Interstellar novelization is a great film companion piece
With Christopher Nolan’s latest mind-bending movie Interstellar still in theaters in some places, it’s smart (if not considerate) to play it safe and avoid spoiler territory when casually discussing the film or its many complementary media companions. That’s the case when it comes to the official novelization of Interstellar from always-on-their-game publisher Titan Books, and the less you know about the novel before cracking that first chapter the better. The book has been on shelves for a while now, but I only recently finished reading through it. Whether you’ve seen the film or not, the official novelization of Nolan’s new sci-fi space epic is worth picking up as its own enjoyable adventure. That said, if you’ve seen the movie and want more, giving the novelization a read is an excellent way to clarify some details and dive a little deeper into the story.
Buy the novel, read a brief, spoiler-free breakdown of why it’s worth the pickup, and learn a little more about the Titan Books tie-in after the jump!
Interstellar (BUY THE BOOK! – 288 Pages)
For those who haven’t seen the movie, it’s always difficult when trying to convince readers a movie tie-in or official novelization is any different or better than simply seeing the film in theaters. Why spend a few days reading something you could enjoy in an afternoon with some popcorn and a drink, right? To be honest, it’s a hard sell to even the most avid film fans. That said, reading the novelization of an in-theaters film is an excellent option for people who can’t or don’t make it to the movies often, and reading through a new on-screen adventure at your own pace while commuting to work or relaxing for 15 minutes during the evening never gets old.
For film fans who bought tickets to Nolan’s newest on opening night, picking up the official novelization is like reading through the script without having to navigate the stage directions or action abbreviations. It’s like jumping into the passenger seat of the ship and feeling all the little bits and pieces as they take shape on the page. As I mentioned after reading both the Noah and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes books, what better way to immerse yourself in a world than by reading through the proceedings word for word as they happen. As familiar or awe-inspiring as an on-screen interpretation can be, there’s nothing like getting deep into the gritty details and letting the prose paint a picture for you. What we get in a second or two on the screen is often carefully crafted into authentic, aesthetically pleasing backstory and character building when brought out through the pages of a book.
Interstellar, as an original story written by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, is packed full of sci-fi weirdness and mind-melting marvels, and author Greg Keyes has done a nice job of translating the script and story into a self-contained novel. Again, without spoiling anything, it’s tough to recommend a space exploration epic while avoiding all the interesting intricacies (so many have come before, and so many are bound to come after), and comparing both the novel and the movie to classics like Kubrick’s 2001 only scrapes the tip of the time-twisting iceberg.
The official Interstellar novelization is a fairly quick read at 288 pages, and I blew through it casually in a few days. It’s a great companion piece for film fans who can’t get enough of Nolan’s new world as well as a nice self-contained adventure for book enthusiasts looking to fill a space on their shelf.