Earthsea

[DanJW]

So, I just watched the first half of the two part series of Earthsea On Channel 4 (first shown on the Sci-Fi channle I believe.

Talk about dumbing down. The show completely missed the atmosphere of the books. It was also horribly rushed, jumping from scene to scene without any consolidation oif the characters and ideas. Hell, most of Le Guin's ideas about magic were skipped altogether. If they have to edit this much, then why did they try to fit two books into 4 hours? Why not just use the first book and give it a half decent treatment. Why do that unless the makers were pretty certain that they would never get the chance to make a sequal? Why else than because they know their show is going to suck. It's like this series was written by someone who had been told the basic plot by someone who's friends once read the book several years ago. It bears only a passing resemblance. Why add an evil king? Why make the Preistesshood of Atuan good guys who keep the Nameless Ones trapped rather than serve them? Why even bother making this?

AHHHHHg this has really pissed me off. The Earthsea books are some of the best fantasy ever written, and this series is just one more example of a great IP being disgustingly misused.

Grrr.

[tabacco]

Are you suggesting that a TV adaptation of a novel would somehow be lacking in quality? Sir, I am surpprised at you!

[MrHoatzin]

You know, I saw the series while bored stiff one weekend. I thought it was borderline clever, and I could see that there were good things going on somewhere in the minds of whoever came up with this stuff... but were surpressed deeply. I didn't know there are books before now. Might check them out. Tell me more.

[DanJW]

I vainly hoped Doug, I really did.

Kingz, the books are by Ursula leGuin, an excellent sci-fi author. She wrote the original trilogy (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore) for older kids, but it's pretty damn deep and scary, and an excellent read for everyone. Her depiction of the School of Magic makes Harry Potter look like a nursary rhyme. It's fairly obvious that JK Rowling ripped off parts of it for her little moneyspinners.

LeGuin also has the most solid theory of magic in any fiction I have come across. No silly mock latin spells followed by some fireworks, this is actual Firmament of Creation stuff. And the description of Ged's shadow and the nameless ones is the epitome of unseen terror (oh, and in the books Ged is his truename and Sparrowhawk his common name... I have no idea why they swapped this for TV). Also a description of the afterlife which is incredibly meloncholy yet fitting. Hell these books have so much good stuff that rises above most fantasy, breaking conventions and cliché, yet staying grounded and "real" at the same time. Read them. Everyone must read them!

[baconian]

I found the Shadow War series had a good 'theory of magic' thing going on. You might remember the name Elora Danaan from the hammy 'Willow' movie. Well, when she grows up she meets lots of scary magicians and saves the world...

The magic system had this ring to it that appealed to me. Had stuff to do with music and that usually works for me.

[Trithemius]

Ursula K. Le Guin didn't think much of the miniseries either; and since she wrote the books I am inclined to agree with her.

Because I live in Australia and am lazy I haven't yet seen this travesty, but I think I will spare my fond childhood memories a trampling and give it a miss.

Fucking television bastards.

[Trithemius]

Kingz, the books are by Ursula leGuin, an excellent sci-fi author. She wrote the original trilogy (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore) for older kids, but it's pretty damn deep and scary, and an excellent read for everyone. Her depiction of the School of Magic makes Harry Potter look like a nursary rhyme. It's fairly obvious that JK Rowling ripped off parts of it for her little moneyspinners.

Tehanu, and The Other Wind are not bad either.

I find it a literary catastrophe of epic proportions that kids might read Harry Potter as their first fantasy story instead of the Earthsea books.

[MrHoatzin]

I should read these. Just as soon as I am done with Crime and Punishment and the Koran.

[Redwall]

Are you suggesting that a TV adaptation of a novel would somehow be lacking in quality? Sir, I am surpprised at you!

Not to mention one made by Sci-Fi, which has made some of the worst things ever shown on television. The Saturday Night Craptackular comes to mind.

[Metalmickey]

This is extremely depressing news I fucking love those books. My mum read them around the time I was born, and made my dad read them too. They loved them, and my mum was even afraid to tell people she didn't know very well my name for a while. I read the first 3 when I was around 10-12 I guess, and think I loved them even more than the Lord of the Rings. Read the 4th and 5th, promptly followed by the entire quintet about 6 years ago. Anyone interested should read the Left Hand of Darkness too, that's pretty famous, albeit a standalone sci-fi novel and unrelated to Earthsea.

I had seen the website for this TV adaptaion and was impressed by the down to earth look of some of the sets and characters, and was really hoping it might actually be good. Truly the world is a dark and forlorn place. Forever will mankind destroy and desecrate every single beautiful thing that we have ever created, leaving naught but sorrow and despair in our black and vitriolic wake... :\

[Manhunter71]

So, I just watched the first half of the two part series of Earthsea On Channel 4 (first shown on the Sci-Fi channle I believe.

Talk about dumbing down. The show completely missed the atmosphere of the books. It was also horribly rushed, jumping from scene to scene without any consolidation oif the characters and ideas. Hell, most of Le Guin's ideas about magic were skipped altogether.

I just made a very similar post over on http://forums.adventuregamers.com/index.php?

Whilst I agree with you about the content of this show, if you are watching this for the first time and have never read Le Guin before, I think it is a very good introduction.

Just watching it made me want to reread this amazing fantasy epic!

[Trithemius]

I just made a very similar post over on http://forums.adventuregamers.com/index.php?

Whilst I agree with you about the content of this show, if you are watching this for the first time and have never read Le Guin before, I think it is a very good introduction.

Why is that, exactly? :/

[Manhunter71]

Why is that, exactly? :/

Are you querying why, after watching this show I wanted to read the books again?

If so, the answer is simple - although the show was a "dumbed down" version of the original story, it did remind of the characters I had come to know and love, and it was because of this that I went to my bookcase and picked up my old, dog-eared copy again

[Trithemius]

Are you querying why, after watching this show I wanted to read the books again?

If so, the answer is simple - although the show was a "dumbed down" version of the original story, it did remind of the characters I had come to know and love, and it was because of this that I went to my bookcase and picked up my old, dog-eared copy again

If only to purge the horrible taint. Right? :/

[Ninja Dodo]

I'm intrigued. The tv program was pretty stupid, but I can see how if Hollywood is left out of the equation this might actually be good.

[Manhunter71]

I'm intrigued. The tv program was pretty stupid, but I can see how if Hollywood is left out of the equation this might actually be good.

Are you sure? Look at the success of LOTR after being given a big budget, and then compare it to the the pretty appalling animated version that came out in the early 80s (I think?)

But, getting back to Earthsea, I suggest you try and pick up a 2nd hand copy and give it a go.

If you like to read fantasy then this might appeal - but then again maybe I only appreciate it because it is one of those childhood memories that stand out.

[lailoken]

well I just bought the whole bunch from amazon, so this'd better be good guys! Especially interested in that supposedly superior magic system

[Manhunter71]

well I just bought the whole bunch from amazon, so this'd better be good guys! Especially interested in that supposedly superior magic system

I hope you enjoy reading this but please don't blame me if it fails to live up to your expectations

I for one, really enjoyed reading this series but I was quite young at the time.

To be fair though, I think it is really aimed at more mature readers.

[MrHoatzin]

I took all three books from the library earlier today.

[MrHoatzin]

I really enjoy Ged's distinctiveness and hubris. Not often do you see that. I can see how Harry Potter is more popular, though. Not many young retards can relate to a red-skinned faun who is an intimidating knowledge whore, clever and talented, the maker of his own fortune and a true tragic hero — but most kids can relate to a harmless jock cracker who is a constant victim of circumstance and everybody's pawn.

[Jazhara7]

I saw the beginning of that. I wanted to see it, actually, because it looked quite good, but in the end I switched to another channel pretty early.

Isn't it that pretty early in the TV movie, there is a scene where someone is nearly in bed with their lover or something? If yes, then that was the reason why I changed the channel - If there is something like that so early in a movie, then I know that it is not worth my time, in most cases.

On the other hand, I liked the Dinotopia TV movie (And it didn't have anything sexual at ANY time).

Maybe I will also check out the books, because the base idea of all this sounded good.

-

[Manhunter71]

I saw the beginning of that. I wanted to see it, actually, because it looked quite good, but in the end I switched to another channel pretty early.

Isn't it that pretty early in the TV movie, there is a scene where someone is nearly in bed with their lover or something? If yes, then that was the reason why I changed the channel - If there is something like that so early in a movie, then I know that it is not worth my time, in most cases.

On the other hand, I liked the Dinotopia TV movie (And it didn't have anything sexual at ANY time).

Maybe I will also check out the books, because the base idea of all this sounded good.

-

Hey Jazzie, I see your point about the sex scene, but it really wasn't that graphic at all - the only point of it was to emphasize the relationship between the priestess Kossil and the Kargad king.

You shouldn't have dismissed it so early because the rest of it was wewll worth watching!

If you enjoyed the basic concept you really should read the books - they totally beat the Harry Potter series!!

With regard to Dinotopia - the original mini-series was excellent, but unfortunately the producers decided to take a gamble and extend the story, which was one of the worst decisions they could have made!

[MrHoatzin]

I read the first two books. I thought them very light, though not superficial. I only wish I read this fifteen years ago. Let's see what the third book has to offer. Did anyone here mention yet another book from the Earthsea cycle?