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I'm usually worried they'll ruin it. Best case scenario, usually they leave out some beloved detail...like the barrow-wights in LotR.

I found it depends how long ago I read the book. If I just finished it prior to seeing the movie then the movie never lives up. But if a good amount of time has passed for me to forget all the little details on the book then I really enjoy the movie.

The book, 99% of the time.

@Adira: Agree the movie was better for Princess Bride. Also Stardust ... the movie was better.

Most of the time the book is better.

One movie that comes to mind that was a pretty interesting - "Girl in the Pearl Earrings", I read the book right before we rented in college... I was the only one that read the book. That movie was interesting because it pretty much assumes you read the book because it basically only filmed highlights of the book... so if you didn't read the book it would seem super disjointed. My friends had to pause the movie quite a bit to have me explain what happened in the book to bridge the two scenes... then there was a lot of "Ohhhh".

@Raindrop: I haven't read Stardust, but my brother said the same thing, so I believe it!

Also, I enjoyed The Prestige movie better than the book. And I liked the movie version of The Wizard of Oz better, but that could just be because I saw it first and the book is sooooo different!

I almost always prefer the book. The only movie I liked better was The Fault in our Stars. I think they did a great job and I didn't feel like they left out important things or changed anything that bothered me.

I thinks books are almost always better than their movie adaptations. But some of the adaptations do a better job than others.

I am so conflicted because of this questions.

If I saw the movie before the book, I generally still really enjoy the movie even if I LOVE the book. (A Clockwork Orange, Stardust, to name a couple)

However, when I read the book and THEN watch the movie, I am generally disappointed with the adaptation. (Harry Potter, The Help)

But there are always exceptions to the rule, like Lord of the Rings, I thought was REALLY well done even though I'd read the books.

And although I'd seen the movie The Shining before reading the book, the movie was still shit, to me and the book was fabulous. LOL.

ETA: and then, sometimes, both the movie and the book suck equally, like Twilight.

I think I usually prefer whichever one I read/watch first. I try to read the books first but that doesn't always happen!

I don't watch a lot of movies but I saw Life of Pi because I LOVED the book and man they left out so much detail!!! My DH was so confused and I told him its because he didn't read the book!!

i have a pretty active imagination ... so when I'm reading the books, I've already decided how certain characters will look, and I've already imagined all their mannerisms ... so it's almost ALWAYS disappointing when I see the movies. Because everything was already so real to me in my own mind as I read the books. I have to admit that I REALLY do enjoy the Game of Thrones adaptation ... but that's cause it's a series and they can go into more details, albeit they're still leaving huge chunks of the book out and has already changed up a few things. But anyway .... books always win.

@Adira: Really? I found that all the characters are intricately intertwined and each chapter adds to the greater story. Although I do love the series (what I've seen of it), I have always wondered how anyone can follow it, who hasn't read the books, when they leave so many details out! If DH and I are watching, I always feel like I need, or should, pause it so I can explain in greater depth the reasoning for a characters decision! LOL

If I read the book, it's usually always the book. More detail, more back story. They can't put everything in the movie or it would be a 5 hour movie.

There have been movies that make me want to read the book afterwards.

I am generally ok with movies and books. It's true for me that books allow details that I think might be important, but aren't vital to a storyline and get skipped over for movies.

You miss a TON of backstory and motive in movies, in my opinion.

Harry Potter was this way in my opinion. I truly loved how even minor characters had their own personality and little things going on in all the books, while in a movie they are just a face that sometimes don't even get identified.

I have not read Lord of the Rings, which is absolutely on purpose! I will after the movies are made.

I thought that Angels and Demons and the Davinci Code both were absolutely spot on replicas of the books. I saw the Davinci Code and went looking for Dan Brown's books, and read them before I eventually got to see Angels and Demons.

I am abyssmally disappointed in the attempt at Animorphs tv show when I was a child. I recall loving it, but they did not continue the show past a few episodes I think.
The Sword of Truth series deserves as much passion and attention to detail as Game of Thrones is getting- not that cheap piece of crap thing they made. Richard was ALL wrong as that scrawny boy, the Mord-Sith had such obvious fake hair- they didn't even bother having Deanna keep it during torture! They changed the story too much to make it a series- adding in episode plot points that never existed and making the whole thing go in a different direction that it wasn't worth the cheap effects at all.
Eragon could have been as epic as Harry Potter is, but they also went the cheap route with that, I think. Hubby says I'm too critical, but I really thought after Harry Potter than they would be something amazing, and I was extremely disappointed.

I'm anxious to see how Outlander turns out- I still haven't read the books but FrogTwin LOVED them.

I also want Game-of-Thrones-quality dedication to making a Mistborn series or movie series. Sam from Supernatural would make excellent Elend, and hubby knows who should be Vin too, but I forget.

@.twist.: haha, well at least someone is enjoying that storyline then! I'm like "Ugh, more Asha, I want to read more about John!" or whoever I'm interested in, haha.

@redeyedtreefr0g: Dude, the LOTR movies came out in 2001-2003 and are absolutely fantastic! Watch the extended versions! Also, not going to lie, I LOVED the Legend of the Seeker show! Although I didn't read the books at all, so that probably helped! And I would LOVE a Mistborn series or movie, but I'm guessing I'd be disappointed with those!

@Adira: I meant all of them, not just the specific "Lord of the Rings" part. The Hobbit, the other ones I don't even know the names of. All the books set in that world.

@redeyedtreefr0g: I BELIEVE that the next Hobbit movie(s?) will be incorporating much from The Silmarillion, so I think that's probably as good as you're going to get!