Escape from New York

by Mike McQuay

Movie Tie-In, Kurt Russell cover. Call Him Snake. 1997. New York City is a maximum security prison. A master criminal's mission: to rescue the captive U.S. President. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553149148
• ISBN13: 9780553149142
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

a classic Future Noir

This is that rarity: a "novelization" of a screenplay that is actually ten times better than the film itself. Mike McQuay, who unfortunately passed away in 1996, served in the military in Vietnam and taught Creative Writing at Oklahoma Central state University. I found this book at a perfect time in my life back in 1981; i was a rebellious 12 yr old looking for something to HANG ON to; and Snake Plissken became the perfect anti-hero figure for me.It's a shame that McQuay never wrote any further Snake Plissken novels but his Matthew Swain Sci Fi Detective pulps are pretty close in spirit and style.

McQuay writes a definitive movie tie-in.

Taking the John Carpenter/Nick Castle screenplay as a starting point, Mike McQuay has written a definitive movie tie-in novel. While most tie-ins are written on a "see Dick run" level, McQuay, through his lean, often humourous style, crafts an exciting, scary sci-fi adventure. From the opening paragraph where Snake Plissken robs the federal reserve depository to the last simple, eloquent line at the end, McQuay grabs us, giving us insight into all the major characters: Snake, the bitter war vet who, after being betrayed by his country, turns to a life of crime; Bob Hauk, also a disllusioned vet who becomes part of the system, even though he hates it as much as Snake. The way McQuay renders the Snake/Hauk relationship really adds resonance to the film. Even Brain, Maggie, Cabbie and President are given substantial character weight. Once you read the book, viewing the film is a much deeper experince. You have a grasp on what made Snake the way he is, and what motivates him. McQuay also renders the future in an even bleaker way than the Carpenter film. The west coast is a no-man's land, and the U.S. population is slowly being driven mad by nerve gas, a product of WW3. The author even gives the black suited soliders a name: Blackbellies. They along with the government, are the real villians here. In McQuay's bio, it indicates that he served in Vietnam. What better background for an author to have when creating the mindset and motivations of a classic anti-hero like Snake Plissken. I'm just one of many who would like to see McQuay delve back into Snake's world again, maybe even for a series of adventures. Judging by ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, no one could do it better.