Did Disney come calling?

[clovis-man]

Clovis its Dinner at Deviant's Palace who won the 1986 Phillip K. Dick Award for best novel and Powers second PKD Award.

Oops. Right you are. I'm easily confused.

 

[dwndrgn]

Connavar:

dwndrgn: You must read Drawing of the Dark as a Powers fan

Well, I'll certainly put it on my list! Since my list is currently 218 titles long, it may be a while This is completely off topic but I was moaning because a friend suggested another book to me last Friday and it put my list up to 201. Then, in a fit of boredom, I surfed some of my favorite sites and blogs about books and added 17 more. I should apologize to her, shouldn't I?

 

[Connavar]

When its about special authors like big favs of mine the fact my to read pile is 100+ doesnt matter. Powers and a few others i will make a book haul of soon so i can read more of them. Fav authors i like reading two books after another.

 

[williamjm]

I haven't read any of Powers' novels yet, but I do have The Anubis Gates, and The Stress Of Her Regard in my TBR pile. Which would you recommend I start with?

I'd recommend The Anubis Gates out of the two, since it is my favourite novel out of Powers' books. Stress has a fantastic premise, but I thought it wasn't as well executed as many of Powers' other books and I really didn't like the protagonist (which is unusual, I think The Skies Discrowned is the only other Powers book where I didn't like the protagonist). Byron and Shelley were very entertaining supporting characters, though.

Personally, I'd probably rank Powers' books something like:
The Anubis Gates
Declare
On Stranger Tides
Last Call
The Drawing of the Dark
Three Days to Never
The Stress of Her Regard
Expiration Date
Earthquake Weather
An Epitaph In Rust
The Skies Discrowned (the only Powers book I'd say wasn't worth reading)

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Concerning the upcoming movie, I've read that neither Orlando Bloom nor Keira Knightley were interested, so I guess that leaves Will Turner ... where the third movie left him.

 

[Riselka]

Concerning the upcoming movie, I've read that neither Orlando Bloom nor Keira Knightley were interested, so I guess that leaves Will Turner ... where the third movie left him.

I believe it was reported several months back that they wouldn't be in it. I guess that means there will be room for a decent love story for Jack Sparrow.

The whole thing between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann was kind of vapid anyhow. Maybe they can write something for Jack that's a lot more interesting.

And thanks everyone for your input on the books.

 

[littlemissattitude]

If I'm remembering correctly, I heard Powers say during a question and answer session at LosCon one year that he sort of stole the idea for his book shamelessly from the ride at Disneyland, not the other way around.

Anyway, he said something about having taken inspiration from it.

 

[Connavar]

Inspiration is one thing, he didnt get the elements of vodoo,Blackbeard,his pirates,fountain of youth etc from a ride but more like from history,mythlogies.

It would be ironic though if he saw the ride as inspiration now that the film will be based on his book.

 

[Toby Frost]

FWIW, Powers is credited at the end of the new film. It's not a great film, but has some good effects - although the plot was clearly written by a committee, half of whom were either sleeping or deeply confused. I met Powers a few years ago and he is a really nice guy.

 

[jojajihisc]

I dont care either way, the only thing i hope is seeing On Stranger Tides get reprinted,better known by fantasy fans who havent read it. The last two film in the series ruined the series for me anyway.

It has been by Harper and was released just a couple weeks ago. On the back of that trade paperback is the quote "The novel that inspired the motion picture - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." It sounds more to my liking than The Anubis Gates - we'll see.

So in terms of what inspired what this appears to be the order:

Pirates of the Caribbean (the ride) --- On Stranger Tides (the novel) --- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (the film)

The swashbuckler entertainment dialectic, if you will.

 

[Connavar]

It has been by Harper and was released just a couple weeks ago. On the back of that trade paperback is the quote "The novel that inspired the motion picture - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." It sounds more to my liking than The Anubis Gates - we'll see.

So in terms of what inspired what this appears to be the order:

Pirates of the Caribbean (the ride) --- On Stranger Tides (the novel) --- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (the film)

The swashbuckler entertainment dialectic, if you will.

Thats Hollywood for you taking the ride and then seeing the book. They must have seen the book before they wrote the first film. Powers had zombie pirates 20 years before them.

Only two thing good about the new film i can get new paperback version and see Johnny Depp as Sparrow in a more fun film than the last two.

On Stranger Tides is much more fun,enjoyable than Anubis Gates that i think is the only overrated work by Powers.

 

[clovis-man]

On Stranger Tides is much more fun,enjoyable than Anubis Gates that i think is the only overrated work by Powers.

Conn, you're just going to have to be in continued disagreement with many other Powers fans, myself included, who really liked Anubis. But I'll probably have to give Stranger Tides a re-read when I find time. Just out of curiosity, how did you like Declare?

 

[Anne Lyle]

Glad to see that this thread has been resurrected, zombie-like!

So far I've only read three of Powers' books, though I think he has been a big influence on my own writing - I find that mix of history and magic irresistible.

In rough order of preference:

1. The Anubis Gates - the most wildly inventive of the three, I think, plus I'm a sucker for a good time paradox plot.

2. On Stranger Tides - a good old-fashioned pirate romp, darker than the movies but very obviously inspired them (review will be out on my blog tomorrow morning). The hero is much better developed a character than in the other two, and the setting is very vividly realised.

3. The Drawing of the Dark - it's a book about magic beer, what's not to like?

Re the movie, I think basically they had to credit Powers on this one. Stealing generic plot ideas is one thing, stealing a very specific premise (Blackbeard is searching for Ponce de Leon's fabled Fountain of Youth) skirts too close to plagiarism. But the book is too much like the first movie (idealistic young European guy has to ally himself with pirates in order to rescue a beautiful girl named Elizabeth, who is going to be used in a nasty magical ritual by other pirates) for Disney to be able to adapt it directly.

 

[Connavar]

Conn, you're just going to have to be in continued disagreement with many other Powers fans, myself included, who really liked Anubis. But I'll probably have to give Stranger Tides a re-read when I find time. Just out of curiosity, how did you like Declare?

I felt cheated by other Power fans because it wasnt as good as it is said

Declare i have not finished reading, not because it was bad but school work killed me off it. I plan to read it again as soon i finish two library books.

My first rule of book buying is when you have a fav author book at home you must finish it before getting more. I need more Powers novels of old,new so Declare is a must read soon.