The Terminator got two novelizations in two different countries in two different years and they both couldnt be more different.
The one released in the US was published in 1985 and written by Randall Frakes, a screenwriter and writer who was and is James Cameron's personal friend who helped out with brainstorming session on few of his movies. While not a large contribution, Cameron "did offer several inserted paragraphs to deepen some aspect of the story", said Frakes. " I helped in the very early stages of developing that script, and so he wanted to reward me for helping him get started with it by offering the novelization"
The reason the book was published in 1985 was, according to Randall, because "Jim had final right to authorize the manuscript, and he was so busy doing post-production and pre-release interviews and publicity, that he had no time to study the manuscript. He kept delaying releasing it until Bill and I hectored him into reading it quickly. He finally authorized its release, but it takes awhile for publishers to manufacture and distribute a book. Hence its delayed release," (JCO interview)
Van Ling, Cameron's assistant on The Abyss and T2: Bear in mind, though, that the novelization for the first film was written using some of the unfilmed or deleted scenes in the first film's script, way before the second film was fleshed out so there may be inconsistencies here and there. But for the most part, these novelizations can be considered part of the authentic mythology, if not full canon. Note that Bill Wisher, the cowriter on the T2 screenplay, was also the cowriter of the first novelization with Randy Frakes, and had contributed both his writing skills and his acting to T1 as well.
The writing style is very appealing to me, very poetic and very absorbing and moving. For me , its simply brilliant. Take this part for example, ending a paragraph and scene, describing the scene of one of the punks taking off his clothes in fear after The Terminator had just murdered his pals
Mark had the sense to start ripping his clothes off. He held out the coat as an offering, as a shield, as a desperate plea that maybe he could get a little more time.....time to get away....get down of this mountain....get into bed...pull the covers over his head and wake up. He was right. The offering did buy him time. About fourteen seconds.
Here is another example. Its a passage about dying Ginger
Even though her cheek lay pressed against the inane tile design, she felt an intense falling sensation. She heard heavy boots hit the linoleum floor behind her and stop alongside. She couldn't turn but the figure loomed in her mind, as black and enigmatic as death itself. Fear vanished, replaced by a huge, outraged question mark. Why? Perhaps the answer would be on the other side. Finally, she hoped it wouldn't be Sarah who found her...
According to Van Ling, Note that there is another, unofficial novelization of the first film that was written by British horror novelist Shaun Hutson for the UK market back when the first film came out. Although it was based on the Cameron/Hurd screenplay and was licensed by the UK rightsholder for the film, it was kind of a knockoff and was in no way sanctioned by the filmmakers or done with any input from Jim (JCO interview)
Recently interviewed Hutson revealed with a hint of attitude that he was never impressed by the film (only liked the script and the idea...)
Hutson's novel is based on an earlier draft and is very different and much shorter than the US version (240 pages vs 172). For example, in Frakes' novel, The Terminator arrives at the Griffith Observatory like in the movie. In Hutson's, it arrives at a schoolyard at night.
