Darkly Dreaming Dexter discussion

I watched Dexter and I was just wondering if things are exactly the same? Is it worth reading this book or do I already know what happens?

same main characters but storyline isn't exactly the same. next book in series is totally different than the series.

Or to put it another way... some of the characters in the television show... well, you shouldn't get too attached to them in the book.

They are completely different stories and Dexter is a very different character. The books are far more humorous and Dexter is becoming more of a detective. Less tension in the books but a good enjoyable read.

I found the character of Dexter in the books (well, the first two books, the ones I've read), to be a lot darker than the character of Dexter in the show. In the show, Dexter kills people quickly and cleanly. The book makes it clear that Dexter in the books enjoys the kill. I really like the show, mostly because Michael C. Hall as Dexter is more charismatic than he has any right to be; but the character of Dexter in the books - I think - is a little clearer and a little more nuanced.

I prefer the tv character, he seems more tortured by his actions, and thus far children are innocents. I dare not read further for fear of what I may encounter .

I really did like the books because they did dare go a littler darker and deeper and I enjoyed that. The show definitely is very good too. I think they are both worth enjoying because they are different. I like that they are different because you get to be surprised by both.

Megan wrote: "I watched Dexter and I was just wondering if things are exactly the same? Is it worth reading this book or do I already know what happens?"

There are differences between the book and the series its definitely worth the read :)

The first season of the show is loosely based on the first book. But the similarities stop at the Ice Truck Killer and how he kills. The endings are totally different. The next seasons of Dexter aren't based on the books at all. Sad, I prefer the stories in the books over the TV plots.

But having said that, I like both. And sure, book!Dexter is different than how Michael C. Hall portrays him but I hear MCH's voice in my head whenever I read the Dexter books lol.

Book 1 is VERY similar to the first season of the show with a few minor changes...some things in the book, I wish the show would have went with as well. The rest of the books sort of fall off of the story line and are extremely different from the tv series but all the books are great reads!

I love it that the TV choose to differ from the books. It allows me to actually read the book and not spoiling the story.

A lot of things were different too. The book literally explain that Dexter has a Dark Passenger and contained a bit of melodramatic and supernatural accounts (Dexter in the Dark). And scientific (or scifi) explanations are easily explained in tv format. So both are sort of win win

I haven't finished reading this series yet (I'm on the 4th book) but I seem to like the TV show a whole lot better than the books. The books aren't bad by any means, but the story line is completely different from the show and I like the path the show took instead. Although, if they were the same, they probably wouldn't be worth reading. I could see a few reasons why the book's storyline would be hard to put across in the show since the books focus more on Dexter's thoughts and "feelings". Its better than having Dexter talk/think out loud to himself. Maybe I just ruined it by watching the TV show first. Still worth reading.

The first season of the TV program was loosely based on the first book. I liked that the TV program had more time to develop things than the book did; to me, the book's conclusion seemed a bit rushed, whereas with the TV program there was more buildup and more character development, which ultimately took the TV version in a different direction to the books.

Stacia wrote: "...to me, the book's conclusion seemed a bit rushed..."

Same here. I liked how the story built up in the show than in the book. The difference in ending made all the difference though.

First book and season similar but then they take completely different paths. LOVED the second book, and the rest of the series are pretty good, but agree with the endings especially of later books ending too quickly.

Although I have only watched the first two episodes of the first season and season 5 and 6 ( I know, I need to watch them ), The book differs from the T.V show a lot. Even though some of the characters in the book and the television show act very similar, the paths that they take differs from each publishing.

I would still recommend this book to any fan of the Dexter series though

The books are definitely different from the books but both are good! LOVE LOVE LOVE the tv show but the books are worth the read as well.

Different, mostly because of the characters, who are less sympathetic. Book Dexter is not a semi-sociopath, he's outright sociopathic with no real feelings for anyone including Rita. Rita, far from her tough, smart TV-self is sort of a ditz, scattered and naive enough not to see Dexter for what he is (though she has flashes of insight.) Lieutenant LaGuerta has NO kindness in her, Matsuoka isn't just pervy, he's off...etcetera.

The result is a very different story, even when events are similar. And the ending is TOTALLY different, since the ending of season one came from Dexter's feelings in the show.

-Elizabeth Reuter
Author, Demon of Renaissance Drive

After reading the book I was TOTALLY turned off the t.v. show. I got far more out of the books though I thought the acting and charaters they played did a good job.
I just found the voice of Dexter in the books far more compelling, and funnier.
"If tits were brains she'd be Enistein."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

SPOILERS CAUTION SPOILERS ABOVE DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ALL THE BOOKS/SEEN ALL THE EPISODES