Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Should Be Adapted Into Netflix Shows

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I have strong opinions about today’s topic! All of these books would make amazing shows. I can only hope that Netflix will realize they need more content and pick them up.

A laptop with the Netflix logo on it. The laptop is sitting on a bed and flanked by a stuffed animal and a blanket. 1.The Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M. Auel

Why: This series has everything – romance, adventure, history, science, and even a little science fiction.

It would also be amazing to see what current CGI would do with Neanderthals, mammoths, and other extinct species.

2. The Neanderthal Parallax series by Robert J. Sawyer

Why: The only thing cooler then seeing Neanderthals 30,000 years ago is imagining what they’d be like to day if they’d survived and we had been the ones to go extinct.

3. The Deep by Rivers Solomon 

Why: Now is the perfect time for a show about healing old wounds. As I said, the world building hinted at so many things that could be expanded upon. A TV show would create so much space for Ms. Solomon to explain Wanjinru society more clearly and show additional differences between it and other versions of mermaid tales that exist out there.

4. The Lost Ones by Anita Frank 

Why: Is there ever a bad time for a haunted house story? I think not. My review noted my frustration with some illogical choices the main character made. I otherwise liked her a lot and can’t help but to wonder if her decisions would make more sense on the small screen since the era she lived in would be brought to life in ways that can be a little trickier in a book.

5. The Spellbound Spindle by Joy V. Spicer 

Why: I love the idea of having more feel-good fairy tales on Netflix. There were so many scenes in this book I couldn’t talk about for spoiler reasons that would look amazing on a TV. Let’s just say that the antagonists were very colourful characters, and their dialogue would make me laugh pretty hard if I heard it.

6. The Farm by Joanne Ramos 

Why: Surrogacy can be a complicated topic, especially in scifi novels like this one where surrogates are monitored so closely. The themes in this novel about how society thinks about women’s bodies and how pregnancy can be commercialized are ones that could be dramatized nicely.

7. The Testaments (The Handmaid’s Tale #2) by Margaret Atwood

Why: Okay, so technically I’m sure that some of the themes will be included in future seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, but I’d sure like to see to see a spinoff set years from now when all of the various plot lines have finally reached their climax. I enjoy The Handmaid’s Tale, but I’ve also found past seasons to be really dark and heavy. It would be nice to see this world reach a peaceful resolution in the end.

104 Comments

Filed under Blog Hops

104 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Should Be Adapted Into Netflix Shows

  1. Great list! One of these days I need to give the Clan of the Cave Bear series a try, and I agree that it would be really interesting, with today’s technology, to see the prehistoric world on the screen.

  2. With Hulu’s success with The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments would be a good follow up.https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/08/ttt-081820.html

  3. Ooh, I’ve got a few of these on my TBR and I’m excited to see them make this list 😃 Great list, Lydia!

  4. What a neat list. The Lost Ones would be my first choice, as I love haunted house stories. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.

  5. You’ve just reminded me I need to catch up with The Handmaids Tale, I really enjoyed it, am I correct in thinking The Testaments is more about Aunt Lydia?

  6. The Deep would be so beautiful and sad as a TV adaptation. I’d love to see it. Great idea about The Testaments. I assume the Handmaid’s Tale series will end up incorporating some of the story threads into future plots — I hope they get there!

  7. Oh, The Deep would make a fabulous adaptation! And you’re right, the time is right. <3

  8. The Deep would be fantastic! I think it would be best done as an animation. (NetFlix animation is their better content, on average)
    MY TTT: Marie @ Pages to Explore

  9. They really should continue that series with a spin-off or update with the Testaments. It would be perfect.

  10. The Deep could be a great adaptation! I spent a large chunk of time while I was reading it trying (and failing) to visualize the characters, so I’d love to have Solomon play a part in bringing it to the screen.

  11. I would definitely watch the Neanderthal ones!
    …if I could find the time. I’ve been trying for a year to finish Narcos: Mexico, or even start Big Bang season 12..

  12. I totally agree with you with regards to The Testaments. Great choices!

    Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday post.

  13. The Testaments would be a great series!

  14. I’m one of those people who usually likes adaptations, but sometimes the producers do “ruin” it or it’s like a “in name only” adaptation. Still, it’d be fun to see some of our favorite books on screen. 🙂 Hope some of yours eventually make it to TV, Lydia. Thanks for the visit to Finding Wonderland.

  15. I wonder whether they will do anything with the Testaments, you’d think so since Handmaid’s Tale was so successful! I still need to read the sequel

  16. Thw Deep is one my TBR for next month! Glad you think it’s a good one 😀

  17. Clan of the Cave Bear is a classic! I actually gained greater appreciation for it now than when I’d first read it, lol.

  18. Great ideas and I think The Deep would be great!

  19. I´ve read Auels´s first book, but not the rest of the series. and I´ve seen The Handmaid´s Tale. and if The Testament is about Aunt Lydia and her second thoughts about what to do it sounds very interesting. the other books I know nothing about

    • Yes, The Testaments is about Aunt Lydia (among a couple of other interesting characters). The second Earth’s Children book is my favourite. It’s called The Valley of Horses.

  20. My god! I completely forgot about the Clan of the Cave Bear! What a great series- you’re right, it would make for a really interesting adaptation!

  21. I haven’t read any of these books, but I think The Farm sounds interesting!

  22. The Clan of Cave Bear would be a great one! Great pick. I have forgotten about that one. Great list!

  23. Oh my what an interesting list! I haven’t read any of these.

  24. I wonder why no one has made a movie of Cave of the Clan Bear. It would be perfect for the big screen. It’s such a different sort of movie, too.

    • There was a terrible low-budget film (somewhat) based on the first book that came out in the 80s. Us fans like to pretend like it never happened. Haha.

      But we need a real version.

  25. Great list! I still need to catch up on Handmaid’s Tale. I’ve only see season 1! I have The Deep on my TBR.

  26. The Deep could be an outstanding adaptation. Great choices!

  27. Yeah, I’m getting tired of Netflix’s pithy offerings! I’m spending more time on PBS these days. Hopefully, Netflix is paying attention to this week’s topic. I’ve seen some great suggestions for them.

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  28. Oh my goodness, I’m adding so many things to my TBR list! I love your picks – they’re so well thought out and unique!!

  29. I haven’t heard of any of these. The Spellbound Spindle sounds so good though, so it’s definitely going on my TBR!

  30. The Testaments will surely be made into some kind of show.

  31. The Deep sounds interesting. Great list and thanks for visiting my TTT! 🙂

  32. I would love to see a Clan of the Cave Bear series!

  33. I thought the Clan of the Cave Bear already was a movie. Maybe I’m wrong.

    • There was a bad, low-budget film based on the first book that was made in the 1980s. But it veered so far away from the original plot and characterization that I have trouble thinking of it as legitimate. LOL.

      So…technically, yes. 🙂

  34. Having watched all The Handmaid’s Tale series so far I would definitely like to see The Testaments given a series.

  35. I haven’t read any of the books (though hubby read “The Clan of the Cave Bear” years ago) but I’m sure they’re all good books for a movie.

    However, I haven’t even watched The Handmaid’s Tale, even though I read it several times. I’m just too scared it will ruin my experience with the story.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

    • The show is different from the book. I’d recommend not watching The Handmaid’s Tale if you found anything in the novel triggering as the show went into ten times the detail about that stuff.

      But the storytelling in it has been good so far.

  36. verushka

    This list is so cool — they’re all new to me, and I like your reasons for why they should be shows! Particularly, the SpellBound Spindle — I think Netflix would be perfect for that!

  37. Wonderful list, Lydia!! I definitely need to read The Handmaid’s Tale though! (I know. I’m probably one of the very few people who has never read it. Or any other Atwood books. 😳)

  38. Great list. Thank you for stopping by!

  39. RS

    Ooh, good point about CGI, and now I want that first adaptation too.

  40. Wow, what a great list! I love the sound of The Spellbound Spindle and The Farm. Will definitely have to check those out!

  41. I love the variety in your list and would absolutely watch all of these if they were adapted for a streaming platform.

  42. The Testaments has my votes, too!

  43. Definitely agree about The Farm! That would be a really good, thought-provoking show.

  44. I haven’t actually read any of these books but they sound intriguing!

  45. I havent read any of these books but I am definitely interested in them now!

  46. I did think I saw during my research at the weekend that The Deep has been optioned – but of course now I can’t find the reference. We can hope. It would be a fascinating extension of the evolution from music to page to take it to screen!

  47. I think The Deep would be great as an adaption, and with the story’s history as a song first, video is only the next logical step

  48. I’ve not read any of these but I want to pick up The Deep. I’m sure the Handmaid’s Tale sequel will be picked up eventually since the original is so popular.

  49. I still need to finish The Deep, but even just going off of what I’ve read (the first half or so), I agree 100%!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *