Definitely give it a shot then! The first season covers most of the first book and S2 is where the real divergence begins.
Over all, the adherence to real physics (other than, you know), the interpersonal relationships, and it’s examination of current world issues through the sci-fi lens is really what makes the show shine.
I also read the first book, wasn’t overly impressed or into it, but very much enjoyed the first two seasons of the TV show. The first book is actually covered by all of season one and then the first six episodes of season two, and culminates much better than in the book.
I’m planning on catch up with the latest seasons at some point, and have no plans to read more of the books.
I enjoyed the Expanse novels through audiobook form, and overall like most of them. Book 4 was the least fun. So was season 4 which is basically covering the same plot 'span". The books aren’t for everyone and the style is maybe a bit utilitarian? They aren’t throwing high concepts or laboring over exquisite prose, it’s just what they are describing is damn interesting to someone like me.
Of course, I do think the books improved a bit since book 1; naturally as the authors get more experience with each-other and their story world, but also as they started on the show and that process seems to have informed the books for the better. They also genre hop a bit, in that each book is inspired by a different sort of story type. (Book 1 was a detective story - in space, book 4 was a western - in space, etc) so even if a specific book isn’t hitting, the next might have a better feel.
The show takes a lot of the book content and puts it into a more condensed form which usually helps the story IMO. The more extraneous and laborious book elements get slimmed down or done away with. And there’s no inner monologues or narration to bog us down with trying to explain the “coppery taste of fear” every 5 minutes.
To help things, prominent show characters usually show up earlier than they originally appear in the books (though sometimes they do the opposite.) Many small-time characters tend to have more interesting and developed show roles, while in some cases multiple minor characters get merged into fewer characters with expanded roles. Characters we hated in the books became fan favorites in the show through better characterization, more realized motives, and just the strength of the actors.
Nevertheless the plot deviation at a macro scale is relatively minor from the books. A lot of specific scenes and incidents and fan-favorite quotes do tend to show up sometimes verbatim. So it’s not a situation where they’ve deviated far. Season 5 is basically still covering the events of Book 5.
Bottom line, if someone read thru some or all of the books, the plot of the series is basically hitting those same major beats. If nothing about that first book was interesting at all, or it had serious and significant turn-offs, then it might suggest the show isn’t a good fit (but not necessarily so.) If the book premise seemed promising, just felt boring or maybe lacking on some fronts, maybe the detective story aspect wasn’t hitting, the show definitely does some of that different enough and better enough that it would be worth checking out, IMO.
That all said the next episode of Season 5 drops in a few hours and I’m super hype. I can’t even begin to get into why without just, s p o i l e r s, but there are roads ahead I’ve been looking forward to seeing characters go down for a long time. And some roads I have no idea where they lead but I’m ready.
That all makes sense. Regarding the books, I dunno, I just was not feeling it. Could have been when I was reading it or I just wasn’t into the book. Either way, I’ll probably check out the show; there’s just way too many books out there that I haven’t read/given a chance for me to retread (especially when those books I haven’t read are just sitting there on my bookshelf. Waiting. Hoping. lol). My feeling is that if there isn’t one specific thing that I can point to, it’s probably just not aimed at me as an audience, yknow?
Hope your viewing experience is great!
For sure.
At this point I think most people should just watch the show, and if they get to the end of that and are interested the books are pretty cool. Otherwise for most of the potential audience I think the show is a better way into it.
I’m the same way with a lot of stuff. Did enjoy GoT, no desire to read the books. Got like 6 chapters into the first book and stopped forever. I enjoyed the Netflix Witcher series, very little interest in going after the books anytime soon. I know they’re basically better, and well done, and go deep. I ain’t into that fantasy stuff enough for it to resonate with me like that. But the show is fun!
Expanse is probably the same way for most. Great show, might be totally interesting, but not the type of story that resonates so hard you want to dive into the novels. For me, I’m really into the solar system space station ship physics living in a tin can thing, so I had to dive right into the books after season 1 ended.
it’s funny, bc i wasn’t a huge fan of S1 & stuck around mostly just in case. I’m glad I did, but I’m also glad hat got less screen time.
The new French Lupin show on Netflix is excellent. Omar Sy is so charismatic and the show is just great. My only complaint is that they split it up into two 5 episode parts and the second part isn’t available yet.
This was a very stylish fun show.
Ah man, I hate it when they do that. It usually makes me only watch it when a full season is out lol.
As much as I enjoyed the show, I wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting until the entire first season or whatever they want to call it is out.
Just watch it at some point.
Agreed on all accounts, except
They didn’t immediately release the undoctored video? Did the journalist and high-tech super thief not make a copy?
Do the writers not know how videotapes work?
Star Trek Lower Decks is pretty good.
Yeah, I just watched it recently - first few episodes, a little shakey, and they lean a bit too heavily on some jokes, but on the whole, it’s a pretty good show, a fun little comedy in the Trek universe.
Oh neat; I’m going to have to go back and check it out again; I fell off after the first few episodes
I nearly did the same thing, but give it a few eps to settle into it’s groove, and it all works out.
I’m still very skeptical about any adaptation of The Sandman, so far, this is a pretty great cast:
I actually wanted Tilda Swinton to play Lucifer, but I’m ok with this. I’m still holding out hope that Krysten Ritter, from Jessica Jones, plays Death, but we’ll see.
I find it quite amusing Netflix has 2 different actors playing the same Lucifer on different shows.
I’ve never seen the CW/Netflix Lucifer, so take everything I say with that in mind.
I have never been interested in that version of Lucifer because it so pales in comparison to the Sandman’s version of Lucifer. The idea that Lucifer, the arch-angel, the leader of the rebellion against God, the Ruler of Hell, would go around helping the cops or FBI or whomever solve crimes is frankly ridiculous to me. It’s like Hollywood has this one mould for show: Take an interesting character or concept and then somehow shoehorn that character into a police procedural.
If you haven’t read Sandman or it’s follow-up series Lucifer, I don’t want to spoil anything for you, but the differences between the CW/Netflix Lucifer and The Sandman’s Lucifer are night and day, or… pardon the pun, between Heaven and Hell.
I agree with the criticisms. Still find it amusing as both are adaptations of DC’s Lucifer and on Netflix.
The show Lucifer suddenly sounds really terrible.
Never checked out Sandman or any of that but, hey seems like some people like it.
I just checked Wikipedia, and it turns out that the CW Lucifer is supposed to be based off of the Sandman’s Lucifer, which boggles my mind. I don’t understand why Hollywood takes an established character or idea from comics and then instead of adapting the actually good story, basically pump out their own shittier version.
I can think of three examples right off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are more:
Fables became Once Upon a Time. Once Hollywood realized that all the characters were in the public domain already and they didn’t need to pay DC to use their stories. Also Disney.
Gotham Central became Gotham. Imagine The Wire set in Gotham City… imagine the crime, imagine the poverty, imagine the crazies, and now you also have to deal with this masked bat vigilante and the psychopaths he attracts. Gotham Central was an amazing comic… and what did they do with it? They turned it into Gotham, a terrible show about young James Gordon where they tried to hint at pretty much every single villain from Batman’s rogue gallery.
The Sandman/Lucifer became Lucifer. I already discussed this show above, but from the wikipedia page, it seems that this show at least started out following the comic storyline and then just did a HARD left from where the comic goes. Lucifer should not be assisting law enforcement. I’m sorry, but the very idea of this show is stupid.
Apologies to anyone who actually likes these shows. If you do, I highly encourage you to read the source material. It’s like watching the Akira anime versus reading the Akira manga. They might be called the same thing, they might share a couple similarities, but it’s like night and day.
