(SoI&F) Game of Thrones - BOOK READERS' TV & BOOKS THREAD

[the_foul_fowl]

A Dance with Dragons... almost done!

Release date: TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2011

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

Finally!!! It;s been a long wait... time to start re-reading the first 4 books!

[CrusherJ]

Does Martin tone down the sex after Book 2? I absolutely LOVED Book 1, but Book 2 felt like reading a porno (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but not much). Do books 3 and 4 improve any on this or do they pick up where Book 2 leaves off?

[GU-11]

I'm a major fan of David Gemmell's. If George R.R. Martin's stuff is anything like his, I'm gonna love his books.

[the white drew carey]

Does Martin tone down the sex after Book 2? I absolutely LOVED Book 1, but Book 2 felt like reading a porno (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but not much). Do books 3 and 4 improve any on this or do they pick up where Book 2 leaves off?

There is some but, IIRC, there is not as much.

Also, 22 days until the premier of GOT.

[the white drew carey]

So... who watched it?

[Agent ONE]

So... who watched it?

I thought this thread was about a book series... Do you mean "who read it?"

[Dynaman]

I thought this thread was about a book series... Do you mean "who read it?"

HBO's miniseries based on the books started last night. Wife and I plan on watching it in the next couple of days.

[EXO]

I had no idea this thread had anything to do that series until today. First episode was interesting but it just set up a lot of plot points. I like the amount of characters involved, adds to the believability. Mark Addy as a dirty womanizing king is kinda weird, he always plays the good guy. Looking forward to the next episode.

[Scream Man]

Yeah it was OK. It was well produced, and felt like a lot of setup which was OK, but didn't have a lot of punch.

[the white drew carey]

The punch definitely didn't come until the end, that is for sure. However, as a starter, I think it was good with the set-up and everything. I have a lot of friends who haven't read the books, but liked it and can see the complexity that can (will?) come in the future. So that is a good sign.

I just rewatched it again for the second time. Definitely an improvement as, the first time around, I kept trying to compare it to the book (although it didn't help that my wife, who had just read AGOT, was sitting next to me piping in every five seconds about what was different). The second time around, I looked at it without comparison, and found that I definitely like it. TV just doesn't have fantasy like this.

BTW- THe numbers are in. Among the three showins HBO did last night, the show pulled in about 4.2m viewers. That is not accounting for further showings done across all of HBO's stations, or the international premieres which will be trickling in over the next few days. Based on this info, and positive reviews, HBO has greenlit season 2.

[SpacePirateNeko]

I never read the books so this is a different viewpoint but i really enjoyed it. Its very hard to find darker ( non earth) fantasy movies. The look was very dark and lived in and the story was was intriquing. It made me look forward to the next episode. Only areas i wasnt fond of was the scenes of over the sea, they were a bit plasticky, especially the look of the dragon eggs. Other then that....it was pretty brutal from the get go...children ripped into pieces in the early scenes, decapitations, and nudity and sex every other scene.

A midget has a 4some with prostitutes, thats all i needed to make it good.

[Agent ONE]

HBO's miniseries based on the books started last night. Wife and I plan on watching it in the next couple of days.

Thanks for that... And mods, thanks for changing the thread title.

[PetarB]

Well I saw this last night. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were some issues, but overall it was great fun. I had read the first couple of books many, many years ago and was disgusted that Martin had not finished the series - I didn't know this when I started them! Anyway, I look forward to the rest of a great new HBO series.

[jenius]

Watched it tonight and loved it. I was a little iffy on Jaime's casting at first but by the end of the episode I was on board. It was a little tricky for me to tell who was who as they're all a bunch of white kids with varying hairdos who otherwise look similar and aren't referenced by name very often. You only know Theon is Theon because he refers to the Starks in a way that doesn't include himself. The one thing I found peculiar was the changing of the opening scene. It starts off very like the book but as I recall the scout climbs a tree and watches everyone get slaughtered. Instead, in the show, he inexplicably survives despite being knelt down right in front of an "other." One other slight change was Daenarys (sp?) relationship with Khal Drogo. IIRC, in the book the Khal is super respectful of Daen and she eventually mounts him and there is love born out of this mutual respect. I suppose that would have taken a little too long to convey through the TV medium so instead they sort of mimic the scene before the Khal pushes her down and takes her from behind. Other little tweaks I understood better. Tyrion is having his love of hookers emphasized to sex things up a bit, they're drumming up the fear of "the death walkers" (or ice walkers, I forget what they're called) for a bit of suspense. All things considered, so far it's very faithful and very well done. I'm definitely going to keep watching. I'm only part way through the third book but I do hope we see some follow up seasons and the author wraps the series up.

[Scream Man]

oh good, it wasn't just me who couldn't tell the Stark boys apart.

[the white drew carey]

Just watched episode 2 "The Kingsroad". Pretty good. I'm definitely liking how things are coming together and, except for some casting decisions I still can't get past (Michelle Fairley is a good actress and all, but she looks much too old and worn to play Caitlyn Stark) I can totally see how certain changes serve to condense the story while still providing insight into the characters.

Once again, I had to watch it with my wife next to me, adding input every five seconds as to what was wrong or different. Lucky for me she'll be traveling for work for the next three episodes, so I get to watch them in blissful silence!

[CrusherJ]

Just watched episode 2 "The Kingsroad". Pretty good. I'm definitely liking how things are coming together and, except for some casting decisions I still can't get past (Michelle Fairley is a good actress and all, but she looks much too old and worn to play Caitlyn Stark) I can totally see how certain changes serve to condense the story while still providing insight into the characters.

I agree about Michelle Fairley, I hadn't envisioned Caitlyn looking as old as she does in the show. I thought the first episode was good, haven't seen the second episode yet, will watch it toward the end of the week when work settles down.

[Dobber]

Loving the series so far. Both the wife and I, though, are not liking the hatred/distast that Lady Stark shows for the "bastard"(sorry can't remember his name). Yes we get that he is a reminder of Starks infidelity, but that was not the boys fault. As my wife said...."It's been 17 years, get over it!" or at least take your venom out on the person that wronged you....your husband. I'm guessing more comes of this in the books as the story progresses?

Chris

[the white drew carey]

Loving the series so far. Both the wife and I, though, are not liking the hatred/distast that Lady Stark shows for the "bastard"(sorry can't remember his name). Yes we get that he is a reminder of Starks infidelity, but that was not the boys fault. As my wife said...."It's been 17 years, get over it!" or at least take your venom out on the person that wronged you....your husband. I'm guessing more comes of this in the books as the story progresses?

Chris

Jon Snow is his name.

Not really. She just really, really doesn't like having a reminder of her husband's infidelity walking around their home all of the time. It is my impression that her hatred is simply an indication that even 'good' people can hold irresponsible grudges. In the book, when Jon comes to say goodbye to Bran, Caitlyn straight-up says that it should've been him who fell and (likely) will die.

The one indication from the books is that bastards usually aren't taken in by their fathers, and so they carry a surname from the region they are from:

Snow- The North

Waters - Dragonstone/Kingslanding

Pyke - Iron Islands/Greyjoy Country

Rivers - Riverlands/Tully Country

Stone - Vale/Arryn Country

Hill - Westerlands/Lannister Country

Flowers - the Reach/Tyrell country

Storm - Stormlands/Baratheon World

Sand - Dorne

[jenius]

Okay, on the literary inaccuracy watch, does televesion Cersei have a child (that died of fever) that literary Cersei never had? I don't remember there being a blacked haired Cersei baby that died in the books. It really doesn't matter, I imagine they're doing that to frame the later reveal about the King's family, but I was just curious if I've forgotten that story or if it's something new.

[the white drew carey]

Okay, on the literary inaccuracy watch, does televesion Cersei have a child (that died of fever) that literary Cersei never had? I don't remember there being a blacked haired Cersei baby that died in the books. It really doesn't matter, I imagine they're doing that to frame the later reveal about the King's family, but I was just curious if I've forgotten that story or if it's something new.

Nope.

However, I don't recall TV Cersei saying the child was black-haired. For all we know, it was just her first child of incest. Robert is kind of dumb and, from my perspective, still thinks the other three kids are his. Why wouldn't he have thought that about this one, as well?

[jenius]

In the TV show she definitely says "My black-haired Busey" (not sure on the name). She specifically calls him a "black-haired" child. That's what made me initially say "hmmm... don't remember that."

That made me wonder if TV Cersei poisoned the babe. After all, she's telling Catelyn how she wishes Bran would survive at that moment and she clearly wants Bran dead. I wondered if the same were true for "Busey"

[the white drew carey]

In the TV show she definitely says "My black-haired Busey" (not sure on the name). She specifically calls him a "black-haired" child. That's what made me initially say "hmmm... don't remember that."

That made me wonder if TV Cersei poisoned the babe. After all, she's telling Catelyn how she wishes Bran would survive at that moment and she clearly wants Bran dead. I wondered if the same were true for "Busey"

Hmmm... good ears. I've only seen the ep once yet and, as I mentioned before, my wife was harping the whole time. Considering this scene doesn't exist in the book, she was really going off on it so I missed a little...

Spoiler below and, if you plan on reading the books but haven't DON'T READ IT

Well, that DEFINITELY changes things from the books. In the books, Cersei actually NEVER had vaginal intercourse with Robert but "pleased him in other ways". She was able to do this because the guy was ALWAYS drunk and never knew she was pulling the wool over his eyes.

[the white drew carey]

Just saw ep 3. Not much exciting happens (although Viserys getting 'whipped' was fun). Once again, very little of the direwolves. I hope they haven't toned down that aspect, because I think it is very important to the story. In fact, I kind of wish they had emphasized it more so far.

Tyrion is awesome. Peter Dinklage (sp?) is spot on.

[EXO]

Geez. The search function gets worse and worse in this forum.

I gotta say, the last 2 episodes were pretty good. Finally some major moves and some action. The Imp is my favorite character.

"A Lanister always pays his debts."

Well him and Ros. Because she'll flash you for a shiny coin.

Haven't seen ep. 7 on HBO Go... what would I watch next week?

[the white drew carey]

Yeah, Tyrion is one of the fan favorites from the books, and Peter Dinklage is totally nailing the character. The best part (at least based on the books): The Imp only gets better.

[Dobber]

I'm about Half-way through the first book, I'm really loving it. I'm also suprised at how faithful...for the most part....the show has been to the book. Really looking forward to getting to the point in the book where I haven't seen it already on the show!

Don't get why people get in such a fuss over books being made into movies, this series is another example of why I like it when they make shows or movies out of books, because whether it is good or bad it makes me want to read the source material that I otherwise would have never found. Starship Troopers, The Dresden Files, and the Old Man's War series are other examples.

Favorite characters so far in both the show and books are Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow, and Arya Stark. Really don't like Catelyn Stark at all just too...I don't know...stuck up. Plus as I wrote earlier hate how she treats Jon.

I have a theory about who Jon's mother is:

Jon isn't the son of Ned Stark but actually of his dead sister and that she may have been in an actual relationship with the Tygarian brother that Robert killed. Making Jon the rightful heir to the Kingdoms. We've seen that there are different acounts of what was happening during the war and: 1 how much Robert hates ANY Tygarian and 2 Lannisters can't be trusted. Maybe Ned just figured it was safer for Jon for everyone to think him a bastard. Plus his sisters last words "Promise me" maybe had more to it than just being burried in the North.

Chris

[Vepariga]

cant wait till the next ep,loving the series so far.. last ep was rather hot on the head lol,epic stuff.

[UN Spacy]

I've just seen episodes one thru six thanks to HBOGO.

AMAZING SERIES so far...but I'm guessing the novels are much better.

[the white drew carey]

I've just seen episodes one thru six thanks to HBOGO.

AMAZING SERIES so far...but I'm guessing the novels are much better.

They are, but this is a pretty damn good adaptation. There are some obvious changes to speed along the show or supply some of the vast backstory from the books, but it is working out well.

On a side note,

that is TOTALLY not what The Eyrie should look like. That is really my only major complaint so far. It is too fantastical.

[Warmaker]

I really like the show. I see it when I can over here in Japan via Armed Forces Network. Looking forward to see more.

[Einherjar]

I finally got time to watch this show. Somehow, it brings back memories of HBO's Rome series, staring the actors that played The Punisher and Soap.

[Max Jenius]

This is perfect! I ordered the first book a couple weeks ago, I haven't started it yet... but now that its cool enough for MWers?

[UN Spacy]

Just saw episode 9.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.

I really wasn't expecting that to happen at the end.

[the white drew carey]

This is perfect! I ordered the first book a couple weeks ago, I haven't started it yet... but now that its cool enough for MWers?

It's been cool enough for me for years.

I warn you, though, there IS a big chance you will get hooked. My wife was kind of digging her heels in about reading it, and now is totally addicted (she is almost done with book 2).