The newest Sookie Stackhouse is out. Just in time for season two of True Blood.
I enjoyed Dead and Gone more than the last Stackhouse novel, which I thought had too much crammed in there. There's still plenty going on but it felt more manageable. I'll keep it vague to avoid spoilers - the shifters including werewolves come out and no shock, not everyone's happy. Sookie is also drawn into a growing conflict involving her grandfather.
There's intrigue, mystery, danger and a little bit of romance. All the things I look for in a Sookie Stackhouse novel.
Speaking of drama -- True Blood season two is on HBO. I've been taping it but am reluctant to watch. I fear I may be disappointed. I thought last season veered too much of the book. I'm understand wanting to add subplots, but I felt the characters that they fleshed out were made too one dimensional. I'll just say it, Tara annoyed me.
I always get excited when a book I enjoy is turned into a movie/ tv series, but that excitement inevitably turns into disappointment when I see the final product. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe books are too nuanced to successfully translate onto the screen. Or perhaps my expectations are too high. Recent disappointments: True Blood. I had really high expectations for HBO's series, which is based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I was irritated that there wasn't more Sookie. While there were some quotes/ passages lifted directly from the book, there were new subplots that weren't in the book. I understand the need to pad the book a little, but at the same time felt that the weakness of the subplots were due to how one dimensional the characters were.
I was particularly peeved with the ending. In the book, Bill is not brought before the tribunal for killing another vampire. Rather he's away securing his position amongst the New Orleans vampires to have more independence from Eric and he does not try and rescue Sookie from the killer. He's out of town.
Silver lining: If more people are reading Charlaine Harris because of this show, that makes me happy. I also discovered Octavia Butler as a result of the documentaries HBO did before the show. (Seeing Stephen Root aka Jimmy James on tv is also a plus!)
Twilight. I just felt like it really didn't capture the essence of the book and rather came off as kind of cheesy. The low-budget special effects and giggling teenage girls might have distracted me. I also wasn't crazy about the makeup job for Edward and the music was slightly grating.
Some movies really capture a book ... Antonement, A&E's Pride & Prejudice and Masterpiece Theater's Jane Eyre and Anne of Green Gables. But the clunkers are what stand out. I still wonder if the people involved with Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont ever read the novel they "based" their movie on.
Maybe a book's appeal lies in the fact that your imagination shapes what you read. After creating an image of the characters and becoming emotionally attached, it's difficult to accept someone else's vision. Perhaps the magic of books can't be captured in a tv series or movie. Doesn't mean I'll stop going to the movies though, I'm just resigned to that fact that I'll probably leave the theater feeling let down.
Do you have a favorite movie adaptation or a real stinker you can't get out of your mind?
So, I'm sticking with True Blood but mostly at this point for the hope that it will actually achieve it's full potential and because I love the Sookie Stackhouse books so much.
Maybe I'm too literal but I find it jarring how one minute they have dialog verbatim from the book and the next minute they're adding subplots that aren't in any of the books. I don't if they felt they had to pad it because the first book was too short for a whole season.
Things that annoy me:
The Tara subplot - don't know why they have to make Tara so grating and abrasive when in the books she's actually successful and owns her own clothing store. The unrequited love for Jason... yeah, that's never been done before. And sleeping with Sam, ugh, do NOT get me started.
V juice - Yes people drink vampire blood and its sold on the black market. Last week's episode with Jason drinking a whole vial of vampire blood to me was ridiculous and over the top.
Sookie's abilities - Yes Sookie can read people's minds, but it's only explicitly acknowledged by a few people. For the most part, Sookie tries to downplay her ability and others attempt to live in a state of denial about it.
That said, the actor who plays Bill is growing on me and I think Anna Paquin is great. I also like the feel of the show. There's been some great images and scenes like when Bill wiped his tears and they flashed on his hankerchief with a smear of blood on it.
Wow, that was fast. Only after two episodes, HBO is renewing True Blood. Based on Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels. Regular readers, may recall I have ambivalent feelings. In all fairness, rare is the tv/ movie adaption I like 100 percent.
I have some problems with the series ... it plays a little loose and fast with the novels, I sort of detest the Tara/ best friend subplot. However, I'm hanging in there. I think Anna Paquin is great as Sookie.
* The post title refers to my bitterness about CW's habit of canceling my favorite shows. Oh, bookworm Rory and super sleuth Veronica, tv is not the same without you.
Any True Blood watchers out there. What do you think?
I'm still on the fence about HBO's True Blood, but I don't know if that's because it seems like it's not completely true to the book. I know they probably need to add some elements that aren't in the book, but the Tara subplot is wearing thin on me.
I'm realizing I'm going to have to view separately from the book.However, I am love with these bar glasses. The glasses are from Merlotte's, the bar Sookie works at.
I’ve been lax about blogging this past month; I’ve also been lax about reading. Hopefully, that’s about to change. Just in time to justify subscribing to HBO, True Blood premiered last night!!!
I thought the "documentaries" before hand were interesting. One thing I pondered this summer is how various authors interpret the vampire myth. Reaction to sunlight, Holy Water, crucifixes and vampires vary depending on the author. For instance, Charlaine Harris’ vampires can’t go out in the sunlight and cannot enter someone’s home unless explicitly invited.
Overall, I’m excited about True Blood, which is based on Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels. For the uninitiated, True Blood is the name of the synthetic blood that allows vampires to “come out of the coffin” and openly participate in society. Sookie is a barmaid in a small Louisiana town (she's also telepathic). She becomes enmeshed in the vampire world after meeting Bill.
I’m horribly picky when it comes to movie/ television adoptions. I thought this seemed pretty true to the spirit of the book.
Nit picks first. I did not like how they’ve changed Tara’s character and downplayed Arlene’s. In the first book, Arlene, a fellow waitress/ friend plays a more prominent role. I thought the way they handled Sookie’s telepathy was a little heavy handed. Most of her close friends do not know she can read their minds, they just think there’s something off with her. Although, I can see why HBO went in that direction. Her ability plays a crucial role in the story, but she can’t read her boss Sam’s mind as clearly as other humans (and this will be important later).
I also really can’t picture the actors who play Sam or Bill as these characters. I picture Sam as a little more stocky, with reddish/blonde curly hair. And Bill (pictured left/ played by
Stephen Moyer), for some reason I pictured him with ink black hair and alabaster skin.
After reading the description again I realized I substituted my own image for how the character is really described. I still would have liked to see Henry (Kyle Schmid)from Lifetimes Blood Ties as Bill. I thought he was great in that series, which was based on Tayna Huff’s novels. (BTW: Still not over Lifetime canceling this series. BOOOO)
Now, it probably sounds like I didn’t like the first episode. However, that’s not the case. It’s just that I’ve enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse books so much, that I’m probably way too critical. I think it’s great that someone recognized the potential for these books to be turned into a gripping series. There’s excitement, mystery, romance and the supernatural. They’ve also had some pretty creative ads and seem to be really promoting this series.
HBO, please don’t disappoint me like some other networks cough ::Lifetime:: cough did.
Hmmm… I may just have to check with the lovely folks at RCN to see how much HBO is because… deep breath … True Blood is coming this fall! True Blood is based on Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books.
Anna Paquin is Sookie Stackhouse. Hmmm… the actor who plays Bill was in the Starter Wife. I was picturing a non-blond playing this role. Someone sort of like Rupert Everett.
