Ok I read the first book last night. I found it to be pretty good but, it was exactly like the movie almost except it was a lot slower. Really the pace was slow they should have combined the first three into one like the movie did.
The first book is only the first act of the movie.
(And I thought things moved a little slow in the movie.)

I actually thought the movie moved too fast, killing its own storyline by rushing it and throwing things together.

I'll have to try the books sometime.

"The band! It was foretold strangers would land on my shore."

Not to mention the Echidna isn't in the books.

The books are a lot slower, but they're also more powerful.

This series is completely and utterly amazing! I am reading the 9th book right now and I ADORE it!!!! I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Please, do not judge the books based on the movie. The movie was awful compared to the book (the movie was good, just not as good as the book). This series is about the owl kingdoms trying to defend themselves against an army called The Pure Ones, which is a huge group of Barn owls that think they are the purest race and want to destroy the other races of owls. Soren is a young owl (not a child, just young) that falls off of his nest when his parents are gone hunting and gets taken to an evil orphanage called Saint Aggie's. There, he starts finding out about the war that is going to start soon and he decides to escape and try to find the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, which is a group of righteous owls that protect the owl kingdoms and live in a huge tree in the middle of an ocean. Many people believe that the Guardians are a myth, but Soren finds out that they are real.

PLEASE READ THEM!!! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

I watched the movie on this and hated it. I couldn't stand it, so I don't know if I could ever read the books, anyways. I think it ruined my whole image on the story.

What made you hate it, Elizabeth?

Aw. But try the books! They are 100000000000 times better!!!

Yeah. They made lots of changes in the movie, and crammed about four books into it.

Well, I've never liked many animated movies; I'm really picky on the ones I do like. Mostly, I prefer that some real people act in any movie that I watch. I don't mind at all about characters that are animated and talk in books, but I just don't like it in a movie. Also, the owls' images struck me as nightmare-looking. *shakes head* I don't know why, but they just do. I'm not sure if I was in love with the plot line, either.



I might... But is the plot line the same as the movie or just similar?

I thought the movie was ok, I enjoyed it but it's not a film I'd watch over and over. I love the song though, at the end. I have never read the books.

The plot-line in the movie is a twisted and highly modified plot-line of the first four books, with lots of things taken out and others added. Like the echidna.

*still hopes to try the books sometime*

Yes, the Owl City song in the credits is great. I'm hit and miss with pop music, but that was a very well done song. And catchy!

Has anyone noticed the hammered dulcimer in the movie score? As a fan of the lesser-known instrument, I was very delighted by that.

(Adam Young is a Christian, in case it's unknown.)

Yeah, it was a good song.

I guess I should read the books sometime.

[Offtopic]I watched some videos about the hammered dulcimer on Youtube, and loved it. It was beautifully played.[/Offtopic]

I find these books to be pretty good, though not the best fantasy. Though, in my opinion, the books are way, like way better then the movie. I didn't like the movie very much. They combined St. Aggies and the Pure Ones, which I think was a serious downer on the movie. And in the movie it drove me nuts how the owls talked in British accents. *Beats head against wall* Not that I don't like British accents, it just... Got on my nerves in that movie.

*chuckles * I thought the movie was fun enough.

Yea, there were some good parts in the movie, and some fun songs. But those accents.... Arhg. I just couldn't get over them.

I watched the movie last night, and I liked it. Most things about it were just average, like the story, but the animation was spectacular and the message was excellent.

I'm reading the third book right now. For those who have read the books, which one was the best, do you think?

I think the story is pretty good... and I'm learning quite a lot about owls in the process too! The dialogue is written well enough, and the characters too. At the same time though, I feel like the books could have been better written, or that they could have more depth. Or maybe I'm just too old to enjoy them now. (NOOO HOW COULD I BE TOO OLD FOR SOMETHING??) Or maybe it's just me.
I really enjoyed the movie though, for the most part (it felt like it was made for a slightly older audience than the books were for). It was gorgeous and the soundtrack was good too.

Edit: after finishing the third book, I realize my previous perspective was somewhat based on the format of the books (ya know... big print, small book, etc.). These are great books. There are just a few things I can't exactly put my finger on that kinda made me think they were kiddish. But they are good books regardless.