Ten years after being published and after acquiring TV rights earlier this summer, Variety announced that the collaborative novel A Day of Fire would be made into a limited series produced by Amazon MGM Studios. All authors involved in the project, including Stephanie Dray, have been abuzz on social media lately about the project.
Written and produced by Michael and Horatio Hirst, who are also serving as showrunners, A Day of Fire tells about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient Pompeii. The project is in good hands, especially considering Michael Hirst has worked on historical television in the past, creating Vikings, The Tudors, and Billy the Kid.
But staying true to a source, especially when something is based on a book, can sometimes be tricky.
That being said, A Day of Fire could serve as an introduction to the vibrant ancient world and streets of Pompeii. Perhaps most importantly, it will have something for everyone to be drawn to.
Here are 6 things we’d like to see from this adaptation as fans of the original novel.
1. No ‘antiquity’ filter
Many films and TV shows set in the distant past are guilty of the dreaded, and often memed, antiquity filter, which bleaches out color from the world. That means buildings, architecture, clothing, and general lighting are awash in tones of stoic white and gray.
That is simply not historically accurate.
The ancient world—much like today—was always colorful. Just because paint loss over the centuries has left remains devoid of most color doesn’t mean ancient architecture was bland. A Day of Fire should showcase Pompeii’s colorful streets, mosaics, buildings, and clothing in all its glory.
It should be bright and sunny until the eruption darkens the sky. The setting in the novel is vivid, brought to life with descriptions of this flourishing resort town. The TV show should be, too.
2. Include the authors
Six authors collaborated to bring this novel to life, each writing their own section and intertwining six storylines through a cohesive narrative that flows well. They should be included in the production or at least consulted throughout the process.
Who knows these characters better than those who created them? Much like it is important and even crucial to consult historians and archaeologists, the original authors of A Day of Fire should, hopefully, be on set to help bring their characters to life.
Kate Quinn, for example, introduces a beloved character from another of her book series in her section of the novel. We wouldn’t want to see her mischaracterized.
There should be no major changes to this story and each section written by its author. If it’s done to one, it would hurt the entire project because the novel works so well as a deeply intertwined effort.
3. Historical accuracy
This should be a no-brainer, especially because Pompeii is almost perfectly preserved thanks to the layers of ash and volcanic debris. That means we have a pretty accurate idea of what life was like, from the mundane to the epic.
Take, for example, Pompeiian graffiti. Through graffiti, archaeologists and historians alike have a deeper understanding of what daily life was like and what humans were like, which is not all that different from today.
Many TV shows and films of the ancient world, however, accidentally create a divide between modern humans and our ancient ancestors. But a quick look at the surviving graffiti of Pompeii will make you think otherwise. Some of it might even make you blush!
4. Gladiator Fights
Give us action! Ancient Pompeii’s Romanized world was full of activity and entertainment, and gladiator fights were an everyday occurrence.
As if the eruption won’t be heart-pounding enough, there is a pretty epic scene in the book with reverberations of Mount Vesuvius disrupting a gladiatorial fight. This, in turn, is a pivotal moment for one of the main characters, Rufus, an ex-legionary, becoming truly desperate as his circumstances depended on his prized gladiator winning that fight.
From the epic to the small scale, A Day of Fire is full of action and emotion, and the gladiator sequences were some of the best at showcasing both. With Gladiator II being released this year, hopefully, the interest and appreciation of this historical topic will still be on our minds when the series is released, and audiences will want more.
5. A Rollercoaster of Emotions
A Day of Fire as a novel cuts deep. After all, Mount Vesuvius’ eruption destroyed Pompeii and left few survivors.
The book does end as happily as it can, with some semblance of hope after the destruction. It delves deep into the heartbreak of some characters, knowing they won’t survive the eruption and subsequent destruction when it begins.
Some even decide to stay instead of trying to flee. As powerful as this was in the novel, it could be made even more heart-wrenching on screen.
Let’s hope the showrunners don’t cut or hold back on the emotional aspect. It’s not all about the action of a volcano erupting. What were these citizens feeling and experiencing in their last moments? Anytime a piece of media makes us truly feel something, it’s bound to stick with us much longer.
6. Inclusive cast of characters
Going back to an earlier point, the ancient world was colorful, and this is also evident in speech. Pompeii was more of a melting pot than we might expect, especially as a seaside port and resort town of prominence.
So in this vein, A Day of Fire would benefit from casting actors of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities. For beloved historical figures like Pliny the Elder, though, some A-list, powerhouse actors would also be amazing.
Because Latin or Greek were the dominant languages at the time, even for those who were born speaking another language, we’d love for a variety of accents to make their way into the show. We might not ever know for sure what people of the ancient world really sounded like, but we’d be doing ourselves a disservice to try and keep accents and languages to a minimum in this adaptation.
The main characters of A Day of Fire are strong and compelling, and they range from wealthy heiresses to enslaved prostitutes to gladiators; we need the best talent, whoever that may be, to represent them on screen.
Try not to get too attached, as you never know who will survive and who will perish in the destruction.
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What are you hoping to see when this series is released? Sound off in the comments to let us know.
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Amanda Larch Hinchman
Amanda Larch works as a writer and editor when she’s not in the middle of a good book. Learn more about her work and view her portfolio at www.amandalarchwriter.com/ and keep up with her on Goodreads @_groovyginger_.
