T.V. SERIES/MOVIE versus BOOK/SERIES...

[G.G.]

I'm probably the only one who thinks this but I so much preferred Sookie Stackhouse Novels over True blood. The story in the series isn't that bad ( well I haven't watch anything passed Billith yet, Netflix is slower than Cable, but still, I did not like the casting at all in the TV Show. They were so not what I would have chosen!

[Kate]

I prefer the Dexter TV show to the books (Darkly Dreaming Dexter). I like all the details in the show and because the book is first person - I like in the show that not every scene has to have Dexter in it.

I don't even really consider True Blood and Southern Vampire Mysteries to be the same source anymore :P I love TV Eric but for everything else - plot and Sookie - I prefer the books.

Game of Thrones vs. Song of Ice and Fire - Love both. I love how for the first season which is the only book I've read so far how similar they were. Couldn't pick with I prefer.

And the Vampire Diaries - prefer the show. Wasn't a fan of the first book so didn't read any further but am addicted to the show.

[D]

I have found whichever medium I start with is what I tend to stay with. For instance, I read True Blood and Janet Evanovich's One For the Money but hated the tv series/movie. It was the opposite for Rizzoli and Isles and Bones. I saw the tv shows first and just couldn't get into reading the books.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer)]

I hate to say it but there are a lot of movies that just don't live up to the books in my opinion. There is just so much detail and emotion in books that can't always be created on set.

[[deleted user]]

Agree with Mlpmom. So much is left out when a book is turned into a movie. Hunger Games comes to mind for me. The movie left out some subtle details that were key to the story line.

[Paganalexandria]

I actually like the True Blood over the novels. I guess because some of the character reasoning makes more sense on the show to me? I might not be expressing that right. As an example, the reason all the vampires wanted Bill felt more plausible than in the book to me. Granted I only read the books because of the show because I avoid any paranormal romance with cartoon like covers as a rule. They are usually silly or funny, when I need a jolt of fear to enjoy that type of read.

I also like movies of Twilight and Eclipse better than the books; although, the New Moon book was much better than the movie, IMO. I feel like Stephanie Meyer gives to much information on unimportant details and the movies did a better job of editing that stuff out. I did feel like the New Moon movie left out a lot of important details about the wolves in general, that reading the book provided. I saw the movies before reading the books in this case also, which might explain my bias.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Ok, since you said, "any genre. . ." The Bourne trilogy--the books over the movies times about 10000. That's one movie where clearly they never got beyond reading the first line of the blurb on the FIRST book.

For an older movie--JAWS. I liked the book more than the movie, since there was so much that was left out of the movie. (for those who only saw the movie--bet you didn't know that the sheriff's wife had a fling with the oceanographer, did ya?)

And another one where the book was better--Dune--especially the FIRST time it was made into a movie. Man, what was done to that film. . . I actually knew someone who worked on the movie, and, well, what was done to it by the company that released it--it came out right after 2010 bombed so badly, and (I think it was Universal) the releasing company went in and just chopped out 45 minutes that didn't have the main characters in the scene. And one or two of those minutes were really NEEDED to know what the heck was going on.

Starship Troopers--preferred the book. Altho the movie was an interesting adaptation.

The Beast Master the book was nothing at all like Beastmaster the movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083630/ For one thing--one was a sci-fi the other fantasy. . .

Sigh, and I could go on and on. Now my husband forbids me reading something BEFORE we see it at the theatre or on TV.

[[deleted user]]

@Ann, lol about Jaws. The movie was scary, but I thought the book was scarier than the movie as a kid. I guess I need to re-read because I don't remember Ellen getting it on with someone else!

[Janice]

I loved all of Charlaine Harris' 'Sookie Stackhouse' series....and I'm totally addicted to HBO's True Blood. In the tv series, the first few seasons were somewhat close to the books, which I liked, but the past few seasons have gotten so weird and totally dismissed anything relateable to the books. Even so, I love the tv series anyway due to all the hot men (Eric and Alcide.....yummy) and it being so unpredictable.

Twilight series....hands down the books were better because when you watch the movies, you know what each character is thinking and feeling from Stephanie's writing. Reading the books first made watching all the terrible acting worth it. I love the movies only because of the books, if that makes any sense.

And last but not least....'The Vampire Diaries'..... Absolutely love the tv show much more than the books. And personally I like Elena better as a brunette then the blond in the books. The books make them seem so young, and the tv series is so hot! I'm obsessed!

[Janice]

I loved all of Charlaine Harris' 'Sookie Stackhouse' series....and I'm totally addicted to HBO's True Blood. In the tv series, the first few seasons were somewhat close to the books, which I liked, but the past few seasons have gotten so weird and totally dismissed anything relateable to the books. Even so, I love the tv series anyway due to all the hot men (Eric and Alcide.....yummy) and it being so unpredictable.

Twilight series....hands down the books were better because when you watch the movies, you know what each character is thinking and feeling from Stephanie's writing. Reading the books first made watching all the terrible acting worth it. I love the movies only because of the books, if that makes any sense.

And last but not least....'The Vampire Diaries'..... Absolutely love the tv show much more than the books. And personally I like Elena better as a brunette then the blond in the books. The books make them seem so young, and the tv series is so hot! I'm obsessed!

[Janice]

Now if only they'd come out with a series based on J R Ward's 'Black dagger Brotherhood' novels....

[Janice]

And Deborah Harkness' 'All Souls Trilogy'....which would be freaking AMAZING to see made into movies.

[Janice]

I agree with you Jenny! Nothing would ever compare to the BDB books, but I think it would be really fun to watch! LOL ;D

[G.G.]

Ok... what's BDB? /blush

[Megan]

Jenny wrote: "I completely agree about them needing to make a BDB movie or series, sadly I don't think anything would or could ever measure up to the books!!! Has anyone seen the MORTAL INSTRUMENTS movie yet??? ..."

I watched it and enjoyed it but I haven't read the books yet. I talked to a girl who read them and she said it didn't stick with the book very well.

@Ginette- BDB = Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JD Ward

[G.G.]

Thanks Megan... I guess I'll have to read that series!

[Megan]

Right, JR Ward. My bad, I'm tired, lol. Most people love it but I didn't get into it.

I plan to read the Mortal Instrument series but I was re-reading The Kate Daniel books this weekend. Love them!! They would make an awesome movie.

[☔️ Stormy Day Reader]

Kate Daniels would be awesome! I have a huge issue with books being made into movies/series. I am usually disappointed. I remember leaving the theatre after one of the Harry Potter movies being furious. Twilight books were much better. I tell everyone don't read the Sookie books if you like True Blood, I loved the first few seasons then it got really weird.

[Paganalexandria]

Since we are talking about Stephen King novels, I think the book was much better than the movie even though it scared me so bad as a kid. I think the television mini-series of the was pretty close to the book and one of his better adaptions. Stephen King adaptions are crap shoot in quality. They will hit a home run like or , and then there will be three as crappy as or .

[[deleted user]]

Totally forgot about Stephen King! Pagan, you hit it right on the head with those books. What about ? That book scared the crap out of me when I read it. When I saw the movie, it was comical to me, especially the kid that starred in it. Jack did a pretty good job in it and that may have been what saved it.

[[deleted user]]

I may be in the minority, but I loved the Fifty Shades trilogy. I guess the movie is definitely going to happen. Will be interesting to see what actors are finally chosen and how the story will translate on screen.

[Nucking Futs the Fire Fairy]

I'm having ambivalent feelings regarding this. I want to see my favorite books(like fever and kate daniels) on tv or in movies. But i'm almost always disappointed with the outcome when books gets into tv or movies. So i'm excited yet scared that it wont meet my expectations.

[D]

Jenny wrote: "Oh!!! And was I the only one incredibly upset about them choosing Tom cruise to play Jack Reacher from the Lee Child books???"

Completely agree! In the books, Jack Reacher is 6'5" and very intimidating because of his size. Tom Cruise is 5'7". Unless the rest of the cast is extremely short, the whole basis of the Reacher character has been altered.

[Nucking Futs the Fire Fairy]

♥ Rainy Day Reader ♥ wrote: "Kate Daniels would be awesome! I have a huge issue with books being made into movies/series. I am usually disappointed. I remember leaving the theatre after one of the Harry Potter movies being fu..."

i was once watching the fourth harry potter movie. They changed some part of the story and i was like, 'that's not what happened in the book!'. I stopped watching the movie. And never watched the succeeding movies after that lol.

[PepperP0t]

I hated the harry Potter movies. Loved the books and it seems the more I liked the book the more I hated the movie - do not get me started

[Tracy]

I love The Vampire Diaries tv series :-) I tryed reading the book but just couldnt get into it, plus Damen is hot on tv lol.
Prefer the Sookie books to True Blood, the tv show just started getting weird and the same as some of you my partner got fed up of me shouting at the tv telling it that wasnt in the book :-/
Hmmm Twilight, is it bad that i loved the books and the films, although i think they could of casted better actors :-)
Oh Fifty Shades, I to am wondering how well of a movie thats going to turn out to be, i really enjoyed the books :-)

[Paganalexandria]

Marta J wrote: "Totally forgot about Stephen King! Pagan, you hit it right on the head with those books. What about ? That book scared the crap out of me when I read it. When I saw t..."

Yeah, Jack Nicholson totally makes that movie. If a lesser actor got that role it would have been golden raspberry award worthy.

@Martha J I also love the 50 Shades trilogy but every time one of my faves gets knocked out of contention for the roles, I lose more faith that the movie will be any good.

[C.C.]

I've never come across a movie that was better than the book (please feel free to suggest) I thought Twilight, The Host and The Hunger Gamesbooks were better than their movie versions. I also preferred The Secret Circle books:The Initiation over the the tv series which I also adored, the reason being, I got to see the ending in the books, there were a lot of changes in the tv series and they cancelled it and left the viewers hanging.

[☔️ Stormy Day Reader]

The Host was a good movie, I thought it was at least close to the book in most parts. I didn't like how they changed how she looked in the end. I was like what the hell? I'm afraid to read The Hunger Games books because I loved the movie so much, lol.

The best part of movies from books is I can share some of the world I love with my hubby who doesn't read. ;)

[Rox]

Marta J wrote: "I may be in the minority, but I loved the Fifty Shades trilogy. I guess the movie is definitely going to happen. Will be interesting to see what actors are finally chosen and how the story will t..."

I wonder how will they make those books into movies without it being porn ? I also like the books and I am very curious about the movie . I hope it doesn't suck...

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Ok, just about the ONLY movie that was from a book that I enjoyed was...(da da dummm) The Secret Garden.

I haven't read the Mortal Instruments books--I tried, I really did. But it took me almost 3 days to get 3/4 of the way through the first book--and, well, I decided that if I just couldn't get into it enough to read it faster, it wasn't worth me wasting any more time. So I gave the set away.

Hunger Games "the Movie" sucked. Sorry, but it DID. Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress, but she's about 30 pounds too heavy for the role. Katniss was severely underweight, and Lawrence's face was way too round and chubby. And what they did with her costumes. . . (Sorry, costumer here, and I could--and have--designed and made better ones than they used in the movie.)

ANY Disney movie ever made that was based on a book. Sorry, but not all stories have a happy ending, and I don't remember a single Disney movie where that happy ending wasn't a foregone conclusion. From the Little Mermaid (hello, the prince marries someone else and she DIED in the story) to Pocahontas--she was 13 when she met the 31 year old Smith, so not exactly the stuff of which that cartoon was made. To this day I haven't watched either of those 2 movies.

Oh, and TV shows--Harry Dresden the TV show wasn't anything like the books. Altho I have to admit, Bob the Skull would have been a little hard to do any other way than they did. And at least they got an actor tall enough to play Dresden. Otherwise...not much like the books at all. BTW, this does not mean that the show wasn't enjoyable. Just not a whole lot like the books.

And then there was the Blood Ties tv series. NOTHING at all like the books, but I still enjoyed them. Blood Price is the first book on which the TV show was based.

And, let's go to graphic novels too. Witch Blade not at all like the novels. Interesting, but not like the novels.

[[deleted user]]

Good point Rox, Fifty is an erotic book. How are they going to stay true to the story and make it past the censors? This should be interesting.

[[deleted user]]

@Rainy Day, my husband claims that he is allergic to books and his only critique about the Twilight movies was that Bella made the wrong choice. Guess he is Team Jacob :)

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

OK, at the risk of taking a total beating on this - I liked Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, it was decent film - yes, I know he's not tall enough but I thought he played it really well. This has nothing to do the fact that I will watch him in just about anything.

I went to see The Mortal Instruments this weekend and it wasn't bad, I haven't read the books yet, but my niece who saw it with me has read them and said that they've mixed things up, so it includes stuff from later books in it.

I loved the Twilight movies and the books and was incredibly glad that a lot of the filler from the later Harry Potter books was dropped from the movies.

Really looking forward to the Vampire Academy Movie and the prospective Crossfire TV series. Not sure if I'll be able to watch FSOG though (especially if they pick the guy from Sons of Anarchy to play Christian).

I still live in hope that one day they'll film the In Death books, Roarke in the flesh would be awesome - and BDB.

[Paganalexandria]

Marta J wrote: "Good point Rox, Fifty is an erotic book. How are they going to stay true to the story and make it past the censors? This should be interesting."

I will happy if it at least gets the 9 1/2 weeks treatment. I still think that is sexiest movie ever and it holds up well. I don't expect all the scenes from the FSOG trilogy to make it pass the censors, but I do want it to at least evoke the feelings. That doesn't mean they need to skimp on the hot playroom scenes, but expect them to use shadow, glimpses of handcuffs, and skin to secure an R rating.

Now I really want to know how the Crossfire series is going to get a TV show on network television.

[G.G.]

Oh that reminded me... Series or books?
Although I watched it and loved it still, I preferred Sword of Truth in books than the short series they showed.
As for Wizard for Hire (Dresden Files), I watched the show first, and discovered the book after and yet again, I found the book more enjoyable.

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

Jenny, the Crossfire series is by Sylvia Day, starts with Bared To You. It's very good.

[True Love Forever]

I Am Legend was both a great book and movie. I am torn over which one is better. The endings are so different. The book has a twist, but the movie was done so well and had great special effects.

[Leandra]

Pat wrote: "I hated the harry Potter movies. Loved the books and it seems the more I liked the book the more I hated the movie - do not get me started"


Gah! Don't even get me started on the Harry Potter movies.

My only hope is that I live long enough for when they do a remake.

[PepperP0t]

azerjaban wrote: "Pat wrote: "I hated the harry Potter movies. Loved the books and it seems the more I liked the book the more I hated the movie - do not get me started"


Twin! someone who feels exactly as I do about them

[Lauren]

I wasn't a fan of the Vampire Diaries books. I do love the tv series though! Ian Somerholder is GORGEOUS!
Ive never read the Sookie Stackhouse series and thats probably why I love the tv series so much.
The Harry Potter books were AMAZING and the movies were good but they didnt even come close to the books.
Percy Jackson's movie sucked.
& Im actually scared to go see the City of Bones movie... & the Vampire Academy movie, Blood Sisters when it comes out.