Author: Michael Mann & Meg Gardiner
I think filmmaker Michael Mann’s 1995 movie “Heat” has one of the most iconic and classic robbery heist shootout scenes in all of cinematography. If you enjoyed the movie, like I did, then you’re going to devour this book.
Author Meg Gardiner, along with Mann, did an incredible job with “Heat 2.” The narrative was intense, like a shot of whiskey – neat – and a strong nicotine cigarette. All the characters are solid, surly, and pure, but retain the style and vibe of the movie while allowing them to be who they are and were in the film.
The prologue does a great job bringing the reader up to date if they haven’t seen the film with stars, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer. However, the book has a firm grip on the overall story and the action scenes are simply incredible! Some parts are downright scary, but not in a horror sense.
The book Heat 2 is a solid crime thriller. There are no wasted chapters, nor even paragraphs. Mann and Gardiner nailed this book! Every sentence is devoted to developing the story, and it’s all done with rich color and descriptive details that puts the reader in every scene.
While the book relies on the reader being somewhat familiar with the 1995 film, the book does not disappoint in its prequel/sequel storytelling. I strongly recommend watching or re-watching the movie Heat before reading the book Heat 2. Powerful, Imaginative, and Captivating, Heat 2 was all that and more. Damn good read!
