Science Fiction
Discussion
Just finished Ready Player One and rather enjoyed it.
I guess it helps if you're squarely within the target demographic (looking at Wikipedia, I was born a few weeks after Ernest Cline....) and so get most of the references. He sails close to the wind in over-egging in the nostalgia references on a few occasions but on the whole gets away with it without it grating or appearing too effected.
I gather that the film adaptation takes the customary (but in this case probably inevitable) liberties with the source material so I'm guessing that you'd probably be better seeing the film first. I'm going to give it a miss for a while - I suspect the changes would be all the more obvious only just having finished the book version.
(I listened to it in audiobook format and Wil Wheaton really does nail the delivery.)
I guess it helps if you're squarely within the target demographic (looking at Wikipedia, I was born a few weeks after Ernest Cline....) and so get most of the references. He sails close to the wind in over-egging in the nostalgia references on a few occasions but on the whole gets away with it without it grating or appearing too effected.
I gather that the film adaptation takes the customary (but in this case probably inevitable) liberties with the source material so I'm guessing that you'd probably be better seeing the film first. I'm going to give it a miss for a while - I suspect the changes would be all the more obvious only just having finished the book version.
(I listened to it in audiobook format and Wil Wheaton really does nail the delivery.)
Lurking Lawyer said:
Just finished Ready Player One and rather enjoyed it.
I guess it helps if you're squarely within the target demographic (looking at Wikipedia, I was born a few weeks after Ernest Cline....) and so get most of the references. He sails close to the wind in over-egging in the nostalgia references on a few occasions but on the whole gets away with it without it grating or appearing too effected.
I gather that the film adaptation takes the customary (but in this case probably inevitable) liberties with the source material so I'm guessing that you'd probably be better seeing the film first. I'm going to give it a miss for a while - I suspect the changes would be all the more obvious only just having finished the book version.
(I listened to it in audiobook format and Wil Wheaton really does nail the delivery.)
From what I've seen in the trailers and read about the film, it definately seems as if they've dropped some of the more obscure\nerdy references or replaced them with stuff that will be more recognisable by a wider audience. It's Speilberg though so I'm still hopeful it will be watchable.I guess it helps if you're squarely within the target demographic (looking at Wikipedia, I was born a few weeks after Ernest Cline....) and so get most of the references. He sails close to the wind in over-egging in the nostalgia references on a few occasions but on the whole gets away with it without it grating or appearing too effected.
I gather that the film adaptation takes the customary (but in this case probably inevitable) liberties with the source material so I'm guessing that you'd probably be better seeing the film first. I'm going to give it a miss for a while - I suspect the changes would be all the more obvious only just having finished the book version.
(I listened to it in audiobook format and Wil Wheaton really does nail the delivery.)
So that's what Will Wheaton is up to these days!
Guvernator said:
It's Speilberg though so I'm still hopeful it will be watchable.
A friend of mine saw a preview screening over the weekend and the gist of his comments was that it's decent enough and watchable - but better if you haven't already read the book. But then that describes most film adaptations!
nick heppinstall said:
Fade Out by patrick Tilley
My first time on this thread and a couple of posts in is a book I've read twice. But I've never come across anyone else that has.Good choice but not as good as the similar (ish) Forge of God by Greg Bear. The sequel, Anvil of Stars, is even better. One of my favourites.
probably chalk said:
nick heppinstall said:
Fade Out by patrick Tilley
My first time on this thread and a couple of posts in is a book I've read twice. But I've never come across anyone else that has.Good choice but not as good as the similar (ish) Forge of God by Greg Bear. The sequel, Anvil of Stars, is even better. One of my favourites.
Lurking Lawyer said:
But then that describes most film adaptations!
Very true. Although, having said that, I thought the 1st series of Man in the High Castle was better than the original PDK book. I've not watched the 2nd series though as I sort of lost interest.
(I realise that a TV series has more scope to expand on things than a film does, though)
nick heppinstall said:
Fade Out by patrick Tilley
Oh, I remember that one. It's a "cozy catastrophe" / "Failure of modern technology" apocalyptic story of mankind being conquered by extraterrestrials if I remember rightly?I read it years ago.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Tuesday 27th March 21:14
Guvernator said:
From what I've seen in the trailers and read about the film, it definately seems as if they've dropped some of the more obscure\nerdy references or replaced them with stuff that will be more recognisable by a wider audience. It's Speilberg though so I'm still hopeful it will be watchable.
So that's what Will Wheaton is up to these days!
What will they hav dropped?So that's what Will Wheaton is up to these days!
JonChalk said:
ZedLeg said:
I've just started reading Iain M Banks books.
I'd never picked any up before because I didn't like the not Sci-Fi stuff of his that I'd read but I impulse bought The Algebraist and Consider Phlebas from a charity shop and have enjoyed them both.
Does anyone have any recommendations for particularly good ones? I may just start picking up whatever I see when I'm out and about.
Leave Feersumm Endjinn until last. Not because it's bad, but because it's different and takes some concentration in places.I'd never picked any up before because I didn't like the not Sci-Fi stuff of his that I'd read but I impulse bought The Algebraist and Consider Phlebas from a charity shop and have enjoyed them both.
Does anyone have any recommendations for particularly good ones? I may just start picking up whatever I see when I'm out and about.
I loved it, but can see why others don't.
Halb said:
What will they hav dropped?
The book contains some rather obscure references to 80's games and movies which modern movie goer's just won't get. It looks like they've changed some of those to more modern pop culture stuff to make it more accessible which is kind of understandable in a way I guess.Guvernator said:
The book contains some rather obscure references to 80's games and movies which modern movie goer's just won't get. It looks like they've changed some of those to more modern pop culture stuff to make it more accessible which is kind of understandable in a way I guess.
I hope they haven't gotten rid of Joust?OverSteery said:
I may have missed it (there are a lot of pages to this thread now), but has no one mentioned Dark Eden (trilogy) by Chris Beckett yet?
Its another Arthur C. Clarke Award winner and well worth a go.
Hadn't realised there was a third one. I thought the first book was very well done, bought the second but not read it yet. Its another Arthur C. Clarke Award winner and well worth a go.
Guvernator said:
The book contains some rather obscure references to 80's games and movies which modern movie goer's just won't get. It looks like they've changed some of those to more modern pop culture stuff to make it more accessible which is kind of understandable in a way I guess.
THat's a shame, references to 80s stuff is what would ha e made me go see the film.plasticpig said:
I hope they haven't gotten rid of Joust?
I'm pretty sure that will be out for a couple of reasons.1) Most people won't have heard of a pretty obscure video game from the 80's
2) In the book he plays it for hours to progress in the quest, how do you represent that on screen while keeping it interesting for viewers? I suspect it will be replaced by some big set piece, possibly the race we see in the trailers.
As I said the book is brilliant for nerds who grew up in the 70's\80's but probably not so accessible for others which is why they will be probably be making some major changes to it.
Guvernator said:
plasticpig said:
I hope they haven't gotten rid of Joust?
I'm pretty sure that will be out for a couple of reasons.1) Most people won't have heard of a pretty obscure video game from the 80's
2) In the book he plays it for hours to progress in the quest, how do you represent that on screen while keeping it interesting for viewers? I suspect it will be replaced by some big set piece, possibly the race we see in the trailers.
As I said the book is brilliant for nerds who grew up in the 70's\80's but probably not so accessible for others which is why they will be probably be making some major changes to it.
Apologies for the hijack...
Have a question about the Three Body Problem series & had a quick skim through this thread, saw that the books had been mentioned but could't see this explained anywhere...
Just finished Dark Forest (book 2) & something didn't make sense to me (ok, I'm no physicist, philosopher or astronomer, but that aside...)...If earth's access to quantum research had been denied, how did they build the starship fleet during Ji's hibernation? Was quantum research never needed to produce a fusion powered fleet on/off earth? Seemed like the obvious conclusion, but...surely the trisolarans would know that & block fusion research too...What've I missed?
Good series though - thoroughly enjoying & looking forward to the 3rd.
Chs, CF
Have a question about the Three Body Problem series & had a quick skim through this thread, saw that the books had been mentioned but could't see this explained anywhere...
Just finished Dark Forest (book 2) & something didn't make sense to me (ok, I'm no physicist, philosopher or astronomer, but that aside...)...If earth's access to quantum research had been denied, how did they build the starship fleet during Ji's hibernation? Was quantum research never needed to produce a fusion powered fleet on/off earth? Seemed like the obvious conclusion, but...surely the trisolarans would know that & block fusion research too...What've I missed?
Good series though - thoroughly enjoying & looking forward to the 3rd.
Chs, CF
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