7 fantasy book series that would make terrific TV shows
Successful fantasy shows have enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 21st century, but there are still many incredible fantasy book series that have yet to be adapted for TV.
By Joel Wagler
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Since The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter grabbed everyone's attention early in the 21st century, the fantasy genre has enjoyed popularity both at the theaters and on television. It is a genre that probes and sparks the imagination like no other.
Numerous book series have made it to either the big screen or the small screen, and in some cases, both. While the The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter led the way, they were followed by Game of Thrones, The Witcher, Shadow and Bone, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wheel of Time, among others.
Still, there are many other fantastic book series yet to be adapted. Some have already been attempted but the timing wasn't right, or the production wasn't what it could have been, or for whatever reasons, they just failed. There are a few that are worthy of another try. Others deserve their first chance. Let's celebrate them here:
1. The Belgariad by David Eddings and Leigh Eddings
The Belgariad would make a terrific series for a number of reasons. While it is a five-book series, the books are not fearsomely long. The material could be covered in a tidy three-season series, maybe 24 episodes.
There also two prequels — Belgareth the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress — that would serve as background material for the series. They could be easily blended into a live-action project to help audiences get familiar with the Eddings' world.
As with many fantasy series, The Belgariad is about a quest, with strong characters, interesting locales, and crises that test the heroes and move the story forward. The characters are searching for an ancient magical talisman that an evil god wants to use to rule the world.
While the plot isn't particularly unique, the characters are people audiences will connect with. There is humor to be enjoyed as well, something many fantasy shows lack.
The Eddings' have sold more than 18 million copies of The Belgariad so there is a large audience built in waiting for an adaptation. It would be a worthy project.
For our next choice, let's look at a more contemporary fantasy author: