It’s no secret that books make fantastic television series’. Or, at least, all the fancy TV producers out there seem to think so, because in the past few years we have seen a wonderful surge in the number of shows based on our favourite book series. So, our favourite story of musical thrones aside, we have decided to take a look at the best that our small screens are offering these days, and the books you may not have realised they are based on:
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House of Cards – This multi-award winning drama starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright is actually based on the novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs. Currently available as an eBook, the novel was inspired by Dobbs’ own career as the United Kingdom’s Chief of Staff during the Thatcher administration. -
Olive Kitteridge – while this mini-series is sort of our ‘new kid on the block’ for this list, it has already received critical acclaim with multiple award nominations. The book itself won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and presents 13 intertwined dramatic short stories based in the coastal town of Crosby, Maine.
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The 100 – this Emmy-nominated post-apocalyptic story of survival is based on the popular novel by Kass Morgan. Set in the year 3010, humanity has been reduced to living in spaceships orbiting Earth. But the time has come to see if the toxic after-effects of nuclear war have finally waned, and who better to risk sending to the Earth’s surface than a group of juvenile delinquent ‘expendables’.
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The Walking Dead – This incredibly popular story of survival in the face of the zombie apocalypse is based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman. Also now available as a series of novels, the original comic won the prestigious Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series. If you’ve already gotten hooked by the show, we definitely recommend giving the comics a go.
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Penny Dreadful – ok, so odds are you knew this one was based on the classic horror stories. Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray have all made appearances so far, and with Season 2 just around the corner, we can’t wait to see what else they’ve got waiting for us next (just quietly, this blogger is hoping to see some Edgar Allan Poe to creep in!)
Before we go, don’t forget to keep an eye out for a couple of new book adaptations we’re super excited about too:
Mr Mercedes by Stephen King is due to be given the TV treatment later this year, and will emerge as a mini-series by the great David E Kelley, best known for Boston Legal and Ally McBeal.
A series based on the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley is also in the works, with news that Sam Mendes (producer of Skyfall and American Beauty) and Harriet Warner (one of the writers behind Call the Midwife) are already on board.
Being a super huge fan of both of these authors, this blogger is holding her breath and dancing up and down with anticipation. Here’s hoping they do the books justice!
