Underworld

Bk. 1 (Underworld (Pocket Star Books))

By Greg Cox

Currently Unavailable New.

Average Rating: (See all reviews) Format: Paperback, 320 pages Published In: United States, 15 September 2003 The sensational new horror thriller from Sony Pictures! From The Publisher: DEADLY RIVALS FOR CENTURIES, DESTINY WILL BRING THEM TOGETHER. Vampires and werewolves. Sworn enemies for over nine hundred years, they have fought a secret war in the darkest shadows of the mortal world, pitting undead strength and cunning against feral rage and savagery. Now, in the hip Gothic streets of modern-day Budapest, the ancient conflict takes an unexpected new twist. Selene is a Death Dealer, a vampire warrior dedicated to the destruction of the hated lycans. Michael is a werewolf, an innocent American newly infected with the lupine curse. Against all reason and history, they find themselves drawn together even as the grisly inhuman war rushes toward its nightmarish climax. They have no idea of the power their unlikely union can unleash -- and of the terrifying secrets that will be revealed in the unearthly realm of... UNDERWORLD A gripping tale of passion, betrayal, and revenge starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman Publisher: Pocket Books ISBN: 0743480716 EAN: 9780743480710 Dimensions: 11.0 x 111.0 x 3.0 centimeters

You know when you've gone to watch a movie in the cinemas and then you see the book come out sometime later and you go,"Ooo...lets have a read and see whether it's better than the movie?" Well....in some sense it is a little better than the movie, only because imagination can go no where movies can follow, and on the other hand no..because it's basically the movie written up word for word.

Hmm...it's rather like the opposite of how movies are usually made, where the book comes out first, then the movie. Here it's the movie first then the book. What ever will they think of next.

again, it is a case of the book being better than the movie, and that is saying something as the movie is awesome!! if you enjoyed the film, or if you are into gothic tales, vampires and werewolves with lots and lots of action, then read this, you wont be disappointed!

Selene is a vampire, and a werewolf hunter. For hundreds of years she has done this, but everything changes when she uncovers the truth behind the vampire and lycan relationship in the past, and what her superiors have actually done, and the conspiracies they are currently involved in.

This leads her to be the protector of a human, who can bring the vampire and lycan bloodlines together in one man.

Underworld book one
I loved the movie of this and thought that I would give the book a try. I was surprised by how much more you can learn in the book compared to the movie. I really found it interesting. I think that many other people will to. A five out of five stars book.

Underworld

Movie tie-in book.

Novelization by Greg Cox

Based on the screenplay by Danny McBride.


“A gripping tale of passion, betrayal and revenge starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman.” ~ Blurb from the back cover of the book.

Note: This review may contain spoilers, so if you would like to see the movie and be surprised, it might be best to skip this review. Also a DVD review follows the book review ~ Richard Lee.

I have always loved werewolves and vampires. I have a book about werewolves and a chapbook series with werewolves and vampires fight each other also.

This book, is hard out action from beginning to end. The writing style is great, smooth and each sentence produces a perfect picture of the action taking place, and the best thing is that Greg Cox does not treat the reader like a fool and feel the need to fully explain in intricate detail every little thing. He suspects (and rightly so) that we know what a subway station looks like. The Gothic mansion where the vampires live is only outlined, giving an overall vision that does not hamper with the pace of the story. A story spanning 900 years.

The vampires are at war with the werewolves.

The book starts off well, with Selene, an excellent Death Dealer (the band of warrior vampires that hunt and kill the werewolves), is standing on top of a five-story high building overlooking the city, Budapest. She spies two thugs and recognizes them as werewolves. And from page four, the action starts.

Greg masterly implants Michael a young doctor, fleeing America from a past he can’t bare to handle any longer, into the mix straight away, placing him walking along the street headed to the subway station. Exactly where the werewolves are headed.

Selene notices him, his appearance very pleasing to her. Quickly she tries to put him out of her mind, she has spotted the Lycanthropes and must deal with them. During a firefight, she sees the American in the middle of crossfire helping to save a young girls life. She admires him for his bravery, and while watching him, she notices something very strange. One of the werewolves lurches for the young doctor - not about to kill but to capture. She quickly shoots the werewolf, injuring but not killing it. The werewolf runs into the subway tunnels.

In shock and not knowing what else to do, he heads to work, and returns home in the early morning hours. He doesn’t know that Selene has found his house and is waiting inside. Once he discovers her, there is a slight altercation where the Death Dealer throws him against the wall, wanting answers to her questions. Suddenly there is heavy thumping on the roof.

The werewolves have arrived, confirming Selene’s suspicions that they are after Michael for some reason and she needs to keep him alive to find out why. In a ferocious action packed chapter, Michael is bitten by the leader of the werewolves, Lucian, who spits some of the blood into a small test tube.

Why does Lucian want to keep some of Michael's blood? Well to make a long story short: Michael is a direct descendant of the very first immortal, he does not have the power to change into either werewolf or vampire. The werewolves want to mix his blood with that of a vampire and werewolf to create a new breed of immortal. A hybrid.

The vampires do not want this. The hybrid will be th most powerful immortal to ever exist.

Kravan, the lead vampire running the house of the elder Viktor, tries to stop Selene's efforts to help Michael every step of the way. He is jealous. He wants Selene for himself, but she just plain hates him. In a desperate bid to find help, she awakens the elder Viktor, only to learn that he believes Kravan over her any day for the pure and simple reason, that she is love with a Lycan.


*Note: There are three elders, two sleep like mummies for a hundred or two hundred years while only one reigns. The next to be awakened should have been Marcus not Viktor. Selene broke the number one rule that has saved their lives for centuries. This infuriates Viktor so much he decides that Selene must be judged before the high council – and that means death. ~end of note.

Selene escapes the mansion and rushes to Michael's aide (she has earlier handcuffed him to the chair in a special room at an interrogation house). The Lycans follow her, knowing she will lead them to Michael. In a vicious battle, the Lycans grab Michael and take him to Lucian.

The book focuses on the vampires most of the way through, making the werewolves out to be the bad guys. I wasn't happy about this until I reached the part of Michael meeting Lucian in the Lycans lair. Here the truth comes out and all is reveled.

I haven’t seen the DVD yet, but have ordered it based on how well this book is written.

It was un-put-down-able.

The story flowed wonderfully.

Not over explained details.

Fast paced.

Is more than a movie tie-in, it is a full sized novel at 372 pages.

This is a wicked book, the book that the movie was based on that starred kate beckinsale as a vampire who winds up on the run from the lyken (or warewolfes as they are) and vampires becasue she falls in love with a lyken, this is a cool story and the book is much better than the movie