27 replies to this topic

[terryallenuk]

Review of the novelisation

Written by Ramsey Campbell
Titan Books paperback
Release date 19 February 2010

Targeted by the Devil, Solomon Kane tries to achieve redemption...

Every so often a novelisation comes along that makes you feel that what you're reading is the original book upon which the movie was based. It's filled with such rich background detail on the characters and the world they inhabit, that you sense that the movie can only do justice to part of it. Nigel Kneale's Quatermass novel(isation) based on the John Mills series was one such book; this adaptation of Solomon Kane is another.

It helps that the film itself is quite sparse on dialogue ? everything said on screen is faithfully recorded here, but with a great deal of point of view description of the motivation behind it. Campbell doesn't worry about repeating a scene in order to present it from two opposing viewpoints, and reverts to the original scripted intentions on occasion where it provides him with better metaphors (Kane's departure from the monastery at the start of the film being a case in point).

In the best traditions of such works, Campbell explains plotholes that might pass over an audience's head in the cinema but are more obvious with the slower pace of a book, and allows his imagination full rein to add more of a horror gloss to the tale. Peter Quentin

VERDICT: 8/10
A recommended novelisation by the respected horror author.

http://totalscifionl...ie-novelisation

[terryallenuk]

Review of the novelisation

Written by Ramsey Campbell
Titan Books paperback
Release date 19 February 2010

Targeted by the Devil, Solomon Kane tries to achieve redemption...

Every so often a novelisation comes along that makes you feel that what you're reading is the original book upon which the movie was based. It's filled with such rich background detail on the characters and the world they inhabit, that you sense that the movie can only do justice to part of it. Nigel Kneale's Quatermass novel(isation) based on the John Mills series was one such book; this adaptation of Solomon Kane is another.

It helps that the film itself is quite sparse on dialogue ? everything said on screen is faithfully recorded here, but with a great deal of point of view description of the motivation behind it. Campbell doesn't worry about repeating a scene in order to present it from two opposing viewpoints, and reverts to the original scripted intentions on occasion where it provides him with better metaphors (Kane's departure from the monastery at the start of the film being a case in point).

In the best traditions of such works, Campbell explains plotholes that might pass over an audience's head in the cinema but are more obvious with the slower pace of a book, and allows his imagination full rein to add more of a horror gloss to the tale. Peter Quentin

VERDICT: 8/10
A recommended novelisation by the respected horror author.

http://totalscifionline.com/reviews/4660-solomon-kane-the-official-movie-novelisation

You can read the first chapter here
http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/02/18/world-exclusive-read-the-first-chapter-of-the-solomon-kane-novel/

Terry

[Taran]

Seems like Campbell approached this novelization in much better fashion than most. It probably also includes scenes we have to wait to see on the R-rated director's cut of the film. Most novelizations are horrid, but this might actually be worth a look (the linked excerpt is quite entertaining, I must admit).

All too often, novelizations give a straight, oft-poorly-written rehash of the screenplay. Campbell already distinguishes himself by choosing a viewpoint character other than Kane to kick off the story, and I assume other minor characters get similarly more fleshed-out treatments. What I've never understood in the novelization world is why the people writing are so bound to following the film, while film adaptation can careen wildly off from the source material. It's a different medium--you are adapting a book into a film. And it looks like Campbell understands that.

Edited by Taran, 18 February 2010 - 08:36 PM.

[terryallenuk]

Seems like Campbell approached this novelization in much better fashion than most. It probably also includes scenes we have to wait to see on the R-rated director's cut of the film. Most novelizations are horrid, but this might actually be worth a look (the linked excerpt is quite entertaining, I must admit).

Yes though I'd long ago sworn off pastiche novels , well apart from John Hocking's , I might well pick this up.

Terry

[deuce]

I'm sincerely looking forward to reading this.


...and I'm giving it its own thread.

[terryallenuk]

I'm sincerely looking forward to reading this.


...and I'm giving it its own thread.

Fame at last for Ramsey

Terry

[deuce]

I'm sincerely looking forward to reading this.


...and I'm giving it its own thread.

Fame at last for Ramsey

Terry

Here's the thread about Campbell's earlier dealings with Solomon Kane:

http://www.conan.com...topic=1891&st=0

I really wish that Ramsey would write a few more of his Ryre S&S tales; enough to fill out a full-sized book.

[Michael Miko]

Campbell has always been a favorite author of mine. He is suitable to write tales of Sword & Sorcery. Along with Brian Lumley.

[daniel]

and now the question is: how does the new sk novel compare to campbell's earlir completions? i must admit to the following:
1: the completions were somewhat lukewarm for me. the tension written by howard into the fragments themselves was replaced by campbell into something that was neither s&s or gothic fiction,or historic fiction-though the introduction written by campbell indicated that at least he knows his 16th century. if only that knowledge was integrated into the stories... 2: as for the film, i'll probably see it, but no rush there. perhaps i'm too much of
an sk purist.
2: and so, i find myself in the strange situation in which a novelization by an author i'm a little wary of, to a film i'm not sure about, suddenly seems worthwile as a work of fiction that is independant from it's sources (canonic and cinematic alike). i'm very likely to read the book, but as iv'e said, i think that a comparison with the earlier sk-campbell would be instructive.

at home, i have 3 other novelizations by campbell, written under the pen name "carl dreadstone": the creature from the black lagoon, the bride of frankenstein, and the wolfman. i saw in them very little, to almost none, of the plot-hole resolutions you describe here. that they exist now, is in itself significant.

[terryallenuk]

You can read the first chapter here http://www.heyuguys....mon-kane-novel/

Terry

[daniel]

thanks terrylenuk. i've read that chapter, and i guess it's best to reserve judgement until i've made up my mind to actually read the book or not. or until a more detailed review appears here.

[terryallenuk]

thanks terrylenuk. i've read that chapter, and i guess it's best to reserve judgement until i've made up my mind to actually read the book or not. or until a more detailed review appears here.

There's a review at the top of the thread

Terry

[daniel]

i know it may sound like petty-minded nitpicking, but i have a personal curiosity to know, what the true sk experts here, as well as generally-speaking "howard experts" think by way of comparing the campbell sk to howard's original. why do i ask? because this book is, however you may look at it, a pasteich. sk-wise, these are as yet quite few in number. the comparison therefore, will not, in my humble opinion, be an excercise in futility.

[Crom's bells]

Having skimmed through that first chapter, I quite enjoyed it. Sure it's no Howard, but it is quite an enjoyable romp. The writing is straightforward; unlike Howard's stories, it doesn't quite evoke the essence or intensity of the moment - for lack of a better term. No heart pounding, nail biting action scenes which bring the action to vivid imaginary details, but it's still pretty decent.

Actually, reading that makes me want to re-read the SK stories again.

[Rednails]

Hi, not read the novel yet, but does anybody know if there are any plans to publish further SK novels/short stories at all?

[terryallenuk]

I'd have thought it unlikely unless there's another film.

Terry

[onewhowalkedalone]

Ive always had problems reading Ramsay Campbell for some reason, but considering i actually care about the content this time around...i'll have to give it a shot!

[docpod]

His syntax is difficult. There are those who really like him though.

Morgan

Ive always had problems reading Ramsay Campbell for some reason, but considering i actually care about the content this time around...i'll have to give it a shot!

[onewhowalkedalone]

I think i also have a block against British authors! Lovecraft is the exception!

[Taran]

...Lovecraft wasn't British...