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A movie novelization is sort of an interesting phenomenon --- an author is
working off of someone else's story, which has been adapted into a screenplay
format, and reshaping the substance into his own literary version. As each
medium is unique in its presentation, this requires a skillful application of
imagery and characterization to approximate the intensity that moviegoers
will experience; and the challenges for the novelist in adapting the
storyline for the reading audience can be formidable. In the case of VERTICAL
LIMIT the screenplay was fashioned with big screen visuals in mind and all
the effects that today's technology can provide. Mel Odom, no stranger to the
novelization process, has crafted a sensational adventure based on the movie
by the same name that delivers heart-stopping suspense from the prologue to
the final page.
VERTICAL LIMIT is a story of courage and the enduring bond between a brother
and sister. Peter and Annie Garrett shared a love of mountain climbing until
a tragic set of events took the life of their father on a family expedition.
Peter never climbed again; Annie became a world renowned expert, following
her dream to scale the heights of the most difficult peaks on every
continent. Now Annie has joined an expedition led by a billionaire
adventurer, Elliot Vaughn, to climb the second highest peak in the Himalayas
--- the K2. Vaughn is the predictable threat, determined to conquer K2,
whatever the cost. When their treacherous mission turns into a disaster,
Peter must rely on his rusty skills and the experience of a suicidal recluse
to rescue his sister from the life-threatening extremes at 27,000 feet.
Fighting against the clock, the rescue team faces the added peril of hauling
explosives up the face of the mountain while a massive, killer storm rolls
rapidly toward their destination.
"Cyril turned to put the water bottle back into the pack, but his foot
slipped on a patch of ice under a thin layer of snow. He fell heavily, and
his foot struck the nitro pack. Immediately, the nitro pack took off down the
slope as if it were on runners. Taking two long strides, Cyril threw himself
at the pack, trying desperately to grab the nitro canister. He landed on the
powdery snow, sending a gleaming rainbow-streaked cloud of it flying into the
air. Then he was sliding along the slope as well, gaining speed like an
out-of-control bobsled...Monique dug her own ax into the snow and went prone,
her other hand extended to reach for Cyril...She missed him by inches,
watching in fear-filled frustration as Cyril skidded for the dropoff less
than fifty yards away."
Alternating between the dramatic rescue attempt and the sobering scenes of
the expedition's survivors trapped in the deep recesses of an icy cave,
there's more than enough chilling suspense to keep readers on the edge of
their seats. And given that readers have a propensity to argue the merits of
books versus movies (or in this case, the reverse), Mel Odom's spine-tingling
novelization will certainly give the debaters plenty to chew on.
--- Reviewed by Ann Bruns
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