The Phantom of Manhattan

[The Khanum]

Out of sheer curiosity, I ordered this book from Borders. It's due to arrive in less than a week. I've heard mixed reviews about it, some saying they don't even count it as a Phantom story, while others say it's very interesting and closely matching to the original descriptions. Has anybody read it? And without giving away any of the plot, could you tell me if it was worth reading?

~Erik is my Hero

[Countess Cain]

It sucks. Your eyes will bleed profusely once you read it, believe me.

Here's an example of the crappiness:

Erik wears a clown mask.

+__+

[The Khanum]

::Blinks:: A clown mask?

Why do I have the feeling I just wasted $6.50...?

~Erik is my Hero

[The Khanum]

I finished this book a little while ago, and my reactions are all mixed up and muddled and confused in their own unwillingness to comprehend.

There were parts that I despised...TRULY despised...and yet others that I found strangely intriguing. But most of that had to do with things that had nothing to do with either Erik or Christine. For example, I liked the Erik's opera itself...and the party afterword. I found it so amusing that the reporter happened to meet all those eventually-famous poeple like FDR and that Russian musician (drawing a blank on the name)...

But I hated- HATED!- the relationship between Erik and Christine. I mean, WTF?? She didn't love him? I mean, HELLO? And they had a kid...even though she didn't love him? I'm sorry, but...no. Just...no.

So if it weren't a Phantom story, I would have liked it. But because it is...no.

~Erik is my Hero

[Masked Shadows]

I was reading it but I stopped when I got Susan Kay's Phantom. I was going to keep reading but I've been putting it off.

[Christine Daaé]

Yes, I've heard it's pretty awful. Apparently, according to the author, Gaston Leroux didn't get it "right" when he said that Erik died. What the hell? And Andrew Lloyd Webber even backed this story up! I don't get it. I just don't get it.

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

[The Khanum]

Originally posted by Zelda de le Fantome
Yes, I've heard it's pretty awful. Apparently, according to the author, Gaston Leroux didn't get it "right" when he said that Erik died. What the hell? And Andrew Lloyd Webber even backed this story up! I don't get it. I just don't get it.

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

Frederick Forsyth based his book off of ALW's play, I believe. He didn't even acknowledge some of the concepts discussed in Leroux's novel. There was no Persian, and the description of Erik's mask sounded identical to the one used in the play.

In the author's note at the very beginning, Forsyth came up with a bunch of reasons why ALW's version was superior to Leroux's, lightly insulting Leroux's technique and style in depicting the story. I must say, I do prefer ALW to Leroux, but I have due respect towards Leroux, being he is the original author and everything.

I don't think Forsyth correctly portrayed Erik and Christine's relationship...his description was more similar to the Lon Chaney version than either ALW or Leroux. And Erik wasn't really...Erik in POM. He gave up way too easy, was way too obsessed with money, and had way too little time spent narrating in the book itself. The novel was comprised of other people (most of whom the reader has never heard of) telling the story of Erik, and therefore it lacked that necessary personal quality seen in ALW, Leroux, and most particularly, Kay.

~Erik is my Hero

[Countess Cain]

Originally posted by Zelda de le Fantome
Yes, I've heard it's pretty awful. Apparently, according to the author, Gaston Leroux didn't get it "right" when he said that Erik died. What the hell? And Andrew Lloyd Webber even backed this story up! I don't get it. I just don't get it.

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

I always thought that was pretty stupid. I mean, how would the original creator get it 'wrong'? I actually thought it was a good ending myself... Very final.

For some reason, I think ALW backed it up because it was supporting his musical. So... Guess he really didn't put too much thought into helping it. :duck:

[Mouette]

I hated that book. It wasn't even Erik, you know? That was what I adored about Kay's version--her Erik was recognizably my dear boy from Leroux's and ALW's work. Of course, since I read POM and Phantom in the same week, POM suffered a great deal from comparison. It really bothered me that, as others have said, the author began his writing by dismissing Leroux's work. That just . . . isn't nice. Sequels, if they expect to be successful, cannot look at the original and say "My goodness, that was awful." If you thought it was that bad, why are you writing a sequel to it?! Grrr.

[Eriks_Angel]

I thought it was terrible. Right from the very start when Forsythe says that Leroux was wrong, and the characters were way off. The ending wasnt too bad, but it was still a terrible book overall.

[Oiseau de Chanson]

Originally posted by The Khanum
Russian musician (drawing a blank on the name)...


Irving Berlin. Anyway, I just read it, and I thought it could have been a really good story if they tweaked the story. I didn't like the whole deal with her having Erik's son and how Raoul was "messed up", I just thought that was kind of in bad taste. He also made Erik sound like some evil person. And Erik in a skyscraper with a little minion dude running around? Doesn't compute. Gosh. Sheesh. Another for my list of books NOT to reread.

[IamErik771]

Apparently, Andrew Lloyd Webber originally planned to make a sequel to his POTO musical. He gave a basic synopsis to Fredrick Forsythe, and Forsythe wrote the novel based on that. When the novel got terrible reactions from Phans, ALW wisely decided to abandon the idea of a sequel. I liked parts of the book (Mme. Giry finally has a first name!) but overall, I would probably not read it again.

[syioandthephantom]

::twitch:: This was terrible. I got to maybe the fourth chapter before I "accidentaly" dropped it in the lake while out on the boat...I can't believe I wasted my money on that book. Well, it's not mine anymore...dropped---erm, it fell in the lake. I hated the beginning, and I barely could bear to read while Erik ran around in a clown mask. That's just wrong. Even my mom who hates Erik said she hated the book(she read it before me, I was working up the courage to read it while she did).

[almstfms]

I read this last year as the book I read after Standardized Testing...and I think I would have rather read through the test booklet than read that again...simply awful!!!

Kelsey

[AAW0487]

Did someone say something about Erik wearing a clown mask!???? Um...I think for once I am going to have to say NO to reading a book. This book just doesn't sounds worth buying. Especially if Christine and Erik don't love each other! What the hek! And they have a kid together? Wow....is all I can say.. No I must say that I will not be purchasing this book any time soon.:confused:

[zkocourkova]

I've read the book, and I wouldn't say it was entirely bad, just very unlikely. Eg. Erik lived in a skyscraper...

I especially disliked the Darius character.

[AngelicRose]

I haven't read this book...and I actually don't plan on it because I keep hearing how bad it is.

[Angel's Muse]

I started reading it then realised I hated it. It's...confusing. And Erik is less of a genius and more of just a man.

[masquerading rose]

It didn't seem like Phantom of the opera to me. I mean, don't get me wrong, It was a good book, but it just didn't seem like Phantom of the opera. One thing I didn't understnad though, How did Mme. Giry die exactly?

[Angel's Muse]

Old age, I think. 'Antoinette' Giry, died of old age, right? She'd have been VERY old by then.

But it's a totally rubbish book so I can't really be bothered to think about it. The clown mask thing is just creepy.

[masquerading rose]

Oh. I was told it was tomach cancer and her description fit it. I dunno. Maybe. I'll read it again I guess.

[ErikLove4Eva!]

That's what my mom said steel CRAB crab as in cancer, the zodiac.

Unlike you all, I kind of liked POM! It's was okay! Though it was a very eay read!

[PhAnToMeSs07]

Angel’s Muse said a while back that they made him more of a man and less of a genius. I do agree with that and I don’t really like it because of that. I mean, Kay made him more of a man too, but at the same time, she equalized it with his genius. That doesn’t make any sense unless you read her novel. I have mixed feelings about the novel. It is confusing and the beginning really confused me....it took me a while to actually get into it and to understand it.

Let’s see: Erik in Paris or Erik in New York....


I think I prefer the first one. I am not discouraging anyone from reading the book, but I am just giving my opinion. I didn’t like it.

[masquerading rose]

There someone on a site Cassie's on who sumed up chapter seven saying: First we start out with Pierre... such a cliche French name... GOD, FORSYTH, CAN"T YOU DO RESAERCH??!! and Father Joe.... Pierre and Joe....? Anyone else find this weird?!

And that's where chapter seven stopped...

[ErikLove4Eva!]

YAH


I think that t was SO simple to read. For my age, I'm WAAAAY past the average reading level. For exaple: Phantom and Memoirs of a Geisha ((though I hadn't finished it...Phantom came in the time I was reading it)) I could have read it in about 5th grade..and I'm going into 7th.

[Angelus]

Yes, POM was a nauseatingly simple read, even for me (and I'm 13). Terrible.

Erik's genius has been reduced to simple luck and a good sidekick. I mean...why Darius, if Nadir doesn't come into it at any point? Erik has a Satanist for a servant/sidekick and becomes a sort of large-scale conman. :confused: I just can't see him doing something so...un-phantomish and petty.

[Oiseau de Chanson]

Okay, the apocalypse is near. Andrew Lloyd Webber is writing a musical that will be a sequel to POTO. It will be based on.....dunh dunh duuuuunh.....

The Phantom of Manhattan.

http://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/sections/news/videodiary/alw_diary-march-07-newyork/index.php?section=news

GAH.

[The Khanum]

...

Worst. Day. EVER.

That is all. Really, I can't even think of anything else to say. If you could see my expression right now, it would portray my emotions perfectly.

*Eye twitch* [/spamaliciousness]

[Isabella Delancy]

Uhh...sequels after which the protagonist is killed off never work as far as I'm concerned. Christine died...there is no more to it. Unless the Phantom falls in love with someone else?

*hasn't read/seen Phantom of Manhattan but speaking from a sequel perspective - no, no, no, no, no* Why can't people leave things alone? POTO was and still is incredible but that'd be lost in a sequel under the attempt to repeat its wonder. *grumble*

[masquerading rose]

*Ish Guilty*

Eh... he...

I wrote a phanfiction based off Forsyth, even though I loathe the book. You can ask anyone who's read it if my phanfiction is good or not. I'm not saying, for I am a biased person...lol. But I wrote it and its "based off Forsyth" on;y (If I do say so myself) better (not that its hard...).

[Victoria]

I was not too found of the book. It just seemed so thrown together especailly at the end. I don't want to give away anything so I'll leave it at that.

I think I should give it another chance because I've only read it once. To the library! *flies*

[The Countess]

I've read the book once as well and didn't really like it all too much. I did kind of fly through it though. I'm impatient like that, I want to know the end ASAP. So I got a copy today and I'm going to give it another chance and take the time I'll read it. My expectations are very low though.

[tiannangel]

The book was slightly shocking.
As in the contents.
It was terribly hard to get through, and the plot was kinda everywhere....

But Erik parading around in a clown mask?!?!
That kinda crossed the line for me.
And the way Christine died...it was so....anticlimax-ish.
I don't know, but I personally prefer a better ending.

[The Countess]

Yes, yes I hated the ending. I was like "No! Erik dies not Christine! Erik you twit!" Scary that ALW helped write it, huh? Maybe a way to get back at Sarah ;)

[Queen of the Unknown]

Well, I don't hate that book as much as most people do, but I really dislike it. The preface made me roll my eyes. Uh, hello? Leroux created Erik!

Forsythe's Erik is just plain boring--Leroux's, Kay's, and ALW's Eriks can really give me the creeps sometimes, but I just didn't get that "dangerous" vibe from him. The plot looked thrown together. The extras were too random. The clown mask was just plain weird, and so was Raoul's little problem (I'm guessing Forsythe was trying to appeal to the Raoul-hating Phans, who, unfortunately, are the majority--no offense if you don't like Raoul).

And the end, well, the end was just plain weird. Throwing aside the Christine-dies part, why the heck would Pierre (Cliche name for cliche lovechild) choose Erik? Seriously, yes, Erik is his biological father, but has he ever met this guy before? Raoul is the person who raised him, his REAL father! It's just illogical.

But the worst part, for me, is how he pretty much cheapens Erik's sacrifice. It seems to me to defeat the beauty of that act if, 13 years later, he tries to take Christine away again.

Thing is, though, I don't actually feel as angry about it as most Phans. For me, it's just too boring to arouse any emotion at all, if that makes sense.

I am going to see the musical when it comes out, though. I'll probably get a good laugh out of it. And who knows? Maybe hell will freeze over and it won't be so bad. (I can't believe I just said that).

Sorry about the whole ranting-like-an-insane-person thing.

[tiannangel]

No no, don't apologise. This forum is here for rantings about POTO :D:D

You don't know how much I agree with you on that.
While ALW, Leroux and Kay's Erik(s) were really deep, intense and emotional, Forsyth's book was kinda like an essay.
Not an essay, cos essay's have some type of emotion behind them!
His was kinda like telling the readers:
"I went and got up this morning, Then I ate breakfast" type writing. No emotion. No nothing really.
It was a real let down.

And the fact that ALW helped write it just makes me feel slightly sick. But I suppose he writes musicals better than books, so I guess I can't blame him for that much.

Chrisitne's death was a total let down. Seriously, it was anticlimatic, a complete waste of space. Sounds bad, sorry If you actually enjoyed the book, but it should be Erik who died!

And don't get me started on the scene where Erik goes on stage and sings with Christine again. Eurg. A complete out-take from the musical much?

Another thing that bugged me about this book:
The fact that none of the sections were written from Erik's or Christine's POV.
That really pissed me off. I mean, this story is about them, heck,so why wouldn't you have their POVs in it? Defeats the purpose of the story about them honestly.
~

Okay, that was a really long rant. Over now, I've vented my feelingson this book.

[Madame le Courayer]

Although I have read worse Phantom based books than POM, I have yet to see a major composer try to make art out of them.

On the scavenger hunt for tripe as relates to the world of Phandom, this book comes up with every item: Aside from emotionless writing you have the questionable conception of a child between E/C (in an admitedly short amount of time), Raoul's embarassing situation (would he really want to marry Christine if that were the case? Think about that.), the shooting (soap-opera style drama), the Civil War era opera (more soap), the magic mirror room (why?), "Frenchie" (nuff said)...so many things in this book made me blush for shame. This...this was such a humiliation for all the characters!

This novel puts poor Erik through more hell, emasculates Raoul, and tips Christine into yet another "choose me...no choose me!" situation and then throws in a twelve-year-old child to boot!

Ugh...I guess I can't criticize the soon-to-be musical though as it's not yet been seen but I can only hope ALW will make some major, not minor, adjustments to the story!

[Erik'sMusic92]

i read somewhere that andrew lloyd webber is gonna write a sequel to phantom of the opera, and its titled the phantom of manhattan.

[nikki.phan]

we have a thread here where we discuss the sequel title...
try going here:
http://www.phantoms-opera.com/showthread.php?t=3156

[The Countess]

Tiana, darling, actually only one chapter is from Erik's POV (the clown one). I believe it's the second chapter. [/nitpick]

I agree with you Hannah, he better do a serious make-over with this...this trash (sorry)! I don't see how he could without making it a completly different story. I'm sure that's not what he wants. *sigh*

[tiannangel]

Oops, my mistake. But it still bugs me to no end the fact that Christine has no say in this story...
and it's being told from really random characters which has only minor relations to the point of the story...
I actually wouldn't believe my eyes when I read online that he was making the sequel.
I was in denial for about 3 days saying: No, it's a misprint, he's not basing it off this...book...no he isnt....

But he was. I could go on forever about how horrible this book is, but then, I'll just start to bore people...:D

[Queen of the Unknown]

I could be wrong, since I've read the book a long time ago, but I actually believe that there are two Erik-POV chapters: the monkey one, and the one where Erik finds out that Pierre is actually his son.

[masquerading rose]

To me, Forsyth took all of Leroux's seemingly 3-D characters and made them flat. He stripped them of all character and that botherd me to no end.

There are very few people who like this novel and those who do I feel very sorry for.

Another thing that botherd me was that botherd me was in the prolouge when Forsyth says something like how Leroux was wrong when he invented The Persian and that The Persian should be burning in Hell. First of all, that's Leroux's character. He can invent who he wants and going by Leroux's plot, The Persian was essential. Secondly, was that a racist comment or did he really thing The Persian was pointless?

[tiannangel]

Hmm...I'm not sure about the racist part....

I guess if we look at it from Fursyth's POV, then I suppose the Persian was slightly pointless. But I reckon without him, the book would have been hard to write the end, since Gaston claimed that it was REAL, the obviously he needed someone who was there to tell the story, so I guess the Persian was kinda nessesary

[angelgirl]

This is another book I haven't read or been able to find without going on the Internet, and from what I've heard about it, I'm not sure I even want to. The only reason I would is: It's Phantom, enough said.
A.G.

[MaskedMadame]

After reading some of your guys' opinions i've decided i'm not reading this..

Erik and christine have a child?? whaaa??

also a clown mask? NO!!!!

[tiannangel]

I'm glad you two see our point.
Unfortunatley, this book seriously is jsut plain BAD.
And the fact that ALW co-wrote it..its just an abomination!!!

To be honest, you just can't tell how bad it is unless you've read it, and then it'll just make you wanna talk about how badly its done.

[MaskedMadame]

I'm glad you two see our point.
Unfortunatley, this book seriously is jsut plain BAD.
And the fact that ALW co-wrote it..its just an abomination!!!

To be honest, you just can't tell how bad it is unless you've read it, and then it'll just make you wanna talk about how badly its done.

what a pity... ALW co-wrote it ugggh:confused:

[thePhantom6]

WORST BOOK EVER!!!!!!! I mean, seriously, clown mask? w..t..f..!?? Erik had A son? ???
please tell me not to read it again!! its HORRIBLE!!!

[PhantomReviews]

Oh, man.

Just finished reading it recently. It actually kept me awake thinking about it, it was so bad.

I'm going to review it on my youtube channel soon (PS if anyone wants to contribute fan art for a book review please see my ad at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LEMR2MPCKMg ) but right now, the hurt is too much.

Its not even the HORRENDOUSLY PATRONISING and INSULTING introduction that gets me, but how he has the balls to insult Lerouxs writing when his own is so full of cliche and sometimes lack of basic understanding of the mechanics of writing, which, for a sucessful author, is incredible. He swaps POV without a so much as a line break to indicate it, he doesnt bother with dialogue attribution... I could go on. A few "Christine said" and "Pierre saids" would really help in a multiple character dialogue sequence, but no, we have to guess.

And worst of all.... just what was going on with that conversation between Father Exposition and Jesus Christ himself???????????????????

"Sorry, Ive got to go , theres a war on and i have some souls to greet" - Jesus Christ.

WTF????!!!

I could just go on ALL DAY about that chapter alone, but I will fight the urge...

Oh, and Raoul gets his nuts shot off. Thats harsh, hes married to the hottest singer in all of France and he has no balls. Thats just...harsh.

[The Countess]

Brava Mr. PhantomReviews! I can't wait to see your video on this peice of trash!

-Mrs. Lon Chaney

[BrokenVow]

I had heard ALW said that it was good and thought, well must be good. I rented it from the library (thank God I didnt buy it) and I could barely read it. However, I am the person who when I start a book, I must finish it. So I pushed myself through the pain of it and returned it as soon as I can, renting out the original novel again to save my brain.

Am so glad that the author was cut from the stage sequel.