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Book Review of The Dig

The Dig
reviewed on
Helpful Score: 1


The story behind The Dig is probably as interesting as the book itself. Originally conceived as a plot for Amazing Stories, it transitioned to a movie script after it was deemed too expensive for television (and Spielberg feeling it would be too adult for the show). After languishing around Hollywood for a bit, it was decided to turn The Dig into an adventure game, with tie-in media. Falling back to probably the best person to adapt it, Alan Dean Foster, The Dig tells a story of a team of astronauts sent to destroy an asteroid on a collision course with Earth (LONG before Armageddon and Deep Impact, folks!). However, upon arriving on the asteroid, the 'nauts discover something strange, and are transported to a dead alien world, light-years away. With no help, these explorers must solve the mystery of this dead world, and find a way home.

Foster does a great job in what wasn't much more than a fluff piece for him, managing to make it fun and interesting the entire trip. Recommended for fans of Foster, decent sci-fi (you'll finish this in a day or two), or any fan of 80's-90's scifi movies. 3 1/2 stars - perfectly serviceable scifi.