Larry Niven's 1970 novel Ringworld is a beloved classic that received the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. But science fiction author Rajan Khanna says the book has some major shortcomings for a modern reader. "I think that what this novel becomes is basically two thought experiments that get sandwiched together," Khanna says in Episode 505 of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. "The characters are there to help explain these parts of the thought experiments, but they don't really--for me--become fully fledged, likable, relatable, or even interesting characters." Ringworld is currently being adapted for television by Akiva Goldsman, with Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor slated to direct the pilot.

The Apple TV series Foundation tells the story of a group of scientists trying to shepherd the galaxy through a centuries-long dark age. Science fiction author Anthony Ha says the series strays a bit too far from its highly intellectual source material, a series of classic novels by Isaac Asimov. And in the show it's really all about individual action, and psychohistory becomes this kind of magic that can predict individual action," Ha says in Episode 503 of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. "I understand why they made that change. If you make a show where the hero doesn't matter, individuals don't matter, that is both a bleak and maybe not particularly interesting show, but it did feel like there was a real loss in that adaptation choice." Geek's Guide to the Galaxy host David Barr Kirtley agrees that Foundation often substitutes Hollywood formula for Asimov's more cerebral approach. "Asimov's whole appeal is that you see smart people being rational," he says. "If I wanted to see hot people expressing strong emotions and doing cool athletic stuff, I could watch anything on TV.

The new Apple TV series Foundation, based on the classic novel by Isaac Asimov, isn't slated to be released until next year, but science fiction author Anthony Ha is already anticipating its release--Foundation is one of his all-time favorite books. "Foundation was the series that made me realize I was a science fiction fan," Ha says in Episode 434 of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. "It brings me as much pleasure as any book can when I re-read it, so I probably end up re-reading it every few years." Foundation tells the story of Hari Seldon and his followers, who use the futuristic science of psychohistory to plot their course through a galactic dark age and preserve scientific knowledge. Geek's Guide to the Galaxy host David Barr Kirtley has always loved the concept.