posted on Oct, 16 2007 @ 08:57 AM
Yes, it's true. Showtime's Dexter is books. The books came first.
I just found out about them over the weekend and went down to Barnes & Noble and got all three -- the third one having just come out this month.
the books are:
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Dearly Devoted Dexter
Dexter in the Dark
The first two aren't huge books. They're really fast reads, so I finished them already and started the third, staying up too late because they're
very difficult to put down.
The stories flow, in the manner of the best stories -- they flow like a Stephen King novel.
They're FUNNY. The show is funny, yes, but the books have these delightfully witty turns of phrase buried in the text like Easter eggs.
And if you think the show is surprising, the books are even better! I didn't think it was possible, but they are.
Having seen the show first, then read the books, I'm not as strict as I usually am with the TV plot sticking close to the novel version. I can see
why they changed the story arc to make it work for a TV series.
But the books are deliciously dark and dreadful. The second novel walks the line of genius -- the killer that Dexter is after is more of an artist
than the Ice Truck Killer. And he's not even really a killer. He's something much worse. And the dialog about it in Dexter's head is so twisted and
hilarious. All I'm going to say about it is, "yodeling potato." When you read it in context, you'll no doubt have a burst of guilty laughter just
as I did.
These books are phenomenal, and fresh. Very different from anything else I've ever read, from the wit to the premise.
If you're a fan of Dexter, do yourself a favor and read them.
If you haven't seen the show, read these anyway. The very idea of a serial killer-killing serial killer that works for the police is so unique that
any crime or dark fantasy afficianado should not miss these.