8 book adaptations we want instead of more Lord of the Rings movies

5. The Burning by Evan Winter

Evan Winter’s debut fantasy novel The Rage of Dragons took the genre by storm when it was released in 2017. Combining epic fantasy elements with cultures and settings inspired by the African Xhosa tribe, Winter’s The Burning series is a big, gritty fantasy story that explores colonialism, power dynamics, and the brutal price of vengeance. It’s an epic series, and it would make for epic movies.

The Burning primarily follows Tau, a member of a lower societal caste who rails against the society on his peninsula after his father is unjustly slain by nobles. Tau makes it his personal mission to become a strong enough warrior to kill those who have wronged him, even if it means he’ll have to die a thousand times in the ethereal underworld in order to gain those skills.

Tau’s journey combines elements from dark fantasy stories like Game of Thrones with some of the military school elements from something like Ender’s Game. The second book, The Fires of Vengeance, expands greatly on the story, setting up an eventual conflict with a group whom Tau’s ancestors once fled from in terror.

There’s only one minor snag with The Burning: as of this writing, Winter is currently working on the third out of four books for the series. It’s always a little nerve-wracking to think about adapting a book series that isn’t finished, but considering how good the books are, the risk would be worth it. And besides, he’s cruising along much quicker than George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss!

6. The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu

Since we’re talking about stories of empire and colonialism, let’s hit on another one that would make for truly epic movies or a fascinating television show. Ken Liu’s The Dandelion Dynasty is the story of the roguish Kuni Garu, a dedicated layabout who becomes a bandit and eventually an emperor.

Liu’s series examines how power corrupts even the most noble hearts. The story goes far beyond Kuni. Later books follow his children as they explore and expand the borders of their empire.

In terms of aesthetics and tone, The Dandelion Dynasty has an almost mythological feel to it, although it still sounds very grounded in character. It also has a very unique setting that combines steampunk and Asian-inspired worldbuilding. Liu coined the term “silkpunk” to describe it.

The Dandelion Dynasty would be a huge film series that spans generations, complete with epic quests, meddling gods, cool creatures and political turmoil. It would be a complex project for a studio to take on, but could be really special if it’s done well.