TLC Forum

I have been wondering if the addition of cell phones and the internet into stories themselves have made stories better or worse.

In older stories like the original The Hardy Boys, I sometimes think when reading them that since detective methods have changed so much, that the stories would feel different if modern technology were available in them, but maybe this is the book purist in me.

What do you think about stories, adaptions, and the addition of technology?

I do love reading about the older methods of things and probably prefer them, particularly in cases of updated adaptations of stuff such as Sherlock Holmes, Hardy Boys, or Nancy Drew. However, I think I've discovered that, despite being a firm purist, I also take good writing in the spirit of the original into consideration.
For example, I love BBC's Sherlock, though I was insanely wary of it. (I still refuse to even look at the Robert Downey Jr. films because the even the posters didn't give me the Holmes vibe.) Now, though, I love it. Watson blogs, Sherlock texts, they don't travel in horse-drawn cabs, the humour is amped up, etc.. It's different and I still prefer the originals, but the Sherlock Holmes spirit is still there, so I really enjoy the show.
On the other end of the spectrum, I don't hold the Nancy Drew movie (with Emma Roberts) in high regard. Sure, the character of Nancy still has that innocent charm and her fashion sense is fairly true to the period of the times she originated in. But the writing of the story wasn't stellar (despite the mystery being interesting), so I'm less forgiving of her use of the internet and her phone and the high school party she hosted.

You're right, it's really due to the talent of the author/scriptwriter.

I'm wondering how much technology changes storylines, though.

If they had say, cell phones in Prince Caspian, then there wouldn't be so much suspense for Dr. Cornelius and the others at the How, wondering if Queen Susan's horn had really called help to Narnia. Trumpkin could have just phoned the others and told them, of course, the Telmarines would have taken the phone away.

Telmarine 1: "Look sharp, the Narnians' have tech too!"
Telmarine 2: "But Narnians don't exist."
Telmarine 1: "Don't believe everything you hear." (types in phone number from Trumpkin's address book)
Sound Effect: Ring-ring, Ring-ring!
Trufflehunter: "Hello, Aslan's How."
Telmarine 1: "Yes, can I speak to your help line?"
Trufflehunter: (Covers phone, and whispers to Caspian) "It's a Telmarine."
Caspian: (takes phone) "Hello, Prince Caspian speaking."
Telmarine 1: "I can't believe I'm talking to the Prince! Listen, do the old Narnians really exist?"
Caspian: "Yes, they do."
Telmarine 1: (ends call) "I-just-talked-to-Prince-Caspian-and-he-says-the-Narnians-do-exist!"
Telmarine 2: "Yeah, right, don't believe everything you hear."

That's pretty much all I've gotta say to that.

I think it really depends on the story itself. The technology at the time that the Chronicles were written was certainly not as advanced as it is today, but I can still read them, enjoy them, and understand them completely since it doesn't detract from the stories in any way.

Now the Left Behind series' use of technology is a very different experience because of the premise, (near future rapture and end times). While I read through it (this was at least 2-3 years ago) I found the use of certain tech to be a little distracting, sometimes I'd just smile and think of other options the characters would have now. A "futuristic" storyline such as, Left Behind, with technology should be made as up to date as possible but with technology changing and improving all the time it can be near impossible to do unless one were to go back every couple of years and rewrite certain passages-but I'm sure that would be very tiring.

Hermit - I don't think having tech in the Chronicles would have killed it, although we would have lost the WW2 setting. I mean, Narnia was never meant to be in the same time-period as Earth, so I imagine it would remain medieval/neofeudalistic in nature, but if we had cell-phones on Earth it would lend a whole new level of impact to "worse than what Father says about being at the mercy of the telephone"!

I would think the genre would make a difference. In fantasy, for instance, it's probably best if technology is either absent or very much in the background. Even in a modern setting, where characters' lives somewhat revolve around technology as our lives do, keeping the use of technology to a minimum would be a good idea, because 1) technology advances so quickly, the book will soon seem out of date and 2) it can possibly distract readers from the story.

Even in the science-fiction genre, there can be such a thing as too much technology. I don't really appreciate when an historical fiction novel pauses the story to give a long spiel on, say, the intricacies of a blacksmith forge. In the same way, I don't want a lengthy explanation about futuristic gadgets in a science-fiction novel. I want the story!

So I guess my conclusion is: Technology is great for giving a book a contemporary or advanced feel, but one must be careful it does not detract from the plot and characters.

Esprit, yes, some people would be interested in how a blacksmith forge operates, but a detailed explanation would likely be better off in an appendix.

Elanorelle, your right about the Left Behind series being dated by technology. I read it further back, but even then some of the technology had already changed. I think it worked for that series at the time it was published because of the type of book it was, speculating about what would happen if the end times happened back in 1998. Maybe this modern feel helped its success, back then.

HermitoftheNorthernMarch wrote:If they had say, cell phones in Prince Caspian, then there wouldn't be so much suspense for Dr. Cornelius and the others at the How, wondering if Queen Susan's horn had really called help to Narnia. Trumpkin could have just phoned the others and told them, of course, the Telmarines would have taken the phone away.

Part of the Narnian charm is there is no high tech there. It is not like the setting is in a somewhat less advanced high tech society which can be updated (like Sherlock), it is like CSL is making a point of no real post-medieval things (except tobacco, tea, coffee and Mrs. Beaver's sewing machine) being there.

In PC someone makes a point against telephones.

In MN both a lamp post is reduced or enhanced from British technology to Narnian biology. Plus Uncle Andrew is seen as idiotic and tasteless for his preference for a high tech society.

Lily of Archenland wrote:Hermit - I don't think having tech in the Chronicles would have killed it, although we would have lost the WW2 setting. I mean, Narnia was never meant to be in the same time-period as Earth, so I imagine it would remain medieval/neofeudalistic in nature, but if we had cell-phones on Earth it would lend a whole new level of impact to "worse than what Father says about being at the mercy of the telephone"!

Ah, OK, you mean High Tech in the English part ... hmmm.

No, still no.

Blitz is so much the reason for evacuation, and WW2 plus subsequent years is so much into the story line, since Professor Kirke cannot keep his house when taxes rise (VDT).

It's as impossible as setting the farms of Enid Blyton's Famous Five into 21:st Century. It would be wrong episode of Emmerdale Farm. So wrong episode.

And Digory and Polly need to be in an era when collars were stiff and Sherlock Holmes was still in Baker Street. Especially since if Frank had been the other kind of cab driver (as in taxi rather than horse cab) there would not have been any Fledge.

I don't usually find that technology takes away from a plot, unless the time period/era of the story isn't stated. With Narnia, Lewis outright told us exactly when most of the stories take place. When I'm reading something like Nancy Drew or Left Behind, though, I find it more frustrating to pinpoint exactly what technological capabilities they have - mostly since technology has changed so much in the past 5 years, so I have to read a book written in 2005 differently than I would read one from 2010. I end up spending most of my time thinking, "do they have iPads and smartphones? or is everyone still using flip phones?" But if the author specifically addresses something that helps me narrow that down, I feel more free to focus on the plot.
Or at least, I noticed that when reading Left Behind.

This being said, sometimes Modern-Narnia AUs are the most fun to read.