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Read On! Books & Their Movies

March 6, 2019

I love comparing books with the movies or TV shows that they inspire. My current favorite comparison is with the show “Trollhunters” and the book by the same name.

Inspired by the book “Trollhunters” written by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus, Netflix created a TV show of the same name. It and the spin-off series “3 Below” have become favorites in our house. Because we discovered the show before we knew it was a book, I waited to check the book out (via Overdrive) until we finished the full Netflix series.

The book is vastly different from the show (surprise, surprise). The two are similar, to be sure, but so many big details like character genders and origin stories are changed that I’m fascinated imagining the discussions and reasons behind the changes. Especially since the authors of the book have been so instrumental in the creation of the show.

The show is clearly aimed at a younger audience than the book. The book is grittier and more dangerous, which is appropriate for a more mature audience. Sure the characters are fighting trolls and saving the world in both works, but Daniel Kraus’s influence in the book makes all the difference.

I’ve read two of Kraus’s other books and liked them a lot. His writing is dark and compelling. Kraus has the ability to write the details of a fast-paced action scene in slow motion while never actually slowing the pace or distracting from the urgency. His characters are also incredibly complex and deeply flawed. The characters in “Trollhunters” are no different. They’re cleaned up and made more whole for the show, which makes the show more of a romp for a younger crowd.

Both are worth your time if you like adventure or fantasy works. You can check out the “Trollhunters” ebook via our Overdrive library. The show is available on Netflix.