Reading and (mosty) watching roundup: The Expanse (finally), Owl House, What If...

[hamsterwoman]

I've been slacking on my reading lately, partly because said reading wasn't gripping me, partly because I've been watching TV and scrolling Yuletide-related posts instead, but I did finish one (1) book, and should post about the other media consumptions stuff, too, so :P

42. James S.A. Corey, Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse book 1) -- Huh. I've been

Comments

[meathiel]

I'm very sceptical about the B5 reboot ...

[hamsterwoman]

I will be pleasantly surprised if the reboot is actually any good, and, like, I don't expect someone to be, say, Mira Furlan's or Andreas Katsulas's equal in recapturing Delenn and G'Kar. But I'm really curious to see this version of JMS's vision, if that makes sense.

[bearshorty]

My Dad loves the Expanse series and read all the book and seen all the available show. Because of him, I read the first book about 3 years ago and I liked it just fine. I did like the worldbuilding. But I didn't live it. I checked out the first episode of the show and the characters in the book and show didn't correspond for me in a way I found very annoying. I might have checked out another episode but then gave up on it. I didn't pick up other books either - the first book was fine but I just didn't love it enough to get into unlimited series.

[hamsterwoman]

and the characters in the book and show didn't correspond for me in a way I found very annoying

Yeah, I'm definitely seeing that, having watched another couple of episodes. It's a bit odd -- I like some of the characters as shown in the books better than the characters in the show so far, and some the other way around (show!Holden is an idiot, but show!Shed is really funny in a way I never found book!Shed to be funny, show!Alex is more interesting and charming, show!Miller is way less annoying, both book and show Amos is interesting, but I like book!Amos more) -- but almost no-one is the same as I imagined them based on the book, with the exception of maybe Naomi, and it is kind of disorienting.

What does your dad prefer -- book canon or show canon? I've heard both sets of opinions from fans, so that makes me curious :)

[bearshorty]

My Dad slightly prefers the books because he doesn't like some plot twists later in the show and it took him a while to get used to one show actress. He actually thinks both are pretty good and it is rare that it is so, but books edge it out for him. He hasn't read the last two in the series since he is waiting for the next one to read all three without cliffhangers.

[hamsterwoman]

Thank you (and your dad) for indulging my curiosity! :)

There does seem to be a sizable cohort of people who think both the books and the show are good, which I agree is pretty rare for a favorite franchise!

And interesting to know that book and show plots diverge down the line!

[lobolita]

I've watched the whole Expanse series so far, and I really love it. I've had the first book, too, for quite a while now, but I just can't find the motivation to read it now that I've seen the show. I have so many other things on my TBR list. So I'll probably wait until the show is less present in my head.

[hamsterwoman]

I've watched another couple of episodes of season 1, and I'm definitely enjoying it. There are some pretty significant character and character dynamic differences from the book, even though the plot beats are pretty similar, so it's been interesting to watch while the book is fresh in my mind. But I do feel like TV is a better medium for this kind of story...

[lab_jazz]

I really enjoyed reading your analysis of Leviathan Wakes. It was very comprehensive.

There is a very Firefly-y vibe to the Roci,

YES...YES...YES I think that was one of the things that drew me so much to the book, and something that I really missed in the TV show. The TV show I felt didn't get the characters right.

I've only read the first three books of the series, and I'm not sure when I'll get back to reading any more, but I will do some time in the future.
There are so many books in the world and I keep getting distracted by other books.
I've watched the first three seasons of the show but I can't see myself watching any more.

[hamsterwoman]

YES...YES...YES I think that was one of the things that drew me so much to the book, and something that I really missed in the TV show. The TV show I felt didn't get the characters right.

I watched a couple more episodes, and I'm enjoying the show, but you just crystallized what was feeling different about the character dynamic about the show vs the book -- it just doesn't have that Firefly-y "crew as family" feel. The individual characters do feel different in some cases, too (Holden definitely, Amos, and I think Shed, too, though I'm actually liking show!Shed more), but it's really the vibe between them that I'm missing. I'm assuming that's something the show will be building towards that, but I'm definitely not seeing it from the start, the way I was by this point in the book (they're currently in custody on the Donnager).

[aletheiafelinea]

too much of the earnest "your majesty" and "my son" stuff
Yeah... A trouble coming in pack with the Throne HeirTM as a character's starting position is that no matter how hard writers wring up the drama of Making Your Own Choices there are actually only two possible ways (technically, more is possible, just not really used, unless it's a fact based history drama, and then it usually involves some beheading) - Merida or T'Challa, even if you happen to be Anastasia or Simba. And Merida is just T'Challa anyway, only with more GrowthTM and changing one's mind before the end credits.

I guess they're saving that kind of thing for Black Panther 2?
I half expect the running gag there being "For the millionth time, I'm NOT Catwoman!"...

Coulson's password XD
??? :)

him offing the Avengers to make Fury hurt was neither terribly believable to me nor terribly interesting.
Wut? Pfff... MCU!Hank was way too pragmatic for such useless idiocy. He seems more a "success is best revenge" kinda guy.

man, it's good to see Killmonger again! He really

[hamsterwoman]

there are actually only two possible ways [...] - Merida or T'Challa, even if you happen to be Anastasia or Simba

Hahaha, that's a great way to put it XD But, yeah, good point -- it makes for a very constrained arc when you start with the heir...

"For the millionth time, I'm NOT Catwoman!"...

Hehe, I wonder if they're allowed to do it by copyright... I mean, Tony used to make references to all kinds of things, but I don't remember if there are all things that Disney now owns, or if referencing a rival comic book franchise is a different thing than referencing general pop culture.

I was trying to figure out where I'd heard Killmonger was returning -- looks like it must have been this. I haven't seen any additional confirmation since, so it could all be a bunch of BS. But I'm definitely hoping! (and I do think it makes sense to bring him back with Chadwick Boseman sadly gone from the series...)

Wut? Pfff... MCU!Hank was way too pragmatic for such useless idiocy. He seems more a "success is best revenge" kinda guy.Yeah, I found

[aletheiafelinea]

#SteveSteveSteveIheartSteve0704 :DDD
Him scratching his head after a longer not using it, "Uh... how many Steves that was again?"

Speaking of all things currently Disney... CLICK ;)

[hamsterwoman]

, "Uh... how many Steves that was again?"

Hehe. But a nice strong password overall -- long, capital letters and numbers, generally nicely done.

Speaking of all things currently Disney... C

Hee! A compelling argument! :D