Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week’s topic is books I refuse to let anyone touch. This was a tough one for me because, as a rule, I don’t hold onto books. I like to read them and then pass them along so others can enjoy them. However, I was able to come up with a few that you would have to fight me to borrow.
The collection of Little House on the Prairie books my mom gave me when I was in the fifth grade. They’d long been my favorite so that Christmas, my mom gifted me with a box set of all the books. I still have them along with the original box. It’s one of the few things I have that my mom has given me and therefore they’re very precious.
The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy. I stumbled onto a Yahoo group around 2005 or so that was an author group for several authors, one of which was Dakota Cassidy. When her book The Accidental Werewolf was released and she decided to do a book signing, I flew from my home on the West Coast to Houston, TX. From there, a friend and I drove to Plano, TX – complete with wolf tails – for the book signing. It was my first autographed book and although I’ve gotten several signed by her since, it’s still my most treasured.
Don’t Talk Back to Your Vampire by Michele Bardsley. This ties in with the book above because she and Dakota Cassidy are pals. In talking with Ms. Bardsley, I mentioned something about having one of her books in the car. She looks at my friend and me and says, “If you go get it, I’ll sign it!” Needless to say, we bolted back to the car.
X-Rated Bloodsuckers by Mario Acevedo. I discovered his Felix Gomez books by accident. Meaning, my husband went to the bookstore for something else and stumbled across a book called the Nymphos of Rocky Flatts and decided he had to have it. Guys, right? So, when he came to town with Mark Henry, Cherie Priest, and Caitlin Kittridge on the Paranormal Bender Tour, I was all in. He–and everyone, including local host Vicki Petterson–were amazing and it was a fun night that I won’t forget. I left with five autographed books that night.
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Harm None by M. R. Sellars. I can’t even remember where this signed book came from, but it’s one of my favorites. I’d never read a series of books where the investigator was a pagan but I immediately fell in love with this series. He’s a pretty funny guy, too.
My hardcover collection of R. A. Salvatore books. Mostly the Drizzt novels because of the incredible artwork by Todd Lockwood. These aren’t signed (please sir, come this way some day…), but the dust jackets are gorgeous and there’s no way I’m letting anyone take one out of the house and chance ripping them.
Lastly is my hardcover copy of The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I was wandering through a bookstore in Phoenix not long after I graduated high school and stumbled across this huge book in the bargain bin. I picked it up, read the blurb, and decided I had to have it. I’d never heard of Arthur Dent or Douglas Adams at the time, but that book single-handedly changed my life. The Hitchhiker’s Guide quickly became my very favorite book and, although I’ve had that book since the early 90’s, it still sits proudly on my bookshelf. Now, I probably should upgrade to a newer version, one that contains And Another Thing that was written after Douglas Adams passed away but, there’s something significant about this book that makes me very resistant to ever let it go.
Now, that’s not quite ten–it’s seven, I do believe–but like I said before, I don’t hold onto very many books. Those that I do keep, aren’t always very special, but may be part of a collection or have some other reason for being kept. However, these few rare items are my favorites and therefore shall not leave my home. So don’t ask.
What books won’t you let out of your sight?
I’m going to horrify all the Potterheads by saying this, but I honestly think the Harry Potter movies were quite well done (within the time constraints of a movie). Yes, a lot of things were left out, but the “heart” and “meat” of the story was still there. They didn’t overly mess with the bones of the story, and ultimately I honestly believe that what really mattered in the story the books told was included in the movies.
I also think the Hunger Games Trilogy was well done. Some things were clearly off (what Haymitch looked like, or eliminating Madge from the story completely or not having Peeta lose his leg) but again, as above, the meat and bones of the central story were well maintained. I actually saw the Hunger Games movie before I read the book, and I could tell I was missing things, so I read the entire trilogy after that first movie. Yes, the books were better (they typically are), but I’m still not unhappy with the movies.
I’m sure I’ll annoy true Lord of the Rings fans as well when I say that I believe the Lord of the Rings movies were quite well done (The Hobbit movies, though … not so much and that’s being kind). Again, there was SO MUCH in the books that the screenwriters and Peter Jackson would have had to make dozens of movies to include it all. I really feel as if he did a good job distilling the heart of the story down and putting that on the big screen. I do prefer the director’s cut that I have on DVD, but even the shorter versions are pretty darn good.
I also mostly liked the 80s mini-series The Stand. I wasn’t thrilled with the casting of Molly Ringwald…she was a horrible choice as the heroine, but the rest of the cast was pretty dang spot on. And, yes, they left out some of the things that made the book so rich (and so freaking long), but ultimately–and I know I sound like a broken record here–the heart of the story was there. I think they were able to do as much as they did because it WAS a mini-series and not “just” a movie. Back then, making books into trilogies wasn’t a thing, so really the choice was either TV Mini-series, or 90 minute movie. I’m glad they chose what they did.
I also very much enjoyed the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Narnia books were a staple on my keeper shelf as a kid. I completely enjoyed the stories (and truthfully wished I could go visit Narnia myself). So when the most recent movie released, I was thrilled to see they kept to the storyline almost perfectly. I realize the next two movies made some changes (Prince Caspian was WAY too old in the movie, and Voyage of the Dawn Treader was just kind of boring, and had a few changes like Lucy’s emotional crisis), but I’m really hoping to see the rest made into (good!) movies, since the rights were sold again.
It.
The first movie was actually pretty dang good. They kept to the book’s storyline, they included everything that was truly important (yes, they changed what Four’s job was, etc., but it worked out). I thought it was well cast, I was impressed they were able to include as much information as they did, and I liked the effects. I was SO excited to see the second movie after that!… and then, OMG, Insurgent arrived. And *what*??? Did the screenplay writers even READ the book? Aside from a couple of scenes, the entire movie had absolutely nothing to do with the story the book told. It was absolutely abysmal and it’s no wonder Allegiance (part one) was an utter flop. So much so, they never filmed the final chapter. And who cares? Anyone?
Next, The Mortal Instruments. Now, I know there are just TONS of fans of the Shadow Hunters series that just got cancelled. I get it… it was pretty flashy and, if you didn’t read and love the books, you’d probably really love the series. But, the movie they made years ago was horrible (Clary was just stupid and Jace came across like some psycho creepy stalker). I thought they’d be able to do better with the mini-series. I was really excited … and at first I was willing to give them a little leeway. But then it just really started to jump the shark. They skipped over things, removed really important things that were integral to why they were who they were, and they downright changed some of the characters completely. I stopped watching about 2/3 of the way through the first season. If it got better, I apologize, but really … I doubt it did.
Shannara, the series, started out as being based on “The Elfstones of Shannara” book. And, honestly, right up to the very end followed the book pretty decently. But the whole “She’s captured by trolls, I must save her!” thing? Completely jumped the shark. The book ended with them together, but that was the end of their story in the books, other than being the parents of the characters in the next book. Obviously, the makers of the series didn’t want to start the next season in a whole new generation after getting everyone attached to the previous characters, but as a huge fan of the books, it really annoyed me. I haven’t watched any of season two for that reason.
The Dark is Rising was made into a movie twice and both times failed miserably. I adored this series as a kid, and still occasionally re-read it now. After the horrendous first movie back in I hoped someone would some day redo it. The did, calling it “The Seeker” and, while it was marginally better, they had to accommodate the changes in technology and it altered the story (along with some other changes that just didn’t work and changed the heart of the plot). I’d really hoped for a good movie, because the later books are just incredible and would have made amazing movies as well. But I suspect that after the flop of “The Seeker” that series won’t see the light of day again.
