Top Ongoing Fantasy TV Shows Based On Books

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Many of the most popular fantasy TV shows are adapted from existing books, and quite a few are still being made. While original shows written for television can be excellent, there’s a strong tradition of bringing stories by well-known authors to the screen. A major benefit is that these books already have dedicated fans, which helps ensure an audience for the TV series. However, adapting books also comes with potential challenges.

Turning a book into a movie or TV show is always difficult, and fans of the original story often feel something is missing. This is especially true with fantasy books, which are hard to translate into believable on-screen worlds. Because of this, fantasy TV adaptations are often heavily criticized. If a show manages to last a few seasons, receive good reviews, and avoid being canceled, it’s a real achievement.

The Witcher

Since its second season, The Witcher has sparked a lot of debate, particularly among fans online. Many have discussed the significant changes Netflix made to the original Andrzej Sapkowski books. The situation became even more complex after season 3 when Henry Cavill, who played the lead role, left the show and was replaced by Liam Hemsworth. Even with all these challenges, The Witcher still maintains a 75% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers generally haven’t rated The Witcher as highly as other shows, giving it a score of 46% on the Popcornmeter, which explains why other series on this list are ranking better. However, The Witcher still looks amazing, with great acting, impressive fight scenes, and a well-developed magic system. A score of 75% feels like a reasonable assessment of the show.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Like The Witcher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has received more positive reviews from critics than from general audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an 84% score from critics, but only a 49% score from viewers. The main complaint seems to be that the series deviates from the original stories.

Unlike The Witcher, The Rings of Power stays much closer to the source material by J.R.R. Tolkien. The challenge is that the show takes place thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings and doesn’t have a pre-existing story to follow. However, the huge budget behind The Rings of Power has created some stunning fantasy landscapes. It’s visually captivating, and Prime Video seems committed to continuing the series for a long time.

Good Omens

The comedy series Good Omens is adapted from the novel by Neil Gaiman. It’s been very popular with general audiences, earning a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics also like the show, giving it an 84% positive score – still a very strong result.

The popular show Good Omens is coming to an end. While a third season was once in the works, Prime Video has decided to conclude the story with a special, movie-length finale expected in 2026. This will bring the funny, heartwarming, and wonderfully bizarre fantasy series to a satisfying close.

Interview With The Vampire

Interview with the Vampire is a horror fantasy TV series adapted from Anne Rice’s popular Vampire Chronicles. The AMC show started with a large and enthusiastic fanbase, drawing in both longtime readers of the books and fans of the 1994 movie. Early reviews suggest the series is satisfying to both groups.

As a huge fan of Anne Rice, I always get a little anxious when a book I love gets adapted for TV – it’s tough when things aren’t exactly like the book, right? But honestly, the reaction to the Interview with the Vampire series has been amazing! Critics and audiences both really seem to love it – it’s sitting at a 99% rating from critics and a 78% audience score, which is fantastic. And the best news? We’re getting a Season 3, hopefully around 2026, and it’s going to dive into the sequels! I’m so excited to see where they take the story next.

House of the Dragon

Given the massive success of Game of Thrones, it’s not surprising that House of the Dragon is also proving popular. However, the original Game of Thrones series stumbled towards the end, largely because the showrunners ran out of books to adapt – author George R.R. Martin hadn’t yet finished the series. House of the Dragon currently benefits from having more established source material to work with.

House of the Dragon is a prequel series based on George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood. While some details differ from the original story, the show has been generally well-received, earning an 87% score from critics and a 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The fantasy series stands out for its complex political storylines, vivid and often intense visuals, and impressive dragons. Like the books it’s based on, House of the Dragon is a visually stunning and captivating experience.

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2025-11-26 03:29