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I, a zealous collector and champion of film novelizations, have to confess I didn't really like this one. I typically look to such books to provide backstory and names to characters that are given none in the film. Terry Bisson's quite mediocre-to-awful attempt at novelizing Luc Besson's fantastic science fiction film is, like Nathan Elliott's attempt at novelizing Innerspace, a sad example of a tie-in novel where absolutely zero effort was put forth by the author. I'll give an example. In the film, people who come into close contact with the Dark Planet (a.k.a. "Mr. Shadow") mysteriously have some kind of black slime ooze down their foreheads. It happens twice, first to General Staedert at the beginning and later also to Zorg when he's on the phone with "Mr. Shadow." This phenomenon is never explained in the movie (it isn't even mentioned in Besson's script), so Bisson's novel here would've been the ideal place to explain just what it signifies. To my extreme displeasure, although Terry Bisson does describe the black slime oozing forth from Staedert and Zorg, he doesn't bother to explain what it is, ever. I was hoping Bisson would elaborate on its significance in the part with Zorg at least, as Zorg surely would know what it meant, having had contact with the Dark Planet by phone in the past, but no such luck. It would've been so easy for Bisson to explain the slime through this scene told from Zorg's point of view, but doesn't, and it's just one small example of Bisson's stubborn refusal to elaborate and expand upon Luc Besson's bizarre and fantastic story... a story that, despite being well-executed on film, could use a little explanation somewhere. Like in, say, a tie-in novel? Poor work, Mr. Bisson. Poor work. Update: I did learn what the forehead slime was supposed to signify. Apparently, another book, about the movie's production, revealed it's the "bad" in people coming out, drawn toward the Dark Planet. Such a simple but fascinating explanation, and Bisson didn't bother including it. It's possible Besson never told him, but still. Yes, tie-in books are just shameless cash-ins, usually, but, as mentioned, they can often be used to elaborate on elements the movie couldn't. This one didn't.Read full review
Great book brought back many good memories about the movie.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned