Comparing Wheel of Time to other fantasy adaptations

[Harad the White]

1 minute ago, ManetherenTaveren said:

I'm gazing at my bookshelf and I only see 10 Covenant titles. If you can find another trilogy, let me and Donaldson know! ? 

The first trilogy ends with "The Power That Preserves"

The second with "White Gold Wielder"

The third tetraology is: "The Runes of The Earth," "Fatal Revenant," "Against All Things Ending," and "The Last Dark."

 

Hope this means you have more to read! By the time they make the film, computers will cost a nickel, so if only some billionaire likes a "leprosy-afflicted, half-handed, ring-bearing protagonist" we are good.

[DaddyFinn]

5 minutes ago, Harad the White said:

The first trilogy ends with "The Power That Preserves"

The second with "White Gold Wielder"

The third tetraology is: "The Runes of The Earth," "Fatal Revenant," "Against All Things Ending," and "The Last Dark."

That's 3+3+4=10 books, right?

[ManetherenTaveren]

1 minute ago, Harad the White said:

The first trilogy ends with "The Power That Preserves"

The second with "White Gold Wielder"

The third tetralogy is: "The Runes of The Earth," "Fatal Revenant," "Against All Things Ending," and "The Last Dark."

Yeah, that's 10 books, not 13 as you mentioned above (which confused me). I've read them all, although "The One Tree" and "The Runes of the Earth" are forgettable. Overall decent tale.

[Harad the White]

2 minutes ago, ManetherenTaveren said:

Yeah, that's 10 books, not 13 as you mentioned above (which confused me). I've read them all, although "The One Tree" and "The Runes of the Earth" are forgettable. Overall decent tale.

OK, I just tore up my math license.

[Kalessin]

Well, I haven't seen the WoT series - yet; I likewise haven't seen the GoT series either, except for trailers here and there. I have seen the original BBC Narnia Chronicles miniseries, and it's nothing to write home about, unless you've chewed off your leg to survive it and are writing to request a new leg. I've also seen the three films of the later series, and it's better as an adaption - less faithful to the text, but actually better watching. I think the original BBC miniseries showed up the flaws in the Narnia Chronicles. I've seen the BBC Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series - low-budget, but enough funny points that parts of it were retained for the later film. (The Love Song of the Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz should be required reading for all aspiring politicians and civil/public servants.) I've seen the truly execrable Earthsea miniseries, and the less said about that the better.

 

I've seen both the theatre Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit - I've also seen the extended Lord of the Rings. Apart from a few misses here and there, it is generally good. I just wish they'd cut The Hobbit down in size. The book wasn't a trilogy, the films needn't have been either.

 

I've also seen the original Science Fantasy film Dune (Lynch adaption) which was irritating, and had a few very good moments, but not nearly enough of them; I've also seen the later SyFy miniseries, which likewise had some very good moments, just not enough of them.

 

I would love to see an adaption of David Lindsay's Voyage to Arcturus, and ER Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros and the other Zimiamvia novels Mistress of Mistresses, A Fish Dinner in Memison, and The Mezentian Gate.

 

I have escaped seeing the Shannara series, and retain both my legs - Ditto the Witcher series and books - the Shannara novels were predictable thus boring. I tried re-reading them a few years ago after ignoring them for over twenty years, but they were still predictable and thus boring.

 

I would love to see some of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion books made into films and/or series. My favourites include Prince Corum of the Silver Hand and Elric of Melnibone.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Kalessin
misplaced statement

[Harad the White]

14 minutes ago, Kalessin said:

I would love to see an adaption of David Lindsay's Voyage to Arcturus, and ER Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros and the other Zimiamvia novels Mistress of Mistresses, A Fish Dinner in Memison, and The Mezentian Gate.

I'm one of the few (probably) who has read the Eddison books you list, and I liked them, but can't imagine them being adapted. My memory is that they didn't have much plot or characters, mostly imagery through poetry. Maybe a French anime in the realm of "Fantastic Planet."

[Daenelia]

If we have Mad Men and Breaking Bad with anti-heroes be a success on TV, why not Thomas Covenant? I don't think it is too dark for todays times. I think it actually might fit just right in and lift fantasy out of the murky deeps of YA.

 

No fantasy books in the bookstores around me have any fantasy books in a general SF&F section anymore. That just vanished 20 years ago and got stickered over with YA. Anything fantasy is now YA, in the opinion of most bookstores and publishers.

 

Also Xena is tier A or at least B. Xena is great story telling most of the time.

 

How does WoT hold up against anything fantasy on tv? Very well, imo. But that is based on 4 episodes. I can hope it continues to improve so that it does become a standard on how to bring fantasy to TV. I do keep in mind that fantasy is still an niche genre, much more than SF. And niche is difficult to do. It's when it rised up from niche and it transcend genre that we really have a winner. And I think that is what GoT did, in the process losing some of its niche-ness and fans.

[king of nowhere]

4 hours ago, Kalessin said:

I've also seen the original Science Fantasy film Dune (Lynch adaption) which was irritating, and had a few very good moments, but not nearly enough of them; I've also seen the later SyFy miniseries, which likewise had some very good moments, just not enough of them.

have you seen the last dune adaptation? I can definitely recommend it

[Gothic Flame]

8 hours ago, Jaysen Gore said:

On Chronicles - I didn't mention them because I didn't like the source material enough to bother watching the adaptations ( heh - I despise allegory in all its forms); I think they got 3 movies (LWW, Caspian, Dawn Treader), one of which may have been straight to video

 

The Three movies did big box office numbers. And were almost note perfect from the books. Which is an oddity in itself.

[Gothic Flame]

3 hours ago, Daenelia said:

If we have Mad Men and Breaking Bad with anti-heroes be a success on TV, why not Thomas Covenant? I don't think it is too dark for todays times. I think it actually might fit just right in and lift fantasy out of the murky deeps of YA.

Because most people will see a rapist (first book) that falls in love with his daughter. (Second book)

[Daenelia]

23 minutes ago, Gothic Flame said:

Because most people will see a rapist (first book) that falls in love with his daughter. (Second book)

And what about what we saw in Mad Men, Sopranos, Breaking Bad? Anti-heroes can be very interesting. I'm not saying it is comfortable to watch and most series will always try to make you kinda feel for 'the bad guy', but it would be a great story.

 

Is what Don Draper did to his various conquests any better? (okay, he did not fall in love with his daughter, but there was enough to dislike him for anyway.)

[DaddyFinn]

It would be refreshing to see a non-pleasant main character

[Gothic Flame]

15 minutes ago, Daenelia said:

And what about what we saw in Mad Men, Sopranos, Breaking Bad? Anti-heroes can be very interesting. I'm not saying it is comfortable to watch and most series will always try to make you kinda feel for 'the bad guy', but it would be a great story.

I know nothing about those shows.

But to add...as a book anti-hero I'd look to Dragonlance.  The character of "Raistlin Majere" and how he was written was an incredible example of how to garner sympathy with a murderous cold blooded character. How his story ended still gets me.

And directly related; "Lord Soth, knight of the black rose. The writers said they had to hit the brakes on him and rewrite him because the sheer passion driving the character came too close to stealing the narrative they were writing at the time.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Gothic Flame

[Samwell Tarly]

21 hours ago, LordyLord said:

 

 

Shadow and Bone was in the same situation. The source material was your typical chosen one girl with a mild Love triangle thrown in.

 

The Show runner had the same challenge to make it unique. And they did. They cleverly introduced an new plotline that ended up making the Show BETTER than the books.So the Shadow and Bone showrunner succeded where Rafe is doing.....averagely

 

 

Obviously the difference being Robert Jordan didn´t write the second series set in the same world in which people were most interested anyway. 

Edited November 28, 2021 by Samwell Tarly

[Daenelia]

3 hours ago, Gothic Flame said:

I know nothing about those shows.

But to add...as a book anti-hero I'd look to Dragonlance.  The character of "Raistlin Majere" and how he was written was an incredible example of how to garner sympathy with a murderous cold blooded character. How his story ended still gets me.

And directly related; "Lord Soth, knight of the black rose. The writers said they had to hit the brakes on him and rewrite him because the sheer passion driving the character came too close to stealing the narrative they were writing at the time.

(Good shows, if you do get the chance and have time, check out either one ? )

I dont know Dragonlance ?

 

But I am not talking about how to get an audience to 'like' a character that is rotten and bad. I love the film Joker with Joaquin Phoenix, I love how he portrayed the main character, I even get that he had to find something he found redeemable in his role. It's still a character I do not like and find quite repulsive. Even if I do understand where it all came from. I do not like the choices he made.

 

Same can be said for Thomas Covenant: I get where he is coming from, I understand his feelings of rejection; but I dont find that to be an excuse for some of his more awful choices. And it would be good to see a fantasy show take that route for a change.

 

(Mind you: even in WoT there are some questionable choices, right? Who knows how that is going to pan out in the comins episodes... might be interesting ? )

 

What was the topic again? Other actual fantasy shows that are out there right now, though. There are not that many, are there? Compared to say SciFi.

[Harad the White]

Arrows.

 

In LoTR there were tremendous flights of arrows that cut down battalions. In the Hobbit, Dain Ironfoot had an anti-arrow slingshot that removed myriads of arrow out of their flights.

 

In WoT Alanna, used the Power to suspend the arrows and send them back at the shooters. Cool.

[Samwell Tarly]

17 hours ago, phoenixtrinity said:

 

She's right! I read Six of Crows first, which is the sequel to Shadow and Bone. It's still one of my favorite YA reads and is quite unique. Then I read Shadow and Bone, expecting the same quality writing and oh boy -- I have a lot of respect for Leigh Bardugo but whatever she was doing with Shadow and Bone was not great. I barely got through the series because it was pretty rough and relied on some romance tropes I was not fond of... Also there's an entire plot line that has major plot holes and is never properly resolved ?

 

That said, I haven't seen the show. Is it good?

 

That was my experience. I even started to review Grisha trilogy, expecting it will be something like Six of Crows. and boy, I was surprised.

[DaddyFinn]

3 hours ago, Gothic Flame said:

I know nothing about those shows.

But to add...as a book anti-hero I'd look to Dragonlance.  The character of "Raistlin Majere" and how he was written was an incredible example of how to garner sympathy with a murderous cold blooded character. How his story ended still gets me.

And directly related; "Lord Soth, knight of the black rose. The writers said they had to hit the brakes on him and rewrite him because the sheer passion driving the character came too close to stealing the narrative they were writing at the time.

I tried to read Dragonlance when I was a kid and got through some books. At least two of the Raistlin series. It was just so confusing with Bela knows how many different trilogies and series and chronological and publication orders etc. I gave up pretty quickly. ?

Edited November 28, 2021 by DaddyFinn

[Daenelia]

Okay, how about the Drenai series by David Gemmell? isnt it time those got done for tv?

[Gothic Flame]

4 minutes ago, Daenelia said:

Same can be said for Thomas Covenant: I get where he is coming from, I understand his feelings of rejection; but I dont find that to be an excuse for some of his more awful choices. And it would be good to see a fantasy show take that route for a change.

 

The direction for Covenant would be his perspective at his feeling...literally. Dealing with the progressions and lack of sensation because of Hansens disease ( leprosy) and then his inability to deal with regaining his feeling...all over his body.

[Gothic Flame]

5 minutes ago, DaddyFinn said:

I tried to read Dragonlance when I was a kid and got through some books. At least two of the Raistlin series. It was just so confusing with Bela knows how many different trilogies and series and chronological and publication orders etc. I gave up pretty quickly. ?

I read the books when they first came out..in the order they came out. Dragonlance Chronicles, then Dragonlance Legends; the Twins. The authors were just incredible. In "Time of the Twins" there's one moment I was chuckling, and the very next I was tearfully ashamed that I did.

[ArrylT]

6 minutes ago, DaddyFinn said:

I tried to read Dragonlance when I was a kid and got through some books. At least two of the Raistlin series. It was just so confusing with Bela knows how many different trilogies and series and chronological and publication orders etc. I gave up pretty quickly. ?

 

You'd probably hate Forgotten Realms then. ??

 

But agreed the volume of DragonLance novels is almost impossible to keep track of.   In the end I would only recommend the anthologies, and the original Dragons of trilogy (Chronicles) for anyone to start off with - some of the other series are pretty pulpy and/or barely enjoyable (like the KingPriest series).

[Harad the White]

And another Stephen R. Donalson series, The Gap.

This is an interesting, adult, story, that is sci-fi and gender inclusive. Maybe there will be an adult sci-fi/fantasy channel that tackles these non-YA subjects.

[ArrylT]

1 minute ago, Harad the White said:

And another Stephen R. Donalson series, The Gap.

This is an interesting, adult, story, that is sci-fi and gender inclusive. Maybe there will be an adult sci-fi/fantasy channel that tackles these non-YA subjects.

 

Maybe @CaddySedai  can form that after her WOT mobile game makes her even richer.  ?

Edited November 28, 2021 by ArrylT

[DaddyFinn]

5 minutes ago, ArrylT said:

 

You'd probably hate Forgotten Realms then. ??

 

But agreed the volume of DragonLance novels is almost impossible to keep track of.   In the end I would only recommend the anthologies, and the original Dragons of trilogy (Chronicles) for anyone to start off with - some of the other series are pretty pulpy and/or barely enjoyable (like the KingPriest series).

The Drizzt books? I've read 4-5 different trilogies/series of that. I found some "read in this order" list in internet and went with that.