The Deceit And Broken Promises Behind The Worst Adaptation Ever

Thank you so much for this episode. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

Dawn Tucker

The scifi channel (or syfy as I think they're now called) actually does a lot of fantasy as well - back before things like game of thrones and the walking dead were popular, they were the channel that made shows aimed at nerds, be that scifi, fantasy or horror. They're also famous for making shows which are nearly quite good and never quite make it. This was one of their worse entries but not wildly out of line with their other adaptations

Charlie Dayson

Loved earthsea as an young teen, especially Tenar, females in fantasy was rare then. Shall look in to her other work

Astrid

I read all the Earthsea books as a teen, and really enjoyed them. I also actually really quite enjoyed the Ghibli movie, despite it being a mash of lots of the books and kinda boring story wise. I loved it purely for it's visuals and music, man do I love the music in it!

Elly

Always been a fan. Watching him describe his joy in discovering her work convinced me to join his patreon.

I need to read her stuff simply because of those gender-switching people, and then Norse mythology inspired? Nice. I absolutely will need to put these books in my to-buy cart. If the adaptation was made for the SciFi network, wouldn't that mean that they would turn it into science fiction? Not that I know about this channel since it's foreign but... From your description it doesn't really sound like the original was much scifi, so if they made it that it would already be unfaithful to the original that way. The writer was absolutely, totally screwed over, sounds like. With the full intention of not keeping a single promise, except making something with the same title. Hopefully, if another adaption is made, they make it very very faithful to make up for this mess.

Tofi Stigandr

I can't believe you never read her! I still remember her descriptions in the Tombs of Atuan of the underground temple.

I stumbled over The Left Hand of Darkness last year accidental in my library, and it was mind blowing. I had the same feeling, how could I never heard of her before. I will try Earthsea. Thank you for the recommendation and all you do.

Nienna

The production history of Ghibli's film is honestly so, SO sad to me. Having Hayao Miyazaki trying to get the rights from le Guin for years, but her associating animation with Disney, so dismissing it, then seeing Spirited Away and coming around... only for Miyazaki to be busy, and Ghibli deciding to just give it to his son instead. It would've been beautiful to see what a genius like Miyazaki senior would have done, and honestly, poor le Guin deserved to see a better adaptation of her work in her lifetime than either adaptations discussed here. Not that Miyazaki would've been faithful, per say, I know Howl's Moving Castle is hardly loyal to the book, but as a massive fan of Ghibli AND Earthsea, it feels like it SHOULD have been a match made in heaven

Tim Bates

slapped myself in the face and will be putting my audible credits to go use! :-)

Amy Poli

I'm glad Dom got to read something he liked, but the 15 y.o. me couldn't finish the first book.

Ok Dom, you win. I just ordered the books.

I'm sad to say my introduction to Le Guin was the terrible Miniseries. My sister and I saw it when we were pretty little, and really liked it. Years later I read the first Wizard of Earthsea book and realized how different it was. Then we tried to rewatch the miniseries (now both teens) and... ooof it was so bad.

cosmotron

I felt that Ghibli's Earthsea was boring. How do you manage that when you open with dragons fighting and nature acting strange? I was so disappointed in it, it was the movie that sent me on my current reading habits. In other words - I've been largely reading books that movies are based on... which usually results in reading entire series when applicable

I was curious from the title if this was for the Sci-Fi or Ghibli version. I didn't even know the Sci-Fi Earthsea was *technically* drawing from the same universe. I just heard the Ghibli one was delayed until they could use the name and ASSUMED the other one was an entirely different project that liked the name. I feel vaguely validated that my instinct was half right.

shadowscribble

i have read the frist earthsa [well audiobook lol ] and it really was good as you said i didnt know how awsome the writer was for it so thanks for the info

Lilith violet bell

I first heard of her and Earthsa from Folding Ideas, and it's been on my to-do list ever since. He was downright grief-stricken by the adaptation.

My face is still sore, I’m sorry I’m a disappointment, but look forward to discovering this author.

Lana Hands

The true name concept is ages old. Way before any novels used the idea.

Gary Leigh

I'm so glad to hear you're loving Le Guin's work, Dom. As the review requester, I just a few hours ago saw your public lamentation of watching the miniseries, and I was going to send a message apologizing for making you endure it, But I hope (and it sounds like) you got more pleasure from the books than displeasure from the show. I am curious, did you read just the first two Earthsea books and get the other information about her works from research, or were you able to find the time to read more than what was required for the review? I recall from a past Q&A you said you couldn't read much that you weren't reviewing, but the way you discussed Le Guin's works in this video made me wonder if you had read more.

E. P. Haury

"and she did this in the bloody 70's!" The bloody 60's. Left Hand of Darkness was released in 1969, not that that takes anything away from her - quite the opposite.

Timur Hahn

I'm now mad at teenage me for thinking the book was rehashing lots of fantasy stuff I'd already seen done to death. I will have to go back and re-read.

Katrina Trigari

I'm just awaiting the Artemis Fowl LiA (having JUST come from an entire week spent mostly doing nothing but reading the entire series of Books 1-8 every day, in anticipation of watching the movie and being absolutely infuriated with it), but this should be interesting as well, as always. You provide good background noise.

Taylor Kimberly Martin