Game of Thrones

2

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  • dyer24dyer24 Posts: 733
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    Woffy wrote: »
    I would recommend doing it the other way around. The TV series misses far too much out. :rolleyes:

    It misses bits out yeah but nothing really important to the storyline.
    Stuff like Ned Stark's death are done better on the show and I was definitely more shocked watching that then I would of been if I had read the book for the first time
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 235
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    dyer24 wrote: »
    It misses bits out yeah but nothing really important to the storyline.

    I've heard that the books and series are meant to be kind of going there own ways from the 3rd book/series onwards.

    I think as well, there's a lot of events that the series will struggle to replicate well from the 3rd book (the best IMO). But if they pull it off, it will be mind-blowingly good. Definitely looking forward to it:D
  • CadivaCadiva Posts: 18,408
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    Gaz22 wrote: »
    I love the books. The first two are excellent but the third is definitely the best of the bunch (for me anyway). It has everything in it and no page goes to waste. The latest two books don't quite reach those highs but are good reads none-the-less.

    I can see how it can be hard for non-readers to jump into the books after watching the show though (I also love the show). It's a completely different medium and if you're used to the show it might take a while to get adjusted to the books. If at all.

    I'd totally agree.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 46
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    I've read all of these, even though i decided i had had enough after the first two, in the hope that they would get better, but they didn't. Yes, they are incredibly detailed and well-written, but, without giving any spoilers, he treats his main protaganists (and therefore, I think, his readers) with complete contempt, so that one is left with no reason to read on. Even though I was aware of his tendency to bump off the "sympathetic" characters, I was gobsmacked at the development at the end of the most recent? book at the Wall. I will never read another word of these books and wish i had never started.
  • UnlikelyHeroineUnlikelyHeroine Posts: 1,524
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    My below post is very spoiler heavy so that I can discuss the whole book series - don't look if you don't know what happens, but I have put the spoiler stuff in spoiler tags.

    I think GRRM created a truly incredible world and the whole swords, dragons, snowbound castles, jostling for the throne stuff is right up my street, but he wrote himself into a couple of corners that he just has not been able to write himself out of. It is one thing to "subvert the fantasy genre" by SPOILER DO NOT LOOK UNLESS YOU HAVE READ ALL OF THE BOOKS!!!
    killing off the character who we expect to be the hero each time - Ned, Robb and now possibly, Jon

    but
    particularly after the Red Wedding - though that is a stunning and shocking set piece - it is obvious GRRM did not know where to take the story. There is no point in being brave enough to kill off the heroic figure if you have no idea what to do afterwards. He is still struggling to finish the series years later. Unlike, Ned's death, which served as a way to bring out a Stark family without their patriarch at their helm, and helped trigger a war, Robb's death to me was just pointlessly heartbreaking and cruelty for the sake of it. That detail about Grey Wind's head being sewn onto a decapitated Robb's body... That is an author twisting the knife in his readers and calling it art.

    Plus, he wrote Daenerys into a corner too.

    If:
    Jon is really dead

    ... it is yet another...
    shock death for the sake of it and

    I have no idea where these books are going except for one obvious plot point that seems to have been clear from Book 1 but perhaps is just a red herring for all of us.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 735
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    colin23 wrote: »
    I've read all of these, even though i decided i had had enough after the first two, in the hope that they would get better, but they didn't. Yes, they are incredibly detailed and well-written, but, without giving any spoilers, he treats his main protaganists (and therefore, I think, his readers) with complete contempt, so that one is left with no reason to read on. Even though I was aware of his tendency to bump off the "sympathetic" characters, I was gobsmacked at the development at the end of the most recent? book at the Wall. I will never read another word of these books and wish i had never started.

    Why do you think that?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 46
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    wombat18 wrote: »
    Why do you think that?

    I won't give details as I don't want to give away spoilers, but if you have read the books you will know what happens to the members of the Stark family, who are set up right at the beginning as the sympathetic characters, the main protaganists who we are meant to identify with. All books need this. You can't just have a bunch of characters you are emotionally "neutral" to. But look at what happens to Ned, Catelyn, Rob, Bran, Arya and last, most damningly, Jon.
  • RobertfitzRobertfitz Posts: 2,732
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    colin23 wrote: »
    I won't give details as I don't want to give away spoilers, but if you have read the books you will know what happens to the members of the Stark family, who are set up right at the beginning as the sympathetic characters, the main protaganists who we are meant to identify with. All books need this. You can't just have a bunch of characters you are emotionally "neutral" to. But look at what happens to Ned, Catelyn, Rob, Bran, Arya and last, most damningly, Jon.


    I started the first one last week and i've just finished it and absolutely loved it. I have no intention of watching the series though because I'm one of these people who will sit there and scream at the tv if they miss out anything importent or change things aha I really hope your last sentence doesn't mean what I think it means :(


    On a completely seperate note, regarding the first book, did anyone else find little grammatical errors every now and then? And dare I say it, even the odd spelling mistake? I could be wrong. I can't remember exactly where but I'm sure of it
  • ChrisEChrisE Posts: 1,877
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    My below post is very spoiler heavy so that I can discuss the whole book series - don't look if you don't know what happens, but I have put the spoiler stuff in spoiler tags.

    I think GRRM created a truly incredible world and the whole swords, dragons, snowbound castles, jostling for the throne stuff is right up my street, but he wrote himself into a couple of corners that he just has not been able to write himself out of. It is one thing to "subvert the fantasy genre" by SPOILER DO NOT LOOK UNLESS YOU HAVE READ ALL OF THE BOOKS!!!
    killing off the character who we expect to be the hero each time - Ned, Robb and now possibly, Jon

    but
    particularly after the Red Wedding - though that is a stunning and shocking set piece - it is obvious GRRM did not know where to take the story. There is no point in being brave enough to kill off the heroic figure if you have no idea what to do afterwards. He is still struggling to finish the series years later. Unlike, Ned's death, which served as a way to bring out a Stark family without their patriarch at their helm, and helped trigger a war, Robb's death to me was just pointlessly heartbreaking and cruelty for the sake of it. That detail about Grey Wind's head being sewn onto a decapitated Robb's body... That is an author twisting the knife in his readers and calling it art.

    Plus, he wrote Daenerys into a corner too.

    If:
    Jon is really dead

    ... it is yet another...
    shock death for the sake of it and

    I have no idea where these books are going except for one obvious plot point that seems to have been clear from Book 1 but perhaps is just a red herring for all of us.

    Good summing up.

    As has been said, a good editor could have improved things.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 46
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    Robertfitz wrote: »
    I I have no intention of watching the series though because I'm one of these people who will sit there and scream at the tv if they miss out anything importent or change things aha I really hope your last sentence doesn't mean what I think it means :(


    Afraid it does....
  • Jimmy_McNultyJimmy_McNulty Posts: 11,378
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    100% worth it. I'm reading the last book now.
  • chitariverachitarivera Posts: 36,905
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    I haven't seen the TV series, but I've seen billboard posters and think it might be something I could enjoy, so I ordered the first book from Amazon last week.
    Well, I THOUGHT it was the first book! It's arrived today and it's 'book 1 of part 3!'
    So I've now ordered Song of Ice and Fire 1 - which I'm hoping is the first one!!

    I'm not usually this thick, but there are a LOT of books in this series and the Amazon listings aren't always that clear, 'specially when reading them on a mobile phone!
  • HogzillaHogzilla Posts: 24,116
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    Look away! Book 5 spoilerz!

    Does everyone who's read Book 5 think
    Jon is really dead,
    though?

    I'm not sure.

    I don't think GRRM has written himself into too many corners - and find it really endearing that
    if you start to love a character, you also start to fear for his/her life....

    I love those chapters like
    Jon's death
    where you are so gobsmacked by what GRRM just did, you have to re-read (or in my case, re-listen cos I hit that chapter on Audible). I don't think I have ever in my life read a book where some sudden turn of events made me unsure I read it right! And I do love that about GRRM's writing.
  • ShomofoShomofo Posts: 598
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    I have read these this the start and I toiled through the latest one I have to agree with the posts above (don't know how to do spoilers) but ended the book thinking what on earth is going on now and how will he finish this. There is only 2 more books to go but unsure who will feature.
  • V1Chris21V1Chris21 Posts: 2,538
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    Hogzilla wrote: »
    Look away! Book 5 spoilerz!

    Does everyone who's read Book 5 think
    Jon is really dead,
    though?

    I'm quite surprised too, I thought more people would think that isn't the case.
    After all, there are quite a few characters who seemed to have died in a chapter only to appear again such as Brienne and Asha

    I love the books and read them after watching the first two TV series.
    Book 3 is definitely my favourite and book 4 is hard going with so many new characters but I believe it's worth it.

    However I think Series 3 of the TV version isn't as good as the first two but I don't know if that's because I've now read the books so am expecting things to happen in a certain way or because I know what is going to happen or if it just isn't as good but my partner, who hasn't read the books loves it as much as the first two series so maybe it's me.
  • wildholliewildhollie Posts: 3,029
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    Just got into the series on DVD boxset. Have only seen the first season, so have ordered the book.....will see how this is before i buy any more of the books :D
  • JonDoeJonDoe Posts: 31,598
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    Hogzilla wrote: »
    Does everyone who's read Book 5 think
    Jon is really dead,
    though?

    No.
    GRRM has gone to great lengths to give him several get-out clauses, it would be a bit daft if he didn't use them now when he most needs them.

    Hogzilla wrote: »
    I love those chapters like
    Jon's death
    where you are so gobsmacked by what GRRM just did, you have to re-read (or in my case, re-listen cos I hit that chapter on Audible). I don't think I have ever in my life read a book where some sudden turn of events made me unsure I read it right! And I do love that about GRRM's writing.

    I read the first
    Reek
    chapter three times for that same reason.
    Theon?! Surely not......but wasn't I supposed to hate him? Now I just feel so desperately sorry for him, all I want is for him to kill the baddy, get the girl, save the day and emerge the hero of the story.......but he killed those children.......but I suppose he was only trying to impress his father.......and now.......Oh Theon!! :cry::cry::cry::D
  • RobertfitzRobertfitz Posts: 2,732
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    Just finished book three. So many emotions just reeling through me right now. I'm absolutely in love with this series.

    Really nervous that book 4 isn't going to be as brilliant as the previous ones from comments on this thread. I've had a flick through the viewpoint characters and I'm not impressed. No Tyrion, Jon or Dany?

    I still can't wait to crack on with it though. Never been this excited about a series before. Its taking every little bit of strength to not not click on those spoiler tags up there ^^ ill resist temptation (hopefully)
  • kimotagkimotag Posts: 11,064
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    I haven't seen the TV series, but I've seen billboard posters and think it might be something I could enjoy, so I ordered the first book from Amazon last week.
    Well, I THOUGHT it was the first book! It's arrived today and it's 'book 1 of part 3!'
    So I've now ordered Song of Ice and Fire 1 - which I'm hoping is the first one!!

    I'm not usually this thick, but there are a LOT of books in this series and the Amazon listings aren't always that clear, 'specially when reading them on a mobile phone!

    The books in order are:
    Game of Thrones
    A Clash of kings
    A Storm of swords (in two parts as a paperback)
    A Feast for Crows
    A Dance with Dragons(in two parts)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 353
    Forum Member
    Well if anyone is interested in learning Dothraki, David J Peterson explains how it works etc which is pretty cool

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VyxspLdQBs
  • TWSTWS Posts: 9,307
    Forum Member
    Robertfitz wrote: »
    Just finished book three. So many emotions just reeling through me right now. I'm absolutely in love with this series.

    Really nervous that book 4 isn't going to be as brilliant as the previous ones from comments on this thread. I've had a flick through the viewpoint characters and I'm not impressed. No Tyrion, Jon or Dany?

    I still can't wait to crack on with it though. Never been this excited about a series before. Its taking every little bit of strength to not not click on those spoiler tags up there ^^ ill resist temptation (hopefully)

    yeah book four killed my love for it as it had none of my fave characters in it i just couldnt get through it
  • Gregg_LUFCGregg_LUFC Posts: 452
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    Hi

    Just started reading the first book. I'm up to date so far with the tv series but was wondering how long it took everyone to get through all of the books.

    I want to be up to/finished the 4th book by the time the 4th series comes out next year.

    Really enjoying the books so far but have to admit there is a lot of characters to remember
  • RobertfitzRobertfitz Posts: 2,732
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    Gregg_LUFC wrote: »
    Hi

    Just started reading the first book. I'm up to date so far with the tv series but was wondering how long it took everyone to get through all of the books.

    I want to be up to/finished the 4th book by the time the 4th series comes out next year.

    Really enjoying the books so far but have to admit there is a lot of characters to remember

    I started in the middle of March and I'm half way through book 4 now
  • ironjadeironjade Posts: 10,000
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    colin23 wrote: »
    I've read all of these, even though i decided i had had enough after the first two, in the hope that they would get better, but they didn't. Yes, they are incredibly detailed and well-written, but, without giving any spoilers, he treats his main protaganists (and therefore, I think, his readers) with complete contempt, so that one is left with no reason to read on. Even though I was aware of his tendency to bump off the "sympathetic" characters, I was gobsmacked at the development at the end of the most recent? book at the Wall. I will never read another word of these books and wish i had never started.

    So GRRM is writing his own book and not the one you want or expect. Get over it, he's under no obligation to keep anyone alive, sympathetic or otherwise. It's not Lord of the Rings.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13
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    I'm halfway through book two and loving it. I have them all on my Kindle but I am most looking forward to book three as I've been told it's by far the best one.
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