As book fans, we often get disappointed when we try to watch book-to-film adaptations. “The book was better,” is usually the most repeated statement by book readers after giving the film a shot. However, there are good adaptations out there. Though the stories may deviate a bit from the books, here are some of the best TV shows based on books.
1. Game Of Thrones (HBO) based on the novel series A Song of Ice and Fire
This is probably considered the best of all tv shows based on books. Based on the book series A Song Of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, is a show full of betrayal, politics, murder, magic, dragons, and all the drama that comes with a fight for power. As many already know, the TV show went ahead of the books and a whole lot of weird shenanigans started. Despite that, the show still managed to take the world by storm and did not fail to intrigue, surprise, and even shock people out there. Fans of the books are still eagerly waiting for The Winds of Winter though, the sixth book in the series.
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2. The Handmaid’s Tale
The book was published in 1985 by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood. The first season of the tv show is a very close adaptation of the dystopian tale. With its close-to-home themes on patriarchy, totalitarian regimes, and the oppression of women; the series caused quite a stir and renewed people’s interest in the book. The story follows a woman, Offred (one of the few remaining fertile women in the society) who is forced to produce offspring for the elite ruling class. It is a raw and chilling tale worth watching.
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3. Outlander
Based on the book series by the same name by Diana Gabaldon, this love story follows Claire, a lady who gets torn up between two worlds and two lovers. As she jumps back and forth in time, we get to experience the drama and dangers of each world and how she manages to stay afloat while suffering from internal turmoil when it comes to choosing the right thing to do. This TV show gives the books a whole new life, interpreting them with such nuances and twists to keep you hooked.
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4. 13 Reasons Why (Season 1)
We are only going to talk about the first season here because the rest of the seasons were not based on the original book by Jay Asher. It is a story that follows the suicide of a high school student, the circumstances leading up to that desperate decision, and all the events that occurred afterward. Very raw and sad, the story focuses on how individual actions and words affect others more than we know.
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5. Looking for Alaska
Based on John Green’s first novel by the same title, this captivating mini-series follows the life of a very timid boy who played it safe all his life until he went to a boarding school where he meets the enigmatic and ever-elusive girl by the name of Alaska. It is a great show that focuses on friendship, teenage love, and how getting out of your comfort zone can help you grow and discover fascinating things in life.
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6. Sharp Objects
This is a fantastic mini-series based on the novel Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl). This debut novel of hers is an investigative thriller with a strong female lead who comes back to her hometown to look into the case of the murder of two young girls. But coming back home is not always as peachy as it sounds, sometimes there are demons and bones buried deep in the places we grew up. Camille has to fight for her sanity while trying to solve these murders. It is a very good show that deals with crime and issues concerning mental health.
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7. The Outsider
The list will be amiss without mentioning something from Stephen King who was named by Guinness Superlatives as the living author with the greatest number of motion picture adaptions of his work. Of course, the story starts ordinarily with the murder of a boy and everything seems very clear as the police are content, they have their perpetrator. But this is Stephen King and nothing is ever that easy and non-spooky. The tale takes a supernatural twist and bigger guns have to be brought in, which means investigators willing to keep their minds wide open. But then, how long can one keep an open mind? Just how far are we willing to open ourselves to certain things that defy logic? This is a great show based on a very good book.
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8. The Wheel of Time
Ok, I know, it might be too early to put this show here since it has just begun showing the first season but it is worth mentioning. Based on the 14-book series by Robert Jordan (and later finished by Brandon Sanderson) The Show sometimes deviates a bit from the main story (which really makes the book purists very angry) but the core story remains the same. It focuses on a group of young people uprooted from their homes because prophecy implied one of them is the so-called Dragon Reborn (one person who can either mend or break the world). Drawn into a world of magic, darkness, creatures that want to kill them, and very intricate politics, these characters must grow and become something they have never dreamed of before. The fate of the world is in their hands and life as they knew it was never going to be the same again. Of course, the TV show is fast-paced compared to the books that took a more deliberate and sedated pace.
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9. Good Omens
Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman came together and wrote a very crazy book. It is a tale of an unlikely partnership, one character from heaven and another one from hell who come together to stop the antichrist and the end of the world. Very witty and weirdly crazy, the mini-series captured the humor of the book and brings it to the screen for the audience to binge through.
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10. Jessica Jones
Based on the comic books by Brian Michael Bendis, this show explores the life of our protagonist Jessica who could not make it into the Avengers. So, she opens up her own private investigation office. But danger lurks as she meets the most one of the most frightening villains of all. Very sassy and abrasive in nature, the protagonist is dealing with her own demons while trying to stay afloat (and sober).
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Honorable mentions
What are some of your best TV shows based on books? Did your favorite make the list? Do let us know in the comments below!
written by David for Globalwriters Publishing
