominent theme across the whole film series. When your time is up, your time is up. The only issue I’ve ever had with this idea, this notion, is that if Death/Fate/whatever you want to call him has a design, a plan that says you’re going to die on this day, then why the premonition? In fact, it’s the most heavily avoided question the Final Destination series refuses to answer; why is Wendy (or Alex, or Kimberly, or Clear sometimes) getting these premonitions to stop Death when it’s just going to come back around and get them later? Is it a message from God? Is Death actually showing the premonition just to torment them? I don’t know but that’s a discussion for a different day.
Overview: I liked the movie, and I liked the book. It’s not anything groundbreaking, some of the changes felt unnecessary (see below) but what this book does do, the most important in fact, is that Wendy and Kevin realize they’re falling for each other. I know, I know, I read a horror book to get some romance. So sue me. The kiss was wonderful and honestly the half naked shower scene read like some fan fiction but I didn't mind. I was just thrilled that this author felt what I did and that was that Wendy and Kevin needed to hook up.
No novel is perfect, especially one based on a campy horror movie. So as usual i have my Nitpicking section where I point out stuff i didn't like.
1. Names and Appearances: some of the characters (minor ones) had some changes made to them. Frankie Cheeks' name is changed to Frank Cheek. Why? Cause. Erin, instead of a skinny redhead, is instead overweight with blue and black dreadlocks. Even Perry, the most side of the side characters went from being Asian in the film to a blonde. Why? Cause. If you're just reading the book, these changes don't mean much but if you've seen the movie it's definitely noticeable.
2. The Officers: the book added an element of having officers investigating the deaths, very similarly to the first Final Destination. I think this was cut from all other movies (minus the 5th) because it just stalls the story. And this was no exception. The cop scenes were sloooooowwwww.
3. F*ck: you know, if you're going to use this word so many times (so so very many times) then at least Wendy and Kevin could have. They came close, but I would have liked the payoff of the tension between them. Plus, they thought they were going to die, might as well do the do, right?
4. The Ending: while I'm glad the train scene is NOT included, this ending also felt unsatisfying. Wendy, Kevin and Julie leave the fair and Wendy heard her camera go off, taking a picture of them meaning its not over. But that's it, the end. I just felt there could have been more to it than that. At least another Wendy and Kevin moment or final kiss.
5. Abandon All Hope: this is more of an issue i have with Final Destination in general but in all adaptations no one ever survives. There is never a way to beat Deaths design. So then, why is there a premonition at all? What purpose does it serve? Death will get you anyway. No matter what.
6. Premonition Explanation: I feel, what could be an interesting twist, is that the premonitions come from Death. Like, he shows you what he's going to do before he does it and then it really is a game. Characters vs Death, but that's only an interesting story element if Death can actually be beaten. I mean really, he'll get you anyway even if it's when you die of old age. But the book offers no story element like this that I think could be interesting.
Well that’s all I’ve got on this. If you want to read the novel without buying it - go ahead and do a Google search. You might be surprised. But anyway, it’s not a bad read and if you’re a big fan of the Final Destination franchise I’d recommend reading it. If you liked Wendy and Kevin, you’ll really like 2 chapters specifically. Just skip the BS chapters with the cops and non important crap. You’re welcome.
No campy 3D here folks. But I honestly didn’t know this movie had a novelization (cause really, who would have thought that?) but I found out about it because, and I’ll just be honest here, I always liked Wendy and Kevin. (Spoilers ahead)
Yeah, yeah I’m a fan girl at heart. I’m always pairing characters together in books, movies and TV shows I like and for some reason Wendy and Kevin (Wevin? Kendy?) appealed to me back when I saw the movie in 2006 and still to this day. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ryan Merriman should totally do another film together, I’d watch it cause they were super cute on screen together in a gory horror movie of all things.
Plus, whatever happened to Ryan Merriman? I had such a teenage crush on him with all those Disney movies he starred in. Zac Efron just came in and stole everything Ryan Merriman built up for years.
But let’s get into the book, with some film references, and break it down:
Plot: if you’ve ever seen a Final Destination film then you know the plot; a group of teens/adults get saved from a disaster because one of them has a premonition but then “Death” hunts them down one by one because when your time is up, it’s up.
Now, it’s not a bad concept. I’d say the only flaw is that it’s predictable from the start. You know they’re going to initially survive only to get whacked later in a totally different way. And the third installment actually has clues that Wendy and Kevin decipher from photos she took at an amusement park. Sometimes the clues work and either misdirect the reader (Frank Cheek) or it sets up fear and a knot in the pit of your stomach (Kevin). But other times, the pictures don’t contribute much cause Wendy can’t figure it out.
Pacing: it’s a fairly quick read. I’ll admit the dialogue reads better than the actual exposition. And obviously for all you gore hounds out there actually watching the deaths is more scary than reading about how a character slips and falls and gets his head crushed. I found the parts with the cops (which were not in the film) to be kind of slow and then Kevin and Wendy scenes held my interest more and I read on more earnestly.
Character: okay, this is probably the most important part (of any story but particular this one) because the plot and events are so predictable. The Final Destination series has never had super likable characters with lots of depth but I feel this installment was one of the last that had a blend of characters that you wanted to live and little poop stain characters that you didn’t mind seeing go.
Wendy: our main character and premonition haver. Wendy is a decent character and was played so well by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Her biggest thing/theme through the film and book is control, or a lack of control. She doesn’t want to ever feel like she doesn’t have control of her life. Well somebody better tell her she’s in a Final Destination story, and the fit is about to hit the shan. Wendy is an all around good person and goes through a wide range of emotions. Personally, I liked this. Previous characters always had a “I can beat death, I’m not scared, I’m tough” mentality and while Wendy does try to beat death, she is still a real person with real emotions. She’s constantly reminded how difficult actually beating Death is when the next person dies and she’s affected by their deaths, particularly the manner in which they go (gruesome and cruel) and this scares her. Rightfully so.
Kevin: then comes the deuteragonist Kevin. He’s Wendy’s boyfriend’s best friend that sits next to Wendy on the roller coaster so is spared by the crash, it also means he’s going to be second last in the death order. He and Wendy initially don’t like each other much. Wendy being much more mature and a control freak, and Kevin being a goof and immature. This all changes after the crash scene. Kevin quickly matured and takes his promise to protect Wendy very seriously. Honestly, Kevin goes through more development than Wendy I’d say, but that’s a good thing. He’s tormented by the deaths of his friends but has the “we can beat this” attitude more than Wendy does.
Julie: she’s more important than the other crash survivors but I honestly couldn’t stand her. She’s conceited, self-absorbed, selfish and isn’t even supportive of her own sister. She shows no compassion for Wendy at all when her boyfriend dies or throughout the rest of the book when everyone else starts dying one by one. Anyway, and spoiler, she’s one of the mystery riders on the roller coaster who gets off before it crashes. Wendy finally pieces it together and then we the reader are supposed to care if she lives or dies. Honestly, it’s like the writers knew they came up with an awful character but thought if they just made her related to the protagonist then we the audience would want her to live. ... ... ... I did not.
The Other “Survivors”: I don’t want to give a block to all the other characters but I’ll mention them here. All of them get more back story about who they are than the movie touched on but it’s not really needed. They’re still cannon fodder and not as likable as Kevin and Wendy are. Ashley and Ashlyn are your typical stuck up teen girls that die getting fake suntans (one of the most brutal and iconic deaths in Final Destination history), Frank(ie) Cheek(s) is a pervert and obsessed with boobs and lewd comments. He’s a sleaze and gets his head cut off. Lewis is a dumb jock stereotype that gets killed by work out equipment. Erin and Ian probably get more development than the first four. They’re the goth/emo kids that actually come to believe Wendy’s claims about Death but Erin dies suddenly and Ian is saved by Kevin. Ian then becomes an antagonist thinking if Wendy (last in line) dies out of order then the rest will be saved. Apparently, he never saw the first Final Destination or else he’d know that when Death reaches the bottom of the list he doesn’t call it quits but instead loops back around to the top.
Setting: nondescript town. Nothing special. The amusement park in Act I probably gets the most detail. Act II is all around town (tanning salon, Butchie Burger fast food, a college gym, and a hardware store). The Final Act is the McKinley fair and this sets up the final showdown. Not much attention is spent on the setting but it didn’t need to be. Just the park opening scenes and that was done well.
Writing: the writing isn’t the best I’ve ever read. But for this type of book I didn’t mind that much. It’s a novelization of a movie I’ve already seen. So of course as I’m reading it, I’m seeing it in my head but I’m giving credit to the film more than the writing really describing things well. Lots of run on sentences and some odd word choice (dived vs dove) but again, I can forgive this because this isn’t a Pulitzer Prize nominee. It’s the retelling of a campy horror film that most viewers go to see the imaginative way characters get killed off.
Theme: you can’t cheat death? It’s the most prominent theme across the whole film series. When your time is up, your time is up. The only issue I’ve ever had with this idea, this notion, is that if Death/Fate/whatever you want to call him has a design, a plan that says you’re going to die on this day, then why the premonition? In fact, it’s the most heavily avoided question the Final Destination series refuses to answer; why is Wendy (or Alex, or Kimberly, or Clear sometimes) getting these premonitions to stop Death when it’s just going to come back around and get them later? Is it a message from God? Is Death actually showing the premonition just to torment them? I don’t know but that’s a discussion for a different day.
Overview: I liked the movie, and I liked the book. It’s not anything groundbreaking, some of the changes felt unnecessary (see below) but what this book does do, the most important in fact, is that Wendy and Kevin realize they’re falling for each other. I know, I know, I read a horror book to get some romance. So sue me. The kiss was wonderful and honestly the half naked shower scene read like some fan fiction but I didn't mind. I was just thrilled that this author felt what I did and that was that Wendy and Kevin needed to hook up.
No novel is perfect, especially one based on a campy horror movie. So as usual i have my Nitpicking section where I point out stuff i didn't like.
1. Names and Appearances: some of the characters (minor ones) had some changes made to them. Frankie Cheeks' name is changed to Frank Cheek. Why? Cause. Erin, instead of a skinny redhead, is instead overweight with blue and black dreadlocks. Even Perry, the most side of the side characters went from being Asian in the film to a blonde. Why? Cause. If you're just reading the book, these changes don't mean much but if you've seen the movie it's definitely noticeable.
2. The Officers: the book added an element of having officers investigating the deaths, very similarly to the first Final Destination. I think this was cut from all other movies (minus the 5th) because it just stalls the story. And this was no exception. The cop scenes were sloooooowwwww.
3. F*ck: you know, if you're going to use this word so many times (so so very many times) then at least Wendy and Kevin could have. They came close, but I would have liked the payoff of the tension between them. Plus, they thought they were going to die, might as well do the do, right?
4. The Ending: while I'm glad the train scene is NOT included, this ending also felt unsatisfying. Wendy, Kevin and Julie leave the fair and Wendy heard her camera go off, taking a picture of them meaning its not over. But that's it, the end. I just felt there could have been more to it than that. At least another Wendy and Kevin moment or final kiss.
5. Abandon All Hope: this is more of an issue i have with Final Destination in general but in all adaptations no one ever survives. There is never a way to beat Deaths design. So then, why is there a premonition at all? What purpose does it serve? Death will get you anyway. No matter what.
6. Premonition Explanation: I feel, what could be an interesting twist, is that the premonitions come from Death. Like, he shows you what he's going to do before he does it and then it really is a game. Characters vs Death, but that's only an interesting story element if Death can actually be beaten. I mean really, he'll get you anyway even if it's when you die of old age. But the book offers no story element like this that I think could be interesting.
Well that’s all I’ve got on this. If you want to read the novel without buying it - go ahead and do a Google search. You might be surprised. But anyway, it’s not a bad read and if you’re a big fan of the Final Destination franchise I’d recommend reading it. If you liked Wendy and Kevin, you’ll really like 2 chapters specifically. Just skip the BS chapters with the cops and non important crap. You’re welcome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2025
It’s kind of silly how much I loved this book… FD’s already my favorite horror franchise and I always wondered a little how it would work as a book, safe to say at least for this one it works wonderfully, I loved all the gory details that somehow hit different when they’re words instead of visually played out to me on a screen, the backstory to all of the characters added more depth and really just enhanced this story for me… one star off for the daddy part. Not cool. Not in my world.
November 4, 2008
First i read, i just feel clumsy to this book.
weird. i mean, i know that everyone hv destiny and one day everyone would die. but in this story, all ppl that riding roller coaster that day must die at that time.
And coz several saved, they rant by invisible cursed til they all died.
I mean this soo extreme!
and the way they died so horrible! so, i just dun like this book much! too terrified!
weird. i mean, i know that everyone hv destiny and one day everyone would die. but in this story, all ppl that riding roller coaster that day must die at that time.
And coz several saved, they rant by invisible cursed til they all died.
I mean this soo extreme!
and the way they died so horrible! so, i just dun like this book much! too terrified!
July 3, 2023
it was interesting seeing the images brought to words. n the beginning more of wendy and the rest of the class before the disaster happens. its a little shame that the last disaster is not in the book but leaving it off the way it does makes the book still feel complete. overall a good read and great discriptions of the kills
March 31, 2023
Can’t stop thinking ab how it says Ian “screamed like a girl” when he falls to his death or that it describes one of the dead girl’s shoes as “slutty” even when it’s covered in blood after the crash. Wacky!
December 12, 2025
this was written how i imagine a script from the early 2000s was written, and for that i can’t decide if it’s a two and a half or a full three stars. it did have the final destination flare of gory kills and seemed at times to be canon to the movie characters, but i just can’t get over how gross 90% of the people were and that they altered wendy enough that the authors made it seem like she needed saving. that being said, final destination 3 will continue to be my favorite of the franchise. thanks to my twitter mutual who i saw make a post about this book. can’t believe movie tie-ins were a thing that long ago.
June 5, 2025
Really wanted to like it because it's a novelization of the movie but the writing fell flat and the dialogue wasn't great. There were so many additional dialogue scenes that I didn't find necessary and the dialogue was one of the things that made the movie so good. I get that the author wanted to be different from the movie but it wasn't executed well. Also the unnecessary sexual content was a really hard read (like bro got a HARD on after a death scene bruh) that it makes me appreciate how the original kept Wendy and Kevin platonic.
January 22, 2023
Guess what the movie causes me a fear to ever ever sit on the rollercoaster ever again
May 26, 2023
i skimmed most of this i cant lie but it was fun
November 20, 2024
really would want to give this a 4.5/5 but oh well. 5 stars babey
March 17, 2025
my wendykevin heart 🫶
February 8, 2014
James Wong and Glen Morgan wrote some of the greatest “X-Files” and “Millenium” episodes and do a bang up job with this spooky, supernatural slasher film. But here is a case where the novelization does not just compliment the movie—it surpasses it—by a lot. And keep in mind I really like this movie.
Christa Faust’s adaption is full of rich characterizations, insightful narrative, revealing interior monologues, and even some really emotional scenes. Everything in this book just feels right and rings true. If this were separated from the movie and released and marketed by a major publishing company as a young adult horror novel, it would garner rave reviews and be a smash success. What the author has done here is astounding. She has taken a routine novelization assignment and turned it into a riveting piece of literary fiction drenched with atmosphere and packed with suspense.
A knockout out book that ranks alongside Orson Scott Card's "The Abyss" and Alan Dean Foster's "Aliens" as one of the best novelizations I have read.
Christa Faust’s adaption is full of rich characterizations, insightful narrative, revealing interior monologues, and even some really emotional scenes. Everything in this book just feels right and rings true. If this were separated from the movie and released and marketed by a major publishing company as a young adult horror novel, it would garner rave reviews and be a smash success. What the author has done here is astounding. She has taken a routine novelization assignment and turned it into a riveting piece of literary fiction drenched with atmosphere and packed with suspense.
A knockout out book that ranks alongside Orson Scott Card's "The Abyss" and Alan Dean Foster's "Aliens" as one of the best novelizations I have read.
June 20, 2012
I picked up this novelization hoping to find scenes that hadn't made it into the final cut of the film, and boy was I not disappointed. Not only were there plenty of new scenes, as well as extended versions of scenes in the final cut, and a few alternate death scenes, but there was also new characters as well. They weren't really important, except for the two cops investigating the mysterious deaths, but still.
We learn a lot more about the characters backgrounds and personalities too. Frankie Cheeks somehow manages to come off even sleazier than in the movie. lol There's also a whole new romantic storyline centered around Wendy and Kevin. Most novelizations are rather short, but this one came in at just over 400 pages. It might have been a novelization, but after reading it, it felt more like the movie had been based on the book instead of the other way around.
Definitely recommended for fans of the film and the franchise.
We learn a lot more about the characters backgrounds and personalities too. Frankie Cheeks somehow manages to come off even sleazier than in the movie. lol There's also a whole new romantic storyline centered around Wendy and Kevin. Most novelizations are rather short, but this one came in at just over 400 pages. It might have been a novelization, but after reading it, it felt more like the movie had been based on the book instead of the other way around.
Definitely recommended for fans of the film and the franchise.
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January 18, 2010both movie and book are good although the movie is rated R bad me!!! LOL but the 4th movie is good too but in this book it was obvious that after the roller coaster the people who CHEATED death were gonna die without the movie and this is so not like the movie
February 6, 2013
Sure there was a lot more characterization here than there was in the actual film, but many felt very unimportant, especially the chapters dedicated into giving a VERY minor character a story. This novel was based on the first draft of the film's script, so a lot was different.
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September 5, 2007معرف حضورتون هست !!!1
October 27, 2009
Decent novelisation. There a quite a few character changes to the film which make the book interesting if you are a fan of the series.
September 24, 2010
A great novelization. Very descriptive and fast paced. Both the movie and this book are great! :)
June 30, 2011
An example of a fantastic novelisation! Fantastic novel with some fantastic additions that weren't featured in the film (which was also great). 10/10!
December 12, 2013
HOW CAN I READ IT!?!????!!!!!?? HELP
January 1, 2016
Was curious about the book Ive only seen this movie about a thousand times
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