The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Game of Thrones changed the game of television (pun intended) when it first aired. For many years, it was the single most defining television phenomenon and regularly influenced the world around it, both culturally and in storytelling.

The overwhelming success of its prequel series, House of the Dragon–officially the show with the most-viewed premiere in HBO history—proves that GOT’s effect is still as strong as ever. Generally speaking, the 8-season fantasy series opened the door for many other TV shows that aspired to be “the next Game of Thrones.”

That door is still open too, as adult fantasy proves to be a fascinating, successful television genre. So ruminating over it, we can’t help but think of the other great fantasy books that would make great TV shows!

The Mistborn Saga by Brandon Sanderson

Trusted to finish The Wheel of Time series after the death of its author, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson is considered one of the top fantasy writers and one of the most prolific of his generation. The Mistborn series is not his magnum opus but stands as one of his most intricately written, plotted, and strongly finished trilogies.

The first novel of the saga starts with an empire a thousand years after the ascension of its chosen one, who currently rules with an iron fist. A group of lowly but intelligent thieves plan to overthrow the empire with a heist and rebellion. With its set of complex characters, epic plot, and super interesting magical system, a well-thought-out TV show based on the series would be incredible.

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss

Few fantasy novels have been as successful as the first two books in this as-yet-unfinished trilogy. Both the Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear have sold over ten million copies and become household names.

The trilogy concerns Kvothe, a rural innkeeper living under a pseudonym to protect his previous identity as an adventurer/musician. He turns into a notorious magician known as the Kingslayer, telling his life’s adventures to a scribe who plans to tell his story. The story has epic proportions and magic, and spans years, making it a perfect story for a multi-season television series.

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang

A military historical fantasy series, The Poppy War is one of the most successful recent dark fantasies. It centres on Rin, a young war orphan who aced the entrance test to the elitist military school in the empire, opening the door for her to learn more about her powers and the secret forces of the empire.

The first book alone can make multiple seasons from the sheer amount of important events that take Rin from a young child forming friends and foes and learning skills to a sword in the hands of a vengeful god. The stakes get higher, and the wars get more and more complex as the story goes on, making it a highly suitable tale to get made into a series.

The Dark Star Trilogy by Marlon James

Another unfinished trilogy, this series is often referred to as the African Games of Thrones. It’s focused on eight mercenaries hired to locate a missing boy, centralising three of them and the boy years later.

Inspired by African history and mythology, the books stand out from many others for its magic, myths, and characters. The first book, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, was a National Book Award finalist. The complex, colourful set of characters and the richness of the world make it great for television depiction.