What novel would have made a great movie/episode?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Destiny would make a great movie trilogy.

Agreed, but x2... it would probably take two films for each novel!

 

[Hugh Cambridge]

Prime Directive would also have made a very good movie.
Immortal coil, a two parter episode
The rings of time would make a good episode for me

 

[AgentCoop]

Federation as a big-screen movie and Vendetta as a TNG two-parter.

 

[Paris]

After thinking about some more, i'd also love to see the first Cold Equations book on screen with flashbacks to Immortal Coil. I'd imagine that the whole trilogy would probably make for good watching. Data's "resurrection" would be great to see...if only Spiner didn't age

 

[Mr Light]

<< Agreed, but x2... it would probably take two films for each novel! >>

Not if you cut out all the endless "living amongst the aliens" scenes

 

[tomswift2002]

I always thought William Shatner's "The Return" would've made a great theatrical sequel to "Star Trek Generations". Plus Shatner's Mirror Universe Would've mad about 6 great movies.

One book I should really point out is "Flashback". Sure it is a novelization, but I remember reading the book before seeing the episode, and thinking that the TV episode would've been a three part episode, rather than the one episode we got.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I agree with the others mentioning Dark Mirror, Federation and Rogue Saucer. Very memorable books.

Also, Metamorphosis was really good. Would've made a great 2 part episode.

For TOS, How Much For Just The Planet and maybe Doctor's Orders would've been great episodes.

 

[Gotham Central]

"Federation" would have been the perfect movie. Not only would it have acted as a bridge between TOS and TNG, it gave us an amazing and haunting vision of humanity's dark age in the 21st century.

In fact the only thing I really disliked about First Contact was that it invalidated "Federation". In fact Federation was a better fit for what we knew about Cochrane and the 21st century than First Contact.

 

[Christopher]

In fact Federation was a better fit for what we knew about Cochrane and the 21st century than First Contact.

Which is why I prefer First Contact's approach. What we think we know about historical figures and events is rarely a good fit for what they were actually like. Besides, stories are driven by conflict, so a story about characters meeting their hero pretty much demands that the hero's true personality run counter to their expectations of him. The difference is that Federation wasn't about the protagonists meeting their hero; Cochrane was more the protagonist himself.

 

[Lonemagpie]

TBH, something like Destiny would, I think, make a good basis for not a movie or episode, but a limited arc-based series- something like a 10 episode season a la The Wire or Game of Thrones.