Transformers producer Don Murphy is set to produce an adaptation of a sci-fi novel called The Flock, by James Robert Smith.

The book tells the story of a group of highly intelligent giant prehistoric birds discovered in the Florida Everglades who are intent on protecting their ancient home when faced with encroachment by theme park developers.

So… sort of like every save-the-forest-from-the-developers story… except the protagonists are super intelligent birds.  Ahh, sci-fi novelists, so delightfully batsh-t. How did Murphy hear of this book, you ask?

Murphy discovered Smith and his book by chance. Murphy was on the blog of Eddie Campbell, the artist of “From Hell,” an Alan Moore graphic novel whose big-screen translation was produced by Murphy.  Smith was posting comments critical of the film, putting Murphy on the defensive. Eager to find out more about the poster, Murphy discovered Smith had written a book. He quickly ordered it, expecting to hate it and ready to trash it. To his surprise, he fell for it. [THR]

It’s kind of like the internet’s version of a human-interest story, a sort of angry-bitter-nerd-makes-good tale.  I think the key was tricking someone who makes movies based on toys into reading a sci-fi novel.  “So these ‘books,’ – pretty good, huh?  All this time I had no idea there were so full of mutants and talking animals.”