Michael Kovacs reviewed Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka
Bullet Train
5 stars
really enjoyed this one a lot. just my kind of comedy. nanao is the goat
432 pages
English language
Published Aug. 3, 2021
really enjoyed this one a lot. just my kind of comedy. nanao is the goat
Like Edge of Tomorrow Hollywood turned this Japanese book into movie that I enjoyed a lot more than the book. I went into the movie knowing nothing about it and had so much fun. When I came across the book it was based on I gave it a chance too but was rather disappointed. I don't know if it was the translation or the source material, but I only found it OK. The same happened with the book Edge of Tomorrow was based on. If you want to read this because you enjoyed the movie, consider reading something else instead or just re-watch the movie.
I'm not sure if there is such a thing as reading a book pre-emptively, but that's what I did with this, when I heard that there is a big budget film adaption coming in August (starring Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock, amongst others).
It's probably not the kind of book I usually read, but it turned out to be absolutely glorious, violent fun. In reviews, I've often seen comparisons to Pulp Fiction, and it's easy to see why - a Shinkansen full of a collection of professional hit men of various levels of competence, and other assorted criminals and psychopaths with conflicting aims, all having random discussions covering a whole range of bizarre random philosophical questions and - more than anything else - Thomas the Tank Engine, while attempting to kill each other, or at least avoid being killed.
It's full of clever twists and turns, and towards the end …
I'm not sure if there is such a thing as reading a book pre-emptively, but that's what I did with this, when I heard that there is a big budget film adaption coming in August (starring Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock, amongst others).
It's probably not the kind of book I usually read, but it turned out to be absolutely glorious, violent fun. In reviews, I've often seen comparisons to Pulp Fiction, and it's easy to see why - a Shinkansen full of a collection of professional hit men of various levels of competence, and other assorted criminals and psychopaths with conflicting aims, all having random discussions covering a whole range of bizarre random philosophical questions and - more than anything else - Thomas the Tank Engine, while attempting to kill each other, or at least avoid being killed.
It's full of clever twists and turns, and towards the end there is one final particular twist that is so unbelievably delicious, if I told you I would have to kill you. But it's not really a spoiler to note that by the time the Shinkansen reaches its final destination, the number of dead bodies on the train vastly outnumbers those still alive.
A very enjoyable romp with a lot more twists and turns than you would expect on a train.