I finally got the book! Reflections on it inside.

[GramercyRiff99]

Ever since I found out that The Warriors was originally a book, I have wanted to read it. Well... my search has finally been successful.

Right now I'm in Toronto with friends (insert Easy Aces joke here), and I was walking through the Chapters at the Eaton Centre, if anyone knows where that is. I figured, "Well, maybe they have a copy here!" I looked around, and I was just about to give up. Then I saw it. Two copies jammed in between a row of books and the shelf.

Thus, I finally got it.

I read the whole thing in one night, I was so excited. I must say that it was like seeing a whole different story. I also have to admit that, after reading the book, the movie seems almost... not so good. I really like the gritty, real life feel of the novel. I also love the way that Yurick was super-accurate with the subway geography. For example, it's impossible to go through 96th Street to Union Square without changing trains somewhere in between. In the book they changed at Times Square, which made a lot more sense.

I liked the lack of fighting. It made it seem much scarier. The part with Hinton in the tunnels, for example, was one of the scariest things I have ever read. Yurick really did that scene very well. The fact that the characters were actually teenagers made it all the better, as their cluelessness about the world moved things along pretty well.

Overall, I sorta wish that a proper adaptation of the movie would be made. Not to say that The Warriors we know and love is a bad movie. On the contrary, it is still my favourite. I just think that the book has a totally different feel to the movie, and it would do well to be adapted a second time, this time more closely to the story. Seriously, imagine if the scene in the tunnel were to be put to film. I know that it was kinda done with Swan and Mercy, but there were two of them, neither were scared, and it descended into the textbook love scene.

Anyway, that is just my opinion.

[adam88]

Glad, to see that you lost yourwarriors book virginity.  Thats exactly how I feel bout it.  Its all about a sense of "REALSIM", and facing our inner demonds.  In this book, they were not portrayed as heros conquering the evil doers.  It was more about finding your self in such a mad, and crazy world.  Like you said, the movie always has a place in my heart, but this represents another warriors universe that I have grown to respect.  The whole rap scene, and outbrake of the rival gang in the meeting, showed how we really are as human beings.  I realized that the gangs in here mostly stuck amongst their own nationalities, and religious backgrounds.  Rather than everybody agreeing with Ismael, they all had differenr view points, making the meeting chaotic.  The tunnel part was brilliant, because it made Hinton come face to face with his inner demonds, helping him realize hwo he is as a person, and what path in life he will be taking.  This isn't a book, about the bad guys versus the good guys, but rather a book about how one, can change his way of thinking in such a confusing and complex world.  Thats what makes this book stand alone.

[$now4Ever]

It's a great book, i like the detail it has alot more than in the movie but still love the movie.

[Cowboy606]

the book is a true testament to Sol Yurick. you know your a good writer when you can make your audience sympathize with a group of people that do some of the unsavory things the gang did in the book.

[bassman]

I have just read the book as well only a few months back for the the first time, and your post nailed the feel of book perfectly, but  I still love the movie better,  probably because I grew up with the movie and have seen it a thousand times before i read the book. great book though and I will read again.

[angvav]

I wish I could find the book!

Maybe on ebay!

[Luther828]

Hey, Angvav, I found this one on a book store based in Australia..
Here's the link:
http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/b2c/init.do

Sorry I couldn't get a direct link to the item. Just put in the search box: the warriors-sol yurick

[bassman]

yeah thats where I got my book from, I just went in and order it at angus and robertson, it took a month to get it in and only cost $20 aussie dollars