The Fifty Shades Series

[WALL-E]

Anyone else read this series? I noticed there's no thread about it, so I thought I'd start one. The first book was actually written as a Twilight fanfic originally and a publisher picked it up and had the author turn it into an original book.

My friend and I were actually just talking about casting for the movie that they're making of it, and after hearing that Alexader Skarsgard is interested in playing Christian Grey, we kind of went all out, and these are our preferences for the roles

Christian Grey- Alexander Skarsgard
Ana Steele- Anna Kendrick
Kate Kavanaugh- Olivia Thirlby
Elena- Joely Richardson
Elliot- Jake McDorman
Mia- Alexis Bledel
Jose- ??
Ethan- Channing Tatum

For anyone who's read it, what do you think??

EDIT:

*DISCLAIMER*- As most people know, the subject of these books is not exactly family-friendly, so please keep the discussion clean! Thanks guys.

[erikanicole]

I love the books, I read them over a course of a weekend and while they aren't well written they are a lot of fun. I heard the Twilight comparisons after reading and I am glad it was after otherwise it may have ruined it for me.

I think Anna Kendrick would be great as Anastacia but for Christian I picture more of a Chris Hemsworth than Skaarsgard (although don't get me started on how much I adore him) because he just fits to me how he was described in the book and his gaze is just so intense and cold.

[kara-bo-bara]

As an unpublished writer with multiple manuscripts sitting in a drawer waiting for someone to finally pick them up, I have a serious problem with this author and the fact that she's made it because of fan fiction. If I'd had known I could get published by changing the names of the 100+ fan fix stories I wrote over the years I'd be a bazillionare by now *grumble grumble grumbl*

That being said I did try to read the sample chapters courtesy of iBooks but I just couldn't get into them. There really isn't enough to drive the plot for me. The story in between the sex scenes was lacking a lot, but then again most erotica fiction does

I think you should put a disclaimer in the first post of this thread--this is most definitely not a kid friendly book and we are a family-friendly forum...

[WALL-E]

As an unpublished writer with multiple manuscripts sitting in a drawer waiting for someone to finally pick them up, I have a serious problem with this author and the fact that she's made it because of fan fiction. If I'd had known I could get published by changing the names of the 100+ fan fix stories I wrote over the years I'd be a bazillionare by now *grumble grumble grumbl*

That being said I did try to read the sample chapters courtesy of iBooks but I just couldn't get into them. There really isn't enough to drive the plot for me. The story in between the sex scenes was lacking a lot, but then again most erotica fiction does

I think you should put a disclaimer in the first post of this thread--this is most definitely not a kid friendly book and we are a family-friendly forum...

I know, I didn't find out it was from a fanfic until after reading it (though the similarities to Twilight were disgustingly blatant), and these are certainly not good books, they're just catering to the tastes of the time (a time in which for the most part, people don't read nearly as much as they used to), which is why they got published. Totally guilty pleasure books, and nothing more in my opinion. I couldn't put it down simply because I wanted to find out what happened.

And I was going to put a disclaimer, but I figured people would know to keep the discussion clean because of the kind of forums these are. I'll add one though, just in case

[Qsk50]

My sisters friend recommended this book and I was planning on picking up within the next few days. I'm guessing not too good considering this thread only has 4 posts

[mshalloween]

I've heard such mixed things about it. I've heard it's absolutely amazing but then I've also heard that it's totally over-hyped and is mostly just shocking and racy. I honestly tend to believe the latter. I bought the book months ago but have just not been interested in reading it. I'm sure I will get around to it but ehhhhhhhhhhhh...

[Ale8414]

I don't know why or how to explain the logic behind why I feel this way lol but I find the book intimidating and scary :/ lol very odd haha I don't think you'll catch me reading it any time soon, there's a funny video of these 3 grandma's reading sections of it and their commentary is really funny, if I find it I'll post it here

[kara-bo-bara]

I've heard such mixed things about it. I've heard it's absolutely amazing but then I've also heard that it's totally over-hyped and is mostly just shocking and racy. I honestly tend to believe the latter. I bought the book months ago but have just not been interested in reading it. I'm sure I will get around to it but ehhhhhhhhhhhh...

You're correct with the latter. It's mostly popular because its really the first erotica book that's gotten such huge attention, supposedly it plays on everyone's hidden desires . If you're used to reading things that are well written you'll be quite disappointed with this book, it's basically poor plot, sex scene, poor plot, sex scene, sex scene, more sex, poor plot, two more books! If you're into guilty reads and have some fetishes, then it'll be right up your alley. IMO there's better written erotica (Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series, though it's published under a different name).

[Qsk50]

No wonder all the young girls in her office were talking about it

[kara-bo-bara]

I personally can't stand it when main female characters are all boo-hoo I'm ugly and clumsy and can't do anything right and my roommate is perfect and beautiful and sulk sulk sulk I suck at life but like OH EM GEEE there's this super hot man who's super rich and super perfect and he wants me? He wants me! I need this man no matter what I'll do anything to keep him because I need a man for my life to mean anything.

^ Is this the kind message we want to be teaching our young adult women?

[NiccyT]

No this is not a classically written novel. You have to read it for what it is, fun... I feel that the main character evolves through the series... I enjoyed it, bc it was a quick easy read. With that being said I read many different books. My tastes vary from 'The song of Ice and Fire' to 'Pride and Prejudice' But then again I also like the Sookie/true blood series, The Hunger Games and books by Julie Garwood...

Also working in the news sometimes I just Can't come home and deal with serious stuff :-)

[MsDisneyFan]

It's mostly popular because its really the first erotica book that's gotten such huge attention

My thoughts exactly! I read all 3 and while it wasn't a bad read it wasn't the best (or first) erotica I've read. Personally I don't find it shocking or racy, but then again I read some really interesting stuff

My brother described it as "soccer mom erotica" which is to say it's pretty softcore.

[Phylers]

I personally can't stand it when main female characters are all boo-hoo I'm ugly and clumsy and can't do anything right and my roommate is perfect and beautiful and sulk sulk sulk I suck at life but like OH EM GEEE there's this super hot man who's super rich and super perfect and he wants me? He wants me! I need this man no matter what I'll do anything to keep him because I need a man for my life to mean anything.

^ Is this the kind message we want to be teaching our young adult women?

I'm not going to defend the 50 Shades stories, as I likewise think it's how much attention they're getting (and the "soccer mom erotica" label is entirely apt), but that's kind of a blanket statement. It's like saying that the message in Dickens was "life sucks unless you have a wealthy distant relation/dowager who'll solve all your problems."

By all means, tear it apart as much as you like - it deserves it, but criticism should come from more than the stereotypical beginning of a character as opposed to, say, a character's lack of growth from that beginning.

Plus, and this is mainly shooting at the Twilight stories that this grew from, are these authors furthering a message or just exploiting LCD insecurities?

[mshalloween]

I bought the book months and months ago when people first started raving about it so I probably will end up reading the first novel, but I don't know if I'll read the rest. I think I might look for something else to read instead. I have a lot of 'sample' books on my iPad so hopefully one of those will tickle my fancy! I really want to start reading A Song of Fire and Ice but I also don't want to get too into those books while watching GoT.. I don't know if it will make watching the show too confusing/difficult or what. Sigh, what problems I have...

[kara-bo-bara]

I really want to start reading A Song of Fire and Ice but I also don't want to get too into those books while watching GoT.. I don't know if it will make watching the show too confusing/difficult or what. Sigh, what problems I have...

The first book is pretty much the first season, with a little bit more detail. The second season combines the main points of book 2 with some foreshadowing and minor points that eventually evolve of book 3. It's not confusing at all to watch and read at the same time. There were very minor things that were changed in season 2 (a name or two that were too similar and silly things like that which are easy enough to pick up on) though I imagine that things are going to start to drift from the books because now they're getting into the longer books yet still only have a 10 episode season.

[Qsk50]

Well I read the first book and will be starting the 2nd today. It's ok
Not what I would normally read and it wasn't one of those "cant put it down" book but it will help pass the time at work between
reading VN posts