[PUBLIC POST] Books you'd like to see adapted

[ljwrites]

I am back from my travails and, as promised, here is my make-up public post for last week.

Let's try something a little different: Are there any books, fiction or non-fiction, that you would like to see adapted to other media, like a movie, TV show, or game? If you want, feel free to add more detail. Why do you think this story would be good for that medium? What might some of the difficulties be? Do you have ideas about how to make the adaptation work? Any thoughts about who might play the characters?

One book I can think of off the top of my head is Idylls of the Queen by Phillis Ann Karr. It's an Arthurian murder mystery starring Sir Kay, who has to solve a murder to save Queen Guinevere who is accused of the act. A surly Kay and jaded Mordred make a great, entertaining detective duo, and Morgan Le Fay plays a prominent and spirited supporting role.

This is one of very few modern works of Arthuriana to star Kay, my favorite Knight of the Round Table. I love the way Karr portrayed his character, a decent and flawed man who makes sharp, wry observations of some of the worst aspects of Arthur's court. With Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot almost totally absent the other characters get to shine, and Karr captures the feel of a medieval court in a way I've never seen in the genre.

If I ever write a movie script I would like to adapt Idylls. Some of the snippets I loved from the book play out almost like a trailer in my head:

- The murder victim leaning against Kay at table and Kay being irritated at the intrusion until he realizes the man is dead;

- A hard-faced Kay telling Mordred, "Get out of the water and arm yourself." (Or something along those lines. Don't have the book on me.)

- Kay confronting Morgan Le Fay about her attempts to reveal Guinevere;

- Kay and Mordred dueling in thigh-high water, throwing up splashes as they hack at each other;

- Mordred screaming in rage and pulling a dagger from a tabletop to lunge.

As for actors, I have no idea. Probably some obscure method actors with theater backgrounds.

Comments

[inevitableentresol]

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch would be fantastic as a lavish mini-series. I say lavish, because there'd have to be a lot of special effects for all the supernatural elements. But the rest of it would make perfect TV, with the detective story, the London setting and all the melting pot of characters that would give actors a lot to work with.

[ljwrites]

Let's hope the Syfy Channel doesn't get a hold of it and turn it to crap. RIP, The Dresden Files TV series.

(Not to jinx it or anything, the supernatural police element reminded me of TDF and my disappointment with its small-screen adaptation.)

[lizbee]

*drives by two weeks later*

The BBC is adapting it right now! I think it was originally slated to air this year, but must have been pushed back, because I haven't seen so much as a casting announcement.

[ljwrites]

Woo-hoo! At least one of the people on this thread gets their wish!

[inevitableentresol]

What!!!! Fantastic news.

I can genuinely see them doing a good job of it. I mean, it's the BBC, and there are so many great British actors, and you could probably adapt it so that there's not so much CGI needed. The characters and writing are already strong.

Thanks for telling me this. I look forward to it! I must read all the sequels now before the TV series comes out. I don't like to mix them.