Les Miserables: musical or the book?

[Thefremen]

I know this is the type of thing that can easily turn into a flame war, but which version do you prefer, the book or the musical?

Personally I like the musical, I find that it's awesome and made of win. Not to mention that the poster just plain kicks ass.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_program.jpg

I should note that I took French class to read the book in its original langue.

So, monsouirs and madames, what do you say?

[V-22 Osprey]

Er, if one admits to never having read the book, you won't show up at their house and subject said person to Freman-style torture, will you? :( I grew up hearing the musical. My dad used to be a pretty hardcore fan, he played the CDs a lot in the house and even made a the tape from the complete broadway so he could hear it during long car trips. My brother and I heard Les Mis a lot. How much?

Well, we used to actually make a barricade out of household furniture and argue over who got to play Jean Valjean and Javert. We fought the battle with a blocked-up bb gun. :) Heh, I remember my older brother's tendency to be a know-it-all got him in trouble once when I was playing Jean Valjean. "Surrender, Inspector, or I'll shoot you straight through the heart!" "Ha ha, the heart is actually more to the left, you couldn't possibly shoot me through... oops."

[Thefremen]

Er, if one admits to never having read the book, you won't show up at their house and subject said person to Freman-style torture, will you? :( I grew up hearing the musical. My dad used to be a pretty hardcore fan, he played the CDs a lot in the house and even made a the tape from the complete broadway so he could hear it during long car trips. My brother and I heard Les Mis a lot. How much?

Well, we used to actually make a barricade out of household furniture and argue over who got to play Jean Valjean and Javert. We fought the battle with a blocked-up bb gun. :) Heh, I remember my older brother's tendency to be a know-it-all got him in trouble once when I was playing Jean Valjean. "Surrender, Inspector, or I'll shoot you straight through the heart!" "Ha ha, the heart is actually more to the left, you couldn't possibly shoot me through... oops."

Hah, that's too much! I actually never even read it in French, I read Planet of the Apes instead, and then promptly forgot the language. ;_;

That's so awesome. Kinda makes me worried about Emma always wearing that V mask...I wonder if her and her (future) siblings will play V and pretend to blow things up around the house...

[BetaSword]

Interestingly, I've actually seen that in person. Quite well done, if you ask me, what with the rotating stage and all. Good music, too. Of course, I've always been a sucker for the musicals, considering I've been in a couple myself... But still. Never read the book, though...