7 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book-to-Movie Adaptations I Enjoy

I’ve talked before about why I like some book-to-movie adaptations, but I haven’t talked about which adaptations I enjoy. Time to change that! To narrow it down even more, I’ll specifically be talking about sci-fi fantasy books to movies. There are plenty of contemporary adaptations, but I’ll try to keep this list short-ish.

What I will not be talking about: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I think we can all agree that the former is excellent and the latter (casting excluded) is terrible. Okay, maybe not terrible. Cringe-worthy, maybe? Yeah, let’s go with that. LotR is a work of art in film and book forms, but I’d like to focus on some other noteworthy stories today.

The pros and cons listed apply to the movie adaptations, not their books.

Ender’s Game

Pros: CGI, stellar casting, general plot accuracy, excellent character portrayals

Cons: ending inaccuracy, plot feels rushed after reading the book

Do you ever have those moments where you watch the movie first and it makes sense, and then after you’ve read the book, you re-watch the movie, and the film makes less sense? I had that sensation with Ender’s Game. But as far as films go, the movie still does a great job.

The visual depiction of Battle School along with the battle simulations is stunning. The imaginative portrayal in the movie really helped me where my imagination fell short while reading the book.

I only wish they would have delved more into Ender’s perspective. It started off strong, but as the movie goes along, I felt it lost the connection to the character in favor of wrapping up the plot. If you’re looking for more great character development, I highly recommend the book as well as the rest of the series.

Ender: In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.

 

How to Train Your Dragon (1-3)

Pros: character and dragon designs, intricate world building, characters, dragons

Cons: minor historical inaccuracies, inappropriate references and some problematic relationships

I haven’t actually read all the books yet, though from what I have read, they’re incredibly different in plot and even some characters. From what I gather, the movies have kept the general heart of the story.

That being said, the dragons are awesome, the music is amazing, and Hiccup is incredibly relatable. I really wish I could befriend a Night Fury. I particularly like how the story blends a warrior society like the Vikings with a compassionate intellectual like Hiccup. Then there’s the intricate world building that just gets more dynamic with each film. I haven’t seen any of the spin-off shows yet, but I’ve heard they’re great.

I just don’t care for some of the side characters, especially the twins and Hiccup’s cousin Snotlout. That’s right. His cousin. Am I the only one who finds it disturbing in the third movie that Snotlout starts hitting on Hiccup’s mom? And the movie never addresses it? Come on.

Stoick: With love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but, in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.

 

John Carter of Mars

Pros: great themes, music, and characters

Cons: lack of xenolinguistics

I know this movie didn’t do so well in theaters, but in my family it’s a favorite. We could probably quote the entire thing. I especially like the character development and the element where the girl saves the guy and vice versa several times throughout the movie. Then there’s the dynamic cultures of the “Red Men” and Tharks, and Woola the dog-like monster.

The soundtrack is stellar, and I like to listen to it on its own. Michael Giacchino is one of my favorite composers.

My only complaint is that they skipped over the language aspect rather quickly whereas the first book did not. I understand that viewers may not necessarily want to read subtitles the entire movie, but you don’t just drink a magic potion that helps you understand another language. That’s not how language works, not even in the books.

Dejah Thoris: Most warriors change their metals, but not their heart.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian (Disney, 2005 and 2008)

Pros: amazing music, great casting, stunning CGI

Cons: some inaccuracies, only three adaptations of a seven-book series

I’m not going to talk about Voyage of the Dawn Treader because I’m not actually a fan of the film adaptation. When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first came to theaters, my dad took my brother and I to see it a ton. I remember getting all giddy when the train would chug across England, and I’d get swept away into the beautiful land of Narnia.

Although we didn’t watch Prince Caspian in theaters half as much, I was still in love with the story. Growing up, I went back and forth between Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair being my favorite books. I guess I like the concept of returning to a fantastical world with characters familiar and new.

I particularly liked the casting for Prince Caspian and only wish they would have included Caspian’s nurse. The movie was less lighthearted than the books. Trumpkin lost his sense of humor and didn’t get tossed in the air by Aslan. There was no holiday at the end of the book. In that sense, I think the movie seemed a little more grown up than the books had intended.

Lucy: I wish you’d all stop trying to sound like grow-ups. […]

Trumpkin: I am a grown-up.

 

A Monster Calls

Pros: beautiful art, great casting, incredible themes

Cons: will rip your heart out

I can only watch this movie or read the book at certain times. It’s that intense. But the way it combines CGI with live action reminiscent of the black-and-white sketches in the book is just beautiful. So artistic.

The story itself is so heartbreaking. It doesn’t always make sense, blending fantasy with reality so sometimes they’re hard to tell apart, but it’s an excellent story all the same. Intensity aside, I have no complaints.

The Monster: […] humans are complicated beasts. You believe comforting lies, while knowing full well the painful truth that makes those lies necessary. In the end, Conor, it is not important what you think. It is only important what you do.

 

Series of Unfortunate Events

Pros: important themes, satirical, pokes fun at plot conventions

Cons: incredibly irritating, very unfortunate to the point of being synonymous with 2020, unsolved plot points

I’m referring to the Netflix series, not the stand-alone movie, which had too happy of an ending if you ask me. I know the show is technically a series, not a movie, but this is my blog so I do what I want. Each book in the series gets two 40-minute episodes, so it’s like a full-length movie. Right? Maybe I’m just writing in circles, which is a phrase here that means I should move on and really be starting a new paragraph.

I read the books in-between watching the episodes when they first released, so my experiences of both are rather intertwined. The episodes follow the books much closer than the initial film adaptation, the primary difference being the added influence of VFD and all the Easter eggs like that stupid sugar bowl. Oh yeah, and Lemony Snicket is twice as annoying in the show and not half as funny. Maybe it’s because I’m more of a bookwyrm than a show fanatic and appreciate the way the books poke fun at books themselves.

Of all the books/episodes, I really like book two (episodes 3-4) with Uncle Monty (The Reptile Room). Being a bearded dragon mama, I could see myself one day having a reptile room of my own. Though if I happen to take in some orphans, I’ll be sure to listen to them and flee the country immediately.

 Uncle Monty: Life is a conundrum of esoterica.

 

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Pros: CGI, compelling plot, great characters (mostly)

Cons: playboy pursues the female scientist (can we just kill this trope already?)

This graphic novel series adaptation is actually one of the few where I enjoyed the movie more than the books. While the books doubtlessly lean more on the scientific aspects of science fiction, the movie did a much better job on character development and storyline. If anything, the characters in the books just annoyed me, and I got bored with the plot.

In both the movie and the books, the world building is excellent. I also like how the casting for the film defied the typical casting. Usually when the guy has a deep voice like that, he’s a villain, not the protagonist.

My only complaint is the romance. I know I usually complain about romance in general, but I actually find the one in this story to be problematic.

Doghan-Dagui: We know how humans work.

Doghan-Dagui: They’re all so predictable.

Laureline: Clearly, you’ve never met a woman.

 

Honorable mentions: Bridge to Terebithia, The Hunger Games, The Neverending Story, and The Princess Bride

 

Let’s chat! Have you seen any of these movies and/or read their books? What did you think of them? Have any sci-fi/fantasy book-to-movie adaptations to add to the list?

 

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Similar posts: Are Book Dragons a Dying Breed?, 7 of my Go-To Authors, and Why This Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations

Why this Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations

You may have heard me complain about movies. You may have even heard me say I don’t like films. I am a bookworm, after all. Perhaps it comes from being raised with a family obsessed with movies. I can’t tell you how many movies my family likes to watch in a given week or how often we talk in movie quotes.

Sometimes, though, it’s relieving not to be surrounded by fellow bookworms. I don’t have to worry about spoilers. I have the freedom to summarize and give away plot points just so I can talk about a book. But still, it can be disheartening to pick up a book, thoroughly enjoy it, and know that I’m one of the one people nearby who will be able to appreciate it for what it is…

… until the movie comes out.

Book-to-movie adaptations help connect readers with non-readers.

There’s always going to be the debate between the movie fans and the purists who have read the books. Laying aside the controversy, can we just take the time to appreciate how people who might not read can be exposed to the story?

When I was studying for my undergraduate, every time I came home for Christmas Break, my dad and I would go out to see the latest Hunger Games film. Between the first two movies, I read the books, and could talk with my dad about his theories. The only bad part came when my dad and I were talking about dystopian book-to-movie adaptations, and I accidentally spoiled the end of Allegiant (book 3 in the Divergent trilogy). Whoops.

Movies help readers discover more books.

There are sooooo many books I discovered thanks to the film industry. Without having seen the latest musical adaptation (and my slight obsession with) Les Miserables, I wouldn’t have picked up the book. Without my dad’s obsession with sci-fi movies, I probably never would have started reading Ender’s Saga. If my brother hadn’t ended up seeing The Help and ranted about how good it was, I might not have discovered the book.

The list goes on.

Now, I make it my policy to read the book before I see the film. That means, if a film is coming to theaters, I have to get a head start and check it out from the library before everybody else. Otherwise, I’ll wait a year or two before all the hype dies down and then check out the books.

Watching your favorite characters be brought to life on screen is exciting!

What more is there to say? Movie posters, your favorite actors, your favorite quote made into a gif—they’re all exciting. Sure, you may have some inaccuracies. These are actual people you’re dealing with after all, not the characters themselves.

Another fun element is, of course, the setting. Honestly, sets tend to be far more detailed than my imagination is capable of.

The hype can be fun.

Whenever I’m super excited for a movie, I will re-watch the trailer over and over until I can quote it, annoying my sister whenever we see the trailer in theaters. I started this terrible habit a long time ago, before Prince Caspian came out. I replayed the trailer because I wanted a glimpse of King Miraz’s face, which they never actually showed in the trailer.

Even more recently, my sister and I have taken to wearing the colors of our favorite characters whenever we go to see a movie we’re excited about. For Captain America: Civil War, she wore red, I wore blue. For Thor: Ragnarok, we both wore green. You get the picture.

However, too much hype can lead to high expectations, which can lead to greater disappointment if the movie doesn’t meet them. It’s always best to remember that the movie probably won’t be accurate to the book.

Well-written soundtracks are fun to listen to over and over again.

I particularly enjoy writing to soundtracks, and I especially like picking certain soundtracks for certain stories. This is probably the writer in me speaking, but music is great for students as well. Not only do soundtracks help me concentrate on writing, but they also let me relive the experience of watching the film.

Just a couple of my favorite book-to-movie adaptations include Anne of Green Gables; The Book Thief; the most recent Bridge to Terabithia; Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (actually adapted into a BBC series); the latest version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Lord of the Rings; To Kill a Mockingbird; and Wonder.

I’m not denying that there are downsides to book-to-movie adaptations. A lot of times, the director will change the plot, cut out certain important characters, you name it. Whenever it comes to books-turned-movies, readers are bound to be disappointed in one way or another. But let’s at least take the time to appreciate it for what it is—an interpretation. Whether it’s a good one or not, movies can bring bookworms and non-bookworms together. Readers unite!

Let’s chat! What are some of your favorite perks about book-to-movie adaptations? What are your least favorite aspects? And last but not least, what do you consider the best book-to-movie adaptation?

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Similar posts: The Movie Was Better Than the Book, The Power of Fiction, and Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Film references: The Hunger Games; Allegiant; Les Miserables; Ender’s Game; The Help; Captain America: Civil War; Thor: Ragnarok; Anne of Green Gables (1985); The Book Thief; Bridge to Terabithia (2007); Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005); The Lord of the Rings; To Kill a Mockingbird; and Wonder.

Literary references: Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy; Veronica Roth’s Allegiant; Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables; Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Saga; Kathryn Stockett’s The Help; C. S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables; Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief; Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia; Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell; J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings; Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; and R. J. Palacio’s Wonder.

The Movie Was Better Than the Book

Many people may recall how I tend to rant about movies and the superiority of books. In fact, many of my friends claim I don’t even like movies. This is true to an extent. There are exceptions. Sometimes, the movie is better than the book.

Now before you condemn me for heresy, please allow me to propose a couple questions. Do quality movies exist?  And do poorly written books exist? If you answered yes to either of these questions, might it be possible that these two coincide?

In my experience, there are three general reasons why some movies may be better than their books, and they may overlap in some circumstances.

1) The movie was better researched than the book.

You don’t usually see these kinds of books, but they exist. In these cases, the book falls short of enriching details whereas the movie fills them in. And I’m not just talking about setting. A well-researched story should include culture, setting, time period, and character development just to name a few aspects. Sometimes movies include cultural aspects or languages that the books skims over.

A great example is Dances with Wolves. I enjoyed the movie for the development of the Sioux culture and language, not to mention the music, but when I read the book, I was disappointed. The Indian language was mentioned, but none of the words were included like in the film. Likewise, the characters had more depth in the movie than the book. Though this may seem unusual, this was the case.

2) Writing was not the author’s main talent.

As a reading challenge from a friend, I read Collision Course by William Shatner. Despite being a Star Trek fan, I had no idea who the author was until halfway through the book. (This is because I know more character names than those of actual people.) Ultimately, the name of the author had no impact on my low rating for the book.

Some people make good writers. Others don’t. And sometimes people who are better at something else, end up writing poor books. Just because a person can write a book, doesn’t mean he/she should. It takes more than a big name to make a book successful. Often times, writing is 99% dedication and 1% talent. Dedication gets the work done, but talent makes it effective. Some authors’ talents lie elsewhere instead of with writing.

3) The book was based off the movie.

Basically, I’m not a big fan of fan-fiction. I’m a firm believer in the original writers getting the credit for their fictional worlds because they came up with the ideas. The main reason that some fan-fiction falls short is because readers cannot draw from the same experiences that the writer has already drawn from.

This is not to say that fan-fiction is completely worthless. Writing fan-fiction may be a fun writing prompt activity. Some writes may even manage to capture a character’s essence and an author’s style. But this is rare. Besides, there are plenty of books I wish people would write a based on movies and shows, such as Ladyhawke or Leverage, but that’s another story.

So, though many readers may discount the value of film in appraise of the written word, there are some cases, rarities, that a movie might actually be better than the book. Ultimately, neither books nor movies can be a perfect form of culture, and audiences may prefer one over the other. But if readers are going to claim to be avid, it’s important for them to tell the difference between a good book and a poor one.

Are there any book-to-movie adaptations where you considered the movie to be better? Why/why not?

Literary references: Michael Blake’s Dances with Wolves, William Shatner’s Collision Course.

Movie references: Dances with Wolves, Ladyhawke, Leverage, and Star Trek.