Final Fantasy VII: The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story Paperback – January 22, 2019

I bought this just because of its association with the popular video game. Being familiar with other video game tie-in books, I wasn't expecting much out of it. So, I was surprised when I found it was legitimately good! It's a well-told, mostly stand-alone book that introduces new characters, but it is integrated into the greater Final Fantasy VII canon and there is weight to what happens. Just a really great book. The story is better and more cohesive then Advent Children or Dirge of Cerberus. I say check it out!

This is a fun read if you are a Final Fantasy fan wanting to get some more story from the VII world. It helps to have at least placed the original game so you understand a lot of the context, otherwise you could get lost.

This book is amazing and adds new detail and expands on the world of Final Fantasy VII. Its very nice to see how The Turks have been operating in this follow up to the original game and Case of Shinra from On the Way to a Smile, as well as see the events leading up to Advent Children. Plus Evan Townshend is just so entertaining to read about as a character along with his connections to the original characters. A must read for fans of Final Fantasy VII! It also arrived in wonderful conditions!

It was in perfect conditions

As most people who read (or are thinking of reading) this book, I love all things FF VII. So I had to check this out. It is an excellent fit between the game & the movie - most references to the story we all know & love are minimal & nothing has a non-canonical stink to it (even though some of the characters & events do make appearances throughout). Plus, I love Reno & Rude, so their parts in the story are a gem. Def a great way to spend a few hours & a great addition to your collection.

I will preface by saying most of this review will be spoiler-free. There will be mild spoilers that I will include toward the end, but I will add a warning before I reach that point.The Kids Are Alright was originally published in Japan in 2011 as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Written by Kazushige Nojima, scenario writer of Final Fantasy VII and screenwriter of Advent Children (among many other titles), this novel tells the story of a previously unheard of character, Evan Townshend. Evan works with his friends, including love interest Kyrie Canaan, at a detective agency based in the slums of Midgar approximately two years after Meteorfall (the end of the game). His mother left him a few weeks before Meteorfall and is presumed dead, since Evan has not heard from her in two years.Of course, it wouldn't be a Final Fantasy VII novel without some of our main cast, and this is supplied primarily through the Turks (as the novel's subtitle makes obvious). Reno and Rude are major supporting characters, but for those disappointed by the absence of Tseng and Elena throughout most of Advent Children, you'll be pleased that they play fairly big roles, as well. And it mostly works. While the game showcased pretty dirty, evil individuals in the Turks and Advent Children mostly used Reno and Rude as comic relief and supporting good guys, The Kids Are Alright shows us both sides, where we see Reno and Rude beginning to transform into the Advent Children counterparts while still being pretty awful when the occasion calls for it.What doesn't work as well are a few of the other cameos. Tifa appears several times, which works as she runs Seventh Heaven and the main cast of characters frequent her bar. Cloud also makes a minor cameo which I thought would bother me but surprisingly felt natural (specifically because it is very short). But then we get a random Red XIII throw-in for very little reason, and toward the end Barret, Cid, and Vincent are all name-dropped in a pretty significant moment, which was obvious fan service that only served to distract. Even Aerith merits a few pointless mentions.SPOILER ALERTIn the third act, Kadaj is introduced (the antagonist in Advent Children, if you don't remember), and this is mostly out of necessity for filling in backstory for the movie as well as tying the novel into the film (so that calling it a prequel isn't a lie). The problem is, Evan's personal and emotional conflict in the story doesn't really relate to Kadaj, except that both characters are looking for their mother. Additionally, we received a ham-fisted reason for Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz bearing those names. The entire thing feels way too much like Nojima and Square were trying to provide answers to questions that didn't necessarily need to be asked.END SPOILERSAside from those minor gripes (as well as a character previously thought dead having survived, a la Rufus Shinra in Advent Children), the novel is surprisingly good. The characters feel real, Evan is not your typical hero. He is a real person with character flaws, fears, and weaknesses. His love interest, Kyrie, is much the same, and even other original supporting characters avoid feeling completely one-dimensional. Additionally, the opportunity to spend more time in the world of Final Fantasy VII is an absolute delight, and despite some vague descriptions, it's obvious Nojima is familiar with and comfortable in this world.As far as the English translation (which received an official release this year), since I do not speak or read Japanese I cannot attest to its accuracy. However, at no point is there ever any question what is being conveyed on the page. I actually picked this up due to trying to read a fan translation that I couldn't follow very well, and I'm pleased that the translation is coherent and mostly free of typos.I would highly recommend this to fans of Final Fantasy VII who also enjoyed at least some of the Compilation (Advent Children, at the very least) and are eager to dive further into the world of FFVII. If you have never played the game or watched the movie, I don't see that there will be much value and newcomers likely would not be able to follow the story very well, as there is not much setup for anyone or anything outside of the original characters introduced.

"The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story" is an enjoyable read for any Final Fantasy 7 fan. Kazushige Nojima is a skilled author who knows how to balance pacing with dialogue, and the descriptions are well-written! The English translation is a very enjoyable read. I purchased Nojima's other FF7 book "On The Way To A Smile" afterwards because I couldn't get enough!

This book is a must have item for any FFVII original game fan that wants to know what happened to “the bad boys” of the original story.The translation was extremely well done. The story, or “after-story” is enjoyable. Brings the remake’s characters into a well-blended mix of old and mew.