Please-there's no comparison. I was happy to see the Twilight books have made quite a few 'worst fantasy' lists. All you have to do is watch Twilight, the movie and then watch Interview with a Vampire. I really don't see how people who have read both authors prefer Meyer. (They were easy to read-that's pretty much it.)
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Stephanie Meyer vs. Ann Rice
- Thread starter Thursday
- Start date
Shadoe
Sage
What? Were the people who preferred Meyer illiterate preteens? Granted, Rice often annoys me, but at least she can string a scene together. Amazing...
mythique890
Sage
I think you nailed it with the easy read comment. People who like Twilight aren't usually big readers. I know, I know, some are, don't hurt me, Meyer fans... but IMO most people who both like Meyers and read a lot seem to be pretty young.
Linqy
Scribe
I loved the Meyer books BEFORE the movies were made, and the whole series was transformed into a gooey world of desperate teens longing for a magical world.
Yes, they are easy to read but she manages to capture all the silly things we do for love in a very recognizable way AND combines that with one of the most intriguing creatures imho ever. Vampires. No other creature has inspired me as much as they have.
But still, I like Ann Rice better, but think it's a real shame that saying you like the Twilight books has become a disgrace all of a sudden these days. A real shame...
Yes, they are easy to read but she manages to capture all the silly things we do for love in a very recognizable way AND combines that with one of the most intriguing creatures imho ever. Vampires. No other creature has inspired me as much as they have.
But still, I like Ann Rice better, but think it's a real shame that saying you like the Twilight books has become a disgrace all of a sudden these days. A real shame...
I watched the movie Twilight first (mistake) and thought big deal. What is all the hype about. I read the book and then watched the movie again. Better, but didn't leave a lasting impression. It's an easy read and tends to keep the interest of teens. The series would not be on my top 10 list.
Leuco
Troubadour
Close call, but I think Ann Rice would win. She's older and has more experience. Also, I'm betting she fights dirty.
Graffikgal
Scribe
Meh. No offense to anyone here, but I think they're both hacks. Meyer's books are just stupid. Rice is a self-indulgent egomaniac who evidently has something in her contract about not allowing editors to touch her work, and IMO, it suffers for it. Page after page of drivel to describe a curtain does not a good novel make. Granted, I enjoyed IWTV, but everything after that? Not so much.
Shadoe
Sage
I'm not a fan of either. Rice can at least some up with interesting characters and plot, and I don't feel the urge to toss the book across the room to vent my disgust. Granted, I did have to skip entire pages of drivel to get to the story several times while reading, but still. I'll admit it's been a lifetime since I was a teenager, but the Meyer books make me fear for the future. If teenagers are really that... dumb.... bland... worthless. Of course, Bella was young. She's allowed to be all those things. Weren't the teenage-looking vampires supposed to be older?
myrddin173
Maester
Since this thread seems to be dealing more with the book versions I'm moving this to the Novel and Stories forum.
Graffikgal
Scribe
Interesting read about the Twilight series:
Official: Twilight's Bella & Edward Are In An Abusive Relationship
And this except from a review at AVST Unified Communications for Business | Unified Messaging | Voicemail | Speech :
"All of these would be hugely problematic anywhere else, but Twilight has another issue that so overshadows those already mentioned that it renders them almost negligible: It reads like a do-it-yourself guide to abusive relationships.
I’m serious. Edward is moody, violent, prone to anger, jealous, and justifies any poor behavior towards Bella with excuses like “It’s just because I love you” and “It’s what’s best for you.” He works to sever all of her other social connections, leaving her entirely reliant on him – and in fact, she’s disturbingly codependent, with lines like “It would be physically painful to be separated from him.” She lives in terror of triggering one of his bad moods or making him want to leave. She describes his hands on her wrists as “manacles.” He stalks her and watches her while she sleeps and she feels flattered. He’s also insanely controlling; if he wants her to do something, she does it, and if she doesn’t hop to it, he picks her up or drags her where he wants her to be. I’m speaking very literally here – he both drags her around and pins or straps her down multiple times in this book."
Official: Twilight's Bella & Edward Are In An Abusive Relationship
And this except from a review at AVST Unified Communications for Business | Unified Messaging | Voicemail | Speech :
"All of these would be hugely problematic anywhere else, but Twilight has another issue that so overshadows those already mentioned that it renders them almost negligible: It reads like a do-it-yourself guide to abusive relationships.
I’m serious. Edward is moody, violent, prone to anger, jealous, and justifies any poor behavior towards Bella with excuses like “It’s just because I love you” and “It’s what’s best for you.” He works to sever all of her other social connections, leaving her entirely reliant on him – and in fact, she’s disturbingly codependent, with lines like “It would be physically painful to be separated from him.” She lives in terror of triggering one of his bad moods or making him want to leave. She describes his hands on her wrists as “manacles.” He stalks her and watches her while she sleeps and she feels flattered. He’s also insanely controlling; if he wants her to do something, she does it, and if she doesn’t hop to it, he picks her up or drags her where he wants her to be. I’m speaking very literally here – he both drags her around and pins or straps her down multiple times in this book."
Plenty of intelligent, well-read people read both series.
One thing people overlook about Meyer is that as an unknown author she got a $750,000.000 advance on a first novel. 3/4 of a million bucks. So clearly the editor who bought Twilight saw something in it. And the fact that the editor not only shelled out that kind of cash but turned out to be right speaks volumes. But it is en vogue, particularly among amateur writers, to bash the work (largely if not almost entirely due to its success, in my opinion). Most writers, no matter how good, will never even come close to connecting with the level of readership that Meyer achieved.
My personal viewpoint - I liked the first three Rice books quite a bit. Those are the only three I read. Twilight is not for me, but Meyer has clearly succeeded as a story teller.
One thing people overlook about Meyer is that as an unknown author she got a $750,000.000 advance on a first novel. 3/4 of a million bucks. So clearly the editor who bought Twilight saw something in it. And the fact that the editor not only shelled out that kind of cash but turned out to be right speaks volumes. But it is en vogue, particularly among amateur writers, to bash the work (largely if not almost entirely due to its success, in my opinion). Most writers, no matter how good, will never even come close to connecting with the level of readership that Meyer achieved.
My personal viewpoint - I liked the first three Rice books quite a bit. Those are the only three I read. Twilight is not for me, but Meyer has clearly succeeded as a story teller.
Kit
Maester
You can't compare apples and oranges. The Twilight series is written for teens, so of course it's going to be a lot more simplistic, and focussed on the things that teens focus on.
Steerpike, Twilight is brilliantly marketed. The book covers alone make the series attractive. But I won't use popularity as an indicator of whether or not a story is "good."
As an experiment, I'll Google what is popular and give my honest opinion...
#1 TV show = Dancing with the Stars
My opinion: garbage
#1 book (on Amazon) = Diary of a Wimpy Kid #6: Cabin Fever
My opinion: well-written, funny, age-appropriate; I enjoyed reading #4 with one of my 6th-graders; the author deserves to be successful
#1 movie = The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
My opinion: sorry... I really can't stand these! I had no idea there was a Twilight movie out when I did this Google search just now, but no jealousy here--vampires and teen love are not my cup of tea, and I hope my daughters won't get into these kinds of books when they get older.
As an experiment, I'll Google what is popular and give my honest opinion...
#1 TV show = Dancing with the Stars
My opinion: garbage
#1 book (on Amazon) = Diary of a Wimpy Kid #6: Cabin Fever
My opinion: well-written, funny, age-appropriate; I enjoyed reading #4 with one of my 6th-graders; the author deserves to be successful
#1 movie = The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
My opinion: sorry... I really can't stand these! I had no idea there was a Twilight movie out when I did this Google search just now, but no jealousy here--vampires and teen love are not my cup of tea, and I hope my daughters won't get into these kinds of books when they get older.
Benjamin Clayborne
Auror
There are plenty of books that are written for teens that are not offensively stupid. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Kit
Maester
LOL. True.
I confess to having read the series. There were things I liked about it, and things I didn't like about it.
I confess to having read the series. There were things I liked about it, and things I didn't like about it.
Nyx
Scribe
Twilight (amidst the bad writing) was a good concept for a book, yes one maybe two at most. If she had cut Bella's moaning out I bet she would have a better book. Meyer seems to have ignored that to be believable and likeable characters have to be flawed in some way or another. Bella was perfect and it annoyed the bojangles out of me. Her writing has improved though, The Host was a much better book, plot and character wise. If she had took more time with her books which I refuse to call a saga because it isn't then I believe after a few more polishes and more character development she would have had a decent 1-2 books. The best two characters IMO were Alice and Seth, neither got that much attention sadly.
As for Anne Rice.... meh I loved IWTV but her attitude and the fact she thinks she was perfect and as said above nobody else better dare touch her work really grated on me. I could love a book or series but as soon as the author comes across like Rice I can't bring myself to buy any more of their work. It becomes tainted to me.
So on that note I prefer Meyer (I am not going to even try to spell her first name at 2am), Because she is growing as a writer. She just needs to learn a few more things about writing and she will be writing great novels.
I also feel kinda sad when I switch on TV or go online and see her getting hate for the simple reason her books are popular. I saw the same with Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire. [General statement not directed at any person here.]
:3
As for Anne Rice.... meh I loved IWTV but her attitude and the fact she thinks she was perfect and as said above nobody else better dare touch her work really grated on me. I could love a book or series but as soon as the author comes across like Rice I can't bring myself to buy any more of their work. It becomes tainted to me.
So on that note I prefer Meyer (I am not going to even try to spell her first name at 2am), Because she is growing as a writer. She just needs to learn a few more things about writing and she will be writing great novels.
I also feel kinda sad when I switch on TV or go online and see her getting hate for the simple reason her books are popular. I saw the same with Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire. [General statement not directed at any person here.]
:3
The marketing argument doesn't withstand scrutiny. The idea that an editor paid three quarters of a million dollars for a bad book from an unknown author with the idea that it could marketed into some kind of pop phenomenon strains credulity well past the breaking point. If that were the answer, any publisher could replicate it, but clearly that is not the case and better or more heavily marketed books fail to do nearly as well. No, an editor doesn't pay that kind of money on the gamble that a marketing effort will be a huge success. It happens when she sees something in the book that makes her think "this is going to be big." And in this case she was right.
Putting aside the marketing argument, the other arguments regarding the success of the series are always some variation of the argument that the readers of the series are not as smart as the person making the "witty" or "insightful" commentary about how bad the series is. Such arguments can and should be discarded out of hand, because it is demonstrably false that the fans of the series are a bunch of idiots. Quite the opposite, in my experience. The argument that the readers/fans are just stupid stems from insecurity and/or jealousy and/or the need to be trendy, in my opinion. I know some very smart, well-educated (and yes, well-read) people of all ages who enjoy the series a great deal.
And finally, I like to support authors. The bashing of Meyer on writing forums is not only petty and small, it is sad. Meyer is precisely the sort of person who could have been posting on a forum like this years ago (not that she did, but she's the 'kind' who could have). Unknown, unpublished, with an idea. And now look at what has happened. No matter what other arguments people offer, the most credible and reasonable explanation for her success is that she wrote a series that engaged millions of readers and achieved a following that will not be replicated, or even approximated, by 99.9% of the writers in the world, no matter how good. And you go to writing forums with other aspiring writers (or sometimes even working writers, though I find this less) and all you get is a bunch of bashing. It's a sad statement on human psychology, in my opinion.
That's easy to see, even for someone who didn't like the book Twilight.
NOTE: Nyx - you are absolutely right. It is the popularity that draws the ire of people, plain and simple. People might like or dislike it, but if it weren't so popular and loved by so many people, you wouldn't see the really irrational, frothing-at-the-mouth bashing of it. Twilight haters are even more obsessed with the work than the hardcore fans.
Putting aside the marketing argument, the other arguments regarding the success of the series are always some variation of the argument that the readers of the series are not as smart as the person making the "witty" or "insightful" commentary about how bad the series is. Such arguments can and should be discarded out of hand, because it is demonstrably false that the fans of the series are a bunch of idiots. Quite the opposite, in my experience. The argument that the readers/fans are just stupid stems from insecurity and/or jealousy and/or the need to be trendy, in my opinion. I know some very smart, well-educated (and yes, well-read) people of all ages who enjoy the series a great deal.
And finally, I like to support authors. The bashing of Meyer on writing forums is not only petty and small, it is sad. Meyer is precisely the sort of person who could have been posting on a forum like this years ago (not that she did, but she's the 'kind' who could have). Unknown, unpublished, with an idea. And now look at what has happened. No matter what other arguments people offer, the most credible and reasonable explanation for her success is that she wrote a series that engaged millions of readers and achieved a following that will not be replicated, or even approximated, by 99.9% of the writers in the world, no matter how good. And you go to writing forums with other aspiring writers (or sometimes even working writers, though I find this less) and all you get is a bunch of bashing. It's a sad statement on human psychology, in my opinion.
That's easy to see, even for someone who didn't like the book Twilight.
NOTE: Nyx - you are absolutely right. It is the popularity that draws the ire of people, plain and simple. People might like or dislike it, but if it weren't so popular and loved by so many people, you wouldn't see the really irrational, frothing-at-the-mouth bashing of it. Twilight haters are even more obsessed with the work than the hardcore fans.
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Nyx
Scribe
In case any of that was directed at me, and, now its not 2am, I think I can write what I wanted to get across. What I really meant was that not everyone has the first book they wrote published, first novels are usually the worst writing a writer will produce so with that in mind, Twilight was the worst of her writing and that was pretty good amidst the sometimes jarring writing. The Host, her new book, is amazing compared to it. Examples are Harry Potter, Book 1 wasn't nearly as good as book 5 or 7. The guy who wrote Eragon, who only got published because his parents owned a publishing company doesn't get nearly as much hate as Meyer does and his books, even the newer one is worse than Twilight and I really wanted to like that series. It is a real shame that most of this seems to come from the writing community, which I thought would support aspiring writers no matter what stage in their career they are in.
No, Nyx, I'm more or less in agreement with you, I think 