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Ghandi 2 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 17 2006
Location: United States
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Points: 1494
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 Posted: September 22 2007 at 18:23 |
 andu wrote:
Hitchhiker's... is a clever sci-fi? I just saw the movie and I would doubt that, but I never read anything (and I think there also were some TV series). Myself I'm rather a Terry Gilliam man |
The movie SUCKED. And I don't mean the typical "Oh, it didn't live up to my imagination of the book" that is usually said about every famous book that is turned into a movie; it flat out BLEW HARD and BUTCHERED the book. Forgive my CAPS LOCK, but the venom inspired by that "movie" COMPELS ME. So PLEASE, read The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (I would recommend the first, but I fear that much of it is already ruined by that abomination of a movie). My personal favorite is Life, the Universe, and Everything because of one scene that is, as least as I recall it, one of the most brilliant comedic scenes ever, but it wouldn't be as good if you hadn't read the others leading up to it (for those who have read it: I am referring to the part in the mountain with the creature with lots of teeth). I don't remember much of the 4th one at the moment, but Mostly Harmless is very good for the way it ties everything together.
I think the hype around HP bit much, but I can not bring myself to insult strongly any book that can inspire a countdown to its release in Giant.
Edited by Ghandi 2 - September 22 2007 at 18:24
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Revan
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Joined: August 02 2005
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Points: 540
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 18:19 |
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Still you are forgetting that its the series that brought back books to a hole generation.
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micky
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Joined: October 02 2005
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 14:39 |
Forgotten Son wrote:
I read it in two days 
It would have been one, but I went to a Steve Vai gig the night I got it. |
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Forgotten Son
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Joined: March 13 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 1356
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 14:35 |
I read it in two days
It would have been one, but I went to a Steve Vai gig the night I got it.
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micky
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 14:28 |
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Raff
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 14:23 |
Forgotten Son wrote:
GoldenSpiral wrote:
It's great that it's getting kids reading, especially in the fantasy realm, but I think the adult obsession with it is somewhat overblown. |
I think claims of adult obsession with it are overblown. Aside from myself, I don't know anyone of my age or older who read the last book. They just read the spoiler sites and proceeded to tell me everything that happened.
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Well, here's another one.... You can find my age in my profile, if you don't know it already... I got the book about a week or so after it came out, when I was in the USA, and read it in about a week.... Can't say I found it as successful plot-wise as the others, but it sure was an entertaining read.
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Forgotten Son
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Joined: March 13 2005
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 14:08 |
GoldenSpiral wrote:
It's great that it's getting kids reading, especially in the fantasy realm, but I think the adult obsession with it is somewhat overblown. |
I think claims of adult obsession with it are overblown. Aside from myself, I don't know anyone of my age or older who read the last book. They just read the spoiler sites and proceeded to tell me everything that happened.
GoldenSpiral wrote:
I think it's just that people don't want to think about things. There's no doubt the books are entertaining, and they're popular because they require no adult-level thought whatsoever.that said, everyone should read Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. I honestly can't imagine why those are lumped in with childrens literature
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You see, from what I've read of His Dark Materials, I don't think they're that different. Both appeal to adults because they have many levels to them. The Simpsons of the literary world, if you will.
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1800iareyay
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2006
Location: United States
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Points: 2492
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 12:13 |
Yeah, well Lucas helped to pay for "Kagemusha", which is a better film. I think that gave him some leeway.  Calling HP a children's book is a little misguided. The first three most certainly are, but it gets way too dark and deep to be just a kid's book starting with 4. Is it the best book ever? No. Is it the defining series of our time? Most likely. It is the LOTR of the 21st century. I'm not comparing the subject matter or the writing, just the impact.
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stonebeard
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Joined: May 27 2005
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 12:11 |
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If you got into it when it was first big (like me), then you've got a special connection with the story. If not, you probably don't see anything special about them.
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GoldenSpiral
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 12:02 |
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It's great that it's getting kids reading, especially in the fantasy realm, but I think the adult obsession with it is somewhat overblown. I think it's just that people don't want to think about things. There's no doubt the books are entertaining, and they're popular because they require no adult-level thought whatsoever.
that said, everyone should read Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. I honestly can't imagine why those are lumped in with childrens literature
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Arsillus
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Joined: March 26 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 7374
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 09:53 |
king of Siam wrote:
Well it did get kids to read, and anything that get kids to read is a good thing.
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My thoughts exactly. Except my only concern is that it seems like they only read Harry Potter and when they're finished, it's back to the Xbox or whatever. But at least it's something.
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Passionist
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Joined: March 14 2005
Location: Finland
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Points: 1119
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 09:42 |
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Shakespeare
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Joined: July 18 2006
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Points: 7744
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 09:21 |
I never say things so close-minded, but the simple truth is that people who say Harry Potter is the best book ever are simply wrong.
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Shakespeare
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 09:18 |
Passionist wrote:
... Emma Watson is cute though :)
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Lay off, man.
Edited by Shakespeare - September 22 2007 at 09:18
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Kid-A
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Joined: October 02 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 08:38 |
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Harry Potter only became succesful because it is such a brilliantly creative book which captured the imaginations of most who read it. I'm sorry but I'm not having you dismiss it as just a marketing success. I'm sure J.K. Rowling says that, but she's a modest person. She's hardly going to say 'It's the best fantasy book ever and it sells a lot cause I'm so brilliant'. Sure maybe it has had good marketing, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it's a great book.
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Passionist
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Joined: March 14 2005
Location: Finland
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 07:45 |
Kid-A wrote:
You can talk all the crap you want about marketing, it's simply bullsh*t. At first when the first book was written it was virtually unknown, and no-one expected it to do particularly well, it was rejected by many publishers and very poorly advertised, and only released in the UK. Eventually it started to catch on and adults demanded a new adults cover as they were embarassed about reading a book with a childs cover in public! Nothing to do with marketing! Marketing had nothing to do with the book getting so popular, although it probably has a lot to do with the sh*tty films success.
If you don't like it, that's fine. But please don't talk a load of bullsh*t about it being a pure marketing success. Harry Potter is not like Britney Spears. |
Baargh Baargh Baargh. No use shouting man. I'm only saying what I read the author of the book say. The rights of the book were bought to Us wth great price due to competition and that's why they had to put a lot of marketing. So it appeared to be a success, so was DaVince code, and we all know it's a load of crap but needs to be read so that you know what everyone is talking about. I don't care if it's a childrens book or an adults book, I did enjoy some of the books as well, not as much as most books though. I enjoyed Watership down which is one of the best there is and yet is considered childrens book for some odd reason. Emma Watson is cute though :)
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Time Signature
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 20 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 362
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 07:27 |
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I've read a couple of HP books, and they were okay but no literary masterpieces. I've seen a couple of HP movies, and they were quite boring actually. I don't understand the Harry Potter hype, but at the same time HP has inspired a lot of kids to start reading and getting interested in literature, so I guess it's not all that bad.
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Kid-A
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 613
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 07:19 |
IT'S A FREAKING CHILDREN'S BOOK!!!!
I was reading it since I was 8 when the first book came out and it was amazing! The fact that so many adults started reading it shows it is a very good book. Some people on this thread seem to have judged it by the sh*tty films.
If you think it's overrated, you're taking it out of the context that it is supposed to be a childrens book. But it is so gripping and full of character that a lot of adults like it as well. I don't care what some of you literary snobs have to say about them, they are fantastic books.
You can talk all the crap you want about marketing, it's simply bullsh*t. At first when the first book was written it was virtually unknown, and no-one expected it to do particularly well, it was rejected by many publishers and very poorly advertised, and only released in the UK. Eventually it started to catch on and adults demanded a new adults cover as they were embarassed about reading a book with a childs cover in public! Nothing to do with marketing! Marketing had nothing to do with the book getting so popular, although it probably has a lot to do with the sh*tty films success.
If you don't like it, that's fine. But please don't talk a load of bullsh*t about it being a pure marketing success. Harry Potter is not like Britney Spears.
Edited by Kid-A - September 22 2007 at 07:26
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Passionist
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Joined: March 14 2005
Location: Finland
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Points: 1119
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 06:25 |
king of Siam wrote:
Well it did get kids to read, and anything that get kids to read is a good thing.
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A good panking will do that just as well. Anyway, I don't fancy Harry Potter, though it might be since I've gotten over my fantasy era quite few years ago, and I can barely get excited of such, not to mention movies or games. Also saying that Harry Potter isn't overrated based on the claim, that the public defines the quality. Well, the author herself said it in an interview, several times actually, that the world is full of better fantasy books than her's, she just happened to have great publicity campaigns and merchandising. It's usually the money/fasion world that defines what we like, admit it. People hold writers like dostoevsky in high value even though most haven't even read his books, they're just not hip. Well all the hype around Harry Potter made Rowling famous. Also, thank God we still have R.A.Savatore who writes 5 books a year.
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: September 22 2007 at 05:52 |
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^ I agree ... I should have chosen my words more carefully. Of course Tolkien is in a leage of his own when it comes to detail and intricacy/sophistication ... still, the story told in Lord of the Rings is fantasy - good vs. evil in a medieval type world with sorcerers and daemons. The extra depth comes into play when you also know the Silmarillion ...
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Harry potter overrated.
