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Ladyhawke: Movie Tie in

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Captain Etienne Navarre is a man on whose shoulders lie a cruel curse. Punished for loving each other, Navarre must become a wolf by night whilst his lover, Lady Isabeau, takes the form of a hawk by day. Together, with the thief Philippe Gaston, they must try to overthrow the corrupt Bishop and in doing so break the spell.

252 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Joan D. Vinge

127 books433 followers
Joan D. Vinge (born Joan Carol Dennison) is an American science fiction author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award-winning novel The Snow Queen and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.

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5 stars
573 (38%)
4 stars
495 (33%)
3 stars
342 (22%)
2 stars
66 (4%)
1 star
17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
Profile Image for Melissa.
126 reviews24 followers
August 18, 2015
A fun little read for lovers of the film. The author adds a bit here and there, alters things in other places. Isabeau is decidedly more helpless and waifish here than she is on screen. Navarre more gruff. Phillipe is Phillipe. The actors do actually give much better performances of these characters and lines than they are depicted in this novelization. How does this work I wonder? Does the author get a script and just work from there? Do they just write from watching the film? If so, Vinge interprets multiple things quite differently than I or the actors seem to do. I do wish there had been more to this story back in the day. I always wanted to see the happily ever after part and find out what happened to Phillipe and Imperius. Ah well. Now to watch the film again!
188 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2024
This adaptation is worth reading for a few added scenes that did not make it into the movie. Those scenes give the characters more depth and complexity. The ending of the novel is also slightly different than the ending of the movie in significant ways. The author is no Alan Dean Foster, but I still think she made a worthy adaptation.
Profile Image for Lara.
136 reviews
April 24, 2013
Bought this because I loved the movie as a teenager. Surprisingly, there is not much more depth to the book - there is little additional detail about how the characters are feeling; the dialogue and script are an almost word perfect match; and virtually the entire book was included in the movie.

I enjoyed this book because of it's association with the movie. But without that, it falls into the category of a light romance that dabbles at being a fantasy novel in a historical setting. This one goes on my shelf of books to read when I am looking for light entertainment that shouldn't be taken seriously.
Profile Image for Katherine Vega.
Author 13 books158 followers
June 14, 2022
3.5 en realidad: se lee super rápido y el personaje de Philippe tiene muchísimo carisma. Además la historia es bonita.

Me falla un poco que todo ocurre bastante deprisa y que el villano es muy malo maloso porque sí, no tiene más transfondo. Pero es una novela muy entretenida, sin duda.
Profile Image for Angy.
383 reviews28 followers
April 28, 2017
A este libro voy a ponerle 3,5 estrellas. La trama de este libro me recuerda mucho a las antiguas historias de caballeros y damiselas. No se porque en algunas partes también me ha recordado a historias como caperucita y el cazador, o a la princesa prometida. Es una historia bastante simple y que claramente conforme vas leyendo la historia vas deduciendo todo lo que va a pasar pero eso para mi gusto no la ha hecho aburrida. Lo que si es cierto es que al leerla en ebook se me ha hecho un poco larga ya que es de estas típicas historias que te ponen 124 paginas pero en realidad están las palabras tan compactas que en un libro normal tal vez son mas de 200 paginas. Conforme la historia iba llegando al final he notado como que la autora ha querido estirar un poco mas la historia porque tal vez tuviera pensado un numero concretos de paginas capítulos.. El epilogo tampoco creo que fuera tan necesario. Si empiezo a hablar sobre los protagonista podemos ver que a los que mas hemos conocido ha sido a Navarre y a Phillipe y a la que menos, según he sentido yo, ha sido a Lady halcón. Phillipe lo he notado un poco contradictorio consigo mismo ya que en algunos momentos era fiel y en otros momentos pasaba de ayudar y solo se centraba en su supervivencia, siempre según le venia bien a la autora en la historia. Navarre ha sido bastante lineal en sus actos aunque es cierto que no es normal confiar tal fácilmente de nuevo en alguien que te había destrozado un poco la vida. Ni en un ladrón que encuentras por la calle vagando sin mas. De Lady halcón solo conocemos que es reservada y que su relación con phillipe es un poco extraña ya que parece que se ha olvidado de Navarre y coquetea con Phillipe. Creo que es una lectura entretenida para realizarla entre lecturas pesadas o si simplemente te apetece una historia fantasiosa y épica a la antigua.
Profile Image for Ben Goodridge.
Author 15 books17 followers
September 5, 2017
Can't say I'm too fond of the graphics for this novelization of Richard Donner's 1985 cult classic film "Ladyhawke." Check out some of the movie posters and you'll see these soaring fantasy paintings; the cover of this one just has Matthew Broderick looking a little downcast while a two-handed broadsword quivers in a tree next to his head.

Still, the book hews pretty close to the film. You may prefer this if you want the narrative without the Alan Parsons Project. Alternatively, if you miss the anachronistic soundtrack, you can just play "The Essential Alan Parsons Project" on a loop while reading this.
Profile Image for Lynsey A.
1,881 reviews
March 10, 2016
It's been awhile since I read this book but I do recall enjoying it as much as I loved the movie. There were extra scenes that went into more detail of scenes from the movie. The scene where Mouse is telling Navarre about what Isabeau spoke the night after the wolf hunt is an example. Which is one of my favorite scenes from the movie.

"Did you know that hawks and wolves mate for life? The bishop didn't even leave us that. Not even that."

I think that is one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the movie.

If you like the movie Ladyhawke I believe you will enjoy the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sara Jesus.
1,429 reviews102 followers
July 13, 2017
Lembrou-me de assistir um filme antigo baseado nesta história. Durante várias noites sonhei que era a Dama Falcão e era completamente apaixonada pelo lobo que me acompanhava.... Nunca imaginei nessa altura que essa bela história, que mais parece uma lenda, foi baseada num livro.

Admito que o livro não me conquistou como o filme. Talvez se o tivesse descoberto mais cedo... O seu início é muito lendo. Demora mais de cinco capítulos para a Dama Falcão e o seu cavaleiro Lobo aparecerem. Por isso teve uma parte que eu fiquei bastante impaciente... E cheguei a ter raiva de Phillipe, o rato por ter um protagonismo maior do que o casal.

Isabeu... Charles Navarra... O bispo que os persegue.... E finalmente o ladrão que acompanha a sua jornada. Uma maldição aprisiona dois apaixonados em corpos de animais. Eles nunca podem estar juntos. Quando um acorda ... Outro dorme.

Foi uma leitura agradável! Penso que teria gostado mais desta história se a tivesse lido na minha infância. Pois ela nos lembra um pouco os contos de fadas.
Profile Image for Onírica.
435 reviews47 followers
July 27, 2017
Un clásico de la literatura fantástica que, sin embargo, tiene puntos débiles. En algunos momentos frena su interés con ritmos demasiado lentos y su final es, a todas luces, muy precipitado. Se disfruta si se lee en pocas sentadas, pues si no puede hacerse tedioso, algo que empaña lo entrañable de su historia, que es a un tiempo, sencilla y efectiva.
Profile Image for Kevin R..
Author 3 books1 follower
February 8, 2016
Well, I finished my second book of the week. "Ladyhawke", by Joan D. Vinge. Yeah, it's the novelization of that classic 80s adventure movie about a man and woman who are cursed by an evil bishop. He's a wolf by night. She's a hawk by day, so they can never be together as man and woman. Awesome movie.

You know how when there's a book based on a movie, or vice versa, and people always say "The book was better!"? Well, this one wasn't. I didn't care for it much.

I went to a movie once, and I sat next to a blind girl and her sighted friend. All through the movie, the friend was telling her everything that was going on up on the screen. "He's walking across the room. He's picking up the cup. He's handing it to her..." Well, this book was sort of like that. Just a word-for-word description of everything that happened in the movie. It was bland. It was kind of boring.

I was hoping for more depth, more back story. I was hoping to be lost in the world and discover new insights into the characters, their thoughts and feelings. There was none of that. The most I got out of it was, "Oh. So that's how you spell the guy's name."

I guess it works much better when the movie is based on the book. This one was the other way around. Blah. And it was uninspired, like she took the job, but didn't really want to do it, and just got it done in the most minimalist way possible. Other than a few sloppy adverbs and clunky similes ("Her eyes were like emeralds..."), there was no flare to the writing. Even the climax of the book seemed rushed, and missing all kinds of details. It was like she was on a deadline and had to get it finished and out the door.

As a writer, this book hammered in the importance of making the reader care about your characters. This book just sort of assumed you'd seen the movie and rode on its own coattails. If you hadn't seen the movie, you probably wouldn't have even the finished the book.

Anyway, I don't recommend it. I only read it just to say I finally finished it. Just watch the movie. It's a better experience, and it takes a lot less of your time. The movie was awesome, one of my lifelong favourites.
Profile Image for Stiby (María MV).
Author 6 books89 followers
August 2, 2020
He dudado si darle dos estrellas al libro, pero creo que merece tres porque si no lo he disfrutado mucho ha sido en parte por leer en eBook (cada vez me gusta menos, por suerte estoy reduciendo el número de libros que leo en digital y este es el primero en micho tiempo, al menos desde 2016).

Me ha parecido una historia bastante simple, predecible desde el título, con muy pocos personajes y no muy firmemente construidos. Navarre ha sido creo más protagonista que Philppe y creo que es el más coherente de los tres. No comprendo los cambios de personalidad que se daban en el ladronzuelo, que de pronto era leal a las personas y otras veces sólo pensaba en escaparse. Da la sensación de que la autora quisiese crear drama con una posible huida del chico y que eso haya llevado a contradicciones al personaje. Sobre Lady Halcón, la verdad es que casi no conocemos nada, y lo poco que vemos también es contradictorio (aunque veo más que normal que dudes de un amor platónico de hace dos años, también tengo que decirlo)

Creo que la autora no logra que empaticemos con los personajes, ya que ni siquiera he llegado a sentir nada hacia el malo del cuento o hacia la iglesia, lo cual no habla muy bien de la capacidad de despertar sentimientos en mi que ha tenido este libro, que ha sido más bien nula.

La historia no tiene gran cosa, aunque me ha gustado la parte fantástica. Me ha recordado mucho a La princesa cisne, una de mis pelis favorita de cuando era pequeña, supongo que eso ha hecho que lo disfrute un poco más. Es , de hecho, lo que más me ha gustado. Y lo que ha dado más originalidad a una historia de amores imposibles que se ha leído antes ya muchas veces.


Actualizados los retos de lectura 2017 en el blog => http://nosoyadictaaloslibros.blogspot...
Profile Image for Ana on the Shelves.
426 reviews28 followers
September 26, 2018
A book about a thief helping a cursed couple to break the spell that separates them? Well, this sound like a book for me!



I have to confess that I had seen the movie, but it was so many years ago, while I was a kid, that I don’t remember a thing and it did not influenced my reading at all.

So is this book good? Yes! Do recommend to everyone that likes fantasy and just wants to have a grand time with a little adventure. It’s really quick to read, action packed and has its somewhat cheesy moments but that does not make it any less enjoyable.

It does have a one dimensional villain and the plot has one or two tiny problems, yet sometimes one just needs a quick escapade and this is just that. It’s totally safe, since it doesn’t pull the carpet off under our feet, and just nice to read and get lost into.



For any fans of RPG games, especially the ones that like to play with your rogues (like me. Hello there fellow rogue player!), you will enjoy this book even more. Just believe me. Good old fashion rogue action in here!

Fun, fast paced, with a simple yet effective story, this book is now in my list of favourite fantasy adventures.
Profile Image for Selenita.
390 reviews4 followers
January 21, 2019
Parece que esta novela es en realidad una película. La verdad es que no se si salieron a la vez o cuál está basada en cual, pero creo que en esta caso la película debe ser claramente mejor. El libro se me ha hecho cuesta arriba pese a ser tan corto: durante el primer tercio realmente no empieza la historia ni te enteras de qué está pasando (aunque se intuye todo) y no es hasta la mitad cuando empieza a haber realmente un argumento. Antes pasan cosas como batallas que supongo que molará ver en la gran pantalla, pero yo estaba aburrida porque no iban a ninguna parte, sólo era todo el rato Phillipe metiéndose en un problema tras otro y escapando. Luego ya el último tercio es más interesante, pero para mi habían esperado demasiado tiempo y ya estaba cansada. La historia no está bien repartida a lo largo de las páginas.

Y tampoco es que el argumento sea gran cosa para empezar: típicos amantes que son muy buenos y nobles, pero llega un malo maloso que les hecha una maldición y hay que enfrentarse a él, ya de paso salvando al pueblo de su gobierno porque es malísimo. Típico argumento de caballería con un poco de brujería.

Además, les personajes no tienen menos personalidad porque no pueden. Son puros tópicos. Sólo Phillope parece un poco humanizado, más que nada porque es el que más vemos. Navarre es el típico guerrero chetado que puede uno contra doce y es callado y taciturno, el obispo es malo porque es malo y no tiene ni una brizna de bondad, el padre Imperius es el típico monge borracho e Isabeau el típico interés amoroso y tropo de mujer muy hermosa. Es triste porque se supone que la película lleva su nombre y casi no hace nada más que ser salvada todo el tiempo.

En definitiva, pobre argumento y personajes clichés con patas. La típica historia que como película está bien para entretenerse una tarde de Domingo sin nada que hacer y luego se olvida por completo. No obstante, como libro no logra lo anterior y se hace aburrido. Y también confuso en la descripción de algunas batallas y sucesos.
Profile Image for Javi Lopez.
154 reviews
August 21, 2024
El título Lady Halcón (Lady Hawke en inglés) seguramente os suene pero no de un libro sino de una película de Hollywood producida en los magníficos 80’s. Hace poco encontré el libro (en una librería de segunda mano en Cáceres) me sorprendió porque no pensaba que se hubiera novelizado la película y con las misma lo compré para leerlo.
La película la han echado mil y una veces por la tele (ahora menos) pero cuando era pequeño era una de las típicas películas que se repetían sin cesar como Legend o El Señor de los Anillos de Bakshi. Por tanto recordaba pequeños retazos de la historia pero no conservaba una idea general de la misma. Después de leer el libro puedo decir que tengo muchas ganas de ver la película pues el libro es muy digno aun siendo una novelización que normalmente son una castaña.
Básicamente la historia narra el amor entre el ex capitán de la guardia de Aquila, el caballero Navarre, y su amada Isabeu. Es una historia de amor tormentosa donde no falta la fantasía, los combates a muerte con espada, los personajes entrañables y los giros inesperados. Podría contar el resto del argumento pero sino habéis visto la película o no os acordáis mucho de ella, como es mi caso, vale la pena no saber más.
En resumen un libro de apenas 200 paginas escrito por la noveladora de películas Joan D. Vinge (que cuenta entre otras novelizaciones con “El retorno del Jedi”, “Mad Max” o el “Mago de Oz”), muy entretenido, bonito, de un genero que escasea, la fantasía medieval. Yo lo compre de segunda mano porque lo encontré de coña, así que ya os digo que es difícil de conseguir por las vías habituales, de todas formas si me conocéis y os apetece no dudéis en pedírmelo. Y si no lo podéis conseguir pues ver la película que si se parece al libro (seguro pues es el libro de la película y no al revés) pinta bastante bien.
Profile Image for Tim Deforest.
616 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2023
A faithful novelization of the 1985 fantasy film. Set in medieval France, the story involves a young thief who gets involved with a knight that turns into a wolf whenever the sun sets and reverts to human at dawn. But that's only half the curse. The woman the knight loves turns into a hawk during the day and reverts to human at night. Thus, the two are always together, but eternally apart.

The knight wants revenge on the evil bishop who put the curse on them. But, as the story progresses, he finds out there's an opportunity to break the curse. To do this, he must depend on the thief to get him access to a heavily guarded cathedral at just the right moment.

It's a fun book and, in fact, can be argued that it improves upon the movie in two ways. In the film, Matthew Broderick (as the thief) gives his character some sort of indefinable accent that gets a little annoying after awhile. Also, the book doesn't force you to listen to an inappropriate-to-the-setting '80s synth musical score.
Profile Image for WinterHater.
79 reviews5 followers
January 20, 2024
Desde las 3:00 de la mañana hasta las 12:56 he estado sin poder acceder a mi cuarto, me había quedado sin llaves para salir y sin móvil. Sólo tenía este libro, del cual me quedaban unas 40 páginas por leer. Normalmente los libros te ayudan a relajarte y poder distraerte de todo lo horrible que ocurre a tu alrededor. Pero este libro está muy mal escrito. La premisa está chula, pero las descripciones y las narraciones son tan obtusas que es fácil perderte o no enterarte.

O lo que es peor, que sea un infierno pasar cada página. Me gustan los personajes menos los malos malosos que son eso y ya está, y luego Isabeau es un personaje taaaan aburrido. Es un gran recordatorio de lo mucho que odiábamos el tropo de "la dama en apuros", porque no hace nada la mujer salvo lucir muy guapa y muy bella con su luz celestial. La personalidad de la chica brilla por su ausencia, lo que hace que el romance me de bastante igual.

Anyway, ya está acabado.
Profile Image for Nadielle.
3 reviews
October 18, 2018
Regularly, every book with movie adaptation use to be much better than the movie because in the book there is the opportunity to see the whole storyline and the character personality doesn´t have the addict vision of the screenwriter and director, but, this time I have to admit, the movie is better. There are some points in the book that let a lot to be desired as the character construction; now I opened a parenthesis for the brilliant Michelle Pfeiffer acting and the director team that showed a strong persona that didn't describe in the book. Besides that, some parts of the tale are written confusingly what compromise the complete understanding of the specific chapter. So, the idea of the storyline is incredible, but it should be better written.
Profile Image for Carl Nelson.
894 reviews4 followers
April 30, 2021
A very satisfying adaptation of one of my favorite movies. The book is very faithful to the screenplay, to the point where I found myself hearing the dialog in the voice of the actors. Vinge is talented at turning the presentation of film into story on the page, relating details and nuances of character not readily conveyed in a film. The story itself is very strong, and is conveyed in a high fantasy tradition. The central characters all gain a bit of depth from being rendered in prose. While it certainly doesn't overshadow the film, the novelization is capable of standing on its own if need be.
Profile Image for Amparo TD.
1,175 reviews15 followers
October 29, 2024
Libro leído para el reto literario de FB Yo soy una musa de Juani Hernández. El libro cuenta la historia de Navarra e Isabeau, dos personas que están destinadas a no encontrarse como hombre y mujer, desde que el Obispo de Aquila por celos las lanza una maldición. El por la noche es un lobo, ella por el día un bello halcón. También conocemos a Phillip que es un ladronzuelo que escapa de las mazmorras de Aquila, y a Imperius el fray que les traiciono. La pelicula me encanta, y con este libro he descubierto muchas mas cosas sobre la historia. Es una preciosa historia.
Profile Image for Diana.
133 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2018
Oh Philippe, you thief you :)).
Gettinf this boom to me was an adventure (Amazon, vintage bookstores, missed delivery dates) but I remeberee the 1985 movie and how much I loved it and I had to find the book.
The book is pretty basic, I'm glad to report the movie got it right, but that ending was funny and unexpected.
Profile Image for Hilda.
11 reviews
November 11, 2022
This was an easy book to read and I’ve enjoyed it. For me the pace was okay, but the last scene felt kinda rushed (although I know the action was supposed to last a couple of hours). I also expected the ending to be a little bit… fiery. It would’ve been nice to have the Evil One appear and do something interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Signy.
114 reviews5 followers
July 16, 2024
Two lovers ripped apart by a jealous curse; ones soars by day as a hawk, while her lover roams by night as a wolf, neither seeing the other in human form until a bumbling peasant helps bring their purgatory to an end. An interesting novelization of the original 1980s fantasy film that is just as much a nostalgia trip as it is a fairy tale. It made me want to see Ladyhawk the film again.
289 reviews11 followers
December 2, 2017
Can't say I read it, but just discovered that Joan D. Vinge wrote this book, which is one of my favourite films! Loved all the actors. Matthew Broderick was adorable then. And Michelle Pheiffer, so beautiful.
Just adored it and have watched it many, many times!
Profile Image for Aricia Gavriel.
200 reviews3 followers
July 28, 2018
Am so lucky to own the original paperback edition of this one! I always loved the movie, and the book does a very decent job of transferring it to paper. Obviously, one still prefers the movie (duh!), but the book is a pleasant read. I've owned this since the mid-1980s and wouldn't part with it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews

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