This post actually grew out of a remark I chanced to make and some friends agreed with: Sharon Shinn's Archangel would make an awesome anime. Rachel and her magnificent masses of hair, Gabriel unfurling his great wings while the sun caught sparks in his sapphire bracelets-- the imagery in the book, we agreed, might somehow be diminished were it made into a film, but the flowing lines of anime-- or of a Kagaya painting, maybe-- would capture it. From there it was but a short leap to: But why not all the Samaria books? And then to: What other books haven't been made into film/TV series/animation that should be?
1. Archangel as anime, of course, for the reasons mentioned above, and after it all of the other Sharon Shinn books set on the world of Samaria. Besides, the very premise of the books is so anime [holds self back from giving out spoilers]. Something along the lines of Minekura Kazuya's Gensomaden Saiyuki, maybe?
2. Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series. And, may I say, this is so overdue because these books have been around for a long time and people in the forums have been sharing their dream casting for the movies for years (I've put in my two cents' worth there myself). I admit that whenever I tried to visualize Amelia I always thought of Rachel Weisz [blame it on the Mummy films, but she would make a great Amelia] and the Professor looking like Pierce Brosnan. Sethos would need the charm of Indiana Jones and Johnny Depp. I get stumped on Nefret... someone as ethereal as Rachel McAdams and as strong as Kate Beckinsale (Selene isdatchu)? And the most pressing question of all: Who would play Ramses?
3. Diane Duane's Young Wizards series. Especially that first book with Nita and Kit's Ordeal. The special effects would be awesome-- Diane Duane also writes scripts, and her imagery is very visual. Also, I've always wanted to hear "Dai stiho" spoken. And see Dairine and Spot. And the Lone Power, being greeted "Fairest and fallen, greetings and defiance." Heck, I'd probably be saying the words along with the characters! I read somewhere there was going to be a film, but it got bogged down somewhere along the way-- what is wrong with you people!?! *poke, poke*
4. Elizabeth Moon's Familias Regnant series. No offense, Heris is a wonderful character [except she keeps getting mixed up with Sassinak in my mind, and omg, Lunzie should have a film too. Sorry, entirely different series :P]. It's just that I love Esmay. And I'd like to see her onscreen, frizzy hair and all *hides own hair under a scarf*. Once a Hero, FTW.
5. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga. OMG Barrayar, and Beta Colony and Escobar and Marilac, and most of all, Cetaganda. The big drawback: Who's going to play Miles and Mark? He has to get Miles's charm and wit down pat and-- and just BE Miles, otherwise it will all fall flat. Should be an interesting challenge! I was wishing Michael J. Fox were younger; he'd be perfect. Perhaps James McAvoy? If they get a Miles who really embodies the role, I'll watch all of the movies. In the cinema. Several times.
6. Tamora Pierce's Tortall books. Yes, seriously. It would make a great film or TV franchise, from Alanna onwards. Alanna has been a role model for a lot of girls, and after her Keladry [my personal favorite, sorry, Alanna]. Animal-lovers would go for Daine. Aside from the main characters, I'd love to see Jonathan, Thayet and George. And Neal. Mustn't forget Neal.
7. Elizabeth Peters's Vicky Bliss series. For one reason alone: John Tregarth. Need I say more? Oh, wait, this could be an extension of the Amelia series, although the connection is very tenuous. Still, John alone IS. EPIC. Nuff said. A more innocent Sebastian Valmont [Ryan Philippe's old enough for the role now] maybe?
8. Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. Even just the Harper Hall trilogy. Two reasons: telepathic dragons, and music. I was rereading the Harper Hall books just the other day and thought that it was a pity I couldn't hear Menolly's songs. Or that rousing chorus:
"Drummer, beat, and piper, blow,
harper, strike, and soldier, go.
Fan the flame and sear the grasses
till the dawning Red Star passes."
With a fire lizard descant no less. Most of all, that song Menolly wrote about Brekke:
"Live for my living/ or else I must die/ don't leave me alone/ a world heard that cry."
Wikipedia says there have been attempts to do a TV series and a film but none have materialized so far. I'm still waiting with bated breath for that. Did I mention Anne McCaffrey was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for Best Novella and the second woman to win for Best Novel, both for Pern stories?
9. Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic. Yes. More Tamora. I want to see Sandry, Tris, Briar and Daja onscreen with all the scrapes they fall into as they learn to be mages. I want to see Sandry in her pretty dresses, her button nose in the air, reciting her entire lineage to give another girl a set-down for being unkind to her friends. I want to see Daja with her ironwork, Briar with his bonsai shakkan. I want to see Tris, her nose in a book, grumbling like a discontented housewife as she helps her friends.
10. Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo's Trese. Please. There's enough material there already for 14 episodes. I want to see Alexandra Trese and the Kambal. And after RPG Metanoia, I know Pinoys can now do special effects very well, so there's no reason not to do this. As Neil Gaiman keeps telling us, we have got cool folklore. "This is incredibly fertile ground. Why aren’t you using it?"
Do you have your own list? Do share!
1. Archangel as anime, of course, for the reasons mentioned above, and after it all of the other Sharon Shinn books set on the world of Samaria. Besides, the very premise of the books is so anime [holds self back from giving out spoilers]. Something along the lines of Minekura Kazuya's Gensomaden Saiyuki, maybe?
2. Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series. And, may I say, this is so overdue because these books have been around for a long time and people in the forums have been sharing their dream casting for the movies for years (I've put in my two cents' worth there myself). I admit that whenever I tried to visualize Amelia I always thought of Rachel Weisz [blame it on the Mummy films, but she would make a great Amelia] and the Professor looking like Pierce Brosnan. Sethos would need the charm of Indiana Jones and Johnny Depp. I get stumped on Nefret... someone as ethereal as Rachel McAdams and as strong as Kate Beckinsale (Selene isdatchu)? And the most pressing question of all: Who would play Ramses?
3. Diane Duane's Young Wizards series. Especially that first book with Nita and Kit's Ordeal. The special effects would be awesome-- Diane Duane also writes scripts, and her imagery is very visual. Also, I've always wanted to hear "Dai stiho" spoken. And see Dairine and Spot. And the Lone Power, being greeted "Fairest and fallen, greetings and defiance." Heck, I'd probably be saying the words along with the characters! I read somewhere there was going to be a film, but it got bogged down somewhere along the way-- what is wrong with you people!?! *poke, poke*
4. Elizabeth Moon's Familias Regnant series. No offense, Heris is a wonderful character [except she keeps getting mixed up with Sassinak in my mind, and omg, Lunzie should have a film too. Sorry, entirely different series :P]. It's just that I love Esmay. And I'd like to see her onscreen, frizzy hair and all *hides own hair under a scarf*. Once a Hero, FTW.
5. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga. OMG Barrayar, and Beta Colony and Escobar and Marilac, and most of all, Cetaganda. The big drawback: Who's going to play Miles and Mark? He has to get Miles's charm and wit down pat and-- and just BE Miles, otherwise it will all fall flat. Should be an interesting challenge! I was wishing Michael J. Fox were younger; he'd be perfect. Perhaps James McAvoy? If they get a Miles who really embodies the role, I'll watch all of the movies. In the cinema. Several times.
6. Tamora Pierce's Tortall books. Yes, seriously. It would make a great film or TV franchise, from Alanna onwards. Alanna has been a role model for a lot of girls, and after her Keladry [my personal favorite, sorry, Alanna]. Animal-lovers would go for Daine. Aside from the main characters, I'd love to see Jonathan, Thayet and George. And Neal. Mustn't forget Neal.
7. Elizabeth Peters's Vicky Bliss series. For one reason alone: John Tregarth. Need I say more? Oh, wait, this could be an extension of the Amelia series, although the connection is very tenuous. Still, John alone IS. EPIC. Nuff said. A more innocent Sebastian Valmont [Ryan Philippe's old enough for the role now] maybe?
8. Anne McCaffrey's Pern books. Even just the Harper Hall trilogy. Two reasons: telepathic dragons, and music. I was rereading the Harper Hall books just the other day and thought that it was a pity I couldn't hear Menolly's songs. Or that rousing chorus:
"Drummer, beat, and piper, blow,
harper, strike, and soldier, go.
Fan the flame and sear the grasses
till the dawning Red Star passes."
With a fire lizard descant no less. Most of all, that song Menolly wrote about Brekke:
"Live for my living/ or else I must die/ don't leave me alone/ a world heard that cry."
Wikipedia says there have been attempts to do a TV series and a film but none have materialized so far. I'm still waiting with bated breath for that. Did I mention Anne McCaffrey was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for Best Novella and the second woman to win for Best Novel, both for Pern stories?
9. Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic. Yes. More Tamora. I want to see Sandry, Tris, Briar and Daja onscreen with all the scrapes they fall into as they learn to be mages. I want to see Sandry in her pretty dresses, her button nose in the air, reciting her entire lineage to give another girl a set-down for being unkind to her friends. I want to see Daja with her ironwork, Briar with his bonsai shakkan. I want to see Tris, her nose in a book, grumbling like a discontented housewife as she helps her friends.
10. Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo's Trese. Please. There's enough material there already for 14 episodes. I want to see Alexandra Trese and the Kambal. And after RPG Metanoia, I know Pinoys can now do special effects very well, so there's no reason not to do this. As Neil Gaiman keeps telling us, we have got cool folklore. "This is incredibly fertile ground. Why aren’t you using it?"
Do you have your own list? Do share!
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