30 Day Book Challenge: Day 17

Day 17- Book turned movie and completely desecrated

Watchers (Book by Dean Koontz)

There are many examples of "I love the book but the movie was terrible!" but this one is just so awful it makes me cringe. 1) They changed the character from a guy in his 30's to a teenager, 2) They made a good guy the bad guy, and 3) It's a terrible 80's movie with Corey Haim. What's even worse is that they made 3 sequels after this one and all were straight to VHS. Nothing says "good quality entertainment" like skipping the theater all together.

When you change the idea of a book that much, it should no longer have any connection to the book. It's atrocious. I feel bad that Koontz even had his name connected with this monstrosity. It makes me a little furious because the book was so good! I want to kill it with fire.

There are so many books turned movies out there to hate. I'm curious, which one makes you want to destroy its existence?

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30 Day Book Challenge: Day 16

Day 16- Favorite book turned movie

This was such a hard choice for me because next to books, movies and the internet are tied for my favorite sources of entertainment. I have so many: The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Jaws, and Practical Magic, but my favorite movie that is also a book is Jurassic Park (which you can get from Amazon right now for $4.99... just saying)... because dinosaurs! And partially because I thought that the movie was better than the book.

Usually the books are better, but in this case (possibly due to my extreme love of the movie) I felt the opposite. So it's OK that I love the movie so much! I did my part and have experienced both, but I didn't like a lot of the characters. But, that's not necessarily the author's fault. Crichton did his job and wrote this really cool story about genetically engineered dinosaurs and I thank him for that. Thank you for the dinosaurs!

What is your favorite book turned movie?

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Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Description

'R' is a zombie. He has no name, no memories and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Amongst the ruins of an abandoned city, R meets a girl. Her name is Julie and she is the opposite of everything he knows - warm and bright and very much alive, she is a blast of colour in a dreary grey landscape. For reasons he can't understand, R chooses to save Julie instead of eating her, and a tense yet strangely tender relationship begins.

This has never happened before. It breaks the rules and defies logic, but R is no longer content with life in the grave. He wants to breathe again, he wants to live, and Julie wants to help him. But their grim, rotting world won't be changed without a fight...

I just loved this book... all the feels! I never thought I'd like a book from a zombie's perspective, but this zombie is so freakin' likeable! I really came to like him because I could tell how hard he was trying to change and that he wanted to be different.

A couple of the reviews I read about Warm Bodies before I read it were negative because they said the names were too close to those in Romeo and Juliet (R and Julie for example) but I didn't pick that up when I was reading. I mean, I can't think about Shakespeare when zombies are involved, though I suppose you could draw comparisons if you wanted to put the time in. I really didn't. Another complaint was this "..." but I like ellipsis and there are only so many ways you can show the slow speech patterns. It didn't bother me like some other reviews I read, but I did notice them.

Julie is far more forgiving than one could expect, but I think it's meant to show her willingness to forgive and she seems to have this light in her soul. Sorry, that was cheesy. But I rolled my eyes multiple times over her "bad girl" image she tried to give herself. You are surrounded by zombies, how are you so calm?

I don't want to give away too much, but these zombies love brains, not just the flesh. So when R eats the brain of Julie's boyfriend? Let's just say that that's what starts him on his change. I haven't seen the movie yet but I plan to soon. It's funny and touching and a good zombie love story (these are words I never thought I would say together).

Congo by Michael Crichton

Description

Deep in the African rain forest, near the legendary ruins of the Lost City of Zinj, an expedition of eight American geologists are mysteriously and brutally killed in a matter of minutes.

Ten thousand miles away, Karen Ross, the Congo Project Supervisor, watches a gruesome video transmission of the aftermath: a camp destroyed, tents crushed and torn, equipment scattered in the mud alongside dead bodies--all motionless except for one moving image--a grainy, dark, man-shaped blur.

In San Francisco, primatologist Peter Elliot works with Amy, a gorilla with an extraordinary vocabulary of 620 "signs," the most ever learned by a primate, and she likes to finger paint. But recently her behavior has been erratic and her drawings match, with stunning accuracy, the brittle pages of a Portuguese print dating back to 1642 . . . a drawing of an ancient lost city. A new expedition--along with Amy--is sent into the Congo, where they enter a secret world, and the only way out may be through a horrifying death . . .

I liked this novel despite the technical mumbo-jumbo, of which there was a lot. I am easily distracted and there were quite a few times when descriptions of things went on and on and I started to imagine it sounding like the adults in Peanuts cartoons "woh wah wah woh wah wah wah..." I mean, I'm glad Crichton put so much effort into researching things, but could we get back to the gorillas, please?

Now on to the good stuff. I loved Amy the gorilla (but who wouldn't? She's awesome!). The action scenes were what made me keep coming back and not want to put the book down. Karen Ross often goes between someone I liked and disliked, which worked for me because if you have a character in a book you can't stand you just want them to die a horrible death... or is that just me? Overall it's a book I would recommend people read even with the boring over detailed parts.

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Description

"Relentless terror." The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The classic, blockbuster thriller of man-eating terror that inspired the Steven Spielberg movie and made millions of beachgoers afraid to go into the water. Experience the thrill of helpless horror again -- or for the first time!

Everybody should know about Jaws by now so I shouldn't have to explain in too much detail. There's a big great white shark off the beaches of Amity. It starts eating people because it's hungry.

And I can't believe it but... I liked the movie better. This has only happened to me 3 times so I feel like the odds are still really good that "the book will be better" in general. But not in this case. Or these books. But, to be fair, Jaws is one of my favorite movies so... seeing as it isn't much like the movie it didn't really have a chance.

I hated just about all of the characters... nope, scratch that, I hated all of the characters at one point or another. There was some suspense when it came to the shark attacks but for the most part it focused on the crappy behavior of the people involved. I suppose it was a study about people's behavior in situations that threaten the livelihood of a small summer town, but I could have skipped it. In fact, I did skip some pages here and there. There was no difference. I didn't have a connection with any of the characters that would make me care about them so when they were eaten I thought that sucks for them, but that was about it.

The shark is just being a shark (though the scene when it attacks the boat... crazy!) and it is hardly the evil villain it's made out to be in the movie. Also, you'll learn a lot about sharks and fish so there's that.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Descripton

Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get... well, ugly. And the unnexpected arrival of his friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and wildly popular follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simly a cruel joke.

Percy has made it a full year in a school without being kicked out, when on his last day a group of Cannibal giants ruin everything. Annabeth shows up to save the day and to take him back to camp. Only to find out that the entire camp is in danger! Percy and his friends must partake in a quest to save the camp through the Sea of Monsters.

The Sea of Monsters is book two in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians. It is a great follow up to book one. There are many twists, turns, and new greek monsters and gods that are brought into this book to keep you interested. I will say that this book definitely had my attention the entire time. A great book for all age groups.

Bag of Bones by Stephen King

Description:

Here is Stephen King's most gripping and unforgettable novel—a tale of grief and lost love's enduring bonds, of haunting secrets of the past, and of an innocent child caught in a terrible crossfire.

Four years after the sudden death of his wife, forty-year-old bestselling novelist Mike Noonan is still grieving. Unable to write, and plagued by vivid nightmares set at the western Maine summerhouse he calls Sara Laughs, Mike reluctantly returns to the lakeside getaway. There, he finds his beloved Yankee town held in the grip of a powerful millionaire, Max Devore, whose vindictive purpose is to take his three-year-old granddaughter, Kyra, away from her widowed young mother, Mattie. As Mike is drawn into Mattie and Kyra's struggle, as he falls in love with both of them, he is also drawn into the mystery of Sara Laughs, now the site of ghostly visitations and escalating terrors. What are the forces that have been unleashed here—and what do they want of Mike Noonan?

 I am a fan of Stephen King, books or movies I love his work. I read Bag of Bones because I watched the movie on Netflix and decided that, even though I liked the movie, the book HAD to be better. It's a bit creepy but nothing really scary.

Mike's love for his wife is evident and his inability to write without her was a little sad. The weird thing about it is, it isn't just writer's block, it's more of a severe phobia. Just attempting to write has him breaking out into panic attacks. But, somehow after some trying, he is able to start writing again at Sara Laughs.

Part of the plot that I never really got was why Max Devore (the villan/Kyra's grandfather) wanted Kyra and all of the rigamarole behind it. It's kind of a weak plot, but the little girl was cute and I liked Mattie. Not the best King book ever, but I read it while I was on vacation and it was a good read for a long car ride.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

 

Description

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of  Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology text book and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightening bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more that catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

The Lightning Thief is book one of the Series. Percy Jackson has been kicked out of many different schools, because bad things tend to happen when he's around. In this book he finds out who he is, who is long lost father is, and how far his mother will go to protect him.

I really enjoyed this book and how much greek mythology they put into it. There are instances throughout the book that will make you laugh, get angry, or want to jump right in and help. It is a good read for both children and adults!

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim #1) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Description:

Scott Pilgrim is 23 years old, lives in a cold, unnamed Canadian town, plays bass in a band called Sex Bob-Omb and has a very cute 17-year-old Chinese-Canadian girlfriend, Knives Chau. His "precious little life" is amiably unstructured, and he drifts, happily unemployed, between band practice and time spent with Knives. His relationship with Knives is chaste—walks, chats and hugs—although Knives is getting bigger ideas. "We haven't even held hands," Scott explains. "It's just nice, you know." But then he starts having dreams about Ramona Flowers, a mysterious, equally cute and perfectly legal hipster chick on Rollerblades who delivers books for Amazon.com. Ramona is anything but simple, and O'Malley's tale of adorable slackers in love is transformed into a wildly magically manga–kung fu fantasy adventure. We meet the first of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends, Matthew Patel, who challenges Scott and his band to a supernatural martial arts duel right out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. O'Malley has crafted a delightfully hybrid comics love story. It's an alt-lit, rock 'n' roll graphic novel with wonderful manga-influenced drawing and a comically mystical plot that manages to capture both the genuine intimacies and serial dishonesties of young love.

Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about Scott Pilgrim comes Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life! The first in a series of brand-new hardcover editions, this remastered, 6"x9" hardcover presents Scott's first "evil ex" battle as you've never seen it before - in full-color! Plus, previously unpublished extras and bonus materials make this mighty tome one that's required reading for Scottaholics everywhere!

I decided to buy the color volume because it looked prettier than black & white. Yup... it looks great in color. I actually laughed quite a bit when reading this. It is very well written and the color really enhances the story (I feel like it would have been the teeniest bit blah in black & white). It's hilarious and great and you should definitely check it out. So good. SO GOOD.

Just like with The Walking Dead, Comixology lets you preview it free. Check it out!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Description:

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

As part of my sudden interest in zombie literature, I decided to read World War Z because of all the "hype" I've been hearing about it and with the movie coming out soon.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up. It isn't a typical novel. It is a collection of stories (essays?) from survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Some stories had boring information, but most talked about their experiences in survival. Those people "interviewed" are from all around the world.

There was a lot of aspects that I had never considered before, like how different cities and governments would handle the outbreak and the fact that zombies could walk around underwater (so don't go swimming).

If you're looking for zombie killing action, this probably isn't the book for you. If you just like zombies and want to know the implications of the zombie apocalypse on the world, I would suggest this as your next read.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Description

The system was simple. Everyone understood it. Books were for burning, along with the houses in which they were hidden.

Guy Montag was a fireman whose job it was to start fires. And he enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years, and he had never questioned the pleasure of the midnight runs or the joy of watching pages consumed by flames, never questioned anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid. Then Guy met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think. And Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do...

I think the concept of technology taking over our lives is an interesting one. At the time this was written, television was becoming more and more popular in people's homes. The televisions in the book are huge, taking up entire walls. Programs make it so people interact with what they're watching. Then there is the of burning books because, basically, the government doesn't want people to think and have their own ideas.

Once Montag gets the idea of books and free thought into his head his world is turned upside down. A good classic (and slightly ironic that it's also a challenged) book and anyone that values critical thought should read this.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline by Neil Gaiman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Description:

Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes. When they make it clear, however, that they want to make her theirs forever, Coraline begins a nightmarish game to rescue her real parents and three children imprisoned in a mirror. With only a bored-through stone and an aloof cat to help, Coraline confronts this harrowing task of escaping these monstrous creatures.

This was a fairly short read that does a great job in the creepy department. It is imaginative and well written, quirky and clever. Though I don't think this is something I'd want my nephew or niece to read (yet) I think it's something I'll suggest for them when they get older.




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Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I really wasn't impressed by this book. I found many of the characters annoying and whiny. I would probably be whiny in their situation too, but hopefully not to that extent. Jurassic Park is a favorite movie of mine so I was excited to start reading. It started out ok and got a lot better, but by the time I was 3/4 of the way through I was just ready to be done. There was a lot of good action scenes and tension. The thing that I disliked most was the character development. I hated Hammond (& usually Lex) so much that they took away from what I was reading.

Overall, the writing was good and I appreciated a lot of what Ian Malcolm had to say about the resposibility of scientists, but (it pains me to say) I think I like the movie better.




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The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I liked this book a lot. I do have to admit though that I didn't really find it interesting at first. But the more it went along the more I liked it. There were some characters I loved and some I hated... and some I was confused by. I couldn't figure out if they were "bad" or not. I think that was the point though. We don't understand, like Lyra, why those things are happening and who to trust. I can't wait to read the next two books.



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The Shining by Stephen King

The Shining by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I loved this novel! King really makes the Overlook come to life. From the freaky hedge animals to the creepy ghosts in the hotel, the Overlook becomes it's own character. As I read I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what it was going to do next. I loved the characters even though they each annoyed me at some point.

I have seen both the movie and the mini series and enjoyed them both, but seeing Jack free fall into insanity is something you just can't get from a movie. His irrational thoughts (whether caused by the hotel or not... you're never REALLY sure) and actions gave me the creeps and throughout the book I wanted to yell at Wendy and Danny to just leave already.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good scare and a lot of suspense!



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I am Legend by Richard Matheson

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I enjoyed this story. It really got into the psychological aspect of being left alone in a horrifying environment. There were some nerve racking scenes but I really liked getting inside the head of the character of Robert Neville. His fear and despair and yet, hope, made it a good read. For being written in 1954 (based in the 70's) it was surprisingly still modern. You didn't have the feeling like it was that much in the past.

Nothing like the movie, but I would definitely recommend it.



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The Stand by Stephen King

The Stand by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked this book (WAY better than the movie- but I'm glad I read this after watching the movie or I would have been disappointed) but the length about killed me. I don't have much time to read so it took me almost 2 months to get through. Some parts were a little slow but I enjoyed most of it.



The idea of a super bug or super flu freaks me out a little and I am interested in the Good vs Evil idea. Even though we know which side we are supposed to support, there were still people on the "good" side that weren't really that good and people on the "bad" side that weren't really that bad. I loved the characters (or in some cases really hated them) and for me that is what gets me interested in their stories. The connections between them made me care more.



This was my first Stephen King novel and I will definitely read more.



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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Probably my favorite book or at least one of my favorites. It seemed to start a little slow but as soon as Bilbo goes running out of his little hobbit house I feel like I'm swept into another world. I love the characters, the scenery and the story that pulled me in (almost from the start).


They started filming The Hobbit and I'm really excited about it! Can't wait to see it! Below is a video blog from Peter Jackson.

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Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

So back to normal again, if normal is what this is.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I just finished reading this recently and still am not sure if I really liked it or not. I loved the movie but the book is entirely different. Basically only the names and a few points were the same.

Sally, her daughters and her sister spend most of the book being either emotional, snobby or just plain horrible. I didn't like any of them. Sure, they had their moments and in a house filled with estrogen bad stuff is always going to happen. Trust me, I have a sister.

After Sally's husband dies she moves her 2 girls to New York to start a life away from her aunts who encourage her girls to be horrible and nasty. She could have helped stop this but she basically spent a year hiding in her room being hurt and not taking care of her kids. When her girls get to be teens her sister shows up with a dead guy in her car. Much weirdness and drama ensues. Sally pretty much has no happiness until Gary shows up- and he cries a lot, it's annoying. Then he leaves a couple pages later. What? It was an average read, but this is one instance when I like the movie better than the book. There is also next to no magic. I thought it was more about the magic in ourselves (who/how we love, how we act, etc.) and overcoming obstacles.


I think my next read will be a challenged (classic) book. I think I have The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird around here somewhere so I'll attempt to read one of those. The only problem with classics is that a lot of them bore me. I haven't read The Lord of the Rings yet either so maybe that will be more exciting since I loved The Hobbit so much.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula by Bram Stoker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What's not to love about the original vampire novel? Nothing written about vampires since has come close (Twilight sucked- vampires don't sparkle).

Written in 1897 in "journal" format, the reader follows written accounts of the characters. That makes it a little hard to get into at first, but I loved it. Anyone that likes vampire books or movies should read this. Classic.



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