• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Best Sci-Fi Novels that should be made into movies

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein

adventuring all around through different dimensions. But leave out the parts where the characters interact with characters from other books.

link
 
Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein

adventuring all around through different dimensions. But leave out the parts where the characters interact with characters from other books.


That's sort of central to the whole idea of the book, that everyone's both real and fictional at the same time.
 
I wonder if Dan Simmons' Hyperion novels could be made into decent movies? I'm guessing they're a bit complex for that though. Another possibility: Iain Banks' Culture novels... Not sure which one, though.
 
Ok, got one. Greg Bear's Eon, but updated to reflect post Cold-War geopolitics.

That could make an excellent movie.
 
Ok, got one. Greg Bear's Eon, but updated to reflect post Cold-War geopolitics.

That could make an excellent movie.

That would be awesome. They could just do it as a period piece and keep the politics the same. I just grabbed The Forge of God; hope it's as good as Eon!

KT
 
I wonder if Dan Simmons' Hyperion novels could be made into decent movies? I'm guessing they're a bit complex for that though. Another possibility: Iain Banks' Culture novels... Not sure which one, though.

Yes. Hyperion books would work better as multi-year series on HBO.
 
I would love to see Rendezvous with Rama to made into a movies.

I thought they had started this a few years back and it fizzled out? Honestly, i loved the book, but I'm not sure it would translate well to the screen... Certainly not for the mainstream audience. It's been yeeaaarrss since I read it, but i seem to recall the pace being rather slow
 
3. A lot of the star wars books (particularly those by Timothy Zahn) would make good movies ... but only if Georgie pooh is not allowed to f' them up.

This, many of the SW books would make nice standalone movies and the Thrawn trilogy would have been awesome. Thrawn would be a nice character for Star Wars too, not a force user, not a Jango clone, and yet a brilliant strategist.

Also, StarStrike, W. Michael Gear.
 
I dont think they should do Dune again - if they still cant get it right, it should be left alone.

It always baffled me why no one could do a good movie version of Dune. All they have to do is mostly follow the story and feel of the books. But I think you're right Ancalagon, if they have not now they never will.

I echo everyone that nominated Heinlein's books, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Podykane of Mars were always my favorite, although a version of Starship Trooper that actually followed the theme and feel of the book would be nice too.

But after being tricked into watching I Robot I doubt I will ever watch a movie version of a Book, at least not in the theater. Not by an American director anyways. The need to make money is destroying the American film industry's ability to make good movies.
 
My vote? The Gaean trilogy (Titan, Wizard & Demon) by John Varley.

Also, the Wizardry series (The Wizardry Consulted, The Wizardry Quested, etc.) by Rick Cook. A mixture of computer programming in a fantasy medieval setting. Not exactly sci-fi but meh, good books could make a good movie.
 
Last edited:
unless they complete cut out like half the book, I don't see how Stranger in a Strange Land wouldn't be a mess.

that was the beginning of Heinlein's slide where he stopped writing Sci-Fi and just started writing about sex.

That's actually how I felt about the book. I got through maybe ~1/4 of it but IMO it was a mess already. Nothing about the book made me want to keep going. It came highly regarded and I just don't understand why.
 
Leviathan Wakes and the rest of the Expanse series - they are actually making this into a tv show

Rendezvous with Rama would be good

The Mote in Gods Eye and Ringworld would also be good
 
I should add Old Mans War.

Even if they take these great scifi books, Hollywood would absolutely without any shadow of a doubt dumb them down into a sad bastardized shell of itself.
 
Heh, I have a tendency to skim through pretty quickly.

I forgot a great one though: The Windup Girl

Fantastic book, worth checking out.

The Windup Girl was great. Of newer sci-fi I like Harkaway's Gone Away World and Angelmaker. Diamond Age would be a great movie.
 
Back
Top