TV series and books. Get very familiar with the spoiler tag, folks, because we're going to need them!
I've always thought of these books as being the least adaptable to other media. Not because of all the internal dialog, not because the subject matter would be inappropriate, but because it's so HUGE! Fourteen books, each of which is about twice the size of a Tolkien novel, plus the New Spring prequel novella. How do you do a story that huge before the actors start aging out of their roles?? Maybe as an animated series on a production schedule much like soap operas used to (still?) use, where new episodes are done in a day and released that night? It's that or cut a lot - and I mean a lot, like maybe 80% of each book.
The books themselves are a pretty good read. They start out quite purposefully reflecting the Lord of the Rings: a few country bumpkins are pulled out of their village by a wizard because the world class baddy is coming to slaughter them. It's done from a 90's perspective, though, so the women have a much stronger role. Once the books get launched, the Tolkien'ish things are extended and many, many other ideas are introduced. The books also double as a sort of atlas, where the characters travel from one land to another, discovering a very fleshed out culture in each one.
One problem I have with the books is the number of parallel stories going on. Books normally have two or three independent stories going on. Maybe one pair of characters gets captured and another pair searches for them, with the book jumping between the captured and searching characters. The Wheel of Time does more than two or three. I think at one point it actually had seven going on at the same time!! That's a ton to keep in your head at once, especially if you put the series down for a year or two. Plus, at the end of a book, none of the plot lines have advanced all that far. I've long wished that somebody would rearrange the books so we could follow just two or three plot lines, then jump back in time and follow two or three more.
For the TV show, they went live action with quality effects and sets. You aren't going to put those out every weekday for years on end, so we're stuck with cutting. Lots of cutting. A long string of villages turns into one village. Things that are supposed to happen in two different cities happen in just one city. They're adding some things, too. Some seem to be to make it more modern (so from a 20's perspective), some are likely there to cover for multiple events that there won't be time for. It's definitely jarring. However, it hasn't changed things to the point that I don't know what characters are doing and why.
For example, yesterday's Episode 6 (episode 6 spoilers and book spoilers up to... jeez, when did we learn this? Well, if you're half way through New Spring, you know for sure)...
P.S. Yes, there was a Wheel of Time game on PC once! Did anyone play it?
I've always thought of these books as being the least adaptable to other media. Not because of all the internal dialog, not because the subject matter would be inappropriate, but because it's so HUGE! Fourteen books, each of which is about twice the size of a Tolkien novel, plus the New Spring prequel novella. How do you do a story that huge before the actors start aging out of their roles?? Maybe as an animated series on a production schedule much like soap operas used to (still?) use, where new episodes are done in a day and released that night? It's that or cut a lot - and I mean a lot, like maybe 80% of each book.
The books themselves are a pretty good read. They start out quite purposefully reflecting the Lord of the Rings: a few country bumpkins are pulled out of their village by a wizard because the world class baddy is coming to slaughter them. It's done from a 90's perspective, though, so the women have a much stronger role. Once the books get launched, the Tolkien'ish things are extended and many, many other ideas are introduced. The books also double as a sort of atlas, where the characters travel from one land to another, discovering a very fleshed out culture in each one.
One problem I have with the books is the number of parallel stories going on. Books normally have two or three independent stories going on. Maybe one pair of characters gets captured and another pair searches for them, with the book jumping between the captured and searching characters. The Wheel of Time does more than two or three. I think at one point it actually had seven going on at the same time!! That's a ton to keep in your head at once, especially if you put the series down for a year or two. Plus, at the end of a book, none of the plot lines have advanced all that far. I've long wished that somebody would rearrange the books so we could follow just two or three plot lines, then jump back in time and follow two or three more.
For the TV show, they went live action with quality effects and sets. You aren't going to put those out every weekday for years on end, so we're stuck with cutting. Lots of cutting. A long string of villages turns into one village. Things that are supposed to happen in two different cities happen in just one city. They're adding some things, too. Some seem to be to make it more modern (so from a 20's perspective), some are likely there to cover for multiple events that there won't be time for. It's definitely jarring. However, it hasn't changed things to the point that I don't know what characters are doing and why.
For example, yesterday's Episode 6 (episode 6 spoilers and book spoilers up to... jeez, when did we learn this? Well, if you're half way through New Spring, you know for sure)...
Moraine gets berated by the Seat. But I knew from the books that Siuan knew exactly what Moraine was doing out there. Later in the episode, they confirmed that. The way they met was not in the books (I don't think, it's been a long time). However, seeing how it was done, I'm confident in how it was being done and even know some of the dangers of that mode of communication. I can do that because, despite hacking out well over half the content, the show is still staying true to Jordan's world.
P.S. Yes, there was a Wheel of Time game on PC once! Did anyone play it?
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram