Titan Books Apes Tie-in Series (3 books so far.)

The Art Of The Films: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes & Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014 by Sharon Gosling w/Matt Reeves/Hardcover/Titan Books/167 Pages)

Rating: A

Titan Books brings us his incredible hardcover coffee-table size book chroniclizing the beautiful conceptual art and exclusive behind the scenes photos from one of the best film series out now in The Art Of The Films: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes & Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014). Produced in close collaboration with the Filmmakers, this great book also features a Foreword by Dawn of the Apes director Matt Reeves.

In my opinion, these films serve as not only excellent prequels to the classic saga but feature the greatest modern digital effects ever created. This book gives us great insight on how those out of this world SFX were conceived. My favorite parts of the books are where he get to see the final visual effects show side by side with the actual filming where we see the human actors in motion capture suits. Sometimes when I watch these films, I get so wrapped up in the story and how real they look that I forget there are humans in there! Of course Andy Serkis owns the role of Caesar and I love seeing the photos of him in here as well.

The book is 176 pages and starts with Matt Reeves Foreword followed by a detailed introduction on how the saga came into being. The book is then split into two halves the first being dedicated to Rise and the rest to Dawn. The Rise portion from pages 14 to 80 brings us The Rise Begins, Gen Sys, Caesar Grows Up, Will's Home, Primate Shelter, Escape, Bridge to Freedom, The Forest, and all of the different Posters from the film.

As a halfway point, we are filled in on The Simian Flu and You which chronicles the ten year gap between Rise and Dawn where the Simian Flu outbreak affected the world and caused for the mass extinction of the lot of the Human Race. The book gives us a projection of the flu outbreak with a map of the Earth and a realistic looking chart that show you the symptoms and what you can do if you are at risk.

The Dawn portion of the book from pages 82 to 170 start with Revolution to Evolution, The Hunt, Ape Mountain, Ape Village, Ape Language, Ape Character Designs, Performance Capture, San Francisco, The Humans, Malcolm's Hike, The Dam, Koba, Blue Eyes and Maurice, Fort Point, Attack On The City, Will's Home, Koba's Tower, and the Final Battle. The book ends with Acknowledgements.

If you are an Apes fan like me than you would have to be in a madhouse to not pick up this book! It is the perfect companion piece to the new movies as well as an affection telling of a modern production. Not to be missed!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Firestorm - The Official Prequel to the Film (Paperback)

Titan Books (304 Pages)

Rating: A

As mentioned in the new Art of Book, this great prequel novella fills us in on the ten-year gap that happens between Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and is a great read before you step into the cinemas to see the film. In the exciting book, Caesar and his followers have escaped the clutches of man and have fought their way across the Golden Gate Bridge and have taken refuge in the vast redwood forest known as the Muir Woods. Here, the Apes have started a civilization where they can live in piece away from the captivity and maltreatment they received from the humans.

The book picks up with the Simian Flu first taking real effect on the human race. We see the spread from a few cases to a full on worldwide epidemic. While many of the humans blame the Apes for the disease, some have taken to the woods in an attempt to find Caesar and his Colony... the story

Greg Keyes does an excellent job of characterizing the Apes and making us get in their heads and understanding their motives. He does just as well with human characters and really gives us a clear image that makes it easy to visualize with the turn of each page.

Dawn of the Planet of The Apes: The Official Novelization of the Film

Titan Books (309 Pages)

Rating : A

The Official Adaptation of the film by Alex Irvine is an excellent companion to the film and is a great read from start to finish. Picking up where Firestorm leaves off, we join Caesar who along with his growing nation of genetically altered apes has spent ten years in isolation building a home for himself. As mankind has been dealing with the Simian Flu neither one knows that the other has survived until a chance discovery in the woods changes everything. What is really interesting in this story is how both sides are divided while at the same time very much alike. While some try to prevent the war from happening, others cause it to happen. Facing off against Caesar is Koba who all but insures that he will become the new leader of the Apes. Which side will Caesar's son stand on and will he be able to protect his wife and new-born child?

This book is also highly recommended by yours truly. I couldn't put it down once I started reading! The next Titan Books release I'm anxiously awaiting for is their history of Robocop coming out in October!

- James Harland Lockhart V

www.vimeo.com/jamielockhart