Rating: 
Summary: A great Cerebral Horror Tale....
Review: For those of you whom have only seen the American film, or maybe you haven't seen it, I suggest watching that, then the Japanese film(s), and then coming to this book. My reasoning for this is, that way you will NOT scrutinise the films for what they change or don't keep, ect, but take them as they are, because after you read this, you will be curious, and want to read them anyway. :)
I was a little leary of reading this book to tell youthe truth, I'm not sure, but I didn't think it would be something I'd like. I mean sure, I LOVED the movies, but I knew that this was different, of course the basica plot is the same: A person unravels a mystery surrounding a video tape that kills you. However, in this, it is a married man with a 1yr baby girl whom discovers the tape, Asakawa. The reason he gets involved is basically the same, but the tape is new in this, it has just been created. And rather then playing on innate nature to lean towards nuturing out curiosities, it plays more on how the tape is like a virus, and how its spreads. It also is very interesting in that it takes many turns that the movies would not dare to take, as the films tread more on the common and cliched, the books take on new territory. They take old ideas and make them anew.
Ring is the first book in what is sure to be an amazing trilogy(Only Ring and Spiral are out right now.). I would reccomend this book, and the second one "Spiral", to anyone whom is curious. You undoubtedly like this book if you like psycological/supernatural thrillers or just like a plain ol' good book.!
God Bless & Love ~Amy
Rating:
Summary: Video Killed the Radiant Stars?
Review: After being reminded by my daughter a couple of times that it had almost been a week since she saw "The Ring" at a friend's house, and that its effect would soon be evident, I decided to skip the in all likelihood watered down film versions and get the original book. While it failed to scare me, I greatly enjoyed this well-plotted mystery novel, that is very effective in allowing a leap of fate in the supernatural and provides a blend of Michael Creighton and Stephen King at the top of their game.
Based on the notoriety that this book received thanks to the movies and because of the details provided by the previous reviewers, I will skip most of the story details. The book centers on a Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson type quest to defuse a ticking time bomb. Similarly to Takagi's "Tattoo Murder Mystery" the writer chooses the smart guy to figure out the well developed clues with the clock ticking.
With a more than workable knowledge of viruses Suzuki really deserves credit for keeping the reader fully engaged in jumping between the worlds of fact and fiction. This jumping is clearly helped by the writer's knowledge of psychology and philosophy and last, but not least by the highly effective writing style. While I agree with some other reviewers on the regular clumsiness of the translation, it only rare occasions detracts from the accelerating flow of the novel.
While it failed to scare me -to quote Bruce Willis in "The Last Boy Scout": "Wanna scare me? Play some rap music", - I considered this a highly engaging, intelligently plotted mystery novel.
There are two more novels in this series and one additional volume of short stories.
Subarashi desu ne!
Rating:
Summary: Added Substance to the Well-Known Plot
Review: Being a big fan of both "Ringu" and its American remake "The Ring," I was intrigued to read the book that started it all. As one might suspect, much of the plot will be very similar to those who have seen one or both of the films. However, the book does hold a few of it's own surprises. Asakawa is a reporter who unintentionally comes across a story while taking a cab home from work. The cabdriver is explaining how a young man died on the street one day right next to his car. The day and time he notes that the event took place is the same day and time that Asakawa's niece died. Both deaths were described as sudden heart failure. Odd coincidence? Further digging reveals that two other young adults died the same night, at approximately the same time, from the same strange unknown cause. Asakawa's investigation leads him to a resort in the woods, where he discovers and watches the infamous mysterious videotape with the odd, surreal images. Asakawa enlists the aid of his friend Ryuji, a philosophy professor, to help him solve the riddle and save his life. Together they are in a race against time to survive an ill fate. The two gradually peel away layers of a distant past, and a child named Sadako who was known to have psychic powers. What is Sadako's wish? What is the ultimate purpose of her tape? Will Ryuji and Asakawa discover the truth in time to save themselves? Some of the differences between the book and the movies are small, such as the fact that the main character in both films was female while the reporter and main character in the book is a male. In addition, the age difference between the reporter's child in both films was slightly older than the child in the book. However, there are some major differences as well. I loved the differences in the plot surrounding Sadako and her mother, as well as the video Sadako mentally produced. The process of discovery varies immensely as well in the book, and for the better in my opinion. The book did a wonderful job of keeping the tension level high as Ryuji and Asakawa painstakingly researched every tidbit of information they could ascertain from the videotape. Every aspect every step of the way is described with great detail and in a way that is easily understood by the reader. The author never asks the reader to take any great logical leaps. Yet another big difference is the way that the deaths of Sadako's victims are described. Clearly the directors of both versions of the film took a great deal of artistic liberty in this area, which is what was needed in order to make this book into a scarier film. Don't get me wrong, the story is still quite intense and even scary. However, it is quite different in the form of text. Suzuki focuses on the thrills and the detective-like inquiry rather than the in-your-face horror and vividly gory description that might have detracted from the plot. Furthermore, the bond between Ryuji and Asakawa and their clashing personalities are expertly described and make for an intriguing side-plot. Overall this is a great book that any fan of the movies, or even horror or suspense in general, should definitely read. Koji Suzuki gives the reader a slightly different and highly unique spin on the well-known films that should not be over-looked. I most definitely look forward to reading "Spiral" and "Loop" next!
Rating:
Summary: Added Substance to the Well-Known Plot
Review: Being a big fan of both "Ringu" and its American remake "The Ring," I was intrigued to read the book that started it all. As one might suspect, much of the plot will be very similar to those who have seen one or both of the films. However, the book does hold a few of it's own surprises. Asakawa is a reporter who unintentionally comes across a story while taking a cab home from work. The cabdriver is explaining how a young man died on the street one day right next to his car. The day and time he notes that the event took place is the same day and time that Asakawa's niece died. Both deaths were described as sudden heart failure. Odd coincidence? Further digging reveals that two other young adults died the same night, at approximately the same time, from the same strange unknown cause. Asakawa's investigation leads him to a resort in the woods, where he discovers and watches the infamous mysterious videotape with the odd, surreal images. Asakawa enlists the aid of his friend Ryuji, a philosophy professor, to help him solve the riddle and save his life. Together they are in a race against time to survive an ill fate. The two gradually peel away layers of a distant past, and a child named Sadako who was known to have psychic powers. What is Sadako's wish? What is the ultimate purpose of her tape? Will Ryuji and Asakawa discover the truth in time to save themselves? Some of the differences between the book and the movies are small, such as the fact that the main character in both films was female while the reporter and main character in the book is a male. In addition, the age difference between the reporter's child in both films was slightly older than the child in the book. However, there are some major differences as well. I loved the differences in the plot surrounding Sadako and her mother, as well as the video Sadako mentally produced. The process of discovery varies immensely as well in the book, and for the better in my opinion. The book did a wonderful job of keeping the tension level high as Ryuji and Asakawa painstakingly researched every tidbit of information they could ascertain from the videotape. Every aspect every step of the way is described with great detail and in a way that is easily understood by the reader. The author never asks the reader to take any great logical leaps. Yet another big difference is the way that the deaths of Sadako's victims are described. Clearly the directors of both versions of the film took a great deal of artistic liberty in this area, which is what was needed in order to make this book into a scarier film. Don't get me wrong, the story is still quite intense and even scary. However, it is quite different in the form of text. Suzuki focuses on the thrills and the detective-like inquiry rather than the in-your-face horror and vividly gory description that might have detracted from the plot. Furthermore, the bond between Ryuji and Asakawa and their clashing personalities are expertly described and make for an intriguing side-plot. Overall this is a great book that any fan of the movies, or even horror or suspense in general, should definitely read. Koji Suzuki gives the reader a slightly different and highly unique spin on the well-known films that should not be over-looked. I most definitely look forward to reading "Spiral" and "Loop" next!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent book; don't expect Ringu/The Ring duplicate
Review: First of all I want to start by saying I decided to read this book for my Grade Nine ISP this year. Anyways, as my title suggests, this is technically Ringu/The Ring, but at the same time it is not. Let me start by ruining your hopeful dreams by saying that NO ONE COMES OUT OF TVs. Not Sadako, not Samara. No one comes out of TVs. If you REALLY want to know how they die I will read a passage from the book during Ryujii's death: "His head suddently became unbearably itchy. He put his hand to his head and scratched furiously, and felt several starnds of hair come out. On the second ring, [* Ryujii is calling Mai to ask for something; book doesn't explain exactly WHAT it is he wants] Ryujii lifted his face. The was a horizontal mirror on the chest of drawers in front of him, and he could see his face reflected in it. Forgetting that he had the phone wedged between his shoulder and his head, he brought his face in close to the mirror. The reciever fell, but he didn't care; he just stared at his face in the mirror. The cheeks were yellowish, dried and craked, hair was falling out in clumps to reveal brown scabs"
Page 264
In my opinion the book is more about infectious diseases and society in itself. At the end of the book Asakawa asks if he should risk saving his wife and daughter, spreading the tape to ultimatly cause the end of many, many lives (Asakawa says something like "by the time 6 months have come, everyone in Japan will have seen it and will spread to across the ocean. People will be mistaken and show a copy of the tape to two people or more; some might accidently show the tape to someone who has seen the tape and die in the end"). This is one of the few books I have read in a while that actually made me THINK. And I don't like thinking.
I believe it is an EXCELLENT book but do not purchuse this novel believing you will get a bigger scare than the movie.
Rating:
Summary: ...Psuedohermaphroidic...
Review: First of all, I'm sure everyones given a synopsis so I'll just get to the cons and pros of this novel. To begin with, it is excellent. Definately worth reading, even if you have seen all of the movies. There are pieces the Japanese, English, and Korean version CERTAINLY didn't cover. I was caught off guard at several points in this book. This is one of the better translations I've read and I can't wait to pick up Spiral.
Unfortantely only two characters are really explored. Every other character is barely two dimensional. Of course I was fond the two main characters and found myself in love with the characterization of Ryuji. Even after I had finished the book I was trying to figure him out. Ah, but I loved him.
I also didn't find the book quite as frightening as the movies. Only a few parts set me on edge and I'm afraid that was only because it was the middle of the night and I was home alone. It does manage to keep an eerie tone however and contains some excellent, occasionally trivial, imagery.
I literaly devoured this book. I am a high school senior and, well, naturally I don't have a lot of free time. To say I finished this book in a matter of days is certainly saying something. Koji Suzuki is simply genius. Read it, if for nothing else than to read the word "Psuedohermaphroidic"(sp?) in a sentance.
Rating: 
Summary: Only for Real Fans of the Movie
Review: I am huge fan of the movie The Ring. I cannot think of a movie I've seen in the past few years that is as eerie. Because of this, I wanted to see Ringu, the Japanese movie the American movie is based on and read this book, which started the whole process. I have to admit, however, that I was disappointed. Though I am usually a fan of linear storytelling, I was engaged by the American movie's visual power and near surrealism in spots. Unfortunately, that was clearly an invention. Suzuki's book and the Japanese movie were both very neat packages with the book being the neatest of all. There was little mystery and when I finished the novel, I felt I understood everything that had happened. And I felt a loss. I also was disappointed by the prose. It's difficult to blame Suzuki for this because, not being able to read Japanese, I don't know what's been lost in translation. But the way we have been given this story in English is very bland, offering little in the way of fear or excitement. Still, I'm glad I read it. It is interesting to see how the story developed from novel to Ringu to The Ring. The fundamental piece is there--the video that kills viewers after seven days--but much is developed and changed before the final form. And I do feel reading this novel has deepened my understanding of The Ring. For that I am grateful. But only a real fan of the American movie will find much in this book.
Rating:
Summary: ------7 DAYS!------
Review: I loved The Ring, the movie. It remains, along with The Exorcist, the two scariest films in the world to me. I enjoyed the japanese version too. But what gets under my skin is how they turn a great book, into a great movie, but yet makes it a lot different.
Now I'm not going to spoil anything, but the ending of the book is different to the endings of both the japanese and american films.
Anyway, the book is fantastic! Koji Suzuki is a pretty good writer, and the suspense, horror and philosophy of the book is amazing. As in the films, there's nothing too terrifying all the way through. Bits here and there, but nothing heart-stopping. (Excuse the pun!!!)
But for some reason there's an eeriness the whole way through, building you up for the end. whether that was the whole technique, i dont know, but it is most definitely a scary, satisfying book that leaves you slobbering for the sequels! ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Send the translators on a writing course
Review: I wouldn't dispute that it's a great story, and the translation may well be accurate, but only a very bad writer would ever use phrases like "Never in his wildest dreams would he imagine what awaited him there" and its ilk, unless writing for a pre-teen audience. I suspect that the translators majored in Japanese rather than English Literature. Mind you, that's fairly impressive in itself.
Despite that, still a good story.
Rating:
Summary: Whoa...
Review: Koji Suzuki, Ring (Vertical, 1991) So you've seen The Ring. Or, better yet, the Japanese film Ringu. Or both. (You should watch both. See Ringu first.) Or you haven't. It doesn't matter. You must read Ring. The story is relatively similar, but both Nakata and Verbinski took very large liberties with the original text (for example, both made Asakawa's character female-- which allowed the world to get weak-kneed at seeing Nanako Matsushima and Naomi Watts gracing screens again, but was otherwise seemingly gratuitous), including some major messing with the backstory. So if you've seen the films, the book will be familiar, but will still end up being a whole new experience. Asakawa is a reporter. He was disgraced a couple of years ago during a sudden, unexplained outburst of popularity of stories about the occult in Japan (though you don't find out exactly how early on). One night, on the way home, he catches a cab, and he and the driver strike up a conversation about an event that happened a month previously to the cabdriver: a kid on a motorbike died of sudden heart failure. The death is eerily similar to that of Asakawa's niece on the same night. And from that coincidence, Asakawa starts to research the connection between the two deaths, which turns out to be far more than he bargained for. What made for a creepily effective thriller on screen actually reads more like a hardboiled detective thriller (those familiar with the premise will note the obvious similarity to certain crime films of the past, notably D. O. A.). Suzuki keeps the horrors even farther offscreen than did Nakata (and the difference in the "revelation" at the end will surely startle those who are expecting the same kind of special-effects extravaganza Nakata used as a payoff), focusing on the mystery and the bond between Asakawa and his best friend, Ryuji, who gets involved in the investigation with him. The book's flaws are minor, and conducive to mystery writing. Asakawa's edtor is a dead ringer for Tony Vincenzo (the editor in "Kolchak: The Night Stalker"), and a few of the other minor characters are about as shallow. Still, there are less obvious "kill me" characters running around, and the minor characters aren't really given enough screen time to make it an issue. Compelling, well-written, expertly translated, and full of twists, even for those who have seen the movie. Highly recommended, and a shoo-in for this year's ten-best list. **** ½
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