Review of the Pacific Rim Novel by Alex Irvine

In all honesty, I enjoyed everything about this book except for the ending.

Having read the book before seeing the movie in theaters, I was pleased with the details included in the novelization.  While it doesn't deviate drastically from the main script of the movie, this book does give you a little bit of the history and a look into each character's minds.

Many authors who write movie novelizations are working with an early version of the script, which often leads to discrepancies between film and novel.  In the case of Pacific Rim, the big difference is the ending and while the movie ends with Mako and Raleigh embracing atop his life pod the book ends with them kissing.

I've heard many, many arguments about the perceived romance between Mako and Raleigh and I have to admit that I just don't see it.  Yes, there is a possibility for a romantic relationship between them but it is also just as likely that they will be bros/best buds for life... Something I would kill to see in the sequel, quite frankly.

The story told in Pacific Rim does not need to use a romantic relationship as a crutch, a theme which is so often found in movies these days.   If there is one thing that I want people to realize about Pacific Rim, it would be that it is so much more than romance!  You have people who are dealing with a world that no longer supports them and their struggle to protect it; men and women who are fighting to protect the family they created; and the innocent masses of people who don't know anything but a world ruled by the fear of a Kaiju attack.

If you're interested in more of my thoughts on Pacific Rim, take a look at my post about "Drifting In Pacific Rim."