Rating: 
Summary: Makes good fodder for the next movie....
Review: ...but is ultimately a pain in to read.I like how the author tied up the lose ends from the 2nd movie,but why waste 400 pages (yes 400) and not finish the book completely? I just hope Cameron wrote the script for the new movie, this book has proven to me that only Cameron can write for this series.
Rating: 
Summary: SkyNet never sleeps.
Review: As one expected, I'm a fan of the film series. I was a bit late to
learn about a novel sequel to the last movie. So, I swooped this
up. I used to always buy paperback version of hardback novels, but
now I feel I was wrong. There's a certain power that comes with a
hardback book, weight and visual presence. It does for me anyway.
Oh well. This is an excellent popcorn book. A fast read at 389
pages. Great novel to ease into your couch or recliner and absorb.
Stirling did a good job recreated the mood and feel of the last
feature. Though this novel has nothing to do with next summer's
"T3" (2003) movie. Well, one thing. The next villain like this
book is female. And not all muscles, but very very feminine. Oh
my. The I-950 is new to the saga and is a welcome addition. Didn't
see that going there, makes sense. SkyNet is just plain wicked.
Serena Burns is described as quite the hottie. Someone needs to
check her back to see if she has a switch like that Krusty the
Clown doll. Can she be set from EVIL to GOOD? And a kicks ass
ending. Like the Romero flicks, dead don't always mean dead. There
are a few things I want answered in the sequel book which is
already out. (1) What happens to Serena's tummy nuke? (2) Does the
Phased Plasma Rifle in the forty-kilowatt rage get built in his
altered history-present? (3) What happened to her second clone? I
hope these get resolved in "T2: Rising Storm". For those who are
purists, bummed out that this isn't what "T3" is going to be
about. Just take it like this. There are infinite timelines at
play, this novel series takes place in one. Or two. Or three of
them. And as an added bonus. Several Terminators for the Conners
to battle with.
Rating: 
Summary: Promising start to what could be a new scifi series
Review: For those of us who have viewed the two Terminator films over and over and over again, the wait for the 2002 release of "Terminator 3" seems endless. Consequently, the appearance of an alternative literary version of a sequel to the Terminator films is an exciting event, indeed. Overall, Stirling has succeeded in continuing the Terminator saga in authentic and convincing fashion, and we can only hope that *Infiltrator* is the first in a series of Terminator stories in book form.I'm guessing that Stirling hoped that this story might provide the basis for the Terminator 3 film, as he has provided more than ample opportunity for Arnold Schwarzenegger to be featured prominently in the cast. Unfortunately for Stirling, Linda Hamilton decided not to participate in the T3 project, so the prominent role of Sarah Connor in *Infiltrator* relegated this story to the realm of literature only. Oh, well. The world of Skynet and the Terminators is a complex one, filled with all kinds of time travel-related anomalies and contradictions. Stirling has done a credible job here of fleshing out some of the mysteries of how the previous Terminator stories came to be, and he also advances the saga by suggesting that Skynet would create cyborgs, human/machine hybrids, that would help Skynet in its apparently never-ending battle to exterminate fleshupoid humanoids. Stirling also suggests that misanthropic humans would aid Skynet in this effort, motivated by an ultra-"green" desire to rid the world of an ecologically destructive human race. The resulting story is fast-paced, intriguing, and highly readable, and fans of all things Terminator owe it to themselves to add *Infiltrator* to their current "must read" list. There are a few things about the book that I found bothersome, however. For example, much of the plot depends upon some highly implausible coincidences, i.e., the appearance of an Arnold lookalike retired special agent right next door to Sarah and John's Paraguayan hideout. There also is a thread to the story involving an ultra-green political extremist who resembles the Unabomber in some ways. This subplot is interesting, but for the life of me I can't figure out what this character ultimately has to do with the story presented. I suspect that in including this element Stirling is setting the stage for a future sequel to *Infiltrator*, and hurray for that. Finally, the plot development definitely deepens some of the time travel-related anomalies to the point where thinking about them too much could cause migraines--so I recommend to readers just letting the fantasy wash over them; it's better that way.
Rating:
Summary: A great followup to Judgement Day
Review: I am not a person who usually reads novels based on movie properties so I reluctantly started this one. Since I'm a big Terminator fan I put aside my biases and tried it. I'm glad I did. It is a very engrossing read and sets up situations that further books can build upon. Rather than getting bogged down in lots of time travel mumbo-jumbo to explain apparent inconsistencies the author makes it clear that changing the future is not as easy as it may seem. But, again, he doesn't get carried away with the science. He's more concerned with telling the story. And the story takes place a few years after the T2 movie. Sarah and John are "retired" in South America. In the future, SkyNet has created the I-905 Infiltrators which are mostly human. Their most efficient and successful model, Serena, is sent back. But it's not the usual mission. It's much more complicated than just killing the enemies of SkyNet. Meanwhile, an anti-technology anti-capitalist group is growing in the United States and will have a real impact on the formation of SkyNet.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting - Boring -- Mildly Interesting - Boring
Review: I came upon this book by accident and was quite pleased to find someone had finally written a sequel to one of my favorite film franchises. However, as far as standing on its own independent of those original films, the book falls flat on its face. Too many lines and plot points from the movies find their way into this book. It isn't nostalgic. It's uninspired. It isn't original. It's a rip off. The only redeeming part comes early on during a long exposition about how the human Infiltrator unit was 'developed' by Skynet. Fascinating, but just before the Infiltrator was to accomplish an extremely significant assignment in the future, Skynet abruptly and without reason decides to send her into the past instead. The book could have ended right there if she'd been allowed to just do what she was going to do. But nooooooo. The plot seems to be completely contrived based on old information. New additions include the Luddite army and Ron Labane but these minor mentionables are wasted and discarded. The Tricker character is just the standard Jerk Boss figure you've seen a million times. The CEO and Chairman of Cyberdyne are inept fools who could never have gotten a real company off the group in the first place. And to top things off, Sarah Connor has gone soft. I had to grit my teeth to finish this book. Once I started I'd invested too much time to stop, even as bad as it was. You won't be impressed by the near exact repeat of how the second film ended being redone in this book. Boring. This book was so bad, I don't even feel like spell checking this review. Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this one. Stirling could have done way better. His transitions are sometimes very confusing... perhaps due to a heavy handed editor or lackadaisical writing. Yawn.
Rating:
Summary: Takes the story in a new direction and to new heights
Review: I didn't expect this to be more than a rehash of the two movies and therefore it came as a most pleasant surprise. First, I quite appreciated the story being told from different perspectives, especially from that of Serena, the infiltrator of the title. This gives a deeper understanding of just what Skynet is up to and importantly, why. Secondly, the character of Dieter von Rossbach was a true inspiration. There is a logic here. Certainly, those who designed the first robots would use a human model, and a brave, intrepid secret agent would be a logical one. Less logical is his meeting Sarah Connor, but as each would seek an area of privacy but also access to illegal arms, forged papers, etc., it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility that they'd be in the same place at the same time. Thirdly, the story is a development of the original, and the emphasis is on the story with sufficient action and violence but not enough to overwhelm the story itself. The ending has enough of a hook to it that you'll likely be ready to read T2: RISING STORM after finishing this one. This is much more than just a movie novel.
Rating:
Summary: Takes the story in a new direction and to new heights
Review: I didn't expect this to be more than a rehash of the two movies and therefore it came as a most pleasant surprise. First, I quite appreciated the story being told from different perspectives, especially from that of Serena, the infiltrator of the title. This gives a deeper understanding of just what Skynet is up to and importantly, why. Secondly, the character of Dieter von Rossbach was a true inspiration. There is a logic here. Certainly, those who designed the first robots would use a human model, and a brave, intrepid secret agent would be a logical one. Less logical is his meeting Sarah Connor, but as each would seek an area of privacy but also access to illegal arms, forged papers, etc., it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility that they'd be in the same place at the same time. Thirdly, the story is a development of the original, and the emphasis is on the story with sufficient action and violence but not enough to overwhelm the story itself. The ending has enough of a hook to it that you'll likely be ready to read T2: RISING STORM after finishing this one. This is much more than just a movie novel.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced, engaging
Review: I found the action scenes and futuristic portions of the book most entertaining and most skillfully written. However, I think there were too many pages devoted to sickly-sweet, cartoonish interactions between Sarah and John Connor.
I was surprised at the grossly maudlin dialogue because all other parts of the book were creative, witty, exciting, realistic. So I skimmed through the sappy pages and was able to enjoy the book. This book is worth seeking out.
Rating:
Summary: The Followup
Review: I found this book somewhat dissapointing after reading the sequel to T2: Infiltrator: T2: Rising Storm. This book was very good, a good balance of strong and weak, but a couple things that are just unbelievable. Probably the only thing wrong with this book is that it goes around showing viewpoints from the Villains, the heroes, the accomplices and others, so you have to read every single small black print that goes for on and on.(ex. "Sarah connor's sanatarium-Present" , or H/K Mission-2089.) this was a very good book, but the sequel is better. You will have to read this to make all the series click in your mind, but it's well worth it. The last book in this trilogy is T2: the Future War, coming out august 2003. I am looking forward to it. (don't try and search for s.m. sterling; bad results.)
They say that some of the elements of this book are going into T3: Rise of the Machines. (Notice T2: (Ris)ing storm and T3: "Rise" of the Machines.) This is a very good book well worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: Abso-FREAKIN-Wunnerful!
Review: I loved the movies (can't get enough of that post-apocalyptic-self-aware-computer-ruins-civilization stuff), REALLY liked some of the graphic novels and now this..... I was hesitant at first... one of those days ... when you NEED to read something, and took a chance on this. Was NEVER so glad to NOT be disappointed. Made a widow of my domestic partner in my off time as I could NOT get away from this book. Beautifully written, nice touches of humor I could see onscreen (hopefully the sequel will be SOMETHING like this) and just dark and twisted enough to know that the future WILL happen... HOW is happens is still uncertain. I await anxiously "Storm Rising" in July... and while I shy away from hardcover (great on the coffee table, lousy on the pocket) I will have it... oh yes... it will be mine. GET THIS BOOK! Tah!
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