All I wanted and more.

If you could sum up Pacific Rim in three words, what would they be?

Pacific Rim The Movie was a dream made real for a person like me, a fan of Asian monster movies and Manga mecha cartoons. No spoilers here.The story is simple, linear and breathtaking, with a wealth of detail and action that make it an unforgivable experience.

What other book might you compare Pacific Rim to and why?

Starship Troopers, mostly for the pace, action and sci-fi, high power military environment.

Have you listened to any of Christian Rummel and Jay Snyder ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don’t have much experience with audible book so I can say it was adequate but a tad bit irritating when the male actor changes his voice to mimic a female voice, that aside, all in all was a good performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, more than once.

Any additional comments?

The book is similar but with more details and a flashed out the world of Pacific Rim with some extra facts that help you expanding your movie experience.Even for a person who did not see the movie I feel this will be a great opportunity to enjoy a thrilling story with good characters and awesome action.

4 people found this helpful

excellent

great adaptation! The story itself is better than the film. On its own its an awesome listen if you're a fan of the genre!

11 people found this helpful

Just like the movie, and fleshes out the details

I bought this with some trepidation.
Usually adaptations are not well narrated or have a proper story.
That is not the case in this.
The story is really good and explains a lot of details absent in the movie.
Imagine the movie to be a preview trailer of this book.
Plus the narration is good and engrossing.

9 people found this helpful

Its a good supplement to the movie

it helps fill in the holes and adds supplemental character development to an other wise good film

2 people found this helpful

Good...Better if you liked the movie...

Despite this being a near direct adaptation of the movie, I felt as though there was a enough 'extras' to really make the read worth it. The book, as with most book/movie crosses, is allowed to delve much deeper into the universe. I read this book, hot off the heels of reading "All you Need Is Kill" the original book to the movie "Edge of Tomorrow". That book/movie adaptation breaks the mold. The book is very short, and pretty limited on characters, and universe setting fluff. The book basically gave you a frame work that the movie built around.

In this case, with Pacific Rim, the movie provided a pretty good universe and frame work that could be explored. The novelization of Pacific Rim does a decent job at expanding on this. In the book they have news reports that depict news anchors trying to get shots of the monsters, really cool classified reports of the status of Jaegers that give us some nice background fluff. This includes time lines of dates of commission, de-commission, total number of Kaiju killed, their spec's and what the Jaeger is outfitted with, the pilots, and where they were based out of. Very cool additions. It provides some nice history and references to Jaegers, Kaiju, and events that are mentioned or shown in the movie.
Another big bonus is the addition of things like "Kaiju Blue" which is a venomous disease that infects people with the death and rotting of a Kaiju corpse. I love this idea, because it makes so much sense. If these behemoth corpse are just strewn about cities, and their blood is acidic and deadly, then naturally, the rotting corpse will be a biohazard to humanity. In addition to this, all other manner of extra goodies are tossed in, even a blues song about Kaiju Blue xD.


As you can tell I'm a pretty big fan of back story, history, and lore when it comes to books and movies. And surprisingly, the book had a good amount of it. When I went to see Pacific Rim in theaters I was very very surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie. Usually I venture on the side of being pretty snobbish when it comes to action movies, but I think because of my love of the Godzilla franchise, and monsters and big robots...I really enjoyed it. I think there was definitely room for improvement of course. My biggest complaint is that the movie builds up the Jaegers to be these really awesome fighting machines, and we're expecting one hell of an knock down drag out fight between robots and monsters.... then boom, boom two out of four of them are destroyed within like 10 minutes. ::le sigh::

I would have liked to see some more interaction with the pilots as well. From what we got, they all seemed like archtypical stereotypes but it doesn't really detract. Of course there is rivalry between characters...but it seems forced and artificial. Besides "Chuck" the rival of our main character just having a chip on his shoulder, we're not given a reason really why. He just comes off as a douchebag. That's fine, but it seems like there should have been a reason...

Anyway, if you are a fan of the Pacific Rim lore, and background there is enough in this book to keep your interested, even if it is just the story of the movie. The book gives you enough (could have been more!) to keep your interest and even add some extra to the story.

2 people found this helpful

Started good

Through the preface and first chapter I was into it. I was excited. Cool huge aliens coming up in the ocean and we have to figure out how to combat them. Then chapter two it changed gears and became a teen cry baby book. I hung on hoping it would return. I got into chapter six and could not keep my mind wondering to grass growing, my check book balance, what to eat for dinner, etc... I did not watch the movie, maybe that would have helped.

I am starting to notice the more popular reviewers love everything they hear. Guess, I will never be popular, cause crap is crap and I can't ignore it.

Rummel is one of the better narrators, no problem there.

17 people found this helpful

Dig the Movie? LOVE the Audio Book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you liked Pacific Rim the film, this book is all the missing pieces and juicy details you want to know about the story in PR. Deeper knowledge of the Kaiju, where they come from, who made them...and why...! Each character is more fully explained. A great addition of so many more story details!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Wow, every character jumps up to life... all with more depth. I love the love / hate Raleigh has with the whole world now. I love the two scientists. I think theyb really care for each other behind their constant fighting. I LOVED Hannibal Chau the pirate in the black market, though, "Ron Pearlman" cannot be surpassed by any reader, no matter how good. However, this character so enthralled me, I may get my missing tooth replaced with a gold one.

OK, sorry, this might be a "raciest" thing to say, but I will say it: I love the cool British toughness of Stacker Pentecost - and I was amazed that in the book it doesn't say he is black. While, in the film, black actor "Idris Elba" plays him to such perfection, I could not think of him as any one else. I went back and re-watched his performance in the film, and marveled at all the extra depth I got out of his character from the detail in the book, and his really wonderful performance. The best line in the book / movie: "First, Don't you ever touch me. Second, Don't you EVER touch me!" - the book and movie together enhanced my enjoyment of his masterful acting performance!

What about Christian Rummel and Jay Snyder ’s performance did you like?

Really amazing...had to think sooo many pepole's voices came from so few. You get lost in the illusion.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many... I got a LOT more emotional context of the characters. I got teared up at the end. Some go to their deaths, a fitting hero's end.

Any additional comments?

This book added so much more to a already fantastic movie! I would have this audio book (or even paper book) be a strongly urged listen /read after seeing the film - if you liked the film - you will LOVE the book. It fill in all the gaps...gives you all the history... names more monsters, tells U many things about the world you didn't know, really develops a whole new tragic and heroic world. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish it was the first book in a trilogy!

3 people found this helpful

surprisingly character driven

Pacific Rim: The Official Movie Novelization is an action packed assault on what you think reality is, that is surprisingly character driven and not all big robots, big monsters, big battles. Oh man this is one to see in the theaters for sure. I have a feeling that the novelization did not do the enormity of this tale much justice, unless you have a very good imagination. From my understanding this was a straight to movie production and that makes me wonder how difficult it is to go backwards, meaning movie to book. No matter how easy or difficult this was a success. I just might be the type that will go for these types of audiobooks in the future. Pacific Rim: The Official Movie Novelization is really about the strength of the human will and our desire to survive no matter the cost, and of course how good will triumph over evil, even if all may seem lost.

7 people found this helpful

Like Listening to a Video Game

I really wanted to like this. But I discovered it is possible to write a story about building sized robots with futuristic weapons battling bullet proof sea monsters and bore me to sleep. There is no back story and the characters are cardboard cut outs. There's frantic action from the beginning but no suspense, nothing that makes the story or characters personal or appealing. The movie has got to be better. I couldn’t get past the first hour of this.

8 people found this helpful

If you love the movie - you will love this.

It's like getting to ride the story for 9 hours. I can't say how many times I've watched the movie and this was feeding me all sorts of things I missed. I love it. Will listen to it again and again.