Here's a confession that will probably get me kicked out of the franchise fandom: I liked Terminator: Salvation better than T2! Hence reading the novelisation. I'm not even sure I understand the deep hatred for any film in the franchise that isn't T2, which I class as an action film for teenage boys. (I also find that the more lines Arnie is given, the worse his acting gets.) I like Salvation because instead of reworking the same old 'Terminators sent back from the future' schtick, we get to see the scary and broken world that Kyle Reese describes in the first film (my favourite). Yes, Christian Bale is an annoying John Connor, but John Connor is always annoying, whether a kid with attitude or a young man bemoaning his fate. We also get Anton Yelchin playing a highly sympathetic and accurate younger Reese and an interesting new character in Marcus Wright. Yes, it's a darker film, with no quotable one liners or My First Terminator scenes with slappable child actors, but TS works well with T1.

Anyway, that's the film. The novelisation does what it says on the tin, and expands on some scenes while examining Connor's cyclical relationship with his father - this time he has to save Reese - and his memories of his mother, Sarah. There are some nice nods to the first film, like John being told by his mother, 'If you're going to kill a Terminator, make sure you get close enough to finish the job', and Marcus' appearance being 'easier to blend in that way, rather than ... the appearance of, say, a bodybuilder'. The scene where Connor and Marcus first face off is missing a vital detail, in that Connor never mentions his father's name for Marcus to pick up on, and the ending seems rushed, but overall a good treatment. ( )

I enjoyed this as much as I did watching the movie. I think I read this more to fit in with my Read All Terminator Books" thing than because of some deep desire to read the novelization :)" ( )

i love the action beging to end. ( )

Great read ahead of the movie release. (I always prefer to read the book prior to seeing the movie- always enjoy the book more with one exception- "The Perfect Storm.") The story picks up where 'From the Ashes' leaves off, following Kyle Reese and his companion, Star, in Los Angeles. The new character of Marcus Wright is introduced- he is part human and part machine.

The ending ties up everything nicely- very good character arc for Marcus and Connor. The book also contains a link and password for a website that will provide an alternate ending on 5.21.09 once the movie is released.

A must-read for all Terminator fans. ( )