The book was actually written concurrently - one isn't based on the other. They are both vaguely based on an earlier short story of his, Sentinel, but it doesn

The book was actually written concurrently - one isn't based on the other. They are both vaguely based on an earlier short story of his, Sentinel, but it doesn't really help much. Agreed that the book clears a lot up though. I mean, I totally didn't get the monkey thing without it. For me, the book is a great story, and the film is pure eye candy. And if they could mate the two, it'd be 8 days long.