On the Big Screen: Books Which Should Be Made into Movies

I am sure every book enthusiast could name plenty of books that should be made into movies. If you poll enough avid readers, every genre would be represented, from short stories to novels. My top 3 list consists of novels, each within a series, which I have fallen in love with but have no knowledge of pending movie adaptations. I would recommend each and every one of these novels to anyone looking to curl up with a good book!

Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn - This is the introductory novel to the "Twelve Houses" series, which I feel hallmarks the very best of modern fantasy fiction. Captivating characters, genuine plot twists, and effective foreshadowing combine with vivid descriptions to create an alternate reality which holds the reader spellbound. The main character in each novel shifts, with focus alternating between all of the members of their motley crew. In this first installment, the focus of the story is the intense and powerful Senneth, whose unparalleled magic of fire makes her a Mystic to be reckoned with.

Peter Jackson, who directed the Lord of the Ring movies, would be an excellent choice for director; Steven Spielberg and George Lucas could also take this novel into legendary-film status. Casting the lead role of Senneth would be challenging, but I would love to see an actress of Kate Winslet's caliber join the crew; she has proven in countless movies she is capable of intense emotion, fiery beauty, and a fierce intelligence. Tayse, who has the role of leading man in Mystic and Rider, should be cast as someone physically intimidating and serious. Wentworth Miller has my nod for young and impulsive Justin, and Scarlett Johansson would be perfect as the flirtatious, noble Kirra. Donnal and Cameron, who take secondary roles in the first novel, would be wonderful spots for break-out, fledgling actors.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - The first novel in the trilogy of Gemma Doyle, Beauty introduces the reader to the life of a teenage girl in an elite finishing school in the late 1800s. Gemma considers herself to be very plain, though she is described in ways which sound quite lovely including her reddish hair and creamy skin. Gemma discovers that her world is not as mundane as it seems, and that magic is budding inside her. She begins to build a group of friends, though the connections are turbulent at best, and takes them with her into the unfolding world of the Occult only she has access to.

Although I am not a fan of the Twilight series, I could easily picture Kristen Stewart in the role of intelligent and complicated Gemma. However, I think I would rather see Natalie Portman take the role; Portman has proven time and time again that she can play a beautiful, complicated young woman who isn't aware of the extent of her beauty. The feisty troublemaker Felicity is a casting as important as Gemma's, and I would love to see Nichole Richie taking the part of complex and gorgeous Pippa. I would rather see Ann, the mousy member of the clique with a heart of gold and amazing voice, cast with as break-out, curvy actress ready to wow audiences with her talent. If only James Cameron would bring his incredible film staff to Beauty; his team could capture the amazing essence of The Realms for everyone to see. Tim Burton would be my second choice, to lend a very real and tangible terror to the power of the Occult themes.

The Cat Who... by Lilian Jackson Braun - This series of novels spans over twenty different novels, each featuring the amateur sleuth and professional journalist-turned millionaire Jim Qwilleran. Qwill, as the character insisted on being referred to, is quite the expert at everything-except solving crimes. Within the first two novels we are introduced to the real stars of the series: a pair of Siamese cats. Kao K'o Kung, better known as Koko, has a 6^th sense about crime. His female feline companion, Yum-Yum, is merely adorable in her average life as a housecat. In truth, Koko solves the crimes-not Qwill-and his methods of leaving clues for his moustache-sporting companion are hilarious.

My lead pick for Jim Qwilleran would be Tom Hanks, whom I am confident would excel at portraying Qwill's overly dignified and often snobbish demeanor; his ability to create dry humor while giving a quick-wit and sharp-tongue to his characters is legendary, and both would be perfectly suited for this adaptation. Koko would, of course, be cast by a break-out Siamese cat-actor; should the screenplay call for a voice-over for Koko-and I hope it wouldn't-I would pick Bill Murray without hesitation. As for a Director, I would love to see Jay Roach of Meet the Parents fame lend his unique feel to the screenplay, but another pairing of Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks might recapture the magic audiences enjoyed with Forrest Gump.

Sources:
IMDB, "Internet Movie Data Base"