Theoretical: If HBO did Sc-Fi what books would you want them to do

[RJDiogenes]

I have no idea what Gor is, but that story is hysterical. I would watch an HBO series like that about the tribulations of outer space houseplants.

The plant sobbed muchly

Shouldn't that be "mulchly" or perhaps "mulchily"? Either way, it's a great line.

Sadly, I cannot claim credit for it, it is a semi-famous usenet post...

Gor women are slaves, and men are manly men, and after they are "watered" (you know what i mean) the women accepts that they are slaves, that they are truly happy as slaves, and then the it goes to the next conquest.

I am not making it up. its ...BAD. Though its more empty, I get more upset at the sexual violence of the Gap series, which if it wasn't for what the author makes Morn (The main female character) go though on a regular, repeated basis the Gap series would be one of the best Science Fiction out there.

It's not just women, either. In one of the books I remember, the main character starts off as one of those Manly Men, but, in a moment of cowardice, begs for mercy. He then spends the rest of the book as a slave, enduring countless humiliations (quite consistent with the parody). Apparently, this was John Norman's kink.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet: a series based on Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books.

It's got the same medievalesque political infighting as Game of Thrones (Darkover is ruled by seven aristocratic families, though they're called "Domains" rather than "Kingdoms"), plus the fascinating culture clash between the horses-and-swords Darkovans and the spacefaring Terrans, AND way-cool telepathic powers and technology that would be a special effects bonanza. It's got well-wrought characters and a bunch of great stories (the central run of 4 or 5 novels could easily become 3 seasons, and there are also earlier- and later-set arcs). And it's got sex - straight, gay, and freaky telepathically shared!

Anyway, the success of GoT makes this seem like an idea whose time has come!

(BTW, this is my first post here in about five years - I felt that I had to jump in!)

 

[Goliath]

any thing by Harry Turtledove.

SOME things by Harry Turtledove. Not all of it is fit to print, little less turn into video.

I would love to see Guns of the South. But I fear any program showing a victorious Confederacy would not go over well.

Guns of the South would be good. I think it's Turtledove's best novel, to be honest. And while its depiction of a victorious Confederacy might be controversial, I don't think it would be an insurmountable obstacle. The novel treats this theme with appropriate seriousness.

If you want an SF novel that is too politically-incorrect to adapt for the small screen (or the large), I would suggest Norman Spinrad's The Iron Dream, complete with a mockumentary about Adolf Hitler's alternate-historical career as a science fiction writer and illustrator.

And it's too bad, because I think it would be terrific. Especially if it was done in proper pseudo-LOTR style.

 

[Goliath]

It's not just women, either. In one of the books I remember, the main character starts off as one of those Manly Men, but, in a moment of cowardice, begs for mercy. He then spends the rest of the book as a slave, enduring countless humiliations (quite consistent with the parody). Apparently, this was John Norman's kink.

And not just him, apparently.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Whatever gets you through the night, I guess.

 

[Goliath]

True. Some people write fanfic and collect toys. Others join sex-slave cults.

It's all part of the rainbow of fandom.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

For our fave Vorta....

House plants in SPPAAACCEE!


Cast

Captain Tex Cactus

Played by a small house plant Cactus, This Cactus has risen to the command of the U.S.S. Greenhouse, a biological research ship in space. He is still haunted by the fact that he and his Science officer are the only remaining survivors of the Kacras III drought. Voiced by a male actor with a commanding voice.

First officer Valeris Ven

A exotic Venus Fly Trap, She is new to the ship and is very much "By the book" unlike Tex Cactus, who will bend the rules to get the job done. The main enemies of the first series, the Aphid confederation, still hates her as she was in command of a flowerpot that took out a large number of Aphids by the "Ladybug maneuver". Voiced as a female.

Science officer Spada "Spider" Muthas

A spider plant who was fresh out of the nursery when the Kacras III drought hit, was one of the few Plant Force crew to survive, by using her powers of personality to be properly watered. has a reputation that she will pollinate with anyone, but in reality is very shy at such close contact.

Pilot Jorge "Bonsai" Marcos

A hotshot pilot who has been intentionality stunted so that he can fit into the small Plant Force shuttles. Has a neoplolian complex that has gotten him in trouble till he found a home on the U.S.S Greenhouse. Him and Valeris Ven butt heads on a regular basis, but it is only romantic tension as both find each other irresistible, but pretend to hate each other instead of being honest.

Chief Engineer Johnny Dung

A old and wise "Graft" subtype. He has memories that are hundreds of years old, as he is a "Graft", a clone with all the memories of his old plant up to the point where his cells where taken and grown as a new plant. He is a great source of wisdom to the sometimes young crew.

Counselor Susan Svetlana

A delicate orchid, this plant tries to keep the rest of the plants sane. It sits on the bridge and looks nice, and occasionally says the most obvious things in the world, like "Those Aphids if they get in the greenhouse will eat our leaves, then we will die!"

---------------------------

Let me know if you want a continuation

Sounds better than skiffy's lineup.

True. Some people write fanfic and collect toys. Others join sex-slave cults.

It's all part of the rainbow of fandom.

And everyone's more normal than furries.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Back to our regularly scheduled topic...has anyone mentioned The Stars My Destination and The Demolished Man yet?

 

[Joe Washington]

Either The Time Traveler's Wife which could be a one or two-season series or the Jenny Casey trilogy by Elizabeth Bear with each season covering a different book of the trilogy.

 

[Goliath]

Back to our regularly scheduled topic...has anyone mentioned The Stars My Destination and The Demolished Man yet?

No, but those are both very interesting suggestions.

I haven't read The Stars My Destination, but how would you suggest they adapt The Demolished Man? IIRC, that was a very 'literary' novel.

 

[ngc7293]

M.A.R. Barker: Empire of the Petal Throne
Larry Niven: The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton
George R.R. Martin: Wild Card Series
It isn't Science Fiction, but:
Mercedes Lackey: Heralds of Valdamar
Larry Niven: The Magic Goes Away

 

[Owain Taggart]

Either The Time Traveler's Wife which could be a one or two-season series or the Jenny Casey trilogy by Elizabeth Bear with each season covering a different book of the trilogy.

I loved The Time Traveller's Wife. The book was genius and it amazed me about the details she had to plot out. Unfortunately the movie was rather dull and unwatchable and sidelined the sci-fi aspects of it. I still feel that the sci-fi part of it is just as important as the romance part of it, something that the movie didn't do respect to.

 

[JiNX-01]

The Ringworld novels
The Foundation series
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
The Forever War (tho' I think this one is on tap to be a theatrical film, so maybe not)

 

[Ruaidhri]

Altered Carbon has HBO written all over it, as far as I'm concerned. Actually, all of Morgan's SF fits the HBO bill.

 

[Yminale]

I vote for not going to happen. "Game of Thrones" works because

1. Fantasy is artistically pretentious aka you get out of work British actors running around in chain mail and it looks good.

2. There isn't much magic or fantasy in "Game of Thrones" so that means less cost and less geekiness. Seriously when I first heard about the mini-series I thought it was about the Habsburg dynasty during the Middle ages.

So basically you need a series that is "high brow" and not geeky (like Fringe, Lost, first season of Heroes) which begs the question why HBO (unless you really hate commercials).

 

[Mistral]

I vote for not going to happen. "Game of Thrones" works because

1. Fantasy is artistically pretentious aka you get out of work British actors running around in chain mail and it looks good.

2. There isn't much magic or fantasy in "Game of Thrones" so that means less cost and less geekiness. Seriously when I first heard about the mini-series I thought it was about the Habsburg dynasty during the Middle ages.

So basically you need a series that is "high brow" and not geeky (like Fringe, Lost, first season of Heroes) which begs the question why HBO (unless you really hate commercials).

For the sex, obviously.

 

[Yminale]

For the sex, obviously.

I must be a prude because I don't find swearing or excessive soft porn helps any story (Ugh "Rome").

 

[Dac]

For the sex, obviously.

I must be a prude because I don't find swearing or excessive soft porn helps any story (Ugh "Rome").

Sure as fuck helps True Blood.

 

[Yminale]

For the sex, obviously.

I must be a prude because I don't find swearing or excessive soft porn helps any story (Ugh "Rome").

Sure as fuck helps True Blood.

Not really. I find it distracting sometimes like I said doesn't really add to the story. Of course it's better than adding faeries.

 

[Sindatur]

I have no idea what Gor is, but that story is hysterical. I would watch an HBO series like that about the tribulations of outer space houseplants.

The plant sobbed muchly

Shouldn't that be "mulchly" or perhaps "mulchily"? Either way, it's a great line.

Sadly, I cannot claim credit for it, it is a semi-famous usenet post...

Gor women are slaves, and men are manly men, and after they are "watered" (you know what i mean) the women accepts that they are slaves, that they are truly happy as slaves, and then the it goes to the next conquest.

I am not making it up. its ...BAD. Though its more empty, I get more upset at the sexual violence of the Gap series, which if it wasn't for what the author makes Morn (The main female character) go though on a regular, repeated basis the Gap series would be one of the best Science Fiction out there.

Yes, absolutely, the Gap is Stellar, except for how Morn is brought to her personality through the sexual violence.