The Book Was Better

Graham Elder

October 9, 2020 – 6 min read

Invariably, when a book is developed into a movie or a television show, pronouncements are made as to whether or not said moving picture lived up to expectations. “Was it as good as the book?” Over the course of the pandemic, I’ve taken it upon myself to compare and contrast a variety of novels that have either been turned into full length feature films or more protracted Netflix-type series, or sometimes both. Some of these were featured on our twodocswriting Instagram page. Here is a rundown of my top ten, in no particular order, accompanied by brief reviews and recommendations. Feel free to comment! 

1. The Shining

I read the book and then, within days, watched the movie (again, but it had been decades). I was prepping for a new medical thriller/horror book my writing partner and I were developing at the time, and no one does it like Stephen King. The Shining is a modern-day masterpiece of horror literature. Hollywood rarely gets the it right, but, in some ways, they did here (or, at least, Stanley Kubrick got it right). The movie has a number of iconic scenes and lines, as does the book. Apparently, King hated this movie adaptation, and I can see why; some definite liberties were taken with the characters and plot. My take is that both are excellent, but different. This is one of those cases where each creation stands on its own, just don’t try to compare them.

2. The Silence of the Lambs

It doesn’t get much better than this. More preparation for the development of a medical thriller. The book gives you insight into what’s going through Clarice’s head as she tracks down Buffalo Bill and questions Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The movie gives you unforgettable images. The book and movie go together like a butterfly and a cocoon. Brilliant.

3. Watchmen

This is a Hugo award winning graphic novel that takes the idea of comic books as literature to a whole new level. Check it out if you’re looking for something fun and different to read and you like tying together multimedia (HBO series streaming now and movie adaptation from 2009). Zack Snyder (Wonder Woman, 300) directed the movie and did an excellent job recreating the dark feelings of the graphic novel including The Tales of the Black Freighter side story. It’s an alternate take on superheroes much like “The Boys” on Amazon Prime. Be aware, this is nothing like the Marvel Comic Universe.

4. Ready Player One 

The 2011 brainchild and debut Sci Fi novel by Ernest Cline. A friend strongly suggested I read it, and when I was done all I could think about was, I wish I’d written that. It’s an absolute fun read. If you were alive in the 80’s, it’s a great walk down memory lane. Steven Spielberg directed the 2018 movie and, while I understand there was a lot of material to cover, this, to my mind, was an example of a great book with a frustrating film adaption. Visually spectacular, as you’d expect from Spielberg, but where was Ultraman? And while the book devoted a huge plot point to Rush’s 2112 record [I immediately ordered the vinyl online– it would seem there was a great gap in my childhood musical learnings], all it warranted in the movie was the vinyl cover tacked to a bedroom wall (look for it). Still, fun blast from the 80’s past. 

5. The Book Thief

The genius work of Marcus Zusak published in 2005 and featuring Death as the narrator. Yes, that Death. A brilliant plot device that, as a writer, leaves you thinking, Damn, I wish I’d thought of that. The protagonist (Liesel) is a young girl who befriends a Jewish man during WW2 in a small town in Germany. She keeps him hidden in a cold dirty basement for 22 months, making a 14-day Covid quarantine at home look like a sunny Sunday walk in the park. Beautifully written book with a spot-on-faithful 2013 film adaptation. Highly recommend both. 

6. The Handmaid’s Tale

I was catching up on my dystopian classics and realized somehow this one had eluded me over the years. Margaret Atwood has a very distinct writing style that, I gather from various discussions, doesn’t appeal to everyone. Her background is in poetry which I suspect contributes, since poetry falls flat for many. This novel is incredibly evocative and beautifully written – you often feel the scene more than visualize it. Highly recommended, but, perhaps, not for everyone. The Netflix adaptation is award winning and very true to the book. I’m not sure much is gained by reading the book beyond getting a better feeling of the dystopian society and the hopelessness and despair of the protagonists who live there. If you want the full trifecta multimedia experience, check out Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass course on creative writing for some added pearls on the creation of The Handmaid’s Tale.

7. The Man in the High Castle

I reversed my engines here, watching the four seasons on Amazon Prime first and then reading the book. The book won a Hugo in 1963, and the TV series (2015-19) won several awards during its run. Both excellent but similar only in the premise and some characters. So, in many ways very different, but also very complementary. It felt like the TV series was filling in some empty spaces that the book, at 240 pages, never had an opportunity to explore. I needed to go online to figure out the multiple meanings of the book’s ending, so also fairly complex. If you like the concept of parallel universes, this is something you can really sink your teeth into.

8. Altered Carbon

This novel won all th sci fi awards in 2001 for good reason; it’s an amazing descent into a dark and futuristic steampunk world. Wonderfully written with an amazing storyline. The 10 episode Netflix series does it faithful justice, although with enough plot twists to still keep a reader guessing. Check out both. Season 2 is streaming now.

9. Neuromancer

I’m cheating a little bit here, since Neuromancer, the movie, hasn’t quite hit the screens yet. William Gibson published Neuromancer in 1984 (an auspicious year for dystopian society literature!) and is best known for coining the term “Cyberspace.” That is, he wrote it before anyone else ever said it (amazing!). It was a debut effort that was also the first novel ever to win the Hugo, Phillip K. Dick and Nebula awards (more amazing!!). It’s one of the best-known works in the cyberpunk genre and I’ve no doubt Richard Morgan of Altered Carbon fame was influenced by it, as were the Wachowski sisters (previously brothers) who wrote the Matrix trilogy. Truth be told, though, after reading it, I went online to clarify something, and the first comment I came across was, “It was really hard to follow.” I couldn’t agree more; it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on. I suspect this has contributed to the protracted delay in its becoming a major motion picture which has been “in development” for over a decade. Below is a link to a trailer from 2014. I guess only Cyberspace knows if and when Neuromancer will hit the big screens. Stay tuned …

10. The One

A little more cheating with another book that’s coming soon to Netflix. My writing partner suggested this one and with good reason [sidebar: for those of us wanting to spend our limited free time wisely, it’s very helpful to have a writing partner and friend who is a reading machine. Check out her previous blog:https://www.twodocswriting.com/found-a-library-in-my-pocket/ for some quality reading recommendations]. The premise of 2017’s The One is that, through a simple mouth swab and genetic test, every person on the planet can be matched to their soulmate. The plot follows five couples including a detective matched to a serial killer. Very entertaining speculative psychological thriller that’s definitely worth picking up.

 That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.