7 fantasy book series that would make terrific TV shows
By Joel Wagler
3. The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind
In the late 2000s, an attempt to bring this marvelous, dark series to TV resulted in 44 episodes of a show called Legend of the Seeker, but it was aired via syndication so it was hard to find. The acting and writing didn't quite do the material justice either, as the show didn't follow the original story very closely.
The main Sword of Truth story spans 15 books and features a handful of strong, heroic, magical lead characters in a unique world. While there is a lot of content to sort through, there are parts of the series that, while terrific on the page, could be compressed or eliminated on the screen without changing the overall narrative very much.
The series has sold over 26 million copies so the audience for The Sword of Truth is gigantic. It also includes a love story for the ages and would appeal to a wide variety of audiences.
The commitment to tell this story completely and correctly could be too much to ask. But The Wheel of Time has shown there is a way to condense a lengthy book series in a thoughtful way. A similar procuess would need to be undertaken here, and the results would be well worth the time and money.
The next selection has a big built-in audience: