[Kaye T. Bai]

Not sure if this is a necro or not, but I'd like to post my thoughts on this.

Honestly, this hit me out of the blue. I thought the book was forgotten by the major networks, and thus, was not expecting it to get adapted, although I've wanted it to be for a while now. I was literally jumping up and down in front of my computer, screaming "Yes! Yes!" when I read the news.

Speaking of which...

I've read the book, and it is one of my favorites. It's a bit outdated with its entire Cold War premise, gender relations, etc., but I loved the book nonetheless. The entire idea of a USN DDG surviving the apocalypse is something that appealed to me when I first read the book years ago, and is still something that captures my imagination today. The idea of a lone group out in the unknown is something that I think many can appreciate.

There have been attempts to adapt the novel in the past; most notably, Steven Soderbergh tried to make it into a film back in the 1990s, but for some unknown reason it was cancelled, unfortunately.

My only concerns are the fact that it's going to be shown on the TNT network and Michael Bay's involvement. Personally, this book would be perfect as an HBO mini-series or full-length film. I just don't see it working out as a recurring season television show, but I hope I'm wrong.

Michael Bay's inolvement? We all know how Pearl Harbor turned out.

But, it looks like Bay will only be involved as a producer and not with direction or writing, so I guess there'll be something salvageable from this, no pun intended.

Just by reading the press release, it looks like there'll be some changes the original source material. The original book was about a USN DDG that survives a nuclear war between the USSR and NATO. Obviously, since that's not all that relevant to our world of the 2010s, they might change it to some natural disaster or leave the entire cause of the apocalypse completely ambiguous, like The Road did. I'm just hoping that they don't change it to Sci-Fi, as although I love aliens, this isn't the place for it.

I wonder if the U.S. Navy or DoD will be officially involved in production. I hoping not, as it'll probably turn into some long recruiting commercial, like Transformers or that disappointment of a Battleship.

My biggest worry right now are the production values, such as the sets. I'm wondering how they'd get access to a DDG without USN/DoD support. Not that they could anyway, there are some parts of the book that put the USN in a less-than-stellar light, without giving away too many spoilers. I'm guessing maybe they could go the Crimson Tide route and build an entire set inside a studio, but without the proper budget, that may be limited. Most television series don't have the biggest of budgets, as evidenced by this recent season of The Walking Dead, which took place entirely on a bloody farm, for crying out loud.

Unfortunately, the author of the book, who was a USN officer back in WW2, died back in 1993, so he probably won't be having a say in the production. Not that he probably could anyway even if he was alive, usually the authors have little to do with screen adaptations from what I've heard.

Anyway, that's my say on the matter. I can't wait until it premieres, whenever that may be.

Originally Posted by CCIP

I haven't read the book, but the premise (and
summary of the story on Wikipedia) sure seem cool.

It's a great book. A wee bit on the long side, the author is very verbose, using ten words to describe something that could be said with one, but it's a great read nonetheless. Not only that, he uses a lot of uncommon English words, so keep a thesaurus handy. The book can get depressing at times, though, but that's to be expected with a post-apocalyptic setting. Sometimes, that's a good thing.

Originally Posted by CCIP

My only reservation is Michael Bay's involvement in this...

Same here. Now, if it were Spielberg, on the other hand...

Originally Posted by Thagarr

Ahoy mates! I have been a long time lurker around these forums, but this is my first post here. By long time, I mean since just after Subsim went online. It was in fact these forums that steered me to Sea Dogs back more than a decade ago, but that is a whole different story.

Well, allow me to welcome you on board! Don't worry, the sharks don't bite.

Originally Posted by Thagarr

I have never read the book myself either, but it does sound like quite an interesting premise. I am always looking for a good book though, so I may give this one a read.

It's a great book, but it's not for everyone. Fairly long, if I do say so myself.

Originally Posted by Thagarr

I agree that Michael Bay's involvement is a bit disconcerting, he is not exactly known for historical accuracy or realistic plots.

Well, we can always bite the bullet and hope for the best. This is one of my favorite books and I just hope to Poseidon that they don't muck it up.