Watchmen (the novel) - who here has read it? PROBABLE SPOILERS

[Admiral2]

So I guess I'm the only one who read it and thought it was overrated and pretentious?

Nah, there's lots of other people who thought that. They were wrong too.

 

[Neopeius]

Just reread the book. It's flawed, but it's quite good. A lot of the segues were a little too cute, and the Black Merchant sequences weren't that well integrated, I thought. Also, any story that requires 20 minutes of exposition at its end probably could use some tightening.

But I love alternate history, I like a lot of the characters, and for 1986, at a time when Marvel was really starting to suck and DC hadn't stopped sucking, Watchmen was a breath of fresh air.

 

[Praetor]

Heretic!

Just kidding. But what do you consider flaws?

And I might suggest you give it a month and re-read. That did wonders for my opinion of it.

 

[The Great Meech]

When I first read it, nearly five years ago at age 16, I couldn't stop thinking about it for four days. I'm not sure I can think of a better way to praise a work of literature.

 

[GodThingFormerly]

Crap, TGT, is there anything you don't know?

I honestly don't know.

TGT

 

[Praetor]

Crap, TGT, is there anything you don't know?

I honestly don't know.

TGT

Agghh, infinite paradox!!!

 

[shanejayell]

I GENERALLY liked Watchmen, I think it's cleverly written and has beautiful illustrations, but the ending seems forced.

Spoiler: The Doctor....

I think there's no real point to killing Rorschach, for instance. Who's going to believe him? He's a smelly, somewhat crazy street person while Ozymandius is a successful businessman and well respected figure.

 

[Praetor]

Well...

Spoiler: The ending

I think Rorshach's death was necessary first because Rorschach symbolized absolute truth, and thus his death was necessary if the characters were going to kill absolute truth by participating in this lie. Second, he would not have stopped until he proved what he said was true, but also, as evidence by dialog from Veidt, Manhattan, and between Rorschach and Dreiberg, it actually could be proven. The missing scientists and artists were already known, as was the missing mentalist's brain as indicated by the background/between info.

I also think that the movie's altered ending may be more difficult to prove as a conspiracy.