I'm fascinated by the translation of stories from one medium to another, and as a consequence, I've read a lot of novelizations. And of course, some are very bad. Most are mediocre. But a few are very good.
And the best of these is the novel (the word "novelization" is avoided) of The Abyss by Orson Scott Card.
Card wasn't simply handed a shooting script and told to go at it. He interviewed the main actors about their characters, hung out on set with them. The release of the novel (usually concurrent with the film, for marketing purposes) was delayed, so Card would have time to do the best job he could. The novel starts a good three chapters before the beginning of the events of the film, and tells us about some of what happened after.
Cameron explained in the foreword that he too reads novelizations, and hates when they're bad. So he did everything he could to make sure the novel of The Abyss (another story it took him years to get to the screen) was as good as possible.
(Now watch -- I said all that, and then the Avatar book will be terrible. But seriously, The Abyss is really good, and worth checking out.)
@tetracycloide: That's their own grave to dig; I shan't be responsible for whatever moral fallout that occurs afterward. I'm just here to beat the cat people sex trope to death. *dusts shoulders*
10/06/09
And the best of these is the novel (the word "novelization" is avoided) of The Abyss by Orson Scott Card.
Card wasn't simply handed a shooting script and told to go at it. He interviewed the main actors about their characters, hung out on set with them. The release of the novel (usually concurrent with the film, for marketing purposes) was delayed, so Card would have time to do the best job he could. The novel starts a good three chapters before the beginning of the events of the film, and tells us about some of what happened after.
Cameron explained in the foreword that he too reads novelizations, and hates when they're bad. So he did everything he could to make sure the novel of The Abyss (another story it took him years to get to the screen) was as good as possible.
(Now watch -- I said all that, and then the Avatar book will be terrible. But seriously, The Abyss is really good, and worth checking out.)
10/06/09
ppht...
[rolling eyes]
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Avatar actionfigures! (already for sale)
Avatar pc and console games! (already for sale)
Avatar novels! (comming soon)
Avatar-plush toys!
Avatar car models!
Avatar puzzles!
Avatar skateboards!
Avatar blankets and pillows!
Avatar wallpapers!
Avatar baby-soother!
Avatar baby buggy!
Avatar cornflakes!
Avatar fingernails!
Avatar wigs!
Avatar shaving foam!
Avatar mountain bikes!
Avatar clothes!
Avatar Happy Meal by McDonalds!
Avatar water guns!
Avatar Playboy special!
Avatar WoW character templates!
Avatar board games!
Avatar trading cards!
Avatar meeple in every freakin'
KinderĂ¼berraschung!
10/06/09
Sorry, my only knowledge of German is from music, so... *shuffles away*
10/06/09
(quote from the dino baby of the german version of the "Dinosaurs" TV-show)
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And my comment has been rendered moot by the edited comment above. *shakes fist*
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Name one.
Actually, I've never minded the Alan Dean Foster quick jobs, but I'd call it a stretch to consider them great literature.
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Sheer magic.
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There I saved about 50 of you from commenting.
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I had to build my own out of space-man diapers.
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"That's great! Let's have cat people sex."
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You're efforts are not in vain, I just would like to see some more creativity.
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