TVSquad

If you're like me, you raced out to your local book merchant last Tuesday and got yourself a copy of Neal Stephenson's latest book, Anathem. Then, more than likely, you tore through it before you realized, "Crap, it's going to be another five years before there is another one." But this isn't Book Squad, so what am I on about?

You might recall a January 2007 post by Kevin about Stephenson's earlier novel, The Diamond Age, being adapted for the Sci Fi Channel. As a longtime fan, I was thrilled to hear the news. But then, months and months passed with no real updates. I make periodic runs through IMDB, the official Neal Stephenson site, Smokehouse Productions, the Sci Fi Wire, wikipedia... Nobody has any information on just what the heck is going on with the adaptation. Given the nature of TV and movies, I was starting to worry that it had all just been back burnered. Or worse, they spent all that Diamond Age cash on Painkiller Jane. Not so fast...

I like to think that I read more than the average bear, and I certainly have my favorites. I've been counting down the days to the new Neal Stephenson novel, Anathem, since a release date was announced. That being said, I've never really been lured in by any of the television tie-in books. However, a guest article at the LA Times site by Tod Goldberg has left me curious about Burn Notice: The Fix.

In the linked article, Goldberg details the thought process behind him making the jump to television tie-ins. He has an interesting perspective and it makes for a good read. Among other things, Goldberg was worried that writing a tie-in might sully his career. One of the things that turned the tide was the fact that he is a huge fan of Burn Notice. He actually makes a great comparison, saying, "It's smart, funny, visually arresting and has the tone and style of my favorite Elmore Leonard novels." Why yes, it is. Goldberg's first foray into tie-ins is available now.