Monday, April 4, 2011

Planet of the Apes - Classic Adventure

                                                                    Planet of the Apes
One man leaves earth in search of hope and peace, and instead finds a planet that is populated by intelligent apes. As for mankind? They're no better than apes were on earth, occasionally grunting or asking for a banana.


Plot

This is the problem Ulysse Merou encounters in Pierre Boulle's brilliant novel, Planet of the Apes. Ulysse is stranded on a faraway planet ruled by apes who act like humans. But, when it becomes painfully clear that he is an intelligent creature, he must plan his escape with the help of two friendly chimpanzees.

Pros and Cons

It's hard to find cons with this novel! Although translated from French, the dialogue is fast and interesting, the story quick and the end satisfying - as well as shocking. You'll find valuable food for thought about what being human really means, as well as a startling plausibility factors that will make you look at monkeys differently.

The Bottom Line

If you're looking for a classic science fiction novel that's entertaining, well-written and fun, then Planet of the Apes is right for you. There have been countless film adaptations of this original classic, as well as a television series. It's definitely worth your time.

1 comment:

  1. I read this many years ago and my parents went to see all of the movies when they came out. If I remember correctly, the book was quite a bit different, and yes, it moved along at a quick pace.

    ReplyDelete

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