Topic: Books that could and maybe should to be made into a movie

[Khalee1]

Dragon lance I love those books

The Hobbit they need to get with it and make that into a movie. And yes I got the animated version but I want live action.

[Javora]

I'd like to see the Drizzit series get put into a movie.  I think something like that could really put AD&D back on the map in a good way.

[Sirgod]

My Son Christopher, well he used to work with Tracy, anyway they are doing an Animated DL movie as I type this.

Stephen

[Dracho]

Chronicles of Thomas Covenant would make a good made-for-TV miniseries on SciFi.

So would the "Lost Brigade" series, or any of Harry Turtledove's stuff.  Especially the SciFi series where aliens invade Earth at the height of WWII.

[Sirgod]

Chronicles of Thomas Covenant would make a good made-for-TV miniseries on SciFi.

So would the "Lost Brigade" series, or any of Harry Turtledove's stuff.  Especially the SciFi series where aliens invade Earth at the height of WWII.

I have always wanted to See CoTC made. There was talk also along tiem ago, of Stranger in a Strange land being a series (like back in the 70's) , But I doubt it would fly today.

I don't think I'm alone, When I mention that some Star Trek novels would have made Good TV.

Stephen

[Dracho]

You know, a great idea would be instead of a new star Trek series, to make a group 2 hour of made-for-TV Star Trek movies that are based on episodes on the more popular books.

Think about it, instead of 12 1-hour shows a season they could do 6  2-hour shows, and the budget would be roughly the samel  And the writing wouldn't suck, because the plots are already there!

[Sirgod]

Along time ago, Pre-Voyager, there was talk of doing something like that With Capt. Sulu on the excelsior. I would have loved to see that, But the Novel 6 movie idea is also something I could enjoy.

Stephen

[762_XC]

Red Storm Rising. woohoo!

[Hexx]

Red Storm Rising. woohoo!

While it's probably my favourite Clancy Book, I think they are doing Rainbow 6  next (iirc)

[Sirgod]

What's the novel that Followed Clarks beginings? I loved that one by Clancy.

Stephen

[Hexx]

Without Remorse

[Sirgod]

That's It, thanks Hexx.

Stephen

[Dracho]

You know, the WEB Griffith books would make a good movie too.. Any of the series.

Or Mack Bolan baby!

[Commander La'ra]

I'd love to see a really good big-screen adaptation of one of the better Horatio Hornblower novels.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

Red Storm Rising would be cool.  Red Phoenix (by Larry Bond, who helped Clancy with Red Storm Rising and mader the Harpoon game) was another good one revolving around a North Korea/South Korea conflict.

I would also like to see the Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist, done.

[Dracho]

Team Yankee would be a great movie.

[EmeraldEdge]

I'm always a little surprised they haven't made movies out of Daniel M. Pinkwater's books.  I mean, c'mon.  Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars was great and he had a ton of really odd ball books.  Just up the quality of the film so they aren't some quick drop to get the kid crowd type movie with lame acting, lighting, cinematograpy....  they could be a lot of fun I think.

[GDA-S'Cipio]

Chronicles of Thomas Covenant would make a good made-for-TV miniseries on SciFi.

So would the "Lost Brigade" series, or any of Harry Turtledove's stuff.  Especially the SciFi series where aliens invade Earth at the height of WWII.

I think Covenant would be hard to do as a movie.  You could film the action sequences easy enough, but the story of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever would be hard to get across.

On the other hand, I'd *love* to see either of those Turtledove epics turned to film.  The star of a Turtledove story is the story itself; viewed through the eyes of a large cast of characters all too close to the action to see the what they are looking at.  (Not as true in the Misplaced Legion series as it is in his later series.)  I think this writing style would work great in a translation to film, and I think the WWII alien invasion saga would be perfect.  As soon as I started reading those books I've been "filming" trailers for those books in my head for years. 

The early scene where alien fighters suddenly dive/blast their way through a formation of Lancaster bombers.

The (also early) scene where the German tank commander sees one of his lead Panzers explode, and order the formation to stop because he suspects mines.  Then he looks up and sees alien fighters firing air-to-surface missiles at his column and orders them to move!  move!  move!

The alien reaction when the Nazis attack their parked motherships with Big Bertah, and their shock when they realize that their anti-missiles aren't going to stop the incominhg rounds because those aren't missiles, they're shells!

It would be fantastic.

-S'Cipio

[Dracho]

The Lost Regiment (sorry, it's regiment, not brigade) is not the Lost Legon series, thought they are very similar in plot..

One has barbarians, the other has 7' cats with a bad attitude.  Think Gen. Sherman vs. the Kzinti.


http://www.amazon.com/Rally-Lost-Regiment-William-Forstchen/dp/0451450078/sr=8-1/qid=1159301225/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-5584093-1217543?ie=UTF8&s=books

When Union Colonel Andrew Keane led his blue-coated soldiers aboard the transport ship, he could not have foreseen that their next port of call would be neither in the North nor the South, but on an alternate world where no human was free. Storm-swept through a space-time warp, Keane's Regiment was shipwrecked in an alien land, a land where all that stood between them and destruction was the power of rifles over swords, spears, and crossbows.

Into this serfdom ruled by nobles and the Church, Keane and his men brought the radical ideas of freedom, equality, and democracy, a technology centuries ahead of the world they must now call home. Yet all their knowledge and training might not save them from the true rulers there, creatures to whom all humans were mere cattle, bred for sacrifice!

[The Postman]

Enders Game is supposed to come out in 2008. If they butcher that as badly as Starship Troopers. I will probably skip it.

[TheJudge]

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever would work well as a huge mini-series, say 3-4 two-hour episodes per book.  Sci-Fi could put them into the mix between their seasons for things like May/November sweeps.  That would be NICE. 

So would Turtledove (would anyone be surprised that I read his books too?).  The alien invasion story is my favorite though, and I really loved the early books where the alien technology was so much more advanced, yet at the same not TOO advanced.  You gotta love Sam Yeager, the minor league ball player who reads Sci-Fi turned alien handler and eventually Ambassador to Home.  (um, alien homeworld for those who haven't read the books).

At the end of the latest book I read, where the human starship proves it is more advanced than anything the lizards had ever developed...there was a bastard smile on my face. 

(Yes, I know better than to bring up the whole issue of nuking of the colonization fleet and turning in the United States President who was responsible for the murder of millions of lizard civilians.  Woops)

[Soreyes]

The Star Trek Book I would love to see as a movie would be "The Final Reflection"

[J. Carney]

Dragon lance I love those books

You get your wish.

http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/

Such names as Lucy Lawless (Goldmoon), Michael Rosenbaum (Tanis Half-Elven), Michelle Trachtenberg (Tika Waylan) and Kiefer Sutherland (Raistlin Majere) are in the cast.

[J. Carney]

Team Yankee would be a great movie.

Team Yankere would be a kick-arse movie.

Gates of Fire and Tides of War would make two more good mivies... not sure about Pressfield's new book, I haven't read it yet.

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

Dragon lance I love those books

You get your wish.

http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/

Such names as Lucy Lawless (Goldmoon), Michael Rosenbaum (Tanis Half-Elven), Michelle Trachtenberg (Tika Waylan) and Kiefer Sutherland (Raistlin Majere) are in the cast.

Ugh... I could do without Dragonlance....

Hell, the one PC I ran in DL even had a standing order that he killed every kender he ever came across... DM never gave me a chance to get near Tasslehoff Burrfoot or his legacy would have ended short also...

And regarding 'Gates of Fire' I think they are working on bring that to the silver screen as we speak...

Movie rights for this novel have been acquired by Universal Studios for George Clooney and Robert Lawrence's Maysville Pictures.

[wulf111]

I wuold like to se Robert Asprins M.Y.T.H. series done as a mini-series with Vince Vaughn as the voice of Ahz the Pervert i mean Pervect

[Sirgod]

I wuold like to se Robert Asprins M.Y.T.H. series done as a mini-series with Vince Vaughn as the voice of Ahz the Pervert i mean Pervect

You know I was just thinking that myself. The first four books where pretty good IMHO.

Dragon lance I love those books

You get your wish.

http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/

Such names as Lucy Lawless (Goldmoon), Michael Rosenbaum (Tanis Half-Elven), Michelle Trachtenberg (Tika Waylan) and Kiefer Sutherland (Raistlin Majere) are in the cast.

Ugh... I could do without Dragonlance....

Hell, the one PC I ran in DL even had a standing order that he killed every kender he ever came across... DM never gave me a chance to get near Tasslehoff Burrfoot or his legacy would have ended short also...

And regarding 'Gates of Fire' I think they are working on bring that to the silver screen as we speak...

Movie rights for this novel have been acquired by Universal Studios for George Clooney and Robert Lawrence's Maysville Pictures.

Why Can I picture Bear in full SCA garb running around yelling Kender Kabobs... Get your Kender Kabobs while there still fresh...

stephen

[Dracho]

I went to Barnes & Nobles at lunch and picked up 2 new Turtledove books:

In one the Japanese invade Hawaii in 1942, and in the other the US & Soviets make a joint mission to another star, and find a civil war in progress.  Of course they pick opposite sides.

[GDA-S'Cipio]

I went to Barnes & Nobles at lunch and picked up 2 new Turtledove books:

In one the Japanese invade Hawaii in 1942,

I picked that one up for my father-in-law, who liked it, but haven't had the chance to read it myself yet.  How does he put out so many books so fast?  LOL  And they are usually good.   Meanwhile Robert Jordon, Mr. Cha Ching, hasn't been able to squeeze out more than a page a month in years.....

-S'Cipio

[Capt_Bearslayer_XC]

Why Can I picture Bear in full SCA garb running around yelling Kender Kabobs... Get your Kender Kabobs while there still fresh...

stephen

Um... b/c they are acompletely annoying little race.  It would be an absolute 1000% of the time job for every god in that world to keep those things alive in any type of reality...  some times it is great to be a barbarian...

[Dracho]

I went to Barnes & Nobles at lunch and picked up 2 new Turtledove books:

In one the Japanese invade Hawaii in 1942,

I picked that one up for my father-in-law, who liked it, but haven't had the chance to read it myself yet.  How does he put out so many books so fast?  LOL  And they are usually good.   Meanwhile Robert Jordon, Mr. Cha Ching, hasn't been able to squeeze out more than a page a month in years.....

-S'Cipio

Jordan is pretty ill though, as I understand it.  Some disease where his bones build calcium in his heart.  Bad stuff.

[Hexx]

Jordan has been milking a series that started out as outstanding for at least 3-4 books now. Given that it's like
2 years between books it's been some time.
Unfortunately Martin seems to have picked up the habit in "A Feast for Crows". Still hopefully the next one will get back on track.
(ANd he at least has something of an excuse)

I really don't see how people like Turtledoves writing- his war/batte/conflict/political stuff is good.
But his day to day life stuff just seems repetitive- always has seemed to me he's trying to build up the page count.

[J. Carney]

I like Gates of Fire too much to see George Looney get his hands on it.

I  hope that he just has the actors do what's in the book rather than rewriting it the way that whatever dunderhead who did Staship Troopers killed Heinlin's masterpiece.

BOTH of those books are required reading for new troops in our company.
And yes, you do get questioned on them.

[TheJudge]

I like Gates of Fire too much to see George Looney get his hands on it.

I  hope that he just has the actors do what's in the book rather than rewriting it the way that whatever dunderhead who did Staship Troopers killed Heinlin's masterpiece.

BOTH of those books are required reading for new troops in our company.
And yes, you do get questioned on them.

Starship Troopers should be required reading in boot camp for all branches of the military service.  Hell, it should be required reading for every politician involved in government positions that involve the military as well. 

[Sirgod]

I like Gates of Fire too much to see George Looney get his hands on it.

I  hope that he just has the actors do what's in the book rather than rewriting it the way that whatever dunderhead who did Staship Troopers killed Heinlin's masterpiece.

BOTH of those books are required reading for new troops in our company.
And yes, you do get questioned on them.

Starship Troopers should be required reading in boot camp for all branches of the military service.  Hell, it should be required reading for every politician involved in government positions that involve the military as well. 

I'd add another book to that list. Armor by John Steakly. I got a copy of that book as a gift, and I still read it every couple of months. Hell it would make a good movie also.

Stephen

[Dracho]

Any of the Larry Bonds books would make a great movie.  Red Phoenix comes to mind.

Edit:  Though I see Bearslayer beat me to it.

[Hexx]

Don't know- I find the Larry Bond books tend to revert to the " Bad Guys decide to try and overwhelm fixed defences through massive troop loss" for the important battles. -The bad guy generals are gerally shown as comptetent until the final battle, then kinda throw every tactic out the window.
That being said- I did like the one where the US/Nato and the Soviets invaded (Iran??) and were trying to stop the third party from building nukes. Can't remember which book it was though..

[Dracho]

(Slaps head)  DOH!  Any of the Dale Brown books would make a great movie.

Flight of the Intruder was a pretty decent movie as it was, although that was Coonts.

[Hexx]

(Slaps head)  DOH!  Any of the Dale Brown books would make a great movie.

Wasn't he the one who had the series of books with a pimped out B-52 that could do anything?

[Dracho]

(Slaps head)  DOH!  Any of the Dale Brown books would make a great movie.

Wasn't he the one who had the series of books with a pimped out B-52 that could do anything?

Flight of the Old Dog

[RazalYllib]

Covenant...nice idea, but I too feel that it would most difficult (if not Impossible) to "tell" the story...a lot of it is internal and that is really hard to show.

But if it was done correctley in such a way where the audience would have an empathy toward TC and was made to fall in love with "the Land"- only to watch it darken over the 1st trilogy til the end, they might be able to feel the implied paradox inside of covenant that is textual and hard to communicate through the media type : Movies, Films, etc...its is not a happy story, TC has some serious grim events happen it is would be tough to put those things in a visual adaptation to a mass market and have it understood...but if someone pulled it off, it would be fantabulous. At One Time...many moons ago in my wild foolish squandered youth, I had once attempted it as something to do, but I had not the skills to handle the material. My attempt at a Ringworld script was much easier, but got basically bored manually transcribing text by hand to get a start.

Bunch of Niven would make good Sci Fi Movies-

Above mentioned Ringworld and followups
Dream Park and the others.
Mote in Gods Eye (first contact at its finest)
Legacy of Heorot (very scary monsters--lots and lots of them GRENDEL!!!)
Lucifers Hammer (I know there are other Comet crashes Earth movies- this is the big one though)
FootFall (interesting take on the venerable Alien Invades Earth plot device)

and for the really adventuress:
Inferno (sci-fi take on Dante)

Others:

The Long Run-Daniel Keys Moran (good really good)
Tailchashers Song- (think cat pov like watership down w/ da bunny rabbits and flavor with fantasy elements good very good)
Master of Five Magics and followups.
Incarnations of Immortallity- (Piers Anthony series good oh so good)
Four Lords of the Diamond- (Jack Chalker good good it is)

and the last two may shock or disturb you, but IMVHO very good reads:

Battlefield Earth (the story LRH wrote not the rotting refuse that was filmed)

and as a serial, which is how it is "organized"

Mission Earth Volumes 1-10...yes, LRH dectology opus...no one else could have written it. Its one of those things that people will either love it or hate it. It is not for the faint of heart nor those with delicate sensablities, but I found it to be quite enjoyable experience slogging through a 10 volume narrative. Others I had lent my copy either finished it or gave it up cause they didnt like it and felt it "grind" from event to event. The ones who finished enjoyed it tremendously. I feel if not censored and depicted as "satire" it would be a very wild ride.

[S'Raek]

I like Gates of Fire too much to see George Looney get his hands on it.

I  hope that he just has the actors do what's in the book rather than rewriting it the way that whatever dunderhead who did Staship Troopers killed Heinlin's masterpiece.

BOTH of those books are required reading for new troops in our company.
And yes, you do get questioned on them.

Starship Troopers should be required reading in boot camp for all branches of the military service.  Hell, it should be required reading for every politician involved in government positions that involve the military as well. 

I'd add another book to that list. Armor by John Steakly. I got a copy of that book as a gift, and I still read it every couple of months. Hell it would make a good movie also.

Stephen

Armor is a very good book, I've read it several times.  But I think they'd screw it up, what with the massive difference in tempo between the two sections.  And some people would go to the movie and not get it or like it at least. 

I liked the first few Incarnations of Immortallity books, but reading about the same story from five different angles got old.  The first book was good though.  It would make a good movie. 

Some of the other Heinlein stuff would probably make money.  Glory Road could be a good action/comedy and some of the Lazarus Long stuff might work. 

On the topic of books, has anyone read a book that I think was titled "Hegemon" or something like that.  I seem to remember it being part of a series (that I'd like to read) but can't find it again.  The basic story was everyone on the planet lived in these huge (hexagonal?) cities, post WW3 kind of stuff.  The Chinese were now the major influence, dominate culture and things were very socially stratified.  That's basically all I remember, except that I liked the book.  Any help would be appreciated. 

[Hexx]

Sounds kinda like the Chung Kuo series by David Wingrove.
Although there isn't a book called Hegemon in it.

[KAT Chuut-Ritt]

Well maybe I'm Biased, but the Man-Kzin Wars Series comes to mind.

Also Pohl's "Gateway", Clarke's "Childhood's End,  and I could see a movie loosely based aroung "Thieve's World" as well, but with a unifying theme so the characters could be in one story.

The one I'd most love to see however, is the first six books of Elric of Melnibone, and it looks like it may be happening 

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&id=1808502990&cf=prev

[J. Carney]

I like Gates of Fire too much to see George Looney get his hands on it.

I  hope that he just has the actors do what's in the book rather than rewriting it the way that whatever dunderhead who did Staship Troopers killed Heinlin's masterpiece.

BOTH of those books are required reading for new troops in our company.
And yes, you do get questioned on them.

Starship Troopers should be required reading in boot camp for all branches of the military service.  Hell, it should be required reading for every politician involved in government positions that involve the military as well. 

I'd add another book to that list. Armor by John Steakly. I got a copy of that book as a gift, and I still read it every couple of months. Hell it would make a good movie also.

Stephen

Thanks, SG...  I'll be sure to check that one out as well.

Growth and Development is an easy class... and the little blond firefighter that I sit beside makes it a little easier... so I should have time to re3ad it this semester.

[TheJudge]

Actually, I've given some thoughts to how they could cinematically deal with Thomas Covenant's internal strife, and the beauty of the land.  The Land is the easiest part.  For the first scenes where Covenant is in the 'real world', the color should be faded slightly.  Nothing to significant, just a few shades more gray than normal.  Then when he enters the land and his percipience begins to increase...everything is in full <regular> color.  No enhancements, no extra vibrancy, just full regular color. 

As for Covenant's internal strife, that's a lot harder to deal with.  First of all a good actor is needed who can effectively do facial expressions showing his discomfort.  I probably would add in dialogue between him and Saltheart Foamfollower as they're going down the Mithril that expands on his internal debate...maybe while he's lying fevered in the boat after the run-in with the Ur-Viles.  Saltheart is the perfect character to dump the added dialogue on, drawing him closer to Covenant.  It's also established in the books that Saltheart is one of the few characters of the Land that Covenant cares for in a more positive way.  As for the 'sharing' of information that Saltheart never got in the books, I doubt it would hurt the story or make it any less than it already is...and it will probably add to the poignancy of the final scenes between them in The Power that Preserves, starting with the crossing of the Hotash Slay, and all the way to the scenes where Covenant frees Saltheart Foamfollower from his chains before destroying the Illearth Stone. 

Jeez, not sure if I got those names right, it's been a few years since I read the books...

[Riskyllama]

On the topic of books, has anyone read a book that I think was titled "Hegemon" or something like that.  I seem to remember it being part of a series (that I'd like to read) but can't find it again.  The basic story was everyone on the planet lived in these huge (hexagonal?) cities, post WW3 kind of stuff.  The Chinese were now the major influence, dominate culture and things were very socially stratified.  That's basically all I remember, except that I liked the book.  Any help would be appreciated. 

Are you talking about the Ender's game series and Shadow of the Hegemon?

[Commander Maxillius]

Battlefield Earth would make a bad-ass mini-series, where you could have 6-10 episodes of the same length as the POS movie with John Travolta in it.


Hell, An entire series could be made out of the repercussions of destroying Psychlo alone!

[Nemesis]

How does he put out so many books so fast?  LOL  And they are usually good. 

-S'Cipio

He actually is a historian and his books are mostly based on what he knows (with a twist of course) so he doesn't need to do the research most other authors would have to do to put out an alternate history book.  It definitely speeds him up and adds to the quality.  His weakest in my opinion are those that are more "pure" sci fi.

His sci fi book Earthgrip would actually make a good TV series idea.

[Nemesis]

There are a great many Sci Fi books that could make excellent movies or TV shows.  TV would be especially good as the setting gets time to be shown in more detail.

H. Beam Pipers Space Viking or Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen.
E.E. "Doc" Smiths Lensman series
Jerry Pournelles War World series
Philip Francis Nowlans Armageddon 2419 A.D (and the sequels based on outlines by Niven/Pournelle)
John W. Campbells The Moon is Hell for a serious drama.
Alan Dean Fosters Humanx Commonwealth books (a common setting rather than a series)

Just to name a few.

[kmelew]

Alan Dean Fosters Humanx Commonwealth books (a common setting rather than a series)

Nor Crystal Tears would be good, I think.  It tells the story of the first contact between Man and Thranx from the Thranx point of view.

[Nemesis]

James P. Hogan is another good author for a movie or TV series.

The Inherit the Stars series (Starts with a dead man found on the Moon - 50,000 years dead).
The Two Faces of Tomorrow (Man VS AI)
The Genesis Machine (West VS East and a pair of scientists caught in the middle)
Voyage to Yesteryear (Post WWIII Starship goes out to bring the Centauri colony under American Hegemony - with other ships not far behind)

Eric Frank Russell

The Great Explosion (the colonies have been cut off for 400 years now Earth wants an Empire - how do you deal with a colony founded by criminals?  Back to nature fanatics?  A colony with the "ultimate weapon" which they are immune to?)

Design for a Great Day (The War to decide the future of the Galaxy is about to begin but a legend appears - is it real or fake?)

[S'Raek]

Sounds kinda like the Chung Kuo series by David Wingrove.
Although there isn't a book called Hegemon in it.

That looks like it might be it, thanks for the help! 

[kmelew]

James P. Hogan is another good author for a movie or TV series.

The Inherit the Stars series (Starts with a dead man found on the Moon - 50,000 years dead).
The Two Faces of Tomorrow (Man VS AI)
The Genesis Machine (West VS East and a pair of scientists caught in the middle)
Voyage to Yesteryear (Post WWIII Starship goes out to bring the Centauri colony under American Hegemony - with other ships not far behind)

Don't forget The Proteus Operation. 

[IAF Lyrkiller]

None of them should be made into movies.













































































J/K

[S'Raek]

I was digging through the books the other day and pulled out some old favorites.  I think that Saberhagen's Swords books would make pretty good movies, if done right of course.  The Swords themselves are very interesting and the story is decent too. 

http://www.amazon.com/First-Swords-Book-Volumes-3/dp/0312869169/sr=8-1/qid=1162048283/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-4503982-9476145?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Sirgod]

Man Saberhagen; Didn't he also have a series of books, Dealing with a Borg /Human war, way before the Borg where on ST? Man I can't recall the name of that race for anything.

Stephen

[Nemesis]

Man Saberhagen; Didn't he also have a series of books, Dealing with a Borg /Human war, way before the Borg where on ST? Man I can't recall the name of that race for anything.

Stephen

If you are thinking of the Berserker series of stories then they are pure robots.  The Doomsday Machine episode of TOS was derived (loosely) from his Berserker stories).

[Nemesis]

Kieth Laumers Retief books would also make a good series.

On the topic of Saberhagen his Dracula Tapes would be a new twist on the Dracula story. 

[Sirgod]

Man Saberhagen; Didn't he also have a series of books, Dealing with a Borg /Human war, way before the Borg where on ST? Man I can't recall the name of that race for anything.

Stephen

If you are thinking of the Berserker series of stories then they are pure robots.  The Doomsday Machine episode of TOS was derived (loosely) from his Berserker stories).

That's the ones. IT had been so long since I read any of them, Way back when I was reading Pohl's Heechee series, and things like "Myth adventures" , Just getting into assimov, etc. My god, those are some good childhood memories. I think I just found my happy place for the day.

Stephen

[Nemesis]

and things like "Myth adventures"

If you want some light British Humour try Terry Pratchetts Disk World series.  He has an "original" take on many fantasy elements.

[Sirgod]

Oh I have in the past, he really is pretty good, esp. his earlier works.

Stephen

[kmelew]

The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt

Voyage by Stephen Baxter

Both IMO would make great miniseries.