The Terminator (novel by Randall Frakes)

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The Terminator is a novelization of the film The Terminator and written by Randall Frakes and Bill Wisher.

Publisher's summary[edit | edit source]

Back cover[edit | edit source]

"More deadly than any man alive."
The time is now...but he comes from the Year of Darkness, 2029. He was created to reshape the future by destroying the present. He feels no pity, no pain, no fear. He feels nothing. He is an unstoppable killing machine programmed for murder. He is...
The Terminator.

Inside front[edit | edit source]

A mission of hate and destruction from the dark future. An innocent woman caught between forces beyond her control. A man in pursuit of justice across the boundaries of time itself. And a cold, cruel, inhuman creation they call... the Terminator.

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

Main article: The Terminator (film)

Note: The novel shares the same story with the film The Terminator, although there are differences between the two.

Characters[edit | edit source]

Main Characters[edit | edit source]

Police[edit | edit source]

Ed Traxler
Sergeant Hal Vukovich
Benjamin Schantz (Derelict in Alley)
Sergeant Michael Nydefer (Cop in Alley)
Lewis, Nydefer's partner
Nick Delaney (Policeman 1-L-19)

People related to Sarah Connor[edit | edit source]

Ginger Ventura
Matt Buchanan
Pugsly
Pugsly Jr.
Stan Morsky, a man Sarah had a date planned with.
Charlie, Sarah Connor's boyfriend in junior high.
Rich Welker, a short fling of Sarah's from high school.
Professor Miller, who taught Sarah's Linguistics class in college.
Rod Smith, a guy in Sarah's psychology class.
Nancy Dizon
Chuck Breen, Sarah's manager at Big Jeff's

Civilians[edit | edit source]

Del Ray Goines (Garbage man)
Johnny "Kotex"
Rick
Mark Warfield
Rob Garrett (Pawnshop clerk)
Carlyle Leidle - Warence
Sarah Anne Connor (Wrong Sarah Connor as shown in the film)
Sarah Helene Connor (Another wrong Sarah Connor)
Mike, the seven-year-old boy playing outside Sarah Anne Connor's house.
Linda, the nine-year-old girl playing outside Sarah Anne Connor's house.

Notes[edit | edit source]

The book was initially released in limited numbers, in decent condition the novel currently fetches approximately $25.
The first 16 pages extend the scenes involving the garbage man and the three punks.
Further detail is provided on the Terminator's preparations for the mission, including visiting a hardware store and killing its owner to secure tools, additional clothing, such as the glasses and leather coat worn during the assault on the police station, and money it uses to rent a room at the Panama Hotel to act as its base of operations, giving it a safe haven to modify and prep its weapons, effect repair from damage and review its resources.
The book mentioned Sarah is 19 years old, which was only mentioned in the original script for The Terminator.
The novel makes use of the film script's unused concept of Sarah having a metal pin in her leg, with the Terminator mutilating its victims in order to find this identifying pin and confirm the termination of the correct Sarah Connor. Where the original script attributed it to a skating injury, the Frakes novel alters the origin of the pin so that Sarah receives it as the result of shrapnel damage from destroying the Terminator, further cementing the predestination paradox of the first film.

Continuity notes[edit | edit source]

Differences between the film and novel[edit | edit source]

Ginger has the job of an aerobics instructor, there is no mention of her having any job in the film.
In the novel, the Terminator said to the guy, "Fuck you, asshole," and the guy replied, "Fuck you too, pal," but in the movie, he didn't respond.
The Series 700 Terminator is mentioned.

Editions[edit | edit source]

Publisher	Region	Type	Date	ISBN
Spectra / Bantam	North America	Paperback	October 1, 1985	0-553-25317-4
Sphere Books	UK	Paperback	October 17, 1991	0-74741195-6
Warner Books		Paperback	1993	0-75150634-6