The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan
The Story: One of the most beloved and recognizable fantasy series of all time, Jordan's The Wheel of Time follows the adventures of Rand, Mat, Perrin and Egwene as they leave their small town and get swept up into a world of prophecy, magic and reborn evil and learn that they have roles in the saga that's unfolding that were foretold. Stretching over 14 volumes, The Wheel of Time is epic in scope and one of the most traditional fantasy tales on this list.The Pitch: The only way to do an adaptation of The Wheel of Time justice is to understand its dark core and put resources into helping bring the world to life. Yes, Red Eagle Entertainment's short production that aired in the middle of the night on FXX in February (watch it, but be warned, it's pretty awful) encapsulates how this story needs a big budget to be told well. A network with money to put into the show like Showtime, which then could have a great fantasy series to go head-to-head with HBO's Game of Thrones, is really the only way this beloved story should make its way to the small screen. If done well, a Wheel of Time show has the potential to blow up just like Thrones did.
Ideal Network: Showtime
Gentleman Bastard, Scott Lynch
The Story: Locke Lamora is purchased in his youth by the leader of the Gentleman Bastards, a group of con artists, thieves and spies who live in the fictional city of Camorr (based on medieval Venice). As an adult he helps the Bastards fight off the mysterious Gray King who is taking over their criminal underworld, and then travels on adventures to other areas as they pull off increasingly difficult cons.The Pitch: There have been rumors and reports of the rights to Lynch's series being picked up for years, but there's been no forward momentum on it. The show has the swashbuckling appeal of Oceans Eleven-meet-Robin Hood with the fantasy element that elevates it beyond straight fiction. The series is a dark tale that would be perfect for a network like FX, and its tone makes it as fun as it is serious.
Ideal Network: FX
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Tad Williams
The Story: After the beloved old king dies, his eldest son becomes corrupted by the temptation of an evil power and sends the land of Osten Ard into ruin. A teenage boy named Simon who works in the castle gets swept up by forces outside of his control and ends up on a journey where he meets a heroic princess, immortal creatures from out of old stories and has to defeat a vengeful king who returned from the dead.The Pitch: Williams wrote Memory, Sorrow and Thorn as a way to start a commentary on the tropes of contemporary fantasy and the effect J.R.R. Tolkien's writing has had on it. The novels explore themes of religion, colonialism and identity, while offering a modern riff on Arthurian-style storytelling. Heck, even George R.R. Martin cited this series as an influence on him when he began writing A Song of Ice and Fire, and look how successful that adaptation has been.
Ideal Network: AMC
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erickson
The Story: The 10-volume series tells a sweeping story set across multiple millenia, through alternate dimensions and steeped in magic. It's non-linear and massive in its scope, so much so that it's pretty hard to paraphrase the many threaded stories in the series. The first novel, Gardens of the Moon, introduces the Malazan Empire after its fall from glory due to years of war and infighting. In the aftermath of that destruction, several forces are drawn together to try to take the free city of Darujhistan, as both the Empire and the gods set their sites on the influential city.The Pitch: Malazan is a challenge to adapt simply for the scale of its story and the abstract nature of its fantasy, but it also is a rich world with political and societal issues that have resonance in today's world. Adapting the series will be an ambitious endeavor, so it would need to be on a network with money to throw at it and the freedom to make it as dark and violent as it would need to be. But considering many fantasy fans consider this series to be in league with Martin's ASoIaF saga, it would be a worthy investment.
Ideal Network: Cinemax
The Song of the Lioness, Tamora Pierce
The Story: Teenage Alanna of Trebond isn't cut out for the life of a noblewoman that the medieval-esque world of Tortall dictates, so she disguises herself as a boy and takes the place of her twin brother Thom to go to the royal palace and train to become a knight. Pierce's quartet of novels take Alanna on a series of adventures through various cultures as she befriends (and falls in love with) Prince Jonathan, grows close to the king of thieves George, gains her knighthood and and discovers a sinister plot to overthrow the monarchy.The Pitch: Though Pierce's The Song of the Lioness quartet was released more than 30 years ago, it tells a story that remains relevant today as a woman tries to find her place in a male world. Toss in a love triangle, a colorful fantasy world and an array of engaging characters, and this is just the sort of teen-geared story that would succeed in today's TV slate. If done right, it could be a fantasy version of The CW's excellent The 100.
Ideal Network: The CW Terri Schwartz is Entertainment Editor for IGN and has read The Song of the Lioness quartet more times than she'd care to admit. Follow her on Twitter at @Terri_Schwartz.