What do you think?
Rate this book
Dirty Harry:The Movies #4
Sudden Impact
Ex-library paperback edition. Strong spine with light crease and rubbing. Bright clean cover has rubbing, shelf and edge wear. Text is perfect. Same day shipping from AZ.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 13, 2019
3.3/5
Sudden Impact is the least political Dirty Harry film to be novelized, which is probably why it's so divisive among some fans. The series lost something in its shift into the 80's--no longer is Harry caught in some politically relevant situation like fascism or political correctness or procedural bullshit--now it's a simple rape-and-revenge series of murders that he's investigating despite the best efforts of the local police chief. Needless to say, story-wise, it's not as engaging as the first two, but it is more interesting than The Enforcer.
Joseph C. Stinson adapts his own screenplay for the novel form, and sometimes his style leaves a lot to be desired. At times he is content with telling the story in the most barebones way, and often his writing gets repetitive. Too bad. Fortunately whenever he puts any depth into anything, it's dedicated to Sondra Locke's character, Jenny, our victim-turned-vengeful-vigilante, which is good because she's the most interesting character. Only now we don't have to witness some of Locke's limited acting here--she's like an anti-Tyne Daly (of The Enforcer), where her novelized form is more compelling than her movie counterpart.
From here on out, it's on to the licensed pocket books that Warner Bros. commissioned in the 80's, as this is the last serviceable entry in the official Dirty Harry movie tie-ins; and it's only slightly better than Wesley Morgan's Enforcer novelization, if only because Stinson spared us the unnecessary history of Alcatraz.
Sudden Impact is the least political Dirty Harry film to be novelized, which is probably why it's so divisive among some fans. The series lost something in its shift into the 80's--no longer is Harry caught in some politically relevant situation like fascism or political correctness or procedural bullshit--now it's a simple rape-and-revenge series of murders that he's investigating despite the best efforts of the local police chief. Needless to say, story-wise, it's not as engaging as the first two, but it is more interesting than The Enforcer.
Joseph C. Stinson adapts his own screenplay for the novel form, and sometimes his style leaves a lot to be desired. At times he is content with telling the story in the most barebones way, and often his writing gets repetitive. Too bad. Fortunately whenever he puts any depth into anything, it's dedicated to Sondra Locke's character, Jenny, our victim-turned-vengeful-vigilante, which is good because she's the most interesting character. Only now we don't have to witness some of Locke's limited acting here--she's like an anti-Tyne Daly (of The Enforcer), where her novelized form is more compelling than her movie counterpart.
From here on out, it's on to the licensed pocket books that Warner Bros. commissioned in the 80's, as this is the last serviceable entry in the official Dirty Harry movie tie-ins; and it's only slightly better than Wesley Morgan's Enforcer novelization, if only because Stinson spared us the unnecessary history of Alcatraz.
August 10, 2020
I loved the Dirty Harry movies and it was why I brought this book.
It starts with this couple in a car, a young beautiful blonde wearing blue all over and not once ounce of makeup. Her companion reminds you of one of those older men we think of as pigs. He's fat, let's not mince words here, he has no fashion sense as he's wearing Scottish plaid with stripes. You get the idea? He starts trying to grope her, kiss her, telling her she is going to get the best laid of her life and that he will get her in the mood with one song. The song is The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles.
You can imagine the young woman's disgust but we soon find out she's no innocent virgin and obviously her reason to be there was all along to lull him into a false sense of security so she could eliminate him and eliminate him, she does, with one gun shot at the level of his privates.
You can tell she has done that before. She gets out of the car, cool as a cucumber, throws away a chest she had with her and wipes the blood from the cannon of the gun with a paper that was on the ground before throwing it into the water and she then disappears into the night. This is where I let off.
Jenny Spenser years ago was brutally gang raped as was her sister Elizabeth. Jenny survived but Elizabeth is now in a vegetative state and Jenny has vowed revenge on all those who hurt both of them.
She goes back to San Paulo with the intention of making those who hurt Elizabeth and her pay for it.
One of them has already chosen to try and end his life, failing at it though, because he can't live with his conscience. It is the son of the local police chief.
Harry Callahan is sent in punishment to try and resolve the murder of 2 men shot in their private parts.
His road will cross that of Jenny for whom he will have feelings.
On that path Harry will acquire a dog and lose a friend.
As we all know Dirty Harry cannot go anywhere without making enemies who want him dead.
Does the inspector fall for the beautiful serial killer? Will he allow her to go free?
Read the book. A pretty good read. I couldn't put it down.
It starts with this couple in a car, a young beautiful blonde wearing blue all over and not once ounce of makeup. Her companion reminds you of one of those older men we think of as pigs. He's fat, let's not mince words here, he has no fashion sense as he's wearing Scottish plaid with stripes. You get the idea? He starts trying to grope her, kiss her, telling her she is going to get the best laid of her life and that he will get her in the mood with one song. The song is The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles.
You can imagine the young woman's disgust but we soon find out she's no innocent virgin and obviously her reason to be there was all along to lull him into a false sense of security so she could eliminate him and eliminate him, she does, with one gun shot at the level of his privates.
You can tell she has done that before. She gets out of the car, cool as a cucumber, throws away a chest she had with her and wipes the blood from the cannon of the gun with a paper that was on the ground before throwing it into the water and she then disappears into the night. This is where I let off.
Jenny Spenser years ago was brutally gang raped as was her sister Elizabeth. Jenny survived but Elizabeth is now in a vegetative state and Jenny has vowed revenge on all those who hurt both of them.
She goes back to San Paulo with the intention of making those who hurt Elizabeth and her pay for it.
One of them has already chosen to try and end his life, failing at it though, because he can't live with his conscience. It is the son of the local police chief.
Harry Callahan is sent in punishment to try and resolve the murder of 2 men shot in their private parts.
His road will cross that of Jenny for whom he will have feelings.
On that path Harry will acquire a dog and lose a friend.
As we all know Dirty Harry cannot go anywhere without making enemies who want him dead.
Does the inspector fall for the beautiful serial killer? Will he allow her to go free?
Read the book. A pretty good read. I couldn't put it down.
September 30, 2019
Fun to read, loved the Dirty Harry movies and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I watched the YouTube videos of the coffee shop shootout and 10 best Dirty Harry lines, which really got me in the mood. I want to watch the movie now!
June 8, 2019
Never saw the movie , but this book obviously feels like one.
August 7, 2021
Followed the movie plot well. Pretty good; however, The Enforcer was better.
March 22, 2022
Go ahead make my day. With Smith and Wesson as his best friend he will put holes in any scumbag that goes within his radius. HARRY is old-school with archaic police methods but knows with the current police bullshit has to piss people off to get the crooks behind bars. A bunch of putrid, scum ratbags rape two girls and one of these girls will seek retribution pumping rounds into their balls. Complete revenge is fully justified.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews