The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) The Lightning Thief discussion


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Can you think of any movie adaptation that is good/better than the book?

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anthea I think the Harry Potter adaptations were really good, not better than the book but they were good and the movies became really great.

The Lightning Thief was terrible. Let me just say no more on that.

The Host was also terrible.

I think Twilight was really bad aswell. I actually liked the books before they became really big and the movies just ruined it all for me.

Let me think...

I have really high expectations of The Maze Runner movie. The book is impeccable and I think it has the potential to be a good movie.

Have you got any other books that have made really good movies?



Rain The Vampire Diaries. I think the adaption is much better than the books.


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

I have high expectations for the Catching Fire movie


Sarah Jordan (The Gleek) wrote: "I have high expectations for the Catching Fire movie"

me too! ;D


kirstin ✿ Narnia? I mean, I can't stand reading the books; the writing is so childish in my opinion.


message 6: by [deleted user] (new)

Well the books are for children.


kirstin ✿ Well, yeah... XD
But how about Harry Potter? It wasn't written that way.


Kaelyn Sarah wrote: "Jordan (The Gleek) wrote: "I have high expectations for the Catching Fire movie"

me too! ;D"


Yes most definatly!!


Mais warm bodies? i really really liked the movie


♪♫Gloria♫♪ My first reaction:


Then:


Finally:



message 11: by Jazz (new) - rated it 4 stars

Jazz Mais wrote: "warm bodies? i really really liked the movie"

Totally agree with you.


message 12: by Amy (new) - rated it 3 stars

Amy Jordan (The Gleek) wrote: "I have high expectations for the Catching Fire movie"

I'm trying not to get my hopes up after The Hunger Games movie.


message 13: by Amy (new) - rated it 3 stars

Amy Is no one going to mention LOTR? No? Okay. Well, so far the Hobbit is a good adaption, I have full confidence in Peter Jackson to choose the right things to leave out or add.


message 14: by [deleted user] (new)

K i r s t i n ☯ wrote: "Well, yeah... XD
But how about Harry Potter? It wasn't written that way."


True, but that was mostly with the last books when things became darker. I think the first 3 books were more childishly written.


message 15: by Sara (new) - rated it 5 stars

Sara THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I can't believe only one person mentioned that!!!!!!! They were just as good as the books!!!!!


Tanner This isn't a young adult novel but I liked the film adaptation of The Reader better than the book. Both are excellent but I really connected with the performances in the movie. Kate
Winslet and Ralph Fiennes are as good as it gets.


Tamara Figueroa The Lord of the Rings I had a hard time reading the Fellowship of the Ring.


message 18: by Duha (new) - rated it 5 stars

Duha shokerat Amelia wrote: "Jordan (The Gleek) wrote: "I have high expectations for the Catching Fire movie"

I'm trying not to get my hopes up after The Hunger Games movie."


I thoght the hunger games movie was pretty good , not better than the book but still very good


anthea The Hunger Games movie wasn't as good as the book, but I really think Catching Fire is gonna be really good!

Actually, I was just thinking of The Help, that movie was really very good.


message 20: by Wayan (new)

Wayan the curios incident of the dog in the nighttime was really good in theater it was amazing!
the book was really well written and the play didn't put it down at all. it's really worth going


Maddy S Annie wrote: "I think the Harry Potter adaptations were really good, not better than the book but they were good and the movies became really great.

The Lightning Thief was terrible. Let me just say no more on..."


I'm also excited for The Maze Runner movie coming out on Febuary 14, 2014. It's so far away!

I can't believe they have the nerve to make the Sea of Monsters movie. They didn't even introduce Clarrise in the first one! And they RUINED Annabeth's character!


versa Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess Frog.


Maddy S clair wrote: "Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess Frog."


I love that series! I have all of the books. But the movie is NOTHING like the book!!!


no one Holes definitely


Tyler Thompson The Hobbit. Narnia.


versa Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess Frog."

I love that series! I have all of t..."


Not. At. All. The movie is loosely based on the book. The series was definitely good, but it kind of declined, especially after Emma had her kid (I pretty much just stopped reading them, no offense Millie).


Maddy S clair wrote: "Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess Frog."

I love that series! I..."


I feel the same way! I've read the series several times and I always regret it after the sixth book. Which book is your favorite?


message 28: by Valentina (last edited Jul 28, 2013 11:48AM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Valentina Markasović Sara wrote: "THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I can't believe only one person mentioned that!!!!!!! They were just as good as the books!!!!!"

Maybe even better than the book at some points, descriptions of battles just aren't that vigorous when written. They are much more epic when you see it on the screen.

Also, Game of Thrones is better than the books in my opinion. A Song Of Ice And Fire is just so difficult to read sometimes.


Theodosia of the Fathomless Hall The Lord of the Rings and as of now the Hobbit in my opinion are almost equal to the books.

To me nothing can equal the root material and I have limited experience in cinema so there's my input.


Stephanie The girl with the dragon tattoo (the English one and the three Swedish ones) are all good book adaptations. Of course they are missing sections, but I would say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them.

And of course the LOTR movies were excellent, although everyone has to read the books as well.


Valentina Markasović I loved The Hobbit, too, but it has some part (like Frodo's appearance) that just don't belong to the movie. Somehow, it didn't really matter, it actually brought the nice touch.


message 32: by Amy (new) - rated it 3 stars

Amy HermioneJMalfoy wrote: "I loved The Hobbit, too, but it has some part (like Frodo's appearance) that just don't belong to the movie. Somehow, it didn't really matter, it actually brought the nice touch."

I really like that Peter Jackson decided do that. It bound the stories together quite nicely.


Valentina Markasović Yes, exactly, The Hobbit in general gave me chills, especially the music theme from LOTR. Ah, my feels.


Theodosia of the Fathomless Hall Chills all the way then!


versa Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess Frog."

I love ..."


The first one, aka The Frog Princess. That's usually how it is, the first being the best. ***A'hem Hunger Games*** Numero uno is literally numero uno.


Pratiti IMO, even though The Hobbit, LOTR, and the HP books weren't true to the books ALL THE TIME, they were very enjoyable. And the bits that weren't in the books were well-thought-out enough that they simply contributed to my appreciation of them.
Also, To Kill a Mockingbird.


message 37: by sim (new) - rated it 5 stars

sim K i r s t i n ☯ wrote: "Narnia? I mean, I can't stand reading the books; the writing is so childish in my opinion."

Agreed. I couldn't read after Prince Caspian and I totally skipped The Magician's Nephew!


Pratiti Childish? Personally, I think Rick Riordan's writing is more childish than C.S. Lewis's.


Candie Last of the Mohicans.


message 40: by Amy (new) - rated it 3 stars

Amy I'm trying to read the Percy Jackson series, but I can't seem to get used to his writing. I feel like I should be intrigued by the story lines and all, but I can't really get into it.


message 41: by Jon (new) - rated it 1 star

Jon Ladner "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" - I'll maintain that the book is better than the film ("Bladerunner"), but the film has had far greater impact on the SF world.


Valentina Markasović After I read the book, I got into a fight with my dad about The Last of the Mohicans. Because it was differently presented who was the last of them, and details about the relationships.


Maddy S clair wrote: "Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Maddy wrote: "clair wrote: "Yeah, and then they try to make up for it by dying her hair. Totally ridiculous.
The Princess and the Frog, which is based on The Princess F..."


Yeah, and in sequels most authors kill off the main characters. ***A'hem Hunger Games***. My favorites are the third and fifth ones (Once Upon a Curse, The Salamander Spell) mainly because it explains details. My favorite character is Eadric.


message 44: by Duha (new) - rated it 5 stars

Duha shokerat I think the Host was pretty good movie though i haven't read it yet ans aa many of you might disagree i really loved the lightning theaf


message 45: by Zara (new) - rated it 5 stars

Zara Soomro The Princess Bride?


message 46: by E.j. (new) - rated it 5 stars

E.j. That was a good movie. I never read the book though, so I wouldn't know if it was better. Other than that, I have not run across a film that is better than the book.


message 47: by Zoë (new) - rated it 4 stars

Zoë The Lord of the Rings. Otherwise, no, just no. You CANNOT do things like ACTUALLY LEAVE OUT KRONOS and expect us to like the movie. (And of course, that's just one example.)


Theodosia of the Fathomless Hall Titi wrote: "IMO, even though The Hobbit, LOTR, and the HP books weren't true to the books ALL THE TIME, they were very enjoyable. And the bits that weren't in the books were well-thought-out enough that they s..."

Woot :D you took the words right out of my mouth Titi!


message 49: by Amy (new) - rated it 3 stars

Amy Duha wrote: "I think the Host was pretty good movie though i haven't read it yet ans aa many of you might disagree i really loved the lightning theaf"

I agree, the Lightning Thief was a pretty good movie. As long as you don't read the book. I saw the movie before I read the book and loved it, but now that I've read the book, I watch it and go, "What. Were. They. Thinking?"


Robert Wright Well, die-hard fans of any book will never be satisfied with any adaptation of a book to film.

In adapting, there are inevitably choices and changes. We'll never have 100% agreement if those choices were good or bad.

I think Lightning Thief was a bad adaptation, but still an enjoyable film.

Some that I think are both good adaptations and (at least) enjoyable films:

Magnificent Ambersons
Maltese Falcon
Blade Runner
Princess Bride
The Wizard of Oz
World According to Garp
To Kill a Mockingbird
LOTR
some of the HP series
the James Bond series
Cloud Atlas
The Shining (I know, King didn't like it, but I did)
Big Fish
Silence of the Lambs
Carrie
Jurassic Park
The Godfather
Bridget Jones' Diary
The Big Sleep

Honorable mention to Apocalypse Now, which is not so much an adaptation as inspired by Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Kind of like I don't consider West Side Story an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet.

If you want to see some truly horrible adaptations, try Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love much of his other work, just not these.

It seems to be common wisdom that "the movie is never as good as the book," but just the brief list above illustrates that this just isn't so. There are plenty of good adaptations.

Readers are just sometimes blinded by their love of the source material.


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