John C. Wright's "The Hermetic Millennia"

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John C. Wright is an attorney turned SF and fantasy writer. He has published short fiction in Asimov’s SF and elsewhere, and wrote the Chronicles of Chaos, The Golden Age, and The War of Dreaming series. His novel Orphans of Chaos was a finalist for the Nebula Award in 2005.

Here Wright dreamcasts an adaptation of his 2012 novel, The Hermetic Millennia:

Here below are my choices for the casting of the characters in The Hermetic Millennia. Unfortunately, the cast list is rather long, so we will not be able to match all the names to faces. I took the liberty of selecting actors and actresses regardless of their age, or whether they were still living and working. Hence my first choice is for Menelaus Montrose to be played by Raymond Massey. He is not as homely as I describe Montrose to be, but then again, few actors are.

Next is Ximen del Azarchel, the Master of the World, to be played by Roger Delgado, the Master. There are several other Hermeticists in the story, of course, but he overshadows them.

Rania should be played by Rania. I realize Her Highness Rania of Jordan is not an actress, but then again she has the correct look and poise.

Let us do the rest in chronological order, starting with Trey Soaring Azurine, the Sylph, played by Ksenia Solo from Canada's Lost Girl.

Ben Kingsley as Sir Guy the Hospitalier.

Mickey the Witch played by Fiazon Love from Elf.

Irene Ryan, by herself, can play the other Witches from his era.

Jet Li as Yuen, the younger Chimera Alpha.

The older Chimera, Daae, to be played by Clint Eastwood after his hair went gray.

Lady Invinia is particularly hard to cast, but I will go with Eva Green.

Oenoe the Nymph is again difficult to cast. I select Tiffany Tang, who appeared in Chinese Paladin 3, which is perhaps my favorite television series to date. I saw it when I was in China. I am not sure where it is available here in the West.

For the other nymphs, nearly any Bollywood actresses or Japanese Gravure idols will do.

The Hormagaunt Soorm will have to be played by a special effect. I recommend Liam Neeson as the voice actor, only because I adored him in Rob Roy, a movie which I think I am the only person who saw.

Mentor Ull can be played, with some heavy makeup and trick photography, by Leo McKern, the British actor.

The Preceptor Illiance can be played by veteran character actor Lionel Jeffries.

Visit John C. Wright's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue