As tired as I am of fantasy shows trying to replicate Game of Thrones, I'd like to see The Stormlight Archive books as potential candidates for future adaptations, I'd like to hypothesize on what that should look like.
The Stormlight Archive is one of my favorite ongoing fantasy sagas, and I'm genuinely counting down the days until Wind and Truth's release. Like many fantasy lovers, I have mixed feelings about recent adaptations like The Wheel of Time and The Witcher that have brought universes I love to life in ways that don't necessarily appeal to me. I'd like to see The Stormlight Archive avoid their mistakes, and the best model for fantasy television is Game of Thrones, whether we like those comparisons or not. But it's important to denote what the right lessons are.
Game Of Thrones Is A Realistic Model For A Fantasy TV Series (But Hard To Replicate)
Game Of Thrones Began With A Low Budget & Focused On Writing & Casting
It's interesting to see the reception to House of the Dragon season 2, with some viewers feeling robbed by the show having only one big dragon battle. Meanwhile, Game of Thrones season 1's battle happened off-screen for budgetary reasons and was praised as groundbreaking television that paved the way for the biggest show ever. The primary reason for this, which I cite commonly as a similarity between George R.R. Martin and Sanderson, is that the characters are unbelievably written and have very tangible, easy-to-consume arcs that still offer nuance.
I'm Desperate For One Stormlight Archive Story That Probably Won't Happen Until The 2030s (At Best)
I can't wait for one particular Stormlight Archive arc, but according to Brandon Sanderson's plans, it's still potentially over a decade away.
Importantly, Game of Thrones is a low-magic fantasy. The minimal CGI in the early seasons allowed a much higher budget for production quality in set design, costumes, wigs, etc, all of which are elements that CGI-heavy shows like The Rings of Power or even House of the Dragon have been criticized for. Rather than a studio throwing hundreds of millions at the project for excess CGI, Game of Thrones proved itself by bringing in the right talent for production value, assembling a talented cast that fit the characters, and nailing the screenwriting portion.
Characters and plot, the fundamentals of Martin's world, are the hook, leaving dragons and epic battles as the reward.
Even more important, as it pertains to The Stormlight Archive, is that Game of Thrones required far more CGI later in the series, and the budget rapidly expanded. Characters and plot, the fundamentals of Martin's world, are the hook, leaving dragons and epic battles as the reward. Finding the right production team and casting the right actors isn't an easy task, but it's way more critical than overspending on CGI. Having a crazy high CGI Budget just means an increased chance of premature cancelation.
Why The Stormlight Archive Should Be A TV Series (& Not A Movie)
The Stormlight Archive Is Too Dense To Be Adapted Into Films
Original cover art for The Way of Kings, Oathbringer, and RHYTHM OF WAR by Michael Whelan
Given that Brandon Sanderson is interested in making Mistborn as a movie, something I disagree with, I'm going to make the case for why The Stormlight Archive being a TV series is paramount, again using Game of Thrones as a model. George R.R. Martin has spoken openly about why he selected HBO to adapt his book series, as studios had pitched him ideas to bring A Song of Ice & Fire to life as movies, which would result in significant portions of the narrative being cut. The graph below shows the word counts for some of their novels.
Fantasy Books |
Word Count |
|---|---|
The Way of Kings |
383,181 |
A Game of Thrones |
292,727 |
Rhythm of War |
455,891 |
A Storm of Swords |
414,604 |
A Game of Thrones is easily the most directly adapted of Martin's novels, with its 292,727 words fitting neatly in a ten-hour season. A Storm of Swords, which is 414,604 words, had to be split into two seasons for HBO. The minimum for Sanderson's books should be ten-episode seasons with hour-long episodes, or a hefty portion of the narrative would have to be cut. Slow-burn character arcs are the core of The Stormlight Archive.
The Stormlight Archive Needs To Take The Right Lessons From Game Of Thrones
It's Not About CGI & Epic Battles; It's About Intelligent Storytelling & Well-Designed Characters
An important distinction between the two series is that The Stormlight Archive involves far more magic and unique world-building, so there would be more CGI inherently. However, with the absence of the Knights Radiant for most of books 1 & 2, there would be time to build up the budget gradually, possibly even featuring the climactic battle of The Way of Kings. Rather than focusing on the epic aspect of Game of Thrones' later seasons, nail the fundamentals of what made the first four seasons some of the best television ever made.
Every Radiant Order In The Stormlight Archive & What They Do, Explained
Brandon Sanderson has developed a complex magic system in The Stormlight Archive. Here's our breakdown of the Knights Radiant orders and their powers.
Point-of-view characters like Kaladin and Shallan are immensely relatable despite their essentially alien world. By focusing on their arcs and offering some political scheming in the Alethi war camps, an adaptation of The Way of Kings could be made on a relatively low budget. The lavish costumes and unique setting of Roshar can be brought to life with on-site locations and talented artists, while the writing should prioritize finding the appropriate pacing for a narrative that spans a sprawling cast of characters, roping the viewer into their lives.
There are valuable lessons to be taken from Game of Thrones that could lead to a phenomenal fantasy adaptation, which I believe The Stormlight Archive deserves. It doesn't need $250 million per season in CGI budget; it doesn't need unnecessary sex scenes or grotesque gore; it just needs to focus on the fundamentals of character-driven storytelling.
The Stormlight Archive
- Created by
- Brandon Sanderson
- Character(s)
- Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Jasnah Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Navani Kholin
The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, set on the storm-ravaged world of Roshar. The series follows multiple characters, each with their unique storylines, as they navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and powerful magic. Central to the story are the Knights Radiant, legendary warriors with magical abilities who must return to save their world from impending destruction. The series explores themes of honor, leadership, and the burden of power.
