Good news for (some) George R.R. Martin fans: His novella ‘Nightflyers’ will be a TV series

“Game of Thrones� creator George R.R. Martin has another adaptation headed to the small screen, he wrote on his blog on Monday. “Nightflyers,� based on a novella the author published in 1980, is being produced by the Syfy network and could run as soon as next summer.

“While it departs considerably from my novella in certain details, the essence of the story remains the same,� Martin wrote. The novelist recently met with series creator Jeff Buhler, who wrote the pilot, and Daniel Cerone, who will be the showrunner. “I thought the teleplay was quite strong on its own terms,� Martin wrote on his blog, “and a good launching point for a series�

Syfy has ordered 10 episodes of the planned series, “with a substantial budget,� Martin wrote, “one that should allow them to create a show that looks as good as modern audiences expect.�

The novella, which Martin expanded a few years after its original publication, follows a group of voyagers on an expedition through space who soon realize they’re being imprisoned by a mysterious figure with evil intentions.

“Nightflyers� was adapted into a low-budget film in 1987, starring Catherine Mary Stewart and Michael Praed.

On his blog, Martin said he was surprised that Syfy was interested in a television adaptation of the novella.

“Honestly, at first I was baffled as to how they hoped to get a series out of my story, since at the end of the novella (and the film) pretty much everyone is dead (it was a horror story, after all),� Martin wrote.

Martin said the series would be filmed in Limerick, Ireland, “which will give them access to the same great pool of Irish and British actors that GAME OF THRONES has tapped in Belfast (and considering how many characters we’ve killed, a lot of them should be available).�

Martin made no mention of any actors attached to “Nightflyers,� but he did tease that there is “a casting that has pleased me more than I can possibly say, which I will save for another post.�

Martin has busied himself with television projects in recent months. In May, he confirmed that he’s working with writers who are preparing pilot scripts for HBO shows set in the “Game of Thrones� universe.

His latest announcement isn’t likely to calm fans of his “A Song of Ice and Fire� book series, which forms the basis for the “Game of Thrones� show. Readers have long been clamoring for news about the upcoming sixth book in the series, “The Winds of Winter�; Martin did not offer any update on the novel in his blog post.