Kevin's Watch

My husband brought home a pirated (i.e. recorded off of someone's TV) set of "Legend of the Seeker" based on Terry Goodkind's book. I expected a complete suckfest, but actually am enjoying it.

It is of course, unavoidably cheesy, but I would rank it well above the Eragon movie, if only because the unpretentious made-for-TV format allows it the time to do justice to the plot; and I like most of the actors, especially Zedd. (Denna is awful, though, and I'm not impressed with Darken Rahl, either.)

What did anyone think? I've watched just a few episodes.

I caught one of these.... they have gone so far away from the books that I have a hard time watching it. If I didnt know what was 'supposed' to happen I might enjoy it more.

Yes, at first they were playing out the plot but after Denna it just went on its own. Since I only read the first couple books and it was years ago, I still enjoyed it.

My expectations weren't that high to begin with. I expected the series to be very much like Hercules or Xena and I guess I was right.

But the series made me start reading Goodkind and I must confessor, the books are better by far.

And about Denna, can we really expect Disney to be faithful to the way she's described in WFR? Forty pages of excruciating torture?

I have really enjoyed the Sword of Truth series of books by Terry Goodkind. So I began watching the TV series with fairly low expectations. It's true that the TV series doesn't follow the plot of the books too closely. Much has been changed for reasons which have already been given on this thread. Still, the first season was loosely based upon Wizard's First Rule.

I caught the first new episode of this season. And it appears this season may be loosely based on the Stone of Tears. Denna is out and Cara is in. Richard finds out that he's the brother of Darken Rahl. This is a significant change b/c in the book he's Darken Rahl's son not his brother. The series kept the battle with the Skreeling which surprised me. Shota remains a significant character. She gives Zedd a three-point prophecy he is clearly loathe to accept. All three points come to pass by Richard's own choices.

No, the series isn't as good as the books, but it's worth watching. However, a point I would like to make [which may or may not be appropriate for this Forum] is that, IMO, one of the most beautiful things about Truth is that it can be hidden in plain sight under the guise of fantasy, fiction, or even science-fiction.

I believe that both Terry Goodkind and Stephen R. Donaldson, as gifted wordsmiths, have done exactly that. Perhaps, there are members of this forum who find that their discernment of such things is growing. Both the Sword of Truth and Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series of fantasy novels have messages of great import for those who have ears to hear.

Is Joy in the Ears that Hear, not in the mouth that speaks? Most assuredly it is!

This is one of those rare instances where seeing how bad the show is makes me not want to read the story. Sorry the show is pretty bad.

Maybe this is only because I haven't read the books yet,but I actually like the TV series. Even though it isn't exactly brilliant,it seems decent. And it's been a while since we've last seen a decent sci-fi series.

based on watching all the episodes i'm pretty certain i'm glad i haven't read the books.

it makes for some not bad tv tho. and yeah...pretty cheesey, acting is a bit overly melodramatic, storyline just gets thinner and thinner...but, heh, i watch anyway. i don't know what that means.

you know what i found the cheesiest? the names of the characters.
i mean, really.

I enjoyed Hercules and Xena... and Brisco County for that matter... of course I enjoy this. I haven't read the books, mostly because of mixed reviews I've seen, but I wouldn't watch a show like this because of the books so much as for simple entertainment. I think you miss out on life if you demand that everything be sophisticated and profound in order to be entertaining.

I read the first book a long time ago, and if it weren't for the fact that I'd read good fantasy before it, Goodkind probably would have turned me off from the genre entirely. It's that bad. (IMO)

On the other hand, I love the TV series. I can't stop watching it... could have something to do with the fact that sometimes the lead character takes his shirt off. And as I'm sure anyone on the board who knows me is aware, I'm a sucker for eye candy.
(That confessor chick ain't half bad either.)

It's a decent filler for the gaping hole that Hercules/Xena left in my heart when they went off the air. I'm appreciative of that. Where's the poll option "Complete suckfest, but I can't help myself"?

Waddley wrote:On the other hand, I love the TV series. I can't stop watching it... could have something to do with the fact that sometimes the lead character takes his shirt off.

I couldn't agree with you more! XD

Waddley Hasselhoff wrote:I read the first book a long time ago, and if it weren't for the fact that I'd read good fantasy before it, Goodkind probably would have turned me off from the genre entirely. It's that bad. (IMO)

On the other hand, I love the TV series. I can't stop watching it... could have something to do with the fact that sometimes the lead character "?

I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go around. My opinion is the exact opposite of that. I really enjoyed the first 3 or 4 books in his series. Admittedly there were a couple of stinkers later on. But the movies.. ACK..

Tjol wrote:I enjoyed Hercules and Xena... and Brisco County for that matter... of course I enjoy this. I haven't read the books, mostly because of mixed reviews I've seen, but I wouldn't watch a show like this because of the books so much as for simple entertainment. I think you miss out on life if you demand that everything be sophisticated and profound in order to be entertaining.

different things are entertaining to different people. no one suggested that "everything be sophisticated and profound" to be enjoyable or entertaining. i'm just saying legend of the seeker is cheesey.
and poorly written. (tv show, i haven't and won't read the books)

Made in beautiful New Zealand, however, is a redeeming feature !!

If you haven't, come and visit "Gods own country".

My 11 year old loved it, and the second season was cut half way through because ( I hear from someone who worked on it) they ran out of money.