Metal Gear Solid

Does Metal Gear belong in a book?

Yes, I think metal gear would make a great book. Unfortunately this book does not capture the story. The book is almost a complete copy of the video game, almost down to every line. Not to mention that the english used can be hard to understand at times. Do your self a favor and play the game.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Poor Retelling

Here, my review will help faithful Metal Gear Solid fans decide if Benson's retelling is good enough for them to consider reading. I'll use examples just from chapter two, for space's sake, and keep in mind there are twenty-six chapters. On page 11, Snake begins 'relaxation exercises', which he never does during the canonical video games. The book says Snake was captured by the black ops forces 'two days' before the mission, and later says the mission takes place 'less than twelve hours later'. The book insists on bringing up multiple times that Solid Snake had been dreaming of picking blueberries before being awoken by the black ops forces. Snake had ¿heard something¿ about FOXHOUND going rogue - which happened that very day, keep in mind - before Campbell informed him of it, as if such knowledge was available on CNN or something. Naomi seems to have an accent ¿not quite British, but certainly Ivy League¿ because, apparently, one develops an accent after attending an Ivy League school? Anyway, the accent is no longer canon, as Metal Gear Solid 4 makes clear. Snake's hair is mentioned as being black in relation to Liquid¿s being blond. Snake clearly has brown hair, not black. On page 19, some nonsense about there being Genome Combat Veterans, despite them not ever having been involved in real combat, who call themselves Space Seals. Horribly, Snake jokes ¿Why? Do they sit up, clap their flippers, and bark for treats?¿ Meryl is mentioned as being good with computers and electrical circuitry. On page 23, Snake makes a nonsensical joke that because the DARPA chief knows the detonation codes for the nukes on Shadow Moses Island it would be ¿on the front page of the National Enquirer tomorrow.¿ Immediately after saying how this mission was On Sight Procurement as usual, the Colonel issues Snake a SOCOM pistol. Snake meets Mei Ling on board the Discovery, and, bizarrely, thinks that she¿s like ¿a manga character come to life¿. So, MGS fans, is this the novelization you'd like to read?

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A little Snake Bond at times, but a great adaption.

Novelizations are a craps shoot when it comes to Video Games. I had literally threw the Baldur's Gate one across the room because of it's banality and utter deviances from the game's characters. On the other hand, you get deep engrossing novels from the Warhammer 40k and Halo universes as well.

When I saw this - and knowing that the series relies on it's characters as much as it's actions, I hesitated when I picked it up, having become a recent fan of the series.

It starts off good, with Raymond Benson gently poking fun at the original MGS' screwball view on Genetics during the prologue while writing a succulent style that gets you hooked in immediately. It also doesn't fall into the traps of other books in this genre by spending an inordinate time describing the equipment that is being used beyond things that Snake himself wouldn't know.

Another good point is that it actually sticks fairly close to the plot, and even hinted at future games via the use of Psycho Mantis (and he provided a wonderful bit of a mindscrew to replace this character's infamous interface screw), it gave me the impression that Benson had either played the game himself, or he saw this more then a "Money Dear Boy" job.

The only flaw I would say in this novel is the Characterization of Solid Snake himself. What dialogs that wasn't in the game already does feel natural, except when it comes to the guards. Raymond Benson had previously written James Bond novels, and it shows here with the quips that Snake tosses out shortly before or after he kills a guard, something I personally cannot see the character doing from his remarks in later games.

If you are a fan of the Game series, I would give this book a strong recommendation, if you are not - it's a good book to read on a rainy day, since it provides enough information that you are not missing much if you haven't played it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Game Into Great Book

Not a long read in any sense of the word. However it is very entertaining, just as the game was on the playstation. It is nice that the author gave some back story to snake and the other charecters. Great for fans of Metal Gear Franchise.

Expanding on a Classic Game.

I'm a really big fan of the game, and the book doesn't disappoint. Going into reading this, I had heard of not so good reviews, but I was going to give it a try.
Raymond Benson has written many James Bond novels and you can see it a bit in the novel. While the game character doesn't use snide remarks when taking out enemies he does in the book. These though are few and far between and don't really take away from the novel.
The book stay pretty faithful to the game, with minor deviations in place of the games boss battles and other places. These are in no way deviations not in the game, but maybe not the way you played the game. He flushes out scenes not in the game, and adds some back story that fans will like.
With occasional minor grievances, this is a great book and well worth a read if you are a fan of the game or the spy genre.

Not good.

I have beaten the first two games, and I really don't like this book. This is VERY inaccurate to me. Do your self a favor and only read this book if you haven't played the game yet.

A High Tech Adventure

A FOXHOUND agent known as Solid Snake, is called out of retirement to avert a worldwide crisis. Solid Snake is to go after renegade FOXHOUND operatives that have taken control of a nuclear disposal facility that are located in the frozen Aleutians. Snake has to defeat a very powerful group of people. This group has been genetically engineered for war. They have incredible abilities, some of which extend into the extrasensory range. Snake himself is the product of genetic engineering. He was created from the DNA of a super warrior. Unbeknownst to him, he has a twin brother who has chosen to be a renegade. As Snake battles through this group of renegades and the soldiers in their control, he learns about his past and he also discovers that there are people whom he cannot trust. This teaches him to be more vigilant, and he learns a great deal about what he is made of. Snake also realizes that he has some secret supporters who are helping him on this mission. He has to race against time to rescue hostages and stop a nuclear catastrophe which will give the renegades power to control the world. ¿Metal Gear Solid,¿ is composed of the perfect combination of a thriller, a science fiction and an adventure story. The action is fast paced and nonstop. Several times, I caught myself holding my breath, as I was reading. In addition to a great plot, the character development is wonderful. Snakes character goes through some major transitions as he fights for both his life and to do what is right. Other characters in the story also evolve, and some severely regress. This book is associated with the game ¿Metal Gear Solid.¿ I have never played the game, yet I was still able to enjoy the story. People who enjoy science fiction, thrillers and espionage stories will all be thrilled to read ¿Metal Gear Solid.¿

A Short And Simple Review

Basical, when I played the game the first time back when it was on the PlayStation I kept playing the whole time until I finished it. And Just like the game, this book explans what happen just like in the Game. And there are some funny little facts told in the Book that was not able to be on the Game. If you like to play the game but don't like to read the play book to find where to go, just read this book and its more simple.

A reviewer

If you're a fan of the Metal Gear series, I suggest picking up the book. As a die-hard MGS fan, I had rather high expectations for such a novelization and I believe Benson did a good job. Benson stayed true to the plot and the feel of the game. I've read some complaints about a few lines of dialogue that might make you roll your eyes, but any fan of the MGS games will tell you there's a lot to roll your eyes at within the games themselves. I do hope, that if Benson is going to keep doing the MGS novels, that he will help us get into the character's heads a bit more. The novel is pretty verbatim to the game, but Benson did a good job adding in the parts we didn't really get to see. If you haven't played the Metal Gear games, I don't suggest reading the novel just yet. The characters in Metal Gear are incredibly complex, and without actually playing through the series, you'll get lost real fast. If you have played the games, definitely give it a try.

Hits and Misses

Well, to be honest, the beginning would have turned me off if I wasn't an avid fan of the game. My biggest complaint was that Snake was portrayed as a cliche- toting, bad joke telling Englishman in the beginning, using expressions used by English authors. The problem with this was that he is, for one thing, American, and that his personality was nothing like it was told. The actions were ruined by the way they were told by the narration, which was in a way that was almost like making gold shine too much, and trying too hard at it. I did like, however, that a lot of the dialogue was taken almost word for word from the game. However, more details as to character reactions would have been greatly appreciated.

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