This week’s Entertainment Weekly delivers the ultimate guide to vampires. You’ll find interviews with the authors behind Twilight and True Blood, our list of the 20 greatest bloodsuckers ever, and Anne Rice’s pick for the best new vampire — as well as a talk with her about how she revolutionized the vampire legend decades ago with Interview with a Vampire.
With Twilight a phenomenon, True Blood attracting converts by the millions, and hordes of new vampire projects looming in the shadows, bloodsuckers are haunting every corner of our lives: bookstores, television, movies, and more. Why has pop culture thrown open its door and invited them in? “The traditional vampire story, with monsters and victims, chases and chills, is more plain fun,” says True Blood’s executive producer Alan Ball. “But they can often reveal the general state of the cultural psyche.”
Vampires are such versatile symbols now that they can express both conservative and liberal views. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels are steeped in her Mormon values. But True Blood speaks in part for gays and, as Ball puts it, “eight years of institutionalized demonization of pretty much any group that wasn’t on the bus with Mr. Bush.”
It may come as a surprise to learn that Meyer – reigning queen of pop culture’s vampire coven – has an uneasy relationship with them. Back in 2003, when she was writing the first draft of Twilight, she refused to show it to her husband. “I was embarrassed,” she said. “It was about vampires.” In fact, last year, she told EW that her great wish was to reclaim some time to write something new. “Look, I’m not just a vampire girl,” she said emphatically. “I can do other worlds.”
Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books, has her own thoughts on the Twilight phenomenon. “Stephenie Meyer has come and she’s taken the genre that I sort of pioneered. Her original audience was 11- and 12-year-olds, so she – very rightly – sanitized the genre. She took out a lot of the sex and violence, especially for the first book…I ask people, Why has this really captured you? What I heard from all ages is that it was very romantic that he was willing to wait for her and that there was no sex. They like the idea that [Bella] was like the fairy princess and [Edward] is the handsome prince that rides in and saves her. The fact that women are so attracted to that idea – that they want to wait for Prince Charming rather than taking control of their own life – I find that frightening.”
When asked why people find vampires so appealing, Anne Rice (author of the series The Vampire Chronicles) says, “I think people are intrigued by what they would do if they were offered the opportunity to be a vampire. Would they be willing to drink human blood in order to be immortal? Maybe they would.”
For more about vampires, including our list of the 20 Greatest Ever and Anne Rice’s pick for the coolest of the new crops, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly onstands as of July 31. And be sure to check out our 27 hottest TV/movies vampires gallery, online now.
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I have never heard of Laurell K. Hamilton, but she thinks she “pioneered” the vampire genre? Bram Stoker begs to differ.
Despite that moment of arrogance, her comments about Twilight setting women back are spot-on.
I think she meant that she pioneered the “santizied” version of the vampire genre–for the tweens.
. . . Laurell K. Hamilton is NOT for tweens, at all. Her books border on being little more than smut, with SOME supernatural stuff in it. The last one was filled with practically nothing BUT rather graphic sex.
Laurell K. did pioneer the genre a lot – just as much as Ann Rice. She wasn’t Bram Stoker, but her Anita Blake series is one of the more modern, more successful series in the vampire world.
And if you read her books, you’d see why she made the comment about prince charming. Anita Blake, her character, does NOT wait for men to come around saving her. She’s a very tough woman, and Bella looks like a little girl in comparison.
Lyn,
in reference to your statement that Laurell K. Hamilton’s last book was “filled with practically nothing BUT rather graphic sex.” I have to ask you to please get your facts straight. There are 486 pages in Skin Trade, the seventeenth of the seies. Of those 486 pages approximately 22 are of sexual encounters, and about a third of those are spent explaining something that happened “off camera” not in the actual happening of it. So how would approximely 15 pages out of nearly 500 constitute “filled with practically nothing BUT rather graphic sex.”
The previous book in the series Blood Noir had one sex scene and it was only mentioned through flashbacks and memories.
So please before condemning something make sure that you are up to date and have all the facts, because someone somewhere does.
Getting the facts straight about Skin Trade–notice that you omitted mentioning that Anita had forced sex with a 16 year old, even if it did happen “off-screen”, so LKH has no right to call anyone else out for their “frightening” concepts. She thinks gratuitous nastiness and shock value can substitute for good writing and a logical plot. The only concept LKH has pioneered is that of “deus ex vagina.”
By the way, Blood Noir had more than one sex scene, and it was not a flashback. The first one took up the first few chapters describing a three-way between Anita, Jason and Nathaniel, and it showed all the writing skills of a piece of fanfic written by a group of hormonal teens at a slumber party.
Actually the “forced” sex you speak of was not forced by Anita but by the Vampire Vitoria through mind control and Anita is mortified when she discovers it. The book takes place in Las Vegas and like it or no 16 is legal in Vegas for a male. So “deus ex vagina” does not hold since “An unexpected, artificial, or improbable instance of two or more individuals having sex introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot. ” in any instance with Ania Blake complicates rather than untangles all situaions.
As for Blood Noir, you are correct there e two scenes in the book… my mistake, the first one lasts for ten pages, in chapters 2,3,and 4. I personally, would have made it all one chapter because it is all of 10 pages with the chapter breaks. The other scene in the book is somewhere around chapter 40 and all we see is the aftermath and flashbacks. And again Anita has been overtaken by a being far more powerful than herself.
As for writing skills, everyone has an opinion, mine happens to differ from yours.
I agree completely with your interpretation. Laurell’s works are not for everybody, and she would be the first to suggest that they are written for an older crowd. I see more similarities with True Blood than I do with Twilight, there is graphic adult content. (Confession: haven’t actually read any of the Meyer books, other than The Host – not vampire related). I actually do think some of Laurell’s books are basically porn, the later ones seemed to be driven by the sex more than the plots, but I’m okay with that. Prob. because I love her portrayal of Anita, it’s wonderful to see strong complicated women as the protagonists. If somebody doesn’t feel comfortable with that, okay don’t buy and read her books, but you shouldn’t compare her writing to fanfic. It’s a matter of taste, not ability. She is undoubtedly a very talented writer.
Sorry I forgot to mention that I agreed with IndyM when I wrote my last post. I wasn’t able to reply directly to her comment, just yours. So to restate, Laurell K. Hamilton’s writing is ABSOLUTELY NOT MEANT FOR TWEEN. Please don’t buy her book for the young’uns – and you might not want to give them to a younger teen either.
I don’t know about Hamilton, but I don’t get why everyone thinks that the twilight series is so clean. On violence, yes, but it’s very sexual. Bella wants to have sex with him from the get go. the only reason Edward doesn’t is because of his blood lust and his strength. Other than that, he’s all over her. any one who’s ever glanced at any book about sex knows there is a lot more to lovemaking than intercourse. I personally don’t think that the books are appropriate for tweens. the series could easily be an dult book if the characters weren’t in high school.
As far as setting women back. COME ON ALREADY!! It’s our nature to be attracted to strong men, and actually she never gives up anything. She gets it all. If anything, he gives up his power. Women have got to get over this whole concept that if a woman falls for a man that somehow she becomes subservient.
So being innocent until marriage is a crime now and sets women back?!? What a bunch of Sh*T!! So I guess you have to be a complete slut to be a “Modern Day Woman”.
I love this! You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth! There is nothing “old-fashioned” about old-fashioned values. Gosh, I wish we’d incorporate more of them.
Uh, what? There is nothing old-fashioned about old-fashioned values? Riiiight. And there’s nothing purple about purple… it’s more of a bluish red.
Cin, Exactly! Bella doesn’t “settle” for anything and she knows quite clearly what she wants and waits for it. Wow and a guy that respects her?! What a novel idea!!
I read the books and I agree about Bella setting women back. She feels like she is worthless unless she is loved by some perfect man. And that she is unworthy of said man because he is so beautiful and she feels she isn’t. She goes against all good sense and instinct because of her lust for him. He treats her like a 5 year old. Shall I go on?
Bella fights for what she wants. If she were to “back down” and decide to do what others wanted (i.e., not being with Edward), THAT would be weak. Instead, Bella follows her heart, against all odds.
Bella is weak because she doesn’t stand on her own. She needs Edward. In New Moon, Edward leaves her and she feels like her entire life is over and she uses Jacob (another male character) to build up her self-esteem and her ideas of self-worth. And Edward DOESN’T respect her. He controls her. She shapes her life around him and his needs. In my opinion, Bella’s relationship with Edward has the makings of an abusive relationship.
I don’t think it makes you “strong” to not “need” others. I actually think that it requires a great deal of strength to love someone with all your heart and soul. A love that strong makes you vulnerable, and with that vulnerability comes great risk. I think that Bella is an incredibly strong character because she knows what she wants and what she needs…and she goes after it.
In New Moon, Bella is at her lowest point. She falls apart without him, but like someone said in another post, I don’t judge people for the way they handle grief. Not everyone can deal with pain in picture-perfect ways. However, like someone else said, I admired Bella’s attempts to keep it together and carry on so that Charlie wouldn’t have to suffer with her.
Also, to quote another post on here, whether a woman builds her life around a career, another person, or a family, I see her as a strong adult as long as her path is of her own making.
Bella is an extremely weak character. First of all, she does not have a single deep or intellilectual thought throught any of the books.
Next, she starts becoming obsessed with Edward once he gives her the cold shoulder and ignores her. Then, she gives up all her friends and basically her whole life. Her entire life becomes about this man, who she lets control her. Then, when he leaves her, she starts having no life, until another (MALE) character comes in, and she begins using him like a drug, as well. Then she jumps off of a cliff because the guy isn’t there, and she wants to hear his voice? Are you kidding me! And I’m sorry, but if I found out a guy was stalking me, coming into my room, and watching me sleep without my knowledge or consent, I would not think that was sweet at all.
actually in the last book bella is the one who saves them all with her power to shield… it kind of shows how she went from a girl who didnt really think much of herself to gaining confidence…she always stood up for herself & stood her ground. so she was selfless & cared about others…so now she is this weak person??? please people.
it is ok to be taken care of by a man,does not make you less weak. in fact edward needed her as much as she needed him.
I agree, she sort of thinks of Twilight as a typical book that all girls will just completely fall in love with because Edward is this prince charming and Bella is the helpless damsel in destress that he saves. But actually it’s ALOT more than that, although they both have that kind of strong love, Bella IS very strong, she always thinks of others and would put her life in danger in a second if it meant saving someone she loved from any harm, even indestuctible Edward:) This is the very far from a fairytale.
I never get why people say that Bella is a weak girl. She saves Edward in three of the four books. She ends up being the strongest vampire in the end. Twilight may not be old fashioned in the sense of traditional vampires, but Stephenie took the genre in a whole other direction tha I loved. With or without Edward Cullen it would have been great, but that is all people focus on.
Or it shows that she’s just a huge, self-insert Mary Sue, not that she’s strong. She has this power that is stronger than everyone else’s but the only explanation for that is that she has a “private mind” which also exists for no reason, which is yet another sign that she is a Mary Sue.
She’s weak and pathetic. Whines about the most mundane things and is practically suicidal when Edward leaves her. Tell me, if she really cared about those who loved her, why did she jump off that cliff only to hear Edward’s voice? She KNEW she was putting herself in serious danger because she KNEW that’s what triggered the hallucinations, yet she still did it without bothering to think how heartbroken Charlie and Renee would be if she were killed in the process.
Strong, selfless, kind woman my ass.
I totally agree that Bella is a strong character, who saves everyone in the end. It shows that even a girl who may seem “ordinary” can have a great deal of power. I also agree with others who’ve said that Bella’s strength lies in the fact that she doesn’t let others dictate her choices. Has she made mistakes? yes, just like any person (real or fictional) has. However, in the end, Bella’s choices are her own. She does what she wants, regardless of what others tell her is “right”. That’s strength.
Bella is weak not because she falls for Edward and is torn apart when he leaves her, but because by the end of the series she hasn’t grown up. She starts out like a teenager, but by book four she gets married, has a kid, and becomes a vampire and her big reaction is ‘Now I’m as pretty as him I don’t have to feel bad anymore.’
Her all of a sudden super vampyness (Power that is so special and can save everyone, and being all Not vampy not having bloodlust and basically not having to go through the bad side of being a vamp) screamed MarySue and was a page right out of LKH’s writing current style. I won’t go into all the other things wrong with book four, but really it killed the series instead of redeeming it.
Really, both authors had solid starting series that fell apart later.
I find LKH’s quote about a woman’s ability to take control of her life ironic and actually, demeaning toward women. I don’t appreciate the supposition that the lifestyle choices and the decisions of LKH’s characters are the only ones that a woman in control of her life would make. We are not all of one mind. Each of us is unique and we’ve fought too hard for the ground we now rest on to smugly declare that we know which way is best for everyone else.
For example, it seems to me that Anita Blake, Hamilton’s main character in her Vampire Hunter series, is MOST in control of her life when she’s in control of herself—or when she’s actually a vampire hunter (books 1-8), kicking bad guy butt and actually solving crimes, and not behaving like the supe slut of St. Louis. How is that behavior any more evolved than those characters who choose to keep their legs closed until they’re sure the decision to sleep with another character is a good one?
OOh her books are wonderful, but very adult. I have read all of her books over and over they put Twilight to shame as done Ann Rice, Twilight is wonderful for young girls but you want adult vampire? Read Rice or LKH
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Laurel K Hamilton did not pioneer the vampire genre, and she is not claiming to. What she DID pioneer is the genre of vampire romance books where vampires are out in the open. From her example came Kim Harrisson, Patricia Briggs, True Blood, and Stephanie Meyer. And as a rabid fan of Laurel K Hamilton books, yes, a lot of them ARE borderline smut, which there is nothing wrong with since vampires and sex are intrinsically combined. Her last few books have returned to the main plot though. If you want a cleaner vampire story that is not the sanitized twilight, I would suggest Kim Harrison.
I don’t understand how people say that Twilight sets women back. Bella is very much in control of her own life. I read that someone said she can’t feed herself without a man. Where did that come from? If you are talking about New Moon,where she goes through a depression,we have all been there. She just so happens to fall in love. In fact, in the last couple of books, she is more like a heroine then anything. She’s a strong girl. I think people who say otherwise are cynical and very un-romantic. And maybe people are taking this stuff too seriously. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. End of story. Don’t bash Stephanie Meyers for adding in a hint of her mormon values. I think Bella sets a good example for girls and abstinence.
Im not sure if youre aware of this (obviously youre not), but the vampire “genre” is several centuries old. Bram Stoker? Hello!! The mythology is quite a bit older than Bram Stoker. And yes, for those who dont know, it is just a mythology. And those who pretend in the real world are deluded.
Maybe there are a few women out there who take Twilight too literally and start to think of it as what they are looking for in life, but they are a minority. Most take it as what it is, a simple story. With the amount of misogynistic films, television programmes and books out there, it is totally unreasonable to say Twilight in particular set women back, as really it is nothing compared to some of the thing you see, it merely presents an ideal that most people, including the characters, see as unrealistic. It’s not sexist, it’s just a story of one particular love story. Meyer being a woman it was natural for her to write from a female perspective, but if the roles were reversed, and it was a male human and a female vampire, the situation would be quit the same, the vampire would still be the rescuer.
I’m not talking about silly cougars reading Twilight. I’m referring to millions of impressionable pre-teen girls devouring a saga about a girl who can barely feed herself without the help of a man. What happened to girls empowering themselves, which has been nothing short of a pop culture movement over the last 20 years from Spice Girls to Buffy to Shrek? Heck, even Disney got in on girl power. But along came Stephenie Meyers with her archaic Mormon attitude about women’s role to set all that progress aside. It’s not frightening. It’s sad.
If these tweens parents are doing their job they will know that the books are for entertainment purposes. They are not text books titled “How to Become Dependant on a Man”. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be treated like a woman and being taken care of by a man and it doesn’t mean you are giving up your independance. I think the books raise the standard for for what girls will expect from men. Being protected and loved is not archaic.
have you read the books? if so, then did you do so without the preconceived notion that they were little more than sleeping beauty with vampires? the heroine in twilight is supposed to be a NORMAL girl who gets thrown into a supernatural world and – WEIRD – acts normally in it. she isn’t a match for vampires because she is normal, not retarded. and once she does get on the same playing field, she does act strongly to protect her loved ones. what more do you want? do you want more tales of violence and strife for women because they can’t depend on men, or do you want something slightly more realistic, with people not acting like superheroes, but acting like human beings and still somehow finding a way out of a mess?
the books essentially aren’t about vampires at all. they’re about relationships, and despite the fact that her boyfriend is a bit controlling, i think that what bella presents is actually pretty normal.
Hey if Mormons are for some extremely hot vampire foreplay, then show me the nearest church of latter day saints. There’s too much wham bam thank you ma’am in our culture anyway
I disagree that Bella is a wimpy character. On the contrary, she takes care of her mom, who is quite a ditz and is a caretaker for those around her. She is self-depracating, which draws Edward to her, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. She is the one who saves the vampires later in the series.
And another thing…Im not even going to respond to what he said besides Stephenie didn’t set out to write Twilight in hopes of changing people’s lives, the ideals on women being strong and women empowerment probably never even came to her mind while writing, people always twist these things, she just had a very good story to write, with characters who are all have different personalities. And again, crispy, if you are tired of all this stuff and ask Twilight fans why we care? Stop leaving huge paragraphs explaining how no one should care and how you feel sad that all us are brainwashed by this “horrible” series. If you truly don’t care, don’t read the articles about it and stop commenting, it seems that it will make your life easier.
..and i agree with “BAlice”
You talk about setting women back and then use an ugly term like “silly cougars”? You do know that impressionable pre-teen girls eventually do grow up to be women? Hear the sound of lost credibility yet? An empowered woman is one who is proud of who she is no matter what her age.
I never saw Bella as a wimpy girl that depended on a guy. Bella was a tomboy from the get go, who was not athletic or girly and was clumsy. She never saw herself as pretty and was just herself. This guy comes along and saves her and they eventually find comfort in each other. Because both feel so alone in the world. Bella cooks and takes care of her dad. She is a strong character. In New Moon, yes she is depressed and weak in ways, but she just lost the love of her life.
Just because Twilight is a love story at the core and doesn’t have a lot of blood, gore, and violence does not make it an anti feminist story that has set us back.
Hello, Breaking Dawn? Bella is the strongest character in that book after all that she goes through. I could go on and on, but people aggravate on their over analyzation of the series.
Haha, good point!
I agree with Maryann. Bella is supposed to represent you average teenage girl and I don’t think an average teenage girl would just jump into situations like that and deal with it herself. I surely wouldn’t, especially if i knew there was no way I could beat them on my own having no powers like they do. She shows her strength at the end when she helps save everyone. But Anita is a very strong woman and she CAN deal with them and she knows it so it’s completely different for her. Bella had never been in a situation like that whereas Anita has. You really can’t compare the two. I love them both.
To many girls talk about women empowerment, why can’t I as a woman CHOOSE a life where I get swept off my feet by a wonderful guy? As an EMPOWERED woman I am making the choice, not someone else! To be an empowered woman is to be educated, to have your own thoughts and to voice them, to have the knowledge that I will have the strength NOT to let a MAN or anyone else for that matter, dictate my choices. I personally (for myself) have chosen a more traditional life. NOT because someone else thinks I should, but because that is the life I want to live. I am all for other women choosing to do other things with there life. But I expect that other women respect my choices. That is empowerment! If we all (women) set aside our differances and came together to raise our voices about something much more important then our reading prefrences our world would have so many more empowered women! Being an empowered woman started out being equal to men, since when did we have to be better, and why do we demand to do everything ourselves. Its nice to have someone else you can EQUALLY share all of lifes wonderful and horrible happenings with. And on a side note, I would like to point out that SM did not set out to ‘change’ the world, she just had a story to write. In the proccess she did infact change the world for a great many of women. Which brings me to an earlier point, it may not be your choice, but it is someone else’s! And they are making that choice, so lets rally together for the younger girls reading this and let them know that they can dream about that ‘Fairy Tale’ romance, and no sometimes we don’t always find that, and we as humans all make mistakes and we can correct them. The important thing to remember is ‘Its the effort we put into life that makes it a life worth living.’
Well Marian I guess the lesson here is: Know what you are talking about BEFORE you irritate Twilight fans. I am 37 and I love the series. Not because I am a “silly cougar” but because I think romance and chivalry are unfortunatley lost and it reminded me of first love and loss… I have been with my husband for 20 years and I am strong AND love being treated like a woman. Try it. You might like it.
oops. sorry marian. wrong name. i meant crispy.
That sounds interesting. I’d enjoy reading a book about a female vampire protecting a fragile male. Every book/tv show/movie I’ve seen about a female vampire has turned her into a ruthless blood-thirsty predator that deserves to be staked. This would be more interesting!
“the genre that I kind of pioneered”??
Ms. Hamilton, may I introduce you to Anne Rice?
The only thing Hamilton pioneered is supernatural porn. Please tell me she isn’t recomending her “books” for the TWEEN crowd!
the Anita Blake series is far from “vampire porn.” While some of the books do contain some very graphic sexual situations and encounters, the first five books in the series of seventeen are completely devoid of sex between the main characters.
The fact is that these books are centered around an adult woman capable of making her own choices who during the series has hose choices taken out of her hands by beings more powerful than herself and struggles to regain her ability to choose. Are the books sexy? Yes. However unless you have read all seventeen of the books, please do not dismiss them as “supernatural porn”.
Guilty Pleasures, the first of the Ania Blake series, was first published in 1993, long before the current frenzy began. She was among the first to describe a world in which vampires were openly known to all the world, rather than hiding in the shadows. I believe that this does in fact make her a pioneer in the genre.
Ms. Hamilton has said from the very beginning of the “Twilight” phenomenon that her books are not meant for the same audience as Stephanie Meyers series.
Maria, I beg to differ. I have read all 17 of Hamilton’s Blake series, as well as her Merry series, and the last 5-6 books of it are more graphic sex than anything else. When was the last time Blake spent the book actually investigating anything other than her sordid (and completely ridiculous) love life?
I cannot see how it is feminist for a character to literally require sex with men (while being generally homophobic, particularly about women) to get through the day.
What happened to Blake being a strong, capable woman? At least Bella can admit how important Edward is to her, and make necessary sacrifices for him and her other loved ones.
And right after that, LKH needs to meet Tanya Huff, P.N. Elrod, Chelsea Quin Yarbro, Tanith Lee, Nancy Collins, Whitley Streiber and a host of others whose names escape me at the moment, who all wrote vampire/detective/urban fantasy well before she sprang Anita Blake on the world.
Exactly. Anne Rice is the pioneer, as far as the modern vampire novel. And seriously, who refers to themselves as the pioneer of anything? Arrogant much?
This is really directed as a response to Emily (my posts sometimes go to random spots). Emily, I don’t see how you can say that Laurell’s books are homophobic. On the contrary, she has several scenes with men making love to other men, only lesbian scenes are omitted because Anita herself doesn’t swing that way. And although I characterised some of her later books as having elements of porn, it’s not random and exploitive. Anita’s power is fueled by her sex drive, and in fact she can’t function without it. I don’t see it as just a plot device, it has roots in mythological goddess portrayals. Finally, for someone who seems to despise these books and her writing, why on earth are you reading them? I’m not a fan of Ultimate Fighting either so I don’t watch it, nor do I protest against it on UF websites. So why are you here and why one earth would you read all 17 of her books? I’m picturing you alone in bed, muttering “this is disgusting” as you eagerly read the next paragraph…
Thank you EW for putting my favorite two pop culture phenomenons on the cover. Love True Blood and Twilight. I just kind of wished you’d put Alexander Skaargard on the cover insteand of Stephen Moyer. He is a deeper character and hotter.
Love vampires, this is awesome.
I wish they’d put Alexander Skarsgard on the cover instead of Moyer too!!
I third this comment! Alexander Skarsgård’s “Eric Northman” should have definitely made this cover =D
You said it!
I so agree, Eric is THE vampire. He makes us swoon
How can you say he’s a ‘deeper character’? We’ve barely met Eric and Bill has shown many sides and facets to his personality. Also, Stephen Moyer is way better looking AND the male lead in the show.
Glad Vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) is on the cover! As already mentioned, he is the main lead and deserves front page! Eric (Alex) is only supporting cast. Bill (Stephen) is much better looking and a fine actor!
I think Stephen is a good actor but not attractive at all. Don’t get the appeal of him at all…
I’m so glad to see Stephen Moyer’s head is bigger than Robert’s. Everyone is so obsessed with Edward and they forget about Bill!! He does not get enough credit!
I agree that True Blood does not get near enough exposure compared to Twilight. I’m glad to finally see them get some cover time. But you have to admit Rob is on fire these days, and his face on the cover is going to sell tons of magazines. It is just a fact.
um Buffy anyone???
Now there’s a strong heroine. Buffy kicks butt even if that butt happens to belong to her true love.
Agreed.
YES. I just finished the series, and I’ve already decided that any daughter of mine will have “Buffy” as required viewing. The gender roles in “Twilight” make my skin crawl; I studied communication and rhetorical symbolism in college, and watching Bella bend herself backwards just for Edward made me tremble when thinking about the teens watching the movie…
Thank you!
Just a note: Edward denies his very nature to be with Bella. Talk about bending over backward. . .
I love Buffy as much as the next person but she is no model woman. Just one example: Spike is hot but I hope you don’t think that sick twisted relationship is educational material for your girls.
P.S. Whipping out your college studies as if they add credibility is just plain silly.
JLSF91: I think the Spike/Buffy relationship is educational, and I think Joss intentionally portrayed it as an abusive relationship to increase our understanding of these kind of relationships. Buffy’s family and friends do not support it, and Amber esp. tries to keep Buffy away from Spike. What gave it an interesting spin is that Buffy is Spike’s physical equal, and their mutual attraction is equally harmful for both, although it does eventually lead to redemption for Spike. Speaking of which, Spike is one of the most complex male characters I’ve ever seen. Even at his most evil, he is still charismatic and charmingly geeky. Makes you appreciate the attraction some abusers/pshychopaths hold for their targets.No matter what he did, I always felt a little sorry for him and wanted things to work out for him.
Buffy is the standard by which all vampire stories should be judged…and on a superficial note, Spike is the sexiest vampire of all time! These other guys don’t rate at all, in my opinion.
Bill? What about ERIC?!
Excactly what I’m thinking…
Eric isn’t the male lead in the show ladies, and that isn’t going to change, no matter what happens between Bill and Sookie. Bill will always be a central focus of True Blood, because Alan Ball identifies with and loves the character. He sees the series as an ongoing romance between two ‘outsiders’ Bill and Sookie.
Seriously, more Twilight and Vampires. Isn’t there anything else to put on the cover?
Meryl/Amy; Daughtry; Walter Cronkite and todays news media..
This is so boring.
They should just change the name to Vampire Weekly.
Maybe they should just have a weekly death watch on the cover. I can’t believe how many famous people have died recently…Cronkite, Farrah, Jackson, now John Hughes. On second thought, that’s even worse overkill. Let’s stick with vampires, although it would be nice to look at some of the vampires with lower profiles. I am definitely sick of seeing Pattinson all over.
Please, EW, after this, for the love of God, stop it with Twilight.
Ummm … I hate to burst your bubble, but True Blood and Twilight are going no where for a long time. So enjoy the ride.
I would so buy this for the True Blood section and Anne Rice’s interview. Anne Rice is amazing.
Shame I like in the UK and can’t get this.
Twilight sets women back? I beg to differ. Bella is probably the strongest character in the novel, never letting anyone make decisions for her. She knows what she wants (Edward) and she doesn’t let anyone get in her way. I think she shows that women should stop at nothing to get what they want. Just because the book focuses on a man that she wants and not a career or some other thing that makes seemingly makes women seem more independent does not mean that the Twilight franchise has set women back. In fact, if anything it has empowered them. I certainly have felt inspired to go after what I want after reading the books.
I have Camille Paglia on the phone for you. She didn’t say what it was about.
Totally disagree. Bella is not strong, she’s blind. Everyone brainwashers her in the books. Jacob, Edward, even Alice. She’s kidnapped a million times, always in danger…ehhhh.
She’s not meant to be a strong character. Look who wrote the book – Bella was meant to get married, knocked up, and become a mom.
What are you talking about Indy? Nobody except Bella and Rosalie wanted the pregnancy to go to term. Bella fought to be turned into a vampire, fought to have sex on her own terms, and fought to keep her child.
PS: If you think throwing yourself off a cliff because your boyfriend left you is a strong female role model, then you seriously need therapy.
it’s realistic. It captures hte true feelings that you feel when you’ve lost someone you love. I think that alot of the reasons that twlight was so popular was because girls can relate to it.
She did not throw herself off a cliff. It’s called thrill seeking or extreme sports. She did it because she wanted to, she wasn’t committing suicide.
Again, someone talking about something you know nothing about. Bella was not committing suicide. She was trying to do something extreme to hear Edward’s voice again.
And yes, I think Bella is a very strong role model. She is not a conventional bimbo. She fights for what she wants in every step of the books. For her man, her baby, her happiness, her father, her best friends, and her whole family in the end. Just because a girl falls in love with a man and gives everything she has to that does not make her weak.
@ Lisa. It wasn’t that Bella was into thrill seeking or Extreme Sports. She was doing increasingly dangerous things to herself because she was having delusions of hearing Edward’s voice while doing them. Hearing voices isn’t love. It’s usually a sign of mental illness.
I think the problem is that Bella sees nothing but being with Edward in the future. She has no vision of what she wants to do with her life and in the books, she pays no attention to planning on going to college: Edward does it for her. This isn’t the best message for the huge young girl fan base.
Enough with Twilight and vampires. There was a whole huge article about True Blood a few weeks ago, and seeing Robert Pattinson’s face in yet another idiotic “hardcore” stare just makes me sick. As a subscriber I am not looking forward to getting this in the mail, especially since Twilight has been on the cover so so many times already. Enough, please.
Agreed. I never thought EW could manage another Twilight cover before the fall preview issue (where it inevitably will be featured, followed by another issue in November) but I stand anewed in the brilliance of your pandering.
anyone else think someone’s a little bitter that her books haven’t become as popular as the twilight series? i enjoy the twilight books for what they are storys, im not out there “waiting for prince charming to arrive”. i actually considered reading her books now that i am finished with the sookie stackhouse series but she just seems a bit bitter and petty.
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THANKS
So very glad to see True Blood on this issue. Now if only we could get rid of the Twilight crap, I’d be much happier. Bill and Eric both on the cover would have been perfect.
Too bad True Blood is heading for a short run unless they replace all the current writers. The storylines are lame. Absolutely no mystery behind any character. And half of those with powers should be killed off to get the story back on track.
Guess you didn’t hear… it was renewed for another season.
its based off a book, I doubt that the writers will want to drift too far off the path. The only thing I’ve noticed this season that is weird is that they are combining two books into one season
I personally can’t stand True Blood. I think the premise is interesting and creative, but to me, it never followed through. The books never pulled me in, and I can’t stand the show even though I think that Stephen Moyer is talented actor. The only “vampire” book, besides Twilight, that I’ve ever loved is Dracula. Unfortunately, it’s never been brought to the big screen in a satisfying way.
I don’t think you are watching the same show I am. I can hardly wait for the next episode each week and the last time I was able to say that about a TV show was Carnivale (Damn you HBO for canceling that!!!)
Alan Ball has stated that he will ‘remain true to the spirit of the books’ as much as possible. That said, he isn’t going to follow any of the books exactly and the rest of the series will probably end up 50/50 books to original stories.
I think Alan and the writers, especially Raelle Tucker (Cold Ground, Scratches) are doing a fantastic job.
bill rocks….bite me bite
great to see him on the cover…luv both tb & twilight…
I agree with Anna, Bella is OBVIOUSLY the strongest character in the book. People who think the opposite haven’t cared to even read the book. Bella waits for no one to save her. She takes care of her self no matter if there are mythological creatures about.
I’ve read all 4 books. Bella is one of the worst female characters I’ve ever read. She certainly wasn’t “taking care of herself” when she cowered before a van careening toward her. Or when she threw herself off a cliff because her boyfriend left. Or when her unborn baby was about to kill her unless her husband gave her his life blood. In the world of Twilight, women can’t even survive childbirth without a man’s help!
Are you people really that daft that you can’t see what an awful message this is for young girls?
She didn’t “cower” as a van sped toward her. She was in shock because it was coming fast and she couldn’t move. She wasn’t standing there saying, “Oh, please, I hope a man saves me from this van!”
And as for her unborn baby about to kill her, she CHOSE to keep HER baby, even though Edward wanted to get rid of it. It was her child, and she wanted to protect it and give it a life, even if it meant that she might die. I think most mothers would agree with that idea.
PS-EW, I am loving this new comment format! It’s much easier to read through comments now that you can reply to someone directly!
In shock, cower, whatever. My point remains… Bella barely moves in the entire series without Edward’s assistance. And two seconds after he’s gone, she latches onto another male character who provides the same support.
I hear ya on the baby stuff. And I’ll grant you that… when she develops her own special ability at the end, the character improves. Albeit slightly. Still, the primary character arch for Bella is: Girl becomes subordinate wife and mother. It’s 100 years of Mormon patriarchy drilled into Stephenie Meyer’s brain and now filling little girls’ heads.
Crispy.. we get it. You don’t like Twilight. Boy talk about needing therapy.. maybe you should seek some of that out. You can talk about your incessant beating of already dead mammals. Sheesh… maybe you can torch Meyer’s house too. You’re obsessed with hating something that other people like. While you’re entitled to your opinion so are other people and your constant and continued point and counter point to anyone who doesn’t agree with you is just pathetic. Do you need a job?
If you did read the books, you would know Bella was “cliff diving” not throwing herself off a cliff for her lost love.
Oh, go screw yourself, Thorne. Point and counter point is the whole point of having a forum. If EW is going to keep shoving Twilight down our throats, we’re going to keep talking about it… including those of us who don’t care for it.
I don’t really see calling Bella a weak character. Yes, she jumped off a cliff when Edward was gone, but apparently everyone is forgetting that he tried to expose himself as a vampire (and ultimately get himself killed) when he thought she was dead. So if she is love-lorn and pathetic, what does that make Edward?
Oh, don’t get me started on impotent Edward.
LOL, I agree with Thorne.
Think of it this way though, the more “crispy” (and everyone else) comments about Twilight, the more coverage it will get in the end, because more comments = more hits for ew.com
That’s a good way of looking at this Amanda!
So much energy invested in petty arguments. If you don’t like the story, go find another! It’s a fictional story! Are the vicious comments really necessary? There are many books/movies I dislike, hate even, but I don’t feel the need to post my nasty thoughts for others to read… What is the motivation? Just to argue with someone?
Like Amanda said, more comments makes for more coverage. I love the Twilight Saga, the Southern Vamp Series and Anita Blake, so keep the coverage coming and I will ignore the negativity of those few… there’s always at least one.
Vampires are hot atm, Twilight and True Blood will sell more issues so they keep featuring them, I’m not complaining tho…I enjoy both!
I completely agree. I love both series for different reasons. Both put themselves out there to get picked on, but no everyone is going to love the same things. I don’t personally care for HP, but I don’t go on those articles and say how much I dislike it or hate it.
I am a Twilight fan who loves the entire storyline. It’s not for some people and that’s fine.
weak cover i have to say.
most entertainenment covers have something specail about who’s on the cover…but it looks like they just copy and pasted a still photo from twilight and true blood and then fused them together. nothing at all interesting about this cover.
I’m with abe. If the vampire-ambivalent readers have to endure yet another vampire story, couldn’t EW at least bother with a photo shoot and an actual group shot? (With Alex Skarsgard, of course!)
I agree. They took two older than dirt photos of both. Guess they didn’t want to pay for a photoshoot. Or Rob and Stephen wouldn’t agree to do one.
It would be great to have some of the most iconic vampire actors together in a group shot, but of course they would never agree to it. Maybe it’ll be different when they’re all a little older and out of work (like “I was a child star”) although of course I hope that doesn’t happen to them. Just would be wonderful…imagine including Barnaby from Dark Shadows, and Alex from Moonlight and David Boreanaz and every living vampire actor…
weak cover i have to say.
most entertainment covers have something special about who’s on the cover…but it looks like they just copy and pasted a still photo from twilight and true blood and then fused them together. nothing at all interesting about this cover.
Has anyone READ New Moon? BELLA is the one who goes to save Edward in the end, so I think the whole “waiting to be saved” stuff is bull. And I’ve never heard of this “pioneering” woman who is obviously jealous of the success Meyer has received
Julie, how old are you? If you aren’t over the age of 18, you don’t need to know about Laurell K. because her stuff is way too graphic for children. Just because you’ve never heard of something doesn’t mean it’s not out there – that’s such an ignorant comment to make.
I’m definitely only enough to know who Laurell K. is, and I think that calling her a pioneering woman is a HUGE stretch.
I smell jealousy as well.
*old* enough not *only* enough
Guilty Pleasures, the first of the Ania Blake series, was first published in 1993, long before the current frenzy began. She was among the first to describe a world in which vampires were openly known to all the world, rather than hiding in the shadows. I believe that this does in fact make her a pioneer in the genre.
SKIN TRADE Debut at #1 on the New York Times list.
SKIN TRADE #1 at Publisher’s Weekly.
SKIN TRADE HITS #6 on the USA TODAY TOP 150 LIST!
The series has been translated into 16 languages world wide and sold over 6 million copies. While those numbers do not compete with the overwhelming numbers of some other authors… these books are not aimed at or written for every tween and teen on the planet… they should wait few years before reading them.
Interview with The Vampire, by Anne Rice: published in 1976.
Blood Price, by Tanya Huff: published in 1991.
Dark Shadows, the TV series: first started airing in 1966.
Vampire, The Masquerade RPG: first edition published in 1991.
Anno Dracula, published by Kim Newman: published in 1992.
The Vampire Diaries, published by L.J. Smith: published in 1991.
Did they create the current “frenzy”? No. Neither did LKH, no matter hard she cries and whines.
But all of them pre-date her. And did it better, I may add. They might not have vampires living openly in the world (except for Anno Dracula), but almost no supernatural series does. Twilight certainly does not.
Also, out of just the series I’ve listed, three can claim a TV series (one current, one canceled, one in the works), one can claim two movies, one can claim one movie in the works, and all of them can claim some influence on the genre, before LKH’s contribution.
And besides: Buffy the Vampire Slayer can be, I argue, the catapult to popularity for the genre. Even the original movie pre-dates LKH.
Lost Boys came out in 1987. I’d say that definately helped catapult the popularity of the series.
And sorry-after Narcissis in Chains LKH’s books are about sex. Any mystery is badly woven around sex. I mean think about how Anita defeats the bad guy in Skin Trade. And for that matter-who actually kills Vittorio anyway?
I worked in a bilingual bookstore (english & french) for 3 & 1/2 years (99 to 03). All of us working there loved the Anita Blake books and I can honestly say that every single person I recommended the first few LKH books to came back for the whole thing. And I mean people in their 20s to their 60s, male, female, english and french, everyone. And I recommended it at least 2-3 times a week, as did the other staff members. Anne Rice did okay… until Tale of the Body Thief… then people weren’t as interested, as for the others Mara mentions, we kept Dracula in stock, but everything else was special order only. Except Buffy, Buffy always sold too. The thing is, while all these books/TV shows/movies are about vampires, there are differences in how each creative mind behind each approaches the mythology, so comparing them can be a little like apples & oranges…
Each writer takes the genre and puts their own spin on it, based on their own skills and interests. It is certainly possible to be fans of one and not the other. I find it intriguing though, that most of these writers support the others with the exception of Stephanie Meyers. It’s not just Laurell’s comment, she has been attacked by Stephen King (whose writings I personally dislike) and a few other writers that I can’t think of at the moment. King esp. can’t envy Meyer’s financial success, so I wonder why the other writers don’t think so much of her series. Maybe they share the view of many posters that she portrays women in a stereotypical, childlike manner? I’ve only read her sci-fi novel The Host, which I liked, but I did have a few reservations. One with be with the choice of the final host (won’t say more in case anyone wants to read it), and the other is that the female protagonist falls in lover with someone who is initially her physical abuser.
Stuff like this is why everyone in my family canceled their subscriptions. That and the rapidly reducing size and 1 sentence album reviews. EW, you kind of suck.
LKH thinks she pioneered the vampire genre? She needs a reality check. Yes, her vampire slayer series was once amazing and she has hit the NY Times best seller list, but her jealousy over Meyer is sad. Could it be that Meyer was responsible for 25% of all books sold last year?
No, Ms. Hamilton doesn’t think she pioneeered the vampire genre, she knows she pioneered the MIXED genre of Mystery/Romance/Vampire with a FEMALE protagonist.
In 1993 when Guilty Pleasures was first published there were four of the Vampire Chronicles and Bram Stoker out there… all of which were lead by male characters and none of which had mystery noir plot lines.
Quality over quantity does not lead to jealousy it leads to satisfaction.
Maria, have you ever heard of Tanya Huff? Ever seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie)? Both predated LKH’s Anita Blake. Stop trying to defend LKH’s arrogant claims without checking your facts.
The Anita Blake world was once interesting. Now it’s just poorly-written sex with anything that doesn’t get out of the way quickly enough. Sad, really.
TK, I like Tanya Huff and have read quite a few, but I definitely don’t think she is as good a writer as Laurell. I like both series of books by Hamilton, and I think they are as good as Buffy, although they are covering completely different stories. One of my favorite episodes of Buffy is the first time she and Spike have splendid, rough sex in the condemned house. It went as far as you could go on tv, who’s to say that Buffy wouldn’t have ended up in some similar situations as she aged, and if Joss didn’t have to deal with censorship (standards and practices).
Tastes in authors differ. If you prefer LKH’s writing style then that’s fine. But my point is that there were others doing the “strong female in a vampire world” before LKH came along. She added another voice to the mix but as for her “pioneer” claim, it’s just flat wrong. And arrogant.
yes! Bill/Stephen Moyer is the best vampire there is.
Why is everyone bashing Twilight all of the time. It is an entertaining STORY . . .FICTION. People are taking it too seriously and many comments make me think the negative reviewers have never even read the series.
I have never heard of Laurell K. Hamilton, but she seems to think quite a lot of herself. The many authors who have written about vampires over the past century would probably beg to differ with her being a “pioneer.”
Laura, read all the posts that came before, so you know what you’re talking about. It’s already been explained in great detail what Laurell was actually talking about, and many of the people writing on this thread have very detailed knowledge of her books.
If Crispy would have read the new moon right she should know that Bella does NOT throw her self off the cliff because she is killing her self.. she does it for the rush of it and other things that come along (Edwards voice) she does it just for fun.. Bella grows throughout the books.. it is not just a love story
I have read it. She becomes a thrill-seeker (riding motorcycles, etc) because Edward left.
Fatima, I am totally with you. I also canceled my subscription because EW has really gone down the tubes, especially with all this Twilight/vampire/smut entertainment worship. What a joke.
“Twilight/vampire/smut entertainment worship”? Really? So you don’t like the books, movies or TV shows about vampires? Don’t read or watch them. EW’s primary purpose to report on what’s popular as well as what’s good or bad in the entertainment world. I happen to agree that all the Twilight hubub is lame because the books are terrible and the first movie was bad, but I’m wondering if your comment has more to do with your morals and values than it does about the quality of these books, movies and TV shows. I admit that art is subjective so not everyone will agree about what’s good and what’s not, but at least give it a chance before you call EW smut entertainment worship and by extension insult its readers.
I’ve never read the books in the Twilight series and I’ve never seen the movie based on the first book and I don’t plan to. Even so, I know why Twilight is so popular: it’s the vampire version of High School Musical. It’s target audience is tween girls who will swoon at the juvenile “romance” and giggle over Robert Pattinson’s Edward. Twilight isn’t popular because the books are good and it isn’t popular because the movies are works of art. It’s got a cute boy playing a smoldering man/boy vampire and a pretty girl playing the love interest. It’s a pretty simple formula, folks! I find it difficult to believe why any adult woman would be into those books/movies unless she’s the mother of a tween person who is obsessed with the stories and Robert Pattinson’s edgy (read: unwashed) appearance. Hopefully the people commenting on how female-empowering the Twilight series is are young people who have yet to discover the wide world of grown-up literature because if adults really think Twilght is anything more than tween lit fluff, they’re sorely mistaken.
True Blood is an amazing TV show, arguably the best show on TV right now. It’s the anti-Twilight and I love that. It’s adult, it’s edgy, it’s adventurous and it’s relevant without being preachy. Stephen Moyer is incredibly sexy as Bill the Civil War era vampire and Alexander Skarsgard is smokin’ hot as Eric the modern Viking vampire. Stephen and Alexander should have shared this week’s cover. Who cares about Robert Pattinson’s baby-faced looks and his greasy hair?
As far as Ms. Hamilton is concerned, she’s got a healthy ego and a warped view of literary history if she thinks she pioneered the vampire genre. Someone should introduce her to the work of Bram Stoker and Anne Rice sometime.
ok…you didn’t read the book or see the movie, yet you’re bashing the book saying it isn’t good? yeah. that makes sense. and don’t compare the twilight saga with stupid high school musical. the twilight books were great and before you insult something, actually know something about it
Just because I chose not to read the books doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about them. If I may, I’ll elaborate on my previous comment. I tried reading the Twilight books but about halfway through the first one I abandoned the book (something I almost never do) because it was downright ridiculous. It’s a piece of “young adult” literature – that’s why it’s found in the Young Adult section of my local Barnes & Noble – and it’s not meant to be any kind of meaningful commentary on the world, female empowerment, love, politics or anything else. It’s a fluff series filled with fluff characters that got a huge backing because it appealed to tweens the world over who buy into it because of Robert Pattinson just like they bought into those terrible High School Musical Movies because of Zack Efron and the like. I stand by my comment and I view your response to me, and it’s defensive and insulting tone, as the rantings of someone who can’t make a legitimate argument because, deep down, you know I’m right. Twilight isn’t garbage, it’s just not something to be taken as seriously as you and others are taking it. Find your strong female role models elsewhere. Saying the Twilight series is a great piece of literature, that it empowers women, that “Bella” is a strong female character is silly. And, to prove I’m not just bashing Twlight, I’ll admit that I also started to read the Southern Vampire series and found it written no better than an average high schooler’s creative writing assignment. The show True Blood is written better, the characters portrayed better and given more depth and it’s an engaging show. Twilight (books and movie) is none of those things. Entertainment Weekly is a magazine for mature people whose palettes for books, TV and movies is more advanced. To put Robert Pattinson on the cover just because he’s the current tween dreamboy is a sell-out move, especially considering how many of their readers are fans of True Blood and the other vampire that are out there or are soon to be released. Twilight is old news. True Blood is fresh and exciting. There really is no argument about that.
I’m totally with you in that I also don’t take people’s opinions seriously about a book/movie that they haven’t read/seen. I personally ADORE the Twilight books, and I love discussing and analyzing them. Someone who doesn’t think that books & movies should be discussed or taken seriously, should not read articles at ew.com.
I’ve written out a more detailed explanation as to why I love Bella, on page 2.
Also, Twilight’s line at Comic Con this year was arguably one of the longest Comic-Con lines in history (speaking as someone who’s attended Comic-Con for over 20 years). To say that you don’t like Twilight is one thing, but to assume that it doesn’t have an incredibly large following makes you both immature and misinformed.
Hey Amanda,
When did I say Twilight doesn’t have an incredibly large following? I know it does and it’s made up of mostly tweens and adults who go to Comic Con – if that doesn’t illustrate all my points beautifully, I don’t know what does.
If you’d read my response to “music=life” more carefully, you would have seen that, though I say I haven’t read the series, I did attempt to read the first book and it was so awful I decided not to waste my time.
So I’m immature and misinformed? How old are you, anyway? Why attack me? Why be rude and insulting to me? Why not go to some site for folks who are fans of Twilight instead of a forum where people of any opinion can speak their minds? Maybe you’d be more comfortable in an environment where no one challenges your opinion.
Sorry Becks, I’m not even a Twilight fan (I’m neutral) but I won’t take someone seriously who hasn’t read the book. Why don’t you take the time to comment on books that you’ve actually read instead of trying to guess the age of other commenters?
P.S.- One of my favorite books of all time, Wuthering Heights, has a VERY slow introduction (i.e, the first 100 pages). Doesn’t mean that it’s not an outstanding book.
I’d take High School Musical over Twilight any day, because at least I know it’s mindless fluff. Twilight teaches girls to long for abusive relationships. Edward taking the engine out of Bella’s car and stalking her…those things are romantic now?
Give me a break.
LOL @ people who’ve clearly never read the books presuming to know anything about them. Talk about being immature. Maybe you guys are the ones who should watch High School Musical, since you act as though you’re about 10.
First of all, I love Twilight AND True Blood. Secondly, your entire comment about Twilight was immediately made completely ignorant and invalid by your first sentence. Do not speak on matters you can’t possibly understand because you obviously haven’t tried to.
look what do you mean the twilight saga is like highschool musical that is so not correct and apperantly you havent read the twilight saga hey why don’t you watch the movie maybe you’ll like it and just to let you know is not just a teen book actually all ages read it i think you have something against it being popular
I love how you dismiss the series because twilight fans only love it because of Rob Pattinson being hot, and then you go on to say that Alexander and Eric are smokin’ hot. Why can’t it just be to each their own.
I think that it is purely hypocritical for you to say that the fanbase of Twilight on likes it for how hot Rob Pattinson is, but yet you like True Blood because Bill and Eric are hot. That made a lot of sense. How dare you be so judgemental on fans of this series. I read these books and fell in love with the characters and I’m 30 years old. And this happened before Rob was a teen dream. I am not gonna lie, Rob is fine as hale, but not the reason I love Twilight. I love the characters, the love story, the story line, the love triangle, the incorporation of the vampires and werewolves and the fact that it is completely different from any other vampire series.
I love True Blood just as much, but I could pick on it all day long. Sookie Stackhouse, give me a break? She is the most irritating character in any vampire series.
To each their own, but don’t generalize that we love Twilight just because of Rob. You are only playing into what the media is feeding you.
I’m completely agree with you..
I couldn’t have said that better myself!
I read the first Twilight book, and HATED it. And don’t get me started with the movie. I haven’t seen a terribly acted movie since Showgirls (at least Showgirls is campy fun). I mean I couldn’t believe that this is the book and movie that setting the charts on fire. Come on. To say the main character is weak is an understatement. She always points out how much she loves her mom and dad BUT she would leave them at the drop of a hat to be with Edward forever. She doesn’t care about anything but to be a vampire so she and Edward can be the same age forever. WHATEVER. She pines over a guy who crawls in her bedroom at night and watch you sleep. HELLO.. That is not romantic, that is creepy and stalkerish. It’s sad that this passes as romantic nowadays. I see why this might be appealing to young girls, if I was in my teen, I can probably get on board. But if you’re in your 20’s-40’s and still swooning over this crap. Man, you need to get therapy or probably a love life.
Becks? You are very hypocritical. I hope you understand that the fanbase of the book is much bigger than that of the movie. Women of every age fell in love with Edward Cullen far before they liked Rob pattinson… I for one just like edward. Mainly because MY edward DOESN’T look OR act like rob pattinson. I also dislike high school musical and am a big fan of the series.
If you had read more than 200 pages of the series, you would know that the scenes do get sexual, but they also are censored enough that adults enjoy them and tweens can read them.
Oh and I would also like to add that I watched the first ten minutes of True Blood and turned off my TV because I found it downright ridiculous. Just from the first ten minutes I could tell that it was possibly the most unrealistic BORING show on TV, Bill and Eric are gross looking.
HMMM… does that upset you that having only one seen a fraction of what you call this “amazing” show I hate it already? Would you call that unfair and judgmental? Oh I don’t think so… I think I’m being very fair… I mean there are two guys that others think are hot and that is the only reason for people to see the show….
Unfair? In truth,now that I’m not pretending to be you anymore, I would say so. I have nothing against True Blood because I don’t know a lot about it. That’s how it should be.
Also if you would do the math… you’ve only read about one tenth of the whole series… which means you know of a few characters and a little bit of Edward and Bella falling in love… There’s A LOT more than that…
I completely agree, Kamrie.
I’m still laughing at the fact that someone pretends to know everything about a series of books that she’s never read.
Becks,
I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve read Twilight and the Southern Vampire Mysteries, along with LKH (hate her writing), and Anne Rice, too, though that was 15 years ago now. Grownups should really be beyond Twilight and all its silly cliches by now. The Charlaine Harris books were ripped off left right and center by Meyer, and if anyone bothers to read both, it’s obvious. Meyers books are great for anyone who has never had a serious relationship, or read serious literature. Folks with real life experiences know the Twilight books for what they are, and that ain’t much.
I couldn’t agree more. I read Twilight first and was then stunned when I read Charlaine Harris’ books. I had to check the publication dates. Meyer ripped her off left and right, even direct quotes!!!
You’re kind of pretentious eh? Seems like you are totally dismissing this book because it is so “young adult” there are plenty of young adult books that adults find entertaining as well.. for example the Harry Potter books. Please don’t dismiss a book simply for the genre they happen to belong to.
i do not mean to offend annyone by this coment but I hope I can make you think before you open your mouth next time!
the fact that I’m from sweden (a non english talking country) shows that these books has been really successfull around the world and I just want to ask you if you could do it better?! Becous if you REALLY can do that AND make it just as good and famous in more than 20 different languiges in a lot of countries i will mabye give you my respect etc. But i would want you to know that (at least in sweden) this book is read and loved by girls AND boys in all ages…
good luck^^
Ps. that tv serie is NOT as famoused as the twilight!! Ds
Oddly enough,I find your comments the most objective (even thought you haven’t read or seen they are amazingly accurate). Thanks for being objective and not taking others opinions as a personal attack.
Just like Laura, you’re jumping to conclusions and bragging about your lack of knowledge. I wouldn’t dream of slagging Twilight since I haven’t read them yet (and may never need to, since everyone here has given away just about every detail of the plot). Then you slag Laurell Hamilton, again you haven’t read any of her books, you didn’t bother to read any of the former posts clarifying that she is NOT saying that she invented the vampire genre, but she was one of the first to combine vampire/action/crime/romance written for adults. Please don’t brag that you don’t read anything,and try to use that as the basis for a weak argument! I’m sure most of us here aren’t impressed by illiterates.
Purely aesthetically, because of course I’ll read the magazine cover-to-cover as usual, I have to say that I don’t like this cover at all. I’m sure a very talented art director put it together, but it kind of looks like a piece of fan-fic art.
Can’t see what people get so workjed up over with the “message” in Twilight. What message? It’s an entertaining, albiet poorly written series of books aimed at Tweens and embraced by adults. As for EW covering too much on the series, it’s a cult turned hit much like Buffy before it. Eventually something else will come around (True Blood and The Sookie Stackhouse novels it’s based on looks like the heir apparent) in the meantime if you don’t like it, don’t look.
I fully agree with Snarf, if you don’t like it DON’T LOOK! There’s nothing you can do about it! (although I disagree with poorly written, but I do agree with entertaining, it’s not supposed to be some Shakespeare book)
The SVM (Sookie) series was written long before Twilight (DUD 2001) and was a best seller long before twilight. The only reason the movie came out before the series was because of the writers strike. TB had been in preproduction for almost two years. and thanks to all things BLOODY the strike happened or we wouldn’t have AS as Eric, because he was in Africa filming Generation Kill when he got the call, bam the strike, filming on hold, we get AS. Had to be fate!