But also interesting to me was that a few of my favorite books I DIDN'T want to see made into movies. I just couldn't see how that unique character of these books, their style and literary quirks, could be possibly be captured in any medium except with words on the page. So I made a separate list for these.
But first, the count-down of books I'd love to see made into movies:
10. The Iron Fey, by Julie Kagawa. I'd want all four books, so this might be better suited as a T.V. series. I'd be pretty rabid about the casting for the winter prince, Ash.
9. Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor. I'd love to see how computer graphics artists would imagine the chimaera, and the fiery wings of the seraphim. And I want this girl, from the German cover, to play Karou.
8. The Girl of Fire and Thorns, by Rae Carson. Even though I haven't read the last book in this series yet, I'm sure I'd want it included, so this might be better suited for a T.V. series too. I would totally want Ben Barnes to play Hector.
7. Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher. This one has some neat science fiction elements, and steampunk elements. The twisty plot would make an intense movie.
6. The Horse and His Boy, The Silver Chair, and the Magician's Nephew. I loved the three recent Narnia movies, and I wish they'd continue making them!
5. The Archived, by Victoria Schwab. The Library of living memories and its spooky Narrows would translate really well to the big screen, and the characters are so vibrant!
4. His Majesty's Dragon, by Naomi Novik. I can't believe this one hasn't made it to the movies yet. Or a T.V. series, since there's so many books in this series. I can't help but picture Russel Crowe in the movie Master and Commander as Captain Laurence.
3. Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen by Garth Nix. I'd like to see three distinct movies for this series, like it was done for Lord of the Rings. The only problem with movies for these books is that with all the Dead these would be very, very scary movies. But oh the settings! And all the cool things like Sendings and the Wall (much more interesting than the Wall in Game of Thrones) and the river and its gates and the bells and Mogget with his collar... oh I want, want, want...
2. Voice in the Wind, by Francine Rivers. Gladiator is one of my favorite movies, and I can't get enough of Ancient Rome on the big screen. This is the best book about Ancient Rome I'd ever read, and on screen it'd be so intense it might set the screen on fire.
1. The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley. I'd love a movie version, but I would just cry if they got the casting wrong for Corlath. And they'd have to make the movie soon because Anthony Hopkins would be so perfect as Colonel Dedham and Patrick Stewart would be so perfect as Mathin. And whoever the girl in this photo is, she is my Harry Crewe.
Bonus: The Lord of the Rings. Yes, I want MORE movies! I loved parts of the recent movies (Gandalf! Merry! Pippin! Gollum!), but parts made me gnash my teeth with frustration (the list is too long). I'd love to see another movie series version with a whole new cast of characters and a new vision of the settings... just because there's so much scope for imagination. It would be so, so, so cool too if the movies could capture a little more of Tolkien's theme of traces of Numenor still appearing in Middle Earth, and a little less melodrama in some other areas.
Books I wouldn't want to see made into movies:
The Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin. This is one of my most favorite fantasy series, but the writing has such a haunting, poignant quality to it, I just can't see how a movie could capture that part, and it's too important to ignore.
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. This book has such a intellectual flair and a delicious wry tone. A movie *might* be able to pull it off, but I'm not sure if I'd want to risk it.
C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. Part of me would love, love, love to see the settings of Mars and Venus as imagined by C.S. Lewis brought to the big screen. It would be a rush. But there is so much subtlety in these books that I'm afraid might get lost.
The Mitford series by Jan Karon. I could see this working as T.V. series, but then again I could see the series missing so much of the charm of the writing itself.
Posts
The Archived!!!! Would LOVE to see that on the big screen!!!
ReplyDeleteI know! I want!
DeleteBooks are treasures of knowledge is interesting, as well as a way to help people good entertainment. I love this article, really interesting.
ReplyDeleteBooks are treasures of knowledge is interesting, as well as a way to help people good entertainment. I love this article, really interesting.
ReplyDeleteThey made a tv miniseries of Earthsea which was pretty awful. I'd like to sea A Horse and His Boy as a movie, it's my favourite of the series.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
The Horse and His Boy is my favorite too. I haven't heard anything good about that Earthsea series so I've never been tempted to watch it. Or the movie version of A Wrinkle in Time, either.
DeleteYou know - that pic - your Harry Crewe - is stunning!!! Take care
ReplyDeletex
I love that picture. I wish I could remember where I found it.
DeleteI totally agree about Daughter of Smoke and Bone. One of my favorite books.
ReplyDeleteLove to meet fellow fans! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI really hope you like it! Come back and tell me when you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts
DeleteI don't love movies made from books and usually don't see them; the movie always ruins a little something for me. I do love it when other book lovers are enthused about movies (or possible ones) because it makes me *wish* I liked movies of books a little more.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. The movies usually ruin some aspects for me, but what keeps me trying them is that most (not all) add some fun element or take an interesting and unexpected spin on some aspect of the book. So sometimes it balances out!
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but Seraphina is high on my TBR list. Interesting about not wanting to see it as a movie. I'll have to keep that in mind when I finally read it!
ReplyDeleteHere's my list!
Seraphina is so unique. I really hope you like it! Come back and tell me when you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
DeleteHaha! I will let you know if I remember to! LOL
DeleteTotally agree on the not make into movies list. I love THE BLUE SWORD but I'd be a little scared of seeing it in a movie. I've got such a firm idea of how it should be and I know it won't be like that.
ReplyDeleteI go back and forth. I'd love to see it visually, but I'd probably wait to hear the reviews first before seeing it!
DeleteWhat a great idea to include books that you DON'T want to see made into movies! Some things are best left untouched.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my TTT list: http://booksavvyblog.blogspot.com/
Yes... I've never been tempted to watch the TV series of Earthsea. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSo I guess I need to finally read Daughter of Smoke and Bones. I, too, just love that cover!
ReplyDeleteI also love some of those books but I'd worry about the translation. I think part of the reason I loved The Archived and Daughter of Smoke of Bone is because of the writing. And that doesn't translate. So, readers would have to be prepared for that. And, I love certain books enough that I don't want to see them ruined by a low budget and bad script writing. Ya know?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see The Blue Sword too. I haven't read the book yet but it sounds like it would make a good movie. I agree about Seraphina though, that one is best left as a brilliant book.
ReplyDeleteYes to #4! A non-fantasy favorite I would LOVE to see done on screen is The Far Pavilions (and the 1980s mini sereis doesn't count).
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the original novel than watching a movie adapted from the book there. I like how the author expresses an idea rather than a creative director to film episodes
ReplyDelete