Read the first two books, they were great. Somehow couldn't make it through the third. Heard it gets better after that, but haven't tried.

His remake of King Kong sucked monkeyballs, though. Not hopeful.

Read the first book of the series. Jackson could pull it off. The series uses enough fantasy tropes that there are good examples for him to leverage.

Song of Ice and Fire on HBO is all well and good but I don't think I'm alone in the opinion that he should focus on the book series and finish that off. I mean come on, its been over four years since Feast came out and Dance was supposedly just stuff cut out from his original material, plus some extra writings.

The Empire State building was completed in less time than has transpired between his books, just sayin.

Yes, I've heard all of his fanatical fans saying things like "he doesn't owe any of us anything" and "he's just enjoying himself and will work on it when he wants" so no one has to bother pointing that out. Sorry to be off topic there but I'm sure there's a lot more SoIAF fans out there anyhow.

Books were kind of dull, but the idea is certainly interesting and could potentially make a really good series.

I am so glad that people are finally getting it that in-depth fantasy and scifi always seems to bloom better on the small screen.

/Shame that they kind of can't get the budget
//They should talk to cattle ranchers or something about product placement

dragons + TV series = cancelled

FTFY.

Never read this series, but if it is anything like Goodkind's ended up being I'll pass. Glad to hear HBO is taking on a fantasy series though, that has a chance of being good.

DjangoStonereaver: Dibikad: Never read this series, but if it is anything like Goodkind's ended up being I'll pass. Glad to hear HBO is taking on a fantasy series though, that has a chance of being good.

The difference being that Goodkind's books were the worst kind of by-the-numbers
fantasy dross, so the TV show could be nothing but crap.

I actually kinda like it. It's a guilty pleasure. It's also good to see Bruce Spence getting work, too.

JTtheCajun: I actually kinda like it. It's a guilty pleasure. It's also good to see Bruce Spence getting work, too.

The chick playing Kahlan is the only reason I watch. Just something about the crazy eyes and angry looks she gives is exactly how I pictured her. Other than that the show didn't go as I hoped. Thankfully, I just can't see Game of Thrones going this schlock route thanks to HBO. If Goodkind's series was given the HBO treatment if could have been much better.

Peter Jackson is overrated. He made movies from books that have way too loyal of a following and his heralded as some kind of visionary for it. As a cinematographer he has some very good chops, but his directing is bland.

Though I suppose without him we wouldn't have District 9

MightyPez: Peter Jackson is overrated. He made movies from books that have way too loyal of a following and his heralded as some kind of visionary for it. As a cinematographer he has some very good chops, but his directing is bland.

Though I suppose without him we wouldn't have District 9

Bland? I'd be more inclined to describe it as campy and self-indulgent. In my opinion, you can see the LotR movies get progressively worse as he's granted ever more creative leeway to go over the top.

Blasphemous Knave: In my opinion, you can see the LotR movies get progressively worse as he's granted ever more creative leeway to go over the top.

You know they were filmed mostly at the same time, right?

MightyPez: Peter Jackson is overrated. He made movies from books that have way too loyal of a following and his heralded as some kind of visionary for it. As a cinematographer he has some very good chops, but his directing is bland.

Though I suppose without him we wouldn't have District 9

Dead Alive.

Gunther: Blasphemous Knave: In my opinion, you can see the LotR movies get progressively worse as he's granted ever more creative leeway to go over the top.

You know they were filmed mostly at the same time, right?

And edited at discrete intervals for release. You know, where that whole "directing" thing really takes off.

swaxhog: If Goodkind's series was given the HBO treatment if could have been much better.

The only way Goodkind's series could have been good is if they had done this with it (new window). The books were terrible. In the first novel, the man-child hero kicks a little girl's face in. I don't think I've ever read a more ridiculous series of books. I could take Piers Anthony's pervo-Xanth books more seriously than Goodkind's stuff.

Blasphemous Knave: And edited at discrete intervals for release. You know, where that whole "directing" thing really takes off.

If that were true, why are the extended releases better? he had way more creative freedom with them than he did with the theatrical releases.

Pineapple S. Fusion: MightyPez: Peter Jackson is overrated. He made movies from books that have way too loyal of a following and his heralded as some kind of visionary for it. As a cinematographer he has some very good chops, but his directing is bland.

Though I suppose without him we wouldn't have District 9

Dead Alive.

It's fair to say the only movies I've seen of his were Frighteners, LotR (the first 2, I couldn't stomach a third) and King Kong.

Gunther: Blasphemous Knave: And edited at discrete intervals for release. You know, where that whole "directing" thing really takes off.

If that were true, why are the extended releases better? he had way more creative freedom with them than he did with the theatrical releases.

Unless I'm severely mistaken, the extended editions don't touch any elements of the theatrical release, they just add scenes that were cut for time. His personal/family cameos and superfluous gasps/sighs/looks of horror were already in the theatrical release, the extended editions just add back in scenarios that were inherently less overwrought to begin with.

Perhaps the extended deadline to cut together extended editions also allowed him the presence of mind to realize that a lighter touch can result in moments that are less unintendedly hilarious.

I could be misattributing the camp that's actually someone else's influence, but King Kong doing the exact same thing suggests otherwise.

Great books...would love to see them done right.

JTtheCajun: DjangoStonereaver: Dibikad: Never read this series, but if it is anything like Goodkind's ended up being I'll pass. Glad to hear HBO is taking on a fantasy series though, that has a chance of being good.

The difference being that Goodkind's books were the worst kind of by-the-numbers
fantasy dross, so the TV show could be nothing but crap.

I actually kinda like it. It's a guilty pleasure. It's also good to see Bruce Spence getting work, too.

Seeker is so ridiculously cheesetastic that I can't help but love it. I never read the books, so I just enjoy the show for what it is: beautifully shot cracktastic fantasy with really hot leads and fun fight scenes. It's my tv junk food. That and Merlin.

I clicked on this hoping for a mini-series based on the Pern novels.

Leaving disappointed once again.

/Someday, damn it!

A nine-book series? When did this sort of thing get to be normal?

Gish21: Books were kind of dull, but the idea is certainly interesting and could potentially make a really good series.

I'd have to agree. Sharpe with dragons sounds awesome.

At least when it's a CGI dragon they probably won't be focusing too much one the "who's my widdle wagon?" touchy-feely bits and more on Napoleonic carnage.
(Sorry, but people forming deep bonds with animals/monsters always reads like a pre-teen girlie novel about horsies. Well, exactly like one, if you're talking about anything written by Mercedes Lackey)

/Goodkind is objectivist fantasy. (Sorry for the redundancy)
//At least he's no OSC

I've read the first two books. I find the Anne McCaffery meets Patrick O'Brian scenario interesting. And the author is a better writer than the Twilight lady.

The issues I see is that do they have technology now to really get the scale of the dragons on the budget they will be working with. The largest dragons supposedly weigh 50 tons, can be up to 120 feet long and have a wingspan of 180 feet. Also I think casting the dragon voices will be critical as well.

The Cat Who Walks By Herself: A nine-book series? When did this sort of thing get to be normal?

When fantasy authors realized that we'll just keep buying their books so long as they promise to end the series sometime before they die. And they don't even have to hold up their end!

/I'm not an addict
//I could quit any time I want
///Oh! A new Wheel of Time!

Why am I not surprised there is a user by the name of DjangoStonereaver in this thread?

platedlizard: Read the first two books, they were great. Somehow couldn't make it through the third. Heard it gets better after that, but haven't tried.

Yeah, we have all of them and I stalled in 3. Just couldn't get through it. My husband says they get better after that one, and I might just cheat and skip 3 alltogether.

Aside from that, the idea is great and appeals to both the historian in me, and the fantasy nut.

DjangoStonereaver: Dibikad: Never read this series, but if it is anything like Goodkind's ended up being I'll pass. Glad to hear HBO is taking on a fantasy series though, that has a chance of being good.

The difference being that Goodkind's books were the worst kind of by-the-numbers
fantasy dross, so the TV show could be nothing but crap.

Wizards First Rule and Stone of Tears were good. 3 was okay (I can't even remember the name of it), but the series jumped the shark in 4 (I think it was 4) when Richard woke up in the first pages of the book and it turns out he's a master sculptor. Huh? When did that happen. Why wasn't it mentioned in the previous 1800 pages of his story? Oh that's right, Goodkind just retconned it. I still managed to make it all the way through Pillar of whatever it was. I stopped reading in the book after that, when Kahlan had disappeared and nobody remembered she even existed. Enough with the "let's keep Richard and Kahlan apart forever" shtick.

ronin: swaxhog: If Goodkind's series was given the HBO treatment if could have been much better.

The only way Goodkind's series could have been good is if they had done this with it (new window). The books were terrible. In the first novel, the man-child hero kicks a little girl's face in. I don't think I've ever read a more ridiculous series of books. I could take Piers Anthony's pervo-Xanth books more seriously than Goodkind's stuff.

I don't remember that at all, but I can understand you being turned off the series by that. I still can't get through the Donaldson series because of that rape scene in the beginning of Lord Foul's Bane.

Ugh. Way to make me hate your character, Steve-O.

Gamer Grrrl:

I don't remember that at all, but I can understand you being turned off the series by that. I still can't get through the Donaldson series because of that rape scene in the beginning of Lord Foul's Bane.

Ugh. Way to make me hate your character, Steve-O.

The difference is that Donaldson was a capable writer. He intentional had his character do the most despicable thing he could think and then spent six books (haven't read the new ones) evolving that character, trying to make you not hate him.

Donaldson is brutal, depressing fiction. Covenant stuff, the Gap stuff, Mordant's need, they are all filled with terrible people doing terrible things. (Covenant series had some great, kind characters as well, Saltheart Foamfollower for one) but out of all the authors who I think are good fantasy authors, Donaldson and G.R.R.Martin are the two that I can understand other readers not getting into.

The problem I have with Goodkind is, he isn't a good writer, he very obviously imagines himself to be his hero, and constantly puts his hero in the position to lord his own superiority at absolutely everything over all of the other characters. Also, the fifth book featured an evil, possessed chicken, which is the exact moment where I decided I couldn't view his books as anything other than the trash they were. (though I did manage to torture myself by reading all the way through Naked Empire, where I promptly gave up entirely.)

currently reading the Mistborn series, which is fun, light fiction and would make an entertaining movie or TV series IMO because of the awesome magic system in the books.

Multi. Episode. TV. Series.

SphericalTime:

He failed for me. I put it down after that and have never picked it up again.

And I can completely understand that. I almost did the same. I'm glad I didn't, but on the other hand I wouldn't recommend that you push past it and try to continue reading.

NuclearPenguins: I clicked on this hoping for a mini-series based on the Pern novels.

Leaving disappointed once again.

/Someday, damn it!

Same here. Copperheart bought the options to Dragonriders of Pern and the movie pages list it as a 2011 project. Here's to hoping... it's a great series.

ronin: The difference is that Donaldson was a capable writer. He intentional had his character do the most despicable thing he could think and then spent six books (haven't read the new ones) evolving that character, trying to make you not hate him.

He tried that in the new ones? I always thought that having a character you don't like (and don't like to hate, as with some anti-heroes) was the point of the Covenant books.

He really made me feel bad about wanting to slap the female protagonist of Mordant's Need like a redheaded stepchild.

And hey, as long as we all agree that Eddings remains the master of sappy, trite fantasy "epics".

/Come on, D&D "novelists" really don't count.

ronin: currently reading the Mistborn series, which is fun, light fiction and would make an entertaining movie or TV series IMO because of the awesome magic system in the books.

The Mistborn series is fantastic. He also created a unique magic system in Elantris.

ronin: swaxhog: If Goodkind's series was given the HBO treatment if could have been much better.

The only way Goodkind's series could have been good is if they had done this with it (new window). The books were terrible. In the first novel, the man-child hero kicks a little girl's face in. I don't think I've ever read a more ridiculous series of books. I could take Piers Anthony's pervo-Xanth books more seriously than Goodkind's stuff.

she was asking for it.

mhd:
And hey, as long as we all agree that Eddings remains the master of sappy, trite fantasy "epics".

/Come on, D&D "novelists" really don't count.

Eddings was the king of safe, simple fantasy that follows all of the existing formulas. And yet, as a kid I must have read the Belgariad and Mallorean books a half dozen times. (can't read them now, but I think back fondly of reading the characters. they were fun)

As far as D&D novelists go, Salvatore is the epitome of "Every page has a fight scene, and every single item is enchanted" fantasy fiction, and yet, I also have fond memories of reading the Dark Elf trilogy.



SphericalTime:
That's an odd response. If you liked it, why so?

It's a matter of personal preference. I almost put the book down because I was disgusted by what TC had done, but I didn't. I have more than my fair share of morbid curiosity and it allowed me to get past my displeasure at that turn in the story (and some of the others that came down the line) to make me think 'where the hell is he going with this?'. But if that plot element turned you off enough to put the book down, I don't think counteracting your gut instinct would be beneficial to either of us. The rape plays an important role in the way the first trilogy progresses (especially the first and third books), so just getting past it wouldn't necessarily be enough. Since the rape was too much (as it was almost for me) I can't imagine that you would get much enjoyment out of the rest of the series because you'd be constantly reminded of what the "protagonist" had done back in chapter 3. I'm not confindent the series is "good enough" to make it worth your while. (I enjoyed it, but it wasn't one of my favorites)

lexnaturalis:
The Mistborn series is fantastic. He also created a unique magic system in Elantris.

I'm on Hero of Ages now and it is a lot of fun. After this I'm going to read Richard K. Morgan's "the Steel Remains" (because his SciFi books were the best I've read in years) but after that I'll go back to read Elantris, Warbreaker and maybe those Alcatraz kids stories.

If any fantasy fans reading this thread missed "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, they should totally put that on their list. Awesome first book.

Arcanaloth: Song of Ice and Fire on HBO is all well and good but I don't think I'm alone in the opinion that he should focus on the book series and finish that off. I mean come on, its been over four years since Feast came out and Dance was supposedly just stuff cut out from his original material, plus some extra writings.

The Empire State building was completed in less time than has transpired between his books, just sayin.

Yes, I've heard all of his fanatical fans saying things like "he doesn't owe any of us anything" and "he's just enjoying himself and will work on it when he wants" so no one has to bother pointing that out. Sorry to be off topic there but I'm sure there's a lot more SoIAF fans out there anyhow.

this

ronin:
The difference is that Donaldson was a capable writer. He intentional had his character do the most despicable thing he could think and then spent six books (haven't read the new ones) evolving that character, trying to make you not hate him.

Donaldson is brutal, depressing fiction. Covenant stuff, the Gap stuff, Mordant's need, they are all filled with terrible people doing terrible things. (Covenant series had some great, kind characters as well, Saltheart Foamfollower for one) but out of all the authors who I think are good fantasy authors, Donaldson and G.R.R.Martin are the two that I can understand other readers not getting into.


Donaldson is okay, but his books show their age in relation to where fantasy literature has gone in the past decade. Erikson takes a large influence from Donaldson and, I think, has improved on what Donaldson has done. GRRM as well with Jaime Lannister, who could easily be a direct copy of Covenant when you consider the abstract story of doing something horrible and atoning for it the rest of your life despite still being a prick.


currently reading the Mistborn series, which is fun, light fiction and would make an entertaining movie or TV series IMO because of the awesome magic system in the books.

Sanderson is great. I'm happy they picked him to finish WoT because he might actually make it readable.

----

Oh, and fark Temeraire, give me a Malazan TV series, or at least a Black Company series.

ronin: If any fantasy fans reading this thread missed "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, they should totally put that on their list. Awesome first book.

The Name of the Wind is wonderful. Rothfuss reminds me of someone like Mark Twain. He has the capability of detailing a story like a true storyteller, which is completely different than most modern literature. It has a very old fashioned and authentic feel to it.

Good for Naomi! I'll have to send her a congrats note later.