IdlyIdeological

Yeah, I understand that financially, a Stormlight Archive would be difficult, particularly for a television series. However, I wouldn't underestimate the spending power of television studios, particularly if rising budgets and revenue continue. Realistically, a SA series wouldn't get off the ground for possibly another decade until the show writers have more source material to draw upon and Sanderson can avoid the possibility of the show taking over the books, as is looking likely with a Game of Thrones and GRRM's novels. Over the next decade, I would expect television budgets to rise. Again we go back to Game of Thrones, but it's the most salient contemporary comparison to make right now, and its budget is continuously rising every year. So there's no reason why the average television budget wouldn't be increased over the next several years. However, I agree that the world of Roshar would be difficult to adapt on-screen without extensive use of CGI. There are slight changes that could be made. Spren would be difficult to portray with so much detail, but maybe the show could rein in their use slightly, without having too big an impact on the grand story, and make them less detailed, with the obvious exception of more prominent spren such as Syl and Pattern. I don't think Shardplate and Shardblades would necessarily be overly-expensive, yet this, allied with stuff likes Highstorms, would lead to a very CGI-reliant production. As for an earlier opinion of actors unable to portray the characters accurately, I think you might be underestimating the high standard of acting these days, particularly in television, if you don't think an actor could make Shallan, Kaladin, Dalinar etc convincing on-screen. They're great, complex characters, sure, but I don't think they're beyond an actor's abilities. As for flashbacks, structurally-speaking, maybe have them as part of a cold opening and then roll opening theme song, episode and then end credits. As for anime, I think it's realistically the preferred option right now, but as a few posters have highlighted, I would prefer SA to be adapted in a live-action, big-budget television series which, hypothetically and looking at the increasing costs of a contemporary television series, could be a realistic probability in the next several years.

Haha, I'm about 70 pages in the first book. Looks quite short in length, in comparison to the SA, so I'll hopefully get through it quickly. But yeah, positive first impressions from me. I can see the appeal to studio bosses as this has quite a Hunger Games-esque tone, in the very loosest sense of the term.

Thank you. I'm about 70 odd pages into the first Mistborn book, and I'm enjoying it. The book possesses an interesting premise; I definitely get a sense of Hunger Games-esque dystopia from the setting. That kind of genre is selling at the cinema, so it's something I could see becoming quite appealing for studios. Doesn't quite have the scope of Stormlight Archive novels, but then this is some of Sanderson's earlier work.

Okay, so the fantasy genre is witnessing a bit of a revival for book-to-screen adaptations, with the success of the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and A Song of Ice and Fire, just a few off the top of my head. So, bearing that in mind, would the Stormlight Archive have the potential to make a good television series? Now, let's just get this off the bat. I know talk of a screen adaptation is a little premature right now as there are only two books released from a planned ten. But it's something to bear in mind, no? Also, note how I said television series, because I honestly don't think you could accurately adapt SA into a series of films. Television should be the go-to visual medium for getting your books adapted. With television, the storytelling improves, the character development is enhanced, and the overall plot benefits from extra screen time as you're not required to take shortcuts or miss things out and so the setting of the world improves and, for something as diverse and with the scope of SA, television should be the preferred option. If anything, the success of Game of Thrones proves you can take a sprawling, ambitious series of books, previously considered 'unfilmable' (a ridiculous concept in my opinion) and turn them into a television programme, with some entertaining, critically-acclaimed ten-hour series. So why can't SA master that translation? Sanderson's writing seems fit for a screen adaptation. While the show isn't as graphic or vulgar as ASOIAF, which may put off HBO, there's no reason why American stations like ABC or AMC take up the option. What would you prefer to see? Will SA make for a good television series or would it work better as a film saga? Maybe it's better-suited to an anime? Maybe you wouldn't want it on the television or big screen at all. Note: I know the Mistborn Trilogy is supposedly set for a film release with the rights up for sale, but I'd prefer talk of that to be limited somewhat on here because I have just started reading the first book.

Sorry, the compulsory, embarrassing 'new guy' mistake has been made. What are spikes?

Thanks Hecklespren, I'll probably just lounge around the Stormlight section until I've completed the Mistborn novels, just in case of spoilers as you say.

Hey guys, I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to Brandon Sanderson. I live in England, United Kingdom, and for some reason he's not that prevalent in my neck of the woods. But that's enough of my excuses, I've been missing out! I'm a fan of fantasy novels, and I've read the more mainstream offerings, your Lord of the Rings, your Song of Ice and Fire, your Harry Potter (quiet at the back) but yeah, I'm not a hardcore reader of the genre (more of a brooding, Kaladin-esque dystopia fan myself). Anyway, I stumbled across The Way of Kings, not entirely sure how now, but I read it and loved it. I bought Words of Radiance, read it and really loved it. I've gone through both books in about a month, so hopefully not too many references will be going over my head. So yeah, I'm a Sanderson fan. Spent the last couple of days trying to get my more literature-savvy friends into the Stormlight Archive series. I'm just about to dig into the Mistborn books, what are they like?