I'm a big movie fan, but recently I've decided to get into reading. I'm 24, and haven't really been much of a reader before though. What books do you guys recommend in which the books are alot better than the movie?

Right now I'm reading:

Red Dragon
Johnny Got His Gun (will watch the movie when done w/ book)

BTW, how is Silence of the Lambs book? Does it give alot more description and depth to the Jamie Gumb and Lecter characters? I want to read some good dark, psychological type books.

Thanks!

anyone?

99.9% of the time the book is better than the movie. I would just start with any movies you liked that were novels first. Its fun to see the whole story compared to the condensed movie version.

How about reading works from authors who wrote the books that inspired films that you've liked. For instance, if you liked Mystic River, check out some of Dennis Lehane's other stories. That might be a good place to start.

Tommy_Harm,

Good suggestion, thanks! Yeah I'm actually going to check out Thomas Harris' books first. Once I finish Red Dragon I will move on to Silence of the Lambs.

Tommy_Harm,

Good suggestion, thanks! Yeah I'm actually going to check out Thomas Harris' books first. Once I finish Red Dragon I will move on to Silence of the Lambs.

Both Red Dragon and Silence are fantastic. You should love them.

Hannibal on the other hand... well, let's just say that he should have stopped while he was ahead.


I suppose I don't know enough about your tastes to recommend anything else. Dan Brown and Michael Critchton both are decent and have written novels that may fit your interests. Quick reads, but they're well-done and full of interesting ideas.

Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt also leaps to mind as a good choice.

If you enjoyed LOTR, give George RR Martin a try.

Start with "A game of thrones", part of the "song of ice and fire" series. There are 3 books already available and a fourth one hopefully coming out in 2004.

Rich worlds, great characters, sex and violence and most of all, a real page turner!

I'd give Jurassic Park a shot, and maybe Sphere too. Almost all of Crichton's works are better in book form, IMO.

I recommend the TV guide.

Jurassic Park is 10x better than the movie. And the movie is worthy of 4 stars. That should say something. A personal favorite. I try and read it every summer.

If you want to try some books that are excellent but had less than stellar translations to the screen I would recommend James Patterson(Kiss the Girls, Along came a spider). Almost all of his work is great. He has had a few misses, but when you put out 3 books a year, that is to be expected. But avoid the early work, pre- Alex Cross novels. Not very good. And his books only take a couple of days to read. Every chapter is like 3 pages long. So one of his 300pp book would equate to about 150 pp of a normal book.

The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Bladerunner) by Philip K. Dick

Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier

and of course, the immortal Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Dude you're just like me. I got into reading books regularly late in life and I started with Movie books. I try to stay away from movie adaptations if I can though. I've read some books that are TOTALLY different from the movie. LA CONFIDENTIAL is one that comes to mind.

Right now I'm reading SOLARIS.

I have to recommend one of my favorite books, Swan Song by Robert McCammon. If you're into apocolyptic themes, this is the one. Similarly, The Stand by Stephen King is a great read, but very looooong. Some of King's earlier books are fun, but for me he went off the beaten path a bit too far and I don't enjoy his new stuff as much.

NaturalMystic79:

A definite MUST is "Less Than Zero" by Bret Easton Ellis. It's a rather quick read and 100 % better than the sanitized/bastardized film version.

If you enjoy dark humor, you may want to check out some books by David Sedaris.

I'd second George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice Series

The fourth book is coming out sometime in the near future... so you could read the entire series from start to finish... a good idea, as it is very complex, but well worth the read.

Definately have to agree with the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.
Most of Stephen kings books are far better and darker than what is usually put in film check out It, The Dead Zone, Salem's Lot and Different Seasons which contains four short Stories, 3 of which are movies - the fantastic 'Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption', the excellent 'The Body' (movie is Stand By Me), and the underated 'Apt Pupil'.
'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk.
Another interesting book that was alot more enjoyable than the movie was 'American Psycho' by Bret Easton Ellis.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.

I always forget about Apt Pupil. That novella was hella creepy. Much better than the toned down movie.

Actually, I consider the movie for Shawshank to be superior to the novella.

^^ one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.

Pick a movie you really like...find the author...look at some books by that author...if the cover says by the author of xxx read that book first it's probably his/her best. Do not start on George RR Martin. His books are almost 1000 pages, and he takes a long time between books. The best bet is to start with the same genre.

I have to voice another vote for Silence of the Lambs. GREAT BOOK (and I actually enjoyed Hannible - though many disliked it).

If you want a good comedy, please read The Princess Bride - the movie is great but the book it even better!

I'm also a big Harry Potter fan - trust me there is a lot more to it than being "kid's stuff"!

From King - I'd also vote for It and also The Stand (Uncut version) even if they were miniseries and not really movies.

ALSO try something from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Interview with the Vampire is just flat out awesome.

I'd recommend 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.'