Top Ten Books That Should be TV Shows

Okay, I set up three rules for making this list. 

First, since I just did a list of comics that could be adapted, this will focus only on traditional books.  Second, I have to have actually read the material, so I can’t include books that I’ve heard of that seem like they could be good shows.  This means no to Libba Bray and Suzanne Young, who have both two series that might have made the list.  The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau is another possibility, and I just heard about a series called Ferals by Jacob Grey, suggested to be The Graveyard book meets Batman.  There is also a Edgar Allan Poe inspired trilogy out there by Kelly Creagh that could be interesting.

Finally, no standalone books in order to give some legs to the proposed series.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m still hoping to hear something about the adaptations of The Wicked Deep and 13 Minutes, and I’d like to see Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte hit the screen as well.  Maybe lighter books such as The Lipstick Laws or A Week of Mondays would be nice to see on TV right about now too.  But for this list, only series are allowed.

1.  Fear street by R.L. Stine

   As I’ve noted in the past, while I’m intrigued by the upcoming original movies, I would still like to see an anthology show that actually adapts the books.

2.  Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

   A holdover from my previous list back in   2017, this is Harry Potter meets Ender’s game, without any problematic author beliefs.

3.  The Lioness series by Tamora Pierce

   Another holdover, the premise of a girl pretending to be a boy so she can attend knight school seems perfect for a TV adaption. 

4.  Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Calonita

   And another from the old list, this is a very light story where the old villains of various fairy tales now run a school to steer young students back towards the right path.

5. A Soldier and a Liar by Caitlin Lochner

   A relatively unheralded series, this is a science fiction story involving super powered teens serving in the military, which seems like a strong option for a TV show.

6. Virals by Kathy and Brendan Reichs

   Kind of like a werewolf story, though the characters change through scientific means, not paranormal.  I’m kind of bemused that the writers tied this series to Bones, saying the MC here is the niece of the MC of that series, as the two series definitely don’t seem to take place in the same world. 

7. Finishing School, Series by Gail Carriger

   One more holdover from my previous list, this series is a unique mix of supernatural, steampunk, and some silliness.  The heroine is sent to a Finishing School, which turns out to actually be training the students in espionage.

8. Prisoner of Ice and Snow by Ruth Lauren

   A middle grade fantasy version of Prison Break.  The heroine gets herself locked up to help her sister, who has been arrested for stealing from the royal Family.

9. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

   The CW looked at this back when the first book came out, and I think the concept is worth a second look.  Dorothy was dissatisfied when she left Oz for the real world, and returned to the magical land, only to become a tyrant.  Now a new arrival from Kansas may be the last chance to dethrone Dorothy.

10. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

    I’ve discussed this series on then blog, finding it entertaining but frustrating due to the characters often being incredibly stupid.  Even with the issues I had with the characters, I still got sucked into the story, and would love to see it adapted.