Twilight Saga

Twilight is aimed at young adults, it's a teen book, yes it appeals to older people but it isn't written for older people, I find it so heavy handed, it's just embarrassing, there's such an obvious agenda, i did download and read the saga though, everyone kept going on about them, and I like Anne Rice and Tru Blood and even Buffy, and as I'm currently writing teen fiction again (I used to publish short teen fiction in my uni days) I thought I'd have a go.

The annoying thing is that the books could have been so much better - even if they're aimed at teens, if they're written well enough they can appeal to all ages. I mean, look at book series like Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings etc. - they were all originally aimed at children/young teens, but are read by all ages. The Twilight books could have had so much potential, but the characters were one-dimensional and there was so little character development during the series that that potential was wasted.

<raises hand> read them all, love them <nodnod> I do!

DH and I have seem both movies and have date night for sunday to see Eclipse...

Yea I know they are aimed at teens but I can't help really allowing myself to get into the books and ignore the outside world.  I got the same way when I read the entire Left Behind series - engrossed oh yeah and I did this with Sookie and Harry Potter too...

I do hope Eclipse is better than New Moon.

The annoying thing is that the books could have been so much better - even if they're aimed at teens, if they're written well enough they can appeal to all ages. I mean, look at book series like Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings etc. - they were all originally aimed at children/young teens, but are read by all ages. The Twilight books could have had so much potential, but the characters were one-dimensional and there was so little character development during the series that that potential was wasted.

I absolutely agree with you, it's laziness really. She gets away with it because she knows she can.

I just read "The hunger games" and "Forest of hands and teeth" which are both fantasy/dystopian type books aimed at teens which are much better written (maybe not the Hunger Games it's hardly booker prize winning, but it  has a great story, is better written than twilight and has a message that it doesn't hit you around the head with like Mormon Twilight does, there's some gorgeously written moments in it, some good character development, and some twaddle) but the Forest of Hands and Teeth is a real triumph, a perfect teen fiction novel, which is really well written, interesting, multilayered and well worth a read, riveting!

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

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

Has anyone here read "The Host"? I know SMeyers writing skills are not the greatest - but I think they are much improved in The Host - and the plot is very interesting, in my opinion. I really enjoyed it.

I think Stephanie Meyer had a good idea, but really needed to get someone else to write it for her. I almost feel like she accepts that at times, particularly when it comes to writing action scenes. She can't do it, which possibly explains why the "battle" in the final book turned out the way it did.

Reading her books made me feel like I was reading a poorly written fan fiction, which is actually the style she might have been aiming for. Considering the fact that it's written in first-person from Bella's point of view (save a few chapters) and that Bella is never really given a proper character, readers end up projecting themselves onto Bella and then becoming involved in the story. That's probably why teenage girls are so fanatical about it.

Also, there are so many issues with the story itself, such as major contradictions. I'll put these in a spoiler for anyone who cares to read my ranting:

Spoiler: show

First is the fact that Bella is a girl who didn't want to get married; wasn't exactly a 'modern woman', but wasn't traditional. Then she waits to have sex until after she's married, suddenly she's pregnant and will do anything to keep the baby. The first book had nothing that hinted at that sort of character, but later books just screamed Mormon propaganda to me.

Then there's the whole pregnancy issue itself. How did sperm survive in a body that's been dead for over a century? Had Meyer not given such a detailed story through Rosalie about having a dead body unable to make children, maybe I could look past it. But it completely contradicts everything she's said her vampires are. But I think she's okay with this just so she could push her views on abortion.

What I hate most is how people claim that the books promote feminism. I'm not even going to start on that one. 

LOL... you guys crack me up! The books are pretty bad, but I enjoyed them for what they are. The first movie was really pretty awful, the second one was better, I think. I'm a shameless cougar on the prowl for Robert Pattinson, I think he is scrumdiddlyumptious and I would sit through most any steaming pile of crap movie just to look at him, which is a bit sad... haha.  And yeah, Jacob is pretty hot, too, though he is too young and maybe a bit too muscley for me. I like the pale bookish type, so Edward is more my speed.  You know, even Robert Pattinson says he is Team Jacob, which is pretty funny.

I enjoyed Breaking Dawn the most, probably because they finally do it. Hahaha. Well, a more polite way is to say that it has a more adult theme than the first several books, which when you are my age, make you think, "Please, just do it and get it over with." 

I totally agree with Reinadeluz on The Host, it's actually a good book, and I do think her writing skills are much improved on that one.

I think a lot of the acting is just as bad as the books.     Yet I will continue to watch all the films...just as I continued to read the books.

I do often wonder how the whole saga would have turned out if someone else had come up with the idea and written it.

Have you seen yet that you can buy Bella's engagement ring...which btw I think is pretty damn ugly.....

http://www.twifans.com/profiles/blogs/bellas-engagement-ring-for

The annoying thing is that the books could have been so much better - even if they're aimed at teens, if they're written well enough they can appeal to all ages. I mean, look at book series like Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings etc. - they were all originally aimed at children/young teens, but are read by all ages. The Twilight books could have had so much potential, but the characters were one-dimensional and there was so little character development during the series that that potential was wasted.

I agree completely. Well, I say that not having read any of the books, but I have read enough excerpts to know that her writing is abysmal. Saying that you're writing for teens isn't a free pass to write rubbish. Teens aren't stupid and I think they deserve better.

Have you seen yet that you can buy Bella's engagement ring...which btw I think is pretty damn ugly.....

http://www.twifans.com/profiles/blogs/bellas-engagement-ring-for

I'd say no to anyone who proposed with that thing! lol

Also, isn't it supposed to be Edward's mother's ring? Which would mean it should be from around the mid to late Victorian age. I'm not a jewelry expert, but I don't think they got the style quite right! (Just being nit-picky now. )

Have you seen yet that you can buy Bella's engagement ring...which btw I think is pretty damn ugly.....

http://www.twifans.com/profiles/blogs/bellas-engagement-ring-for

Ewww. 

I've read all of the books, and I've watched the first two movies. And DH is reading Twilight right now. I just think that they're fun, and take them on that value. I'm all about Jacob in the movies, but, I like Edward better in the books. Yeah, I know, the writing's pants, and hokey and cheesy, but, it's a good way to escape real life when I feel like it. And I love the Host as well.

I've read all of the books, and I've watched the first two movies. And DH is reading Twilight right now. I just think that they're fun, and take them on that value. I'm all about Jacob in the movies, but, I like Edward better in the books. Yeah, I know, the writing's pants, and hokey and cheesy, but, it's a good way to escape real life when I feel like it. And I love the Host as well.

That is how I feel...I don't want to think or analyze just escape and read this crap fiction I have come to love.  I think DH is gonna read the books now as we have seen all 3 movies and I starting going on and on about the 4th book hee hee

That is how I feel...I don't want to think or analyze just escape and read this crap fiction I have come to love.  I think DH is gonna read the books now as we have seen all 3 movies and I starting going on and on about the 4th book hee hee

But escapism can be well-written too! And should be!

But escapism can be well-written too! And should be!

Different strokes for different folks!