What is up with Twilight?

I have no problem with there being a book series about fictional vampires, but Twilight is making people think differently on real vampires.
All this about sparkling in the sunlight, people would say that your not a vampire if you don't sparkle.
I think people should realize the difference between fiction and reality.

What are your thoughts on Twilight?

Personally, I find Twilight to be a very poorly written and badly conceptualized fiction. It is too immature, too teen-driven, too nonsense.
Certainly it is nowhere nearly related with the reality of Vampirism. It is a series written to drive hysterical teens crazy about some ugly guy that forgot to wash his hair in the morning.
Anyways, I don't believe the real vampire community cares much about it. There will always be fiction as there will always be misconceptions. It was never a real problem. It is true though that Twilight is bringing much more media awareness and focus upon real Vampirism, and that may not be a good thing, since vampires do like to stay in the shadows (except the people from the Vampire Lifestyle community that just love to go act posers on TV, but hey we're talking about real vampires, not them).

I agree with Jonathan. It is easy to see where the hype comes from: Twilight is light reading ready-made for young readers. That is its first "catch". Secondly, the female character is a teenager who is a bit different from the rest, far from the popular crowd. This will make "darkly inclined" teen girls immediately relate to her. When you add the "forbidden" aspect of the vampire boyfriend and all the sexual innuendos, plus the option of crossing to the other side and having a vampire family, stepping away from the norm in the arms of a handsome demon, which is every darkly inclined teen girl's dream, you get the full catch.

And yet it is "approvable" for the underage, since there is no premarital sex and no explicitness. Just a lot of bloody violence!!!

Personally I think it has nothing to do with real vampirism. The author was far from considering that when she took off time from her Mormon lifestyle to write it down. And still I do not think it is such a bad product. Just like the Harry Potter saga, it is just a fantasy tailored for the younger audience. I do not see how practicers of magick could be insulted by Harry Potter, and similarly I do not think the Twilight series has any bearing on the concerns of real vampires.

The only problem I see is that, as a result of this book series and movies coming out along the trail of the greater transparency of the vampire community that has taken place in the past years, a lot of rampant and confused wannabee teens are starting to plague the scene. Even in this forum, occassionally.

If you were looking for the rest of the discussion that was present in here, it was split into its own thread by request from Syrianeh.
Find that discussion in the link: Click Here.

I just see nothing deep and beautiful about Twilight... it is possibly one of the worse stories I have heard of (and did not even bother wasting my time reading) when it comes to vampirism. I am not aware, nor do I understand what attracts so many people towards watching the film and reading the books...

It's really not about Vampires, when you get down to the basics of the books. The premise of the story is around an average girl who gets the unattainable perfect boy. You could say, in the way Edward is so protective, he could even be compared to the Guardian, and Bella as the Viperine.

It attracts people because they can relate to wanting what Bella gets. When people relate with their desires in a book or movie, it tends to hook them instantly.

Jonathan wrote:Personally, I find Twilight to be a very poorly written and badly conceptualized fiction. It is too immature, too teen-driven, too nonsense.
Certainly it is nowhere nearly related with the reality of Vampirism. It is a series written to drive hysterical teens crazy about some ugly guy that forgot to wash his hair in the morning.
Anyways, I don't believe the real vampire community cares much about it. There will always be fiction as there will always be misconceptions. It was never a real problem. It is true though that Twilight is bringing much more media awareness and focus upon real Vampirism, and that may not be a good thing, since vampires do like to stay in the shadows (except the people from the Vampire Lifestyle community that just love to go act posers on TV, but hey we're talking about real vampires, not them).

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Not trying to sound shallow, at all, but... wouldn't it be deeply and unbelievably epic, to have a book and a movie out of the Aset Ka's past to the present life and awakening of the Asetians? If such a horribly written and boring book like Twilight with its movie can make that much people fall in 'love' with it, then a story as deep as the Aset Ka's would be able to touch everyone's hearts.
Although, keeping in mind that many people will not like to accept the beliefs of the AK, since religion plays a great role in what people find 'good' and 'bad'.

I like the books, not because of the whole vampirism plot, but the love story. It's focus is on teens, and there isnt much depth to it like say Anne Rice ect..but its good entertainment. I enjoyed the last two novels more, because they mature as characters.

It would have been a better novel without the fangs and fur.

I've been reading House of Night Series and am currently finishing book three.. This is my pop reading. It is about a young woman who is going through the transformation of becoming a vampire. The books are light entertainment but do offer spiritual theme as well, since the school she lives in worships Nyx (Goddess of Night). If any of you, particularly women, like to read something without investing too much thought. This is much better then Twilight, in my opinion.

I agree, the House of Night series is a very good read. I'm waiting for the next one, as the author is notorious for her cliff-hangers.

The six book is coming out in the Fall. But I still have two more to go..

I bought the first book not too long ago and am about to start that series as soon as I finish with another. It seems interesting enough.

You'll love it. There is a healthy doze of Female Driven Religion whish is great! It also realy goes into her inner world and the kind of issues some women deal with all their lives.. Not a literary master piece, but definately a worthy time passing. Let me know what your experience will be like.

Sounds like a book that I'm bound to enjoy =P I'll tell you my thoughts about it when I dive into it.

Looking forward to it.

I read the Twilight series not too long ago, and I thought the portrayal of vampires was interesting with a different twist on that of traditional fiction (i.e. no fangs, venomous, glowing in sunlight). I think this is what drew me into the series, plus plain curiosity. It is fluffy fiction at best, but I still enjoyed it.

My one biggest gripe about the series is that Bella seems to be a Mary-Sue for Stephanie Meyer, reflecting all of the author's self-esteem issues. But, Bella gets the guy anyway. This is the same complaint that I have about the Anita Blake series-an author personalizing and using a character to enact her own fantasies. I think it is just an ego boost.

Saylamine wrote:I read the Twilight series not too long ago, and I thought the portrayal of vampires was interesting with a different twist on that of traditional fiction (i.e. no fangs, venomous, glowing in sunlight). I think this is what drew me into the series, plus plain curiosity. It is fluffy fiction at best, but I still enjoyed it.

My one biggest gripe about the series is that Bella seems to be a Mary-Sue for Stephanie Meyer, reflecting all of the author's self-esteem issues. But, Bella gets the guy anyway. This is the same complaint that I have about the Anita Blake series-an author personalizing and using a character to enact her own fantasies. I think it is just an ego boost.

In many ways writing is like acting - an opportunity to live out your fantasy and be someone else. So something like that would be expected from many writers, particularly ones that did not have an eventful and adventurous life, had regular childhood, went to school, got married and had kids. The lack of personal experience is what limits their writing. You could never make the same comment about such authors as Maya Angelou or Jack London.. All great writers have taken chances with their lives and would seek challenges.

Gilded wrote:Although, keeping in mind that many people will not like to accept the beliefs of the AK, since religion plays a great role in what people find 'good' and 'bad'.

I agree, that the epic tale of the Aset Ka could move everyone... but again, many would not accept the beliefs and path of the Asetians. Religion and its conflicts could get in between people opening their mind and trying to understand and see the beauty behind the past of the Asetian Empire.

Aghrab

[quote="Aghrab"]

Gilded wrote:but again, many would not accept the beliefs and path of the Asetians. Religion and its conflicts could get in between people opening their mind and trying to understand and see the beauty behind the past of the Asetian Empire.

Aghrab

Just the simple fact that Asetians are vampyres will be enough for many turn away, they would not want to understand that vampyres can be light beings..

I honestly didn't like the Twilight books. I consider it too commercial and oriented towards teenagers. It reminds me of Coelho's books, which are also, in my opinion, cheap literature, easy-to-read and full of politically correct statements.

I totally agree with you regarding Coelho, Hesperia.

hesperia wrote:I honestly didn't like the Twilight books. I consider it too commercial and oriented towards teenagers. It reminds me of Coelho's books, which are also, in my opinion, cheap literature, easy-to-read and full of politically correct statements.

Yeah I can agree with your opinion. It is philosophy for the masses. Simple and shallow.