I have to say I enjoyed reading this book.

The basic story is of Richard, a traveller, who learns of a secret beach from a man who, very soon after giving Richad a crude map of how to get to the beach, commits suicide ... why he commits suicide is never explained. Richard meets up with a french couple and they set off to find this "paradise beach" on a forbidden island. Before they set off Richard gives the map to a pair of American travellers.

Once the three reach the island they realise it is inhabited by Thais who are guarding a large maijuna crop and a group of hippies both groups tolerate each other as they both want to keep the island a secret.

Although it sounds like a boring story i was swept up with it and found it easy to read. Madness takes over and eventually Richad and his friends have to escape the island after a series of events culminating in the death of two of the hippies and the murder by the Thai guards of the two american travellers who turn up some months after Richard.

The main character was easy to engage with and the descriptions of Thailand made me feel like I'd been there. One thing I couldn't quite believe was that sex didn't play a bigger part of the story (not that I wanted a mass orgy!! :blush: ) but most young people must at least think about sex in the sun with all that running around half naked most of the time ... musn't they?! I also found myself thinking these people were selfish for not phoning home and letting their families know they were safe!!! ...but that's cos I'm an old fart ... the book was in the "youth" section of our library!!

I haven't seen the film, but reading the book it's easy to see why it was made into a film. Alex Garland has a very "visual" style of writing.

Has anyone who read the book seen the film or vice versa? And which did they think was best?

I really enjoyed the book as well. I have seen the movie too many times to mention, and really enjoyed comparing it to what I read in the book. The book actually helped make more sense of the movie. Parts of the movie I liked better than the book, and parts of the book I liked better than the movie.

I liked the idea of the secret of the place sort of becoming bigger than what they knew how to deal with at times.

The only part that I really didn't like about the book was the ending...and this is a part where the movie was way better than the book. The ending just seemed too over the top with all the killing and weird psycho-path type behavior. I really thought the movie ended perfectly given the storyline and the idea of "paradise."

However, in the book some of the more peripheral characters came more to life than in the movie....and I really liked the way the author described the tension in the camp after the shark attack.

One thing I couldn't quite believe was that sex didn't play a bigger part of the story (not that I wanted a mass orgy!! )

I agree...and they do add more of that in the movie...as Richard and Francoise hook up, as well as Sal and Richard...



It's a book I would definitely read again though...save the ending. lol.

I have watched this film more than once, which is in itself unusual.
There is a sense of escapism and adventure in it that i like.
I don't think i would read the book though.

I enjoyed reading this book too.
It was easy to get into, the characters well defined, and great to picture the idea of a haven in the madness of other tourist places.
But I did find after I'd finished it, I thought, "Oh, is that it?"
I'm not sure why because I did enjoy experiencing everything that happened.
I don't know if the ending was what I was expecting.
I think I thought it would all end in major tourist companies taking over the place.

But it was a good read.:thumbsup:

I alway imagine Alex Garland as looking like Alex Sibley out of Big Brother a couple of series ago. And therefore I fancy him.

I read the book before I saw the film, that is the way I like it - I far prefer books to films. The film has little memory for me, the book resounds with tropical heat, sweaty bodies, sand trapped in your toes, and the selfish, thoughtless, hedonistic person inside me.

My imagination is vivid at the best of times and I found it as easy as ABC to slip into a bikini and sarong and be present on The Beach. I found his style of writing easy to read and I felt swept away by emotion in parts - the waterfall sticks in my mind. And the tension on the boats - in all the situations.

The author must have experienced life like this - don't you think? To be able to describe scenes, hot, fiery, stunning, terror, etc has to come from experience.

I loved this book - but I agree with Andrea - the ending was like 'is that it' - but this book is no different from most books it is like that massive anti-climax, such an adrenelin downer!!

Well I read the book for the first time three years ago and reread it for the bookclub!

I sat the movie first and really liked the movie ( i think some people thought the movie was crap) but I liked the book even better. I read the book the first time when I was island hopping in Greece three years ago and talk about the most perfect place to read it!

I love the chapter in the book where he meets Daffy and also the chapters where the camp splits/ he becomes more isolated.

I would give the book 7.5/10

ps for those who like the book and the movie - the soundtrack to the movie is amazing it got some class songs from orbital, the verve, and many others that take you to another much warmer and tropical place!

I enjoyed this book too, much more than the film...can't stand LDC...think he's an overated ugly porky w anker.

It's a book I would definitely read again though...save the ending. lol.

yes, it was synonymous with ...."and then I woke up" lol!

Hmmmmmmm! I read the book about 6/7 years ago and I was very disturbed by it all.......

I couldnt get it out of my head about the 2 lads that died after the shark attack in the lagoon, in particular the one that that left to die and rot from his injuries - in my head i was screaming who the eff are you to dictate whether he had medical treatment, and it bothered me that this group of "peace loving hippies" allowed 2 people to die without the family and friends every knowing what had happened to their dear ones.....

I guess I must have been in a very dark and unhappy place personally when I read it, as this it the only thing that I really remember.....

oh that and the VAST cannabis crop on the island - I WISH!!!! :ohmy: :devil:

I have just started - well half way thru his next book..The Tesseract or something, and I just don't get it. Its all flash backs about people we don't know yet. Very grim, violent and dark.

Shall I continue or ditch the book?