Jaws

By: Peter Benchley

Narrated by: Erik Steele

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Jaws is the classic, blockbuster thriller that inspired the three-time Academy Award-winning Steven Spielberg movie and made millions of beachgoers afraid to go into the water. Experience the thrill of helpless horror again - or for the first time!

Jaws was number 48 in the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Movies, and the film earned the coveted number-one spot on the Bravo network's 100 Scariest Movie Moments countdown.

This timeless tale of man-eating terror that spawned a movie franchise, two video games, a Universal Studios theme park attraction, and two musicals is finally available on audio for the first time ever!

©2002 Peter Benchley (P)2009 BBC Audiobooks America

Hollywood Bites...Again (Possible Spoilers)

The relationship between books and their silver screen adaptations is interesting. Typically, if the book preceded the movie AND a consumer reads the book first, the movie invariably fails miserably to meet expectations. On the other hand, if the order is reversed, and the movie is created and watched first, the book tends to be disappointing. Both of these disappointments are for the same reason but in opposite directions. The movie adapted from the book can't include ALL of the detail found in the pages of the book. At the same time, when a book is adapted from a film, the author inevitably adds more information and scenes than the movie contained. Frustrating!

Jaws was written by Peter Benchley the adapted to film. I'd never read the book and was too young to have read it (or had an interest in it) before it came out. I have enjoyed the movie every time I've watched it. I enjoyed listening to the book as read by Erik Steele.

I'm no fan of spoilers, but both the book and the movie have been available for many years now. If you've neither read the book nor seen the movie, they are both good in my opinion.

I couldn't help but notice some major differences between the book and the movie. Both feature the undaunted and persistent menace of the deep for whom the book is named. Both have the same characters. Both are set in Amity and the ocean adjacent to the town. The thinnest thread of the plot made it into the movie. Otherwise, the differences are staggering.

In the book, Chief Brody is an islander. In the movie, he's a transplant from New York and uncomfortable on the island.
In the movie Matt Hooper is a marine biologist whom Chief Brody calls on for help with the shark. In the book, Hooper is a marine biologist who inserts himself in the plot and lives of the people of Amity just so he can see the shark. Moreover, he's a former acquaintance of the Chief's wife. The fullness of their relationship is never explored in the movie, but it's spelled out in lurid detail in the book.

Quint is the same salty sea dog, but the relationship between him, Chief Brody and Matt Hooper is considerably different. The movie shows a night scene aboard Quint's boat as if the trio leave port until the job is finished. In the book, they return to port before dark every day.

The Mayor of Amity, Larry Vaughn is portrayed almost on target in the film but we're given no reason for his obtuse and ignorant behavior. The book, on the other hand, tells us why he's so eager to keep the beaches open.

Meadows has a bit role in the movie but is a major player in the book. Of course, not every part of a book can be adapted to film, but it's evident Hollywood took a great white's bite out of Jaws when it was adapted.

Both the book and the movie are good. Erik Steele does a fine job reading, so enjoy them; but don't expect them to be identical experiences.

Less about a shark and more about a marriage.

I was really surprised. I kind of felt like the book didn’t focus on the shark as much as you would expect it to. Like the Book couldn’t quite make up its mind if it wanted to be horror or lusty. The book really dealt more with issues like aging, insecurities that come with that, Financial restraints, and regret. Like I said it was less about the shark and more about ab lust, pride, and marriage. Also be prepared for it to be less than PC. The way they reference African-Americans and women was pretty shocking. I knocked a star off because I just wanted this to be more about a shark.

Overall still worth a listen and I found the narrators voice quite comforting.

A valued inspiration to one of the best films of all time

Definetly worth listening to if you are a jaws fan. It’s not hard to follow and I like the mid to low range of voices and effects in the audiobook sometimes the readers can be overkill and distracting.

ENTHRALLING

It was interesting growing up watching the movie as often as I did and to then read the book. It was so different and the theme of nature vs man hit much harder in the book! Loved it!

A dive into the ocean that sparked a masterpiece

It’s really cool to listen to the novel that spawned Spielbergs horror masterpiece. It’s narrated perfectly. There is only one thing about this book that didn’t work in my opinion and that was Ellen. I won’t spoil it but chapter 7 & 8 felt really unnecessary for me. Overall it’s a great listen and a great book but I Spielberg made the right changes. Highly recommend!

read and remember the terror and fun .

this book is as good as it was in 1976 ,read it when I was in labor helped keep my mind occupied , someone else sure had it worse then I did,! Strange my son grew up to love water, swimming,and seemed to have no fear ,only admiration and awe for the deep oceans of this world, not sure if he ever read the book he ,saw the movie numerous times ,he loved that movie, for me I only relived the terror I felt reading the book ,in my life I've only read 2 books that actually frightened
me ,,this one,and the Amityville Horror,and I'm 66 so I've been through alot of books ,I wish I could find more good ones like this it's fun to be scared sometimes,I don't even swim or go into lakes or oceans I'm afraid of water and all fish ! this book is timeless so enjoy the ride .

Book vs Movie:Vastly Different.

Spoilers! I guess I should say? I didn’t know what to expect in the book. A lot was unexpected upon listening.

First off, movies based on books seem take some liberties when adapting to film… I imagine? I was not there in 1974 when they were writing the scripts for Jaws. Caught me off guard to me was that about 5 chapters in the book they veer off course from getting Brody, Hooper and Quint together for the hunt for The Shark but getting there is a slow paced grind as we get a glimpse into Chief Martin Brody and Ellen Brody whom probably has had adulterous thoughts in their marriage because an affair is implied but when meeting Matt Hooper but I never got that they had a history much less were lovers. Sneaking around Martin’s back as they reunited and reminisce at dinner about their past and lives now. Seemed like elements of a Lifetime movie or sex filled romance novel. Completely took me out of the story that I was hearing. I thought “what’s this?” Where’s the getting to the shark business and why we are all here and dealing with the actions about he shark’s victims? It takes a sideline to this “C Story” for a few chapters.

It has oddly enough R rated elements aside from not including nudity of which it has sexual situations, sexuality, adult language and gory violence like bloodier victims of Jaws’ attacks. I believe the girl who was killed in the opening, when they find her remains they found more than just a chewed up arm on the shore. Like half a chewed up torso, it is what makes the witnesses and Chief finding her fall nauseous it was not just a chewed up arm. They come to the conclusion that a shark hit her right away not working up to it.

Also Hooper who lived at the end along with Brody with only Quint killed in the climax is also killed along with Quint who still dies but a different way that depicted on film. Pulled into the depths via rope snared his leg.
Ending is abrupt and pretty cut and dry. Shark is dead “Smile you son of a bitch” and we swim home end of story. Even that part was different The Shark seemingly just dies, succumbed to his wounds and sinks to the depths below with Quint still tethered to the shark. Very Captain Ahab to Moby Dick figuring the parallels. Eh okay read I guess.

Not Bad

While not one of the worst books I've ever listened to by far, it seems like it's trying really hard to be allegory and not quite doing it. Entertaining story, but a few bits drone on and on for seemingly no reason.

Favorite Book

Jaws has always been my favorite book and movie. I have read the book twice and watch the movie at least twice a year.

Very good story although movie ending was different

Entertaining story, well told! Some details were different than the movie but otherwise kept me interested on the out come