Book Review: First Blood by David Morrell
First Blood
Series: Rambo: First Blood #1
Author: David Morrell
Published: 1972
320 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
First came the man: a young wanderer in a fatigue coat and long hair. Then came the legend, as John Rambo sprang from the pages of First Blood to take his place in the American cultural landscape. This remarkable novel pits a young Vietnam veteran against a small-town cop who doesn’t know whom he’s dealing with—or how far Rambo will take him into a life-and-death struggle through the woods, hills, and caves of rural Kentucky.
Kim’s Review:
I’ve been watching Rambo movies since I was a kid. Of course we had to watch the tv edited versions because they’re rated R, but honestly, they’re not much different! I re-watched the first three recently and I noticed that it said that First Blood was based on a novel, so of course, I bought and read the novel. And I was so disappointed! This is a rare case where the movie is absolutely better than the book! Stallone did an excellent job adapting it and improving on the original story. I did not like John Rambo in the book. I sympathized a little, he absolutely was not a victim. Everything the sheriff did, with the exception of a little bias initially, was appropriate and within the law. Everything was more extreme; Rambo killed everyone! And I don’t want to give away the ending, just in case anyone wants to read it. But it sucked!! If you want to know Rambo’s story; go watch the movies.