SciFi and Fantasy eBook Club discussion

I've read Neverwhere 3 or 4 times over the years and I adore this book. London Below is a wonderfully dark and creepy place. It's definitely one of the better books I've read with a parallel, magic world overlaid (or underlaid) on our own.

I was reading a little about the book on Wikipedia and didn't realize that this is a novelization of the BBC TV series. I had heard of, but not seen the series. But, I always thought it went the other way around. Surprises for a Wednesday morning. :-)

Has anyone seen the TV series? I have always wanted to but never come round to it.

I started reading this yesterday and it has already sucked me in. I love the little details and whilst it is certainly dark there is a lot of humour in here too. Can't wait to read more.

I have an full cast dramatization that I want to listen to. Lots of famous people whose voices I probably won't recognize. But should be fun!

Geoffrey wrote: "I was reading a little about the book on Wikipedia and didn't realize that this is a novelization of the BBC TV series."

I didn't know that either. This was my first time to read it and while I didn't think the basic plot was all that original, Gaiman's writing was excellent. That man knows how to turn a phrase.

I listened to the audiobook read by Gaiman which makes the experience even better. I also have the BBC full cast production which I'm looking forward to.

Seen the TV series (Gaiman wrote that, so at least this is a novelization of his own work), and the BBC full cast production which is absolutely fantastic (the cast is pretty spectacular too). Really good. Honestly I can't praise it high enough, and I rarely prefer audiobooks.

I bought it this morning and finished it by evening. An excellent story. I really cannot understand why the one and two star reviewers hated the book so much...

Very often the 1- and 2-star reviewers just feel betrayed because they expected something else. As I felt about American Gods... (though I still gave it 3 stars)

I have seen the TV series and enjoyed it very much. I was just reading the same Wikipedia article and it actually says companion novel not novel based on. So the show and the novel were effectively written at the same time. Which to my thinking is different than one being based on the other.

Done. I gave it four stars as it was an interesting story and setting with mostly interesting characters, like the Hunter, Marquis and the two killers. The protagonist Richard didn't seem very distinct to me and I thought that was a weakness.

It does read like a TV mini-series so not surprised the novel was adapted from a TV show.

It reminded me of a Doctor Who or Torchwood script for some reason. When I first started reading I thought this was going to be something special but by the end I wasn't so sure. Which is not to say I hated it because I didn't - there was just something missing for me which I can't really put my finger on.

I liked the characterisation on the whole but agree with David above that Richard didn't really stand out.

I started reading this a few months ago and I couldn't finish it. I think it was too dark for me.

MarkP wrote: "It reminded me of a Doctor Who or Torchwood script for some reason. When I first started reading I thought this was going to be something special but by the end I wasn't so sure. Which is not to sa..."

Maybe because he writes Doctor Who scripts? He wasn't writing for them back then, but he wrote the "Nightmare in Silver" script from last season, and "The Doctor's Wife" from 2011. I'm guessing that, like me, he grew up with Doctor Who and it's a major influence.

Awesome book, incredibly imaginative!

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "MarkP wrote: "It reminded me of a Doctor Who or Torchwood script for some reason. When I first started reading I thought this was going to be something special but by the end I wasn't so sure. Whic..."

Ah, then indeed, that would account for it.

The BBC series is at lot less dark than the book (just like the screen versions of Mirrormask and Stardust are way less intense than the books, hope they don't make that mistake with the upcoming America Gods TH show)but a good way to spend a few hours.

MarkP wrote: "It reminded me of a Doctor Who or Torchwood script for some reason..."

The BBC series had Peter Capaldi as Angel Islington!