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Go shoppingThe Western genre is now front and centre of the entertainment industry, and television developers are likely to be searching for the best novels to adapt to the next big thing.
There are countless recent Western novels that would make for excellent television series, many of which were released in 2023 or 2024. With the authors still busy working, TV studios can rely on the fact that they will be available to pen more source material.
Why is Now the Perfect Time to Adapt Western Novels?
There are various indications that the Western boom is going to spread even further over the next few years. The online casino industry is always a strong barometer for what’s hot, and the Wanted Dead or a Wild slot at Betfair Casino is one of the most popular offerings. This is one of many titles that take players to the Wild West, with other options like Wild West Gold and King of the West also up there with the most played slots at the site.
Westerns have blown up on television in recent times as well, with various innovative series that use themes from the genre. Yellowstone is one of the most watched series of the last few years, with the Kevin Costner-led offering billed as a modern Western. Amazon’s Fallout provided a cool twist on the genre as well, with Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul acting as a post-apocalyptic gunslinger.
With these titles and many others attracting large audiences, it would make sense for streaming services to search for other original works to adapt. There are various Western novels that would make for great TV, but there are two that stand out from the others as the best options.
Bushwa by Ron Schwab
For television developers in search of a classic Old West novel to adapt, Ron Schwab’s Bushwa would be a fantastic choice. The author has pedigree in the genre with Old Dogs and The Accidental Sheriff, but this latest offering released last year could be his best work yet.
The story takes place in New Mexico in 1862 in the midst of the Civil War and has been lauded for its well-developed characters. It would fit the bill for a television series, as it features various minor plot threads along with a broader story arc.
Washita by B. N. Rundell
Washita is another offering that would translate well to the screen, as it also features an array of complex and unique characters. B. N Rundell’s latest novel is the seventh in the McCain Chronicles series, meaning that television developers would have a lot of source material to draw from. The protagonist, Elijah McCain, is a fan favourite among readers, and it would be interesting to see him portrayed on screen.
With the Yellowstone franchise expanding into sequels and spinoffs, it’s clear that there’s a massive audience out there for Western content. There are countless great Wild West books that could be adapted into television shows, and it’s highly likely that some of them will be picked up by streaming services in the years ahead.