Books Turned Into TV Shows vs. Those Turned Into Movies

By Daphne Britt on October 7, 2016

As a person who enjoys reading for fun and when hearing that my favorite book series is being turned into a film or a television show, the news could either be bad or good. We, as devoted fans of these books, not only question what medium is being used to portray them but also whether the studio and production team will try to remain true to the books. This is seen with a variety of popular books that have been turned into either a television show or movie.

Here is my pick of the top four book series that have been turned into a television show or movie!

A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones) 

Image via twitter.com

This series has been making huge headlines in both media and social media! George R.R. Martin’s book series “A Song of Fire and Ice” was turned into a television series on HBO called “Game of Thrones,” and is setting a new trend in popular culture. A story about different kingdoms at odds with each other with a combination of fantasy and action is the perfect type of book! However, fans of the book series are known to be disappointed with the creators of the show because the producers do not stick to the books.

According to Kevin Fitzpatrick from screencrush.com, “Game of Thrones has a habit of tightening narratives at the expense of characters still playing important roles in the books.”

Even though the producers choose not to add every element and keep important characters from the books into the show, it still holds the authenticity that made fans fall in love with the series from the start.

The Vampire Diaries

Image via amazon.com

A novel series about a girl who’s in love with two guys (which is not Bella from “Twilight”), who are not only vampires but also brothers, is L.J. Smith’s series turned television show “The Vampire Diaries Series.”

With 15 books within the series (yes I’ve read them all) the creators from the television show are known for keeping the attention of its audience as they tend to lean away from the books. But a new season for the show means some new changes as the creators dropped the protagonist in the series Elena, played by Nina Dobrev, which caused an outrage by fans. But whether the character will return this year for its last season is still a mystery.

According to Taylor Rios from inquisitr.com, “Showrunner Julie Plec explained in a Comic-Con video interview that she is doing everything she can to make sure Nina returns.”

Even though the show continued on without the main character from the novels (plus I’m certain the creators realized the mistake they made and plan to return Elena) fans continued to enjoy the show.

Harry Potter

Image via barnesandnoble.com

My favorite book series of all time, “The Harry Potter Series” by J.K Rowling. It is about an orphaned boy who finds out he is a wizard and that his parents were killed by the same evil wizard who left him with the scar on his forehead. This seven book series that was turned into films has continued to entertain fans and is now being introduced to a new generation. This book series has not only set the bar in today’s literature, it has changed pop culture. But it also continues to be enjoyed by millions of fans around the world through its movie adaptations as well as its books.

According to Laura Miller from www.slate.com, “Harry Potter also launched a phenomenon that’s seldom acknowledged and barely understood, but that’s as powerful and lasting as the books themselves: the first massive internet-born fandom.”

The only film series known for staying both true and authentic to the books as close as possible, is not only perfection at its finest but also a phenomenon!

The Lord of the Rings 

Image via amazon.com

A book series that has its own language and has its literature taught in college classrooms, J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings Series” is still popular in today’s pop culture and the series was turned into not one but three sets of films. Although the movies tried to stay true to the books, the producers strayed away from the novels in terms of character portrayal with the actors.

According to Gregory Wakeman from www.cinemablend.com, “while most actors wouldn’t want to risk ruining the reputation of their previous portrayals, Viggo Mortenson is clearly aware of the scope of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world and that there’s still plenty more story left to tell.”

But as a fan of the series who wants more “Lord of The Rings,” (even if you know it would ruin the purpose of the story) to me the movies were good, not great. Which is disappointing because if the books had been turned into a television series instead, the producers would have had more freedom to extend important scenes from the books and have a much longer series for fans to enjoy.

So whether you prefer a book series being turned into a television show or a movie, it seems the real question to ask is, which medium portrays the book in the best way?

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format