I've read a couple of them. They're terribly popular, although I can't really imagine why. They are indeed adult, but they're not terribly non-traditional. For the most part they're political books, following more closely the human drama of a particularly nasty war in a not terribly fantastical kingdom, while on the edges of things, the more fantastical elements are followed in some rarely visited plot threads (the invasion of a sinister supernatural evil from the icy north, a fallen noble in a land over the sea who becomes mother to some foundling dragons [long story] and begins to build an empire). He's brutal with his characters, though, and there are very few (if any) wise, genial wizards and heroic knights. They feel mostly like real people, although it's occasionally hard to imagine real people being quite so sustainedly shitty to each other.

They're not the best exemplar of modern, 'adult' (a term I hesitate to use because of its associations with porn) fantasy, but they're a fore-runner of a lot of it. Their biggest downfall, I think (other than the fact that Martin is only a so-so craftsman, prose-wise), is that the plot development is achingly slow and freighted with irrelevant detail. There's so much there that I don't think that they'll have to invent a lot of filler to make it stretch out to a season of TV, which is a good thing, but they'll really have to get a decent editor in there to move things around and cut some things make it into compelling TV. It can be done, but I imagine that they'll have to soften it a lot to make it palatable to a general audience.

Hmm, sounds vaguely interesting. Don't forget that HBO seasons are half the length of network TV (average of 10-12 episodes rather than 20-24), so the writers (the author for season 1) might have to cut out a lot of the chaff.

If so, that'd be a good thing. I've often thought that this would be a good way to adapt most contemporary novels, which are generally far, far too long to make into movies. It'll be interesting to see if it catches on.

wow, Evan. that's a professional quality review in a niche blog. Perhaps CM should give you a column.

ha! as if i have something to offer. and anyway, evan already has his own quality niche blog...

(his name links to it)

that would be a good way to do "the dark tower," were someone ever to do "the dark tower."

you could probably combine books 2-3 and 5-6, and do 5 12-episode seasons.

man, this is a good idea. someone get me a meeting with HBO.

Hey, Evan's niche blog linked to a review of Blindsight which I'm currently reading. But Even politely warned me that it had spoilers, so I'll have to wait. Way to go Niche Evan! (You should change your CM name to that).

Evan, good review, although I really enjoy these books, however you are right that the plot can move slow as molasses. I was really into the first three books, but the last one didn't move the plot along enough for me. I already thought that the books would be best served in this season long fashion. I agree that the Dark Tower books, which I am in the midst of reading, would work quite well in this way too.

i also think book 4, wizard and glass, should be animated. is that too kill bill?