ian Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) I went to local library in my lunchhour from work. I kept coming across novelisations (hate that word! ). Now, this is something I used to read as a young teenager, but I soon got to realise that all I was reading was the script with a few very basic descriptions of the landscape or the charactors. One that sticks in my mind was The Thing - based on the Kurt Russell version of the film. Maybe I had a bad experience, perhaps there are very well written conversions of a film script into a "proper" book, but I wonder if they can even properly be called books? Am I missing the point here? I'd love to know what others think Ian Edited August 4, 2011 by ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I think, in 99.9% of cases of the ones I've read, I agree. The one that sticks in my memory, though, is Orson Scott Card's novelisation of James Cameron's The Abyss. What stood out about that one was that it was so much more than just the story of the film. It went back in time and told how the main two characters, Bud and Lyndsey, became the people we saw in the film, and how their relationship had descended to the point it reached at the start of the movie. It fleshed out a lot of the other characters, too. It also explained a lot more about the aliens, and why they did what they did. It's actually a lot better book than it is a film - but that really is the only occasion I can remember when I've thought that, and I think it says more about Card as a writer than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I read one or two in my youth. A notable one was Rain Man which was novelised by Leonore Fleischer. It was actually pretty good. I also read the novelisation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula by Fred Saberhagen and James V Hart. A pretty decent one, but still nowhere near as good as the original novel by Stoker. I recently read some graphic novels which were set as sequels to the film Labyrinth - they were excellent. ETA: One pretty awesome novelisation is The Wicker Man by Robin Hardy and Anthony Shaffer - a really great read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I don't think I've ever tried a 'novelisation', or ever heard of the word I love the film Labyrinth though! I'm really surprised they made a sequel even in book form. Is it about Sarah returning or someone else? I might try it, as my first novelisation experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I remember reading a couple when I was a teenager without realising they were based on films, thinking it was the other way round, and thinking that they'd made great film versions of these books! The two I read were Willow and Ruthless People. In my naivety of my youth I thought they were ok, but I think if I read them now with much more literature under my belt, I think I'd be more disappointed, and wonder if it was worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' was a novel based on his television series, and is wonderful. I think so long as the writer has creative vision and loves his subject matter then a 'novelisation' (yep that is an awful term) can be really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 And let's not forget, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy is a novelisation of a radio programme! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I love the film Labyrinth though! I'm really surprised they made a sequel even in book form. Is it about Sarah returning or someone else? I might try it, as my first novelisation experience It's more about Toby returning - they're really rather good! Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' was a novel based on his television series, and is wonderful. I think so long as the writer has creative vision and loves his subject matter then a 'novelisation' (yep that is an awful term) can be really good. I adored both the TV show and the book. I read the boko first though. And let's not forget, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy is a novelisation of a radio programme! The radio show is awesome, the book is brilliant and the TV show is a classic. The film, however, was an abomination - LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paun Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I really like books of 24 tv show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 The radio show is awesome, the book is brilliant and the TV show is a classic. The film, however, was an abomination - LOL! Fair enough! I'm still a bit ashamed to say I have haven't heard, read or watched any of them yet. I downloaded the book a while ago, but still haven't got round to it yet - I think I'm a bit worried I won't love it as much as everyone else I know and I'll feel let down, so I'm trying to wait for a time when no-one's mentioned it for a while, and just dive in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 .....so I'm trying to wait for a time when no-one's mentioned it for a while, and just dive in. This made me snort, as I 100% understand what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 so I'm trying to wait for a time when no-one's mentioned it for a while, and just dive in. You'll be waiting a very long time then! I agree with the last part: just dive in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I loved the film novelisation of The Shadow. I can't remember which I came across first. I do remember that the book was my birthday present for 2000. I am going to buy more film novelisations some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samsiren Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I recently read some graphic novels which were set as sequels to the film Labyrinth - they were excellent. I read these as well, and loved them! I remember reading My Girl and Free Willy as a kid, and loved those as it gave the characters more appeal and the story seemed more real to me... god they were good! One of the best movie to book books I have read was The Game, which was a film with Michael Douglas. My boyfriend was adamant that it was a film first but was sure it wasn't... turns out he was right (After a lot of digging around!) - but that was fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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