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emanning64's review against another edition
2.0
Seeing this on sale and reading the reviews, I was looking forward to this sci-fi tale that spun one of the worst movies of all time. It starts off well enough, and I give the author credit in keeping things rolling at first.
However, this is a big book. And eventually it bogs down under itself and it's ridiculousness. This is an ultra long b-movie to its fullest. Normally I can take some weirdness. But with this it was just too much. Things just ended up getting plain silly which made it a chore to get through in the end. For some people, that might be a good thing. However for me, it was just too much to handle. Maybe if the book was a couple of hundred pages shorter, it would've been better.
However, this is a big book. And eventually it bogs down under itself and it's ridiculousness. This is an ultra long b-movie to its fullest. Normally I can take some weirdness. But with this it was just too much. Things just ended up getting plain silly which made it a chore to get through in the end. For some people, that might be a good thing. However for me, it was just too much to handle. Maybe if the book was a couple of hundred pages shorter, it would've been better.
chibiloki's review against another edition
Battlefield Earth is rediculously long and boring. The premise of a post-apocalyptic world where aliens have taken over earth and small pockets of surviving humans fight them is interesting enough, but I was bored 25% of the way through and still bored by 50+%, so I stopped reading. The main character is such a Gary Stu who everyone worships, asside from the villians, one of whom is a disabled peer who hates him for imagined slights. There are no female characters to speak of, with those who do exist being damsels in distress who only exist to up the stakes for the MC and then are out of the picture. A few other nameless women show up to cook and such. Racial groups are stareorypes to the point of caricature. I'm so done with this book. There are so many higher quality, more interesting options to spend my time on.
markazarnie's review against another edition
5.0
I brought this book when it tirst came out in the 80s, but could never get more than the first few chapters. Then I got ill and neded something to while away the time, so I started reading it again. I'm now on my 7th copy of it(the rest fell to bits from over reading) and I reread it every 6 months. The first is basically a battle of wits between the twn main characters, and it goes from there. Yes to cal the film a peice of crap is being nice, and L Ron was definately different but this book is good
pbanditp's review against another edition
3.0
This would have been a five star book easily if it was a third of the size. The story starts when the human race is practically extinct with just a few pockets here and there. We were conquered a thousand years earlier by aliens who are now mining out the planet. It was interesting as Jonny Tyler was captured by the Cyclos made into a pet and then educated to do slave labor. His rise as savior was perfect as there wasn’t anything that he could do wrong. Planning and scheming and trickery at every turn
thinde's review against another edition
4.0
I've read this book several times, although I tend to skip a fair amount these days.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:-
Many people will not read anything written by Hubbard because of his connection with certain religions. To them I say, the creation is not the creator.
Battlefield Earth is technically a post-apocalypse story. It is set at a time about a thousand years after the event, though. The fall of Earth was not brought about by ourselves. No, it was an alien mining corporation that brought us down. Shades of Hitch Hikers Guide, don't you think?.
The bedraggled, diseased remnants of humanity are blissfully unaware of their heritage. And most of them don't seem to care. Most, that is, except for the heroic main character, Johnny Goodboy.
L Ron Hubbard takes us for a thrilling ride on the coattails of young Johnny as he struggles to bring the planet Earth back under human control. What, on the surface, seems to be a fast-paced adventure novel, has depths which sometimes surprise and often leave you thinking. But the essence that makes this novel so good, is the heartfelt portrayal of a true underdog rising above the odds. It makes you want to stand up and cheer. Hooray!
ORIGINAL REVIEW:-
Many people will not read anything written by Hubbard because of his connection with certain religions. To them I say, the creation is not the creator.
Battlefield Earth is technically a post-apocalypse story. It is set at a time about a thousand years after the event, though. The fall of Earth was not brought about by ourselves. No, it was an alien mining corporation that brought us down. Shades of Hitch Hikers Guide, don't you think?.
The bedraggled, diseased remnants of humanity are blissfully unaware of their heritage. And most of them don't seem to care. Most, that is, except for the heroic main character, Johnny Goodboy.
L Ron Hubbard takes us for a thrilling ride on the coattails of young Johnny as he struggles to bring the planet Earth back under human control. What, on the surface, seems to be a fast-paced adventure novel, has depths which sometimes surprise and often leave you thinking. But the essence that makes this novel so good, is the heartfelt portrayal of a true underdog rising above the odds. It makes you want to stand up and cheer. Hooray!
scarletink's review against another edition
2.0
I think I gave up the first few times I read this.. the beginning of the book felt familiar, but I'm not sure I'd ever read all the way to the end in the past.
This reads as a decently good (perhaps 4 stars?) Sci-Fi book for the first ~40% of the book. It is the same storyline as is covered by the movie (for good reason). Lovely ending.. and then the book keeps going. And Going. And going. Where is it going you might ask? No idea. It's like Mr. Hubbard just didn't feel like stopping his book, so he kept talking about what happened next. And next, and next, and next.
Anyway, all around disappointing back 60%, ran way too long, too many details. But the front 40% of the book.. not bad! :) So 4 stars for 40%, 1 star for 60%.. I'll call it 2 stars.
This reads as a decently good (perhaps 4 stars?) Sci-Fi book for the first ~40% of the book. It is the same storyline as is covered by the movie (for good reason). Lovely ending.. and then the book keeps going. And Going. And going. Where is it going you might ask? No idea. It's like Mr. Hubbard just didn't feel like stopping his book, so he kept talking about what happened next. And next, and next, and next.
Spoiler
The particularly painful part was the "and everyone got rich and beautiful and no one died, and were super happy, and the most powerful in the universe", blah blah. What the hell.. the barbarian humans suddenly ran the galaxy, knew everything, were the smartest, the trickiest, etc.Anyway, all around disappointing back 60%, ran way too long, too many details. But the front 40% of the book.. not bad! :) So 4 stars for 40%, 1 star for 60%.. I'll call it 2 stars.
kurtie's review against another edition
4.0
Longest book I had read as a youth. My 9th grade English teacher could not get over that I liked this but not Johnny Tremain.