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Snakes on a Plane
Sean Jones, escorted by an FBI agent, is on a plane to Los Angeles to testify as a murder witness against a Los Angeles gang member, who has secretly placed a crate containing dangerous snakes on the plane.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 11, 2006
4 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Christa Faust
79 books401 followersChrista Faust is an American author who writes original novels, as well as novelizations and media tie-ins.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 28, 2013
The three stars, of course, come with the caveat that this book is exactly what it is: A capable adaptation of a B movie more notable for its title-generated internet frenzy than for any actual inherent quality. You don't read this book because you're actually interested in the story or the quality, you read it to be able to say that you didn't just watch the film, but you _read the book_. You're just _that_ hardcore. And you're tired of those monkey fighting snakes on that Monday-to-Friday plane.
May 12, 2020
I didn't need to know what snakes smelt like ...
Does anyone remember the old scratch and sniff books that we used to get as children? I must be harking back to the 80s/early 90s here, but this book was so vivid with the descriptions of the smell of the snakes that at points, I felt physically sick.
Christa Faust (author of Final Destination III, Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamspawn and Friday The 13th: The Jason Strain) has done another brilliant novelization of a horror/thriller movie. When I had initially ordered this, I was expecting another bare bones novelization. However, I got 415 page indepth novelization, which improved on the film even more than I was expecting.
AS this is published by Black Flame, you also have the first three Final Destination novelizations listed at the beginning and also a preview of Death of the Senses at the end. This could have been a Final Destination movie - if Death was a snake instead.
As I've already said, the description in this is simply astounding, I was not expecting to see this, and it's one of the best novelizations I've read so far this year (alongside the Rocky novelizations). I didn't think I ever needed to know what a snake's breath smelt liked, or what would happen when a snake crushed you, or crawled over you. But now I know and I feel queasy with the knowledge.
The beginning has been expanded on as well, we get more knowledge of who this random kid Sean was. We find out that his deadbeat mother was pretty much absent for most of his life, and he barely knew who his dad was (this is also a whole thread of storyline that was cut from the final film). He's alone, spending money that was sent from his grandparents (who also disowned his mother) on the dirtbike, which is where we find him at the beginning of the film.
Each character has their own background, right down to the characters we all hated, or even the characters that were barely mentioned/given a name/scenes were cut from the final film. While this may drag some other books/novelizations down, Christa kept this flowing along nicely, and it really did flesh out the storyline a lot more. Lets face it, with a lot of these films, you're just picking out who you want to die/be killed first. But instead, we find out about Ken's mythical girlfriend (rather just her appearing at the end of the movie), how much we loved to hate Paul, Three G's severe OCD is brought up frequently, rather than just skimmed over in the film. The scene with Mercedes and Ashley and Tyler (the guy who offers the dog, Mary Kate, a Xanax) in the airport is also expanded, and they become much more fully fledged characters, with an ongoing storyline thread throughout the book, rather than just hanging around waiting to be killed off. There's another character called Lulu Fang (appropriate name), who turns up at the beginning and then reappears at the end as well, with Eddie Kim. If she was in the film, she was not on my radar at all.
The bit where it does feel a little too close to comfort to the first Final Destination movie is when a psychic appears on board, and then quite promptly gets carted off, when she has a rather accurate premonition about the snakes and everyone surrounding her appearing dead/injured. That was perhaps indirectly influenced by Final Destination, since Christa wrote the third novelization.
When you think about all the introductions and backgrounds to each character, I was surprised by the plane taking off by page 105 - yet it did not feel bogged down at all in description. If you were reading this without seeing the film, then it would be an excellent book, and you'd be able to see everyone in your head. Since I rewatched this movie shortly before starting the novelization, I obviously had the actors in my head.
However, the first human death by snake does not begin until page 135. All the deaths stick reasonably closely to the film, just with the added description - smells, tastes, feels. It will send a shiver up your spine, and there were a few times I had to put the book down, and swallow.
There's also more scenes with Eddie Kim, and more background to him as well. I suppose they were trying to show how he became the man he was, with his family background.
There's a lot more chemistry between Claire and Flynn, that was perhaps cut out or toned down in the film. We also have a whole conversation as to why Claire is becoming a lawyer and why she went into being a stewardness. There's also a lot more from the stewards/pilots in general (including one particular scene where the pilot/co-pilot talk about female pubic hair, and their preferences).
The "snake doctor", Stephen Price, is a professor of herpetology and has a blonde bimbo for a girlfriend. His scenes are also more indepth, and you get to see his sheer glee at dealing with so many snakes.
From reading the trivia about this film, the original script was 122 pages long, and then after reworking it, the script is narrowed down to 103 pages long, so I imagine a lot of the additional scenes/background would have been cut in this reworking and it ended up with a 1 hour 45 min film.
I still enjoy the film, I just think the novelization adds so much more and is actually really enjoyable. Christa has done an amazing job with this and I will be looking to see if I can pick up any more of her books (I already have all the Final Destination books that there currently are). If you liked the film, I would highly recommend picking this up, and immersing yourself in. Just keep a sick bag handy.
Does anyone remember the old scratch and sniff books that we used to get as children? I must be harking back to the 80s/early 90s here, but this book was so vivid with the descriptions of the smell of the snakes that at points, I felt physically sick.
Christa Faust (author of Final Destination III, Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamspawn and Friday The 13th: The Jason Strain) has done another brilliant novelization of a horror/thriller movie. When I had initially ordered this, I was expecting another bare bones novelization. However, I got 415 page indepth novelization, which improved on the film even more than I was expecting.
AS this is published by Black Flame, you also have the first three Final Destination novelizations listed at the beginning and also a preview of Death of the Senses at the end. This could have been a Final Destination movie - if Death was a snake instead.
As I've already said, the description in this is simply astounding, I was not expecting to see this, and it's one of the best novelizations I've read so far this year (alongside the Rocky novelizations). I didn't think I ever needed to know what a snake's breath smelt liked, or what would happen when a snake crushed you, or crawled over you. But now I know and I feel queasy with the knowledge.
The beginning has been expanded on as well, we get more knowledge of who this random kid Sean was. We find out that his deadbeat mother was pretty much absent for most of his life, and he barely knew who his dad was (this is also a whole thread of storyline that was cut from the final film). He's alone, spending money that was sent from his grandparents (who also disowned his mother) on the dirtbike, which is where we find him at the beginning of the film.
Each character has their own background, right down to the characters we all hated, or even the characters that were barely mentioned/given a name/scenes were cut from the final film. While this may drag some other books/novelizations down, Christa kept this flowing along nicely, and it really did flesh out the storyline a lot more. Lets face it, with a lot of these films, you're just picking out who you want to die/be killed first. But instead, we find out about Ken's mythical girlfriend (rather just her appearing at the end of the movie), how much we loved to hate Paul, Three G's severe OCD is brought up frequently, rather than just skimmed over in the film. The scene with Mercedes and Ashley and Tyler (the guy who offers the dog, Mary Kate, a Xanax) in the airport is also expanded, and they become much more fully fledged characters, with an ongoing storyline thread throughout the book, rather than just hanging around waiting to be killed off. There's another character called Lulu Fang (appropriate name), who turns up at the beginning and then reappears at the end as well, with Eddie Kim. If she was in the film, she was not on my radar at all.
The bit where it does feel a little too close to comfort to the first Final Destination movie is when a psychic appears on board, and then quite promptly gets carted off, when she has a rather accurate premonition about the snakes and everyone surrounding her appearing dead/injured. That was perhaps indirectly influenced by Final Destination, since Christa wrote the third novelization.
When you think about all the introductions and backgrounds to each character, I was surprised by the plane taking off by page 105 - yet it did not feel bogged down at all in description. If you were reading this without seeing the film, then it would be an excellent book, and you'd be able to see everyone in your head. Since I rewatched this movie shortly before starting the novelization, I obviously had the actors in my head.
However, the first human death by snake does not begin until page 135. All the deaths stick reasonably closely to the film, just with the added description - smells, tastes, feels. It will send a shiver up your spine, and there were a few times I had to put the book down, and swallow.
There's also more scenes with Eddie Kim, and more background to him as well. I suppose they were trying to show how he became the man he was, with his family background.
There's a lot more chemistry between Claire and Flynn, that was perhaps cut out or toned down in the film. We also have a whole conversation as to why Claire is becoming a lawyer and why she went into being a stewardness. There's also a lot more from the stewards/pilots in general (including one particular scene where the pilot/co-pilot talk about female pubic hair, and their preferences).
The "snake doctor", Stephen Price, is a professor of herpetology and has a blonde bimbo for a girlfriend. His scenes are also more indepth, and you get to see his sheer glee at dealing with so many snakes.
From reading the trivia about this film, the original script was 122 pages long, and then after reworking it, the script is narrowed down to 103 pages long, so I imagine a lot of the additional scenes/background would have been cut in this reworking and it ended up with a 1 hour 45 min film.
I still enjoy the film, I just think the novelization adds so much more and is actually really enjoyable. Christa has done an amazing job with this and I will be looking to see if I can pick up any more of her books (I already have all the Final Destination books that there currently are). If you liked the film, I would highly recommend picking this up, and immersing yourself in. Just keep a sick bag handy.
September 19, 2021
With snakes opening their mouths and letting loose sprays of toxic venom into eyes, biting into cartilage, bodies convulsing and extreme spasms until death, snakes wrapped around oxygen masks that drop from the ceiling, this is snakes on a plane and going feral! People have had enough of motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane.
July 7, 2020
I, for one, have not had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane and would frankly welcome more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2020
I challenge you to find a more appropriate read for 2020.
Come for the ridiculous plot and nostalgia for a fangtastic movie; stay for the piss-poor copy editing and unexpected misogyny.
Come for the ridiculous plot and nostalgia for a fangtastic movie; stay for the piss-poor copy editing and unexpected misogyny.
June 2, 2009
Christa Faust needs a new job. Desperately. How can the novelization of the screenplay of the most fascinating movie ever be bad?!?! But it is. Everyday objects and interactions are described in minute, boring detail (a table setting, how to play the game "Go), while the really cool stuff like how the bad guys got a crate of deadly snakes on a plane is just glazed over. The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is that it is a motherfucking amazing story. Let's hope she isn't on board to write the novelization for the sequal, 'Ferrets on a Panel Truck.'
September 24, 2009
This book is guilty of trying way too hard. Trying to add depth and backstory made it tedious and overwrought. If every page would have just had THAT'S IT...I'VE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHER FUCKING SNAKES ON THIS MOTHER FUCKING PLANE typed onto it in bold, this book would have been a lot more amusing.
September 27, 2013
Okay reading as movie books go. It did keep me engaged the whole way through. There is an obnoxious man on the plane who ends up getting eaten by a giant python. I don't remember that happening in the movie version (probably just as well). So read only if you want to see how many types of snakes the screenwriters wanted in the movie. Otherwise, fuggetaboutit.
April 29, 2007
If you haven't seen the movie, give this novelization a shot. One of its virtues is that you'll invariably go in with low expectations and be pleasantly surprised. It's upbeat, unabashedly violent in some parts, but absent the tacky dialogue one would expect. A quick and thrilling read!
April 17, 2008
I can't believe I started this book, but I didn't manage to finish it. It was painfully slow (scene by scene) and eventually I figured I'd find out the ending faster by watching the movie. The movie was delightfully trashy.
September 9, 2008
Holy moly, what trash!
January 23, 2009
One reads this book as a joke, so it's difficult to rate it in the context of other books. It has pages, two covers, and a spine. That's all I really needed. That and the title.
March 22, 2013
What can I say? I loved the movie with Samuel L. in it. The book actually provide some background details that help move the story along and explain certain story aspects.
September 9, 2016
136 - 2014
Tertimbun sejak 03.04.13
Tertimbun sejak 03.04.13
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews