Seeing a favorite book portrayed on the big screen is nothing new. I was surprised, however, to learn how many shows on the small screen are based on books. Below are a few that I discovered and am eager to watch.
The SyFy channel, not surprisingly, turned to science fiction and fantasy books for inspiration. In December it unveiled a new show called The Expanse, a space opera set hundreds of years in the future. It is based on a series of books by James S. A. Corey. In late January, The Magicians made its debut on SyFy. This show is based on Lev Grossman’s trilogy about a Brooklyn teenager who discovers magic is real when he is invited to matriculate at a college for magicians (think Harry Potter plus Narnia but for adults).
For those who can’t get enough of fantasy, there is The Shannara Chronicles and Shadowhunters. MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles is based on a series of books by Terry Brooks. There are all manner of fantastical beings, including elves, demons, a druid, and a magical tree. Shadowhunters, on Freeform (the new name for ABC Family), also boasts array of magical creatures: from warlocks, to werewolves to the aforementioned shadowhunters. It is based on the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and centers around a girl who discovers there is a secret society that protects humans and hunts down the demons who would do them harm.
In addition to Shadowhunters, Freeform looked to the world of books for two of its other series. The long running Pretty Little Liars is based on a series by Sara Shepard – think mean girls plus murder. Late January saw the introduction of Recovery Road. Based on a book by Blake Nelson, Recovery Road focuses on a young woman trying to get sober while dealing with the trials and tribulations of teenage life.
Looking for something that is neither fantasy nor young adult? Then try Younger on TV Land, a comedy (with some drama thrown in) about forty-year-old woman who decides its time for a do-over. Unable to get a job in publishing after her divorce (no one wants to hire her for an entry-level position but she has too little experience for something better), she tells a little white lie about her age and lands a twenty-six year-old boyfriend and the kind of job she had before becoming a full-time mother when she really was in her twenties. The show is based on a book Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran.
Discovering a new book through a television show isn’t usually how I find new books, but I’m always open to finding new things to read. Thanks to these shows I’ll be adding a few more books to my TBR (to be read) pile.
Mocha Girl Tiffani
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