I TOLD you Twilight was EVIL!

[Ifreann]

But why should that be the only way they are allowed to be?

Because Wilgrove et al said so.

And besides, that's like having a fictional beast with eighteen legs, purple skin and a giant eye on a stalk that's called a rabbit. It will do nothing but confuse readers.

Not really. Vampires are different in any given story. Saying that they can only have attributes X, Y and Z is silly when they've had every attribute from A to Z and a bunch of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

[Saint Clair Island]

And besides, that's like having a fictional beast with eighteen legs, purple skin and a giant eye on a stalk that's called a rabbit. It will do nothing but confuse readers.

True but the the readers are not being forced to read the books. Plus this is not some crazy difference like what you mentioned it is just a few sublte ones. I'm all for mythical creatures remaining consistant but is it really that bad if someone changes it around a bit.

Eh, that one anime series had angels that were main antagonists, and we've seen demons who are good guys in various media, so I guess you can. The question is whether it won't confuse people unduly (since living corpses are generally considered evil or at least scary).

[Ifreann]

And besides, that's like having a fictional beast with eighteen legs, purple skin and a giant eye on a stalk that's called a rabbit. It will do nothing but confuse readers.

True but the the readers are not being forced to read the books. Plus this is not some crazy difference like what you mentioned it is just a few sublte ones. I'm all for mythical creatures remaining consistant but is it really that bad if someone changes it around a bit.

Eh, that one anime series had angels that were main antagonists, and we've seen demons who are good guys in various media, so I guess you can. The question is whether it won't confuse people unduly (since living corpses are generally considered evil or at least scary).

I expect the readers are meant to be confused some times.

[The Cat-Tribe]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Meh.

"Imaginary creatures can only be and behave as I imagine them" tantrum.

[Ifreann]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Meh.

"Imaginary creatures can only be and behave as I imagine them" tantrum.

OMG Lawyers aren't allowed act like that!

[Tahar Joblis]

I read a very interesting critique at one point that said that Twilight really glorifies abusive relationships, and that the lead romance of it is practically a textbook template for an abusive relationship. Anyone with more experience with her care to comment on that?

Now, there is an interesting take, and the first hint of an actual negative impact of this series, rather than, "Waaah, I don't like popular things! Waaah!"

Yeah. I read it on Facebook, so there's no point in my trying to link you to it, but this article makes the same point in a couple paragraphs of its scathing review.

And I think it's a really nicely made point. I just haven't seen the movie or book, and so can't judge as to whether these critics' facts are straight as to what Meyer actually wrote, but they are describing abusive relationships in the sort of details that I'm pretty sure the psych people agree on these days.

The point that it is actually influencing teenage girls I have seen some anecdotal support for - second hand reactions where one girl is griping about her acquaintance breaking up with her boyfriend so she can "find her Edward," etc.

I really am not worried about the quality of writing. Child and teen books are often not that well written from an adult perspective. However, I do worry about the messages that kids take home.

[Spredronia]

Bella Swan? Edward Cullen?

*Klingon voice* BAH! Filthy creatures!

Twilight sucks ass. The key to destroying them is burning down the local Hot Topic.

(OoC: You get cookie if you can get the reference.)

[Ifreann]

I read a very interesting critique at one point that said that Twilight really glorifies abusive relationships, and that the lead romance of it is practically a textbook template for an abusive relationship. Anyone with more experience with her care to comment on that?

Now, there is an interesting take, and the first hint of an actual negative impact of this series, rather than, "Waaah, I don't like popular things! Waaah!"

Yeah. I read it on Facebook, so there's no point in my trying to link you to it, but this article makes the same point in a couple paragraphs of its scathing review.

And I think it's a really nicely made point. I just haven't seen the movie or book, and so can't judge as to whether these critics' facts are straight as to what Meyer actually wrote, but they are describing abusive relationships in the sort of details that I'm pretty sure the psych people agree on these days.

The point that it is actually influencing teenage girls I have seen some anecdotal support for - second hand reactions where one girl is griping about her acquaintance breaking up with her boyfriend so she can "find her Edward," etc.

I really am not worried about the quality of writing. Child and teen books are often not that well written from an adult perspective. However, I do worry about the messages that kids take home.

I saw the movie, but I haven't read the books. After Edward and Bella decide to stop hating each other and start loving each other he appears in her room one night(she's on her bed in a t-shirt and underwear, on the phone IMS). He explains that he's been doing this for months. Even before they get together he stalks her. He says he feels very protective of her, but at the same time the basis for his attraction towards her is that he wants to kill her and drink her blood. Looks to me like he sees her as his.

I hear it gets really squicky at one point towards the end of the series...

Bella's former love interest(a werewolf) bonds with her minutes old daughter and feels he is destined to marry her. Yup. Paedophile werewolf. Ewwww.

[Iniika]

Generally, if preteen girls are screaming about it, I try and stay away from it.

Until my mother tricks me into watching it. At which point my theory is confirmed.

While admitting that I've never read the novels and have zero desire to, off the top of my head, three vampire novels that are at least better in plot than that shitty movie:

Lost Souls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Souls_(novel)

Hotel transylvania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Sain ... n_(vampire)

The Silver Kiss (a youth read, and the most similar to Twighlight)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Kiss

[H N Fiddlebottoms VIII]

I miss the good old days, when vampire aficionados didn't come out in the daytime.

Yes, I realise that this sounds like something a racist would say. I am admittedly anti-vampire except for the few who give back to society. Count Floyd, Frightenstein, and Count von Count, specifically.

You're anti-Blacula? You racist pig! It isn't fair to evaluate Blacula based upon the criteria of non-black vampires, for one thing, most other vampires didn't spend roughly 99.9% of their life trapped in a box in someone's basement, and then when he finally gets out he is surrounded by highly annoying gay guys. So he was forced to defend himself from their terrible 70's fashion sense, lisping accents and nonsensical dialogue.
And then the rest of the time, he's being shot at by the MAN, or Uncle Thomas is all up in his face about blood drinking even though there is no reason for anyone to suspect that the fanged guy in the blue button down and cape who is only ever seen moving around at night and talks like he fell out of a Shakespearean play is really Blacula. Also, what was I talking about? Oh, right, RACIST PIG!

[H N Fiddlebottoms VIII]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Meh.

"Imaginary creatures can only be and behave as I imagine them" tantrum.

Damn right! And I say that any vampire which can't be stopped in his tracks by scattering a bunch of poppy seeds is a horrible parody. ALL VAMPIRES MUST BE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE ABOUT COUNTING SMALL OBJECTS! How much more simply can I explain this? What is scary or interesting about a blood-sucking undead monster that isn't going to immediately stop whatever he's doing to individually pick up and count seeds? Nothing, I say! NOTHING! And if you think there is anything interesting about one, you're wrong. You and ever how many millions of satisfied readers/viewers/listeners who may share your view.
For I am the one true Prophet of Vampiredom, and I say that the most important part about being a vampire is counting goddamn seeds!

[JuNii]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Hokay...

question...

if a vampire is an UNDEAD... then it has no heartbeat. thus no blood pumping though it's veins (makes sense that vampires need human blood to survive...)

so if a male vampire wants sex... how does the blood get to where it needs to go to inorder to have sex?

[JuNii]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Meh.

"Imaginary creatures can only be and behave as I imagine them" tantrum.

Damn right! And I say that any vampire which can't be stopped in his tracks by scattering a bunch of poppy seeds is a horrible parody. ALL VAMPIRES MUST BE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE ABOUT COUNTING SMALL OBJECTS! How much more simply can I explain this? What is scary or interesting about a blood-sucking undead monster that isn't going to immediately stop whatever he's doing to individually pick up and count seeds? Nothing, I say! NOTHING! And if you think there is anything interesting about one, you're wrong. You and ever how many millions of satisfied readers/viewers/listeners who may share your view.
For I am the one true Prophet of Vampiredom, and I say that the most important part about being a vampire is counting goddamn seeds!

Put down the X-files and back away from the remote...

[Wilgrove]

Bella Swan? Edward Cullen?

*Klingon voice* BAH! Filthy creatures!

Twilight sucks ass. The key to destroying them is burning down the local Hot Topic.

(OoC: You get cookie if you can get the reference.)

An episode of South Park where they are overrun with Twilight fans, and the Goth kids are getting lumped in with the Twilight fans.

[Blouman Empire]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

Gay vampires do, something those girls should remember.

[Greed and Death]

Twilight fans are idiots.
I didn't think most of them were old enough to drive though.

[Dyakovo]

Anything that gets teens (and preteens, too) interested in reading is good. Eventually they'll move on to other interests, but the reading will stick for (un)life

/\ This /\

[Greed and Death]

Vampires do not sparkle, they are not vegetarians and they do not refrain from sex!

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Meh.

"Imaginary creatures can only be and behave as I imagine them" tantrum.

Lawyers are banned from discussing imaginary things.

[Dyakovo]

Write a better series. And it's Stephanie Meyers.

I will, and apparently I am not alone in my opinion.

Stephen King also dislikes Stephanie Myer's style

One hack dissing another hacks writing, so what?

[Conserative Morality]

One hack dissing another hacks writing, so what?

Now, if it was Zombie Asimov criticizing her writing...

[Dyakovo]

They are sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun!

Vampires are fantasy creatures in the public domain, not "sex having, meat eating, blood drinking sons of bitches who melt or explode in the damn sun".

Not to mention the fact that Willy is ignoring non-western vampires, such as the Manananggal...

[Gauthier]

Rain destroys vampires in the RIFTS RPG. Pity there isn't some way we can swap novel settings.

---

It's also the same setting where an ordinary schmuck wearing ceramic alloy composite armor can take a direct hit from an M-1 Abrams' main gun without a scratch then blow up said tank with a laser pistol. You sure?

Just what the world needs, the ultimate absurdity of Mega Damage Sparkly Vampires.

[Katganistan]

Write a better series. And it's Stephanie Meyers.

I will, and apparently I am not alone in my opinion.

Stephen King also dislikes Stephanie Myer's style

And Mr. King knows how to write vampire stories.

He does, and the point isn't that she writes GOOD stories -- but that if one doesn't like 'em, one shouldn't buy 'em and one shouldn't read 'em.

[Dyakovo]

One hack dissing another hacks writing, so what?

Now, if it was Zombie Asimov criticizing her writing...

Or better yet, Zombie Piper (never was a fan of Asimov...)

[Katganistan]

I liked vampires before Twilight.....What happened to the bursting into flames when they're in sunlight.....What happened I ask you!?!?

Dracula didn't.