First, from where I left off......Ranchgal is right. Not only aren't the Dominators blamed for killing Ishmail, no one is. After the Gang escaped the meeting I don't think Ishmail is ever mentioned again. So, the Dominators are not being hunted by every gang like the Warriors were. They're not being hunted at all.
Now for those that are wondering if they should buy the book or not...........if you are only a fan of the movie itself and otherwise have no interest in gang related fiction, or if you are expecting the book to follow line for line with the movie, I say save your money.
If however you are interested in gangs in general and like movies such as West side Story and The Wanderers in addition to the warriors I say give it a try. Just DON'T expect it to be a novelization of the movie. If that is what you are after I say you should try to get a copy of the script online.
Some loose observations:
For a book about gangs, there is hardly any gang warfare. Except for the riot that breaks out at the meeting, you never see two gangs get it on.
It seems after reading the whole book that contrary to initial thoughts on who is based on who in the movie, I've come to the conclusion that some characters in the book were combined to make 1 character in the movie.
For example, Hinton's introduction in the book as being the artist who is told to "hit everything in site", and his early attitudes made be initially believe he became Rembrandt in the movie. However as the book progresses, you can clearly see by his actions (he's the one who travels through the subway tunnel alone) and changing attitude that Swan is based very heavily on his character. (along with Hector)
What Sol Yurick lacks in writing about gang warfare, he certainly makes up for in graphic sex sequences. We are "treated" to the gang rape of the Mercy character, the attempted gang rape of a drunk nurse in central park, Hinton's sex romp with a teen prostitute in the bathroom stall at the Times Square Subway Station, Hinton having a conversation with his mother while she's getting nailed by her boyfriend, and the implied incest between Hinton's brother & sister (sleeping naked in the same bed).
The Dominator's "colors" are a pin that looks like a mercedes emblem that they wear on their hats. No vests here, sorry.
The one scene in the book closest to anything in the movie is when the Dominators get off the train (due to construction not a fire like the movie) and meet up with the low class gang. Other than the name of the gangs, this scene is almost exactly the same as the movie, even some of the dialogue is identical. Unfortunately, the gang never comes after them like the Orphans do after being told to go fuck themselves when the Mercy character demands a pin.
Well, if anyone has any questions about the book, just ask & I'll try my best to answer them
