Young Hercules (Novelization)

Title Young Hercules (Novelization) Medium Novel (fiction) Creator(s) Mel Odom Publisher Archway Paperbacks Release Date July 1999

Young Hercules (Novelization) is the novelization of the Young Hercules (Movie Pilot) starring Ian Bohen as Hercules (even though Ryan Gosling is featured on the cover).

The novelization is by Mel Odom.
Based on the teleplay by Andrew Dettman & Daniel Truly.
Story by Rob Tapert and Andrew Dettman & Daniel Truly.

Blurb

Half man, half god, and all teen... a new hero bursts forth in an epic adventure!

* * *

      Young Hercules has never met his father, Zeus, king of the gods, and he longs to be worthy of him. But while Hercules' strength is great, he doesn't possess the skills of a warrior hero. He must learn these wt the academy of the wise centaur Cheiron, along with his childhood friend Iolaus and Jason, crown prince of Corinth.

      But Hercules already has a deadly enemy who will stop at nothing to destroy him - his half-brother Ares, god of war. When the cadets set off on a desperate quest to save Jason's kingdom, they must conquer a giant and battle a siren - not knowing that they've stepped into a trap carefully set by a vengeful god determined to destroy the son of Zeus.

Timeline

• The Young Hercules (Novelization) is the novelization of the Young Hercules (Movie Pilot), and as such falls into the timeline before the Season 1 episodes.

Appearing Characters

• Hercules
• Ares
• Discord
• King Aeson
• Iolaus
• Occam
• The Greedy Jeweler
• Thief 01
• Thief 02
• Alcmene
• Cheiron
• Jason
• Alcestor
• Mikos
• Thamus
• Liardus
• Enyo
• Yvenna
• Runner
• Pelias
• Artisan
• Zandarus
• Attica
• Siren
• Massage Girls
• Talos

Mentioned Characters

• Zeus
• Old Chadduz the cobbler
• Iphicles
• Charon
• Amphitryon
• Phrixis
• Argus

Places

• Cave of Ares
• River of Skulls
• Corinth
• Mount Olympus (mention only)
• Alcmene's Farm
• Cheiron's Academy
• Athens - (mention only)
• Delos - (mention only)
• Ithra
• Korsenia

Items

• Zeus's Urn
• Golden Fleece
• Giant Snake
• Spiked Ball
• Pelias's Statue's Head

Mythology

• Giant Snake
  
• Giants
• Centaurs
  
• Siren

Plot Arcs

• Differences between the Movie and the Novelization
  
• AKAs
  
• Herc's Obsession With Zeus
  
• Cheiron's Advice
  
• Cons, Pranks, and Practical Jokes
  
• Hercules is 'The Responsible One'
  
• Jail or Cheiron's Academy
  
• Character Deaths
  

Quotes

      "Hmmm. He's probably after that urn I stole from Zeus. The little runt is trying to score points with Dad." It was the only thing among all the valuables Ares had that might capture Hercules' attention.
      "He's not so little these days," Discord replied with a taunt in her voice. "He's eighteen now. Tall, exceptionally strong, and quite handsome." She licked her lips in anticipation. "Let me go rip his face off."

      "Pretty good observation," Hercules said sarcastically, resenting the man catching him standing there gaping. "For a janitor."

      The man seemed to take no offense. "Well, a wheel has many spokes."

      "Yes, and a bird has wings, a dog has paws, a bull has horns," Hercules said, rolling his eyes. "But you've probably observed that, too."

      "The point is to be the last man standing," Jason said. As the cadets' captain, he seemed as much in charge of their training as Cheiron. "Balance is key."

      Iolaus spun the cudgel again, making it flash.
      Hercules tried to mirror the movement, but keeping up with the spinning cudgel and his footing was too much. He fell and landed on his back.

      "Looks like Hercules is a little off key," Iolaus observed, smirking.

      "We're responsible for each other. And I'm not taking the blame for you again."

      "Again?" Iolaus glared at him in disbelief.
      "Yeah," Hercules said "First the twister. then tomorrow there'll be a horse and a jackass missing."
      Iolaus shook his head. "I'm only taking the horse."

      Hercules smirked. "I know."

      (After Hercules dived naked into a river)

      Hercules shook his head. "It's all right. I'll come back later."
      Yvenna smiled and sat on the riverbank. "Suit yourself."
      "Fine." He hesitated. "So - if you'll just turn around-"
      "Turn my back on you?"
      Hercules nodded hopefully.
      She almost took pity on him, then shook her head, laughing inside. "Never. Besides, I've been to Athens. I've seen statues. We're both mature cadets."

      Hercules looked totally helpless.

      There's no way she's shipwrecked, Hercules thought. Not looking like that. And if she fell off a ship, it was definitely a pleasure cruiser.

      The cadets crowded around her.
      "Were you shipwrecked?" Jason asked.
      "Are you hurt?" Liardus asked.
      "Are you stranded?" Thamus asked.

      Iolaus grinned, shrugging through the others with a thief's ease. "Are you available?"

      "That's the third time you almost got me killed," Iolaus told Hercules.

      "But you're alive," Yvenna told him angrily. "So pull yourself together. We all knew this was dangerous coming in."

      Iolaus faced her. "I don't mind facing danger. But let it be mine." He whirled back on Hercules, putting his face close. "I don't want to battle your demons!"

Trivia & References

Pop Culture References and Greekisms - Cheiron's voice hardened. "Never-never-never-quit." is a reference to the commonly mis-heard Winston Churchill quote, Never, never, never give up. It is most commonly referenced as this speech, but is not correct. The original speech performed in 1941 by the British Prime Minister was at Harrow School in Britain: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. - source

Continuity Warning - The number and names of people to retrieve the Golden Fleece are completely different from the heroes mentioned in the HtLJ Episode "2.14 - Once a Hero". The Pilot Movie has Hercules, Iolaus, Jason, Yvenna, Alcestor, Mikos, Liardis, Enyo, Thamus with Captain Attica where the HTLJ episode had Hercules, Iolaus, Jason, Otus, Castor, Artemus, Valerus, Domesticles, and Lycenus.

Unanswered Questions - If Jason is the keeper of the Golden Fleece, what happened to it during the entire series?

Nod to HtLJ - Alcmene seems extremely concerned about Iolaus's safety in the twister, to the point of ordering Hercules to save him. This could be a nod to the HtLJ episode "4.14 - Armageddon Now: Part 2", as Alcmene knows the important role that he will someday play in the life of her son, including traveling to the past to save her from Callisto while she's pregnant with Hercules.

Continuity Warning - When did Jason and Alcmene meet? In Young Hercules (Novelization), Jason and Hercules seem to be meeting for the first time, but in 1.01 - Treasure of Zeus they're close enough that Jason is asking how Alcmene is. To further complicate the timeline, in HtLJ "2.21 - The Wedding of Alcmene" Alcmene says that Jason was the one who brought the news that Amphitryon was dead, even though Amphitryon died when Hercules was a baby and Jason doesn't seem more than a few years older than Herc in Young Hercules (Movie Pilot).

Sides, Scripts & Transcripts

• Young Hercules (Novelization) Transcript
• Book Review on Goodreads

Cover Scan

Click image for high-res version. Scan is from Bryn.