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MonsterVerse #9
Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelisation
The official novelisation of the biggest battle in movie history: Godzilla vs Kong, the latest film in the Monsterverse franchise, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Kyle Chandler and Zhang Ziyi.
Humanity fights for its future as Godzilla and Kong embark on a path of destruction that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in an all-out war!
Writer Greg Keyes returns once again to the Monsterverse and takes readers deeper into the worlds of Monarch, the Titans, and so much more.
Humanity fights for its future as Godzilla and Kong embark on a path of destruction that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in an all-out war!
Writer Greg Keyes returns once again to the Monsterverse and takes readers deeper into the worlds of Monarch, the Titans, and so much more.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2021
84 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Greg Keyes
84 books652 followersGregory 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.
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 57 reviews
May 29, 2021
To say I rarely read movie novelizations is a pretty big understatement. I've only read one other movie novelization in my entire life, Batman Begins, and that was about fifteen years ago. I decided to read the novelization of the newest MonsterVerse film, Godzilla vs Kong, because of the combination of these three factors:
1. I really wanted to see the movie (it got surprisingly good reviews from critics, and I've seen all other MonsterVerse movies)
2. Movie theatres are currently closed in my area because of COVID-19 lockdowns
3. Streaming platforms in my area currently want an outrageous amount of money to rent this movie, as it's brand new
So I said hey, my library has the movie novelization, and it's free to rent from the library, and this book has really great reviews so far, so why not? But then yesterday, when I was on page 280 out of 311, almost done the book, we said hey, it's Friday. Let's do pizza and a movie. What movie? Well I don't know. What about the smash hit Godzilla vs Kong?
So I guess it was a bit moot for me to read the book, because now I've seen the movie. But this leaves me in a position to compare the two, and I'm sad to say that this is the rare case where the movie is far better than the book. But let's start out with some of the things I really liked about the book. The author clearly did a decent amount of scientific research to write this book. There are parts that contain interesting detail on some of the flora and fauna of Skull Island, as well as on magnetic levitation (maglev) technology in trains and on some other things.
I also liked the general story, though it's the same in both formats. Any time you base a large part of a story on a scientific theory that is considered ridiculous in modern times, and that has been disproved since the 1700s (Hollow Earth), you had better do it right and do your best to make it believable, and I think both the author and the film did an admirable job of that.
Ok, now let's get to the things I didn't like. The editing. Oh. My. God. The. Editing. Was. Terrible. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. I have been reading books since I was very young, decades now, and have read many hundreds of books, and I can safely say this book takes the cake: this is the worst-edited book I have ever read in my entire life. This book is absolutely plagued with misspelled words, missing words, correctly-spelled-but-not-the-right words, missing commas, commas placed in nonsensical locations, and more.
There was such a mistake, I would say, at least every three pages, with some pages having numerous errors. The state this book was published in is simply embarrassing. The editing was so bad it actually affected my enjoyment of the story, which is a shame. But the editing wasn't the only problem.
I also really hated the backstory this book did on Ishirō Serizawa, who is arguably the greatest character in the entire MonsterVerse, and who died saving Godzilla in the last movie, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The book basically paints him as a terrible father who was never around for his son, who is a character in Godzilla vs Kong, and as someone who neglected everyone in his life in favour of his scientific pursuits, etc. This backstory was not in the movie, which preserved his character's integrity and, in my opinion, is one of the things that made the movie superior to this book.
I also didn't like Madison being in the story, in either the movie or the book, but how out of place she is was more obvious in the book, because it contained more detail about her. Godzilla vs Kong is fundamentally a story where "grown-up" things are happening. Big cities like Hong Kong are being evacuated. Fleets of aircraft carriers and destroyers are being assembled to traverse oceans. Jet fighters are being scrambled. Large corporations are trying to spin the various crises to their advantage. All of these things are designed, orchestrated, and carried out entirely by adults. Members of the military. Defense contractors. Scientists.
So why the hell is an 18-year-old high school kid basically thrown into the role of an action hero in this story?
She has a "command center" at her house, with multiple computer monitors.
Umm. She's a kid?
She commandeers vehicles to go on what she calls "missions".
Uhh. She's a kid?
She travels across the world to take on global mega-corporations and to "save the world".
She's a kid!!! For God's sake, it makes no sense! And it makes the entire story less believable. Her and her young high school friend, with the exception of Jia (who doesn't count; she is a lot younger and has a role in the story that actually fits well and makes sense), are noticeably the only kids in this entire movie. They don't belong in the story, and the movie and book are worse for them being there. I think if Madison had stayed behind, possibly having more of a background role, helping her father at the Monarch command center or something, and Bernie took on Apex himself, the movie and book would have been a lot better, and far more realistic.
In the end, the film Godzilla vs Kong doesn't have hundreds of grammatical errors. It preserves the integrity of Ishirō Serizawa's great MonsterVerse character. And it ignores the ridiculous fact that Madison is just a high school kid, assuming a role she doesn't belong in, instead of drawing attention to it. For these reasons, and more, the film version of Godzilla vs Kong is a far more enjoyable experience, and leaves behind a better legacy for both its two Titans and its human characters than this book does.
Godzilla vs Kong film: 4/5 stars
Godzilla vs Kong movie novelization: 2.5/5 stars
1. I really wanted to see the movie (it got surprisingly good reviews from critics, and I've seen all other MonsterVerse movies)
2. Movie theatres are currently closed in my area because of COVID-19 lockdowns
3. Streaming platforms in my area currently want an outrageous amount of money to rent this movie, as it's brand new
So I said hey, my library has the movie novelization, and it's free to rent from the library, and this book has really great reviews so far, so why not? But then yesterday, when I was on page 280 out of 311, almost done the book, we said hey, it's Friday. Let's do pizza and a movie. What movie? Well I don't know. What about the smash hit Godzilla vs Kong?
So I guess it was a bit moot for me to read the book, because now I've seen the movie. But this leaves me in a position to compare the two, and I'm sad to say that this is the rare case where the movie is far better than the book. But let's start out with some of the things I really liked about the book. The author clearly did a decent amount of scientific research to write this book. There are parts that contain interesting detail on some of the flora and fauna of Skull Island, as well as on magnetic levitation (maglev) technology in trains and on some other things.
I also liked the general story, though it's the same in both formats. Any time you base a large part of a story on a scientific theory that is considered ridiculous in modern times, and that has been disproved since the 1700s (Hollow Earth), you had better do it right and do your best to make it believable, and I think both the author and the film did an admirable job of that.
Ok, now let's get to the things I didn't like. The editing. Oh. My. God. The. Editing. Was. Terrible. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. I have been reading books since I was very young, decades now, and have read many hundreds of books, and I can safely say this book takes the cake: this is the worst-edited book I have ever read in my entire life. This book is absolutely plagued with misspelled words, missing words, correctly-spelled-but-not-the-right words, missing commas, commas placed in nonsensical locations, and more.
There was such a mistake, I would say, at least every three pages, with some pages having numerous errors. The state this book was published in is simply embarrassing. The editing was so bad it actually affected my enjoyment of the story, which is a shame. But the editing wasn't the only problem.
I also really hated the backstory this book did on Ishirō Serizawa, who is arguably the greatest character in the entire MonsterVerse, and who died saving Godzilla in the last movie, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The book basically paints him as a terrible father who was never around for his son, who is a character in Godzilla vs Kong, and as someone who neglected everyone in his life in favour of his scientific pursuits, etc. This backstory was not in the movie, which preserved his character's integrity and, in my opinion, is one of the things that made the movie superior to this book.
I also didn't like Madison being in the story, in either the movie or the book, but how out of place she is was more obvious in the book, because it contained more detail about her. Godzilla vs Kong is fundamentally a story where "grown-up" things are happening. Big cities like Hong Kong are being evacuated. Fleets of aircraft carriers and destroyers are being assembled to traverse oceans. Jet fighters are being scrambled. Large corporations are trying to spin the various crises to their advantage. All of these things are designed, orchestrated, and carried out entirely by adults. Members of the military. Defense contractors. Scientists.
So why the hell is an 18-year-old high school kid basically thrown into the role of an action hero in this story?
She has a "command center" at her house, with multiple computer monitors.
Umm. She's a kid?
She commandeers vehicles to go on what she calls "missions".
Uhh. She's a kid?
She travels across the world to take on global mega-corporations and to "save the world".
She's a kid!!! For God's sake, it makes no sense! And it makes the entire story less believable. Her and her young high school friend, with the exception of Jia (who doesn't count; she is a lot younger and has a role in the story that actually fits well and makes sense), are noticeably the only kids in this entire movie. They don't belong in the story, and the movie and book are worse for them being there. I think if Madison had stayed behind, possibly having more of a background role, helping her father at the Monarch command center or something, and Bernie took on Apex himself, the movie and book would have been a lot better, and far more realistic.
In the end, the film Godzilla vs Kong doesn't have hundreds of grammatical errors. It preserves the integrity of Ishirō Serizawa's great MonsterVerse character. And it ignores the ridiculous fact that Madison is just a high school kid, assuming a role she doesn't belong in, instead of drawing attention to it. For these reasons, and more, the film version of Godzilla vs Kong is a far more enjoyable experience, and leaves behind a better legacy for both its two Titans and its human characters than this book does.
Godzilla vs Kong film: 4/5 stars
Godzilla vs Kong movie novelization: 2.5/5 stars
November 27, 2022
I read this book on a whim. I have not seen the movie, or any of the recent Godzilla and Kong movies except for Skull Island which I enjoyed very much. Frankly, I was not expecting very much from this novelization, but I am happy to say, that there is an awful lot here. This is a very well thought out book with a great premise and incredible fight scenes. It also offers the nostalgic joy of showing off not only Godzilla and King Kong but also Mechagodzilla. As if that isn’t awesome enough, the Hollow Earth theory is introduced and actualized. If you love monster movies or the old adventure classics, this book is just packed with material you will enjoy.
The basic plot is that Godzilla has successfully trounced the three headed Ghidorah and exerted his supremacy over the other titans and then disappeared for several years. He has become popularly viewed as a defender of humanity and scientists have noticed that since the titans arose ecological disasters like global warming and climate change have begun to reverse. But while most of the planet is sighing with relief, certain mega corporations continue to secretly (and some not so secretly) study the titans in an effort to make profitable scientific advancements. When Godzilla suddenly reappears and attacks a Florida city for no discernable reason, public opinion turns on him and supports a corporate madman who has publicly sworn he will destroy Godzilla. (That this madman also happens to own the corporate buildings Godzilla smashed doesn’t seem to raise the skepticism of almost anyone.)
The rest of the novel is an attempt to figure out how to destroy Godzilla while three people try and figure out why Godzilla attacked Florida in the first place. The “destroy Godzilla” plan involves King Kong whose island’s ecology has been destroyed by humans. It also involves the Hollow Earth theory and a search for the origins of the titans and possibly all life on earth. The “find out why Godzilla attacked” group involves a lot of unrealistic cloak and dagger spying by two kids and a crazed podcaster—but this is a monster movie. It seems like fifteen-year-olds running around to save the day requires a much smaller suspension of disbelief than the monsters themselves do.
And what amazing monsters they are. King Kong and Godzilla are awesome. And they get two very big battles against each other, the best of which involves Kong leaping from battleship to aircraft carrier trying to get at Godzilla without drowning in the ocean. And the final battle—totally predictable by anyone who gives the matter five seconds of thought, was also outstanding.
This book was so much fun that I have to go read the first novel in the series and hope that the producers will be making others.
The basic plot is that Godzilla has successfully trounced the three headed Ghidorah and exerted his supremacy over the other titans and then disappeared for several years. He has become popularly viewed as a defender of humanity and scientists have noticed that since the titans arose ecological disasters like global warming and climate change have begun to reverse. But while most of the planet is sighing with relief, certain mega corporations continue to secretly (and some not so secretly) study the titans in an effort to make profitable scientific advancements. When Godzilla suddenly reappears and attacks a Florida city for no discernable reason, public opinion turns on him and supports a corporate madman who has publicly sworn he will destroy Godzilla. (That this madman also happens to own the corporate buildings Godzilla smashed doesn’t seem to raise the skepticism of almost anyone.)
The rest of the novel is an attempt to figure out how to destroy Godzilla while three people try and figure out why Godzilla attacked Florida in the first place. The “destroy Godzilla” plan involves King Kong whose island’s ecology has been destroyed by humans. It also involves the Hollow Earth theory and a search for the origins of the titans and possibly all life on earth. The “find out why Godzilla attacked” group involves a lot of unrealistic cloak and dagger spying by two kids and a crazed podcaster—but this is a monster movie. It seems like fifteen-year-olds running around to save the day requires a much smaller suspension of disbelief than the monsters themselves do.
And what amazing monsters they are. King Kong and Godzilla are awesome. And they get two very big battles against each other, the best of which involves Kong leaping from battleship to aircraft carrier trying to get at Godzilla without drowning in the ocean. And the final battle—totally predictable by anyone who gives the matter five seconds of thought, was also outstanding.
This book was so much fun that I have to go read the first novel in the series and hope that the producers will be making others.
September 23, 2025
Godzilla vs. Kong by Greg Keyes is an adrenaline-fueled novelization that takes the monster mayhem of the film and stretches it into a more fleshed-out, detailed story. If you’re a kaiju fan or someone who wanted more depth from the movie, the book delivers on world-building, character development, and a few surprises, even though it has its quirks.
The novel adds layers to the human characters, who often felt paper-thin in the movie. Dr. Nathan Lind, for example, is given a richer backstory, including a failed Hollow Earth expedition that cost his brother’s life, making his motivations more compelling. Bernie Hayes, the conspiracy theorist podcaster, gets a tragic past that explains his obsession with Apex Cybernetics. Even Ren Serizawa, who felt like a throwaway character in the film, is given more depth as we learn about his fractured relationship with his father, Ishirō Serizawa. These additions make the human side of the story more engaging.
But let’s be real the stars of this book are Godzilla and Kong. The novel occasionally delves into their perspectives, especially Kong’s, which is a rare treat. You get a sense of his emotions, instincts, and connection to Jia, the deaf girl who communicates with him. Kong’s journey through the Hollow Earth and his discovery of his ancestral axe feels more impactful with the added lore it’s like uncovering ancient secrets alongside him. Godzilla, while still treated as more of a force of nature, has moments that highlight his role as the “balance keeper” of the ecosystem.
One of the coolest elements is how the book fills in gaps left by the movie. For example, it explains why Skull Island became a storm-wracked wasteland (thanks to the giant bat Titan, Camazotz) and gives more insight into Apex’s shady experiments with Mechagodzilla. These expansions make the MonsterVerse feel richer and more interconnected, referencing graphic novels like Kingdom Kong and Godzilla Dominion. It’s nerdy in the best way.
That said, the action sequences especially the epic Titan battles don’t hit as hard as they do on screen. Keyes tries to capture the scale and intensity, but prose struggles to match the visual impact of Kong leaping from an aircraft carrier or Godzilla blasting his atomic breath halfway through the Earth. Some of the fight scenes feel rushed or lack the “wow” factor you’d expect.
Godzilla vs. Kong is a fun, lore-packed novelization that expands on the movie’s story in meaningful ways. It’s not perfect, especially when it comes to the action, but if you’re a fan of the MonsterVerse, it’s worth the read for the added context and character depth.
The novel adds layers to the human characters, who often felt paper-thin in the movie. Dr. Nathan Lind, for example, is given a richer backstory, including a failed Hollow Earth expedition that cost his brother’s life, making his motivations more compelling. Bernie Hayes, the conspiracy theorist podcaster, gets a tragic past that explains his obsession with Apex Cybernetics. Even Ren Serizawa, who felt like a throwaway character in the film, is given more depth as we learn about his fractured relationship with his father, Ishirō Serizawa. These additions make the human side of the story more engaging.
But let’s be real the stars of this book are Godzilla and Kong. The novel occasionally delves into their perspectives, especially Kong’s, which is a rare treat. You get a sense of his emotions, instincts, and connection to Jia, the deaf girl who communicates with him. Kong’s journey through the Hollow Earth and his discovery of his ancestral axe feels more impactful with the added lore it’s like uncovering ancient secrets alongside him. Godzilla, while still treated as more of a force of nature, has moments that highlight his role as the “balance keeper” of the ecosystem.
One of the coolest elements is how the book fills in gaps left by the movie. For example, it explains why Skull Island became a storm-wracked wasteland (thanks to the giant bat Titan, Camazotz) and gives more insight into Apex’s shady experiments with Mechagodzilla. These expansions make the MonsterVerse feel richer and more interconnected, referencing graphic novels like Kingdom Kong and Godzilla Dominion. It’s nerdy in the best way.
That said, the action sequences especially the epic Titan battles don’t hit as hard as they do on screen. Keyes tries to capture the scale and intensity, but prose struggles to match the visual impact of Kong leaping from an aircraft carrier or Godzilla blasting his atomic breath halfway through the Earth. Some of the fight scenes feel rushed or lack the “wow” factor you’d expect.
Godzilla vs. Kong is a fun, lore-packed novelization that expands on the movie’s story in meaningful ways. It’s not perfect, especially when it comes to the action, but if you’re a fan of the MonsterVerse, it’s worth the read for the added context and character depth.
April 11, 2021
Haven’t seen it but begging my parents to take me.
May 17, 2021
The novelization of Godzilla vs. Kong, was written by Greg Keyes, and published by Titan Books. It's based on the screenplay by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein. The story was by Terry Rossio, Michael Dougherty, and Zach Shields.
SUMMARY: A few years have passed since the events of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when the Titans battled over the earth for dominance. For three years, the Titans have gone silent once again. That is until something lures Godzilla up from the depths of the sea to storm the beaches of Pensacola Florida. Something has awakened the Titan and causes him to feel threatened! Godzilla attacks an area of the city, which happens to have an Apex Cybernetics facility. This sudden attack on the city causes people to panic and believe that Godzilla is no longer a friend of man.
This Apex Cybernetics, aims to complete two tasks; retrieve a power source from the hollow earth, and create a titan of their own (for "safety and security" but really... a weapon to get whatever they want). Apex funds Monarch to transport Kong from the destroyed Skull Island to Antarctica, where there is a gateway to hollow earth. They put their faith in Kong to guide them to the center of the earth, where Apex will then attempt to extract the power source they seek.
A few individuals, don't buy into the idea/reports that Godzilla has become an enemy of mankind. They believe Apex is up to no good and will do anything and everything they can, to pull the curtain back on Apex Cybernetics to reveal the sinister truth behind the company walls.
Monarch attempts to keep Kong and Godzilla from meeting, but the beasts sense each other... and the fight for dominance begins.
CHARACTERS: There are many characters in this story, so much more time was spent with characters that were hardly seen in the film, which is awesome. I'm going to mention my two favorites.
Bernie: He's host of the the Titan Truth (conspiracy) podcast. He also works for Apex, which he believes holds dark secrets that tie them into weapons manufacturing that could potentially kill or control the massive Titans, especially Godzilla. His goal is to discover the truth about the company he works for and expose Apex Cybernetics of corporate conspiracy. His initial discovery of the darker side of Apex came about after the death of his wife. The relationship built up between Bernie and another main character, Madison, is both comical and trusting. They have an unspoken understanding of what drives the Titans and fully believe that there is an organization(s) out there, willing to cause chaos by destroying, or controlling the Titans. Bernie and Madison's journey together was fun to follow, and their curiosity puts them in great risk.
Ren: He's an engineer/tech genius that works for Apex. His father was mostly absent from his life while he was growing up. Ren's father was obsessed with Godzilla, which caused Ren to despise the Titan greatly. Ren knew that his father favored the beast over his own family. Because of this, Ren vowed that he would destroy Godzilla, the beast that robbed him of a father and happy childhood.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I really, really enjoyed this book. Of course, with a novelization for a film like Godzilla vs. Kong, you're not going to get all the cool special effects, vibrant visuals and intense audio. However, the story was more emotional with the addition of character histories and inner thoughts, making this form of media far superior to the film.
What I loved most about this novelization, is the amount of backstory added to the characters. I was surprised just how well Keyes managed to balance out all the characters while adding so much more to them. Such great additions pushed the plot forward in a way that made way more since than how the film progressed. The leading characters were great, but the secondary characters are expanded upon in such wonderful detail that it adds so much more emotion to the overall story.
The novelization added quite a bit of new material beyond that of just characters. There are plenty of new action scenes with Titans that weren't even mentioned or seen in the movie. These additions were unexpected, but welcome! They explained a lot of little missing details that the film left out. A lot of the science fiction elements in the story didn't make much since in the film. The book elaborates a bit more on the technology, making the HEAVs and other forms of tech more believable and less silly.
Greg Keyes does a wonderful job with descriptions and gives even gives us a point of view by the Titans. The action was written out very well, making it easy to visualize the intense Titan fights. The book is a lot of fun and has me craving more Titan action with Kong and Godzilla.
Do I recommend Godzilla vs. Kong? Yes! I believe reading the book before watching the film is ideal.
Rating: I will give this novelization an A
SUMMARY: A few years have passed since the events of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when the Titans battled over the earth for dominance. For three years, the Titans have gone silent once again. That is until something lures Godzilla up from the depths of the sea to storm the beaches of Pensacola Florida. Something has awakened the Titan and causes him to feel threatened! Godzilla attacks an area of the city, which happens to have an Apex Cybernetics facility. This sudden attack on the city causes people to panic and believe that Godzilla is no longer a friend of man.
This Apex Cybernetics, aims to complete two tasks; retrieve a power source from the hollow earth, and create a titan of their own (for "safety and security" but really... a weapon to get whatever they want). Apex funds Monarch to transport Kong from the destroyed Skull Island to Antarctica, where there is a gateway to hollow earth. They put their faith in Kong to guide them to the center of the earth, where Apex will then attempt to extract the power source they seek.
A few individuals, don't buy into the idea/reports that Godzilla has become an enemy of mankind. They believe Apex is up to no good and will do anything and everything they can, to pull the curtain back on Apex Cybernetics to reveal the sinister truth behind the company walls.
Monarch attempts to keep Kong and Godzilla from meeting, but the beasts sense each other... and the fight for dominance begins.
CHARACTERS: There are many characters in this story, so much more time was spent with characters that were hardly seen in the film, which is awesome. I'm going to mention my two favorites.
Bernie: He's host of the the Titan Truth (conspiracy) podcast. He also works for Apex, which he believes holds dark secrets that tie them into weapons manufacturing that could potentially kill or control the massive Titans, especially Godzilla. His goal is to discover the truth about the company he works for and expose Apex Cybernetics of corporate conspiracy. His initial discovery of the darker side of Apex came about after the death of his wife. The relationship built up between Bernie and another main character, Madison, is both comical and trusting. They have an unspoken understanding of what drives the Titans and fully believe that there is an organization(s) out there, willing to cause chaos by destroying, or controlling the Titans. Bernie and Madison's journey together was fun to follow, and their curiosity puts them in great risk.
Ren: He's an engineer/tech genius that works for Apex. His father was mostly absent from his life while he was growing up. Ren's father was obsessed with Godzilla, which caused Ren to despise the Titan greatly. Ren knew that his father favored the beast over his own family. Because of this, Ren vowed that he would destroy Godzilla, the beast that robbed him of a father and happy childhood.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I really, really enjoyed this book. Of course, with a novelization for a film like Godzilla vs. Kong, you're not going to get all the cool special effects, vibrant visuals and intense audio. However, the story was more emotional with the addition of character histories and inner thoughts, making this form of media far superior to the film.
What I loved most about this novelization, is the amount of backstory added to the characters. I was surprised just how well Keyes managed to balance out all the characters while adding so much more to them. Such great additions pushed the plot forward in a way that made way more since than how the film progressed. The leading characters were great, but the secondary characters are expanded upon in such wonderful detail that it adds so much more emotion to the overall story.
The novelization added quite a bit of new material beyond that of just characters. There are plenty of new action scenes with Titans that weren't even mentioned or seen in the movie. These additions were unexpected, but welcome! They explained a lot of little missing details that the film left out. A lot of the science fiction elements in the story didn't make much since in the film. The book elaborates a bit more on the technology, making the HEAVs and other forms of tech more believable and less silly.
Greg Keyes does a wonderful job with descriptions and gives even gives us a point of view by the Titans. The action was written out very well, making it easy to visualize the intense Titan fights. The book is a lot of fun and has me craving more Titan action with Kong and Godzilla.
Do I recommend Godzilla vs. Kong? Yes! I believe reading the book before watching the film is ideal.
Rating: I will give this novelization an A
September 17, 2025
I'm a big Godzilla fan. I own all the movies in both Japanese and English and have seen them multiple times. This movie, I rank as one of the worst. In fact, I would rank it as probably third from the bottom. However, this novelization was pretty good. In fact, it was quite a bit better than the movie. I attribute this mostly to the character perspectives and the resulting knowledge of where the story was going. Unlike the movie, which tries to keep everything secret until the big reveal at the end, the novel makes no secret of what's going on with Apex, and we even get perspectives from Godzilla. Also, the little girl's guardian, who was so obnoxious in the movie, was perfectly likable in the novel. Overall, this was a pleasant surprise.
April 19, 2021
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
I can’t rightly think if I’ve ever read an ‘Official Novelization’ before?
Maybe many years ago? But it’s something over the past decade I can assure myself I’ve not, which made reading this an interesting experience.
On the one hand, I have a four-year-old at home who is a Godzilla/Monsterverse fanatic. One who’s made me love these creatures as well, learn their names, backstories and get excited for what’s to come.
At three years old, he randomly came across Godzilla on Youtube and has been hooked ever since. We’ve watched all of the US releases as well as a number of the TOHO releases.
This all led to us having a movie night to celebrate Godzilla vs Kong being released and renting it on Amazon Prime to enjoy.
But throughout all of this, never once did I consider reading the ‘Official Novelizations.’ That is until I was chatting with Tim Lebbon. Tim wrote the Official Novelization of Kong: Skull Island and he kindly sent me a signed bookplate for my son which will be put into the book once it arrives. Shortly after receiving Tim’s kind gesture, this book was offered up for review with Kendall Reviews and the group joked that this had my name all over it. And you know what? They were right.
What I liked: This is an odd one to review because I’ve already watched Godzilla vs Kong five times since it was released. So, for the most part, I knew exactly what was going to happen.
A brief synopsis/reminder – the book follows Monarch as they discover Godzilla is on the move again. Since the events in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla has remained fairly dormant. But now, our atomic breath blowing Titan is moving through the ocean. Meanwhile, Kong has grown angry at his imprisonment in the Monarch Base on Skull Island. And lastly, a billionaire is secretly creating his own ‘Titan’ to show just how strong mankind really is.
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll know what happens and how we eventually get a massive battle between our beloved creatures in Hong Kong. But even if you have seen the movie, or haven’t, the book does a great job of adding to the story, creating great depth in the characters that were sorely missing in the onscreen version and filling in the details both from the last movie to this one, but also through some of the scenes that felt a bit rushed and didn’t have the impact I was hoping for when I watched it (I’m looking at you Warbat).
Keyes does a great job of giving the human characters the right amount of personality that feels less “pomp” over what the big screen versions had, which was great for me, as a number of the actors I’ve never been fans of.
Lastly, Dr. Nathan Hind, portrayed by Alexander Skarsgard in the film, really comes to life in this novel. His Hollow Earth theory and explanations are significantly better here than shown in the movie.
What I didn’t like: It truly doesn’t matter how talented of a writer you are or what your resume shows, for me at least, justice just can’t be done for the sheer scope of the battle at the climax of the movie. Keyes does a really great job of describing it and jumping back and forth between the key places and scenes occurring, but ultimately, it didn’t have the same impact as seeing the Titan’s come to blows visually.
Why you should buy this: Well, completists in the Godzilla world will buy this either way, and they’ll enjoy it. If you’re not a massive fan of the scaly one and prefer to experience your entertainment through books versus film, this one has emotional depth, fantastically described creatures and was a really well done action-adventure story. It just happens to feature 300-foot beasts.
I can’t rightly think if I’ve ever read an ‘Official Novelization’ before?
Maybe many years ago? But it’s something over the past decade I can assure myself I’ve not, which made reading this an interesting experience.
On the one hand, I have a four-year-old at home who is a Godzilla/Monsterverse fanatic. One who’s made me love these creatures as well, learn their names, backstories and get excited for what’s to come.
At three years old, he randomly came across Godzilla on Youtube and has been hooked ever since. We’ve watched all of the US releases as well as a number of the TOHO releases.
This all led to us having a movie night to celebrate Godzilla vs Kong being released and renting it on Amazon Prime to enjoy.
But throughout all of this, never once did I consider reading the ‘Official Novelizations.’ That is until I was chatting with Tim Lebbon. Tim wrote the Official Novelization of Kong: Skull Island and he kindly sent me a signed bookplate for my son which will be put into the book once it arrives. Shortly after receiving Tim’s kind gesture, this book was offered up for review with Kendall Reviews and the group joked that this had my name all over it. And you know what? They were right.
What I liked: This is an odd one to review because I’ve already watched Godzilla vs Kong five times since it was released. So, for the most part, I knew exactly what was going to happen.
A brief synopsis/reminder – the book follows Monarch as they discover Godzilla is on the move again. Since the events in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla has remained fairly dormant. But now, our atomic breath blowing Titan is moving through the ocean. Meanwhile, Kong has grown angry at his imprisonment in the Monarch Base on Skull Island. And lastly, a billionaire is secretly creating his own ‘Titan’ to show just how strong mankind really is.
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll know what happens and how we eventually get a massive battle between our beloved creatures in Hong Kong. But even if you have seen the movie, or haven’t, the book does a great job of adding to the story, creating great depth in the characters that were sorely missing in the onscreen version and filling in the details both from the last movie to this one, but also through some of the scenes that felt a bit rushed and didn’t have the impact I was hoping for when I watched it (I’m looking at you Warbat).
Keyes does a great job of giving the human characters the right amount of personality that feels less “pomp” over what the big screen versions had, which was great for me, as a number of the actors I’ve never been fans of.
Lastly, Dr. Nathan Hind, portrayed by Alexander Skarsgard in the film, really comes to life in this novel. His Hollow Earth theory and explanations are significantly better here than shown in the movie.
What I didn’t like: It truly doesn’t matter how talented of a writer you are or what your resume shows, for me at least, justice just can’t be done for the sheer scope of the battle at the climax of the movie. Keyes does a really great job of describing it and jumping back and forth between the key places and scenes occurring, but ultimately, it didn’t have the same impact as seeing the Titan’s come to blows visually.
Why you should buy this: Well, completists in the Godzilla world will buy this either way, and they’ll enjoy it. If you’re not a massive fan of the scaly one and prefer to experience your entertainment through books versus film, this one has emotional depth, fantastically described creatures and was a really well done action-adventure story. It just happens to feature 300-foot beasts.
April 9, 2021
I only read novelizations if its a movie I havent seen and I plan on seeing it. I love novels that inspired movies because when the movie is good you know the novel is even better. pretty much any novel ( Jurassic Park, Psycho, Exorcist, Congo, Sphere, godfather etc) are superior to the movie offspring.
I think the same goes for movie novelizations. the novels are based off of the screenplay so alot of times you get scenes that were deleted from the movie and you get background on characters or plot that were maybe touched upon in the movie but never really deeply explored. I saw 2014 Godzilla and 2017 Kong Skull Island but I havent seen 2019 Godzilla KOTM. but the author did a good job of keeping you up to date throughout the plot of this book so I never felt like i didnt know what was going on. I thought there were some interesting things in this book. I liked the hollow earth thery and scenes. I liked how they made and explained mechagodzilla. I never saw the old TOHO godzilla movies from 50s-80s but from what i have seen in pieces the original mechagodzilla was more comedy than anything else. Not in this book/movie. the movie/book did a decent job of giving a reason why these two titans ( 3 if you count Mecha) end of squaring off in Hong Kong ( Hong King Kong??) it was very enjoyable so I am sure the movie ( even if its weak in script or whatever) is going to be a fun ride.
I think the same goes for movie novelizations. the novels are based off of the screenplay so alot of times you get scenes that were deleted from the movie and you get background on characters or plot that were maybe touched upon in the movie but never really deeply explored. I saw 2014 Godzilla and 2017 Kong Skull Island but I havent seen 2019 Godzilla KOTM. but the author did a good job of keeping you up to date throughout the plot of this book so I never felt like i didnt know what was going on. I thought there were some interesting things in this book. I liked the hollow earth thery and scenes. I liked how they made and explained mechagodzilla. I never saw the old TOHO godzilla movies from 50s-80s but from what i have seen in pieces the original mechagodzilla was more comedy than anything else. Not in this book/movie. the movie/book did a decent job of giving a reason why these two titans ( 3 if you count Mecha) end of squaring off in Hong Kong ( Hong King Kong??) it was very enjoyable so I am sure the movie ( even if its weak in script or whatever) is going to be a fun ride.
January 25, 2024
The funny thing about movie novelizations is that the film is always better. Why is that? Because these books rarely get to include any original content. I knew that going in. Still, as a monster book, I had hoped for a few glimpses into Godzilla’s or Kong’s “thoughts” or instincts- something that would be impossible to include in a kaiju film. Guess what? There are a few of those scenes! Hence the four stars. Sadly, they are limited to earlier moments and none are included during the climactic battle. Hence the four stars and the disclaimer- for hardcore fans only.
I just don’t get it. Keyes is good. He’s worked in the Star Wars Universe so he has to be. If you really wanted to make money on books like this why not give the writers more leeway? Or, at the very least, all the stuff that wound up on the cutting room floor?
I just don’t get it. Keyes is good. He’s worked in the Star Wars Universe so he has to be. If you really wanted to make money on books like this why not give the writers more leeway? Or, at the very least, all the stuff that wound up on the cutting room floor?
December 8, 2021
In the book,Godzilla vs Kong, Greg Keyes tells the story of Godzilla attacking the cities, and everyone was puzzled about his radiation power. He had to face Kong in a battle. It's fun to read how they fight and who will be the only apex species who will win , Godzilla or Kong or arrogance of humanity. The story kept me engaged because I wanted to know who was more powerful than the other. I laughed a lot on how scenes unfolded and how they used their limited computer skills. One of my favorite parts is how the author focused on the monster’s point of view. Also, the book includes short notes at the beginning of every chapter and this was helpful. One of the things I disliked was that one of the fight scenes was not detailed. This was the scene I highly anticipated and wanted to know more about, but it focused on the foe’s point of view which I wasn’t interested in. If you love monsterverse, then this is one the best match for you and Greg Keyes did a great job in novelization of the original film.
July 4, 2022
Competently written and does a good job at expanding on subplots and giving us details that the movie itself didn't have to time to show.
July 28, 2024
(Audiobook) A fun read/listen for huge Godzilla fans such as myself. Gives some more context to the movie. If you’re not a big Kaiju fan, skip this one and watch the movie instead.
May 5, 2021
One of the best things about movie novelisations is being able to expand upon big screen stories in ways that the filmmakers weren't able to, often including concepts from earlier stages in production, or scenes that end up on the cutting room floor. Whilst Godzilla Vs. Kong doesn't have a huge amount of removed scenes in the book, it does add a lot of background information that explains a lot of the inner workings of the film; and answers some of the questions I've seen people asking online.
The plot is largely the same as the movie. When Godzilla reappears after a three year absence and attacks a tech facility in Florida the world fears that their giant protector may have finally turned against humanity. As such, the tech company in question, Apex, joins forces with the Titan research and containment group Monarch to find a way of combating Godzilla.
Picking up on research and theories that were hinted at in Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters Apex finds a way to map out the Hollow Earth, the vast caverns and tunnels that exist below the surface of the planet that may have been the origin point for all of the Titans. They discover that there's an energy source deep inside the Earth that matches the radiation that Godzilla puts out, and they set out to get hold of it. To this end they recruit scientist Nathan Lind, who previously tried to enter the Hollow Earth in an expedition that cost the life of his brother.
Nathan believes that Kong may possess the genetic memory of how to get to Hollow Earth safely, and the location of this power source, so recruits Ilene Andrews, the woman looking after Kong, to join him. Together with Jia, the last surviving member of the Iwi people, they set out to take Kong deep into the Hollow Earth; a mission that puts Kong on Godzilla's radar, and brings the two alpha Titans into conflict.
The biggest differences between the book and the film that eagle eyed fans will notice is that we get a lot more about Lind and the Hollow Earth than the film provided, and we actually get to see the failed expedition that cost the life of his brother. Whilst the film did talk about this event we actually get to see it here, and it definitely makes the entire expedition feel more dangerous than the film did, and it lets readers get into Lind's head and see why his failure haunts him so much.
We also get to learn more about Skull Island, and how it went from the lush paradise we saw in Kong's film to the storm wracked place it becomes in Godzilla Vs. Kong. We get none of these answers in the film, but Greg Keyes makes a point of explaining it here, and we actually discover that the island's entire ecosystem has been destroyed following the appearance of the giant bat Titan Camazotz. Camazotz, and his battle with Kong, was the main plot of the comic series Kingdom Kong, which also featured the first appearance of Jia, so it's good to see that whilst the films may not be acknowledging everything the books are trying to bring all the parts of the Monsterverse together into one coheive whole.
This is something we see a few times across the book as Keyes will also make mention of Godzilla fighting other creatures such a Scylla, an event that happened in the comic Godzilla Dominion. It not only makes everything feel bigger, and widens the universe, but adds a cohesion that sometimes feels lacking in the movies. We have mentions of human characters that don't appear in every film, learn what they're up to, and get to know what's been going on between the films.
It's not just background information that Keyes expands upon, however, as he goes into more detail in key moments in the film, offering insight that is never clearly stated in the film and are things that viewers are left to try and figure out on their own. Things such as the huge temple Kong finding in the Hollow Earth having been built by his ancestors rather than humans, or that Apex has not just one but two of the Ghidora skulls, and that one is inside Mechagodzilla itself. It's hinted at in the film that Mechagodzilla goes out of control because of the latent personality of King Ghidora, but the book explicitly confirms it. It also makes the story feel somewhat closer to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla from 2002, in which Mechagodzilla was also built using organic components from defeated monsters.
The expansions the book makes really make it a good read, and it's stuff that I wished was in the film. Tell me more about the inner workings of Mechagodzilla, explain why Ren Serizawa wants to kill Godzilla, tell me why Skull Island is wrecked. Greg Keyes gave me all the action of the film but also all of the background info I wanted to, making it more than just a film adaptation, but an expansion that made it just as entertaining.
The plot is largely the same as the movie. When Godzilla reappears after a three year absence and attacks a tech facility in Florida the world fears that their giant protector may have finally turned against humanity. As such, the tech company in question, Apex, joins forces with the Titan research and containment group Monarch to find a way of combating Godzilla.
Picking up on research and theories that were hinted at in Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters Apex finds a way to map out the Hollow Earth, the vast caverns and tunnels that exist below the surface of the planet that may have been the origin point for all of the Titans. They discover that there's an energy source deep inside the Earth that matches the radiation that Godzilla puts out, and they set out to get hold of it. To this end they recruit scientist Nathan Lind, who previously tried to enter the Hollow Earth in an expedition that cost the life of his brother.
Nathan believes that Kong may possess the genetic memory of how to get to Hollow Earth safely, and the location of this power source, so recruits Ilene Andrews, the woman looking after Kong, to join him. Together with Jia, the last surviving member of the Iwi people, they set out to take Kong deep into the Hollow Earth; a mission that puts Kong on Godzilla's radar, and brings the two alpha Titans into conflict.
The biggest differences between the book and the film that eagle eyed fans will notice is that we get a lot more about Lind and the Hollow Earth than the film provided, and we actually get to see the failed expedition that cost the life of his brother. Whilst the film did talk about this event we actually get to see it here, and it definitely makes the entire expedition feel more dangerous than the film did, and it lets readers get into Lind's head and see why his failure haunts him so much.
We also get to learn more about Skull Island, and how it went from the lush paradise we saw in Kong's film to the storm wracked place it becomes in Godzilla Vs. Kong. We get none of these answers in the film, but Greg Keyes makes a point of explaining it here, and we actually discover that the island's entire ecosystem has been destroyed following the appearance of the giant bat Titan Camazotz. Camazotz, and his battle with Kong, was the main plot of the comic series Kingdom Kong, which also featured the first appearance of Jia, so it's good to see that whilst the films may not be acknowledging everything the books are trying to bring all the parts of the Monsterverse together into one coheive whole.
This is something we see a few times across the book as Keyes will also make mention of Godzilla fighting other creatures such a Scylla, an event that happened in the comic Godzilla Dominion. It not only makes everything feel bigger, and widens the universe, but adds a cohesion that sometimes feels lacking in the movies. We have mentions of human characters that don't appear in every film, learn what they're up to, and get to know what's been going on between the films.
It's not just background information that Keyes expands upon, however, as he goes into more detail in key moments in the film, offering insight that is never clearly stated in the film and are things that viewers are left to try and figure out on their own. Things such as the huge temple Kong finding in the Hollow Earth having been built by his ancestors rather than humans, or that Apex has not just one but two of the Ghidora skulls, and that one is inside Mechagodzilla itself. It's hinted at in the film that Mechagodzilla goes out of control because of the latent personality of King Ghidora, but the book explicitly confirms it. It also makes the story feel somewhat closer to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla from 2002, in which Mechagodzilla was also built using organic components from defeated monsters.
The expansions the book makes really make it a good read, and it's stuff that I wished was in the film. Tell me more about the inner workings of Mechagodzilla, explain why Ren Serizawa wants to kill Godzilla, tell me why Skull Island is wrecked. Greg Keyes gave me all the action of the film but also all of the background info I wanted to, making it more than just a film adaptation, but an expansion that made it just as entertaining.
July 23, 2024
Not as good as some other movie novelisation. The build-up is good, but then the writer suddenly steamrolls towards the end. Godzilla - King Of The Monsters proofs that there can be good novelisation out there, so I hoped for more
October 18, 2021
Why haven’t I read these novelizations before?!
EXCELLENT!
Better than the movie & of course I enjoyed the movie, DUH. LOL
If MonsterVerse is your jam, here ya go!
There’s even an added Godzilla tangent where he saves a Titan that’s from a prequel graphic novel to G VS K!
It fills in the gaps the movie left! The book expands on the characters & their back stories like, Dr. Nathan Lind, Bernie Hayes, Mark Russell, Maia Simmons etc. Hollow Earth!! So much added goodness.
MechaGodzilla! Bring on my love for technothrillers! I loved this movie novelization & need to go back and read more of these! Already have Godzilla: King of the Monsters on my TBR thanks to the Audible+ catalog!
For what it is: 5+ stars!
EXCELLENT!
Better than the movie & of course I enjoyed the movie, DUH. LOL
If MonsterVerse is your jam, here ya go!
There’s even an added Godzilla tangent where he saves a Titan that’s from a prequel graphic novel to G VS K!
It fills in the gaps the movie left! The book expands on the characters & their back stories like, Dr. Nathan Lind, Bernie Hayes, Mark Russell, Maia Simmons etc. Hollow Earth!! So much added goodness.
MechaGodzilla! Bring on my love for technothrillers! I loved this movie novelization & need to go back and read more of these! Already have Godzilla: King of the Monsters on my TBR thanks to the Audible+ catalog!
For what it is: 5+ stars!
May 23, 2023
I read this one last year (specifically in the period of time where I was undergoing months long recovery from my accident) so my specific memories are basically like feeble post it notes stuck to the mental television screen playing the movie. I just wanted to take a moment and point out one thing:
This is the mythical novelization-with-a-purpose I have talked about on this site before. This takes the original notes and scripts and background and weaves elements that did not make it into the movie and explains...a number of things. In this case, it is likely because a certain worldwide pandemic seems to have done things to the movie (my guess) or maybe some producer thought any backstory at all was too much, but there are gaps. The book does not really explain the gap in any surprising way that a fan would not have largely worked out, but still. Kudos to this book for existing.
Generally every character interaction makes more sense (or at least as much sense as it can) and a couple of characters have significantly more backstory and explanation. Why did a certain character's son betray the cause? Why did a certain father figure have a completely 180 from the previous movie? What happened to a certain human-shaped big-bad from the previous movie? This book explains all the things that the movie felt [wrongly] was unnecessary. Most of the technical details and fight sequences were retained for the movie so you can get them better there than in this book, but for characters, this book is a big help.
If you liked the movie (and the series in general) and was curious about why this or that jumped ahead or where some element came from...here you go. If you disliked the movie and think kaiju is dumb, then you are a meanie-butt and this book will not help you. I mean, you are not really meanie-butt, but the book still probably won't make you like the Legendary films if you did not before.
This is the mythical novelization-with-a-purpose I have talked about on this site before. This takes the original notes and scripts and background and weaves elements that did not make it into the movie and explains...a number of things. In this case, it is likely because a certain worldwide pandemic seems to have done things to the movie (my guess) or maybe some producer thought any backstory at all was too much, but there are gaps. The book does not really explain the gap in any surprising way that a fan would not have largely worked out, but still. Kudos to this book for existing.
Generally every character interaction makes more sense (or at least as much sense as it can) and a couple of characters have significantly more backstory and explanation. Why did a certain character's son betray the cause? Why did a certain father figure have a completely 180 from the previous movie? What happened to a certain human-shaped big-bad from the previous movie? This book explains all the things that the movie felt [wrongly] was unnecessary. Most of the technical details and fight sequences were retained for the movie so you can get them better there than in this book, but for characters, this book is a big help.
If you liked the movie (and the series in general) and was curious about why this or that jumped ahead or where some element came from...here you go. If you disliked the movie and think kaiju is dumb, then you are a meanie-butt and this book will not help you. I mean, you are not really meanie-butt, but the book still probably won't make you like the Legendary films if you did not before.
May 13, 2021
Maybe three and a half stars.
I will try to write out my thoughts with more detail later for a Toho Kingdom review, but the short version is--I haven't seen the movie yet. In the book, in general, I liked the human cast, and I liked how Keyes worked in back story material which I am sure will make them much more interesting in the movie as well. The book references the recent comics as well. Not as much extra monster action as was in Godzilla King of the Monsters novel, I am guessing.
My biggest disappointment was that I felt his handling of the monster fight sequences--especially in the climactic battle--were really uninspiring, borderline weak. This is a big problem for a Godzilla novel. Mark Cerasini does monster battles MUCH better.
Still, I enjoyed it.
I will try to write out my thoughts with more detail later for a Toho Kingdom review, but the short version is--I haven't seen the movie yet. In the book, in general, I liked the human cast, and I liked how Keyes worked in back story material which I am sure will make them much more interesting in the movie as well. The book references the recent comics as well. Not as much extra monster action as was in Godzilla King of the Monsters novel, I am guessing.
My biggest disappointment was that I felt his handling of the monster fight sequences--especially in the climactic battle--were really uninspiring, borderline weak. This is a big problem for a Godzilla novel. Mark Cerasini does monster battles MUCH better.
Still, I enjoyed it.
Want to read
April 5, 2021I want to read this book even though I know that it will never be as good as the movie. Sometimes things just work better as movies.
May 24, 2021
I love novelizations, and this one is great
I haven't yet seen the movie - but I hope to. This book is great.
I highly recommend it !
I haven't yet seen the movie - but I hope to. This book is great.
I highly recommend it !
December 12, 2024
- The first movie novelization book that I’ve read. Normally to adapt media, you have to take some liberties with the plot or characters to attempt to better suit the medium. The plot of the original movie was so barebones and the human characters are pretty much walking plot devices, which means that all of the production value went to the epic monster fights. Unfortunately giant CGI slugfests are really hard to adapt to print media.
- It’s strongest when doing its world building, because it helps you appreciate the design of the shared monster-verse.
- It helps to have seen the movie to let your imagination take over in visualizing the set pieces the set pieces (fights, hollow earth)
- My mom put it best when she said that "you need garbage to appreciate the good stuff". This is fun schlock
- It’s strongest when doing its world building, because it helps you appreciate the design of the shared monster-verse.
- It helps to have seen the movie to let your imagination take over in visualizing the set pieces the set pieces (fights, hollow earth)
- My mom put it best when she said that "you need garbage to appreciate the good stuff". This is fun schlock
July 4, 2021
Small press and self-published authors write most kaiju fiction available in English, so it's always a breath of fresh air when a seasoned writer tackles the subject. Keyes' prose is crisp, professional, and effective. On the down side most pro SF writers are not well versed in kaiju so the monster parts don't come to life as vividly as kaiju stories written by kaiju fans. This is true here, too. Keyes gives his monster scenes a matter of fact tone when he should be embellishing these scenes as well as he does the human scenes. I wasn't sure if I should give this book four or five stars. Out of fairness I gave it five because the book is exceptionally well written and I don't want to discourage people from reading it.
December 29, 2021
A fitting tribute and companion to the Legendary saga
I love the film but this is even better. It fills the gaps that left people wondering about several questions that weren't addressed or not fully answered in the movie. Besides that, it nearly connects to past films and comics as well as paying due tribute to the original Kaiju Japanese films and the 1930s/70s King Kong films that started it all. It's a marvelous narrative that despite being fast paced at times, it does a great job in developing these characters and allowing is to see the world through the titans and humans eyes.
I love the film but this is even better. It fills the gaps that left people wondering about several questions that weren't addressed or not fully answered in the movie. Besides that, it nearly connects to past films and comics as well as paying due tribute to the original Kaiju Japanese films and the 1930s/70s King Kong films that started it all. It's a marvelous narrative that despite being fast paced at times, it does a great job in developing these characters and allowing is to see the world through the titans and humans eyes.
January 13, 2023
Better than the movie in that it gives more backstory to many of the characters so that they aren't paper thin and it gives insight into the thoughts of both Godzilla and Kong which isn't possible in movie format. However, the best aspect of Godzilla vs Kong is the monster battles themselves, and this is where the visual aspect of film has the book beat. That being said, I found the film to actually be more enjoyable after reading the book because I was then aware of the motivations, inner thoughts, and experiences of the characters and so I could mentally fill in those blanks left by the movie.
November 12, 2023
'Godzilla vs. Kong' is a fun read whether you've seen the film and are looking for a longer, at times more rounded experience, or are just seeking an excellent kaiju thriller. I never really got the point of movie novelizations until recently. It's like experiencing the ultra director's cut in book form and the strengths of the novel format really aids in getting across the thoughts and feelings of the characters bringing a higher level of believability to their outlandish adventure, not to mention shedding light on the hidden depths of the Titans themselves.
Five star fun!
Five star fun!
June 28, 2021
The novelization of the film is a very good adaptation, in large part because of the expanded expositional scenes. Not “data-dumps”, but rather the moments that the main characters spend thinking, reflecting, processing.
There are a few moments where scenes in the film could have benefited from more emotion-revelations, most of them involving Mark and Madison Russell, as well as Nathan Lind, and Ilene Andrews and Jia.
The novel adaptation does a good job of delivering on that.
There are a few moments where scenes in the film could have benefited from more emotion-revelations, most of them involving Mark and Madison Russell, as well as Nathan Lind, and Ilene Andrews and Jia.
The novel adaptation does a good job of delivering on that.
September 7, 2021
Fun read; made me wish the movie could’ve been an epic tv series. Keyes did a great job with the fight sequences, though the final fights did feel a bit rushed. Great job filling in gaps the movie had to leave out due to time. Keyes at times was obviously restricted by the film series going from sci-fi to full tilt fantasy; I laughed out loud when he had to describe Godzilla literally shooting his atomic breath halfway through the Earth. Goofy fun.
January 16, 2025
I read this because I help my students with their assignments and one of mine adores Godzilla and Kong and chose this book
I was pleasantly surprised. There was some story behind monsters smashing things and the monsters have a backstory that makes sense - with emotions and family connections
It was fairly well written and I found myself caring about the storylines for many of the characters.
I was pleasantly surprised. There was some story behind monsters smashing things and the monsters have a backstory that makes sense - with emotions and family connections
It was fairly well written and I found myself caring about the storylines for many of the characters.
August 9, 2025
Read the awesome book of fan of monsterverse
I enjoyed every page of the book. I read/ listened using whisper
sync for voice which provided me immerse experience.
The detailed info in the book will answer so many gaps which is not covered in the movie. I am not criticizing the movie, it is great. But if you are a big fan of monster verse, hollow earth theory and titans, you must read it.
I enjoyed every page of the book. I read/ listened using whisper
sync for voice which provided me immerse experience.
The detailed info in the book will answer so many gaps which is not covered in the movie. I am not criticizing the movie, it is great. But if you are a big fan of monster verse, hollow earth theory and titans, you must read it.
July 12, 2021
I might be biased but I really liked this novelization! As per usual with movie novels, there were some creative liberties taken, but they don't negate the storytelling in any way. I liked the added lore to the MonsterVerse, and I liked the way the point of view would be from either of the Titan's perspective occasionally, as it really helps envelop the reader.
June 23, 2021
Very good adaption with lots of background and material of the years between Godzilla King of the Monsters and this one.
Make me wish they would license out to do more novels set in the MONARCH/Monsterverse
Make me wish they would license out to do more novels set in the MONARCH/Monsterverse
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