worth it... much more in depth character study .

a reflection of the Vietnam era and society attitudes to it..
well read..
much better than the film...

Don't push me...

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Nice in site on a classic

It's nice to get the full pic of how David Morrell wanted rambo to come across and how he became
Skip chapter 1 and play it at the end

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The real Rambo story

Super book which is very very different to the movie, in a good way. I loved the movie but this, despite being similar in many ways, was different in many too, much to its credit.

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Great to hear the original version

As others have said, skip chapter 1 and listen to it at the end to avoid spoilers.
I was unsure whether to purchase as it seemed a little short compared to most books I listen to but it was worth the credit - really great story told from alternating perspectives.

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Surprisingly good

Having only seen the movies, I was expecting Morrell's book to fall into one of the two usual categories when it comes to the book that a film or series was based on: A heavy literary work where the film only takes inspiration from the themes (see Heart of Darkness Vs Apocalypse Now), or a lacklustre book that at least has a decent idea that would translate well to moving pictures. But I found that First Blood is neither.
Instead the book falls into a third category. Fans of the movie will find much to love in the source material, as the film very faithfully adapts moth characteristics and story beats of the original. But the book also adds a lot to the story, especially where is concerned with the two main antagonistic characters, Rambo and Teasle.

In the film, Rambo is very clearly painted as the hero, the "one in the right". And Teasle, by contrast, is portrayed as a backwards, mean sheriff who abuses his authority to make Rambo's life hard for no reason. While initially the setup and their relationship is very similar in Morrell's book, it very quickly becomes much more ambiguous as to who is actually in the right. It's a situation that continually escalates because the two are so similar and cannot back down.

From a writing perspective it is extremely enjoyable and vividly described without losing steam. The performers is equally fantastic. Something that could so easily be written off as action schlock and pulp instead surprises as a very deep and thought through novel, that conveys it's complex message in a very manageable and understandable way. Highly recommended.

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Feel the pain

This book is one of my favourites.

The character Rambo is beautifully crafted. He is not a myth or a fantasy, the author used to be a psychiatrist for soldiers with post Vietnam distress. The character is based on the realities of a soldier returning from war and what's going on in his mind. It also reflects society's little distinction between soldiers and drifters at that time. If you have ever been misunderstood, underestimated, stressed and bullied for no fault of your own, you will feel the pain.



Audiobooks made it interesting for me as I picked up parts I missed observing while reading.

Yes, this is the book on which the Sly superhit FIRST BLOOD is based on, only the movie doesn't end the same way the book does.

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Different to the film

Always enjoyed film, but had to skip some narration as it felt too long. Enjoyable though.

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Book vs Movie

I really enjoyed it..... much more to the story than the movie ... Great insight to the characters

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Rambo

Would you consider the audio edition of First Blood to be better than the print version?

Yes

What did you like best about this story?

A better story then the film this is Rambo as he should be

Which character – as performed by Eric G. Dove – was your favourite?

The sheriff and Rambo

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Cry at the ending

Any additional comments?

It kept me gripped all the way through

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Really enjoyed this book

I really enjoyed First Blood, David Morrell's story at the beginning is very inspiring, EricG.Dove did a great job with the narration:)

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2 people found this helpful