Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
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Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#2I am currently about 5 episodes in and I am enjoying it so far. The 5th episode has kinda lost some of the excitement that the first 4 had, but I'm hoping it it picks up again.
I know that this series is based on a book, and I have been looking for more sci-fi books to read. Does anyone have any insight on how the TV series compares to the book and whether it is worth reading?
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#3I am currently about 5 episodes in and I am enjoying it so far. The 5th episode has kinda lost some of the excitement that the first 4 had, but I'm hoping it it picks up again. I know that this series is based on a book, and I have been looking for more sci-fi books to read. Does anyone have any insight on how the TV series compares to the book and whether it is worth reading?
On reddit there is some kind of consensus that the series is great up until around episode 7, when it gets from bad to worse.
I personally did read about half the book until I lost interest. So I guess the series and the book have that in common. Anyway, from what I've read the series is more or less true to the book, except from episode 7 when even I could notice some major differences (mainly the nature and motivations of the envoys).
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#4I've only read the book, haven't seen the series. I wonder if I'm alone in my opinion - the book has a great storyline, great setting, ideas and concepts, but all the interactions seem to be heavy-handed sarcasm, and that gets old. It's almost like someone put a sarcasm Instagram filter, or applied style transfer to pretty much every interaction. I mean I get it, it's supposed to be gritty and noire - however, "edgy" (just like spicy) can't be the only flavor in a dish.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#5I've only read the book, haven't seen the series. I wonder if I'm alone in my opinion - the book has a great storyline, great setting, ideas and concepts, but all the interactions seem to be heavy-handed sarcasm, and that gets old. It's almost like someone put a sarcasm Instagram filter, or applied style transfer to pretty much every interaction. I mean I get it, it's supposed to be gritty and noire - however, "edgy"…
I don't think it is that far out that an ex soldier that literally had their personality deconstructed is a bit jaded.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#6I am currently about 5 episodes in and I am enjoying it so far. The 5th episode has kinda lost some of the excitement that the first 4 had, but I'm hoping it it picks up again. I know that this series is based on a book, and I have been looking for more sci-fi books to read. Does anyone have any insight on how the TV series compares to the book and whether it is worth reading?
It's worth reading if you like the cyberpunk genre for sure.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#7I am currently about 5 episodes in and I am enjoying it so far. The 5th episode has kinda lost some of the excitement that the first 4 had, but I'm hoping it it picks up again. I know that this series is based on a book, and I have been looking for more sci-fi books to read. Does anyone have any insight on how the TV series compares to the book and whether it is worth reading?
On reddit there is some kind of consensus that the series is great up until around episode 7, when it gets from bad to worse. I personally did read about half the book until I lost interest. So I guess the series and the book have that in common. Anyway, from what I've read the series is more or less true to the book, except from episode 7 when even I could notice some major differences (mainly the nature and motivat…
I completely agree with the first sentence. I actually had to make an effort to watch it past the middle, where the writing gets really bad. (I stuck with it because i'm a cyberpunk fan, your mileage may vary)
The book is no masterpiece, not by a longshot, but it's a fun read and I think it's miles better than the show.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#8The show is mostly _fun_, but I definitely wouldn't call it a _great_ or well-made show, apart from the visuals. Too much clunky dialogue and half-baked subplots.
In particular, there's a certain traumatized daughter whose plot never makes sense at any turn. The show seems to expect us to already know and have a major emotional investment in a character who we've never seen speak and who seems to have almost no tangible relationship to anything else happening in the show. Plus the way other characters react to what's going on with her is completely nonsensical.
The show has plenty of issues but that one in particular really bothered me for some reason.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#9A very faithful adaptation that reflects most of the strengths (and weaknesses) of the source material.
For example the ending felt a bit like a false summit. Solving the Bancroft murder should have been the climax of this detective novel, but the story keeps going and feels awkward afterwards. I had forgotten how badly the story lost me in the books until I was watching this show and I couldn't remember what I should be caring about. You can't build climactic tension if the viewer isn't even sure what they should be tense about!
Setting aside content, I just want to say Poe's actor was fantastic, but Rei's actress just didn't deliver on the same level as the rest of the primary cast.
And the sets were amazing. Some of the best I've seen on a streaming-only show.
Re: Altered Carbon – All the DNA of great science-fiction with some missing links
#10A very faithful adaptation that reflects most of the strengths (and weaknesses) of the source material. For example the ending felt a bit like a false summit. Solving the Bancroft murder should have been the climax of this detective novel, but the story keeps going and feels awkward afterwards. I had forgotten how badly the story lost me in the books until I was watching this show and I couldn't remember what I shoul…
The story isn’t about the murder, though, it’s about power. If the novel (and the show) failed to sell you on that, it’s a legitimate complaint.