Fantasy Aficionados discussion
Achive
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Eragon
I hope they do the same with the Golden Compass books. I need to read the collection book of those I have at some point.
I tried to watch that movie, but couldn't get interested enough in it. My wife tried to read the books as well, but she didn't like them. Tell me what you think if you ever get around to reading them!
Jason wrote: "I tried to watch that movie, but couldn't get interested enough in it. My wife tried to read the books as well, but she didn't like them. Tell me what you think if you ever get around to readin..."
Will do. My mom gave me the all in one book for Christmas one year. So it's on my shelf.
I've never read the books, probably because of the local publicity... local youngling writer. I thought the movie was a tragedy and pretty campy and it's made me hesitant on the novels but I'll get to the books some day.
The books are much better. They are so much more better developed with a world that feels real. The downside, however, is that the story is very cliched. It has a very strong Star Wars and Lord of the Ring feel to it that turns a lot of people off.
It's still good, IMO.
The Eragon movie was horrid...the book was much better but I think after seeing the movie I was let down...weird...so I never read the rest of the books in the series. Is it worth it?
I would say so. They only get better, IMO.
I will have to give them a try then. I have them...just never read them. And I did really really enjoy the first one.
You should. As I said, they are a little cliched. That, and the movie truly ruined all the good stuff in the first book. Make it look like a bad joke, actually. But I think they are worth a read.
I knew I was going to hate the movie as soon as I saw that they turned 3 seperate races into 1. I think it really took away from the story line to combine the elves, humans, and dwarves into just humans. I rewatch alot of movies, even bad ones, but refuse to watch this again.
I agree. The movie is a very cheap version of the book. And I hope they do not continue making these books into movies, unless they can do it accurately.
I didn't know about it being a book, or that there should have been 3 races and i liked the movie just fine. Not the Best Dragon movie ever, but if you take it for what it is just entertainment i think it does it's job. I love most Dragon movies, seeing them blow stuff up and reek havoc is my idea of a good movie.
I'll give you a brief synopsis:im a boy in a cruel world
I'm a girl, look me, like me, love me
kissy kissy
awww, look at the cute dragon, here cute dragony wagony
ugly, super duper powerful guy is mean to me
let's all hold hands
beat it, you nasty wasty man
yeeeaaahhhh, chip chip charoo!!
Let's live in peace forever, kissy kissy
Isn't it true of most books that are made into movies? Legend of the Seeker was fun but nothing like the actual Sword of Truth books. The majority of Michael Crichton's books are much better than the movies. Jurassic Park was decent but the book was much better. And his books are short compared to fantasy. LOTR are fairly short compared with most fantasy books now. And even their movies while good still left a lot out. Mr. Tom Bombadill?
I can't argue with books being better then their movie counterparts. However, I do think the exception to the rule are noteworthy. Take for instance, "Let the Right One In". The movie was way better then the book. In fact the book was so bad that it nearly ruined the movie for me.
lol!I hated Eragon the book. I kept looking around for other characters I knew.
I have to disagree with you, Legsuffury. I loved the book "Let the Right One In." I thought it was a fascinating look at communist...what was it, Poland? Where alcoholism is rampant, everyone lives in these cheap, crumbling apartments and work menial jobs with no future, and a child vampire is amongst them. I thought the movie was pretty darn good, too, though.
But that's just my opinion. :)
I will admit the culture intrigued me. Probably in part because it was new to me. However, the sexual ambiguity of the character disturbed me a bit. The one scene in the movie that referenced the same topic was unexplained and easily overlooked. In fact, it was the unexplained portions of the movie that made me seek out the book. Then I was a little sorry I got the explanations.
Amanda wrote: "I hope they do the same with the Golden Compass books. I need to read the collection book of those I have at some point."The Golden Compass film was excellent. I can't recall whether every last detail was faithful to the novel but I don't think that's as important as simply making a great film, which they did. It's a pity there probably won't be another.
I agree, Golden Compass is much better then Eragon.
I read Eragon, didn't love it but didn't hate it either. I was more fascinated by the 15 yr old author that wrote such a big book!But then I watched the movie, HORIBBLE!
I couldn't finish it, such a letdown compared to the book. I only read Eldest after, but couldn't bring myself to read the third.
I kind of get sick of hearing the whole '15 year old' excuse. He took several years to write it, and by the time he published it (through his parents, might I add), he was an adult. And Brisingr, which came out when he was in his mid twenties, was no better than Eragon. I had hoped it would improve, but it doesn't seem to be the case.
That said, it's not utterly dreadful. Many individual aspects of it are dreadful. The worldbuilding (LOL @ that map) and prose perhaps most of all. But the story and characters? Yes, reminiscent of Star Wars and LotR, but they are tolerable enough. Likable, even. They aren't great books, and it'd be an outright lie to say I liked them, but I think the only reason they warrant the hate fest is because of how much people praise him. It's a bit like SMeyer, I guess. Not a good writer, but no worse than most of her genre (read 'Marked' if you want an example of that). But she's insanely popular all the same. Can't say I blame 'em, though.
The movie, though, just outright sucked. It was just a bunch of scenes of walking and then suddenly Eragon could speak the language, and then he could use magic and fight with a sword, and then Sapphira could breathe fire. There was never any training, never any build up, barely any mention of the fact that he didn't know these things to begin with. Though John Malkovich was really taking his scenes as an excuse to chew the scenery, which is always enjoyable.
That said, it's not utterly dreadful. Many individual aspects of it are dreadful. The worldbuilding (LOL @ that map) and prose perhaps most of all. But the story and characters? Yes, reminiscent of Star Wars and LotR, but they are tolerable enough. Likable, even. They aren't great books, and it'd be an outright lie to say I liked them, but I think the only reason they warrant the hate fest is because of how much people praise him. It's a bit like SMeyer, I guess. Not a good writer, but no worse than most of her genre (read 'Marked' if you want an example of that). But she's insanely popular all the same. Can't say I blame 'em, though.
The movie, though, just outright sucked. It was just a bunch of scenes of walking and then suddenly Eragon could speak the language, and then he could use magic and fight with a sword, and then Sapphira could breathe fire. There was never any training, never any build up, barely any mention of the fact that he didn't know these things to begin with. Though John Malkovich was really taking his scenes as an excuse to chew the scenery, which is always enjoyable.
At the time when it came out in theaters, I liked the movie. It wasn't great by any means, but decent enough that I didn't feel cheated. The books, to me, are just average as I have grown beyond reading only Forgotten Realms books. I have not read the third one yet, but I will to get closer to the conclusion. As for movies better than the book, the only one that I can come up with is Delores Claiborn by Stephen King. I really didn't care for the book, but really enjoyed the movie. The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, though have parts missing, I felt were on par with the books.
@AlexandraI didn't know he was older by the time it got published! lol I was fooled...... I honestly thought he was 15. At the time my younger sister was 14, she kept saying how she was gonna be the next 'Eldest bringer' lol......
and no that didn't happen.
I see what you mean about Stephanie Meyer, I personally didn't like her first Twilight book (the only one I read), didn't think the writing was any good. Hated Bella, I mean HATED her, she made me wallow in self pity the whole time.
it's wierd though, I always wondered how they get sooo popular.
A Game of Thrones (imo) is an amazing book, and when was it published,, in 1996 was it? anyways, only now in 2010 they finally decide to mkae it a show.
And twilight was published, I think 2005? and the movie was released in 2008!
I know GRRM wasn't helping anyone when he decided to prolong the series.
But the quality of writing in AGOT is waaaaaay better than twilight.
While I have refused to read Twilight (I like my vampires a little more advanced than twinkles, gah) I understand why it hit the movies so quickly vs AGoT - Teenagers! Girl teenagers (who I feel are a different species than human) ate that crap up with a fork. They were everywhere screaming and crying and fainting. They made team t-shirts for goodness sakes! Who does that?? You'd never see a "Stark vs ___" or "Team Stark" t-shirt. Us geeks would sneer at you, lol.
Then people (mostly women) who usually can’t tell an Elf from an Orc or even know who Tolkien was (though they’ve seen the movies TWICE) start reading it – and trying to give us regular fantasy readers recommendations. Because now that they have read one paranormal romance (or in their minds: 4), they feel that they have the right to tell you want to read.
These fans were who the movies were made for.
*disclaimer - This is not meant to be insulting to people who read other fantasy and still enjoyed Twilight. Lady D, I’d appreciate it if you don’t kill me. I love you! :-D
nicely put MrsJ!girl teenagers are a different species (lmao), I swear that statement is soooo true!!
I remember when I was a teenager,,,, oh my God, lets just leave it at that lol!
You're right, you're absolutely right. It's sad but true, these fans are why the movies were made.
It's that same fanbase thats dying for Justin Bieber now! (for a while I was like who is this Justin BeaVER lol)
I do think he's a cute kid, but compared to other real artists out there, he's just average (imo ofcourse)
I feel I have to add to your disclaimer MrsJ,
not only for Twilight fans, but also for Bieber fans.
but since you brought it up, I think I would be team Lannister lol
LOL! I remember being a Teenage Girl. *shudder* I liked the strangest things. And like you I don't want to touch that with a ten foot pole. :-)
I thought it was Beaver for awhile, too. Then my cousin corrected me (with the eye roll and sigh that teenagers used to let you know that you are hopelessly un-cool).
boy am I glad that I wasn't the only one in the 'Beaver' club loland yes,,,,, that famous eye roll... you know (according to my parents) I was an expert at that........(shudders along with MrsJ lol)
Lina wrote: "boy am I glad that I wasn't the only one in the 'Beaver' club loland yes,,,,, that famous eye roll... you know (according to my parents) I was an expert at that........(shudders along with MrsJ..."
My mom claims the same...she used to threaten to feed me those eyeballs, too. LOL!
For anyone interested, FicFact claims that the forth book to the Inheritance series by Paolini is coming out this November. :)
Yep, November 8th I think. And it is actually just called "Inheritance", which I can get behind, since I never really thought the series name was appropriate, even considering the series' themes. It has a green dragon on the cover, as most of us suspected it would.
I'm going to have to pass only any more Paolini. :-) I wish him well.
MrsJoseph wrote: "I'm going to have to pass only any more Paolini. :-) I wish him well."I'd agree, but would give him the possibility of maturing in his prose.
I read these books in high school and was in love with the idea of someone so young publishing but...it was pretty much a rip off so many different series and ideas, I really wanted to love the books but there wasn't a lot that was original or different to them. I read the second book of the series but was just so meh about it I didn't bother to ever look at the third. The movie was horrid, really. Even though I didn't like the book the movie just skipped over so much. And the characters...what is it with the casting? None of the characters looked like they were suppose to from what I remember, as much as I love the actor that played the old man tutor figure (spacing on names right now) he wasn't right for that role. And the Elf princess girl was nothing like she was in the books.
I tend to avoid movie adaptations - the make me too PO'd.With Paolini's work I felt that he took too many liberties with other authors work...if I wanted to read their stuff I'd go pick it up.
I'm sure his writing matured but I'll wait for a new series and see what happens.
@Kiarelle; Jeremy Irons? Flawless. :)
And yeah, that movie was absurd. Elves had human-length ears, dwarves were as tall as men, Galbatorix was... just lol. None of the creatures were anything at all like they were described in the books. It was just a mess. Although I must commend the directors for successfully ripping off Star Wars and Lord of the Rings in new and unique ways Paolini could not in the written form. The soundtrack, the cinematography... amazingly similar.
And yeah, that movie was absurd. Elves had human-length ears, dwarves were as tall as men, Galbatorix was... just lol. None of the creatures were anything at all like they were described in the books. It was just a mess. Although I must commend the directors for successfully ripping off Star Wars and Lord of the Rings in new and unique ways Paolini could not in the written form. The soundtrack, the cinematography... amazingly similar.
I saw the movie sbefore i read the books, the movie was oke, the special eggects with the dragon, in my opinion was pretty good.But the books where so much better. They where so much thorough, thats something books always are but missed some parts.
They changed to much in the movie that it became imposible to make a part 3 in the movies.
I thank my lucky stars that I read the books before I saw the movie. I don't think I could have come back from that.But I do love this series and can't wait for Inheritance to come out.
Ken wrote: "I thank my lucky stars that I read the books before I saw the movie. I don't think I could have come back from that.But I do love this series and can't wait for Inheritance to come out."
I did see the movie first. I would have never read the book if it weren't for my wife. She said it was much better than the movie. Thank god she was right.
I read Eragon, and liked it alright, before I saw the film. The film was seven different shades of crap, I didn't even finish viewing it. Since I had already read a superior version of the story I didn't see the point in putting myself through all that.The awfull that was the Brisingr book, killed off all interest I had in the book series though.
New. Favorite. Saying. "seven different shades of crap"
:-D
It's been a couple of years since I watched the movie, but I remember enjoying it. I mean, it wasn't the best movie I've ever seen in my life or nothing, but it was a fun little flick. Never read the books, though I did finally found me a nice copy for 75 cents, so it's in my TBR pile now.
Ok, I'm gonna be the odd one here and I'm probably risking having "seven different shades of crap" (I love that line too MrsJ!) thrown at me butI actually liked the movie better than the book.
There, I said it. Whew. Glad that's over with. Let the crap flinging begin....
I think I prefered the movie to the book as well... which is saying something, considering how crap the movie was. ;)
I remember seeing previews for the movie 'Eragon' and being mildly interested until they showed one scene wherein the old warrior exclaims to the callow youth: "You are the chosen one!" At that point, I lost all interest, since I now knew pretty much how the whole movie would go.
The whole story is one major LOTR ripoff. I thought the movie was better than the book, but they were both crap compared to all the good movies and books out there.
I'm happy to say, despite the star wars and Lord of the Rings feel, that the book is much much better.
The series only gets better as the books progress, too. And if Hollywood has any sympathy, they will leave the series alone.