If can summarize the answers. Was I too hard on the book ? Maybe a little. Is modern fantasy this sad? Yeah pretty much. I should have included a poll. Talk and hope of a good fantasy movie is another topic. Good film /tv fantasy is so rare the only one I can recall off the top of my head is The Princess Bride. I didn't realize how many people suffer from insomnia till they handed Peter Jackson an academy award. It may help to remember that cinema genres are different than litterary ones. Good fantasy film? Try Amelie or Shadow of the Vampire