Raiders‪!‬

What a fantastic read. I wish there were more. If you ever read the story of your youth, hopefully it is the greatest story you've ever read. As an adult with two children now, my biggest take away is that I may be as good, patient and encouraging as Mary and Elaine. Thanks to Eric, Chris, Jayson and Kurt for the opportunity and the dedication to make this what it is today.

I received a hardcover copy of this novel from the publisher for review.

Like many who will read this book, I was already familiar with the basics of the story. I read what I could about it, found the trailer online, and even reached out to the filmmakers at one point in an unsuccessful bid to bring them to my city, just so I could see the film in its entirety. Ironically, perhaps, that was seven years ago.

But where I regrettably failed in my quest to experience the magic of this film, author Alan Eisenstock has thankfully succeeded in bringing the story to life with Raiders!.

I should start out by saying that I have never read this type of book before, so the concept and writing style of biographical fiction was new for me and took a little getting used to. Because of the narrative nature, I found myself more than once wondering where the lines blurred between fact and fiction; by the end of the book, I came to the conclusion that it was only in the minor details.

The story actually started a little slow for my taste, beginning with Eric Zala just before, during, and immediately after Hurricane Katrina, detailing the devastation left in its wake of Eric’s family home. While these scenes felt a little lengthy and extraneous at first, their importance was felt later on.

The slow buildup was, in fact, an establishment of styles. Eric’s story is methodical, organized – just like Eric himself. Eisenstock switches his style of prose when introducing Chris; although not overt, there is a frenetic energy that moves it along quickly, giving you the sense that he is on “Hollywood time” – totally appropriate for Chris’s story and personality. The two styles seem to mesh when the kids come together, and the result is nothing short of charming.

So while it did take a bit for Raiders! to get rolling (no pun intended), it leapt into the story enough to really hold my interest somewhere in the 50-page range. Around page 67, my cheeks suddenly felt sore, and I realized it was because I had been smiling ever since.

While still not my favorite genre, perhaps it is a strength of biographical fiction to allow you into the thoughts and feelings of the people portrayed, insights that might elude capture in other forms.

In describing the early years of the boys’ project, I honestly felt 12-years old again, that unique time when the imagination left over from youth coupled with the feeling that you can accomplish anything transforms into an alchemy of inspired creativity, and that spirit was really captured in these chapters.

While I was a wannabe fan of Raiders: The Adaptation before, I never really appreciated what Eric, Chris, and their friends went through to make this film. My recollections of the original Raiders was a bit fuzzy, and as more details of the scope and magnitude of the remake production were revealed, I couldn’t help but alternately giggle (as a former pre-teen) and cringe (as a current mom). The ingenuity and creativity Eric and Chris displayed is unbelievably impressive, second only to the awe-inspiring level of dedication required to finish this labor of love over the course of SEVEN YEARS.

The last few sections feel a little bit rushed and, in some ways, unfinished; the same dedication has been paid to the well-constructed prose, but it feels almost as if there are pieces missing when compared to the chapters before – but the strengths of the earlier storytelling makes it easy to forgive any minor faults.

The last section of the book covers a contemplative, post-Raiders period in the lives of the boys-turned-men, replete with fluctuating highs and lows. Parts of it are sobering, melancholy, and brought up feelings about my own life that I hadn’t expected. I know it’s a tired cliché to say, “It made me laugh! It made me cry!” But it really did – not howls of laughter or body-shaking sobs, but the book genuinely moved me, and it’s one that will be passed around to my friends and family before ultimately finding its place on my bookshelf of treasured tomes.

The only photos in the book are on the dust jacket, and you won’t really lose anything if you get the digital version. Devotees, however, will likely want to spring for the hardcover.

All in all, Raiders! really does capture the magic of “the greatest fan film ever made” and gives you insights into its wild popularity; after reading, you will understand why, for a film that rarely sees the light of day, it has developed a large cult following.

While I still lament not being able to arrange or attend a screening, reading this book feels like the next best thing to seeing the film itself.

Highly recommended.