SOL YURICKS BOOK

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CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A REVIEW OF SOL YURICKS BOOK AS I'M THINKING OF PURCHASING IT BUT NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S ANY GOOD.

[War Chief]

I have so far got about 5 pages in (there is 30 pages of prologue). It is completely different to the Movie. The Warriors are called the Coney Island Dominators or something and they all have names like Lunkface, Junior, Dewey and Hinton. It is quite easy to work out which character is based on who.

The prologue is quite interesting as Yurick tried to get all the gang-speak as realistic as possible (not like the movie). He also talks about how he doesn't like the movie and didn't really get on with Sol Yurick. Yurick even laughs at our expense stating that without the book the movie wouldn't have been made possible, which he finds amusing. He can't understand the cult nature of the movie, all the fans of a certain internet web site (maybe this one) and that it isn't one of his best books.

It kind of tainted it for me slightly. The book is loosely based on the movie (a gang go up to the Bronx) but it is obviously a lot more detailed. I'll give a better review once I have had more. I think I am trying to fit it to the movie too much!

[Rembrandt]

I want the book!

[The Fox]

I started reading the book last night.

Will post a review when finished!

[Rembrandt]

I should really ship it over here!

[starcat the cosmic toker]

any reviews yet...

[starcat the cosmic toker]

does anyone know where to get a quick rundown of events that happen in this book

[War Chief]

I started reading it but got lost as I was trying to match it to The Warriors. The names are all different at it starts off at the youth board. The story matches what happens in The Warriors but with more emphasis on the troubles of the gang members. They really are the focus of the book. I'll try and get back into it again!!

[Ranchgal]

Well there are some similarities between the book and the Movie, and you can match up some of the characters---but most of the book characters are really portrayed as unintelligent--.
ANd what happens to them is not the same as the movie.
They do go to the big meeting, but when it blows up, they call their social worker to come get them, only they can't wait, and get separated and don't get their ride.
None of them are smart enough to read the subway maps and figure out where they are--
Lunkface, is the character that Ajax was based on--and when he stops in the park to try to have sex with a drunken old nurse---Hector (Swan) and one other-not only stay, but try to get in on it too-she cries rape and all three are arrested and taken downtown---and the only thing that is said about them is that it gets worse for them there--you don't hear if/how they get out of jail and if or how long it takes them to get back home.

the girl that Mercy is based on--they pull a train on her either in the subway or just outside- and then they leave her there-just after some man in suit hassels them and they kill him-beat him to death.

the character Cleon is playing, doesn't get killed at the meeting--but he does get separated and gets home before any of the rest of them that got separated.

The movie characters are only loosely based on the book characters and the only real premise that stays the same is that they go to a gang meeting, and are a LONG way from home, and have lots of problems getting back. But they aren't really even loyal to each other-and they all follow each other like sheep--none of them can think or act on their own till they are all alone--I can't say I really liked the book--but I was glad I read it, and it was an interesting perpective--but had very little to do with the movie screenplay.

[The Green Meanie]

CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A REVIEW OF SOL YURICKS BOOK AS I'M THINKING OF PURCHASING IT BUT NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S ANY GOOD.

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As an English major this post offends me greatly. You should always find out things for yourself - and not rely on what other people think. Read the book yourself and find out.

[GreenEggs&Ham]

I am pretty sure that i read somewhere that Sol Yuricks book is based on another book done by a greek author and that the greek authors version of the book is much more similar to the movie compared to Sol Yuricks book.

[The Green Meanie]

I am pretty sure that i read somewhere that Sol Yuricks book is based on another book done by a greek author

"The film is based on the novel by Sol Yurick, who bases his novel on Xenophon?s The Anabasis. The movie is closer to The Anabasis than to Yurick's novel." - From this site

[Marlboroprojects]

I just picked up a copy (the only one in stock ) at Barnes & Noble on West 4th Street. Believe it or not I actually missed it while I was looking for it on the shelves and when I went to the desk to find out how long it would take to order a copy, the saleslady saw that they had one & we found it.

Anyways......... I started to read it on the train on the way home, so here's what I can gather for you so far:

Yes, there is a very long winded prologue where Sol Yurick basically gives you his life history and everything that went into the writing of the book. He finishes up with typical writer's disdain for the movie saying it wasn't very much like his book. (Ironically, he states he backed out of a deal with a producer who promised to make the movie exactly like the book to take more money from Paramount.)

The book doesn't start at a youth board as someone mentioned. It starts at the cemetary where the Dominators (The Warriors) have just escaped the fallout from the gang meeting. Pappa Arnold (Cleon) is missing. Hector (Swan) takes over and is challenged by Junior (I'm guessing Fox at this point). Hinton (Rembrandt) is tired and just wants to go to sleep.

Then the book goes back to earlier in the day, to the clubhouse of the Delancey Thrones (Riffs) and their leader Ismail Rivera (Cyrus). It is the 4th of July & fireworks are going off all around the hood. the guys are bored and playing cards while their girlfriends watch when a youth worker pays them a visit. He suspects something is wrong & that there might be a rumble because everyone is tense & Ishmail doesn't even talk to him. The gang abruptly leaves & tells the social worker they are gonna go to the movies to cool off cause it's real hot out.

Well, thats about as far as I got today. I'll update some more after I read a few more chapters.

[Marlboroprojects]

Okay, I read a little bit more today while I was at the laundromat (exciting, eh ) so before I leave for work I'll give another update. I got up to the point where Ismail gets shot.

Well then, from where I left off last time it describes the Dominators heading off to the meeting. The whole gang walks them to the edge of their turf and then the 7 delegates have to travel a few blocks through a rival gang's turf to get to the train. It's cool though cause they know where the Dominators are heading and let them through. (although the women ask if they're" just gonna let anyone march through" - shades of Mercy)
And one of the rival members starts mouthing off and Lunkface (Ajax) is getting angry, but Hector calm him down.

Then the book describes a couple of other gangs on their way to the meeting. One on the bus, one in a car , & one on foot. All are described as being very careful not to start any trouble and have the cops come down on them. We also hear about Ismail & his Luitenants driving around the whole city making sure what gangs are coming.

Now we get to the big meeting and this is where all similarity to the movie stops. the meeting is in an open field in a very remote area of Van Courtland Park. The gangs are litteraly snuck in under cover of darkness one group at a time by Ismail's people so no one will see them. when it comes time for Ismails speech, he doesn't address the whole group like in the movie, but speaks low so only those close up can hear him and then pass what he says on to everyone else.

Basically the message is the same as in the movie........100,000 soldiers, take over the city, yada yada yada. The difference is that instead of being completely with him and chearing every word like in the movie, not everyone likes what they hear. Then the fun starts. Fights break out, the cops show up, and many of the gangs think Ismail called the meeting to set them up...........now the strange part.......... all of the gangs brought guns gift wrapped to give to Ismail as "tokens of allegiance".
Now they're all ripping the paper off the guns and opening up on him. Even though like a hundred people are shooting at him he only gets hit twice...in the chest and head, and falls dead against some bushes. Now all hell is breaking loose as no one really knows how to get out of there except Ismail's people.

Well, that's where I'm at so far. The one thing I'm dying to find out is if so many people started shooting at Ismail, how would the thrones even be able to point the finger at the Dominators. I think I have a clue as earlier the book tells us that Hector has a beef from a long time ago with one of the Thrones, so maybe he lays the blame on them. We shall see.

[Ranchgal]

I never got the idea that they did blame the Dominators--I didn't think any of the gangs were purposely looking for the Dominators, like the Riffs were looking for the Warriors in the movie..
I got the impression that the book was mostly about chance meetings, they just happened to be going through another gangs turf-and got spotted, and had to deal with that situation. I also did not get the feeling that the book promoted any sort of "word" or communications between any of the gangs anywhere. Everything was just happenstance.
The conflicts in the book didn't have anything to do with Ismael's getting killed-at least I didn't get that message.
Everything that the Dominators went through was strictly chance happenings, and bad luck, and some stupidity.