View Full Version : Disney's New Mermaid Series?
Mermaid Clarity
01-28-2014, 01:32 PM
https://d23.com/meet-disneys-latest-mermaid-serafina-of-the-mediterranean-sea/
So apparently Disney is coming out with a new mermaid series of books. I'm wondering if they're going to try to do this like the Disney Fairies of Pixie Hollow. Anyway, I'm looking for more info/photos now. Anyone else hear anything about this?
Mermaid Clarity
01-28-2014, 02:00 PM
after some poking around:
the official website: waterfiresaga.com (http://waterfiresaga.com) with a "start reading" section
the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOBEH192zcE
Mermaid Adriel
01-28-2014, 03:46 PM
OMG *_* I hope it's true!
Merman Dan
01-28-2014, 03:48 PM
If they make a movie based on the books and it looks like the trailer, it will be incredible!
Mermaid Momo
01-28-2014, 04:40 PM
I think I need to get my hands on it! I hope it isn't for younger readers though!
MermanZen
01-28-2014, 04:53 PM
omg this is awesome I would watch the movie a thousand time
Mermaid Clarity
01-28-2014, 04:57 PM
I think I need to get my hands on it! I hope it isn't for younger readers though!
From reading the first two chapters, I'm thinking it might be aimed at preteens? They're trying to build a world there so they're throwing a lot of information at you? I think the whole thing is a wee bit cheesy but I'll still probably read it.
Mermaid Dottie
01-28-2014, 05:15 PM
After reading part of the first chapter... I think I'm going to have to buy it. The storyline looks bla, like one of those friendship stories that's been rewritten about a thousand times, but the imagery is really excellent, and the language is fun. Latin-based, I should think. Plus she has a pet octopus. I just hope there are going to be a decent amount of mermen in it. I get bored if the story's nothing but chicks.
Mermaid Mhara
01-28-2014, 05:37 PM
This looks lovely :) I'd give it a go
lynsea
01-28-2014, 06:12 PM
Knowing Disney, if these books are successful, there will most certainly be some visual adaptation (tv, movie).
malinghi
01-28-2014, 06:49 PM
Am I imagining it or is the tail in the cover art totally one of Thom's? The way the scales on the fin make a wedge shape and extend to the edge of the fin looks like his work. If it is one of his I hope it was used with permission.
Here's a large version of the cover art: http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20140123005776/en/400298/5/DEEP_BLUE_jacket_front.jpg
Winged Mermaid
01-28-2014, 06:59 PM
Not imagining it- totally one of Thom's! Disney has used his tails in the past so I'm no surprised they'd go to him again :)
Sephina
01-28-2014, 07:05 PM
I really love the look of the Stingray mermaid in the video. Despite it being sort of cheesy CGI, it does get me interested.
Echidna
01-28-2014, 07:33 PM
It's clearly aimed at teens, but I think the trailer and even more so the description is awesome.
Maybe even a bit too close to home, seeing the story hints at environmental destruction/problems,
but I'll definitely get it.
Here's hoping it becomes a big bestseller that will eventually be turned into an awesome movie :D
Echidna
01-30-2014, 04:55 AM
If you read the sneak-peek chapters;
the Romanian was probably done with google translate, because even those few word tidbits contain horrible mistakes.
I know, apart from a few Romanian readers, no one will notice, but still.
If I put a foreign tongue in a book as an author, I make sure it's correct and don't use google or guesswork :rolleyes:
Also, the Iele are fairies, not "river witches".
They have much in common with the Sidhe, but are even more magical and spirit-like.
Only females exist, and like everything that side of the mountains, they're also vampiric :p
Apart from that, it's written in a nice original fashion (with many mer-puns!).
Curious to see what others think.
Ariel-Starfish
01-30-2014, 05:03 AM
Ok, after reading all this I hope they make this into a movie!! . The trailer looks promesing. :p
Mermaid Clarity
01-30-2014, 11:55 AM
I'm torn if they make it a movie. I'm not a fan of the cheesy CGI (even though I'm studying to be an animator and this is exactly what I'd do.) and I just prefer live-action mermaids more so I'd be a little annoyed by an animated movie. That said, this seems to be headed in the disney Fairies direction although I don't know how popular the Fairies books actually were.
Also, I'm glad they're getting any questions about multicultural characters out of the way early, even if it's a wee bit transparent.
lynsea
01-31-2014, 11:09 AM
Book trailers are always awful (visual-wise) so I wouldn't worry too much about the quality of it reflecting what they may produce in the future.
Mermaid Ophelia
02-03-2014, 04:12 PM
I was unable to read the "start reading" section on my computer for some reason, but based on the premise and the trailer even if a bit on the cheesy side I'm definitely intrigued. I'll definitely pick it up and see how I like it...I hope it's good. I admittedly do like a lot of young adult books, haha, so the YA genre doesn't turn me off at all.
Merman Dan
05-05-2014, 08:07 PM
For the curious, this comes out tomorrow.
Mermaid Clarity
05-11-2014, 06:42 PM
Okay so I was suuuuper intrigued so I bought it. I'm on chapter 31 which is a bit over halfway, and I got it yesterday so that should let you know how quick of a read it is.
So here's my thoughts on it so far, if anyone was interested:
The book is most definitely aimed towards younger audiences probably around middle schoolers and that's reflected in the characters and the language. And speaking of language: there is A LOT of new terminology made for the book. I'm not a huuuuge fan of fantasy books with heaps of made-up terminology but I'm forgiving it because unlike a land-based fantasy world, the underwater world is just possibly that more alien compared to ours. That said, it's hard to forgive the heaps of ocean puns they use. It kind of reminds me of My Little Pony with the use of words like "merlfriend" or how their money is called "currensea." It also gets a bit transparently heavy handed with the ocean pollution angle and major info dumps left and right. Within the first two chapters alone we went from learning about the setup of the story's plot to a discussion of Merowmaran politics and history and hierarchy and culture. It's a lot to take in at once but I think that'll let up in the following books as the author trusts readers to be used to the world. It seems like she's really trying to set up this idea of a grand adventure and make the whole thing seem like a wild ride but I think too much happens at once. I wish she'd given us some time to get used to Serafina and her world before flipping it upside down.
That aside, I'm a fan of the main character's departure from the standard "skin white as snow" european character model. Serafina is described as having olive skin, dark copper hair and dark green eyes and based on the location of her kingdom/the names of the characters/other descriptions she's of roman or greek descent. (Mermaids in this story are descended from the Atlantians as their city sank.) I mentioned earlier in the forum that it looked like they were going to try to knock out their PoC quota in one fell swoop and they do. The main girls are each from a different realm of mer but with each realm is supposedly a different culture so there's something for everyone. One of the main characters is an Indian-Ocean mermaid named Neela who has a "passion for fashion" and a huge sweet tooth and this endeared her to me pretty quickly (passion for fashion meaning more clothing design rather than just buying clothes.) Also through Neela as well as many other characters, we see the author is trying to depart from the standard "human on top, fish on bottom" design that we're used to. Characters are described as bioluminescent or having the bottom halves of crustaceans and cephalopods and I find that really cool. It's not fully described how high up their tails go which I only care about because I kind of want to make Serafina's tail now (copper and pink) and it's starting to seem like a full body tail. Either way, I like the attempt to embrace all sorts of aquatic life as mermaid inspiration.
I'm still not done. I'll probably post a good review when I do finish the book. If possible I'd move this thread but I have no idea how to do that. Or whether there's even a book forum for this thread to go to.
tl;dr: I'm intrigued so far. There's a HUGE world Donnelly's come up with but she tends to dump a bit too much info at once. Definitely for YA
Rivertee
06-04-2014, 04:10 PM
Wow how did I miss this thread?! I work in a book store so I got to pre-read the book. I'm super excited a lot of people like it.
Mermaid Mhara
06-04-2014, 06:41 PM
I'm halfway through and I am loving it!! :)
But I'm reading it so slowly as I get literally NO time to just sit down and read it :/ it seems like the only time I get is the bus trip to and from college, which is enough to allow me to finish it by early next week perhaps if I'm lucky!
I really CANNOT see this becoming an animated movie like Tinkerbell though :') not at all...far too much bloodshed and more...grown up themes.
Fun123joker
06-04-2014, 07:07 PM
DID SOMEONE SAY OCEAN PUNS?!
Mermaid Galene
06-04-2014, 07:57 PM
Looks awesome! And if they make a movie, we can all get Meet and Greet gigs at our local movie theatres!
Fun123joker
06-04-2014, 09:23 PM
is it good if i recomend another book here or should i go to another thread for that
I'm super exited now! My friend was a sweet heart and got me this book as my bday gift (she didn't even know I wanted it, the girl gets me :dance:).
I hope I like it!
Mermaid Mhara
06-06-2014, 11:13 AM
is it good if i recomend another book here or should i go to another thread for that
DO EEET. I'm a book nut and love suggestions so I'm one who wouldn't mind :P
Although, I never know where to go on this forum to discuss books :/ hmmm...
Mermaid Mhara
06-08-2014, 09:10 PM
Here's a few more videos from the series! :)
Behind the scenes of the cover photo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk2Wyi2YV4g
Author video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMx-f3IG6Qk
And the accompanying song to the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx8O62Tuzno
Mermaid Mhara
06-11-2014, 05:06 PM
So I finally managed to finish the book! So here's my review :)
When I first heard of Deep Blue, I had to get it! The fact that it was Disney made it seem good, the fact it was fantasy made it even better and the fact it involved Mermaids...well that sealed the deal for me!
Upon starting the book, I almost lost interest within the first few pages. I am not one to love the idea of Mermaid 'Civilisations' where Merpeople live exactly like we do except...oh look, a tail!
I like reading about the differences in cultures and in lifestyles. Deep Blue starts off on quite a boring, overly descriptive tone, but I pushed through and I am so glad I did!
So much happens within the first few chapters it is actually unreal!
The first character we are introduced to is Serafina, Principessa (Princess) of a Mer realm known as Miromara, situated in what we know as the Mediterranean sea. Serafina is a beautiful mermaid with Olive-brown hair and a red tail. I like Serafina as a main character, she isn't a whiney princess who has everything handed to her and thinks everything is revolving around her as most main characters in franchises similar to this one does. Serafina is a brave, smart, intelligent young Mermaid.
Throughout the story we meet Mermaids from all over the world, from all different cultures and backgrounds. One thing I love about the main characters is the variety there is among them. Usually, in a Disney franchise or series similar to this one it is literally all white girls, with the one token black character who is randomly black for the hell of it (and so Disney aren't deemed racist...again) But within this story there is a reason and a logic behind the variety of ethnicity's.
SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS LINE ONWARDS
Among the main cast we have;
Serafina of Miromara - Her family have descended from a human named Merrow, who by all accounts was most probably Greek or from that general area (it doesn't specify)
Neela of Matali - The Matali family have descended from India
Ling of Qin - She is a direct descendant of humans who lived in what we know as China
Becca of Atlantica - Becca is one white character who is most obviously white. She has, however, red hair and comes from the 'Shores of Atlantica'...which by her characteristics probably indicate her ancestors were Irish, or Scottish (Or from one of the British Isles, however Ireland seems more obvious as being 'on the shores of Atlantica'
Ava from the Amazon river - Ava descended from a people who lived 'on the shores of the Amazon river' which I would guess would mean she descended from the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest.
Astrid of Ondalina - The only other white character, whom probably came of Norman descent. She is said to come from the shores of Ondalina.
Anyway, there's a big reason for the variety...but you'll have to read the books to find out ;)
Overall I found this a VERY VERY interesting story which was WELL AND TRULY thought out brilliantly. There were extremely confusing times, where I was literally sat there going 'wait, what just happened?' but I kinda like that in a book.
I don't so much mind the 'ocean puns' because...come to think of it, we call things by silly names, and to someone non-Earthly they'd probably find us calling a phone, which can move around so is 'mobile' a 'Mobile Phone' hilariously silly. Or how one of the seasons is called 'Fall' because...well, leaves fall of course :P haha. In my opinion it's a manner of bringing the world to life.
I highly recommend to big readers and mermaid lovers!
Mermaid Mhara
01-15-2015, 10:49 PM
Hey guys, sorry for the double post and reviving an old thread!
I got the second book not too long ago...maybe a week and a bit? Not sure. Anywho just started reading it and getting back into this world...(it's hard...to get...back into it) but I am loving this one, it has a complete different feel to the first for me.
Anyway what I wanted to talk about was the cover. Here it is:
26637
As you can tell, the tail here is obviously computer generated, however I just came across this on Deviantart and it's apparently an early concept for the front cover:
26638
Now that's a real tail...or so it appears anyway and I for one think it looks a bit better! (though I do like the official cover) who made this tail? Kinda reminds me of a mertailor maybe?
I think it's sad that all the big industries are going into computer generated tails rather than real costume tails now :( thoughts?
Yulia
01-15-2015, 10:52 PM
Yup, that's Mertailors betta.
https://www.themertailor.com/image/cache/data/product_galleries/silicon/117_SiliconePink-500x500.jpg
Mermaid Clarity
01-15-2015, 11:31 PM
Thanks for bringing back the thread, I kind of forgot about these books. I wasn't super enchanted with the first one but maybe if i can borrow it from someone or find a copy at the library, I'd read the next one. From my not so professional but studying graphic design standpoint: I think digital tail is nice. The editing makes it feel more mysterious and just somewhat more aesthetically pleasing for the book.
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