As high concept ideas go, few can compare to the zinger that forms the spine of Julian Mays Saga Of The Exiles. Initially set in a future where the human race have joined a peaceful federation of alien races called the Galactic Milieu, a French physicist discovers time travel but its a scientific curiosity with almost no practical application, given that it only works at one location, his home, and provides a one way portal to a fixed location and time six million years in Earths past. However, it transpires that the human race, still a little backward when it comes to maturity, has its fair share of misfits that hate the new era of galactic prosperity and colonisation: malcontents, anachronisms, xenophobes, you name it, many of whom believe that it might be better to live out the remainder of their lives in a prehistoric paradise. Some go back to farm, some to hunt; some to become hermits, some simply as an alternative to suicide. The portal gradually becomes a convenient glory-hole for political dissidents and recidivist criminals too, and over decades, thousands of people are given basic survival training, sterilised to avoid any breeding that might affect the future, and then sent back in time to start their new lives in what becomes known as Exile. Tragically, since the portal is one way only, none of the travellers have any way of warning the future of what awaits them on the other side you see, it appears that six million years ago, prehistoric Europe was under the control of two warring alien races, who have been enslaving the humans as soon as they arrive and co-opting them into their millennia-old conflict. The story follows one party of time travelling misfits, their experiences in Exile and the ways in which they in particular cause a huge upheaval. It becomes apparent that the aliens, with their outlandish appearances and formidable psychic powers. are the basis for many of the myths of faeries, goblins, ogres, vampires etc etc that pervade human history. Its an incredibly creative, brilliantly written series of four novels, richly and lovingly detailed, often hilarious, always exciting, and unapologetically intellectual and profoundly philosophical when necessary. As far as brutal politicking amongst a cast of thousands across a continent goes, Mays novels easily match Martins for scale and scope, and with gladiatorial combat with superpowered aliens and humans instead of jousting and archery, the potential for spectacle is considerably greater. But its the characters that will prove more than a match for Game Of Thrones. From trickster Aiken Drum, the man who would be king, to ice queen Elizabeth, mourning the loss of her husband, to psychotic sports star Felice, to compassionate nun Amerie, to grumpy palaeontologist Claude, swashbuckling pilot Richard, berserker Viking Stein and thats just a few of the humans. Its a daunting task, to adapt something so detailed and vibrant to the big screen but Game Of Thrones has proven that it can be done. Lets see who has the cojones to try. Do you have a favourite epic that would translate brilliantly to the small screen? Tell us all about it in the comments!
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
