The success of Andor, the new Star Wars series airing on Disney+, is yet another indication that speculative fiction, science fiction in particular, is having something of a moment. In both movies and TV, viewers want to see fascinating (and sometimes disturbing) visions of the future and other planets.
Some of the most notable science fiction movies and TV are, of course, adaptations of novels, from Frank Herbert’s Dune to Isaac Asimov’s Foundation. However, as the users of Reddit have pointed out, there are a number of other fantastic science fiction novels that are ripe for adaptation.
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
In addition to being a golden age for science fiction, this is also a great period for dystopian fiction and movies. There are, in fact, a number of great dystopian movies already in existence. Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, which focuses on a subaltern named Darrow as he tries to escape from his dreary existence as a miner, seems like it's brimming with on-screen potential.
Lightsongtheold thinks that “Red Rising could make a great blockbuster franchise for a major studio.” Indeed, with its skilled combination of action and biting social commentary, this is the type of book that could make for a very compelling and exciting screen adaptation.
The Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robinson
Kim Stanley Robinson is truly one of the giants working in science fiction today. His Mars trilogy is particularly well-regarded, as it follows a group of characters as they settle on Mars. Sprawling in scope yet intimate in detail, it is a testament to what the genre can achieve.
Isaachwells writes: “I feel like KSR's Mars Trilogy as a 3 season series would be good too.” In the right hands, and with a studio willing to invest enough money to make sure each book in the series got its own season, it could very well become one of the best science fiction television series.
Jacob’s Ladder - Elizabeth Bear
Elizabeth Bear’s science fiction, like the best that the genre has to offer, manages to combine thoughtful explorations of the realms of the possible with social commentary. In her Jacob’s Ladder trilogy, the residents of a ship have to find a way to overcome their mutual antipathy or else risk annihilation.
Sardiafalls has this to say about a potential adaptation: “Elizabeth Bear's Jacob's Ladder trilogy seems like it would translate onto film in a very cool way, and isn't incredibly dense like so many classics that make them hard to adapt.” Given how difficult it can sometimes be to translate science fiction’s narrative and conceptual density to a comprehensible film form, this sets Bear’s works apart from many others.
Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons
The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons are a rich and layered series of novels. The first book in the series is told in the style of The Canterbury Tales and, while this might pose some challenges when it comes to adaptation, it could also make for some fascinating on-screen storytelling.
ResoluteClover writes: “I really like the way they've done Foundation so far and would love to see something similar for Hyperion.” Given the extent to which Foundation has become one of the best series on Apple TV+, it’s easy to see how a talented team of writers and a big budget could do justice to Simmons’ visionary work.
Rendezvous With Rama - Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke is one of those who can rightly be seen as a giant of the science fiction genre. Among other things, he wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey, the basis for one of the best science fiction movies ever made. As was the case with 2001, Rendezvous with Rama is also a challenging novel, but this is precisely what makes it such a compelling piece of fiction, engaging as it does with the strange and the unknowable.
However, as APeacefulWarrior points out: “The writer would need to do a lot of work, making it into a compelling movie/show.” However, given the success that Apple TV+ has had with adapting Foundation, a similarly dense piece of work, this is something that is definitely achievable in the right hands.
The Mote In God’s Eye - Larry Niven And Jerry Pournelle
Like much of the best science fiction, The Mote in God’s Eye is actually a biblical reference (in this case to the parable “The Mote and the Beam.”) And, also like the best the genre has to offer, it explores what happens when humanity comes into contact with another species.
Radioactive_Isot0pe writes: “I've just started reading this one and I'm really enjoying it. I've been thinking it'd be a great tv show or movie.” If ever adapted, this movie could join the other great science fiction movies which have also imagined the encounter between two different species.
The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow is a fascinating exploration of the intersection between science fiction, faith, and philosophy. Rich and textured in its telling, it focuses on a Jesuit missionary who embarks on a mission to explore a far planet.
Isaachwells is particularly enthusiastic about an adaptation of this, writing: “The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell could be great.” In the hands of a skilled director, it could be one of those science fiction films which pushes the audience to think differently about the world around them and their place in it.
Blindsight - Peter Watts
Some science fiction novels are more cerebral than others. This is certainly the case with Blindsight which, among other things, probes the nature of consciousness. As such, it is one of those works that uses the conventions of the genre to explore new and sometimes uncharted territory.
EntangledTime writes of a potential adaptation: “Same and I want Villeneuve to direct. I think it's a story he would be interested in and he would knock it out of the park.” Given how skilled Villeneuve has already shown himself to be in the adaptation of sprawling works of science fiction, it’s easy to see how he would excel at such a project.
Pride of Chanur - C.J. Cherryh
The name of C.J. Cherryh has long been synonymous with speculative fiction. Much of her work is rich and textured, evoking new worlds and races. This is particularly true of Pride of Chanur and the other books in its series, which truly immerse the reader in another world.
Neon_Otyugh imagines it this way: “Mostly female cast all wearing motion capture suits (with one exception). Absolutely no one who worked on Cats would be involved. Iggy Pop would be the voice of the Knnn.” This type of work would definitely lend itself to a visually stunning sort of science fiction movie, something akin to Avatar which, whatever its flaws, is an undeniable piece of movie magic.
Dhalgren - Samuel R. Delaney
Samuel R. Delaney’s Dhalgren is a fascinating, enigmatic, and difficult book, but for all of these reasons, it is truly one of the great works of the genre. Focusing on a city that has been affected by a catastrophe, it features a main character known simply as “the Kid.”
Bob999 writes: “Would love to see a miniseries adaptation of Dhalgren. Way too long and convoluted for a movie, but the extra hours (along with a deft editor) could help capture that amazing book.” Challenging as it might be, there’s no doubt that a television adaptation of the book would do a great deal to push the genre as a whole in some new and fascinating directions.