Game of Thrones on HBO

[terpkristin]

I sent PMs to DT and TP.

Sounds like a disease or something.

/tk

[DaddyTorgo]

Oh yeah...duhhhh...that's right!!!

[PilotMan]

Well TK you might as well throw me one too, because I'm racking my brain too.

[MrBug708]

Im guessing someone was at a feast and told Snow that he was there?

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Well TK you might as well throw me one too, because I'm racking my brain too.

done

/tk

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Im guessing someone was at a feast and told Snow that he was there?

Want a PM?

/tk

[MrBug708]

Sure!

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by cschex

If I'm reading that right, I think since he didn't really appear "on-screen" at that event in Book 1, they probably didn't especially since it's likely we would have heard some casting news if they'd promised someone that part. It would be cool though

I would be surprised if his character was cast though. In my GoT bluray, they didn't even have a picture of Stannis on there. (Whether the role was cast or not at that point)

[terpkristin]

Yes, I would be very surprised if they cast the person. Would be awesome, but sadly doubtful.

/tk

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

PM sent.

/tk

Thanks!

[MrBug708]

Apparently there is a graphic novel out?

[PilotMan]

So I got the Blu-Ray, and in the span of one evening and one day got my wife totally hooked on it as we blew through the whole series.

The casting for Samwell was just damn spot on, while I thought that Baelish wasn't. The new season is exciting since I'll get to see some every once in a while, but having to wait another year for the next blu-ray seems cruel.

[ISiddiqui]

That would be the way HBO will attempt to entice you to subscribe

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Apparently there is a graphic novel out?

BARNES & NOBLE | A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Volume One by George R. R. Martin, Random House Publishing Group | NOOK Book (eBook), Hardcover

[MrBug708]

[rowech]

I'm tempted to try and read the first book of the series. My big concern is what appears to be the unreal number of characters. How difficult are they to keep track of?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'm tempted to try and read the first book of the series. My big concern is what appears to be the unreal number of characters. How difficult are they to keep track of?

It can be trick for minor characters, but there are very helpful sort of house-by-house appendices in the back of each book that help you keep track of who is who.

I think it's pretty easy to keep track of the major players, but there are a lot of minor players that can get lost in the weeds. That isn't a big deal unless you want it to be really.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'm tempted to try and read the first book of the series. My big concern is what appears to be the unreal number of characters. How difficult are they to keep track of?

One, get out of this thread until you finish it. Two, I recommend giving it a try. I had trouble at the beginning of the first book keeping a couple people straight, but by the end I had figured things out and it certainly didn't detract from the story in my opinion. Only at the very end did I realize there was an appendix explaining where everyone fit in.

[terpkristin]

Give it a go!

Also if you get confused, there's a pretty decent wiki out there. And there's a relatively inexpensive iPhone and Android app, Game of Thrones Companion, that you can use to help you, too...it has a spoiler setting you can tell it how much of the series you have (or have not) read so it doesn't give you unwanted details.

/tk

[PilotMan]

Honestly it can be a little daunting at first, and there are a number of terms and phrases that you won't be familiar with either, but don't fret about it. It comes together in a pretty short time, and actually greatly increases your enjoyment as you go from chapter to chapter as each chapter focuses on one character's point of view.

Think Lonesome Dove in scope and concept, with 4 additional books to follow. Get started.

[Groundhog]

I printed out a character reference sheet - the ones from the book that I found on a wiki, it's annoying switching back to them on a kindle - and found I had to refer to it often during the first book, less so during the second book, and after that I knew enough of the main characters that I could handle it whenever a new character arose most of the time without needing to refer to the printout.

(...although I have to admit that I still often mix up the Fossoways...)

[Galaril]

So is there any place that gives a detailed character by character synopsis or summary since I read the first four books years ago. I have been waiting for the Dance with Dragons book forever and now I am ready to start it. The problem is I can't remember where the last one left off character wise.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'm tempted to try and read the first book of the series. My big concern is what appears to be the unreal number of characters. How difficult are they to keep track of?

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer. I still have the copy of the first book sitting here after forcing myself through the first couple chapters.

Much better as a television series than Martin's novels (and that's with the incredibly predictable dialogue and chain of events in the TV series dinging it somewhat).

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Galaril

So is there any place that gives a detailed character by character synopsis or summary since I read the first four books years ago. I have been waiting for the Dance with Dragons book forever and now I am ready to start it. The problem is I can't remember where the last one left off character wise.

A Feast for Crows - A Song of Ice and Fire Wiki

I think that link will help.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Izulde

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer. I still have the copy of the first book sitting here after forcing myself through the first couple chapters.

Much better as a television series than Martin's novels (and that's with the incredibly predictable dialogue and chain of events in the TV series dinging it somewhat).

Don't let Izulde's literary snobbishness ruin it for you.

[Jas_lov]

I'm about 100 pages into Book 1 and hope to finish it and get into Book 2 before the Season 2 premiere. If you've seen the show you'll have no problem keeping track of the main characters. I've had to look up a couple people that the main characters have referenced but that's about it. Even if you haven't seen the show there is a nice appendix in the back of the book that breaks down the characters by family line.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Izulde

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer. I still have the copy of the first book sitting here after forcing myself through the first couple chapters.

Much better as a television series than Martin's novels (and that's with the incredibly predictable dialogue and chain of events in the TV series dinging it somewhat).

I'll go out on a limb and call myself a snob here. I know that Izulde is a much more technical writer than I am and therefore more picky about that kind of process, but he is way off in terms of it being better as a tv series. I read the books first and was astounded at how fast the show moved. Entire chunks of time were fast forwarded and on the whole it was accurate, but the books were so much more enjoyable because of the detail. The tv show rocked because the book was great, and the story is fantastic.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Izulde

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer. I still have the copy of the first book sitting here after forcing myself through the first couple chapters.

Much better as a television series than Martin's novels (and that's with the incredibly predictable dialogue and chain of events in the TV series dinging it somewhat).

FWIW I disagree 100%. Love his writing style and, most of all, his character building. Have gone on to read a few other Martin novels since finishing the ASoIaF books that are currently out and enjoyed those too.

[timmynausea]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

FWIW I disagree 100%. Love his writing style and, most of all, his character building. Have gone on to read a few other Martin novels since finishing the ASoIaF books that are currently out and enjoyed those too.

+1

[Landshark44]

Originally Posted by timmynausea

+1

+2 (except for Feast with Crows)........

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Yeah, the prose ain't Shakespeare but why need it be? The characters and plotting are excellent.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

+2 (except for Feast with Crows)........

Aye. By far the weakest book so far. I respect him for sticking to his guns plot/setting wise, but in this case it was to the book's detriment.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Izulde

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer. I still have the copy of the first book sitting here after forcing myself through the first couple chapters.

Much better as a television series than Martin's novels (and that's with the incredibly predictable dialogue and chain of events in the TV series dinging it somewhat).

Obviously tastes in style are subjective, but I respectfully disagree with Izulde here. I cannot, however, comment as to any comparisons with Stephanie Meyer, since I've never read anything by her and never will.

Like others have said he is great with world building and characters. The world he created feels very much alive. There are certain characters and legends that have been dead years before the start of the series that feel every bit of alive, important and impactful as living characters in other books.

Each chapter of the book is written from a different character's point of view. There are several point of view characters in each book. Martin excels at getting into the head of his characters almost too much so. There have been times that after reading a certain POV chapter I feel a bit dirty and crazy after inhabiting that mind for a bit.

He certainly has his stylistic foibles. He tends to reuse certain odd words or phrases over and over again. He loves to describe food. Man, does he love to describe food.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Izulde

If you have even the slightest pickiness about style, do not read it. In terms of prose style it's as bad or worse than Stephanie Meyer.

Hahahahaha! Great joke there. Oh, wait. You were serious.

[DaddyTorgo]

I get what Izulde is trying to say. In terms of the actual quality of the prose the guy is not Shakespeare or hell, even Tolkien if you want to put it in the fantasy genre.

But to me not every book/series I read has to be that way for it to be enjoyable. I'm able to put that aside and enjoy the richness of the world and the nuances of the characters. Does it grate on me at times? Sure. But I don't let it stop me from enjoying the world he's created.

Presumably even Izulde has "guilty pleasures" that he enjoys reading where the prose isn't Nabokov-level. Hopefully. Otherwise his literary experience is rather staid and elitist. I guess this just isn't one of them.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Based off everything I've read and a lot that I've seen, this season is going to deviate from the book to some extent. In a way, they sort of need to since there are certain major characters in the show and book that really are never "on screen" at all in book 2 or are "on screen" just a very small amount.

There is one pretty pivotal scene in the books that I really wonder if it will make it into the show:

Spoiler

Dany in the House of the Undying. I know they've the warlock, Pyat Pree, so I imagine they have to do that scene. Can't wait to see it if they do.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Galaril

So is there any place that gives a detailed character by character synopsis or summary since I read the first four books years ago. I have been waiting for the Dance with Dragons book forever and now I am ready to start it. The problem is I can't remember where the last one left off character wise.

If the Wiki has too much for you, I really do recommend the Game of Thrones Companion app. It is awesome. No, I don't work for the developer. I just think it's a great app. What I like most is that you can put in settings so you don't get spoiled for books you haven't read.

/tk

[terpkristin]

Dola,
Game of Thrones Companion

/tk

[jeff061]

That's awesome tk, thanks for the link.

[ISiddiqui]

Put me also down for prefering the books to the series. The series is top notch, but it can't capture all the detail & the creation of the world that Martin makes. There is a LOT of stuff in there that I wonder if it was a mistake to gloss over or ignore considering what has come in the books or what seems to be yet to come.

For instance:

Spoiler

was I the only one shocked by how little play that Rheagar got in the series? He was just the guy that captured Lyanna unwillingly (and we don't get Ned's thoughts that may cast doubts on the unwillingness and the potential that there was a child). Also we seem to miss that Rheagar was married to Elia Martell that seems to guide a good deal of narrative in Feast For Crows - I imagine Dorne will have to come into it at some point. And, of course, Rheagar's and Elia's childen - one of whome rears his head somewhat in Dance With Dragons

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Put me also down for prefering the books to the series. The series is top notch, but it can't capture all the detail & the creation of the world that Martin makes. There is a LOT of stuff in there that I wonder if it was a mistake to gloss over or ignore considering what has come in the books or what seems to be yet to come.

For instance:

Spoiler

was I the only one shocked by how little play that Rheagar got in the series? He was just the guy that captured Lyanna unwillingly (and we don't get Ned's thoughts that may cast doubts on the unwillingness and the potential that there was a child). Also we seem to miss that Rheagar was married to Elia Martell that seems to guide a good deal of narrative in Feast For Crows - I imagine Dorne will have to come into it at some point. And, of course, Rheagar's and Elia's childen - one of whome rears his head somewhat in Dance With Dragons

I would assume that stuff will start to come into play in the backstories told throughout the series.

I do miss it though. Dorne is my favorite.

[Izulde]

People are making incorrect assumptions here, which I figured might happen. I'll respond after supper.

[JPhillips]

I don't think the prose is great, but I can deal with it unless its a sex scene. Those are downright cringe inducing.

My bigger problem is a lack of direction for the narrative. I told my brother its like reading a history of Europe starting at a random point. Lots of things happen and lots of interesting characters emerge, but the point of the story is unclear.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Lots of things happen and lots of interesting characters emerge, but the point of the story is unclear.

See, I think that the ending has a certain inevitability to it. The question is what path is it going to take to get there?

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

See, I think that the ending has a certain inevitability to it. The question is what path is it going to take to get there?

Yeah definitely. My personal thoughts:

Spoiler

It's quite clear IMO that the two "main" characters plot-wise are Jon Snow and Daenerys, so the obvious link between restoring both families is a marriage. The main character outside of the biggest plotline is of course Tyrion, who is bound to help that happen in some way-shape-or-form.

I think the series was intended as a trilogy originally, with Martin instead choosing to stretch out Snow's adventures on the wall and Daenerys adventure's on foreign shores instead, which has been the biggest weakness of the books after the 3rd, because it feels like he's had to sit down and reimagine how things are going to work out. The first 3 books flowed together and showed a great deal of fore-planning, which has shown now that he's drifted from that.

[Barkeep49]

Thank you to everyone for the spoiler tags. As someone who watches the series first and then does the books I appreciate it.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yeah definitely. My personal thoughts:

Spoiler

It's quite clear IMO that the two "main" characters plot-wise are Jon Snow and Daenerys, so the obvious link between restoring both families is a marriage. The main character outside of the biggest plotline is of course Tyrion, who is bound to help that happen in some way-shape-or-form.

I think the series was intended as a trilogy originally, with Martin instead choosing to stretch out Snow's adventures on the wall and Daenerys adventure's on foreign shores instead, which has been the biggest weakness of the books after the 3rd, because it feels like he's had to sit down and reimagine how things are going to work out. The first 3 books flowed together and showed a great deal of fore-planning, which has shown now that he's drifted from that.

Spoiler

I agree with you here. How can you tell us that Tyrion is on his way to meet up with Daenerys in Book 5 and not have it happen in the same book is a big mistake, IMO. The end of the book should have been those 2 coming together as allies. Instead, we wait for it to happen in the next book, dragging everything out. It was the one part of the story I was looking forward to the most.

[spleen1015]

2 days!!

[MrBug708]

I need to find a way to stream it..

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't think the prose is great, but I can deal with it unless its a sex scene. Those are downright cringe inducing.

My bigger problem is a lack of direction for the narrative. I told my brother its like reading a history of Europe starting at a random point. Lots of things happen and lots of interesting characters emerge, but the point of the story is unclear.

I think the thing is that, the last two books aside (that's a whole other can of worms) the seeming lack of direction is very much intended, and I feel like once you get three books in you realize how masterfully it was done. The books are written more like a symphony, rather than a pop song, where the theme might be unclear at first, because it develops so slow, but is 100x more powerful because of it. You have to give Martin some rope ... I know after the first book I wasn't all that impressed, and that's shocking to me to realize now when I look back at my review at hte time. Looking back I realize that book one was perfect, but I had not yet grasped how huge of a task Martin was taking us on with him.