Question about a detail in the British edition

[Lynette]

This question is for anybody who can lay their hands on the British edition of the novel Stormbreaker (not the film, the book).

I'm having a discussion with someone on the imdb board about Sayle. It began with the fact that they changed the character's first name from Herod to Darius in the film. Now we're discussing Sayle's origins. I though he was of Egyptian birth while the other person thinks he's Lebanese, and posted a link a wikipedia page to "prove" it   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Sayle. (Wikipedia can't be real proof of anything since anyone can change the entries, of course.)

Well, I checked the book at the library today and it clearly says he's Egyptian. Grew up poor in Cairo, father was a dental hygenist.

But that's the American edition. Could be he was Lebanese in the original British edition -- editors have changed many stranger things! The Wiki link says he grew up "in the gutters of Lebanon, son of a failed hairdresser" -- not an oral hygenist, either.

So can somebody check? Please???

[SUPERMAN]

Lebanon sounds more familiar and we have the same version as the British

EDIT: I checked the Alex Rider site by typing Darius Sayle in Google and he was born poor on the streets of Beirut

Family:
Born poor in Beirut, Herod Sayle's father was a failed hairdresser and his mother took in washing. With nine brothers and four sisters, the young Herod didn't go to school.

Education:
When he was seven he saved two American tourists from being crushed by a falling piano, and as a reward, they sent him to a school in Britain. He achieved nine 'O' levels and sat next to the boy who went on to become the Prime Minister. After school, Sayle went to Cambridge and got a first in economics.

So it is Lebanon that Sayle originally comes from. Hope this helps.

[Ghost]

Herod Sayle sounds like Harrods' sale, and Herod is a bit like Mohamed Al Fayed who is the Egyptian who owns Harrods. SOmetimes in the books there are villains who are like famous people. Damian Cray's like Elton John and Drevin's like Roman Abramovic who owns Chelsea. I think AH mentions Elton John and Abramovic in the books so we know they're not 'really' the same people. I think in the original Herod is Lebanese not Egyptian so we don't think he's 'really' Al Fayed. In America nobdoy knows who Al Fayed is so they don't mind him being Egyptian?

[The Power of Five]

Herod Sayle sounds like Harrods' sale, and Herod is a bit like Mohamed Al Fayed who is the Egyptian who owns Harrods. SOmetimes in the books there are villains who are like famous people. Damian Cray's like Elton John and Drevin's like Roman Abramovic who owns Chelsea. I think AH mentions Elton John and Abramovic in the books so we know they're not 'really' the same people. I think in the original Herod is Lebanese not Egyptian so we don't think he's 'really' Al Fayed. In America nobdoy knows who Al Fayed is so they don't mind him being Egyptian?

It's true! "In America nobody knows who Al Fayed is so they don't mind him being Egyptian", I live in Canada, that's pretty close. Who's Al Fayed?

[Rainbowstar]

Al Fayed owns Harrods.  His son courted Diana after she split up with prince Charles, and it was in the son's car that they had the fatal car accident

[pinky24]

wow, how do you guys notice these details??

[Rainbowstar]

Well, for starters...you have to be old enough or interested enough in the royal house to know and remember what happened to diana lol

[pinky24]

i'm intrested, but maybe it's because I like to make my own detail,

usually I skip over who discribing paragraphs

[pinky24]

no, I don't skip over everything, but when a character is decribed I like to skip over it and make up my own character in my head

[adrenalinrush]

usually I skip over who discribing paragraphs

In the british edition he is lebonese.
100% sure of it...I don't feel the need to read the american versions, i wouldn't want to rea something that has been speciafically altered to fit them, i don't see the point...you wouldn't change Shakespeare would you?

No, I wouldn't change Shakespeare. In the American version he is Egyption, and his dad was an oral hygienist. We didn't ask for it to be changed, it just was. Also, I don't see how it "fits us". To me it doesn't really make a difference if he is lebonese or egyptian.

[pinky24]

usually I skip over who discribing paragraphs

In the british edition he is lebonese.
100% sure of it...I don't feel the need to read the american versions, i wouldn't want to rea something that has been speciafically altered to fit them, i don't see the point...you wouldn't change Shakespeare would you?

No, I wouldn't change Shakespeare. In the American version he is Egyption, and his dad was an oral hygienist. We didn't ask for it to be changed, it just was. Also, I don't see how it "fits us". To me it doesn't really make a difference if he is lebonese or egyptian.

anyways, since when are movies based on there books??

[adrenalinrush]

it was explained earlier why it was changed to fit Americans if you had read it..

explain how it "fits" americans...

[SUPERMAN]

Originally, AH wanted Sayle's background to be Egyptian. As mentioned Herod Sayle is a lot like Al Fayed who is also egyptian and it was changed to Lebanese for the British version so as to not insult readers.

[pinky24]

Now i remember hearing about that.

[SUPERMAN]

yeah the question has been answered, a lock here?