Oooooooh, SLAM!!!
Actor Stellan Skarsgard, who stars in the upcoming Tom Hanks flick Angels & Demons — based on the book written by Dan Brown — just gave the author a smack-down.
“I think Dan Brown is a terribly bad writer, but he has cliffhangers after every chapter which makes you continue reading,” Skarsgard told Swedish broadcaster SVT. “It’s like eating peanuts at a bar. You don’t like them, but you keep on eating them anyway.”
He said he only agreed to be in the movie after reading Ron Howard’s script, which he claims was significantly different from the book.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!!
Anyway — he’s right. Dan Brown is a terrible writer. When I first sat down to read The Da Vinci Code, I spent the first chapter or two being genuinely embarrassed for the guy. But then I got completely hooked into the story and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. I’ve now read all his books, including his early techno-thrillers. Dan Brown is a bad writer, but he’s a brilliant storyteller. That’s a gift almost rarer than being a good writer. Trust me, I’m the worst storyteller I know. If I had any knack for it, I’d have written a book long ago. So I have a lot of respect for Dan Brown in that regard, and this dude should probably shut up. Although if his goal was to get press for himself and the film, mission accomplished.
That’s exactly how I was describing him the other day!!!
He’s AWFUL as a writer, but his storytelling abilities are phenomenal. You get invested in the characters and you’re just like “WHAT HAPPENS!?”
We cheated. When Benjamin was younger, we listened to it on a trip to MI while he was playing gameboy with headphones in…12 hour trip…we finished the book on the way back (unabridged).
Totally off topic since I don’t know too much about the author or this actor, but Alexander Skarsgard (Stellan’s son) is OMG HOT.
Heck yeah! Alexander Skarsgard is SO HOTT!
One of my favorite actors, I hope the press doesn’t give him a bad time for this, they should know Brown SUCKS!!!!!!!
Stellan Skarsgard is AWESOME! And like you said, he is a bad writer, so he’s only saying it like it is.
Beet, show us your new bangs!
you can see them at her personal blog- Sacha is a Monster- there’s a big ole link on the right side of the page :)
SO basically Dan Brown is the male version of Stephanie Meyer? Except Meyer sucks at storytelling too…and yet I still read all 4 Twilight books. The one woman who reigns supreme in both writing and storytelling = JK Rowling. She is a goddess, I don’t care what anyone says.
That’s exactly how I feel about Stephanie Myer. After reading the 1st book I told my husband that I had every intention of reading the entire series, but I didn’t want him to think that was any type of endorsement of her writing skills. She’s a terrible writer and I feel kind of angry about the fact that I felt compelled to read her horrible books.
They can’t all be JK Rowling…
I did this with the Left Behind books. All my Christian friends begged me to stay away from them since they couldn’t bear how awful they were and didn’t want it to reflect badly on their religion. They are so so so bad. Badly written, badly plotted, poor character development, laughable dialogue … and I had to read them all. You know how sometimes you mean to take a small serving of ice cream and then half an hour later you ate the whole tub and you kinda wish you could throw up because you feel so gross? Sometimes the literary equivalent of that happens. And that is Dan Brown, Stefenee Meyer, and the Left Behind books.
Hahaha! If only there was a throat in my brain that I could stick my finger down…
Bulimia bibliotheca, huh?
Really, Dan Brown is more of a bestseller like James Frey, only they’re different kinds of made-up.
What a shitty thing to say. I mean, this guy is getting paid to act in a project based on Brown’s book. How about being a little grateful?
you keep on amazing me with your very bad taste.
yeah, he is like a steph meyer. she is a good storyteller too. stories are almost like fairytales or myths and legends. if she had just condensed the four books into two it would have really been better.
there also are people who are neither good writers nor good storytellers, but are fabulous plotters, (think john grisham).
and then there are the people who have no talent whatsoever and they get to write the majority of the screenplays that get made into horrible movies.
I would like to add Stieg Larsson to that list. I don’t get the Millennium trilogy hype, even as a fellow Swede.
I like the plots, but Larsson’s language is clunky and rambling at times with superfluous namedropping of soon-to-be (if not already) outdated technology.
I’m with you, Beet. I’m a perfectly good writer, but when it comes to telling a story–or even making one up–I’m so incompetent that it’s embarrassing.
Anyway, I had no interest in seeing Angels & Demons before this guy’s comment, but now I’m sort of curious.
I agree. Terrible writing skills, great, fast-paced plot. Not normally my type of thing but I read A&D and Da Vinci, and found both of them ‘un-put-downable’.
And when it comes to criticism, I’m sure Dan Brown is crying all the way to the bank.
I actually have never read any of his books before but I feel compelled to ask about the ‘bad writing.’ Is it like someone that just fucking tells you the sky is blue vs someone that goes through a thesaurus to find the most obscure synonym for blue? I love reading, I don’t so much love going through an online 17th century lexicon to look up some Latin you decided to stick in your novels.
haha. Honestly, I’m not sure. I know I read Da Vinci Code, but that was forever ago. I could not say how if the writing. I think maybe they are just talking about poorly structured sentences and stuff.
I duno. I think in a way, if you are able to articulate your amazing story ideas… well, you are at least kind of a good writer. What’s good writing without a decent story? Way worse than this.
Does anyone feel the same way about Nicholas Sparks? I recognize that he’s a terrible writer and not the greatest storyteller – every book is a variation on the same – yet I read his books, AND get excited when I find one at the library that I haven’t read. It’s always a troubled man/fiery woman who fall in the most passionate kind of love, and one of them ends up…dead. I want to hate him but…noo.
it’s the dumb professor from good will hunting…i always thought he wanted to chomp the nuts of matt damon in that movie, not the story in some book
Alexander is not hot! He’s an ugly swedish dude…..and his dad, this guy, is actually a “russia-hugger”.
A what now?
WTF? He was voted the sexiest man in Sweden, like five times. Ssoo not “an ugly swedish dude.” Sweden can put some hot ones out. :)
I agree with him being a bad writer, but I do not at all agree with him being an amazing story teller. I had to drag myself through the Da Vinci Code’s 250 pages for a book report. I found the plotline very predictable – all you had to do was look for the very obvious clues.
I’d say the same thing about Stephanie Meyer (Twilight author)
The movie was horrible. I agree that Skarsgard was the best thing in it, but that is not saying much. He’s sold out just like Ron Howard and Tom Hanks.
The Angels & Demons book is far better than the film!! I also think it’s worth visiting Rome just to see some of the locations featured in the story….
Angels and Demons Rome Tour