What’s your favorite novel or movie for non-stop, relentless, killer pacing?
21 thoughts on “Reader Friday: Killer Pacing”
Even though I’m not a fan of killer pacing because it makes me so tense, I enjoy watching “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Inception,” and “The Dark Knight.”
Those movies all have killer pacing IMHO. Thanks for mentioning them, Michelle.
And I just remembered… any of the “Back to the Future” movies… not as fast-paced as the others I mentioned, but they’re fun to watch.
Very fun movies.
Constant fast pacing isn’t important to me in fiction. Fiction needs variation to tell a proper story. That doesn’t mean things should be dull. “I couldn’t put it down” for me means that I was allowed time to understand the characters and the situation, not that Indiana Jones’ boulders are constantly rolling toward the main character.
I rewatched part of the first Avengers movie Monday night, the one where Loki and a bunch of aliens attack NYC, and that movie and its pacing always impresses the heck out of me. A flawless use of characters, backstory, pace, high stakes, light and dark moments, and exploding stuff.
Great point about needing to balance pacing with getting to know and understand the characters, Marilynn.
I agree–the first Avengers movie has terrific pacing.
John Gilstrap’s Jonathan Grave/Irene Rivers series.
Mission Impossible movies.
The Mission Impossible movies have such intense pacing.
So many great novels and movies with killer pacing. I’ll throw in my two cents, because I can’t stop with one.
Novels: James Scott Bell’s “Romeo’s Rules” and Dean Koontz’s “The Good Guy.”
Movies: “North By Northwest” and “The Terminator.”
Good ones, Dale!
Wow Dale. Thank you!
I like the pacing in True Lies w/Arnold s. and Jamie S. Lee Curtis because it allowed me to know the characters, and appreciate the humor and still keep things going (a great, “small” part of the late Bill Paxton. Same with Kindergarten Cop. I was on the edge of my seat the first time I saw the original Twister in a movie theater. I’m not of fan of action movies in general. I like dramatic shows like The Pitt where I feel as if I’ve forgotten to breathe for an hour, but still had time to relate/root to the characters.
Great point about the pacing in True Lies, Kelly. It’s one of my favorite films. Great points about the other two movies you mention, as well as a show like the Pitt.
I just finished reading Project Hail Mary, and I don’t need a lot of ‘edge of my seat’ pacing, but this one hit the marks for me. I hope the movie did it justice.
So glad to hear that, Terry. I have yet to read the novel, but found the movie to be a very well-paced, gripping watch. My wife has read the novel and saw the movie with me, and thought the film did a good job of “translating” the novel.
For books, I enjoyed Jeffery Deaver’s Praying for Sleep. It’s a standalone from 1994. I also really liked The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. It made a terrific Halloween read.
For movies, Copycat with Sigourney Weaver. I had to take a 10 minute break in the middle of the show because I was getting dizzy from holding my breath so much. Man, what a ride!
Thanks for weighing in, K S. These all sound great. I’ll be checking all three out.
For pacing and every other good thing I can describe I name Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Awesome movie.
Any of the Iron Druid series from Kevin Hearne.
For a novel I would have to say The Shining by Stephen King, and one movie that comes to mind is Southern Comfort with Keith Carradine.
“The Bourne Supremacy” for a movie. “The Big Sleep” for a book.
Even though I’m not a fan of killer pacing because it makes me so tense, I enjoy watching “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Inception,” and “The Dark Knight.”
Those movies all have killer pacing IMHO. Thanks for mentioning them, Michelle.
And I just remembered… any of the “Back to the Future” movies… not as fast-paced as the others I mentioned, but they’re fun to watch.
Very fun movies.
Constant fast pacing isn’t important to me in fiction. Fiction needs variation to tell a proper story. That doesn’t mean things should be dull. “I couldn’t put it down” for me means that I was allowed time to understand the characters and the situation, not that Indiana Jones’ boulders are constantly rolling toward the main character.
I rewatched part of the first Avengers movie Monday night, the one where Loki and a bunch of aliens attack NYC, and that movie and its pacing always impresses the heck out of me. A flawless use of characters, backstory, pace, high stakes, light and dark moments, and exploding stuff.
Great point about needing to balance pacing with getting to know and understand the characters, Marilynn.
I agree–the first Avengers movie has terrific pacing.
John Gilstrap’s Jonathan Grave/Irene Rivers series.
Mission Impossible movies.
The Mission Impossible movies have such intense pacing.
So many great novels and movies with killer pacing. I’ll throw in my two cents, because I can’t stop with one.
Novels: James Scott Bell’s “Romeo’s Rules” and Dean Koontz’s “The Good Guy.”
Movies: “North By Northwest” and “The Terminator.”
Good ones, Dale!
Wow Dale. Thank you!
I like the pacing in True Lies w/Arnold s. and Jamie S. Lee Curtis because it allowed me to know the characters, and appreciate the humor and still keep things going (a great, “small” part of the late Bill Paxton. Same with Kindergarten Cop. I was on the edge of my seat the first time I saw the original Twister in a movie theater. I’m not of fan of action movies in general. I like dramatic shows like The Pitt where I feel as if I’ve forgotten to breathe for an hour, but still had time to relate/root to the characters.
Great point about the pacing in True Lies, Kelly. It’s one of my favorite films. Great points about the other two movies you mention, as well as a show like the Pitt.
I just finished reading Project Hail Mary, and I don’t need a lot of ‘edge of my seat’ pacing, but this one hit the marks for me. I hope the movie did it justice.
So glad to hear that, Terry. I have yet to read the novel, but found the movie to be a very well-paced, gripping watch. My wife has read the novel and saw the movie with me, and thought the film did a good job of “translating” the novel.
For books, I enjoyed Jeffery Deaver’s Praying for Sleep. It’s a standalone from 1994. I also really liked The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. It made a terrific Halloween read.
For movies, Copycat with Sigourney Weaver. I had to take a 10 minute break in the middle of the show because I was getting dizzy from holding my breath so much. Man, what a ride!
Thanks for weighing in, K S. These all sound great. I’ll be checking all three out.
For pacing and every other good thing I can describe I name Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Awesome movie.
Any of the Iron Druid series from Kevin Hearne.
For a novel I would have to say The Shining by Stephen King, and one movie that comes to mind is Southern Comfort with Keith Carradine.
“The Bourne Supremacy” for a movie. “The Big Sleep” for a book.