Video Game Books

[Silk_Sk]

EDIT: This thread is partly in response to the latest VGcats but I've been seeing this opinion elsewhere as well.

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/images/091004.jpg

I've been seeing a lot of hate for video game books lately that, frankly, I don't quite understand. Particularly the Halo books. I can see how the idea of them would turn people off. "I already know the story, I don't care about the backstory, videogames suck in any other medium" etc. I can see where you're coming from. Books based on movies haven't fared very well either. But every single one of those arguments is, to put it mildly, absolutely retarded.

Now, I haven't read a whole lot of video game books. Not all the ones I have read were good either. Of course I'm not going to go and say all video game books are good. But, I will say this.

The Halo books FUCKING ROCKED!

At least, the ones by Eric Nylund did. I wasn't even considering its video game origins when I read The Fall of Reach. In fact, that book was what got me into Halo in the first place. I can also say with confidence that the Halo story as a whole would hold absolutely no interest for me if it weren't for Eric Nylund's vision of it. His books are far far better than the games and no one should even consider passing them up simply because they revolve around a video game. They are good books PERIOD.

"I don't care about the master chief's origins." Fuck you, you don't. Every time I hear that I want to kill someone. His backstory was badass enough to make up for every disappointing flashback in the history of suckage, up to and including the pussification of Darth Vader.

If you're still not sure then just read Ghosts of Onyx. It has little, if anything to do with any of the video games. But have you ever wanted to cry from how cool something was? The ending of Ghosts of Onyx makes me choke up every single time.

Some books are good, some books are bad. Whether or not it is based on a video game is irrelevant. All this hate on video game books is prejudice and nothing but. I've read some damn fine video game books. I didn't like them because they were based on video games. I liked them because they were good books.

"There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all." -Oscar Wilde

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Really? I never heard anything bad about the Halo books; in fact I was told they expanded on the story in a way the games couldn't.

However, I never read game books, mainly because I don't have time for them.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

I read a couple, and they were great! At least, better than any movie of the Halo games would be. However, you can't just say "They are good books PERIOD". That's a bit elitist. Try to accept the other side of the argument.

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

Thanks for telling us?

One word: Knaak.

 

[LavaLampBamboo]

The ending to "Ghosts" was a bit out there, but still good. I've just started Contact Harvest, so hopefully that should be interesting...

 

[Aurora219]

I bought them for a mate, three of them, for his birthday. The bastard ran off with them before I could steal them back so I've never read them!

He said they were fantastic though.

 

[Silk_Sk]

I read a couple, and they were great! At least, better than any movie of the Halo games would be. However, you can't just say "They are good books PERIOD". That's a bit elitist. Try to accept the other side of the argument.

You misunderstand. When I say PERIOD I mean if you don't read them simply because they are based on a video game then you are missing out. Also, I'm only talking about the Eric Nylund ones. Most of the others were still okay though. The Flood sucked but it's okay to skip it since it's basically Halo 1.

The ending to "Ghosts" was a bit out there, but still good. I've just started Contact Harvest, so hopefully that should be interesting...

Contact Harvest was probably the best non-Nylund book. It's certainly good for a once-through.

I've updated the first post in case anyone hasn't seen an example of the complaints I've read.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I've just started to read a book set in the EVE Online universe. So far, so wonderful. If I ever end up playing an MMO, it'll be EVE.

 

[MortisLegio]

I like Fall of Reach but the other two were alright.

I like the Starcraft manga that came out, its not bad.

 

[Trivun]

I've been seeing a lot of hate for video game books lately that, frankly, I don't quite understand. Particularly the Halo books. I can see how the idea of them would turn people off. "I already know the story, I don't care about the backstory, videogames suck in any other medium" etc. I can see where you're coming from. Books based on movies haven't fared very well either. But every single one of those arguments is, to put it mildly, absolutely retarded.

Now, I haven't read a whole lot of video game books. Not all the ones I have read were good either. Of course I'm not going to go and say all video game books are good. But, I will say this.

The Halo books FUCKING ROCKED!

At least, the ones by Eric Nylund did. I wasn't even considering its video game origins when I read The Fall of Reach. In fact, that book was what got me into Halo in the first place. I can also say with confidence that the Halo story as a whole would hold absolutely no interest for me if it weren't for Eric Nylund's vision of it. His books are far far better than the games and no one should even consider passing them up simply because they revolve around a video game. They are good books PERIOD.

"I don't care about the master chief's origins." Fuck you, you don't. Every time I hear that I want to kill someone. His backstory was badass enough to make up for every disappointing flashback in the history of suckage, up to and including the pussification of Darth Vader.

If you're still not sure then just read Ghosts of Onyx. It has little, if anything to do with any of the video games. But have you ever wanted to cry from how cool something was? The ending of Ghosts of Onyx makes me choke up every single time.

Some books are good, some books are bad. Whether or not it is based on a video game is irrelevant. All this hate on video game books is prejudice and nothing but. I've read some damn fine video game books. I didn't like them because they were based on video games. I liked them because they were good books.

"There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all." -Oscar Wilde

I agree mainly with this, I love the Halo books with a passion and at the same time I've grown up reading good novels, from Conrad's Heart of Darkness to Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, and others too. I still loved the Halo books, especially Contact Harvest and Ghosts of Onyx. They give not only a good backstory, but they also expand on the Halo Universe greatly and in fact gave hints of what was to come in the future games as well (for example, reference is made in the ending chapters of Ghosts of Onyx to ODSTs and Marines still on the ground in New Mombasa, and in that same book we see the first example of a Shield World which was later referred to in Halo Wars and Halo Wars: Genesis by Prof. Anders, though of course at that time the idea of Onyx being a Shield World isn't considered until the events of Onyx).

TL;DR: I loved the Halo books. I felt they added greatly to the Halo mythology and were also very well written.

I read a couple, and they were great! At least, better than any movie of the Halo games would be. However, you can't just say "They are good books PERIOD". That's a bit elitist. Try to accept the other side of the argument.

I do, however, have to agree with this guy too. It isn't enough to just say that 'Halo books are awesome', even though I feel they are. Obviously some people won't like them and that's down to each person, it's their choice. That said I do prefer people to make an informed choice, rather than disliking something (especially Halo related due to all the haters) simply because it's cool. For the record though Squid94, I do think that a Halo movie would actually be quite good, but only if treated with the right level of care, and with the right people, which is why I feel that the District 9 team would be great since their style does suit the Halo Universe greatly.

Thanks for telling us?

One word: Knaak.

Soooo, you aren't going to bother contributing then? Fair enough. Idiot.

 

[Avaholic03]

Why are you turning to the internet for acceptance? If you like books based on video games, then good for you. That doesn't mean everyone has to think like you do for it to be a valid opinion. Turn off the computer and go enjoy your books. Don't let people tell you what to think.

 

[cyber_andyy]

The W40K ones a supposed to be good. Havent read any yet though.

 

[Thaius]

I agree: to pass on a book just because it's based on a game is stupid. Video games have become an amazing storytelling medium, one that has actually been pretty well translated into book form on many occasions (the Gears of War prequel was good too).

Of course the "games to movies" transfer has yet to go well, but that's because every time we actually get a good director, which is rare, we cancel them (*cough*HALO*cough*).

 

[Silk_Sk]

I read a couple, and they were great! At least, better than any movie of the Halo games would be. However, you can't just say "They are good books PERIOD". That's a bit elitist. Try to accept the other side of the argument.

I do, however, have to agree with this guy too. It isn't enough to just say that 'Halo books are awesome', even though I feel they are. Obviously some people won't like them and that's down to each person, it's their choice. That said I do prefer people to make an informed choice, rather than disliking something (especially Halo related due to all the haters) simply because it's cool. For the record though Squid94, I do think that a Halo movie would actually be quite good, but only if treated with the right level of care, and with the right people, which is why I feel that the District 9 team would be great since their style does suit the Halo Universe greatly.

Yes, maybe that statement was too opaque. Of course it is up to a person whether or not they enjoy a book. Still, just because they don't enjoy it doesn't mean it wasn't good. Has anyone here ever enjoyed a supremely well written Biography of Ronald Reagan? My Grandma gave me that for my birthday. (in her defense, she also gave me Dracula)

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

I agree: to pass on a book just because it's based on a game is stupid. Video games have become an amazing storytelling medium, one that has actually been pretty well translated into book form on many occasions (the Gears of War prequel was good too).

Of course the "games to movies" transfer has yet to go well, but that's because every time we actually get a good director, which is rare, we cancel them (*cough*HALO*cough*).

Did you want the same guy who did District 9 to have his carreer killed by doing the Halo movie? I didn't and I'm glad it got shelved. There would probably be a better idea to make a movie based on one of the side stories or prequels of games rather than the game itself. Until then, I hope that every movie that is based on a video game is killed before we kid ourselves into believing "this movie is different." It never is. Get over it.

Personally, I like novels that expand on the lore of games, but generally novels based on the game itself (like the Halo novel The Flood) tend to be dull or confusing to those who played the game.

 

[Kimarous]

I can't really say anything about Gears of War or Halo, having no real interest in those serials, but I feel that as long as the universe of said series is deep enough to expand, then go for it. I may no nothing of World of Warcraft, but from what I've gathered, the history of the in-game world is rich enough to write entire books about... which they have (I'd know; my brother owns a bunch of them).

And maybe I'm just a Bioware fanboy, but as soon as I find copies of the "Dragon Age" books, I am totally getting it.

 

[DrDeath3191]

The Halo books are actually pretty good (well, the ones by Eric Nylund are, anyway). I recommend checking them out.

 

[thiosk]

I never read videogame or game books, I always considered them glorified fan fiction.

but i have to plug ciaphus cain here, of course.

 

[BolognaBaloney]

I read the Halo books, which I found to be quite good for video game books.

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

Thanks for telling us?

One word: Knaak.

Soooo, you aren't going to bother contributing then? Fair enough. Idiot.

Thanks for insulting me, you wonderful person.
I fail to see how I can contribute to a thread that boils down to 'Other people say this but I'm completely different as I like it!' if this was about some game this thread would have been locked by now.

The W40K ones a supposed to be good. Havent read any yet though.

Technically not videogame books apart from the Dawn of War ones.
Get the Ciaphas Cain novels though.