Shannara coming to television

[Turtle91]

^^^ +1

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There is, however, a significant difference between "using certain plot conventions", and using the same story, point for point, which is what Brooks did. I read "The Sword of Shannara" soon after it first came out in 1977, and even I, as a teenager, instantly recognised that it was a rip-off of LOTR. It really is that blatant, to my mind.

One can take any two stories in the same sub-genre and find a whole bunch of similar plot situations, especially if one is looking for them. For example, trying to compare the Mist Wright with the Barrow-wight is a huge stretch. Many of the other comparisons listed in the wiki article are at best superficial. Balinor isn't remotely like Boromir. I could go on. Yes, it obviously inspired by LOTR, but that doesn't make it a rip-off. I still spot plot devices and locations that were obviously lifted from LOTR in all sorts of books. It's what authors do. That's one of the reasons you can't copyright plot devices.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

One can take any two stories in the same sub-genre and find a whole bunch of similar plot situations, especially if one is looking for them. For example, trying to compare the Mist Wright with the Barrow-wight is a huge stretch. Many of the other comparisons listed in the wiki article are at best superficial. Balinor isn't remotely like Boromir. I could go on. Yes, it obviously inspired by LOTR, but that doesn't make it a rip-off. I still spot plot devices and locations that were obviously lifted from LOTR in all sorts of books. It's what authors do. That's one of the reasons you can't copyright plot devices.

We must agree to differ.

Back to the original point, though, I'm sure that it is the (real or otherwise) similarity between "The Sword of Shannara" and LOTR that was at least partially responsible for the decision to start the TV series with "Elfstones", and I think that was a good decision to make. "Elfstones" is a very good book indeed.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Back to the original point, though, I'm sure that it is the (real or otherwise) similarity between "The Sword of Shannara" and LOTR that was at least partially responsible for the decision to start the TV series with "Elfstones", and I think that was a good decision to make. "Elfstones" is a very good book indeed.

Agreed. No reason to set yourself up for a comparison that WILL be made (as the past has proven) when it's not entirely necessary to start with that book. Eldon Thompson wrote a screenplay starting with Elfstones that Warner Brothers optioned, but never greenlit, for the very same reasons. Any Shannara screen (big or small) adaptation project has gone with the assumption that "It's a LoTR Clone" could be an immediate death-sentence. No sense in risking it when even die-hard fans of the books like the second one better (and it's fairly self-contained anyway).

[Ravensknight]

If this is on the same level as the Sword of Truth tv series [Journey of the Seeker I think it was branded?], then I'm not holding my breath.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Ravensknight

If this is on the same level as the Sword of Truth tv series [Journey of the Seeker I think it was branded?], then I'm not holding my breath.

They have some pretty major talent lined up for the series. I definitely don't get the idea that this is some on the cheap attempt with no name actors and cheap special effects.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We must agree to differ.

Back to the original point, though, I'm sure that it is the (real or otherwise) similarity between "The Sword of Shannara" and LOTR that was at least partially responsible for the decision to start the TV series with "Elfstones", and I think that was a good decision to make. "Elfstones" is a very good book indeed.

Fair enough.

It certainly could be. I would say though that the comparison they are trying to avoid would be to the movie version of LOTR rather than the original book. Any TV series will end up second best when compared to the level of a major motion picture.

I need to go back and re-read the Elfstones, it's been a long, long time since I've read it and I do remember liking it more than I liked the original Sword book. I re-read the Sword within the last year. While it's certainly no LOTR, it was an enjoyable read. I bought the Sword of Shannara ebook from the Sony ebook store way back when. I don't think that it was available on Amazon at the time.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

They have some pretty major talent lined up for the series. I definitely don't get the idea that this is some on the cheap attempt with no name actors and cheap special effects.

MTV has thrown tons of money at this thing. I have no idea if the acting or the ensemble rapport will be up to snuff, but if this thing fails, it won't be for lack of trying (or spending).

But in all fairness, Legend of the Seeker wasn't really all that "cheap" as far as these things go. It was like 1.5M per episode. So money's no guarantee.

[Katsunami]

Finally. This has been brewing one way or another for close to 15 years. I've known a long time of the MTV series already (at least for about 3 years), but was wondering if had been stopped again, just as before.

Good choice to start with Elfstones. If there was one Shannara book I'd like to see made into a movie or a series, it would be that one. I only hope they make Will Ohmsford a stronger and less naive character, so he doesn't have to have his *** saved by Eretria constantly. That would make Eretria *a lot* less smug and annoying in one go as well. I'd like to see her as a supporting character, helping Will Ohmsford, instead of an annoying sidekick the main hero doesn't want to have around.

I think the ending of Elfstones is touching, tragic and beautiful all at the same time.

John Rhys-Davies as Eventine? Funny. From a 1600-ish ship pilot (Rodriguez, in Shogun) to being a Dwarf, finally to become an Elf. How's that for a career path?

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Twenty-seven Shannara books and counting, with twenty-seven non-LoTR-like conclusions, and twenty-six non-LoTR-like beginnings and middles; yet someone always wants to dwell on the first two-thirds of the very first book of a burgeoning fantasy author who didn't quite have his feet under him yet (and recognized it).

Starting from there, Terry Brooks has become the second best selling still living fantasy author after J.K. Rowling (1) (2) (3...).

Still, Brooks is often burned to the ground and ends up on the "Worst Fantasy Ever" lists, together with other writers from the eighties (David Eddings, R.A. Salvatore), with the phrase "this is just run off the mill fantasy".

It might be so now, but it wasn't in the eighties. Back then, you had Lord of the Rings, and then... uh... nothing. Not in that style, at least.

Spoiler:

(I do have to agree that David Eddings became more and more repetitive after The Malloreon. The Belgariad and Malloreon had The Orb (blue) and its counterpart, The Sardion (red); then The Elenium and The Tamuli had Bhelliom (also blue) with Klael as counterpart (also red, IIRC), Garion fights Torak, Sparhawk fights Azash... and so on, but they where at least different stories. The high point of Edding's repetitiveness was The Dreamers, essentially writing the same book four times.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Finally. This has been brewing one way or another for close to 15 years. I've known a long time of the MTV series already (at least for about 3 years), but was wondering if had been stopped again, just as before.

Good choice to start with Elfstones. If there was one Shannara book I'd like to see made into a movie or a series, it would be that one. I only hope they make Will Ohmsford a stronger and less naive character, so he doesn't have to have his *** saved by Eretria constantly. That would make Eretria *a lot* less smug and annoying in one go as well. I'd like to see her as a supporting character, helping Will Ohmsford, instead of an annoying sidekick the main hero doesn't want to have around.

I think the ending of Elfstones is touching, tragic and beautiful all at the same time.

John Rhys-Davies as Eventine? Funny. From a 1600-ish ship pilot (Rodriguez, in Shogun) to being a Dwarf, finally to become an Elf. How's that for a career path?


Starting from there, Terry Brooks has become the second best selling still living fantasy author after J.K. Rowling (1) (2) (3...).

Still, Brooks is often burned to the ground and ends up on the "Worst Fantasy Ever" lists, together with other writers from the eighties (David Eddings, R.A. Salvatore), with the phrase "this is just run off the mill fantasy".

It might be so now, but it wasn't in the eighties. Back then, you had Lord of the Rings, and then... uh... nothing. Not in that style, at least.

Spoiler:

(I do have to agree that David Eddings became more and more repetitive after The Malloreon. The Belgariad and Malloreon had The Orb (blue) and its counterpart, The Sardion (red); then The Elenium and The Tamuli had Bhelliom (also blue) with Klael as counterpart (also red, IIRC), Garion fights Torak, Sparhawk fights Azash... and so on, but they where at least different stories. The high point of Edding's repetitiveness was The Dreamers, essentially writing the same book four times.

I'm skeptical about Brooks being the second best fantasy author of all time. Both LOTR and The Hobbit are over 140 million. The figures that I see for Brooks show him selling around 21 million total. A lot of books for sure and makes him a fairly wealthy man, but well below Rowling (350 million total), Tolkien (300 million), Lewis (120 million), Pratchett (55 million) and Jordan (44 million).

btw - good point John Rhys-Davies. He's been in a lot of hit movies. LOTR, Indiana Jones to name a couple.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Hmm, the production team has good SF&F cred but, MTV?
Most odd.

The acronym "MTV" really just stands for "Mostly TV". I suspect that being on MTV, it will be aimed at the adolescent view of the world. It could be charming to grown-ups or something that will kill the spirit. Too early to tell.

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

The acronym "MTV" really just stands for "Mostly TV". I suspect that being on MTV, it will be aimed at the adolescent view of the world. It could be charming to grown-ups or something that will kill the spirit. Too early to tell.

Well, they could film Terry Brooks' material with a musical score.
Then it would fit MTV better.

Make it a doo-wop theme.

Sha Na Narra, Sha Na Na Na Narra....

[ottdmk]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that a major reason they're starting with Elfstones is that it has female characters. Sword doesn't have any.

[Dopedangel]

I could never get into the first book is of maybe handful of books that I have stopped reading halfway. When I was reading the book I had itch in the back of my mind that I had read this before and could never get into it. Now that LOTR has been mentioned I guess that was the reason.

[murg]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I'm skeptical about Brooks being the second best fantasy author of all time.

Maybe you should have read Katsunami's post...

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Starting from there, Terry Brooks has become the second best selling still living fantasy author after J.K. Rowling (1) (2) (3...).