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Kenneth Johnson's V
V: The Original Miniseries
Kenneth Johnson’s Warner Bros. television series V swept the nation and drew in hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. Now, the novel V is finally back in print, with an all-new, never-before-seen revised ending.
V tells the exciting story of mysterious Alien visitors who are ready to solve Earth’s problems. But soon after arriving, the Aliens’ true nature is revealed, and like so many oppressive regimes of Earth’s past, as long as people are not directly under attack, they will turn a blind eye to their tyrannical overlords. Now it is up to a small band of resistance fighters who know the aliens’ true nature to stand up for all of humanity. Few people are quick to join their cause, and the fight to expose the aliens to the public will not be an easy one.
With fast-paced action, political intrigue and memorable characters, V is sure to stir fond memories for fans of the original miniseries, as well as make fans out of a new generation.
V tells the exciting story of mysterious Alien visitors who are ready to solve Earth’s problems. But soon after arriving, the Aliens’ true nature is revealed, and like so many oppressive regimes of Earth’s past, as long as people are not directly under attack, they will turn a blind eye to their tyrannical overlords. Now it is up to a small band of resistance fighters who know the aliens’ true nature to stand up for all of humanity. Few people are quick to join their cause, and the fight to expose the aliens to the public will not be an easy one.
With fast-paced action, political intrigue and memorable characters, V is sure to stir fond memories for fans of the original miniseries, as well as make fans out of a new generation.
- GenresScience FictionFictionTv
283 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2008
32 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth C. Johnson
9 books138 followersCreator of V, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Bionic Woman and other
Emmy Award Winning shows.
Director of numerous TV movies and the feature films Short Circuit 2, and Steel.
Winner of the prestigious Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn
Awards, The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award, plus nominations for
Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America Awards, among others.
Emmy Award Winning shows.
Director of numerous TV movies and the feature films Short Circuit 2, and Steel.
Winner of the prestigious Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn
Awards, The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award, plus nominations for
Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America Awards, among others.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 17, 2012
I have to admit that I was a fan of the NBC mini-series that this book is based on, though I have no idea why it took me the better part of 20 years to finally get around to reading the novelization. Regardless, I was impressed with this book, which goes into much greater depth the effect the Visitors have on our world. The book goes into greater detail drawing connections between what happens once the Visitors have arrived to what happened to Pre-WW2 Germany, even beyond the words of one of the characters, himself a survivor of the Holocaust.
The only downside to the book is that because it was based on a television mini-series, many of the characters do not have a chance to manifest themselves in their own way, at least for me. I still kept seeing main characters Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish as Marc Singer and Faye Grant. Even the Visitor William, who gets a bit more of a back story in this novelization, still looks like Robert Englund whenever I read his parts.
The only downside to the book is that because it was based on a television mini-series, many of the characters do not have a chance to manifest themselves in their own way, at least for me. I still kept seeing main characters Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish as Marc Singer and Faye Grant. Even the Visitor William, who gets a bit more of a back story in this novelization, still looks like Robert Englund whenever I read his parts.
June 14, 2013
Alright I will try to be as objective as I can about this book. (Good Luck. V- The Original Miniseries is based on the miniseries that aired on NBC in 1983. I was 12 years old when it premiered, and it was one of my favorite movies of all time. Finding the novel allowed me to reconnect with a series I held near to my heart.
The book pretty much runs parallel with the film. Only a few extra things. This version of the novel omits The Final Battle, and sets up the stage for V: The Second Generation. Nothing is cut from the book, and it is a fast read. If you were a fan of the original series, you owe it too yourself to check it out!!
The book pretty much runs parallel with the film. Only a few extra things. This version of the novel omits The Final Battle, and sets up the stage for V: The Second Generation. Nothing is cut from the book, and it is a fast read. If you were a fan of the original series, you owe it too yourself to check it out!!
June 30, 2018
I loved the idea of the story and loved the actual miniseries. This novelization though, left out so many of the story's high points. I wish there was an actual novel (or series of novels) the miniseries had been based on.
May 2, 2025
Overall, actually pretty solid. I wasn't really sure what I was getting into this with this, and though the style was a bit odd in some ways (there's a looot of characters and a lot of switching between them, and almost always calling them by thier full names each time?), I overall enjoyed this, more than I thought I would. I haven't seen the OG mini series, but I do remember watching the reboot series many years ago, and reading this made me want to revisit that as well as watch the old mini series.
I definitely was not expecting the ending to be so... open/unresolved as it was (even with the added epilogue), but I also don't know how it COULD have ended, given the scope of the invasion!
Cool scifi book, interesting story, I was interested to read on pretty much the whole time. Also, somehow, scarily relevant to certain global politics. 😶
QUOTE:
"How did somebody like that get into power anyway?"
Martin looked grim. "Charisma. Circumstances. Promises. Financial backing. A doctrine that appealed to the unthinking - assurances that he, as thier leader, would bring them to greatness. Not enough of us spoke out to question him - or even took him seriously - until it was too late. It's happened here in your planet, hasn't it?"
I definitely was not expecting the ending to be so... open/unresolved as it was (even with the added epilogue), but I also don't know how it COULD have ended, given the scope of the invasion!
Cool scifi book, interesting story, I was interested to read on pretty much the whole time. Also, somehow, scarily relevant to certain global politics. 😶
QUOTE:
"How did somebody like that get into power anyway?"
Martin looked grim. "Charisma. Circumstances. Promises. Financial backing. A doctrine that appealed to the unthinking - assurances that he, as thier leader, would bring them to greatness. Not enough of us spoke out to question him - or even took him seriously - until it was too late. It's happened here in your planet, hasn't it?"
February 15, 2019
Please see my review of the ORIGINAL VERSION of this novel.
I enjoyed it, and I wish I still had a copy of the original.
When I read this version, all was the same EXCEPT for a few omissions and massive additions and changes (towards the end). If you grew up with the original version, you will still be fine. I enjoyed the changes, albeit a tad in mourning for the original. But in saying this, I believe the changes are good. Because by doing so, AC Crispin and Kenneth Johnson are allowing for a better (in my opinion) sequel.
I won’t say more, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: there is no red dust in this version (or the sequel).
I enjoyed it, and I wish I still had a copy of the original.
When I read this version, all was the same EXCEPT for a few omissions and massive additions and changes (towards the end). If you grew up with the original version, you will still be fine. I enjoyed the changes, albeit a tad in mourning for the original. But in saying this, I believe the changes are good. Because by doing so, AC Crispin and Kenneth Johnson are allowing for a better (in my opinion) sequel.
I won’t say more, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: there is no red dust in this version (or the sequel).
September 15, 2023
This really brought back memories of being a teenager watching V with my mom. This only has 19 chapters from Book 1 of the V novel, but it has an epilogue with new content setting up The Second Generation. I will never get tired of reading about the Visitors. Diana has always been my favorite visitor. Read this book if you have the chance.
March 26, 2025
This was my favorite TV show during my childhood. In some ways, it could be considered the 1980s version of Walking Dead, though it featured aliens instead of zombies. My friends and I would gather on Friday evenings to watch the show. Despite its age, the book was in good condition, with typical signs of wear. The pages and spine were in excellent shape.
September 4, 2025
Still one of my favorite novels from my teenage years...so much so that I literally WROTE the book again! I had a notebook and was just writing the novel page by page because I was in love with the story, the characters and the sci-fi of it all! They can try to redo it...but it'll never be done like "V" again.
May 14, 2018
Het boek naar aanleiding van de originele miniserie. Het boek is trouw aan het verhaal zonder iets extra. Wel is er in deze editie (2008) een link gemaakt in het epiloog naar een origineel vervolg genaamd The Second Generation. Dit maakt de overgang naadlozer. Een leuk boek voor fans van de serie.
September 15, 2024
Cut to ribbons, don't bother.
The original book was excellent. I looked forward so much to this being available on Kindle only to find it's roughly half the original. Not worth it, I have no clue why this was done.
The original book was excellent. I looked forward so much to this being available on Kindle only to find it's roughly half the original. Not worth it, I have no clue why this was done.
April 2, 2018
Entretenido aunque es casi una descripción de la mini serie televisiva
June 13, 2018
Actual rating: 3,5.
May 31, 2020
An amazing adventure from my childhood.
September 14, 2024
A dreadful, flat adaptation.
Read
October 7, 2025Quite possibly more relevant today than when it was written.
November 15, 2015
Having last read this book as a teenager, I am surprised by how well the novel holds up against the sometimes "cheesy" TV movies. The novel has a more sinister atmosphere and the struggle of the resistance is more palpable, possibly due to the increased detail of their plight and the insurmountable force they must defeat. Still one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
January 5, 2017
Après m'être forcé à regarder les deux saisons de l'horrible remake de la série V, ce fut un vrai plaisir de replonger dans le charme et la subtilité de la série originale grâce à cette version en roman plutôt réussie. Tout cela pour m'attaquer ensuite à la suite imaginée et écrite par le créateur de la série.
April 3, 2024
I have read this a few times already and I always enjoy it.
It's a summary of sorts of the original TV mini series (the first one) and it is why I enjoy rereading this often. I loved and was obsessed with the TV show when I was a kid , having first watched when I was 6 / 7 .
A great story and one of my go-back-to-reads because it also evokes happy memories from childhood.
It's a summary of sorts of the original TV mini series (the first one) and it is why I enjoy rereading this often. I loved and was obsessed with the TV show when I was a kid , having first watched when I was 6 / 7 .
A great story and one of my go-back-to-reads because it also evokes happy memories from childhood.
April 26, 2010
It was much better than I expected, especially as I knew it would end unresolved (or the series could not continue). I hope the events in the epilogue do not introduce a "deus ex machina," as this is usually a cop out for poor writing.
March 17, 2009
So, I'm not really sure why I picked this up since I'm not a fan of the book of the movie genre. The story in this is good, but it's the story in the miniseries. The style is meh.
February 13, 2010
Read this in the 5th grade-- all in one weekend, when I was supposed to be doing a report on Helen Keller. Famous blind person vs. amphibian aliens invading Earth...well it's no contest there.
May 26, 2010
It was almost exactly like the original TV show, so it was easy to visualize everything. It was a pretty good sci-fi book.
August 4, 2010
I just had to read it since I loved the mini series.
February 23, 2011
Kinda weird, I remember reading this when I was a kid. It ends on an odd note, like a to be continued... But I never read the second book. I might do it now
Read
July 31, 2011Having never seen the original minideries, I borrowed this from the library to compare with the new series on tv at the moment. It's a decent read if not a little dated
August 27, 2014
Very disappointing. I much preferred the original story.
July 21, 2015
the story is good but the new ending was just too fast and "easy".
October 12, 2016
Not great literature by any means, but definitely a fun read. You don't have to be a fan of the series to enjoy this quick read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews