First the "The Sword Of Truth" series of books was made into a television program by ABC that ran for 2 seasons, and now HBO is taking an even-more-serious stab at "Game of Thrones". My mother gave me the first book of this collection to read and I'm currently making my way through it. It's pretty good.
It's encouraging that TV show producers are now starting to do in earnest what movie makers have been doing since almost the very beginning: Turning to books for their source material. Perhaps it is something that has only been starting recently because it is only recently that truly long novels are being written — long enough to provide 50 or 60 hours of television. (Next up hopefully will be the most-massive Wheel Of Time saga... coming in at about 10,000 pages.)
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I have mixed feelings about this issue. I really do like it when a classic sci-fi/fantasy book or series is adapted to TV or the movies. Obviously, Lord of the Rings was done well. I think the Sci-Fi Channel did an outstanding job when they developed Dune and Children of Dune into series. Which proves that if they stick with the original written story, changing little, it could work well either as a major motion picture or made for TV series.
The problem I have is when they take a classic - and make a horrible movie/series from it by changing too much of the original story. Hollywood as shown an ability to take a great story and make a shitty movie out of it. I was not happy with how The Sword of Truth series was adapted to TV. Changed so much from the books that it was really a different story.
I am currently re-reading the Wheel of Time series. Looking forward for the last book to be published. I am not very optimistic on this story being made into a TV series. It is such a complexed story line with numerous sub-plots and over 1,500 characters - how could this be turned into a made-for-TV series and stay true to the original work? Many WOT fans are excited about the prospect of the WOT being made into a TV series. But I believe the same WOT fans will be turned off when they realize huge changes to the story line will have to be made. If/when they do adapt this to TV - I will try to watch it (probably will not get through the first episode). Hopefully, I am wrong and it will be worth watching.
Anyway there are so many classic books in the sci fi and fantasy genre - I hope more are made into GOOD tv series or movies. Just stay true to the original story. Take care,
Chief
Hey, I was torn about whether to get you Game of Thrones or the Hunger Games for Xmas. Dan and I loved loved loved the Game of Thrones series but Mom thought it was too complicated. I'm psyched you're reading it!
-Nancy
Yes Nancy, I'm finding it good so far. The story is a bit desultory in its telling... but then I've never seen an expansive story line that doesn't break into smaller bits which must be chapterized. I guess it's impatience or something, but the books I like best have always been (like the Hunger Games series) books that have a single story line and run with it from beginning to end.
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