I did, yes. For the most part, it doesn't actually read like a movie novelization, so if I hadn't known it was, I wouldn't necessarily have guessed -- at least until I got to the piling up of "lucky escapes / rescues" (as in, major, mature hero A singlehandedly saves reckless, young and occasionally TSTL co-hero B from situations with impossible odds into which B keeps tumbling all by his own fault, such as being surrounded by a whole squadron of adversaries who are all trained soldiers and armed to the teeth) ... which the movie, being a movie -- and moreover of the "1980s historical adventure with supernatural and romance elements" persuasion -- gets away with by dint of well-done action scripting and cutting, but which, coming practically right one after the other, in a 167-page novel (in my edition) somehow come across as a bit much and straining believability.
But I liked the writing and the characterization; not least for the bits where Vinge provides an inner life to the characters which, in the movie, you can only guess at from their body language, dialogue and actions (even though in the movie -- and given the quality of the actors -- this is all you need).
This was a "Rutger Hauer memorial read" to me, btw -- he's one of the movie's main stars, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick. I'm planning to rewatch the movie before I review the book, too, though ... it's been way too long for me as well (although I did remember the basic plot and the key scenes).
Thanks for all that. I didn't mean to force you into writing a full review, but I appreciate it.You've convinced me to check out the book and the movie.
No worries -- I'll be putting together a post on my extra bingo reads anyway, and this way I at least have the text for one of those books pretty much written already! :)
Though I'll add that having now rewatched the movie, the "impossible scrapes" situations do strain believability a bit in the movie as well. But it's still great fun and very well-acted -- and some of the visuals are stunning.
But I liked the writing and the characterization; not least for the bits where Vinge provides an inner life to the characters which, in the movie, you can only guess at from their body language, dialogue and actions (even though in the movie -- and given the quality of the actors -- this is all you need).
This was a "Rutger Hauer memorial read" to me, btw -- he's one of the movie's main stars, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick. I'm planning to rewatch the movie before I review the book, too, though ... it's been way too long for me as well (although I did remember the basic plot and the key scenes).
Though I'll add that having now rewatched the movie, the "impossible scrapes" situations do strain believability a bit in the movie as well. But it's still great fun and very well-acted -- and some of the visuals are stunning.
And it's by far not the worst of what the 1980s (and the decades prior to that, come to think of it) had to throw at us ...
Btw, the supporting cast (Leo McKern, John Wood, Alfred Molina etc.) is first rate as well.