Loved these movies? Now read the books!

[@Amoscrts]

OMG, I Am Legend is such a good book! I love apocalyptic fiction, and it’s one of the very best!

[@readingwarlock]

Yes to Annihilation! The eerie and trippy quality of the book gets under your skin. I’m not sure if it’s a good film material but Vandermeer’s Borne played like a movie in my head when I read it.

[@tomatobee1768]

I cannot imagine a good Borne film-maybe if Satoshi Kon was still living. But Willow, if you’re going for more Vandermeer, Borne is a heart wrenching sci-fi horror story about identity and found families. (And Bahni Turpin’s audio performance is perfection).

[@readingwarlock]

@@tomatobee1768I really loved Borne!

[@karoletti]

You sold me on „I am legend“ loving postapocalyptic stuff but hating the movie I‘m thrilled to hear that the book is better. 😍

[@nanimaonovi2528]

I read it as a teen. I did not understand what misogyny was before 'I Am Legend'. How could you viscerally hate and fear half the population? Brilliant unintentional allegory.

[@arleneallen8824]

Thank you for championing Dana Wynne Jones! I did my masters thesis on her and I can’t understate how much I love her. Dogsbody is my favorite with Howl coming in second.

[@doctormorbuis]

I don't agree that the Will Smith version of I Am Legend has had a larger cultural impact than the book. There are, after all, two other films based on the novel (The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man), and George Romero was not shy about the fact that it was the inspiration for Night of the Living Dead. That's a pretty hefty cultural footprint.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

K soz

[@TheCheesyInc]

I read LOTR first, years ago and found them life-changing. Many years later I watched the movies and hated them, mostly because they changed the plot to pander to modern audiences. But of course, that’s just one opinion.

[@BOOcketMan]

MISERY was a partial inspiration for the book you edited for me! That, and ROSEMARY'S BABY by Ira Levin which i HIGHLY recommend

[@jennymcevoy8961]

I bought Poor Things the book and went to see the movie all because of your fabulous review ❤

[@BenRogersWPG]

OUTSTANDING video! I was watching your intro, hoping.. . Please mention 2001 A Space Odyssey - which was your first book! I have read so many of these books, and have now added the rest to my TBR list! Thanks for the great recommendations and video! Happy reading 📚

[@ReinReads]

What a wonderful list! Have read a few but adding 4 to my TBR. A quick note on Dune. While it is a masterpiece on its own, continuing on to Dune Messiah & Children of Dune helps with interpreting the first book. The final 3 books are also worth reading if you’re still wanting to explore deeper.

[@MaxCabralXarimaX]

thank you for talking about I am legend I think about it all the time 😭

[@micaelagonzalez71]

I read Dune, then watched the movie, then reread the book. Awesome experience considering I didn't like the book the first time around. I've read the second book now, didn't understand it much, but I liked it a lot haha. I'll re-read it before I read the 3rd.

[@tirarosaurioreads]

I had absolutely no idea that there was a novel for 2001. It's one of my favorite movies ever, even though I didnt understand ANYTHING about its ending when I first watched it! hahahahaha. I will have to check that one out. "Misery" is in my TBR for this year... and I just joined your Patreon btw :)

[@lacamila666]

Let the right one in! Loved the film, loved the book.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Ooh good choice!

[@VeronikaFlaskarova]

I would also like to recommend Neverending Story by Michael Ende. The first film is amazing in my opinion, but the book is just mind blowing (or rather mind fucking)

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I’ve never seen the film or read the book, and I really should!

[@Nixx0912]

Iloved the film as a kid, I've read book few years ago as an adult. I understend why Ende didn't liked the adaptation, it doesn't even cover half of the book and completely misses the point.

[@percydoeseverything]

I’m not much of a audiobook girly, but I HIGHLY recommend LOTR narrated by Andy Serkis. Masterpiece!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Agreed! Fun titbit: when I was narrating my first audiobook, I sat down in the booth one day and the engineer told me that Serkis had been sat in that same chair an hour earlier, recording The Silmarillion. Crazy!

[@percydoeseverything]

@@WillowTalksBooks ok now THAT is pretty epic!!

[@ChainsawCheese]

Misery is one of my favorite books. I am always telling people they need to read it. It blew me away. Moon is brilliant. Loved that film. I am going to read 2001 & I am Legend now. Love Hitchhiker’s Guide & all things Cormac McCarthy. So much ‘yes’ to everything in this video. Btw, I just searched & found you on Letterboxd to follow your film reviews. I like to hear you talk about film.

[@isaaczurich9272]

As always, great video and great list! Two that I would add to this category are The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Oh of course! Great choices! I especially enjoyed the Remains of the Day film adaptation :)

[@smileifyouarebored]

I'm currently listening to the Lord of the rings audiobooks and having the absolute best time. Tried to read them a long time ago when I was like 12/13 because I've always loved the films, but I only got about halfway through the second one before giving up lol. I think I was probably a bit too young and also the Swedish translation I read was .. not great. Now I'm really flying through them though and Andy Serkis did such a good job as a narrator, even the slower parts are quite enjoyable haha. My adhd brain for some reason decided to hyperfixate on lotr and Tolkien suddenly after all these years and I've become quite obsessed 😂 Your other recommendations are also great, I actually want to read most of them! And I really want to watch the film Misery because I've only read the book and liked it a lot, so I think it's a must.

[@mariadr7607]

My religious school forbade us to read the golden compass and I still find it so funny

[@magicman205]

Perhaps this recommendation doesn't necessarily follow the criteria for your list, but Id love to add Killers of the Flower Moon. As well made as that film is, I feel like it fails spectacularly at accurately depicting the real story. Simplifying this incredibly large tragedy, while also replacing the perspective of the Osage Nation with the perspective of a few people that aren't given major perspectives in the book. It's an important read that the movie didn't do justice in my opinion.

[@lacamila666]

I'm gonna take this advice, thank you!

[@MB-hc9tk]

One for the kids Howls moving Castle - hi 😂❤ I am that kid, I am also nearly 38 years old lol .. Loved howls moving castle , but you are right the book differed A LOT from the ghibli movie and not in a bad way .. in an amazing way , liked the movie .. loved the book.

[@MB-hc9tk]

I had to edit that comment three times 🫣 it’s one of those days today I guess, my brain hath turned to mush.

[@Nixx0912]

I've read "I am legend" before the movie and I hated what they've done with the source material. There are two earlier version one with Charlton Heston and another, which would be the closest to the book, with Vincent Price. As I love Vincent Price guess which was my fauvrite 😂

[@marijakuncic]

cool concept! I know it's not related to vlog, but a couple of weeks ago I've read "Mary or birth of a Frankenstein" by Anne Eeekhout and adored it, thank you for recommendation. Can't wait to add all the books-movies to read/watch list :)

[@Nixx0912]

Movie Anihilation had elements of all three books. Noth Control and the final one (forgot the tittle) were exhausting, I prefered the thitrd over the second but I would be better of stoping at Anihilation.

[@luizabertolini5556]

PLS PLS PLS do a video on Cormac McCarthy! I just read Blood Meridian last December and I can't get it out of my head! No Country for Old Men is on my TBR

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I will eventually :)

[@gloria7190]

I just read dune and dune messiah and I became OBSESSED. I watched the movie a couple times before but never really got into the story. Now I’m so hyped for the second part and hopefully a third. Did you read dune Messiah? After reading that one and listening to Hans zimmer soundrack that includes Pink Floyd’s Eclipse I was blown away 😳

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I never got to Messiah but your enthusiasm is contagious!

[@gloria7190]

@@WillowTalksBooks It’s a very different tone from Dune, but the whole story feels more complete after reading it! Messiah is even more philosophical and political and feels like a greek tragedy. Based on your review of Dune I think you are going to love it :D

[@rachel1021]

The only books I've read from this are the LOTR series (still haven't seen all the films), Misery (Kathy Bates really is incredible in the film), and I am Legend. Annihilation and Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy are high on my radar thanks to your brilliant self.

[@jeremygreen2883]

Speaking of "mid" Will Smith films that became more popular than the books they are based on... Asimov's "I, Robot" is a masterpiece turned into a middling mess of an early 2000s film. It's nearly impossible to depict Asimov's work in film correctly due to how idea driven it is versus character driven.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Alan Tudyk was good in it tho

[@EvieM1]

I think I may be the only person on the planet who hasn’t seen the LOTR movies.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

It’s genuinely possible lol

[@a69flsi12]

Your not but my name is also Evie so it could be an Evie thing😂

[@EvieM1]

@@a69flsi12 😂

[@scal2025]

That's bananas tbh

[@bex262]

i havent either and also feel very odd for it

[@vincent_2232]

Omg did y’all hear they’re doing a loose remake of Misery as a movie? If they don’t just recast Kathy Bates I’m not interested! In Willows words I love you Kathy Bates I would die for you LOL

[@krisprepolec5616]

MR Carey is a writer and a screenwriter, and he wrote the book and screenplay for The Girl With All The Gifts at the same time, intentionally making them a bit different. They are both brilliant in my opinion and I highly recommend. He did mycological zombies before The Last of Us.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah I did a video on the book a while back. Didn’t know he wrote the screenplay though! His comic books are also excellent

[@straycat4427]

The Beach is one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. I couldn't watch the film after reading the book. A few of my favorites for the list.....A Room with a View, Lolita, Brideshead Revisited (1981 version) and LOVE this one........A. S. Byatt's Angels and Insects. Fabulous book and incredible film.

[@ReinReads]

Moon! What an under appreciated gem! For Hitchhikers Guide the old 80’s BBC series was far better than the movie.

[@LavenderLydia]

I disagree with your takes on the movies I Am Legend and Hitchhikers, but I can respect them. Adding The Maritain and Gone Girl to this list.

[@MsU2bviewer]

Laura: Dafne Keen Fernández, Spanish-British actress

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Thanks

[@Reesespiecesomar]

Kathy Bates is a goddess

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Preach!

[@m.c.3541]

Loved the list but not sure I can see all the movies "I'm sorry Willow, I'm afraid I can't do that." Just kidding, I saw most of those movies and read the books.

[@williamanderson4353]

Shonen Jump?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Is a weekly manga magazine, yeah :)

[@ianmangham4570]

You do look rather angry 😮the book maybe ?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

You ok, pal?

[@ianmangham4570]

@@WillowTalksBooks So you're saying Fuzzy Wuzzy was a woman?

[@ianmangham4570]

Are you still angry?😮