Novelization: FAQ & Discussion
A thread to discuss Alan Dean Foster's novelization...

Main differences to the movie: 1. Windows is called Sanders 2. After dogtown, 3 infected dogs make a run for it. They eat one their own along the way. Mac, Bennings and Childs catch up to them on Ski doos. Bennings is killed and Mac and Childs have to burn him. 3. Doc Copper isn't killed when tending to Norris - he's killed by Palmer (same MO as Palmer kills Windows in the movie) 4. They don't flamethrowers, they have burners designed for thawing out the vehicles. 5. Fuchs is murdered - pinned to a door with an axe. 6. Mac tries to cool the camp down and freeze the creature as apposed to the movie where tries 'warm things up a little'. 7. The final scene is in the rec room rather than in the generator room.

Main errors discovered in the book: Appart from at least 4 spelling errors such as the word 'though' instead of 'thought' etc I found the following: 1. The author changes his mind about the nature of the creature. He starts of describing it as a parasite controlling the host like a zombie from inside. But later describes assimilation cell by cell metamorphosis. 2. Mac destroys Palmer with a 'roll of dynamite' thrown into his mouth while in the rec room - clearly this would destroy not only Palmer, but half the camp with him. 3. Doc uses a 'fibrillator' instead of a 'de-fribrillator'. 4. Doc sits astride Norris and gets others to hold him down when he hits him with the 'fibrillator'. Clearly this isn't sensible practice. 5. Mac and Nauls are outside - Nauls cuts the line and staggers back. The team inside see the figure approaching and Nauls says 'who is it, Nauls or Macready?' - spot the deliberate mistake? 6. Three assimilated-dogs run off into the snow. One dog is 'eaten'. However half a dog is left in the snow, and half is taken with them. Which half did they eat? also, why leave half a dog behind when it could have either got up and walked or been assimilated or carried. Didn't make sense to me at all.

What can we learn from the book? The book makes it very clear that assimilation takes a least one hour to complete. Things need to eat too, although the authour seemed confused about the mechanics. Norris's heart condition is made a little clearer in the book than on the film and is the reason he doesn't take Gary's offer of leadership. Why does a scientific outpost have weapons? In the book we learn that there are two shotguns used for recreation in the summer months. Gary's pistol is his own property and there are no flamethrowers at the camp - they improvise burners which makes more sense. We're also told that Blair's craft is not a space ship, but more likely some kind of land vehicle to get him as far as another camp or the coast.

Cool summary Ebob. That Nauls goof I checked out myself, shit bad editing job there! I really enjoy the novel and like it a lot. I read it once a year before THING-FEST to get in the mood. I also take my reading copy with my whenever I travel. Been doing that since 1999, it's been with me to a few places. T

Alan Dean Foster has contacted Outpost #31 and offered to sign copies of The Thing novelization (or any of his books) for fans. He simply asks that the novel to be signed be sent to him with the appropriate return SASE and he will gladly sign it and ensure that it is returned. More info is available on his website here: www.alandeanfoster.com The address is: Thranx Inc. P.O. Box 12757 Prescott, AZ 86304 U.S.A. Has anyone sent off a copy of the novel in awhile? I know a few people who did this initially and it came back signed. T

I'd send my copy but it's second hand and some idiot has scribbled on the inside page - so it'd somewhat spoil the effect of the signed copy. I have the book in German though also.

One more point regards the book. I'd have to read it again to be sure, but I think Blair says in his autopsy summary that the dog-cells are not real dog, and that he can tell because at a microscopic level the cells have a different stucture. If this is so, -*test*-('")ing for a Thing would be a doddle. All you'd need is a tissue sample and a microscope. I prefer the idea that as in the movie the imitation is a perfect imitation.

Howdythings... I just bought a 1p copy via Amazon and have voraciously read it (much like The Thing assimilating a host...) There are a few editing errors I spotted, for example, in one of the middle chapters one of the characters (Copper, I think) mentions Macready and Bennings being shot at when the dog arrives at the camp...though Macready isn't actually introduced to the story until after that has happened... And Palmer has long hair in a ponytail... I thought it was a decent read though - liked the differences between book and novel. It also helps explain some of the points made in posts made to this forum about the film.

I still need to GET a copy! Heading to Amazon RIGHT NOW!!

I just finished reading it, I started it last week on the flight down to Orlando. I noticed a lot of goofs this time through as well. I'm definitely in a THING mood the past coupla weeks - the TF7 screening looms...! Can't wait! T

One aspect of the novelization is a feature present in all of Alan Dean Foster's novelizations (apart from his usual narrative skill and fine flow, of course :): he always attempts to improve on the original. Namely, not only does he expand and enrich the story and the characters in comparison with the screenplays that he adapts, but, whenever possible, he also patches potential plotholes and removes goofs - or provides acceptable explanations for them. I won't recall any specific examples from "The Thing" right now, but I remember that some jarring little mistakes that were present in the second draft of the script (and some of which made it to the movie) were elegantly removed or explained in his novelization. (I wonder if ADF still signs the novel... and if he signs non-US editions, too? :))

I'm rereading it now
but I distinctly remember a reference to cyanide capsules in regards to MacReady. When I find it, I'll post it. I love to get another copy with the alternate photograph styled glow-face cover (the "infected" looks more like Kurt rather than a general person). Will have to seek that out. Why this image wasn't used for the promotional art I'll never know. It's a great red herring and far creepier than glow-face art.

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I just finished reading the novel for the first time in years and there is a scene where Mac fills some empty gelatin capsules with cyanide and hands them out. One of the guys uses his (I can't remember which one - maybe Garry?) and Nauls loses his while trying to skate away from the Thing. All in all it's an excellent book.