| Title | : | Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 080905101X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780809051014 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 151 |
| Publication | : | First published October 19, 1953 |
For Guy Montag, a career fireman for whom kerosene is perfume, this is not just an official slogan. It is a mantra, a duty, a way of life in a tightly monitored world where thinking is dangerous and books are forbidden.
In 1953, Ray Bradbury envisioned one of the world's most unforgettable dystopian futures, and in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the artist Tim Hamilton translates this frightening modern masterpiece into a gorgeously imagined graphic novel. As could only occur with Bradbury's full cooperation in this authorized adaptation, Hamilton has created a striking work of art that uniquely captures Montag's awakening to the evil of government-controlled thought and the inestimable value of philosophy, theology, and literature.
Including an original foreword by Ray Bradbury and fully depicting the brilliance and force of his canonic and beloved masterwork, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is an exceptional, haunting work of graphic literature.
Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation Reviews
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There are some books that are so deep that you look forward to how other people interpret their core message - just to make sure that you did not miss anything. Fahrenheit 451 is such a book and this adaptation helped me to visualize several scenes that I was a little 'fuzzy' about. The introduction by Ray Bradbury is wonderful - the art is atmospheric; even the panel spacing conveys a feeling of being trapped in a world that has lost any semblance of sanity.
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This is Ray Bradbury's authorised adaptation of his classic novel Fahrenheit 451 into a graphic novel illustrated by Tim Hamilton. In his introduction, Ray Bradbury says that he views this as yet another take on his original book - a "further rejuvenation", as he terms it. He can trace many elements of the story to ideas that had been percolating in his subconscious. The first was an occasion when he was taking a walk around the block, and was stopped and questioned by a police officer. The idea of being challenged for merely being a pedestrian took root.
He also references an early story he wrote entitled "The Exiles", in which the greatest Fantasy authors in history were exiled to Mars, while their books were burned on Earth. Another story, "Usher II", was about a writer of Fantasy being made fun of by intellectuals, who ridiculed all the grotesques of Edgar Allan Poe. In "Pillar of Fire", a man rose from the dead to reenact "Dracula" and Frankenstein's monster.
Bradbury states,
"I brought all my characters onstage again and ran them through my typewriter, letting my fingers tell the stories and bring forth the ghosts of other tales from other times… What you have here now is a pastiche of my former lives, my former fears, my inhibitions and my strange and mysterious and unrecognized predictions of the future…what I did was name a metaphor and let myself run free, allowing my subconscious to surface with all kinds of wild ideas."
Fahrenheit 451 lends itself surprisingly well to reinterpretation as a graphic novel. Of course with a superior tale such as this, the piece is bound to be story-led. Nevertheless the Artwork in this book is more than adequate, and adds another dimension to the story. It is a nice touch too that the reader is able not merely to visualise the books to be burned, but to actually see images of them! Most pages are predominantly yellow/reds, or cool blue/grey-greens with silhouettes in the after-dark periods, to enhance the mood. The story is as gripping as ever, and the characters declaim well in this stark medium, their speeches being undistracted by superfluous words, and the emotional power behind them heightened by the visual images.
An enjoyable read, and a very good choice to be interpreted as a graphic novel. -
This is a mind-boggling novel. Because of television and other forms of entertainment, the people begin to hate reading books. Then when a controversy happens regarding some writings, the government decides to burn all books. Owning and reading books thus become prohibited. Penalty is death.
Farenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian work by Ray Bradbury. My first by him. The writing is ordinary but the idea, although scary, is engaging. Maybe because I love to read and I would not want all my books to burn. There is a scene here where an old lady chooses to die instead of burning her books. I thought I would do the same if and when this happened in real life. I love my books! Especially those that I've read already and chose to keep for sentimental reasons.
The title is believed to be the temperature when paper can auto-ignite, i.e., burn by itself.
Since mine was an illustrated edition or graphic novel, the reading was a breeze. Although, the illustrations were not really something to marvel at. They were all dark and gloomy basically reflecting the mood and theme of the novel. But there were lengthy narratives too since maybe the illustrator wanted to capture the distinctive prose of Bradbury.
I liked this novel since it highlighted the idiocy or "partial information devoid of context" of watching television. Readers should celebrate that, there was once upon a time, Ray Bradbury, who rallied behind the importance of reading written works of art instead of watching senseless television shows. I would imagine that in the 50's, not many people enjoyed having this pointed out to them.
Ray Bradbury did not think though that time will come that physical books will dwindle in number to give way to e-books. Well, police can still burn e-book machines. And because they are very costly, I will not be surprised if some people here in the Philippines will indeed choose to be killed instead of burning their e-book readers! -
Το κόμικ το πέτυχα πριν λίγες μέρες με λιγότερα από τέσσερα ευρώ και, φυσικά, το άρπαξα δίχως δεύτερη σκέψη. Το ομότιτλο μυθιστόρημα του Ρέι Μπράντμπερι, ένα από τα κλασσικότερα και πιο πολυδιαβασμένα δυστοπικά μυθιστορήματα εκεί έξω, το διάβασα τον Φεβρουάριο του 2013 και παραμένει ένα από τα καλύτερα βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει. Όπως καταλαβαίνετε, πριν αρχίσω την ανάγνωση του κόμικ, είχα βάλει σχετικά ψηλά τον πήχη. Και δεν απογοητεύτηκα.
Σίγουρα δεν φτάνει το βάθος του βιβλίου (είτε όσον αφορά την πλοκή, είτε όσον αφορά τους χαρακτήρες και τα ��ηνύματα της ιστορίας), όμως πρόκειται για μια άκρως αξιόλογη και σίγουρα τίμια προσπάθεια μεταφοράς ενός εμβληματικού μυθιστορήματος σε μορφή κόμικ. Δεν είναι και εύκολο πράγμα, εδώ που τα λέμε. Το σχέδιο είναι πολύ ωραίο και ιδιαίτερο, και σε συνδυασμό με τα χρώματα, περνάει στον αναγνώστη την μαυρίλα, την απαισιοδοξία και την κατήφεια που επικρατεί στην όλη ιστορία. Ο Μπράντμπερι το κατάφερε με τις περιγραφές του, ο Χάμιλτον το κατάφερε με το όλο σχέδιο, τις εκφράσεις των προσώπων και τα κάπως μουντά χρώματα.
Είναι ένα κόμικ που το προτείνω σε όλους, τόσο σε αυτούς που έχουν διαβάσει και απολαύσει το βιβλίο, όσο και σ'αυτούς που δεν το έχουν διαβάσει (βέβαια, προτείνω να το κάνουν άμεσα, γιατί είναι ένα εξαιρετικό βιβλίο!). Η ελληνική έκδοση ωραία μέσα στην απλότητά της. -
B.R.A.CE. 2018 4 βιβλία με έναν αριθμό στον τίτλο ή στο εξώφυλλο (Νο. 1)
Δεν ξέρω πολλά από graphic novels, νομίζω μάλιστα πως αυτό είναι το πρώτο που διαβάζω γιατί δεν θυμάμαι να έχει πέσει άλλο στα χέρια μου. Συνεπώς, μπορώ να μιλήσω αποκλειστικά για την πολύ υποκειμενική εντύπωση που μου έκανε το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, χωρίς να έχω ιδιαίτερη άποψη για τη γενικότερη αξία του. Καλά πράγματα έχω διαβάσει στις κριτικές πάντως, οπότε δεν πρέπει να πέφτω πολύ έξω στην εκτίμησή μου, μιας και μου άρεσε πολύ. Ωραία εικονογράφηση και - χωρίς να έχω διαβάσει το βιβλίο του Bradburry - νομίζω ότι δεν ήταν άνισο στη μεταφορά του (όσο για την ιδέα του έργου, που ανήκει στο συγγραφέα του πρωτότυπου, είναι άκρως ενδιαφέρουσα και κατά κάποιον τρόπο παραμένει επίκαιρη, παρότι το βιβλίο γράφτηκε πριν από πενήντα χρόνια).
Ίσως θα έπρεπε να διαβάσω περισσότερα του είδους, πραγματικά το ευχαριστήθηκα. -
This is a solid adaptation of Bradbury's classic dystopian novel in part about censorship, the plot of which I won't repeat, since there are thousands of reviews on the original novel page. I will say that rereading it in this format reminded me of the horror/thrill of reading about the memorization of all the great books in resistance. I've read and taught the book many times, so appreciate the introduction by Bradbury authorizing the adaptation. That endorsement was probably necessary, since it might seem ironic that a book taking away many of Bradbury's actual words--which might seem like a kind of censorship--would be published with his blessing.
The introduction to a later edition of Bradbury's novel details the remarkable story of his reading some of his book to a high school audience; he had forgotten his own copy, so read a copy borrowed from the classroom set. In reading it, he was chilled to realize that the publishers that had produced a generation of copies of his book had indeed censored it--taken out the swearing--which is especially outrageous in a book about state control of language.
But Bradbury's introduction to Hamilton's edition makes it clear that Bradbury's own story developed and grew in various forms, from an anecdote to a sketch to a short story to a novel. And a 1966 film version by Truffaut that he liked (and I have seen and taught). So this is just another version, and a good one, but it should not be read instead of the original, only in conjunction with it, as a way into it for struggling readers, maybe, or as an alternate interpretation of it. -
Βαθμολογία: ★★★
Το 'Fahrenheit 451' είναι από τα βιβλία που δεν μπορώ να καταλάβω γιατί είχε και συνεχίζει να έχει τόσο μεγάλη απήχηση παγκοσμίως (κάτι που σίγουρα έχει συμβεί σε όλους μας με κάποιο κλασικό βιβλίο). Πέρα από τη θεματολογία του (δυστοπία, λογοκρισία, καύση βιβλίων που συγκλονίζει τους βιβλιόφιλους), το θεωρώ τρομερά υπανάπτυκτο και ως προς την πλοκή, αλλά κυρίως ως προς τους χαρακτήρες. Η διασκευή του σε κόμικ δεν μου άλλαξε την άποψη, αλλά το διασκέδασα λίγο περισσότερο. -
"Remember, Montag. We're the happiness boys. We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought."
Montag works as a fireman. But not the kind we all know and love. His job is to burn books. That is all he does. Burn books and sometimes the people who (illegally) have them.
But what happens when his eyes are opened to what life has become?
That is the rest of the story.
I've read the original novel and I've seen the movie, so I could hardly pass up this version. And it is an excellent one, in my opinion. The artwork fits the narration perfectly, creating the exact mood you should be in when reading this book. I was impressed.
Ray Bradbury wrote an introduction for this 2009 edition, and at the end he asks any reader of this book to think about which book they would 'become' if the need arose. I have been thinking about that very thing, and it is actually a difficult question to answer, especially for a person who loves books the way I do.
Do I become one of the deep intellectual classics that have led Mankind over the centuries? Since Mankind hasn't really paid attention to any of them, there doesn't seem much point to that. What makes me think Man as a whole would ever learn from them if he hasn't already?
So would I pick a lighter weight classic? One of the great novels of our past, the kind that are on all those lists of books we are supposed to read before we die? Tempting, but how many other people would be thinking the same thing? I would want to be unique, wouldn't you?
I've narrowed my choices down to four. I have my reasons for each one, but it is hard to decide on just one even for a mental exercise like this. I would be either
Black Beauty,
Cyrano de Bergerac,
The Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief, or
Fahrenheit 451.
And you? Which book would you be? -
"This book has pores. It has features . . . detail, fresh detail. The good writers touch life often. You see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores in the face of life." -- Faber
Here's a blasphemous statement -- I enjoyed this graphic novel version more than the text edition.
Before you suggest Ray Bradbury is turning over in his grave at this idea, consider that ten years ago he partnered with artist Tim Hamilton (who has worked for Marvel, DC and other big names) to produce this edition of his 50's-era sci-fi classic. Hamilton's noir-like illustrations - mostly muted colors, except for the red-hot fires, and A LOT of darkness - complement Bradbury's prose and ideas. The story is probably as timely as ever, but is well-known by now so I won't rehash it in a review.
I remember in childhood there used to be a book series called 'Illustrated Classics,' which adapted, in a straight-forward and usually boring manner, novels from the 18th and 19th centuries. The striking style of Fahrenheit 451, as presented here, is the really way those should have been done. -
readathon 17: 24/26 βιβλίο κόμικς
νομίζω θα διαβάσω και το κανονικό βιβλίο γιατί αυτό ήταν μικρό
επίσης στην έκδοση αυτή του Μεταίχμιο το μελάνι μάλλον μυρίζει αρκετά έντονα σε σημείο οριακής ανοχής. -
Aún no leí el clásico original de Bradbury pero tras este acercamiento con esta maravillosa novela gráfica este encuentro no tardará en concretarse. Si bien el propio Ray confirmó que es una adaptación muy fiel ya que estuvo involucrado en ella quedé con ganas de tener la novela algún día en manos, porque probablemente lea el ebook o un audio libro para aligerar las lecturas que tendré en este mes.
Es una novela que todos deberíamos tener en casa, sea en la edición que sea.
¿Por qué?
Porque Ray nos invita a pensar en los beneficios que tenemos hoy en día ya que en su novela se enfocará en demostrarnos la censura, como se busca limitar a la mente ya que es considerada peligrosa, a esto se le suma la creatividad y la capacidad de pensamiento propio. Ya que el nuevo gobierno solo quiere generar la felicidad y los pensamientos que sean convenientes para ellos.
Y las ilustraciones me dejaron anonadada porque son simplemente perfectas, ver todos esos libros quemándose, los colores del fuego... maravilloso el trabajo de Tim a la hora de adaptar este clásico de la literatura.
Si bien ya había tenido otro encuentro con Ray este me dejó sin palabras, sigo sin lograr describir bien como me siento al respecto ya que me lleva a pensar en mi cuando era pequeña, la falta de libros a causa de la crisis que no permitía a mis padres regalarme alguno, las bibliotecas con poco material entretenido o moderno para un niño, niña, adolescente. Y también como en 2012 se quemaron todos mis libros que estaban en el galpón de mi casa que ardió hasta derrumbarse en sus propios cimientos, sin dudas ver como perdía mis libros fue tremendamente doloroso, aunque por un lado estaba contenta de que no se había perdido el fruto del trabajo de mi hermano para obtener sus herramientas.
Tras aquel nefasto diciembre del 2012 recuerdo que tuve que volver a recrear mi biblioteca, admito que ahora está más grande y bella que hasta ese entonces. Por ende, cuando leía como las personas en Fahrenheit se querían suicidar junto con sus libros o estaban tristes y vacías me sentí plenamente identificada, no es fácil ver reducido a cenizas algo a lo cual se le tiene muchísimo aprecio. -
I have read Fahrenheit 451 a number of times over the years but this was the first time I saw it as a graphic novel but not only that but an authorised version with introduction by the man himself Ray Bradbury - so yes I had to read this to see what changes and tweaks had been made along with any slight revisions that Mr Bradbury had wanted to add along the way.
I have to say that it was a great read (and no I will not give away if there are any differences as I think in this case that is the same as spoilers since the story itself is so well know).
I am always careful around graphic novels as there is not just the story telling to get on with but the artistic styles used as well (I can still remember having to be "kind" to friends who had lent me books to read where I just could not cope with how the artists worked) but here I think there is just the right kind of familiarity but also scary alternative world feel to it too. Alternative but not so far distant.
The only problem is that I discover that this was one of three -the other two being the Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked this ways comes - guess I am going shopping -
Fahrenheit 451 is one of those novels that doesn't require any introduction. This dystopian novel totally deserved a spot in the graphic novel format, for its disturbing content.
Tim Hamilton, the comic adaptor, successfully conveys the dark images of the book into an illustrated edition.
Just like the 1966 film by Truffaut, this is another version of this powerful masterpiece.
Haunting, disturbing, and thought-provoking, Fahrenheit 451 is a compelling work that makes any reader to reflect. The comic adaptation presents a gorgeous artwork and captures the most important concepts of Bradbury's work.
The design is quite edgy and mysterious, which helps the reader to envision a disconcerting dystopian society. Consequently, this graphic novel enhances the mental images from the original book by Bradbury.
Hamilton's comic adaptation should be read as a conjunction to the original read.
rating: 4.5/5 stars -
RECOMENDADA 100%
Volver a Bradbury siempre será un placer. No hay forma de hablar de Fahrenheit 451 y no sentir un poco de miedo y nostalgia al ver a Montag con sus dudas y temores frente a la literatura y el rol que cumple como bombero.
La historia: es de 10. Es aterradora, poética y con un final esperanzador. La labor de los libros es la de ordenar las maravillas de la vida. No son mágicos por existir sino mágicos por la forma que tiene a acercarnos a diferentes realidades sin movernos de nuestro lugar.
Lo personajes: Con 5 personajes, esta obra tiene los elementos necesarios para identificarse con las dudas de Montag o de reconocer a Betty como un jefe o superior molesto.
El formato: el cómic es de las mayores muestras artísticas. Tienen la tarea de representar por, medio de ilustraciones, las palabras de otra persona. Me parece un gran acierto la forma en que Tim Hamilton retrata la sensación que da la historia: Oscuridad, soledad y existencialismo de cuestionarse nuestro papel en el mundo.
Mi calificación: 4/5, ya que la historia es conocida desde antes, es grato ver cómo esta adaptación toma nuevos elementos y los enlaza con las ideas originales de Bradbury. No alcanza el 5 porque extrañé las narraciones de Bradbury que son más propias de la literatura que del cómic. -
The artwork was good, but everything else wasn't — the premise, the story, and the characters were all rubbish. I didn't buy the whole book burning, firemen, and media brainwashing that was going on. Very little made sense especially the majority of the population being cool with not thinking for themselves, not wanting to read books, not questioning the war. It was all so far fetched and unrealistic.
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This book was a little confusing. It was a good plot idea, but I thought some of the dialogue seemed like filler. It ended on a cliffhanger, but if there is a book two, I'm not going to buy it.
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What a disgrace to Ray Bradbury. This book is the exact opposite of what it should be. Fahrenheit 451 is about books that burn and terrible censorship. Is this not ironic that it is a shortened, empty version of this complex novel? This graphic novel is easy to read, which is what Bradbury advises against (cultures that take the easy way out of reading will be destroyed). It requires almost no thought to sit down and read this for thirty minutes, and the reader will most likely not retrieve any central aspects or themes of the text. It is almost as if our culture is becoming that of Montag's; publishers and schools are beginning to study these types of novels because it is easy and requires almost no thinking. It is especially terrible that a book of this magnitude was turned into a monstrosity that completely turns around the author's message.
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I read the book when I was in 7th grade, a very looong time ago.
How scary to live in a world where books are banned and burned and anyone caught with a book is arrested or burned right along with their books and home. This people are so empty that their entertainment is dictated by some invisible government. They gather at friends' homes to watch the televised walls. Their memories of loved ones are also played on the wall as a picture in a frame would be in our home. I found this to be the scariest of all, that your memories could be dictated in such a way.
The story played well to this format, but the graphics were not so great. A lot of faces were undefined and the images hard to read at times. -
I have a vague idea of how I came to read this. My dad and I were discussing science fiction and science fantasy, and at some point, it was agreed I would sample something from the sci-fi genre to see how it was written. Something to do with my roots being in the fantasy genre.
For all I know, I may have read some sci-fi books before and forgotten it, or was unaware the genre was sci-fi, but ah well, Fahrenheit 451 was always said to be a must-read, and it just so happened my dad had the graphic novel on his computer.
----
1st quarter of the GN, my thoughts were:
Wow. Really pretty. The art work is fantastic. How clever Ray Bradbury is! A new play on the word "fireman".
(Then) A girl is introduced, Clarisse. She's pretty. What's she for? I wonder if at some point in the novel the main character, the fireman, Guy Montag and her get together.
(And soon after) Oh no, what have I gotten into...the whole novel is a dialog between the two isn't it? Just constant gibber jabber, and in the process he discovers himself. Ooh, look, it's Mildred, Guy's wife. Empty pill bottle on the floor. Has she conveniently committed suicide, so he can hang out with Clarisse more? Oh. Apparently not. A couple of technicians save the day, and guess what? Mrs. Montag is probably going to do it again.
(Later) Fortunately, this is a graphic novel, and a few pictures of Guy and Clarisse talking can be crafted to span over a few days.
2nd quarter:
Captain Beatty, Guy's boss, is looks creepy--Jack Nicholson could play him no problem. Oh no. Clarisse is dead. Unfortunately, I didn't really form an attachment to her so I didn't mind much, but apparently, Guy Montag does.
As Captain Beatty slowly revealed why they go to such great lengths to destroy books and why they've made the possession of books a criminal offense, I was reminded of the present state of the world now, and what he said in 1951 is still true today: what we read does truly affect the way we think. It is how we excel and it is what makes us different from everyone around us. Our thoughts are all different, our opinions, even the way we think is different, and it's mostly because of the books we read.
In Ray Bradbury's dystopia, "Happiness" is a tool the government uses to suppress the voices of the people. "Happiness" is what ensures they stay in power. "The family", some sort of holographic program, is what has replaced real human relationships. It distracts people from the world around them, removes the necessity of companionship, removes worry, and detaches them from everything else. The "Happiness" that "the family" offers is false, but everyone is too numbed to notice. The government remains in power, unopposed, because the people are ignorant, living in shells.
3rd quarter:
A year has passed in the novel, but I didn't notice. Anyway, in that time, Guy Montag has hidden dozens of books on the sly. He remembers a man he met one time, an old dude. Apparently, Guy Montag found this old dude, what's his name, ah yes, Faber, having books in his possession. So he forms a sort of alliance with this Faber dude, who had for some reason, come to possess an small ear-piece which he uses to remain in contact with Montag. Faber...is not one of the best characters I've seen. He's spineless, he's hesitant to help, he doesn't really do anything, he just sits around and waits for it all to be over. And he's annoying. But I guess, Faber represents the silent minority. Those who sit by and watch while the world burns.
Some form of literary debate goes on between Captain Beatty and Captain Beatty. Apparently, he's using a debate he had in a "dream" as an allegory to try to turn Montag, to confuse and befuddle him. I was...not impressed by the debate itself, but I was impressed however, by the knowledge of books that Captain Beatty possessed. For someone who outlawed the act of reading books, he sure spouted a lot of quotes.
They receive an emergency dispatch call and the firemen, Montag included, hasten to the the location (before the bad people can hide the books), only to find that it's Montag's house they stop at. Mildred. Evil witch woman. But then it's revealed that Captain Beatty knew about it his secret stash all along, and orders Montag to burn his own house down with a flamethrower. And Montag does it, too! THEN, his ear piece falls out accidentally, and oh bugger, Captain B picks it up, and he threatens to trace it back to old Faber. Note to self: Don't threaten people armed with flame throwers.
Of course, to protect his friend, Montag kills Captain Beatty, and destroys a mechanical dog and flees as a fugitive. He also discovers that not all the books were destroyed after all. Yay, for him.
4th quarter:
Faber's house. They discuss planting books in the houses of other firemen, which I got really excited about, but nothing happened. Instead, the TV comes on to say that some new mechanical dogs are gonna be shipped in to track Montag by his scent. So now, Faber is on the lam, too.
So, Montag gets away, yada yada, and meets a bunch of vagabonds. And it becomes clear once again what a twisted world it is to have professors and scholars living on the streets instead of the real bad guys, whom apparently, no longer exist because they're at home "being happy". These professors have made it their lives' mission to memorize entire books, human-libraries if you will. They then burn the books to avoid being arrested. Meanwhile, some innocent dude is killed and the public is told that the dude is Montag, because the government just can't admit they were beaten.
Jet bombers fly over the place and destroy the whole city with nuclear bombs. It's implied that this happens everywhere as well, and it is assumed Mildred is dead. The end.
Now, I was pretty happy with the first 3 quarters of the graphic novel, I really was! It was a fabulous "what if" concept, Ray Bradbury is brilliant and Tim Hamilton is an amazing illustrator. However, I felt the ending was a bit of a cop-out. Too short, too sudden, too hurried. I was left with the thought, 'That's it?? The end? No more?'
It's a bit like that birthday where your relative gives you a huge wrapped present, and you're all hyped up about it because it's just gi-normous and you can hardly wait to open it. You're thinking about it all through the party, and when it's time to open the presents, you rush to that one first. You're clawing at the wrapping paper and someone records you squealing at the sight of the cover of the box because it's that Wii you always wanted! Then you open the box, and you discover that it isn't a Wii, it's a plain white T and a fabric dye set that aforementioned relative tells you "Now you can paint whatever you want on it! See! Isn't it cool?"
Anyhew, 3 stars for great concept! -
This graphic adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 is best read in addition to the original novel. It could never replace the flowery language and beautiful imagery presented in its original form. However, the artistic renderings of each frame do a lovely job of presenting the dark material, shadowy intentions of the characters, and the brilliance of the flames. After reading the original, this graphic version adds new layers, highlighting the significance of specific moments. This is a glimpse into the world that could clarify the story for some struggling readers.
Of course, it's hard to read without considering Beatty's apt and rambling critique of our own society: "Then in the twentieth century, speed up your camera. Books cut shorter. Condensations. Digests. Tabloids... Classics cut to fit fifteen-minute radio shows, then again to fill a two-minute book column, winding up at last as a ten- or twelve-line dictionary resume." Like Beatty, "I exaggerate, of course", when claiming that this is doing the same thing to the original Fahrenheit 451. Although this is an authorized reimagining of the original text that has an intro by Bradbury, I would still warn against using this as a substitute for the original. Instead, it is an incredible supplement. -
This is a serviceable version of the classic science-fiction Bradbury novel but should not serve as a replacement for the original, full-length novel. The characterizations sometimes seemed spot on, other times seemed to miss their mark: for example, Clarisse doesn't have the depth and intelligence she should have and comes off as a bit of a sex-pot, which struck me as inaccurate. Beatty, on the other hand, seems as steady and unswerving in Hamilton's comic as he does in Bradbury's text. There are some good portraits of Millie, which lend us hints about the great fear and uncertainty that she lives with on a daily basis. Montag's intensity and desire for truth grows over the course of the novel, which I suppose is as it should be.
One of the tenets of Fahrenheit 451 is that reading (and walking and good conversation) takes time, patience, thought and introspection. So having the story sort of rushed through in a graphic form arguably works against those principles. But I imagine that if this text were used as an extension activity, such as a follow-up to a thorough study of Bradbury's book, there would be much to be gained from it and many students would enjoy it. -
I had heard a lot about Fahrenheit 451 and its dark story for I wouldn't want to live in a world without books. But before I could read the book or watch the movie I got to read this Graphic Novel adaption of the novel. This has been authorized by Ray Bradbury. The artwork is dystopian like it had to be and overall I liked it why are here so many negative reviews for the book probably I would understand that after reading the book. But till then as my first introduction to Ray Bradbury's dystopian world I really liked this graphic novel. Would read the book and watch the movie soon enough.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just
Keep on Reading. -
I tried reading the original of this novel sometime ago but I stopped. I believe I stopped at that point, not too far from the beginning, where two characters, conversing, made it like a forgotten myth that firemen used to put out fires, not like what they are now: police-like professionals who burn books.
I managed to finish this one, however, mainly because in its graphic novel adaptation there are not too many words to read. Still, however, it does not mean I had already been completely charmed by the story. Its premise is that there will come a time when all books--even the well-loved classics--will be considered subversive materials and the cause of mankind's sufferings, and that to preserve them, people have to memorize these books. I just don't dig that kind of plot. It is too much of a fiction for a fiction for me. -
It’s always thrilling to reread a favorite book, in this case, a graphic novel based on the novel, with the author’s consent. Instead of quoting the many famous quotes from Fahrenheit 451, I’m going to quote the introduction by Ray Bradbury.
“…Anyone reading this introduction should take the time to name the one book that he or she would most want to memorize and protect from any censors or ‘firemen.’ And not only name the book but give the reasons why they would wish to memorize it and why it would be a valuable asset to be recited and remembered in the future.”
My book this morning would be Fahrenheit 451. Why, because ideas that stray from the mainstream or that the mainstream does not approve of are always under attack and at risk of censorship. -
Otra vez me fui de caza a la biblioteca de mi universidad antes de que terminara el año escolar. Por ahí brujeando me topé con este libro y obviamente me lo traje a casa. Lo que más llama la atención es esa super-hermosa-increíblemente-chachi edición. Tapa dura con sobrecubierta y un titulo grande en rojo que me llamaba mucho la atención. Este libro está ilustrado por Tim Hamilton y el prólogo está escrito por el genial Bradbury (cuando aún vivía)
Reseña completa:
http://rapsodia-literaria.blogspot.co... -
I don't read graphic novels as a rule. I am a comic book fan from way back, but I find it difficult to 'read' most graphic novels. For me it generally takes several pages to get into a rhythm, to begin to read the illustrations AND the text as one. In some cases I never do reach that point.
This graphic adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 is an astonishing exception. From the first panel I was caught up and swept into the story. I thought rhe illustrations spoke as clearly and powerfully as Ray Bradbury's text. And even though the original text is significantly pared down, it hasn't lost any of its power. -
Muy ligero y entretenido se leé en casi nada,
odié mucho a Mildred y amé a Montag y Clarisse. Me ha hecho reflexionar bastante y buscar las semejanzas de aquella distopía con la actualidad. -
Vogliamo soltanto preservare intatta la conoscenza di cui avremo bisogno in futuro. Quando la guerra sarà finita forse potremo servire a qualcosa. Tramanderemo i libri ai nostri figli, oralmente, e faremo in modo che i nostri figli a loro volta continuino a tramandarli. Esteriormente siamo dei vagabondi, ma dentro di noi siamo intere biblioteche.
-
What would you do if you were told it was illegal to read, or to even own a book? How long do you think civilization would remember that they used to enjoy reading? Would you break the law, even at the risk of being arrested? Having your books torched? Your house burned to the ground?
Who?
Montag: A fireman. (In this story, firemen are in charge of finding those who are hiding books then burning both the books and the homes.)
Millie: Montag's wife.
Clarisse: A young girl who changes the way Montag looks at life in a few short conversations.
Captain Beatty: The fire chief.
Faber: An old man who has been hiding books.
What?
After a routine burning goes wrong when a woman refuses to leave the house, going up in flames with her home and her books, Montag begins to wonder what is in books that would make a person do that. He has taken books from fires before, but has never opened one to read it. After the incident with the woman, he reads from a book to his wife and her friends, who then turn him in. During the burning of his house, he manages to escape arrest with the help of Faber, who then tells him where he can hide out. Will Montag manage to beat the Firemen, or is reading lost forever?
Where?
An American city.
When?
The future.
Why?
Captain Beatty believes that firemen are responsible for keeping people happy, and books make people unhappy. Faber remembers when firemen put out fires instead of starting them, and would like to preserve something of that time. Millie is a lemming, happy to do whatever she is told by the parties in charge. Montag realizes he is unhappy, after Clarisse asks him whether or not he is happy. Realizing that he is still unhappy without the presence of books, Montag decides to give books a try and finds that there may be some real reasons to save them.
Favorite Parts:
Clarisse has always been my favorite character, the way she acts as as the catalyst to all the action in the book, and the way that her one comment completely changed the direction of Montag's life. Reading the graphic novel version gives a different feel and vision to the story. The pictures are bleak and dreary, and it really does bring the story to life. I felt the adaptation was true to the original story, though it has been quite a few years since I read it.
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
"It's not books you need, it's some of the things that once were in books." -Faber (p. 73)
"Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord." -Faber (p. 78)
"Oh God, the terrible tyranny of the majority." -Faber (p. 100)
"Someday the load we're carrying with us may help someone. But even when we had the books on hand, we didn't use what we got out of them." (p. 148)
Least Favorite Parts:
I can't think of anything I don't love about this story, unless it is Millie. She is completely spineless and selfish. I know that is the way she needs to be for the story, but she does annoy me.
Recommend?
Yes
To whom?
Readers of dystopian fiction, teens who are reluctant to read some of the classics, pretty much anyone, really.
READ MORE REVIEWS AT
http://sschpagepals.blogspot.com -
What a fantastic interpretation, proven by the fact that this comic book version really does make me want to revisit the source. Hamilton's design, color and drawing style perfectly complement Bradbury's words. And Bradbury's words, from 1953, were so prescient. Here are some current observations from 'The Brain That Changes Itself,' Norman Doidge's book from 2007:
'Television, music videos, and video games...unfold...faster...than real life, and they are getting faster, which causes people to develop an increased appetite for high-speed transitions.... It is the form of the...medium--cuts, edits, zooms, pans, and sudden noises--that alters the brain, by activating what Pavlov called the "orienting response...." The orientation response evolved...because our forbears...needed to react to situations that could be dangerous or could provide sudden opportunities.... Television triggers this response at a far more rapid rate than we experience in life, which is why we can’t keep our eyes off the TV screen...and why people watch TV a lot longer than they intend. Because typical music videos, action sequences, and commercials trigger orienting responses at a rate of one per second, watching them puts us into a continuous orienting response with no recovery. No wonder people report feeling drained from watching TV. Yet we acquire a taste for it and find slower changes boring. The cost is that such activities as reading, complex conversation, and listening to lectures become more difficult.'
Bradbury, a half century earlier, has Professor Faber advise Montag, an official book burner:
'If you're not driving a hundred miles an hour, at a clip where you can't think of anything else but the danger, then you're playing some game or sitting in some room where you can't argue with the four-wall televisor. The televisor is "real." It is immediate, it has dimension. It tells you what to think and blasts it in. It rushes you on so quickly to its own conclusions your mind hasn't time to process, "What nonsense!"'
When Montag comments that his wife says 'books aren't "real," Faber answers, 'Thank God for that. You can shut them, say, "Hold on a moment."'
Here's a way to introduce such ideas to readers who may find reading and complex conversation more difficult in the midst of too much screen time. The book's real hero is the teenaged Clarisse, a martyr for thoughtfully and reflectively processing the novel's dystopian world. Highly recommended.
