George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire could, when complete, emerge as one of the great fantasy epics to hit stores since The Lord of the Rings. These novels captivate me as a reader and inspire me as a writer, and I've always wondered if they could be turned into films.

Unfortunately, A Song of Ice and Fire has more characters and settings than The Lord of the Rings--which Peter Jackson was able to translate into a successful cinematic trilogy--and follows an extremely complex plot, making a film adaptation difficult.

Now, however, we might be able to see Some of Martin's 'Fire' on the screen. An article @ Variety.com maintains that HBO will be producing a miniseries based on A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin used to be a screenwriter, and his involvement on this project should ensure that the settings, characters, and dialogue from his novels will remain untarnished.

But these events are coming through The Wire, so I'll curb my enthusiasm before making room for A Song of Ice and Fire next to Entourage.

Drew