First Blood

I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't know that the movie "First Blood" was based on this book. So when my friend 11811 (Eleven) reviewed this book I put in a request for it immediately.Rambo shows up in a small town in Kentucky. The local sheriff doesn't like "his kind" being in his town so he takes him and dumps him out at the end of town. Rambo comes back. Then sheriff Teasle does it again. A couple of times. Rambo takes offense to being told that he can't be in town. He also takes offense to Sh [...]

Most people will come to First Blood having seen the film first, as well as the three sequels. While the book does contain the thriller aspect and some of the action of the film, it is also a kind of dark character study into how a person can be affected by military training and the traumas of war.In terms of the influence of this novel on me as an author, I would say that the protagonist, John Rambo, has a number of similarities to my own John Kennedy character. These will become even more appa [...]

His name was Rambo, and he was just some nothing kid for all anybody knew, standing by the pump of a gas station at the outskirts of Madison, Kentucky. He had a long heavy beard, and his hair was hanging down over his ears to his neck, and he had his hand out trying to thumb a ride from a car that was stopped at the pump. To see him there, leaning on one hip, a Coke bottle in his hand and a rolled-up sleeping bag near his boots on the tar pavement, you could never have guessed that on Tuesday, a [...]

A classic. I first read this novel in 1982. It was very exciting at the time.I was fourteen. It's been (probably) a couple decades since I last read First Blood. It's showing it's age a little more now. Still not a bad read, but it's really nothing more than a glorified chase story. A product of it's time. Make no mistake about it there were many folks in the early seventies who were nervous about the returning veterans. Many truly believed that we were going to have warfare erupt ,on a large sc [...]

I think this is a must read for fans of the movie. There are as many similarities as there are differences but I enjoyed both equally. I loved the movie when I was 10. I need to watch it again to see how it has held up all these years.Fantastic read. Goes on the favorites shelf.

Many ladies cried their hearts out for Virginia Wolfe, I could've cried out mine for this, but I didn'tThe Jerry Goldsmith and Dan Hill's It's a long road the song, it cried out my heart like hell

I read this book when I was 14 and thumbing through it now I seem to remember most of it, so it really must've impressed a lot. The Swedish title, (back translated "The Duel") actually improves upon the book (but had to stand back after the success of the movie, of course). Already then, I was so envious of my friend, who had a very nice earlier hardback without the movie tie-in cover. Superficially small, the differences between book and film actually makes this quite a different story and if y [...]

Allow me to introduce John Rambo. He's a little surly since coming home from Vietnam, so please forgive his outbursts. It doesn't help that Sheriff Teasle is constantly trying to throw my friend out of the small, back-wooded town of Madison, Kentucky. You see, the good old sheriff has a problem when someone doesn't take his words to heart. Rambo just happens to be that someone. I tried talking to Rambo, but all he kept saying was "Adrian! Adrian!" I know…I was just as confused. Anyways, Teasle [...]

First Blood, a first read 40 years too late in reading for many. The author starts the story with introducing a name, Rambo and having the reader build an image of this character in mind, he successfully paints the portrait partly introducing Rambo, the long hair, the rough looking image, his sleeping carry sack on the road drifting wondering and then loads us with confrontation a police officer that seems to have issues with his hair, his wondering, his smarts and his look of a man that can tak [...]

3.5*Πολύ ωραία περιπέτεια με έντονες σκηνές δράσης, με αρκετές διαφορές απο την ταινία όπου ο Ράμπο ήταν ο καλός της υπόθεσης.Εδώ δεν υπάρχει καλός και κακός,αλλά δυο άντρες περήφανοι και ξεροκέφαλοι, ο καθένας με τα ελαττώματα του και μια κόντρα που φτάνει στα άκρα.Μου άρεσε [...]

I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea First Blood was a book before it was a movie. Glad to have this error corrected and was equally glad to have gotten the chance to read this amazing book. Now, there were some drastic changes from film to print or print to film more like. And that's okay. I never expect the movie to be just like the film. There have to be differences, so long as the essence remains intact. And for the most part, the essence of First Blood, be it Sylvester Stallone or just the [...]

I could have sworn I'd at least added this to my books here on GR, if not read & reviewed sometime in the past decade. Apparently not. A friend recently read & reviewed it, but it wasn't in my books! Don't know why. This is an old favorite, the first of Morrell's that I ever read. It's one reason why I've kept reading his books for over 40 years. He's never quite managed another quite as good, but he's come close. Last Reveille is mighty close. There is some similarity between the two. W [...]

Rambo.What else do you need?:D The book is quite different then the movie in my opinion. We get to see a Rambo and Teasle in a different perspective with different motives for their actions which is pretty interesting. The writing style is not the best ive seen but the narrative managed to keep me interested enough. The change of pov from chapter to chapter keeps the pacing going well and lets you analize and compare both rambo and teasles characters. Overall a pretty good read and Id reccommend [...]

John Rambo is a cultural icon for me like a lot of you out here. You cannot be growing up in the 80's without having Rambo's name mentioned atleast once in your vicinity. Out here in my place, this guy was treated the ultimate warrior when I was a kid. Childhood memories remind me of teenaged guys in the neighborhood with hazy eyes talking to each other about the non-stop action fromFirst Blood . It is then extremely ironic that I came to know that the movie's name was not Rambo perhaps only aft [...]

Solid novel with some great characterization. Rambo is an anti-hero of sorts and I found myself not as sympathetic towards him as I thought I would be. Teasle was a character that I disliked solely because of his arrogance and stubbornness. Different in some spots from the movie but overall a worth while read. Being a fan of the Rambo movies, I'm glad that I took the time to see where it all began. 3.5 stars

Forget whatever you think about Sly Stallone and Rambo. This book is a now-classic chase novel, a mano à mano confrontation between a damaged Vietnam vet and a sheriff, and you won't be sure whom to root for.

This is definitely not my usual genre of book. I never even had any desire to see the movie, Rambo. All, I know about Rambo is this picture I have in my head of Sylvester Stallone wearing a headband and carrying a gun. I'm not even sure if that is from a movie poster or a scene from the movie possibly. I had no desire to either see the movie or read the book, but a friend a work, who I recommend books back and forth with MADE me read this. He insisted it was his favorite book and I agreed to rea [...]

Not baddly written I was torn between the 3 or 4 and finally went with 3, but it may be some better than that. Sad in its own wayen the movie but not read the book? Read the book.

Personal Response:I found this book to be very action-packed and it had me on the edge of my seat to the last page. David Morrell did an outstanding job on this book and he sure knows how to keep a reader hooked, because I sure was. This book had everything a Rambo fan would want; action, suspense, killing, it was just great. This is definitely a book I would love to read again, it was just that good. Morrellś writing style is very satisfying. The way he described what was happening in the book [...]

David Morrell's action thriller, First Blood, is considered the grand daddy of the modern action thriller. Better known as the first Rambo story, First Blood is the story of a homeless Vietnam vet who, pushed to the brink by harassment from southern small town cops, erupts into a murderous rampage.I never cared much for the Rambo movie starring Sylvester Stallone. But having served in the American south at the end of the Vietnam War, I was well acquainted with the harassment service members endu [...]

!!WARNING!! Do not read the Introduction before the story because the author reveals the ending! I saw the movie several times growing up, and I always enjoyed the survival tactics that Rambo employed to elude his pursuers. The book included these things, but it was a lot darker with Rambo killing countless police and soldiers. The book provided more insight into the mindsets and struggles of Rambo and Sheriff Teasle, which I enjoyed because it helped the reader to understand what drove the two [...]

I kind of hate giving this book two stars but I just felt the writing was without passion, depth, or any particular style. I basically finished it out of obligation. I picked the book up because I was surprised to learn the 1982 movie (which I liked quite a bit, not so much the sequels) was based on it. In that, this edition of the novel had a forward by the author that was much more interesting than the book itself. It basically talks about the impetus of the story, a little about the structure [...]

Forget the movie, forget the cartoon show, forget everything you've heard about Rambo. This is where it started and if you haven't read this before you're in for something unexpected.In physics the question has been asked, "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object?" This book answers that question as we meet those who basically amount to our two main characters. On one side we have Rambo, decorated Vietnam war hero who hasn't been able to adjust back to our world after th [...]

This book made me sad! All the effort and strength of will. To kill other human beings, that it displayed, via one individual, both at home and abroad even though he was a 'Hero,' all for the sake of Presidents, Primeministers and country's. Arms dealers, who make shits loads of money, from selling the tools of destruction to hapless soles that believe that shinny, shinny, small arms, are the way forward. Artifacts to adorn themselves like gaudy jewelery. Don't get me wrong I think I understand [...]

Genuinely enjoyed this read. Picked it up b/c I'm going to Bouchercon this year, where I'll get to watch Lee Child interview David Morrell, whose Victorian murder mysteries I read w/out thinking about Rambo. Planning to read more of his books in future, though.

First BloodBy David MorellA Retroview by Eric AllenI led a rather sheltered childhood, and I did not get to see my first R rated move until I was well into my teens. Looking back, I find that I am actually rather grateful that I did not have such influences as prolific cursing and blood and gore on my formative years. I believe that it allows me to more appreciate the gravity of them now. It did not keep me from chafing under the strictures placed upon me by my parents when I was young, though. [...]

One of only two books Stephen King used with his students when he taught creative writing. Once I found that out, I had to read it and I'm glad I did. It's a masterclass in building tension and the use of alternating perspectives. It works best because of some brave decisions. You're not really sure who to root for. Based on the fact that the hero kills a man when escaping the town jail, he is technically the villain but by starting with his POV, giving us internal thoughts and following him thr [...]

Found a tattered paperback copy of this in a charity shop on my wanderings, and having seen the film many times years ago, was intrigued. The book is slim, a fast read, good escapism (which I need these days) but really badly written imo. In fact, the writing is awful. The character of Rambo was better developed in the screenplay (rewritten by Stallone). If not for his (Stallone's) screen version of Rambo the book would probably have been forgotten. Even the setting is badly done in the book, th [...]

Don’t ask me wht I’ve read it :)

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest the character of Colonel Trautman (who ‘created’ Rambo) was not in the first draft of First Blood.*Few movies have ever so pleasantly surprised me as First Blood. I had avoided it like it had leprosy because I expected a brainless action-fest – more like the sequels, in other words – but then one day I was at a friend’s house and without warning he put it on his VCR. “It’s good,” he assured me, but his tastes and mine were not always co [...]