Dragonheart

I have always loved the movie, and was very curious when I heard there was a novelization of it written by the man who wrote the screenplay of the film. I had heard that it was far superior to the movie, going into a lot more detail and character development than the film could afford. And so...I made it my mission to get my hands on said book. I was not disappointed. It really does go into a lot more detail, and is much more fleshed out. And in the end, I ended up loving this novel so much more than the movie itself...that I rarely watch the movie anymore, and simply read the book instead (I still love the movie, and still think it was fantastic). If you're curious about this novelization, then don't hesitate to get a copy. It's well worth it!

I am a hugely ardent fan of the movie... and I think I have to admit that is even better. It goes into a lot more depth, and it is darker - this is apparently what Pogue really wanted to do with the screenplay but couldn't. You get tons more about character here too and the whole story is filled out. There are some very funny bits (Gilbert's first encounter with Draco par example...), and some haunting dark passages - a lot of Einon's thoughts... It's just a beautifully written, very emotional story. In the end it's good vs evil, but heroism is never simplistic here. The main characters are incredibly strong, memorable... not to mention working wonderfully as dramatic foils for each other :) And everything describing Draco and his thoughts is just beautiful. There's a bit near the end where he wants a last flight and sunshine which breaks my heart every time. I used to get this book out of the library on a regular basis until I finally tracked down a second-hand copy. The sort of book I will gladly stay up all night reading, and have done. (Note: this review was written about the book, not audio cassette edition...)

I read this book because of an article I read in which Charles Edward Pogue claimed that his screenplays for Dragonheart & Kull were savaged by their Directors. To give the man a fair shake, I read his Dragonheart Novel. I can see why he was so upset! Wherever the film takes a wrong turn, the Novel goes in the right direction. Everything that is wrong about the film is RIGHT in the Novel. The writing, while now and then a little spare [which is better than overwriting] and a little too modern, is, overall, exceedingly literate [some of the dialogue is close to Tad Williams level]. The characters are believable and involving. The story explains itself and it's world. I HIGHLY recommend buying a copy of Dragonheart!

DragonHeart was a great movie, and this book is even more! It is about a dragon, Draco, but it is also about morals, codes, ethics, choices, and it was a story that makes you think. It also adds onto the movie, because the book goes much more into depth about the characters and their histories, thoughts, and dreams in a way I think the movie only touched on. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, dragons, or the stars.

When I first saw Dragonheart in the theatre my first thought was "I want the soundtrack!" My second was "I wonder if it's a book?" Many things from the movie are more thoroughly explained in the book(like what the things on Bowen's shield are) and at an earlier point in the story. Sometimes its hard to make things clear in a movie without getting too graphic! This book provided me with a lot of good reading because I was able to read it many times over without getting bored. I just hope Mr. Pogue does more work of this calibre in the future