Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
Ok so I just finished Fifty Shades of Grey and I need to discuss it with anybody else who has as well. I've heard all the hubbub about it so I decided I could put down The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for a few days since I've already seen the movie and try something new.

I honestly believe books like this are what cause problems between men and women. Are all women really this nuts? I know my Fiancé can be a little kooky but this girl in the story is out of her ******** mind. If we were all so insecure nothing would ever get done.

I've got quite a bit more to vent here but don't even know where to begin.

For the record, yes I'm a male, and yes I read this book not knowing fully what it was about.
 

Queen of Spades

macrumors 68030
May 9, 2008
2,644
132
The Iron Throne
I read it to see what all the hubbub was about. Turns out it's misogynistic tripe and probably one of the most unrealistic books ever written. So glad I didn't actually spend any money to read it.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
I read it to see what all the hubbub was about. Turns out it's misogynistic tripe and probably one of the most unrealistic books ever written. So glad I didn't actually spend any money to read it.

Thank god I'm not the only one. So unrealistic it was almost sickening.

Edit: I think the author disguised her first names to give the idea to readers just starting that the book was written from a male perspective. HA.
 

Starfighter

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2011
679
35
Sweden
Are all women really this nuts?
The only thing all women have in common is that they are individuals, not a generic group. This goes for men as well. :)
 

SDub90

macrumors 6502a
Nov 9, 2009
685
3
Long Island
I opened this thread expecting to become enraged. Everything went better than expected.

Couldn't finish it, I went in expecting it to be hyped up but at least somewhat decent, but it just infuriated me.

Glad I'm not the only one.


And to answer your question, all women are an immeasurable amount of crazy. (I'm only joking of course.)
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
I opened this thread expecting to become enraged. Everything went better than expected.

Couldn't finish it, I went in expecting it to be hyped up but at least somewhat decent, but it just infuriated me.

Glad I'm not the only one.


And to answer your question, all women are an immeasurable amount of crazy. (I'm only joking of course.)

How did you not finish it?!? Forgive the expression but one of my shades of crazy is not finishing a book. I can't stand the idea of the unknown, even if I didn't really want to know. In this case I had to have confirmation that this book did in fact suck (very badly).

This kind of book paints a horrible picture of unrealistic men for women that clearly don't deserve them and sets standards that are impossible to reach for almost anybody. We'd all love to be doted upon by somebody and taken care of but the fact is if I was in a position of power to give my SO everything she wanted and I all got in return was insecurity and questions about why; I'd shove her ass to sidewalk quicker than she could roll her eyes about a gift.

If you read the book you'll pick up all my connections there but they still hold true.
 

Queen of Spades

macrumors 68030
May 9, 2008
2,644
132
The Iron Throne
It read like a book written by a woman (and yes, my original guess was that it was written by a man) with seriously twisted fetishes who got to make serious bank from writing a one giant wish fulfillment series.
 

stickybuns

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
384
0
You are all aware that the book started out as a "twilight" fan fic, right? If i remember correctly it was called "master(s) of the universe." Just replace the main characters names with Bell and Eddie.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
It read like a book written by a woman (and yes, my original guess was that it was written by a man) with seriously twisted fetishes who got to make serious bank from writing a one giant wish fulfillment series.

I looked her up after I finished it and surprisingly you're not far off. Here's quote from wiki page.

James has described the Fifty Shades trilogy as "my midlife crisis, writ large...all my fantasies in there, and that's it."

Link to her Wiki
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities

Also listed on her wiki page that she's a huge twilight fan and used them as an inspiration. After some searching, the series is being called twilight for adults. I almost threw up when I read that because my Fiancé has been begging me to read the twilight books. If they're anything like this I'd rather drive a nail underneath my finger nails.
 

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
If they're anything like this I'd rather drive a nail underneath my finger nails.

Exactly how both my wife and I felt after watching the first two Twilight movies.

We figured it had to get better in the second movie, right? Took a lot to finish either of them.

B
 

stickybuns

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
384
0
It is Twilight. The author has apparently been sending out C&D letters to anyone still hosting the original fan fic, but I had run across a blog that ran a chapter through turnitin.com. I'll see if I can find it.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
Exactly how both my wife and I felt after watching the first two Twilight movies.

We figured it had to get better in the second movie, right? Took a lot to finish either of them.

B

Unfortunately I haven't been able to avoid the movies as well as I have the books and have seen all ?four? I think they gotten worse and worse. Given the popularity I expected way better special effects. I lose respect for movies when they special effects are so crappy like that.

It is Twilight. The author has apparently been sending out C&D letters to anyone still hosting the original fan fic, but I had run across a blog that ran a chapter through turnitin.com. I'll see if I can find it.

Cease and Desist? Care to elaborate?
 

Queen of Spades

macrumors 68030
May 9, 2008
2,644
132
The Iron Throne
Also listed on her wiki page that she's a huge twilight fan and used them as an inspiration. After some searching, the series is being called twilight for adults. I almost threw up when I read that because my Fiancé has been begging me to read the twilight books. If they're anything like this I'd rather drive a nail underneath my finger nails.

Exactly how both my wife and I felt after watching the first two Twilight movies.

We figured it had to get better in the second movie, right? Took a lot to finish either of them.

B

Yeah, eternal, seriously don't bother. It will just make you angry - especially if you happen to be a writer of any kind. There's no word in the English language to accurately describe how dumb it is, but suffice to say, I fear for our youth.

I read the first book, saw the first two movies, and honestly pushed myself to get that far. It was like literary and cinematic water boarding.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
Yeah, eternal, seriously don't bother. It will just make you angry - especially if you happen to be a writer of any kind. There's no word in the English language to accurately describe how dumb it is, but suffice to say, I fear for our youth.

I read the first book, saw the first two movies, and honestly pushed myself to get that far. It was like literary and cinematic water boarding.

I plan to hold out as long as possible. We had talked once about making a compromise where I read a book she wants me to read and I read one of hers. Though I'm not sure I trust her to actually finish my recommendation and I think she fears I won't give her book enough effort so we're in a sort of stalemate.

I'm not a writer and would never want to be one. I consider myself an avid reader. Not a pro and I wish I was more literary than I actually am. My taste can be a bit simple and immature but hey, I am a guy.
 

stickybuns

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
384
0
Cease and Desist? Care to elaborate?
Oh, just a bunch of vague "no longer hosting the PDF of the original fan fic because I don't want to be sued. Go buy 50 shades. It's awesome." types of messages. So it would appear that someone's lawyers (either real or of the sock puppet variety) got involved. I hear that the PDF is still available, but I'm too lazy to search for something I have no intention of reading.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
Oh, just a bunch of vague "no longer hosting the PDF of the original fan fic because I don't want to be sued. Go buy 50 shades. It's awesome." types of messages. So it would appear that someone's lawyers (either real or of the sock puppet variety) got involved. I hear that the PDF is still available, but I'm too lazy to search for something I have no intention of reading.

I'm sorry but I'm not following you. Are you saying that lawyers representing Stephanie Meyer/Twilight are going after EL James/Fifty Shades because of similarities and that its only available around the web now? I was under the impression it was in full print and accessible easily. I saw stacks at a book store a few days ago.
 

hafr

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2011
2,743
9
Ok so I just finished Fifty Shades of Grey and I need to discuss it with anybody else who has as well. I've heard all the hubbub about it so I decided I could put down The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for a few days since I've already seen the movie and try something new.

I honestly believe books like this are what cause problems between men and women. Are all women really this nuts? I know my Fiancé can be a little kooky but this girl in the story is out of her ******** mind. If we were all so insecure nothing would ever get done.

I've got quite a bit more to vent here but don't even know where to begin.

For the record, yes I'm a male, and yes I read this book not knowing fully what it was about.

I didn't even get through the first two pages before I felt that this will be a very hard book to finish... The Twilight movies are nothing short of masterpieces in comparison to what I've read so far. I'm thinking I'm not going to keep on reading it, just take the loss...
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
I didn't even get through the first two pages before I felt that this will be a very hard book to finish... The Twilight movies are nothing short of masterpieces in comparison to what I've read so far. I'm thinking I'm not going to keep on reading it, just take the loss...

If you're only a few pages in it might not hurt to cut your losses depending on you stance towards not finishing books.

I think the hardest part for me wasn't the writing or the story but the epub copy I got with very confusing formatting. There were no chapters, very few paragraph headings, and confusing dialogue between characters and their inner monologues.
 

stickybuns

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
384
0
I'm sorry but I'm not following you. Are you saying that lawyers representing Stephanie Meyer/Twilight are going after EL James/Fifty Shades because of similarities and that its only available around the web now? I was under the impression it was in full print and accessible easily. I saw stacks at a book store a few days ago.

From what I understand, James is asking/demanding that various websites take down the original fanfic. Apparently, MofU was quite the hit on fanfiction.net, and that lead to James doing a Find and Replace command on all the character names. I'm not sure if Meyer's team has said anything about it. As far as I can tell, the takedown notices are James's attempt to present her work as "totally original!"
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
From what I understand, James is asking/demanding that various websites take down the original fanfic. Apparently, MofU was quite the hit on fanfiction.net, and that lead to James doing a Find and Replace command on all the character names. I'm not sure if Meyer's team has said anything about it. As far as I can tell, the takedown notices are James's attempt to present her work as "totally original!"

Sounds like a publicity ploy to piggy back of the success of twilight. Like a lawyer asking a leading question in front he jury to make the think one thing even its its false.

I never implied you did.

Sorry, you post sounded that way. My mistake
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.