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The books.

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  • 13-11-2007 4:32pm
    #1
    Karl Hungus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭


    So, how many of you guys have read the books?

    Honestly, I've found them a cracking good read, and I'm almost, just about finished Dexter In The Dark, which unfortunately has let me down quite a bit.


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    #2
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,483 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    I liked the first 2, but I wasn't crazy about the 3rd (in fact, I stopped reading the 3rd with 100 pages to go because I found something better to read - I must get back to it and finish it).

    I'm glad the showrunners aren't sticking religiously to Jeff Lindsay's books...


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    #3
    doonothing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,745 ✭✭✭doonothing


    i havent read them, but from what ive heard, the show has skimmed the fat somewhat.

    had anyone read the books before the series was shown? if so, let down? happy?


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    #4
    qwertplaywert
    Registered Users Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭qwertplaywert


    Ordered 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' the other day, can't wait :D


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    #5
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,483 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    doonothing wrote: »
    i havent read them, but from what ive heard, the show has skimmed the fat somewhat.
    The books have no fat to trim! If anything, the show has bulked the books up. The books are about 300 pages each - you'd finish one over a couple of nights.
    doonothing wrote: »
    had anyone read the books before the series was shown? if so, let down? happy?

    Nope, I read the books after the show. I think the show is better - the characters are more three dimensional and the story works better.


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    #6
    BKtje
    Registered Users Posts: 8,046 ✭✭✭BKtje


    I saw the first series then read the first two books followed by start of season 2 and reading the 3rd book (dont you just feel better now you know the order i know my dex in? :) )

    First book was brilliant but i prefere'd the ending in the tv series, just made more sense to me. Second book was a great read but again i think i prefer the direction the tv writers took it.

    The third book? Well i enjoyed it buuuut it was by far the worst of the three books (and worse than the tv series of course as well)


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    #7
    Karl Hungus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    I have to say, the 3rd book was pretty god damn bad. I just couldn't take the story seriously because of
    whole Moloch thing.


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    #8
    BKtje
    Registered Users Posts: 8,046 ✭✭✭BKtje


    Yeah i agree.
    Others were pretty much grounded in fact while the third hit us with some supernatural power controlling his darker side. It was an interesting idea but didn't really work.


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    #9
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    I've read the 1st book, have the 2nd but haven't started it yet. After the differences between book and series at the end of book/series 1 I'd imagine there's going to be quite a few differences in the 2nd ones. I'll wait till series 2 ends before reading the book.

    I did think the first series was better than the book, but it was still a damn good read.


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    #10
    Ste05
    Registered Users Posts: 7,537 ✭✭✭Ste05


    Meh, I just read the first book and didn't bother reading the second (bought them both at the same time) and thought it wasn't great, I think the show is much better and so have no desire to read any of the other books. I might read them one day if I'm very bored but I doubt it TBH.


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    #11
    im...LOST
    Registered Users Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭im...LOST


    I'm reading the first book at the moment and it's good so far. The show seems to use a lot of the book already. For example, the conversation with Deborah is nearly word for word in both the film and the show. I'll see how the rest pans out.


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    #12
    im...LOST
    Registered Users Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭im...LOST


    Another question. I just noticed that on the title credits it still says "based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter". Now, I was just wondering if this second series is just using the characters from that novel or is this season based on the second book of the Dexter series?


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    #13
    Karl Hungus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    im...LOST wrote: »
    Another question. I just noticed that on the title credits it still says "based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter". Now, I was just wondering if this second series is just using the characters from that novel or is this season based on the second book of the Dexter series?

    The second season is just using the characters, the second book has a completely different plot.


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    #14
    Necronomicon
    Registered Users Posts: 11,589 ✭✭✭✭Necronomicon


    Well, finally bought the books and just finished the first one. I agree with what people are saying, I thought the series was much better.
    I preferred being introduced to the Ice Truck Killer rather than being led to believe that Dexter might have done the murders himself. I thought the ending of the book was rather rushed; only being introduced to the killer in the last five pages, as well as discovering what happened to Dexter's mother. I thought the build up of that was done much better over a few episodes in the series.

    Also, Deborah was awake during his internal struggle over whether or not to kill her, so presumably she now knows what he is?

    I do prefer the series but I'm looking forward to reading the second book. The one advantage of the books is having more narration from Dexter, we hear more of his thoughts. Apparently the next book is out sometime this year, so it may coincide with Season 3.


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    #15
    Prowetod
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭Prowetod


    Just got the first book yesterday, I will give feedback once I have read it....


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    #16
    hiro_fan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭hiro_fan


    Necronomicon wrote: »
    I do prefer the series but I'm looking forward to reading the second book. The one advantage of the books is having more narration from Dexter, we hear more of his thoughts. Apparently the next book is out sometime this year, so it may coincide with Season 3.


    Second book
    http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/925721/Dearly-Devoted-Dexter/Product.html

    Third book
    http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/5322083/Dexter-in-the-Dark/Product.html

    Fourth book
    http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/5601885/Dexter-by-Design/Product.html

    I've read the first one and liked it and have just ordered the second book. Judging by some of the comments here it should be good. :)


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    #17
    tman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,339 ✭✭✭✭tman


    Got halfway through the first book and keep meaning to get back to it.
    I made the mistake of starting it as soon as I finished watching the series, so it was just needlessly rehashing what was already fresh in my memory...
    Might give it another chance now while I'm waiting for S3 to start properly


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    #18
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Just about to read 'Dearly Devoted Dexter'. I read 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' and it did indeed follow the first season's plot except for an important divergence at the end. It also wasn't nearly as good as the first season had more time to flesh out the plot and characters (which is unusual - normally adaptations condense the source material).

    I'm not expecting all that much, to be honest but at least this time the plot will be fresh to me. I've heard what they do in the third and I'd be very apprehensive about reading that!


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    #19
    Necronomicon
    Registered Users Posts: 11,589 ✭✭✭✭Necronomicon


    You might be pleasantly surprised with the 2nd book ioxy. Good read, definitely the best out of the three for me.

    I agree with your comment about the end of the first book.
    Introducing the Ice Truck Killer and the revelation that he was Dexter's brother in the last few pages felt way, way too rushed.


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    #20
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,990 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Necronomicon wrote: »
    You might be pleasantly surprised with the 2nd book ioxy. Good read, definitely the best out of the three for me.

    I did actually and posted a spoiler-free review here. There's some interesting differences from the TV show, particularly around
    the fate of Doakes here
    and, from a future development point-of-view
    having Cody turn out to have his own Dark Passenger
    . I still though couldn't help but read the book and hear Michael C. Hall's voice throughout!


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    #21
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,964 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    Read them myself. The second book was definitely the best out of the 3. The third one wasn't as bad as the reviews made it out to be though I thought.


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    #22
    BKtje
    Registered Users Posts: 8,046 ✭✭✭BKtje


    Didn't even realise that there was a 4th book. Must read it.

    3rd book really did let me down somewhat. Must read it again actually.


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    #23
    Yelnahs
    Registered Users Posts: 234 ✭✭Yelnahs


    The fourth book was meant to be out by now buts its been brought back to February unfortunately.


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    #24
    vincenzo1975
    Closed Accounts Posts: 589 ✭✭✭vincenzo1975


    Dexter in the Dark is just disappointing. The develiopment of the kids and the MLK concept were just ridiculous. Also, the Doakes situation just did not add anything to the storyline as a whole. I hope the series keeps building its own storylines, because the writing and character development is much richer and darker.

    But then again....... Moloch is actually a real historical concept. I reckon Jeff Lindsey was looking for a paranormal edge to the third book, sacrifice and voodoo etc, and turned to this instead.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moloch


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    #25
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,964 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    Yelnahs wrote: »
    The fourth book was meant to be out by now buts its been brought back to February unfortunately.

    Nice timing in some ways. We'll have the series until December, and then the book will be timed to fill the void.


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    #26
    Karl Hungus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    Stark wrote: »
    The third one wasn't as bad as the reviews made it out to be though I thought.

    Really? I was bitterly dissapointed by it.

    I'm not sure about the 4th book, I'll probably read it out of sheer curiosity, but I won't be expecting much.

    I disagree with people about the first book though, especially about the ending feeling rushed.
    It seemed to be presented as more of a 'twist' ending than the way the show went with it. Rather than really focusing on introducing new characters.
    Although I'd say that I probably did enjoy the second best out of the three, possibly because it doesn't need to live up to the show.


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    #27
    Energizeer
    Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭Energizeer


    Just finished Darkly Dreaming Dexter on audio book(I'm lazy)
    I liked it! But I do prefer the show much more.


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