
Amazon Studios to Adapt Consider Phlebas, First Novel of the Culture Series - walkingolof
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2333693
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arethuza
I've waited almost 30 years to see the escape of the _Clear Air Turbulence_
from _The Ends of Invention_... :-)

Edit: I read CP in one go during the single day off I had studying for my
final exams in my CS degree in '88.

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walshemj
Against a dark background would work better as a series, Ian evensaid he
wouldn't mind if it had a happy ending.

Miz survives and rides off into the sunset with Sharow on the Vrossul tank
hunter _sigh_

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jccalhoun
This could be good. I think Consider Phlebas is the least of the series but if
it leads to the others being adapted then I am for it.

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GCU-Empiricist
That's the weird thing: If I rember right Consider Phlebas is by far the worst
book to adapt to introduce the Culture, because of how prevalent the Idrian
religion (an expy for various militant religious groups) is to the plot and
action. As you said lets hope we get all of them, especially Excession IMHO.

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walkingolof
The merit of Consider Phlebas is the potential of a fantastic
scifi/action/adventure series, its easy to make TV off, Excession is the other
side of the spectrum, a bunch of Minds talking :)

In the end, Im a fan, Im glad that this happens, just a damn shame that Mr.
Banks never got to see it.

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walshemj
I just want Pater Capaldi to voice Skaffen-Amtiskaw (full name Fohristiwhirl
Skaffen-Amtiskaw Handrahen Dran Easpyou )

If they do UOW

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maxander
Yeah yeah, I’m excited too. But it figures this is being done by Amazon- for
years they’ve been out to condition us to like having all our needs met by an
inhuman yet weirdly friendly technological regime.

Good odds the Minds all sound _remarkably_ like Alexa. :)

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zaphod12
This is going to be very challenging to film...it's imagined as such a far
future world. I'm sure it can be done well, but I feel like it will be a
challenge and may ruin my imagined vision.

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asteli
When I think of the Culture series, I immediately think of the descriptions of
incredibly vast spacecraft, the General Systems Vehicles and whatnot. Even
listening via audiobook, my imagination was able to conjure a fragment of the
sensation that one gets when perceiving something with incredible scale.
Similar to the sensation I got when I first gazed upon the Rocky Mountains.

I'm happy that the series is getting more exposure, but at the risk of seeming
curmudgeonly, the series will remain on my "watch only after reading the
books" list.

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huslage
I just hope they don't put hulls around the GSVs...that would make me sad

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jonathanyc
Damnit... that does seem like something they’d do just to show off special
effects. I guess a giant ellipsoid is not super visually appealing.

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nategri
Hopefully this means we'll also get _Use of Weapons_ and _The Player of
Games_? Pretty please?

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RobertoG
Hopefully they will respect the spirit of the thing, instead of what happened
to altered carbon.

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duozerk
It's especially infuriating what they did to Altered Carbon when you consider
how much of the changes _do not add anything_ to the adaptation (although a
very few were improvements, like Poe); quite the reverse. They also completely
castrated the books' political message - especially when it came to religion,
and to a lower extent anti-capitalism/centralization.

That being said, I imagine it still makes for a watchable show for someone
that knows nothing about the books.

In any case, I love both series and I pray dearly they don't fuck up the
Culture adaptation.

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BatFastard
As someone who has not read the book, I quite enjoy the Netflix series! Give
me more! So much good SciFi finally coming in series format!!! Only had to
wait 40 years.

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AdeptusAquinas
I read the book and really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the Netflix series a
lot. Theyre different stories, with one inspiring the other. At least with the
Netflix series I am hoping that the next season will stick to the theme and
atmosphere, unlike the IMO dissapointing book sequels

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joshstrange
This would be amazing if they do the rest of the books as well. I think this
ranks up there for me with an Honor Harrington TV series.

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Crespyl
I'd be so excited for an Honor series. Of my favorite space operas, it's
definitely one of the more readily TV-adaptable ones (arguably more easily so
than Culture), especially after the success of The Expanse.

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Jedd
This is great news indeed.

I've never directed or produced a movie, and I'm impressed at the number of my
fellow HN'ers who have great insight into why this isn't the best book to turn
into a film.

For my own part I'm just thrilled that it may finally happen. If it's not up
to scratch, it won't diminish the novel(s) for me. But if it's great, I'm
going to be way pleased.

Fair to say that anyone who's read and enjoyed a book (or series of books),
and subsequently seen a TV or film interpretation of the work, will almost
always commend others to read, then watch. (There may be exceptions - never
heard of one myself.)

Last year there was news of Amazon looking to develop series around Ringworld
(maybe re-use some of the sets :) and Snowcrash. I really liked what they did
with Man in the High Castle, so I'm feeling optimistic.

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geden
Slightly alarming but also tremendously exciting. Alarming because Amazon have
yet to produce anything truely great. Exciting because Denis Kelly’s series
Utopia was truely unique and special UK SF viewing with a real edge. Plan B
also have excellent track record.

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nategri
< Alarming because Amazon have yet to produce anything truely great.

Apply the correct latin phrase, but I've found _The Man in the High Castle_ to
be one of the best shows on TV right now.

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geden
I couldn’t get past the pilot unfortunately. Vikings S02/S03 is very watchable
with great production values but a bit pulpy.

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splitrocket
Ian M. Banks: "Money Implies Poverty"

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whitingx
So we can hopefully look forward to seeing the Superlifter 'Prime Mover' in
'The Player of Games' follow up series ;)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spacecraft_in_the_Cult...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spacecraft_in_the_Culture_series#The_Player_of_Games)

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Pica_soO
Yes, yes.. this is increddible- i cant wait for the minds duking out.

I have it here on my desk right now- re-reading while working on a hobby
project.

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Feniks
Cool, need something scifi that isn't dystopia. We're already living that.
Warminds for president 2020.

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walshemj
The culture universe is not a 100% happy fluffy one (th empire of azzad for
one) . And all the books are all set outside of the culture.

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Pica_soO
Even the culture interior is certainly PG-18. Remember- its all better in the
culture, they all last longer - and they have those drug glands- so to be
honest, how can somebody adapt that faithfully and release it in the usa?

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XorNot
There's also quite a few casual orgies.

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Pica_soO
Oh brave new world that hold such people.

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diziet
I am cautiously optimistic.

