Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood:  Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, 1996.

 Perhaps AR as Grace’s employer, Thomas Kinnear?

Angels and Demons, Dan Brown (2000), and its blockbuster sequel, The Da Vinci Code (2003).

Robert Langdon, the protagonist in these two thrillers, has a low baritone voice that the author calls
“chocolate for the ears.”  I’m listening.

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King (1994)

This or any of Laurie R. King’s novels about Sherlock Holmes in retirement are just waiting to be made into films starring AR as Holmes!

Others in the series:

 A Monstrous Regiment of Women (1995)
 A Letter of Mary (1997)
 The Moor (1998)
 O Jerusalem (1999)
 Justice Hall (2002)

Brothers of Gwynedd series by Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters):

Sunrise in the West (1974)
The Dragon at Noonday (1975)
The Hounds of Sunset (1976)
Afterglow and Nightfall (1977)

Also published in one volume by Headline in 1989 under the title The Brothers of Gwynedd.

Perhaps AR as the mature David?  But he could be pictured in any number of roles in this fascinating quarted of historical novels about medieval Wales.

Cast, In Order of Disappearance, Simon Brett (1975).
        The role of the out of work, alcoholic actor and part time crime solver Charles Paris could be a meaty one for AR.

        Other titles in the series:

    So Much Blood  (1976)
        Star Trap  (1977)
        An Amateur Corpse  (1978)
        A Comedian Dies  (1979)
        The Dead Side of the Mike  (1980)
        Situation Tragedy  (1981)
        Murder Unprompted  (1982)
        Murder in the Title  (1983)
        Not Dead, Only Resting  (1984)
        Ticked to Death and Other Stories of Crime and Suspense  (1985)
        Dead Giveaway  (1985)
        What Bloody Man is That?  (1987)
        A Series of Murders  (1989)
        Corporate Bodies  (1992)
        A Reconstructed Corpse  (1994)
        Sicken and Die  (1995)
        Dead Room Farce  (1998)

It has been suggested that AR would be a smashing Jim Qwilleran, the mustachioed newspaper reporter/amateur detective.  Here are all the books in the series:

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (1966)
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern (1967)
The Cat Who Turned on and Off (1968)
The Cat Who Saw Red (1986)
The Cat Who Played Brahms (1987)
The Cat Who Played Post Office (1987)
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare (1988)
The Cat Who Sniffed Glue (1988)
The Cat Who Went Underground (1989)
The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts (1990)
The Cat Who Lived High (1990)
The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal (1991)
The Cat Who Moved a Mountain (1992)
The Cat Who Wasn't There (1992)
The Cat Who Went into the Closet (1993)
The Cat Who Came to Breakfast (1994)
The Cat Who Blew the Whistle (1995)
The Cat Who Said Cheese (1996)
The Cat Who Tailed a Thief (1997)
The Cat Who Sang for the Birds (1998)
The Cat Who Saw Stars (1999)
The Cat Who Robbed a Bank (2000)
The Cat Who Smelled a Rat (2001)
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek (2002)
The Cat Who Brought Down the House (2003)
The Cat Who Talked Turkey (2004)
The Cat Who Went Bananas (2004)
The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell (2006)

How about AR as visiting professor, Philip Swallow?

The Crocodile on the Sandbank, Elizabeth Peters (1975)

What great fun to see AR play Radcliffe Emerson in this mystery series!

Here are more titles:

The Curse of the Pharoahs (1981)
The Mummy Case (1985)
Lion in the Valley (1986)
The Deeds of the Disturber (1988)
The Last Camel Died at Noon (1991)
The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog (1992)
The Hippopotamus Pool (1996)
Seeing a Large Cat (1997)
The Ape Who Guards the Balance (1998)
The Falcon at the Portal (1999)
He Shall Thunder in the Sky (2000)
Lord of the Silent (2001)
The Golden One (2002)

Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett.

We don’t know exactly which part AR owns in this series, we just know he belongs here somewhere.  A few suggestions:  Havelock Vetenari, Death (voice only), Sam Vimes.  Other Discworld fans agree—check out The Ultimate Discworld Casting Pages.

 The Colour of Magic (1983)
 The  Light Fantastic (1986)
 Mort (1987)
 Equal Rites (1987)
 Wyrd Sisters (1988)
 Sourcery (1989)
 Pyramids (1989)
 Guards! Guards! (1989)
 Moving Pictures (1990)
 Eric (1990)
 Witches Abroad (1991)
 Reaper Man (1991)
 Small Gods (1992)
 Lords and Ladies (1992)
 Men at Arms (1993)
 Interesting Times (1994)
 Soul Music (1995)
 Maskerade (1995)
 Hogfather (1996)
 Feet of Clay (1996)
 Jingo (1997)
 The Last Continent (1998)
 Carpe Jugulum (1999)
 The Truth (2000)
 The Fifth Elephant (2000)
 Thief of Time (2001)
 The Last Hero (2001)
 Night Watch (2002)
 Monstrous Regiment (2003)

Eye of the Needle, Ken Follett (1978)  aka Storm Island

Thread AR into the role of Henry “The Needle” Faber.

The Experiment, Deborah Shlian and Linda Reid (2000)

The character of Professor Osborne in this medical thriller was modeled on AR.

The Face of a Stranger, Anne Perry (1990)

Any of Anne Perry’s novels which feature the enigmatic William Monk are a good place to imagine the face of AR:

A Dangerous Mourning (1991)
Defend and Betray (1992)
A Sudden, Fearful Death (1993)
The Sins of the Wolf (1994)
Cain His Brother (1995)
Weighed in the Balance (1996)
The Silent Cry (1997)
A Breach of Promise (1998)
The Twisted Root (1999)
Slaves of Obsession (2000)
Funeral in Blue (2001)
Death of a Stranger (2002)

The Falconer, Elaine Clark McCarthy (1996).

Could AR have been the inspiration for falconer MacNeal?  Well, either him or Kevin Kline, says the author.

The Fencing Master, Arturo Perez-Reverte:  Harcourt, 1998.
Originally published as El Maestro de Esgrima in 1988.

Who better than AR in the role of Don Jaime Astarloa?

The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy (1922).

Okay, so a TV series has already been done.  Twice.  But read the book and think of AR as Soames Forsyte.

The Game of Kings, Dorothy Dunnett (1961).

AR as Francis Crawford?  Interesting…

More installments in the Lymond Chronicles series:

The Game of Kings (1961)
Queen's Play (1964)
The Disorderly Knights (1966)
Pawn in Frankincense (1969)
The Ringed Castle (1971)
Checkmate (1975)

As one fan puts it, “I’d love to see AR as the confident, sophisticated, successful, masculine, sexy theatre producer Wyndham…”  Can’t think of a better description, myself!

Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier (c1999)

I don’t care if there is already a film starring someone else, I can only picture AR as Johannes Vermeer.

Glittering Images, Susan Howatch (1987).

AR might make a good Jon Darrow in this and the other five novels Howatch wrote about the Church of England:

Glamorous Powers (1988)
Ultimate Prizes (1989)
Scandalous Risks (1990)
Mystical Paths (1992)
Absolute Truths (1995)

Gone, But Not Forgotten, Philip Margolin (1993).

AR as Martin Darius?  Makes The Interrogator look like a mildly irritating talk show host.

His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman:

The Golden Compass (1995)  Originally published as Northern Lights.
The Subtle Knife(1997)
The Amber Spyglass(2000)

Many folks can see AR as the mysterious and powerful Lord Asriel, but he would do just as well as explorer/shaman John Parry.  Here's a thought--how about playing both?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo.  Originally published in 1831.

AR as the domineering priest, Dom Claude Frollo?

I, Crowley, Snoo Wilson (1997).

AR's name has been put forth more than once as the perfect choice to play the title character in this novelized biography.  Pehaps reading excerpts from The Magic of My Youth for BBC Radio has made him keen on the project?

In the Presence of the Enemy, Elizabeth George (1996).

Even the author agrees that Alan would make a superb Dennis Luxford.  But what about chef Alex, who is described as narrow-shouldered and six feet tall, with tea-colored eyes and hair the color of old oak?  Sounds familiar…

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte (1847).

A missed opportunity that Alan was not cast as Mr. Rochester in the 1996 film!

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke (2004).

When the author mentally cast a motion picture based on her novel, “Alan Rickman’s name kept coming up”.  (Yorkshire Post, 10-12-04).

The Last Chronicle of Barset, Anthony Trollope (1867).

Sure, why not more Trollope?  Think of AR playing the part of Josiah Crawley this time.  Or how about this—the Reverend Mr. Peacock in Dr. Wortle’s School (1881).

Last Seen Alive, Dorothy Simpson (1985).

How about AR as Luke Thanet in this series of mystery stories?  Here are the others:

 Element of Doubt (1987)
 Suspicious Death (1988)
 Dead by Morning (1989)
 Wake the Dead 1992)
 No Laughing Matter (1993)
 A Day for Dying (1995)
 Once Too Often (1998)
 Dead and Gone (1999)

The Legend of Nightfall, Mickey Zucker Reichert (1993).
The Return of Nightfall, Mickey Zucker Reichert (2004).

The cover art of these novels was most certainly based on AR’s Sheriff.
Don’t know about the character—haven’t gotten past those lovely covers yet…

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving (1820).

The next time you read this Halloween classic, form a mental picture of AR as Ichabod Crane
…if you dare.

The Lost Queen, Nora Lofts (1969).

AR could play the physician Struensee if a film were ever made about King Christian of Denmark and his queen Caroline Mathilde.  This is a fictionalized account of that story.  (Three guesses whom the queen becomes lost over.)

Maia, Richard Adams (c1984).

From the same author who brought us Watership Down.  Many possible AR roles in this one.

Master and Commander, Patrick O’Brian (1969).

Can you picture AR as the complex, saturnine Stephen Maturin ?

Other books in the Aubry/Maturin series:

Post Captain (1972)
H.M.S. Surprise (1973)
The Mauritius Command (1977)
Desolation Island (1978)
The Fortune of War (1979)
The Surgeon's Mate (1980)
The Ionian Mission (1981)
Treason's Harbour (1983)
The Far Side of the World (1984)
The Reverse of the Medal (1986)
The Letter of Marque (1988)
The Thirteen Gun Salute (1989)
The Nutmeg of Consolation (1991)
The Truelove (1992)
The Wine-Dark Sea (1993)
The Commodore (1995)
The Yellow Admiral (1996)
The Hundred Days (1998)
Blue at the Mizzen (1999)

The Moon and Sixpence, W. Somerset Maughm (1919).

There was much talk about this novel being filmed with AR as Paul Gauguin-inspired character, Charles Strickland.  Still a possibility?

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, Clive Woodall (2004).

The author himself has pegged AR for the voice of the evil magpie, Traska.
A sequel has also been published:  Seven for a Secret (2005).

A Place of Greater Safety, Hilary Mantel (1993).

AR as Robespierre.  Perfect.

Pop!  Goes the Weasel, James Patterson (c1999).
Alex Cross meets a worthy adversary in diplomat Geoffrey Shafer.  AR could do this in a walk.

Other Alex Cross Mysteries:

Along Came a Spider (1993)
Kiss the Girls (1995)
Jack and Jill (1996)
Cat & Mouse (1997)
Roses are Red (2000)
Violets are Blue (2001)
Four Blind Mice (2002)

Possession, A. S. Byatt (1990).

AR would have been a memorable Randolph Ash.  Curses--foiled again.

The Queen’s Head, Edward Marston (1988)

AR would fit easily into the role of Nicholas Bracewell, leader of the Lord Westfield’s Men acting troupe.

Other books in the Nicholas Bracewell Series:

 The Merry Devils (1989)
 The Trip to Jerusalem (1990)
 The Nine Giants (1991)
 The Mad Courtesan (1992)
 The Silent Woman  (1994)
 The Roaring Boy (1995)
 The Laughing Hangman (1996)
 The Fair Maid of Bohemia (1997)
 The Wanton Angel (1999)
 The Devil’s Apprentice (2001)

Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier, (1939).

Maxim de Winter.  Just think of it.

The Rhythm of Revenge, Christine Spindler (1999).

Rick Terry is a character who was inspired by AR.
Inspector Terry also appears in Faces of Fear (2001).

Rogue Herries, Hugh Walpole (1930).

Imagine AR as Francis Herries.  Imagine all the beautiful scenery of England’s Lake District, too.

A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens (1859)

AR as Sidney Carton?  Could provide a far, far better read.

The Vicar of Wakefield, Oliver Goldsmith.  Originally published in 1766.

 How about AR in the double role of Sir William Thornhill/Mr. Burchell?

The Warrior’s Apprentice, Lois McMaster Bujold (1986).

Author Bujold would cast AR in the role of Simon Illyan in this and all the novels that make up the
Vorkosigan Adventures (although others are equally sure he should play Aral Vorkosigan):

Shards of Honor (1986)
Ethan of Athos (1986)
Falling Free (1988)
Brothers in Arms (1989)
Borders o Infinity (1989)
Barrayar (1991)
Mirror Dance (1994)
The Vor Game (1996)
Memory (1996)
Cordelia's Honor (1996)
Cetaganda (1996)
Young Miles (1997)
Komarr (1998)
A Civil Campaign (1999)
Miles, Mystery & Mayhem (2001)
Diplomatic Immunity (2002)

Watership Down, Richard Adams (1972, 1974).

Can you hear AR as the voice of that old campaigner, Woundwart?

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte (1847)

No, not Heathcliffe, but Mr. Lockwood.

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