Rating: 
Summary: Good book but movie is better
Review: This book was good and, for me, it was worth reading. But I prefer the movie because the dialogue is better and there are parts in the movie that aren't in the book, which kinda dissappointed me. By the way, i know that this book isn't historically accurate but, keep in mind, this is historical FICTION. Anyway, it was good but, if you were expecting the exact movie, then wait for the screenplay.
Rating: 
Summary: This was a fine book about Pearl Harbor
Review: This is a suspenseful book and I enjoyed reading it VERY much. The ending was... I better not say, you have to read it. I gave 4 stars because it's kind of a gory some parts and the ending was kind of... (I can't express it)
Rating: 
Summary: Nonhistorical point of view
Review: This review is coming from a nonhistorical point of view, for all the casual readers who just want to read for the fun of it. Some minimal background knowledge is helpful, as this is very fictional but coincides with various historical incidents in World War II around December of 1941/early 1942. The book appears to be over early on, but several twists keep it going. I won't go into any more detail, but I recommend this book, which is a fairly emotional one.
Rating:
Summary: Pearl Harbor
Review: TITLE: Pearl Harbor AUTHOR: Randall Wallace PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster REVIEWED BY: Barbara RhoadesBOOK REVIEW: The story was well-written and related to people growing up in the depression who were scarred by the events of World War I. The main characters were young boys when the story opened. They were the best of pals – like brothers. Each grew up to become aviators in the United States Army Air Corps. They always helped and watched over each other as the events of their lives led up to Pearl Harbor where they fell in love with the same woman. Mr. Wallace’s story was historically incorrect in two areas. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Fleet, remained on his Flag Ship in the Sea of Japan rather than with the fleet attacking Pearl Harbor. The other incorrect historical reference was that the United States did NOT declare war on the Third Reich at the same time as Japan but rather this event occurred three days later. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy historical love stories. Jay O. Sanders was an excellent reader who held my interest and I finished the book in two days.
Rating:
Summary: Mindless pap
Review: To put it bluntly, this is NOT a good book. With such a shattering event for a centerpiece, I would think that any writer worth his salt would strive to create a story that would honor the sacrifices made on that day. Such is not the case here. This is sophomoric drivel at its worst - one gets more story out of the ingredient list on a box of "Froot Loops!" Yes, I know that this is a "work" of fiction (certainly the wonky history in there qualified as "fiction"), but it is most certainly BAD fiction. Plot development? None. Character development? None. This reads as if it were written by a hormonally-imbalanced high school student. Any story so infested with so many instances of deus ex machina is poorly conceived, poorly constructed and poorly written. (What editor let this one get out the door?) When Rafe suddenly returns from a watery grave only to find that his best girl has finally fallen for his blood brother, with the highly improbable (and under-explored) story of his rescue, the contrivance had me laughing out loud! This "love triangle" is obtuse, indeed. The dialogue here is stilted, artificial and shallow. I suppose that since the characters are so one-dimensional, this droning is to be expected. These are not characters, they are caricatures. They are cartoon buffoons spouting cliches. Forget, for a moment, the historical inaccuracies. This book fails even to offer a good fictionalized account of the events in the early stages of the war. (I will give credit to Wallace for the story of the mess steward, though. Most of that was true - and I suggest that you read the details of his story if you want something with substance.) It isn't even a decent "love" story. If you REALLY want stories that have incredible heroism, unforgettable characters, and more drama than you could sink with a torpedo, then I suggest that you read a NONFICTION history book. (Helloooo, indeed.) This will require you to do some of your own thinking to sort out the good guys from the bad guys, so consider yourself warned. If, however, you want to fill your head with mindless pap, flat characters and childish dialogue without benefit of accuracy or even a decent plot, then this is the book you should be reading. Have you gotten the idea that I don't like this book? Here's how bad it really is. Books are almost revered items to me; I keep nearly every book I buy, even the relatively bad ones, and I only lose the ones I loan out and never get back. When I finished reading this book, I promptly threw it in the trash and immediately washed my hands. Good riddance.
Rating: 
Summary: A Cliché that will live in infamy
Review: Two brave men. Best friends from childhood share everything, including the love of one woman. Oh, yea and their is something about the Japanese too. But who really cares about that ? Not the book. If this is the big blockbuster of the summer I think that we can all save eight dollars and just got rent some "B" flick from the thirties and forties.
Rating:
Summary: Randall Wallace wrote this?!
Review: Upon exiting the theater after "Pearl Harbor," I was set upon by a man who referred to the American officials portrayed in the film as "bumbling idiots." It's a good thing he said "Americans," because he easily could've been speaking about Rafe, Danny and Evelyn, the trio involved in a love triangle plot that is one of the movie's pitfalls. The sequence of the attack itself is magnificent, but is bookended by the development of the sappy love story and the American attack on Japan. It's not a good sign when, forty minutes into the movie, you find yourself favoring the trailer over the actual movie. Beginning a movie with character development is a good thing, but only if you know how to iron it out. The film opens in Tennessee, with childhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) playing pilots in a barn. Moving along a couple of years, they are pilots in the United States armed forces, and like most pilots do, they spend their leave chasing nurses, who are just as man-hungry as the cadets. ... The movie tries unsuccessfully to balance the love story with historical facts and events. Every now and then, we leave their happy lives together to venture to the United States War Department, where Captain Thurman (Dan Aykroyd) and President Roosevelt serve little purpose except to foreshadow the impending attack that we already know is imminent... We're also given a dosage of Japanese movements, from their planning of the bombing to Japanese naval craft and planes making their way to Hawaii. If we had more of this kind of material, the movie just might work. But instead, it loses focus from the real story behind Pearl Harbor, settling for the love story in hopes of bringing out some sort of human drama to bring out our emotions for the tragedy as a whole. This brings out the ever-present "Titanic" machinations, as it also included fiction with history. Now, I cannot begin to criticize the historical aspect of the film; I know too little about the whole sequence of events to make a comparison. But what I can tell you is that "Titanic" was able to provide us with likeable, involving characters amidst a very accurate historical setting. For some reason, the same formula applied here fails. We can't really care for Evelyn, Danny and Rafe because of the story they are given. There's too many romance clichés which bury the characters in a mess of break-ups and budding romance similar to the switches that an everyday, stereotypical teenage girl would make. Maybe that's an audience-targeting tactic, or just an honest mistake. Either way, the love story does nothing but add on the baggage, filling the cracks with sappy one-liners and unconvincing dialogue. And the movie's turn of events after the actual bombing itself is ludicrous and draggy... It goes on for too long, and wouldn't you know it, there has to be more of the love story involved as well. Which brings me to my discussion of the actual attack portion of the movie. This is the section to see, if you are willing to stick it out until then. The intensity really does reach a high note as the planes begin descending on Hawaii, and although we know what will happen, it's quite exciting and moving to watch it all unfold onscreen. The bombing of the ships does not happen too fast, but gets it just right by taking its time in showing us the panic in and out of the ships in the bay. Another high point is the events that take place in the hospital ward, where thousands of wounded soldiers begins appearing. The movie does well with this entire sequence, not only because of some spectacular special effects, but because the love story characters are left alone to perform their real duties, leaving behind the sap and giving us a real taste of human drama. In summation, "Pearl Harbor" does not live up to the hype surrounding it. The human drama and excitement of the attack on American forces is drowned by the love story, which never reaches a level of reality, while the ending flatlines completely. I had many questions at the end of the movie: is this really the work of Randall Wallace, who also wrote the magnificent "Braveheart?" Do the filmmakers think that by ignoring the actual focus of the story, it will become more involving? I have one thing to say about the movie: the trailer is better.
Rating: 
Summary: enjoyed it guiltily
Review: Why do I say I enjoyed the book guiltily? Well, cos' I went to watch the movie and I loved it, I guess i must be a hopeless romantic. But I stiil had to agree about the superficial aspects of the storyline. The war scenes were good but somehow reviews had taught me to beware of the love scenes. Ya right, I honestly liked that crap and that's why I feel guilty. But nevertheless read it only if you are a hopeless romantic like me. Really. don't bother wasting your time to read it and slam the book so disgustingly and give it 1 star and drag the whole rating down because there are still some people who swear by the book.
Rating:
Summary: obviously missed 30 seconds over tokyo
Review: Would have been a good book if author had merely seen one of my favorite movies "30 Seconds Over Tokyo".
Rating:
Summary: Pulp, Worthless
Review: Yes Titanic was a boat and it ran into something, made up the rest. "Pearl Harbor" is as bad. Typical hollywood formula. Gotta have a chick and a "love triangle" to bring in mindless females. Gotta have tension and battles between male rivals. Gotta have a token black/other misc minority. Mindless pap. The in this book history is at about the level of a 4th grader. The leading male character/pilots are trained by Jimmy Doolittle, defeat the Germans in the Battle of Britain, make it to HI in time to clean the Japs clock at Pearl Harbor, train the Tokyo raiders and then fly in the actual raid??? Give me a break. Can't expect much coming from the Titanic bunch. Got that right. This is new book/plot is less. I guess this is supposed to be a mindless "girl movie". Wouldn't want a military history movie to be accurate, why that would be a "guy movie". To bad it isn't Spielberg doing this as originally rumored. Just think of a Pearl Harbor movie done in the style of "Saving Private Ryan". The difference between talent and a checkbook. Well at least with the pile of $ spent maybe the special effects will be big, even if unlikely to be accurate.
| 
