Yes, I tend to forget that Wikipedia knows it all. And that there is such thing as Google.
Ontopic: I think both the Cooper and the Laura book were fun to read as a kid, but even a TP-geek like me have to face it at some point: Those books are not exactly masterpieces. The series and the film stand on their own, without the books.
Evenreven wrote:This is also, however, the first time I've heard of this supposed consensus.
Hey, I never said it was a consensus, just giving my opinion.
I just finished it, and I thought it was pretty poorly written, especially the descriptions and the anti-climatic ending, but had some great ideas. So you're not alone.
I have yet to read the diary (that and the cassette tapes are the final holes in my TP collection) but I own both the autobiography and the town Access guide.
I agree that the Coop book is very erotic. I actually could not believe how sexually minded Coop was in his youth. But I thought the book was excellent, and it definitely filled in many gaps left by the series.
I found it interesting that Coop never seemed to be quite the perfect human being he is in the series until a few years before he goes to town. It certainly seems like it took many years to shape him into the "too perfect" character he became.
I did feel that some of the book was underwhelming and did not meet my expectations, especially the Pittsburgh incident and Windom's descent into madness. The show made me expect so much more.
Still, all in all, a good read. And I definitely consider it cannon before Fire Walk With Me. Cooper went to Deer Meadows, end of story.
The town access guide took me awhile to get into. I thought it was far too silly, not taking itself nearly serious enough. But then I got to thinking about how quirky many of the characters are that live in Twin Peaks, including the alleged writer of the piece. As prefaced in the beginning of the book, Andrew Packard's will left a sum of money to inexperienced writers to make a guide to the town. With that in mind, it has a much better read.
Also, taking place in the "future" of 1991, it gives some insight onto the future of the story, such as Pete Martell's aliveness.
Sometimes things can happen just like this. *snap*
Interesting. I thought the Windom Earle part of the story was easily the best part of the book. I found Windom much scarier in the book than in the actual series, where his Joker persona quickly bored me. The white make-up scene is one of his best, possibly because that's when he ran the full distance of Batman villain-hood.
I haven't read the access guide, but I don't believe for one second that Pete died in the explosion either. He's standing right behind Andrew, for one thing, and could be shielded unless there are lots of sharp parts in the bomb. And secondly, it's a soap opera and people have survived far worse things. Audrey is alive too. And Ben. The blow to the head makes Ben bad again. Audrey's blow makes her ask herself from the hospital bed, "Did I just lose my virginity to some schmuck I just met? Where's agent Cooper?" But all in all, I'm not sure how many would be left alive after Bob Cooper was through with the town.