Don't know if any of you fellas are/have been fans of Terry Brooks's "Shannara" books. I won't bore you with my intense dislike for the books, but, knowing that I am most likely in the minority, I offer this for your inspection.
Coming in August 2016, after the MTV VMA's, the premier of "The Shannara Chronicles."
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/watch-mtv-shares-shannara-chronicles-trailer-nycc-175239986.html
I've read a lot of them. The earlier ones I quite liked, but then I thought they started going a bit 'off'.
A behind the scenes that introduces an important plot point and its construction along with some of the actors who will be in the show. Jon Favreau is an Executive Producer and John Rhys-Davies plays King Eventine.
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/watch-the-ellcrys-come-to-life-in-a-shannara-173332464.html
Interesting. Thanks for the link, MD. Its obviously a topic of great interest, judging by the number of posts to this thread :-))
I noticed that, too. I figured with the popularity of the books, there would at least be a few more responses. And the funny thing is, I wouldn't read those books again for less than the national debt! It's what I get for trying to provide a service for the greater weal.
I appreciate what you're doing, bro.
I think I read about half of the first one before giving up in disgust. That was probably better than 20 years ago. I'd never seen a more blatant rip off of Tolkien in my life, and I'm generally far from a harsh critic.
Quote from: Ubercat on November 08, 2015, 07:59:20 PM
I think I read about half of the first one before giving up in disgust. That was probably better than 20 years ago. I'd never seen a more blatant rip off of Tolkien in my life, and I'm generally far from a harsh critic.
Let me introduce you to Dennis L. McKiernan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Tower
But Brooks is heinous, too. I read the first Shannara books. I was around 12 years old. I liked
The Elfstones Of Shannara, but only in a, "This sucks the least," kind of way.
Well, I didn't think George RR Martin was all that readable and Game of Thrones seems to be doing okay on TV.
The only thing that redeems Martin's writing for me is he throws enough stuff at the wall that sticks, that the slow/boring/unnecessary parts are survivable.
Quote from: MetalDog on November 08, 2015, 08:13:00 PM
The only thing that redeems Martin's writing for me is he throws enough stuff at the wall that sticks, that the slow/boring/unnecessary parts are survivable.
I never made it far enough in to get to that point. I don't think I made it a hundred pages into the first novel before I'd had enough.
The thing that threw me the most about Martin was the different p.o.v. chapters. At first, it was disorienting to me. It seemed like a crappy way to give information and convey a whole narrative. It got easier as I went along and turned out to be something I looked forward to. The next chapter always promised something 'new.'
Quote from: MetalDog on November 08, 2015, 08:40:43 PM
The thing that threw me the most about Martin was the different p.o.v. chapters. At first, it was disorienting to me. It seemed like a crappy way to give information and convey a whole narrative. It got easier as I went along and turned out to be something I looked forward to. The next chapter always promised something 'new.'
I just didn't think his story telling or dialogue was all that interesting and it all seemed very derivative. To be fair, I had people really overselling it to me. Like he was better than Tolkien. So I went in expecting to be blown away and that's not what happened, for me anyway.
The t.v. show is pretty good though :)
Quote from: MetalDog on November 08, 2015, 08:50:18 PM
The t.v. show is pretty good though :)
Televised bewbays don't hurt the narrative.
Neither does Natalie Dormer.
Quote from: mirth on November 08, 2015, 08:17:39 PM
Quote from: MetalDog on November 08, 2015, 08:13:00 PM
The only thing that redeems Martin's writing for me is he throws enough stuff at the wall that sticks, that the slow/boring/unnecessary parts are survivable.
I never made it far enough in to get to that point. I don't think I made it a hundred pages into the first novel before I'd had enough.
I didn't start enjoying the series until the latter part of the first book, and the next two just got better.
Note: I was referring to A Song Of Ice And Fire series (aka GoT), not Shannara which is long weepy drawn-out balls.
Really not keen either.
Quote from: MetalDog on October 10, 2015, 08:11:15 PM
Don't know if any of you fellas are/have been fans of Terry Brooks's "Shannara" books. I won't bore you with my intense dislike for the books, but, knowing that I am most likely in the minority, I offer this for your inspection.
Coming in August 2016, after the MTV VMA's, the premier of "The Shannara Chronicles."
https://www.yahoo.com/tv/watch-mtv-shares-shannara-chronicles-trailer-nycc-175239986.html
I watched about 30 minutes of the two hour pilot. I vaguely remember reading the novel when I was around 12 and, like others, thinking it was a pretty blatant rip off of Lord of the Rings.
I don't know how much this TV series diverges from the books but I don't remember them being set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. The show is bad. I mean really bad. It's a bunch of angsty teen elves smirking at the camera and all but yelling "Hey Bro, grrrl power"! Seems more like they tried to remake Hunger Games but with pointy ears.
I had almost the same experience. I read the books when I was around 12 and immediately saw the LotR rip off. Watched almost the whole two hours before falling asleep. Told my daughter I didn't remember it being a post apocalyptic world. The Rover chick that ripped off Wil fills out her leathers quite nicely though. And Allanon (always thought that it was stupid to name a character that) played Azog the Defiler in the Hobbit. Circle closed.
It would be awesome if they did a series on Terry pratchett's Discworld.
The first move, Hogfather, was great. Then the second one, The Color of Magic, was better.
Quote from: besilarius on January 17, 2016, 07:25:44 PM
It would be awesome if they did a series on Terry pratchett's Discworld.
The first move, Hogfather, was great. Then the second one, The Color of Magic, was better.
Both of those are on my Netflix queue but I have yet to watch them. Sounds like I may need to move them up a few notches.
Quote from: besilarius on January 17, 2016, 07:25:44 PM
It would be awesome if they did a series on Terry pratchett's Discworld.
The first move, Hogfather, was great. Then the second one, The Color of Magic, was better.
In that case, if you have not seen it, then 'Going Postal' is even better by far. The casting for it is superb, with Charles Dance as the Patrician.
Will have to look that one up. Thanks, Bawb.