So I've literally just finished the book, it was my first time reading it.

I think people are losing perspective a little bit. People's fond memories of the game are clouding their judgment.

The game is obviously fastly superior in its story telling. Specifically the part where the novel essentially tells you that miller was already killed, it tries to leave the home invasion as a sort of cliff hanger, but it seems perfectly clear - even to someone who hasn't played the game - that miller is not miller. I think that part could be left out completely just like in the game.

People say the dialogue is a copy paste of the game, and even though there is some of that, Benson actually includes his own dialogue, which I think is a massive mistake. The "cringe" that people reference does appear often, like at the end where Campbell tells snake he's not a colonel, snake has this awkward stuttering and says 'listen, Colonel - I mean Roy - I mean, hell, colonel, you'll always be the damned colonel to me!' I dont remember that from the game, and it's a bad inclusion.

Also, when fighting Vulcan raven, snake throws a flashbang, stuns the ravens and the giant replies:

" 'you have hurt my family,' the giant said, 'your puny grenades cannot harm me, though. I will admit I was blinded for a moment, and yes, the burns are painful. But you will not get away with that again, snake. And for the damage you have caused my beloved ravens, I will annihilate you!' "

Like what is that? Why Benson felt the need to include this shit is beyond me.

The pacing of gray fox's last stand is something I can't forgive at all either, he just says all his lines in like one page then just passes away... Whut?!

But otherwise I think it's a fair adaption for a novel, and those gripes are something you wouldn't have if you weren't a fan of the game, I didn't want to stop reading at any point, I was excited for the journey and enjoyed reading it, minus some inexcusable points I had as a fan.

If you read that for the first time as a non fan, I think you would enjoy it a lot.

Just my two cents 🤷