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First Blood Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,116 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
"HIS NAME WAS RAMBO AND HE WAS JUST SOME NOTHING KID FOR ALL ANYBODY KNEW."
The award-winning novel that inspired the legendary film series starring Sylvester Stallone.
First came the man: a young wanderer in a fatigue coat and long hair. Then came the legend, as John Rambo sprang from the pages of FIRST BLOOD to take his place in the American cultural landscape. This remarkable novel pits a young Vietnam veteran against a small-town cop who doesn't know whom he's dealing with -- or how far Rambo will take him into a life-and-death struggle through the woods, hills, and caves of rural Kentucky.
Millions have seen the Rambo movies, but those who haven't read the book are in for a surprise -- a critically acclaimed story of character, action, and compassion.
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"I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this novel. I've read some of Morrell's other books, and while some were excellent (like Testament), others were pretty bad (like Burnt Sienna). What I got with First Blood was a thoughtful and powerful novel about a generation gap. The Rambo in the book is a less sympathetic and more realistic person. First Blood was a good enough book to read more than once."
— Randy (4 out of 5 stars)
First Blood Listener Reviews
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" This book kinda surprised me. It's actually pretty damn respectable. And I believe there's actually a little bit of poetry tucked away in there somewhere. More than meets the eye with this one. It has it's "book-industry" characteristics, probably included to generate sales, but there is an innocent charm that shines through as well. Enjoyed it. "
— SirLordBaltimore, 1/23/2014 -
" For anyone who's seen the movie, but never read the book - the book version is way more hard core than the move. "
— Ancient, 1/17/2014 -
" Ass Kicking and bloody. "
— Michelle, 1/10/2014 -
" Interesting to read the book that sparked the movie. It was OK, some unrealistic survival scenarios, and set in KY rather than the northwest like the movie. I think I liked the movie better. "
— Dave, 1/2/2014 -
" This is the book that the movie Rambo is based on! I've never seen the movie, so I can't tell if it's at all true to the book. This tale revolves around a sheriff and a majorly PTSD-ed war vet known only as Rambo. The plot is... bloody. Rambo is hitchhiking through town, and the sheriff wants him out. Rambo doesn't like nobody telling him where he can't go, so he keeps coming back. Sheriff tries to put him in jail, but cutting Rambo's hair goes too far. Violence ensued. So this book was pretty well-paced, but dangit, I wanted to know a lot more about the serious mental damage of these two characters and why they cannot. let. it. go. I guess this one of those books where the characters are just vehicles to deliver the plot (we read copyright cases about this), and... eh. I'm much more of a character reader. I was amazed but not really surprised at how long the characters kept going, and I was relieved when it ended. Not for my sake but for theirs! "
— Joanne, 1/2/2014 -
" One of my guilty pleasures are the Rambo movies. This is the book that started them all. It was much better than I expected and I look forward to reading more by Morrell. "
— Craig, 12/31/2013 -
" Read this book long before the movie enjoyed the book, and the movie was ok. I liked the book's ending made much more sense. "
— Bob, 10/21/2013 -
" If you like action, this is packed! And way better that the movie aka "Rambo". i LOVE this author for his action-packed, suspense! "
— Megan, 10/19/2013 -
" Not baddly written I was torn between the 3 or 4 and finally went with 3, but it may be some better than that. Sad in its own way...seen the movie but not read the book? Read the book. "
— Mike, 9/26/2013 -
" Loved the book. Rambo before he was Rambo. Ending is a lot different that the movie so be prepared for that. "
— Brian, 8/20/2013 -
" I love the movie First Blood, but it wasn't until recently that I found out it was based on a book. Like many movie interpretations First Blood takes a few basics from its original source and then goes on a new course. In my opinion the book does a much better job of telling the story of John Rambo. "
— Jonmierow, 7/12/2013 -
" Great dual character study contrasting Rambo and Teasle. Much darker than the movie. "
— Larry, 3/29/2013 -
" It's like a splitting wedge--it drives right into the flesh and doesn't stop driving until you are lying split in two. Also, best dungeon scene ever. "
— Aaron, 3/2/2013 -
" I always loved the Rambo movies growing up, so I decided to read the book that started it all. It is AWESOME - way better than the movie. Plays out differently, too. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys books about the military or even only outdoor survival. "
— Tim, 6/8/2012 -
" This is the basis for Rambo! I read it after I saw the movie, and the ending is a bit different...but a captivating book all the same. "
— Debby, 10/4/2011 -
" Another book that was very loosely adapted to film. I love the movie. The book's better. "
— Cohan, 8/19/2011 -
" READ THIS BOOK. The movie should have followed this and we would never have been cursed with II, III, and now IV. "
— Keith, 7/4/2011 -
" I can reread this over and over. Man, it's fun and stressful. Good sentences. "
— Theo, 7/3/2011 -
" Great start so far. Better than the movie by a long shot... "
— Jonas, 6/19/2011 -
" WHAT? YOU HAVE NOT READ IT? GO GET IT! "
— Antonio, 5/31/2011 -
" La película es una alpargata. Este libro tiene garra y no da descanso. Leído en un día, de tomo a lomo. "
— Speedy, 5/19/2011 -
" Not Morrell's best book, but not his worst. The story in the book is WAY different than in the movie. Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie too. In fact I think it was the best Rambo movie of the series. But I enjoyed a totally different and more human feel to John Rambo. "
— Tom, 3/20/2011 -
" Action, lots of it. Suspend your disbelief of John Rambo and dive right in. Besides, the ending is different from the movie. Very different. "
— Peregrine, 12/13/2010 -
" This was the first book I ever read cover to cover. Not the best book ever written perhaps, but it is the one that got me interested in reading. "
— Ausimik, 11/26/2010 -
" If you are expecting a re-telling of the first Rambo movie, think again. Morrell's original version is similar in charcater and structure, the story takes a decidedly (and more realistic) darker turn. It's a well-crafted anti-war read. "
— Jim, 10/2/2010
About David Morrell
David Morrell is one of America’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers, with more than eighteen million copies of his books in print. His thrillers have been translated into twenty-two languages and turned into record-breaking films and top-rated television miniseries. His 1972 debut novel, First Blood, became the basis for the Rambo films. A former professor of American literature at the University of Iowa, he now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
About Eric G. Dove
Eric G. Dove is a multiple Earphones Award–winning narrator, and his credits include more than one hundred audiobooks. He is also an accomplished musician and a budding author, who published Ghosts of Royston in 2013. He is a graduate of Ohio State University.