Shannara coming to television

[Conan46]

Maybe in years to come we will look back on this TV series and it will be one of those: It's so bad it's good things?

[Ken Maltby]

I used to look at all the great Science Fiction and Fantasy stories and think how much I wished Hollywood would turn them into great movies. Now ... I have to give that idea a little more consideration. They had the author available, and still they had to make it into something that added distractions away from the factors that make this kind of story work. I don't think they left out or did a bad job of creating the Fantasy elements, just that they seem headed in the direction of laying on the other, modern young persons view of the world, way to heavily. But it is MTV.

Luck;
Ken
(Resident Old-Fogey, I guess)

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Conan46

Maybe in years to come we will look back on this TV series and it will be one of those: It's so bad it's good things?

Oh, I'm there right now! I admit I wanted the show to be better, but I'm not getting worked up over it. The books are not ruined, my nostalgic memories of the stories remain quite intact. In fact, it's my history and intimate knowledge of the source material that has made the viewing of this show extremely entertaining for me. It's so hilariously bad at times, that it feels like parody. I won't miss a single "shirt off", "knife to the throat", "redshirt-esque elv(i|e)n guard death,", "steamy hot tub", or "Li'l Elphan Annie" moment of it!

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Oh, I'm there right now! I admit I wanted the show to be better, but I'm not getting worked up over it. The books are not ruined, my nostalgic memories of the stories remain quite intact. In fact, it's my history and intimate knowledge of the source material that has made the viewing of this show extremely entertaining for me. It's so hilariously bad at times, that it feels like parody. I won't miss a single "shirt off", "knife to the throat", "redshirt-esque elv(i|e)n guard death,", "steamy hot tub", or "Li'l Elphan Annie" moment of it!

Truly, they should have just made it a full on comedy, or parody of everything silly found in epic fantasy stories

[Conan46]

Regarding this recent episode: "travesty" "train wreck" "too painful to watch". I'm convinced Mr. Brooks has gone senile if he thinks this was a good idea, and maybe insane if actually thought this series was good in light of his creation.
The old high school prom scene and varsity jacket was the final straw for me. Campy I can deal with, beyond stupid I cannot accept.

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by Conan46

Regarding this recent episode: "travesty" "train wreck" "too painful to watch". I'm convinced Mr. Brooks has gone senile if he thinks this was a good idea, and maybe insane if actually thought this series was good in light of his creation.
The old high school prom scene and varsity jacket was the final straw for me. Campy I can deal with, beyond stupid I cannot accept.

A few years back, maybe 10 or more, I went to one of Brooks' book signings. There was a Q&A and the impression I got at the time was that it's all about the money for him. He was asked about movie/TV adaptations about his work and basically said, if they pay him for the rights, they can do what they wish. I remember being surprised at the time thinking that he would have more of an attachment to the worlds that he created instead of a "show me the money" attitude. Now, not so much.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Conan46

Regarding this recent episode: "travesty" "train wreck" "too painful to watch". I'm convinced Mr. Brooks has gone senile if he thinks this was a good idea, and maybe insane if actually thought this series was good in light of his creation.

Depends how much they paid him. The primary purpose of being a professional author is to make money, not to produce "great art".

[BretSingleton]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

Impressive trailer for a TV show.

Yeah, too impressive for a trailer show..

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Rich_D

A few years back, maybe 10 or more, I went to one of Brooks' book signings. There was a Q&A and the impression I got at the time was that it's all about the money for him. He was asked about movie/TV adaptations about his work and basically said, if they pay him for the rights, they can do what they wish. I remember being surprised at the time thinking that he would have more of an attachment to the worlds that he created instead of a "show me the money" attitude. Now, not so much.

That jives with what I'm seeing too. He's very polite, and will stay until the last fan's last books are signed, but I don't get the feeling he's really "in love" with his own work, to tell the truth. In a very recent interview about the show, he indicated that one of the reasons that the collaboration between himself and the show writers/runners went so smoothly was that, "I wrote the book 30 years ago and have since let go of it." Continuity issues in later books lead me to believe that he's not really all that up to speed on his own canon, either. Statements in recent show interviews confirm that (for me anyway).

Which is fine. I don't begrudge the guy his right to make coin, but I don't think he's been particularly honest about his level of involvement with the show (which was sold as him making sure they didn't take too many liberties with his story).

Since the show's announcement, hardcore fans of Terry's books have worried that MTV would butcher it. We were assured (through statements from Terry himself or his online surrogate) that Terry was working diligently to make sure that didn't happen. That he retained, and used, creative veto rights. That he read and approved of every scene of every episode. That the story remained intact. "Trust in Terry" was the mantra that was used for over a year.

Apparently that was all horse-puckey. Terry's just being a good "team player" and taking the heat for the massive (pointless) deviations and cheesy ridiculousness that MTV ultimately came up with. He used his huge fanbase as a markeing tool to spread the word about a show that he knew damn well was going to alienate those very same fans when they saw it.

This production never intended to please the book's fanbase. Not even a little bit. Which is a shame since that huge, dedicated fanbase is one of the big reasons a movie/television adaptation was so attractive to a production company in the first place.

We got played. Congrats on a great game Mr. Brooks.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Depends how much they paid him. The primary purpose of being a professional author is to make money, not to produce "great art".

While I don't disagree, I think Terry Brooks is in a position in which money is not a big problem. He is also over 70, and has been writing fantasy for nearly 40 years... he as been writing for longer than I have been alive. Like his works or not, he was one of the earliest mainstream fantasy writers; he helped define the mainstream fantasy genre as we know it today.

If I were in his position, you'd better make the show meticulously follow the book (also because it is one of the most well-liked of his works, and maybe even an icon in the fantasy genre), or there wouldn't be an adaptation at all, regardless of the amount of money offered.

First, I thought that this show could become a favorite. Then I thought it was just OK. That turned to dislike, and I have a feeling that I might classify it under 'travesty' after watching the latest episode.

Originally Posted by Rich_D

A few years back, maybe 10 or more, I went to one of Brooks' book signings. There was a Q&A and the impression I got at the time was that it's all about the money for him. He was asked about movie/TV adaptations about his work and basically said, if they pay him for the rights, they can do what they wish. I remember being surprised at the time thinking that he would have more of an attachment to the worlds that he created instead of a "show me the money" attitude. Now, not so much.

Pity. I would have hoped him to be of a different character.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That jives with what I'm seeing too. He's very polite, and will stay until the last fan's last books are signed, but I don't get the feeling he's really "in love" with his own work, to tell the truth. In a very recent interview about the show, he indicated that one of the reasons that the collaboration between himself and the show writers/runners went so smoothly was that, "I wrote the book 30 years ago and have since let go of it." Continuity issues in later books lead me to believe that he's not really all that up to speed on his own canon, either. Statements in recent show interviews confirm that (for me anyway).

Hm... so I wasn't the only one. I've just finished Dark Legacy of Shannara, and the one thing that struck me was that they were talking about the "Third Druid Council" all the time. That can't be right.

We have had these high druids:
1. Galaphile
2. Athabasca (First King of Shannara)
3. Allanon
4. Walker Boh
5. Grianne Ohmsford
6. Khyber Elessedil
(7. Aphenglow Elessedil in The Defenders of Shannara? Don't know yet.)

The only way to talk about a 3rd druid council is when you're talking about the ones after Allanon and disregard the earlier ones.

Also, the high druids are dying younger and younger. Galaphile was hundreds of years old. Athabasca was killed, but Bremen (the should-have-been-High Druid druid) was hundreds of years old. Cogline was even older. He was there, at the time of Galaphile, and he was still around to instruct Walker Boh as a mentor. Allanon also went on to become over 700 years, but with Walker Boh, Druid lifespans suddenly dropped to sub-150, and in the latest books, there were statements that "Druids that old couldn't stand up to the forces of evil anymore."

And that's only one of the things; sometimes I encounter mentions of "X centuries before", where I thought it should have been something like X + 3 or so if I got my counting right.

Since the show's announcement, hardcore fans of Terry's books have worried that MTV would butcher it. We were assured (through statements from Terry himself or his online surrogate) that Terry was working diligently to make sure that didn't happen. That he retained, and used, creative veto rights. That he read and approved of every scene of every episode. That the story remained intact. "Trust in Terry" was the mantra that was used for over a year.

And people believed it. How long has he been busy getting Shannara to be adapted; 15 years or so? Shawn Speakman ("Webdruid") also said on the forums that Terry would only sell the rights if he was 100% sure that the story would be faithfully adapted. Seeing negotiations break down and rights expire for a few times, I (and other fans as well, probably) believed it.

Apparently that was all horse-puckey. (...)

We got played. Congrats on a great game Mr. Brooks.

I think it's disrespectful, even.

Just as it is disrespectful (IMHO) to take a well-loved book (Elfstones), add some stuff from other books (High Druid in the Forbidding), with a tiny bit of sauce (search for the missing Elfstones), and then stretch it out over three books. Dark Legacy is just a rehash of many things that were done before.

Not badly written per se, but if you have been reading Brooks since the beginning, you have already seen everything that comes along in Dark Legacy.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

While I don't disagree, I think Terry Brooks is in a position in which money is not a big problem. He is also over 7, and has been writing fantasy for nearly 40 years... he as been writing for longer than I have been alive. Like his works or not, he was one of the earliest mainstream fantasy writers; he helped define the mainstream fantasy genre as we know it today.

Perhaps that's precisely the reason. He is, as you say, over 70 (he's 72, in fact), so perhaps he felt that now was the time to make his pile from TV while he's still around to enjoy it? I fully accept (and agree with) all the points that you, and other posters here, have made about artistic integrity, but this is a book he wrote over 30 years ago, and it's sold pretty much all the copies it's going to sell. Make the most of the residual value it has in terms of TV rights.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

but this is a book he wrote over 30 years ago, and it's sold pretty much all the copies it's going to sell. Make the most of the residual value it has in terms of TV rights.

Not to mention the new versions of the books that have been rebranded as "Chronicles of Shannara" adorned with covers featuring the current cast of the TV show. The MTVers who've never heard of the author/books are buying them up I hear. It could be a very lucrative move he's made. But I can't help but view it as trading the dedication of your current fanbase for a brand new fanbase. Smart maybe... but perhaps a little cold. I can't help but think the new fans of the show are going to be little disappointed when they find that none of the sexiness of the show came from the source material.

[Katsunami]

(Crap. Why are so many letters dropping out? I just hope I'm just not yet fully used to this new laptop's keyboard...)

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Not to mention the new versions of the books that have been rebranded as "Chronicles of Shannara" adorned with covers featuring the current cast of the TV show.

Really? Is it true? Are the released?!

I'm going to make another backup of my current versions

The MTVers who've never heard of the author/books are buying them up I hear. It could be a very lucrative move he's made.

But in that case....

But I can't help but view it as trading the dedication of your current fanbase for a brand new fanbase. Smart maybe... but perhaps a little cold. I can't help but think the new fans of the show are going to be little disappointed when they find that none of the sexiness of the show came from the source material.

Yeah, that.