Just how far in the future this Shannara world is? Because you can still see rusty cars in the set. I don't mind some barely recognisable bridges and skyscrapers, but cars? By the look those shouldn't have been more than 100 years after the first cataclysm. And i'm pretty sure the race wars must have happened much later than that (the races should have had to develop).
I don't know anything at all about the science of the rate at which steel, glass, and concrete would be expected to disintegrate into the ground if there were a sudden nuclear Armageddon followed by a mass extinction. So, it doesn't break my immersion to see these structures rusted out and covered with vegetation, including some cars, even though it's supposed to have been at least a thousand years since the destruction event.
Cars and other metal and stone structures would last for several hundred years at least. Now if this were 2-3 thousand years that might be a bit of a stretch. The original book "Elf Stones" starts out with the elves protecting the tree for 500 years or more (I know because I am toying with actually reading them and picked up the book at the store today). Quite how much longer before that things went sideways, I don't know.
I agree with most of the critiques although I'm enjoying the series despite the uneven acting and the absurdity of some of the visual elements like metal barrels that have survived longer than the concrete structures. I'll also mention that the main hero gets on my nerves -- I look at that guy and think "who let the skater bro wander into the scene?!"; feels like I'm watching a remake of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure . . .
Still the sets, the costumes, the special effects and the action scene choreography are first rate so -- nice job MTV.
Of course I also enjoyed the first Dungeons and Dragons movies so that might give you some perspective -- I grade fantasy on a curve.
Of course I also enjoyed the first Dungeons and Dragons movies so that might give you some perspective -- I grade fantasy on a curve.
If it helps, I thought the second one was okay. Can't think of the first movie without bad flashbacks to blue lips though... *shudder*
I'll update and say that I've been enjoying the show as well. The whole This-is-actually-post-apoc-Seattle-thing still bugs me, but not as much as it first did. I really liked how they did the poisoned field.
And this may be my inner teen girl squealing too much, but I'm digging the romantic drama brewing between the three protagonists. What can I say? I write YA and I can't write what I don't like.
I haven't managed to see this program yet, but I found Wil irritating in the novel. I prefer my heroes less whiny and quicker to figure things out.
/concur. 'Twas like what, 15-20 years ago I read those books (?) but I seem to recall the friend, whom's name eludes me but he had some kind of inherited old elf sword, and Walker Boo being the coolest characters. Not even sure who was in which book though, it's all a big blur (I think I read the three orginials and the three prequels) after this long.
I think Walker Bol first appeared in the fourth book, Scions of Shannara, but it's probably more than 20 years since I read it (and more than 30 since I read the first one).
Walker Boo, the miniature giant space hamster druid, was in the 97th book, Bhaalspawn of Shannara.
@BelgarathMTH - I suppose it depends on who "The protagonist" is.
I can't speak to the books--haven't read any for years and what I did hasn't stuck with me--but I think the TV show's protagonist is pretty clearly intended to be Amberlee.
If I recall correctly, Elfstones had multiple protagonists: Wil Ohmsford (grandson of Shea, the protagonist of the first novel, and descendent of Shannara); Amberlee, whose destiny is spoiler spoiler; and someone else who I have forgotten.
I'll also mention that the main hero gets on my nerves -- I look at that guy and think "who let the skater bro wander into the scene?!"; feels like I'm watching a remake of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure . . .
Wil is actually growing on me a bit, although I am finding how he wears his hair a bit distracting. One scene it is up in back and the next it is hanging down and with no transition. Pick a style and keep with it.
So I have been reading "Sword of Shanara" mainly on the strength of liking the TV show.
I can see how Allanon is kind of miss-cast in the TV show. With that having been said, every time I read one of his lines in the book, I hear Manu Bennet's voice. I can accept the differences as being creative and little more. He definitely has the presence if not necessarily the physical characteristics for the role. And I just like both him as an actor and his very masculine voice. As a hetero male, I wish I was as manly as him.
Presumably there are those among us who have read the books. I'm only about 25% through 'Sword' and I am struck that it does seem to borrow a lot from LOTR. Does it start deviating at some point? I am still enjoying it and am not saying that one was ripped from the pages of the other, merely that there are suspicious similarities.
For any of you who, like me live in the UK and can't afford all those fancy satellite channels, the Shannara chronicles are starting on Channel 5 on Thursday 25th Feb.
If you tried to match the physical characteristics of Allanon (7 foot tall) you would be limited to a very shallow pool of actors. It was really more important to cast someone with sufficient presence.
Sword has a different resolution to lotr at least. The later books are less derivative.
The Height thing I think they could do with CGI if they were so inclined. Just look what they did with Hobbits and Dwarves in LOTR.
Honestly in my mind's eye, I imagine Allanon as something like a 70's Christopher Lee but with more muscle and body mass. But I totally agree that the bigger thing was to get the presence down and I think that Manu does that quite well.
I am also relieved to know that it eventually deviates from the current path. It is still very much an enjoyable read for me so I plan on continuing. Just saying that there is that nagging question at every section "I bet This comes next, because that is what LOTR did." Still worth reading though.
I watched the first two episodes, then for some reason the channel I watched it on never aired it again. I thought it was kind of meh anyway, so I'm not to concerned. The only reason I had any interest in it at all in the first place was because Manu Bennett was in it. I don't like the actor who plays the main character half-elf guy.
If you tried to match the physical characteristics of Allanon (7 foot tall) you would be limited to a very shallow pool of actors. It was really more important to cast someone with sufficient presence.
Sword has a different resolution to lotr at least. The later books are less derivative.
It's like casting the 5'7" Tom Cruise as the 6'5" Jack Reacher. It kind of still works well if you never knew Jack Reacher was supposed to be 6'5". Or maybe they could have went with Dolph Lundgren as Allanon.
The Height thing I think they could do with CGI if they were so inclined. Just look what they did with Hobbits and Dwarves in LOTR.
LotOR mostly used forced perspective, scale doubles and scale props. The Hobbit used more GGI (because of 3D), which was why it didn't look so good. You could use stacked heals of course, but that is only good for a couple of inches, and becomes hazardous if you want your actor to do much action.
Either way, it is too time consuming and expensive for TV (at least for a regular character).
Honestly in my mind's eye, I imagine Allanon as something like a 70's Christopher Lee but with more muscle and body mass. But I totally agree that the bigger thing was to get the presence down and I think that Manu does that quite well.
Agreed. (Can't really see Dolph Lungren in the part, even if he could be persuaded to do a US TV series!)
I am also relieved to know that it eventually deviates from the current path. It is still very much an enjoyable read for me so I plan on continuing. Just saying that there is that nagging question at every section "I bet This comes next, because that is what LOTR did." Still worth reading though.
Thanks
Yes, it's worth finishing. Can't really say how it differs from LotR without going into spoilers.
Agreed that LoTR looked better than The Hobbit. I read some stories about Elijah Wood and standing in a hole for certain scenes. But I thought they did a particularly good job with John Rys Davies. It seemed so seamless.
One thing I thought of after the most recent episode, that I think makes Shannara different from LotR, is the presence of science and technology in the Shannara world, as a lost knowledge that still exists, and can be recovered. Although, maybe the TV series is playing that theme up more than the books did. They didn't have disco mirror balls and dance club music in the human enclave in the books, did they? Maybe that was a little silly - MTV's influence on the production?
Also, a problem I am having with the casting is that Amberle and Eretria look too much alike. I honestly can't tell them apart most of the time unless I can see their ears, which their hair covers most of the time. I finally noticed last night that Eretria is shorter than Amberle when they were together in a scene, but that doesn't help me much when they are separate. I have to keep waiting to hear their dialogue and the context of the scene before I know for sure which woman I'm seeing. As I keep watching, I'm gradually noticing more details about their respective appearances, but it was especially hard to distinguish them during the first few episodes.
I guess for me Eretria is much prettier than Amberle so I don't have a problem deciding. Of course that is a highly subjective criteria (and they are both WAY to young for me anyway) so I don't claim that is the best way to tell the difference.
You can however usually tell by the clothing they both wear. While they both wear black(ish) leather armor of sorts, Eretria's armor is more skins and furs whereas Amberle's armor is obviously sewn by someone that knew what they were doing.
I am curious to read the book now because I would like to see exactly how much the blurring of the lines between "Old" technology and the "New" world actually takes place. Particularly
in that hole that the girls fell into. That looked to be an old school of some sort during a reunion dance.
I did really like the dice. That was a very cool touch, although I have to wonder if they would be in as good shape after 2,000 years even given the explanation that they used. (trying to be mostly spoiler free).
I did really like the dice. That was a very cool touch, although I have to wonder if they would be in as good shape after 2,000 years even given the explanation that they used. (trying to be mostly spoiler free).
Underestimate not the endurance of finely-made plastic dice.
I really liked that too. It reminded me of D&D. XD
Comments
(In other words, a wizard did it).
Still the sets, the costumes, the special effects and the action scene choreography are first rate so -- nice job MTV.
Of course I also enjoyed the first Dungeons and Dragons movies so that might give you some perspective -- I grade fantasy on a curve.
I'll update and say that I've been enjoying the show as well. The whole This-is-actually-post-apoc-Seattle-thing still bugs me, but not as much as it first did. I really liked how they did the poisoned field.
And this may be my inner teen girl squealing too much, but I'm digging the romantic drama brewing between the three protagonists.
Not even sure who was in which book though, it's all a big blur (I think I read the three orginials and the three prequels) after this long.
Walker Boo, the miniature giant space hamster druid, was in the 97th book, Bhaalspawn of Shannara.
I can see how Allanon is kind of miss-cast in the TV show. With that having been said, every time I read one of his lines in the book, I hear Manu Bennet's voice. I can accept the differences as being creative and little more. He definitely has the presence if not necessarily the physical characteristics for the role. And I just like both him as an actor and his very masculine voice. As a hetero male, I wish I was as manly as him.
Presumably there are those among us who have read the books. I'm only about 25% through 'Sword' and I am struck that it does seem to borrow a lot from LOTR. Does it start deviating at some point? I am still enjoying it and am not saying that one was ripped from the pages of the other, merely that there are suspicious similarities.
Sword has a different resolution to lotr at least. The later books are less derivative.
Honestly in my mind's eye, I imagine Allanon as something like a 70's Christopher Lee but with more muscle and body mass. But I totally agree that the bigger thing was to get the presence down and I think that Manu does that quite well.
I am also relieved to know that it eventually deviates from the current path. It is still very much an enjoyable read for me so I plan on continuing. Just saying that there is that nagging question at every section "I bet This comes next, because that is what LOTR did." Still worth reading though.
Thanks
It's like casting the 5'7" Tom Cruise as the 6'5" Jack Reacher. It kind of still works well if you never knew Jack Reacher was supposed to be 6'5". Or maybe they could have went with Dolph Lundgren as Allanon.
Either way, it is too time consuming and expensive for TV (at least for a regular character). Agreed. (Can't really see Dolph Lungren in the part, even if he could be persuaded to do a US TV series!) Yes, it's worth finishing. Can't really say how it differs from LotR without going into spoilers.
Also, a problem I am having with the casting is that Amberle and Eretria look too much alike. I honestly can't tell them apart most of the time unless I can see their ears, which their hair covers most of the time. I finally noticed last night that Eretria is shorter than Amberle when they were together in a scene, but that doesn't help me much when they are separate. I have to keep waiting to hear their dialogue and the context of the scene before I know for sure which woman I'm seeing. As I keep watching, I'm gradually noticing more details about their respective appearances, but it was especially hard to distinguish them during the first few episodes.
You can however usually tell by the clothing they both wear. While they both wear black(ish) leather armor of sorts, Eretria's armor is more skins and furs whereas Amberle's armor is obviously sewn by someone that knew what they were doing.
I am curious to read the book now because I would like to see exactly how much the blurring of the lines between "Old" technology and the "New" world actually takes place. Particularly
I really liked that too. It reminded me of D&D. XD