American Gods Series on HBO

I read this article about Neil Gaiman's book, American Gods, becoming an HBO series with a mixture of excitement, confusion and dread.  The book was great, yes, but I'm not sold on the idea that it's series worthy.  Maybe 10 episodes to flesh out all the characters and successfully portray the complicated world, but anything beyond that is new material, and I'm not sure I want that.   Why mess with what is considered Gaiman at his best?  

If HBO wanted a new show, why couldn't they have chosen the five book Fever series by Karen Marie Moning,  an urban fantasy with everything HBO loves best: lust, sex, greed, power, romance.  It could easily be adapted for a five year run on the network.  I would love it, especially if the writers tweaked the ending just a bit like they are known to do.  : D

Gaiman Discusses HBO's American Gods Series

In an interview with MTV, Neil Gaiman discussed the newly released 10th anniversary edition of American Gods, as well as an adaptation he is working on for HBO. Gaiman is attached as executive producer and will co-write the series pilot with cinematographer Robert Richardson. The project is being developed by Tom Hanks's Playtone production studio. "The overall plan right now is that the first season would essentially be the first book, with a few interesting divergences," Gaiman said. "You don't want people who've read the book to be able to go, 'I know everything that's going to be happening here.' [They will] know a lot more than anybody who's starting from here, but we will do things that will surprise [them] too." MTV also asked Gaiman about his plans for an American Gods sequel. "I've been [planning] to do a second American Gods book since the first American Godsbook," he replied. "What I basically have right now is a boxful of stuff. Things go into it. I always knew there was going to be more story. The first book was very much about the grifters and the lowlifes, and you don't really get to see much of the new gods and you don't really get a sense of those gods who are doing incredibly well in America. In the second book, I definitely want to go into both of those things." (Article from Shelf Awareness) Have you read American Gods?  How do you feel about it becoming a series on HBO?