The Legend of Earthsea

[Gabriel_Moore]

I've never read the book, and only just recently found that it was a book. The show premiered tonight and I watched it. This show is excellent. I wish I could say whether or not it captures the magnitude of its written work. Has anyone heard of it?

[Spite]

I've heard of it... ill try to find the book.

[amuse]

oh god the books are excellent. that one in particular (first of the series) just captivated me. author: ursula le guin.

[Taliesin]

We love Le Guin's works, esp. the Earthsea six-parted "trilogy".


But We found out about the film in about August, and it said in the cast diary, that there were very strange things in the movie, e.g a battle between Roke wizards and kargadian vessels. Fireballs were used too, as We recall. :confused:

[Basil]

It doesn't sound like you guys should get your hopes up:

"How the Sci Fi Channel Wrecked My Books" By Ursula K. Le Guin (http://slate.msn.com/id/2111107/)

[Scheherazade]

interesting...

Havent heard of the books or the author :blush:

[mono]

I have read a few short stories by Le Guin, and thought quite highly of them, but have yet to read any novels, let alone series of novels.
Thanks for the recommendation!

[amuse]

Basil, that was a great article.

[papayahed]

So I shouldn't watch the show??

[Basil]

I don't see why you shouldn't. I'm not familiar with the books or the show--I just thought the article would be of interest to those who were (BTW, thanks, Amuse ;)).

Le Guin seems to be most perturbed by the decision of the filmmakers to alter the race of most of the main characters: so that the role of ethnicity, which she obviously felt was vital to the story, was removed.

[Admin]

I watched it, and thought it was decent. Obviously it had some made-for-tv production values (cheap computer graphics for instance, some corny acting points, some steriotypes and predictability). But some of the overall themes of the story I really liked. I got the impression that the parts I liked came from the books and so I put the first book on my Amazon.com wishlist (especially after reading all the 5 star reviews it had).

Although I can't say I agree with that article linked to here. I'm an avid fantasy reader and skin color hardly matters to me. Some of my favorite books are about non-human races (I tend to like dwarves) or of people with a wide variety of skin types.

However I do have a problem with token minorities just for the sake of minorities, especially in fantasy worlds (or in historical worlds). Skin color is a genetic trait. People from one area are going to have similar traits. So I would expect the characters to reinforce that. To sprinkle in people of color for the sake of color alone is just patronizing.

To give an example, in LOTR everyone in western middle earth is of fair skin. While the easterners aligned with Sauron are dark skinned. Is this racist? No, it is the accurate portrayal of a world in which populations that evolved seperately have not yet fully intermixed.

So, a mixed cast or a mixed character set with no rational explanation is something I'm against, but the color of the cast doesn't make a difference to me. One of my favorite series is Dave Duncan's Seventh Sword series and nearly everyone in those books are brown.

[Basil]

However I do have a problem with token minorities just for the sake of minorities, especially in fantasy worlds (or in historical worlds). Skin color is a genetic trait. People from one area are going to have similar traits. So I would expect the characters to reinforce that. To sprinkle in people of color for the sake of color alone is just patronizing.

But the author states in the article that the MAJORITY of the characters in her books are nonwhite, including the protagonist! Surely you do not begrudge the author her choice in this matter? Surely she, as a science fiction writer, has the right to create a world that reflects her vision of the future? It seems like (according to her article) that it was the filmmakers who left in a few "token minorities." Is this what you have a problem with? Perhaps you would prefer that ALL the characters in the story be made white?

It seems pretty clear to me that this is a case of T.V. producers tampering with someone's artistic vision simply for the sake of demographics, in order to maximize their profits. The fact that the tampering came in the form of altering the race of the characters is particularly egregious.

[Admin]

But the author states in the article that the MAJORITY of the characters in her books are nonwhite, including the protagonist! Surely you do not begrudge the author her choice in this matter? Surely she, as a science fiction writer, has the right to create a world that reflects her vision of the future? It seems like (according to her article) that it was the filmmakers who left in a few "token minorities." Is this what you have a problem with? Perhaps you would prefer that ALL the characters in the story be made white?


I was speaking more in general rather than referring to this book in particular. From what I gather in Earth Sea different islands or different regions have different skin colors, which makes sense.

[Basil]

Ohhhhhh, O.K.

[papayahed]

I watched the show, I was turned off by the main character, what a jerk (at least from what I saw).

[EAP]

Love the first book. Love Ged. Love Tehanu. Love the Tombs of Atuan. Love the whole darned series infact. Love Le Guin's writing. Won't be able to watch the show. :(

[amuse]

a friend recorded the second half for me (forgot to do the first) - not because i asked, but out of the kindness of her heart. i had to stop the thing within 5-10 minutes and rewind. worst adaptation i've seen in my life.