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Escape Pod => Science Fiction Discussion => Topic started by: Sylvan on October 27, 2008, 03:58:47 PM

Title: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars"
Post by: Sylvan on October 27, 2008, 03:58:47 PM

So, when it comes to hard SF (and Science Fiction in general) my favorite novels have been the "Mars" trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.  Now, I tend to cringe when intellectual work is translated to the screen so I'm cautiously optimistic about this.

http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2008/10/03/amc_mines_red_mars_for_new_scifi_series.html (http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2008/10/03/amc_mines_red_mars_for_new_scifi_series.html)

You see, originally it was going to be a MiniSeries on the Sci-Fi Channel ... two or three years ago.  That fell apart.  Given how Ursula K. LeGuinn's work has fared on that network, perhaps this was for the best.

But now I'm looking at it this way:  AMC has a good reputation.  Sadly, writer-director Jonathan Hensleigh (Armageddon) does not.

Doing "Red Mars" -the singular novel- as a series is a good idea if you are going to try to give justice to the full scope of events that take place in that highly dense novel.  You could probably get 3-4 seasons out of the first novel in the series, alone!  But I'm still not sure if this would be good.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

(Oh, and -also- AMC's production of "The Prisoner" with Sir Ian McKellan as Number Two is in the works for release as a mini-series early in 2009; THAT sounds promising!)

Yours,
Sylvan (Dave)

Title: Re: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars"
Post by: sayeth on October 28, 2008, 08:16:02 PM

It's been awhile since I read it, but from my memory, Red Mars has a whole lot of internal action - characters thinking about each other, themselves and Mars. These types of novels CAN be translated to the screen, but I'm afraid this one may be too complex, too introspective, and too thoughtful to be a good movie.

Title: Re: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars"
Post by: Loz on October 30, 2008, 10:35:38 PM

Red Mars might work as an action film crossed with The West Wing, I don't think the other two books would have any chance of translating, especially Blue Mars as it's less the last part of the story and more a series of vignettes about some of the things some of the Martians do.

Title: Re: Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars"
Post by: Sylvan on October 31, 2008, 04:58:22 PM

Quote from: Loz on October 30, 2008, 10:35:38 PM

Red Mars might work as an action film crossed with The West Wing, I don't think the other two books would have any chance of translating, especially Blue Mars as it's less the last part of the story and more a series of vignettes about some of the things some of the Martians do.

Hmmm...  Are you sure you're not thinking about The Martians?  I felt that the bulk of Blue Mars to be about Sax, the evolution of science, and the expansion of culture on Mars.

Yours,
Sylvan (Dave)