Doppelgangers, Werewolves and Vampires, Oh My!
If you follow me on twitter at all, you know that I am completely in love with the series The Vampire Diaries that comes on the CW.
It's a show about vampires. duh. that meet a girl named Elena. There's a catch though. She looks exactly like someone from their past. You can imagine the craziness that can ensue. I won't tell you much more because I don't want to spoil it.
This obsession came as a total shock. I literally started watching it because my friend Ashley from Being Ashley was talking to me about it. I figured it would be a good show to have on in the background while I studied or cleaned or something like that. The first few episodes were exactly like that then it happened. The acting got better, the lines got better and the storyline got deeper and I was hooked.
Team Damon in case you were wondering. Seriously, let's just die at his good looks for a minute.
But today, I'm not here to talk about the tv show series, although that's probably what you thought. Like just about anything these days, there is also a vampire diaries book series.
Typically, the rule of thumb at least for me is that the book is going to be better than the tv show or movie. So, of course I was interested in the books. Now, someone gave me book 1 and book 2 years ago and I had actually started book 1 and didn't like it so I gave them away to a friend because she was interested.
Since I was so in to the show, I did a little research on the book series. The author is L.J. Smith and the first three were actually written in 1991. Then, pressure from readers caused the fourth book to be written.
Knowing this, I can actually kind of forgive the book series. A lot of the vampire powers and just, the overall mythology of the books is a little outdated and not like any other vampire things we are used to. Prior to this, my favorite vampire related anything was Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and it still kicks any other vampire-lore's butts) which was still created after The Vampire Diaries book series.
Side note: If you're interested in why Buffy is so special and my favorite of all time, leave me a comment and I will try to write a post for you!
In 2007, a new trilogy, written from Damon's point of view was written and another trilogy is being written and released now.
After that third trilogy (still with me?) the book series will continue with a ghost writer. Uh. Oh. I do not like ghost writers at all.
Back to what I thought of the books though, because you probably don't care about all of this.
I decided to give the books another try read the second and third one on vacation recently. I skipped the first one because I honestly assumed I'd be repeating what I had already seen on tv and it seemed like the 2nd picked up at an important event in the tv series.
They are nothing like the tv series. Let me repeat.
They are nothing like the tv series.
That may be one of the reasons I do not like the books. We'll never know. Honestly, I feel like the tv series is much more well done and the storyline is just better. I don't really think the characters are that developed in the books but I will admit that most of my hang ups are the fact that it is so different and in my opinion, not in a good way.
That being said, since this was a book series written in 1991, when teen fiction was a lot different than it is today, I'm sure it was a great book of it's time.
20 years later, I'm glad it was remade into an excellent tv series.
If you are one of those people that like to read books before seeing the movie/tv show, please do not read the book series and then not give the show a chance too. The two really are separate beasts with the same name.
(I would go into why they are so different, but that would be spoiling it, and we all know how evil that is.)
Have you read the book series? Watched the tv show?
What do you think of either?
Have you met this amazing blogger?
11 comments:
LOVE the show but glad I didn't even attempt to read the books! haha I thought about it but you talked me out of it :)
Thanks for the honest review!
I used to love the series, but I just stopped watching it with the whole baby plot thing... it just weirded me out too much!
& I had tried to read the books, but I had to stop around the 4th because there were too many gaping plot holes :P
I LOVE the TV show. It's my favorite show right now. I read the books about a year ago because I loved the show I figured I'd enjoy the books as well. I was wrong. I didn't like the books at all. I'm with you on the underdeveloped characters. I also agree that the TV shows storyline is much better. I only read the original 3 (or 4-can't remember). That was enough for me!
I remember when I was a HUGE fan of the show but it seriously just got so freakin complicated I could barely remember what had happened in the last episode. And I'm pretty sure I read the first 2 books and started the third but I was never a huge fan of them.
I LOVE Buffy. PLEASE write a post. Plus, there are plenty of amazing gifs that you can use.
I thought about reading the books, but then I read the first chapter online for free and decided otherwise. I could barely get through the first bit, so I think I'll just stick with the show ;)
I'm on the opposite side! I always end up reading books way before they become tv shows and then hate the show because they aren't the same. I did this with Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl! I've been meaning to try them both again this summer on Netflix. Hopefully I can put the books out of my head and just enjoy the show for what it is. I did enjoy the beginning of Vampire Diaries before the plot started straying.
I love VD!!!! I yet to have read the books though! I'm got so many on my list to read. :) When the show comes back on you should link up on my blog on Tuesday's to talk about it!!!
So in love with the Vampire Diaries! Probably one of the best shows on tv - the acting and story are amazing, and I love that never hesitate to kill off a main character. I read the first two books, well, actually I gave up 3/4 of the way through the second book. Snore. Oh, and Team Damon all the way! :)
I haven't watched this one! But I'm always looking for another good series to get addicted to, so I'll need to add it to the DVR list!
Kelly @ View Along the Way
Omg I love the Vampire Diaries! I haven't had a chance to read the books but I want to check them out.
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