BOOK
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Author	James Rollins
Country	USA
Publisher	Del Rey
Released	May 20, 2008
Pages	181
ISBN	0345501284

The Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull novel is the adaptation of the fourth Indiana Jones film, written by James Rollins.

In the US, Del Rey released the hardcover edition on May 20, 2008, two days before the film's release. Del Rey's mass market paperback (ISBN: 0345502884) was released on November 25, 2008. In the UK, the novel was published in paperback format (ISBN: 009192667X) by Ebury Press on May 22, 2008. The audiobook version of the novel was released on CD (ISBN: 0739358987) by Random House Audio and was read by L. J. Ganser.

Plot summary Edit

Differences from the film Edit

As with the other three film novelizations, the are a few differences from page to screen when compared to the film.

• There is a prologue featuring Francisco de Orellana and his exploits.
• The first chapter concerns Indy and Mac's Mexican dig which is interrupted by the Soviets kidnapping them.
• There are only three MPs at the entrance to Hangar 51, vs. the film's four. The race against the army sedan and hotrod is told from their point of view.
• Mac calls Indiana Jones "Indy" instead of "Jonesy".
• Instead of picking his fedora up by himself, Indy has one of the Soviets do it for him, and the soldier puts it back on Jones's head.
• During the warehouse sequence, Indy actually sees the Ark of the Covenant but can't stop long enough to really examine it.
• Irina Spalko actually returns to Russia, where she dissects the alien corpse from Hangar 51 under the watchful eyes of several Soviet politicians.
• When Indy and Mutt are chased by the Soviet agents, there is only one sedan vs. the movie's two. This is the sedan that smashes into the statue of Marcus Brody.
• The young Soviet soldier dies much sooner.
• Dovchenko's death differs slightly as well. Instead of falling into the ants and being eaten, he charges at Indy who uses the big Colonel's own momentum to flip him into the ants. Also his death is not witnessed by Spalko.
• Spalko's psychic powers are a bit more defined. In addition to following the tracking devices left by Mac, she at one point senses that Jones had found Akator.
• There is more exploring of the Akator temple, including the discovery of giant turbines powering something and, in the treasure room, Indy and the gang find the corpses of past discoverers of Akator, who have all had their eyes burned out mysteriously.
• The demise of the remaining Soviets. There are only three vs. the movie's four. One is simply sucked into the vortex by his ammo belt; another soldier tries to grab him but is impaled when Spalko's sword flies out of its scabbard and skewers him; the third soldier has his eyes burned out like the corpses and later Spalko herself.
• The demise of Spalko. Spalko's brain completely crystallizes, and instead of her body exploding, she has an out-of-body experience in which her non-corporeal self precedes her (dead) earthly body into the vortex. Also the aliens do not unite into one being as in the film.
• After escaping from Akator, Indy asks Oxley how he got past the guards at Chauchilla Cemetery twice. Oxley simply explains he went in both times during the day, when the guards were sleeping.
• At the end during Marion's and Indy's wedding there is a difference— in the movie, Marion kisses Indy; in the book, Indy kisses Marion.

Appearances Edit

Characters Edit

• Marcus Brody (Mentioned only)
• Francisco de Orellana
• Antonin Dovchenko
• Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir (Mentioned only)
• Higgins
• Henry Walton Jones, Sr. (Mentioned only)
• Indiana Jones
• George McHale
• Mitchell
• Harold Oxley
• Marion Ravenwood
• Bob Ross
• Russian Soldier 1
• Paul Smith
• Irina Spalko
• Charles Stanforth
• Deirdre Stanforth (Mentioned only)
• Don Stanforth (Mentioned only)
• Maggie Stanforth (Mentioned only)
• Taylor
• Mutt Williams
• Jimmy Wycroft

Artifacts Edit

• Crystal Skull of Akator
• Ark of the Covenant

External linksEdit

• Rollins interview on his official website
• Rollins interview on TheRaider.net