The first adaptation was intended as a way for the author to make fun of the movie, and I really hated it. I didn't like reading it at all, and I was really worried that I was not going to like this supposedly more serious version. I am happy to say that this second adaptation was far from disappointing.
The thing that makes "Manos: Talons of Fate" so good is that it follows the milestones of the movie extremely closely, yet it gives everything a much cleaner context. That's actually what I wanted. I wanted an adaptation that took the story of the movie seriously, without turning it into a joke. The movie was kind of a joke because there wasn't much effort put into its production, but there was a story there worth telling, and this new book tells it in the best way.
Everything about this story is good. It's sexy. It's often quite scary. It makes you feel secluded and trapped away from safe society. The author does a great job at presenting the wives of the "Master" to you. Their lust for him is often stronger than their disdain. It's surprisingly politically incorrect, but it really hits home as a horror book.
Torgo is still the best character in the whole story. Heck, I even liked him in the comedy book. But it was this particular telling that really opens your mind to who he is and the monster he is becoming. If you ever wanted to know more about Torgo and his backstory, this is the book for you.
That is not to say that the other characters are disinteresting. In the movie, there were some seemingly unimportant characters that kept showing up for no good reason, but the author here has given them a purpose without removing their activities too far away from the film. I don't know how to explain it better, but he was just so good at this. It worked so well, and I am a bit astonished.
I also want to say that, in this version, the author does not shy away from erotica. There isn't a lot of it, but he pretty much just describes it raw. I like this because the book is filled with a lot of lusty imagery between men and women. There's also a bit of lesbian stuff as well. It almost makes me feel dirty for reading it, but I think that may have been the point.
I do absolutely recommend "Manos: Talons of Fate." I recommend it about as much as I do not recommend the comedy version. It's like night and day. This is one of the best adaptations I have ever read, and it seems like a dream come true that it exists. I really wanted this... and the author delivered.
This blog was written on November 21, 2022.
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It seems the author was a fan of the movie after all. He could not give the story depth without bastardizing it otherwise. I am sure you are glad to not be the only one that sees MANOS: The Hands of Fate was a diamond in the rough. MANOS: The Talons of Fate shaped and smoothed that diamond into a true gem.
ReplyDeleteAnd he absolutely succeeded. I am amazed!
DeleteLow budget movies often have a story to tell. The quality of the telling largely determines whether they will be remembered. No matter how silly it seems, a good story will shine through.
ReplyDeleteIn this case it did, and I really liked it.
DeleteInteresting, it's like he wrote the other book for the peanut gallery and MANOS: TOF for actual serious readers. I'm glad he did the movie justice. The movie shouldn't be taken as a joke, the creators did their best with their limited budget and told a great story. They also gave us Torgo and his theme.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have any complaints. His style isn't my favorite, but that is wholly beside the point. He did good and he told a good and serious story well.
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