As many readers will tell you, although TV and film adaptations of books can be good, nothing compares to the originals.
If you’re the type of reader who likes to be ahead of the trends, here are six books you can expect to be Netflix series by the end of 2018. Read up and know the story before your friends.
• Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood: Inspired by the 1843 murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in northern Canada, this piece of historical fiction follows the story of Grace Marks, a seemingly mild-mannered servant who was convicted of the crime. Atwood’s fantastic writing transports the reader back in time and into the mind of this enigmatic woman. Alias Grace is the second of Atwood’s novels to be made into a TV series this year after The Handmaid’s Tale, and debuts on CBC later this month, airing on Netflix in November.
• Mindhunter by John E. Douglas: Author and former FBI special agent John Douglas recounts 25 years of true crime stories. Expect to dive headfirst into the minds of some of America’s worst criminals and the people who attempt to catch them, as Douglas recalls crime scenes and profiles from his most gruesome and difficult cases. A dramatic series inspired by the book, created by David Fincher and Charlize Theron, is set to debut on Netflix in October.
• The Nix by Nathan Hill: Samuel Andresen-Anderson is a university professor and writer searching for his estranged mother after she is caught throwing rocks at a presidential candidate. Although he sees her as a quiet, unassuming small-town housewife, the media paints her as a militant radical with a seedy past. In exploring their story, Hill’s time-spanning novel offers insight on contemporary topics in society, from the role of the press to video game addiction. Hill’s debut novel is already being made into a Netflix series and is being worked on by some of Hollywood’s biggest names (including Meryl Streep and J.J. Abrams). Expect to hear a lot more about Hill in the future.
• The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski: This collection of compelling short fantasy stories introduces Geralt of Rivia and the other characters, locations and horrifying monsters that make up the Witcher universe. Drawing inspiration from Slavic folklore and classic fairytales (albeit with dark twists), these stories follow Geralt as he tries to make sense of an ever-changing, magical world where good and evil are not always what they seem. Sapkowski’s novels are already hugely popular in Poland and eastern Europe. With the help of the popular video game series and an upcoming 2018 Netflix series, The Witcher is continuing to rise in popularity in North America.
• Hilda and the Troll by Luke Pearson: Hilda is an adventurous young girl who lives in an isolated cabin with her mother and a “deerfox” named Twig. In the first book of the fantastical graphic novel series, she encounters a mountain troll, gets lost in a snowstorm and narrowly avoids getting stepped on by a giant, all before coming home for dinner. Pearson creates stories and imagery based on Icelandic and Norwegian folktales to great effect, and couples them with beautiful, colourful art. Although written for a younger audience, the book’s art and heartwarming story will delight any reader who enjoys comics and graphic novels. Expect the signature art style to continue in next year’s Netflix original series.
• Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney: Finally, a book for the youngest readers in our lives, the first in Dewdney’s line of beloved children books tells the story of a Baby Llama who just can’t fall asleep without some help from his Mama Llama. With charming rhymes like these and a great message, this story begs to be read aloud to a loved one before bed. Like the book, the children’s TV series debuting in 2018 will see Baby Llama learn, grow, and have fun, all with help from his mama, voiced by Jennifer Garner.
For great reads — and shows, too — check out your local library. While you’re there, why not sign up for a fall program? There’s one for every age and interest.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Austin Matheson works at PoCo’s Terry Fox Library.
