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5 Dark Fantasy Novels that Need TV Adaptations

After all, we need something to watch once 'Game of Thrones' is over.

By Eden RoquelairePublished 7 years ago 4 min read
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We are undoubtedly in a golden age of television, especially dark fantasy and horror, what with the recent successes of Game of Thrones, American Gods, and Stranger Things. With all these massive hits going around, we might be wondering where the next could come from. With two of the three aforementioned shows being adaptations of novels, it makes sense to look towards literature again for possibilities. Here are my Top 5 picks for novels that need to be adapted into shows.

1) Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

With American Gods making the impact that it has, the next logical step after concluding the arc of the American Gods universe would be to move on to some of the author's other works. Neverwhere has the author's trademark Gothic whimsy, and a rich mythos that is barely even explored in the time it takes to read the book, so there are plenty of avenues to follow in order to stretch out the story for a good few seasons.

In true Gaiman form, the protagonist is the typical Everyman, but he is surrounded by a diverse cast of fascinating characters that pull him through the narrative. Set in the mysterious world of London Below, a vast city that exists, well, below London, there are girls with mysterious powers, monster hunters, vampires, and even angels running around down here.

The series has been adapted into stage plays, radio dramas, and even a BBC mini-series, but, with Gaiman's work becoming more and more prominent, why not do a proper adaptation for a wider audience?

2) Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, by Jhonen Vasquez

Technically a graphic novel, it is, nonetheless, a novel. Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, often abbreviated as JtHM, was created by Jhonen Vasquez, who was also the creator of short-lived children's cartoon, Invader Zim. JtHM is infinitely more adult oriented, with gore-aplenty and an abundance of colorful language. While the series ended after only 7 issues, Johnny's universe was littered with intriguing characters such as his young neighbor Squee, who eventually got his own spin-off series, and a whole host of supernatural beings whose existence may or may not be the product of Johnny's deranged mind.

It's full of dark humor, Lovecraftian themes, and insightful if controversial philosophizing. Johnny manages to be a despicable person that we still root for throughout his arc, which is a plus in this age of the Anti-Hero.

3) Various novels by Poppy Z. Brite

It's hard for me to believe that none of Poppy Z. Brite's work has yet been made into films. She has a sizable bibliography, including both novels and short fiction, mostly centering on New Orleans. Her books are full of memorable characters, and pushed readers to their limits with some truly disturbing material. So, which of her works should be adapted? Well, why pick just one?

With so many of her novels sharing overarching themes, and some characters crossing over into other stories, it makes sense to converge them into one cohesive narrative, taking elements from Brite's various works. Steve and Ghost, the protagonists from Lost Souls, could be the main protagonists, with characters from Drawing Blood and Exquisite Corpse, as well as the short stories, filling out the cast. This approach leaves the narrative open to various avenues and prevents predictability.

Especially with so much 90s nostalgia around these days, and the limitations of what you can do on TV less confined than ever, the time seems ripe for an adaptation of Brite's work. Her stories feature fascinating characters that are just begging to get their stories told.

4) The Thief of Always, by Clive Barker

With the massive success of Netflix's Stranger Things, there's definitely room for more dark fantasy involving kids while also appealing to an adult audience. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker is free of the author's more controversial themes, such as bondage, self-mutilation, and some things better left unmentioned here, focusing instead on a young boy and his desire for escapism. One thing this story retains, however, is the "deal with the devil" trope which Barker has used in many of his stories.

While it would probably not work as a continuing series, The Thief of Always would make a perfect mini-series, covering the events of the book. The main character, Harvey, runs away to a magical "Holiday House," a pocket dimension full of children that cycles through Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter every day, with Christmas and Halloween happening every night. The place is a wonder for Harvey, until he starts noticing the dark corners of the facade, which lead him to uncover the truth and face his own frailties.

The story is charming, scary, and cleverly-written, and, although it shares some similarities to Neil Gaiman's Coraline, it actually pre-dates that novel, and, I think deserves its own chance to shine with a screen adaptation.

5) The Secret Books of Paradys, by Tanith Lee

Tanith Lee is probably the best writer you've never heard of. I discovered her through her young adult writings, and when I made the transition to her adult fiction, it changed my life forever. Her writings are intelligent, funny, quirky, and feature well-rounded protagonists who venture into the unknown. Her casts are diverse, featuring strong women, transvestites, the disabled, and pansexuals, which would add some much-needed range to television overall.

The Secret Books of Paradys was series of novellas, which eventually more or less connected into one narrative. It focuses on parallel dimensions and the city of Paradys, a dark version of the city of Paris, and various bizarre stories that occur throughout its history. It starts off with the story of body-swapping and vampires, and goes on to tell gritty tales involving transsexualism, prostitutes, incest, serial killers, and even vagina dentata. The stories are at turns terrifying, erotic, insightful, and shocking. There's enough boundary pushing here to give American Horror Story and Game of Thrones a run for their money.

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About the Creator

Eden Roquelaire

Eden is a writer, comedian, artist, musician, and model. She has her own blog focusing on the works of David Lynch: https://garmonblogzia.wordpress.com/

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