It’s a problem that many avid readers face when a book gets adapted for the big screen. In some ways, it’s a dream come true as it is a new, refreshing and exciting way to enjoy some of your favorite novels. While it is never going to be as you imagined it since everyone’s imagination works differently, there are definitely some books that were miles better than the movie, or the movie simply didn’t do it justice. Of course, it can be tough to cram an entire book into a two-hour film, it almost seems like an impossible and even laughable feat – let’s not mention the Lord of the Rings and the runtime on that one! So, here are five books that are better than the movie.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
This movie could have been a fantasy fan favorite, but sadly it was a massive flop both and didn’t get a positive reception from the general public, although people who are fond of the fantasy genre are keen to see the sequel. The movie has been described as underrated by many; however, the book itself has received high praise from the fantasy writing community and described as a mature and sophisticated story worthy of praise like that Lord of the Rings. However, there is a whole lot of stuff going on in the book that doesn’t get shown in the movie, which can confuse potential fans.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit movie trilogy was beloved by many fans of the Lord of the Rings. However, many Hobbit fans feel like even three whole films for one book didn’t work. The critical thing to remember is the feel of the book compared to the feeling of the movie; a book depends on words and descriptions to create an atmosphere, whereas there are an awful lot of audio-visual elements that create a movie. You can adapt a book word for word of speech and events but, if you choose to add a particular score to the scenes, then instantly you’ve changed the feeling. Not to mention cast choices.
Harry Potter by J.K Rowling
Many feel like, although the Harry Potter movie series has received a phenomenal worldwide response, the books are still considered far better than their big screen counterparts. If you’re a big fan, it just gives you the extra nuance if you’ve watched the movies a few too many times. So, if you’ve enjoyed Harry Potter, and you haven’t read the books, you know what to do next.
The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
The hype around the books was absolutely massive, and fans were so excited to see their favorite characters adapted for the big screen. However, the first movie was reported to be a massive let down for the entire fandom and soon seemed to become a laughing stock for the non-ironic cheesy scenes that even the super fans couldn’t get past.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games seemed to do much better than Twilight, but the books seemed to be able to convey a darkness that the movie would struggle to capture without having to increase its age rating. The movies to well in their own right, giving audiences an original story adaptation to the big screen unlike anything seen before, but the book took fans through each step of the story, outlining the horror and terror these people went through for strange capitalistic reasons.
It’s always good to keep an open mind when it comes to adaptations, but in most cases, the book has far more information than the movie ever does, making it superior in many ways.
