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John Connor is now in his mid-20s, doing various things, often illegally, to earn his way in the world while at the same time avoiding all ways that would like would give him a digital identity that he could be tracked by. After patching a leg injury in a vet’s surgery, he is interrupted by the vet, Kate Brewster, and both of them are forced to flee from a female-looking Terminator aka T-X, the Terminatrix.

Out to stop it is another Terminator model 850 sent to rescue them and any of their future lieutenants on the T-X’s hit list. From here on, it is one chase across country to keep both parties apart and to figure out a way to destroy the much more powerful T-X model and to prevent Skynet going on line and Judgement Day.

Moving on from the original two films, Cyberdyne’s research had been duplicated and was being set up by the army. Just because Kyle Reese’s information that Cyberdyne had created the original processors didn’t necessarily mean that they were the ones who put Skynet on line.

There was also a direct acknowledgement to the other films in the design and creation of the Terminator models started from human designs rather than Skynet creating them. Kinda messes up the stories based on Jim Cameron’s line of books in that we have a William Candy as the design for the 800/850 flesh but tends to support my logic that Tie-Ins don’t mean anything to production companies.

In many respects, I can see why the film is being regarded as a success just from the information from the novelisation. It brings out a strong theory that you can’t change the past only put the elements into place that will make it turn into the future.

To say more will only act as a spoiler for those who are going to buy the book. My only regret is that it’s a shame that there wasn’t a photo-insert included. Like the other Terminator novelisations, this book is bound to sell. Just make sure you have a first edition.

GF Willmetts