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[Levi]

I don't blame the writers when, for example, only 20 peasants show up to the Hand's Tournament or when Robert hunts boar on foot and with an entourage of like 3 dudes. That's a production constraint, and while it sucks it is understandable. I do blame the writers when the writing sucks.

Simple enough.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

 

[DrForester]

I've always wondered why no one else can seem to get to King's Landing for days, weeks, months, or even years, but Littlefinger can traverse Westeros in seconds.

Same with Catelyn.

Arya trudges for a few weeks from Kings Landing to Harenhall going through a war.

Catelyn gets from River run to Renley in a day. Going through warzone? No problem! Time to return from storms end? Give us a day and a half.

 

[suzu]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

You should just read the chapter summaries for the first book, if you want to skip it. lol. It is a good sum up of everything (including the stuff they left out of the show, like the flashbacks).

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

You know nothing. You get much more backstory on the world, what people think, and flashbacks. My god the flashbacks.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Alton also went from Robb's camp from episode 1 to 2, and then took until episode 7 to get back to Robb (although his camp did move quite a bit since then).

Episode 5 in particular clearly covers way more time than the average episode does with several characters traveling great distances or seemingly having significant time passed (Cat makes for Robb's camp, Littlefinger goes north to Harrenhall, and word reaches Kings Landing about Renly's death from one scene to the next).

I think these liberties are okay, it's better for the show to be able to leave it to the viewer to realize that a character traveling took significant time even if it only took an episode.

 

["God's Beard!"]

You know nothing. You get much more backstory on the world, what people think, and flashbacks. My god the flashbacks.

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

 

[SiteSeer]

... or when Robert hunts boar on foot and with an entourage of like 3 dudes ...

i noticed this too, but i figured it was because he prefers a small hunting party. to keep it real, yo.

 

[Emerson]

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

That's fine to a certain point, but there are absolutely flashbacks and backstory that are not conveyed in the slightest by the TV show.

 

[bengraven]

We went out drinking with him that night. He's a huge fan and super geeky about it. It was funny because he got to carry the "one ring" for three amazing movies but was uber excited about getting to sit in the throne and stuff.

God is that the set or just another con or event? Because if that's set, through a god damn wig on him and do a cameo for God's sake. I would love to see Elijah being the one they get to change Tyrion's chamber pot.

 

[Steelyuhas]

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

If there is one thing to read though, you should read about the Tower of Joy. It's a flashback of Ned's from the first book, and it's not in the show in any way.

 

["God's Beard!"]

That's fine to a certain point, but there are absolutely flashbacks and backstory that are not conveyed in the slightest by the TV show.

I'm just saying that maybe all that detail isn't necessary. The more they go that route the less grounded it gets and the more typical fantasy epic it gets. I mean, the show had the sense not to make Tyrion a wobbly legged mutant with mismatched eyes. That kind of cartoony image is fine for a book I guess, but not for showing what's supposed to be a realistic fantasy. I think the show's casting of Jon Snow and Joffrey in season one fit the characters way better than the descriptions in the book as well. I'm surprised how closely the actor matches littlefinger, too. That was perfect.

 

[desh]

Yeah, a lot of people (read: Americans) are under the belief that N. Ireland is a part of Ireland. I'm pretty sure they don't have any sets in the Republic.



No, season two was filmed in only 3 countries: N. Ireland, Croatia and Iceland.

N. Ireland is part of Ireland. It is not part of the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, if you are born in N. Ireland you are a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. So, I'm of the mind that N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are both part of Ireland.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

If there is one thing to read though, you should read about the Tower of Joy. It's a flashback of Ned's from the first book, and it's not in the show in any way.

Really, if you're going to read the books there is important stuff not in the show like the Tower of Joy. If all you want is the plot points, wiki it, otherwise read the books.

 

[suzu]

I'm just saying that maybe all that detail isn't necessary. The more they go that route the less grounded it gets and the more typical fantasy epic it gets. I mean, the show had the sense not to make Tyrion a wobbly legged mutant with mismatched eyes. That kind of cartoony image is fine for a book I guess, but not for showing what's supposed to be a realistic fantasy. I think the show's casting of Jon Snow and Joffrey in season one fit the characters way better than the descriptions in the book as well.

I don't think any sane book fans care about Tyrion not looking like an ugly imp or whatever. lol.

There is some pretty important backstory though. I mean, I suppose they will be showing it another way in the tv show since they seem to be against using flashbacks (still wondering how they will go about it). But you're planning on reading the rest of the books, right? So you should at least get familiar with the details from the first book that were cut from the show.

Anyway, you should really check out this link I posted before. It's a lot less reading than the book and you get everything you need.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Anyway, you should really check out this link I posted before. It's a lot less reading than the book and you get everything you need.

Oh god. No offense, but fuck that. Cliff Notes is some lameness.

 

[suzu]

Oh god. No offense, but fuck that. Cliff Notes is some lameness.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Thanks for trying, though!

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Buys box set, doesn't want to read the books because they are like the show.

 

[Arment]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

It's not the same in so many ways though. How is Jon a 'sniveling' anything? He's more of a bitch in the show I find.

I don't know. I don't agree with any nitpick you have. Probably because I went book show and you went show book. But I've read the first book 3 times now, so there's that.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

There is no way character growth is in the slightest way better depicted in the show. That is one of the show's greatest failings. It is something they may correct down the road, but for now it is incredibly lacking.

Edit: except for Robert. I did appreciate the added bits they gave him

 

[NathanMcMahon]

God is that the set or just another con or event? Because if that's set, through a god damn wig on him and do a cameo for God's sake. I would love to see Elijah being the one they get to change Tyrion's chamber pot.

It's the set.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Oh god. No offense, but fuck that. Cliff Notes is some lameness.

All I'm saying is that have you noticed nobody is *actually* pointing to some pivotal thing in A Game of Thrones you couldn't have seen or guessed by watching the Game of Thrones TV series? But as I said, you'll be full on lost if you try to skip Clash of Kings.

 

[FollowSmoke]

This is now my favorite show of all time. It's actually replacing Rome... Man, I need to go back and re-watch that. The bad thing is, they shut Rome down because of how expensive it was to make it. Hopefully that's not the case here. Though, I think Game of Thrones' popularity far exceeds that of Rome.

 

[Fuzzy]

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

All the details are the entire point of reading fiction. If you don't enjoy it then don't read it but I really doubt you'll get much more enjoyment out of the other books.

It's not the same in so many ways though. How is Jon a 'sniveling' anything? He's more of a bitch in the show I find.

I don't know. I don't agree with any nitpick you have. Probably because I went book show and you went show book. But I've read the first book 3 times now, so there's that.

I went show -> book for the first season/book and I completely agree with you.

 

[Trojita]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Those were great.


These got me laughing, especially Jorah. :lol

Damn, I searched twitter thinking this was real

 

[Trojita]

Man, Spoilers spread faster than Wildfire, the fuck.

I was google imaging Ygritte and someone had a spoiler written write in front of a picture of her.

Spoiler

Series Spoilers: About how sad her death was

I'm at the first POV of Sam in ASoS so finding this out is lame.

For the ladies

 

[Fuzzy]

Man, Spoilers spread faster than Wildfire, the fuck.

I was google imaging Ygritte and someone had a spoiler written write in front of a picture of her.

Spoiler

Series Spoilers: About how sad her death was

I'm at the first POV of Sam in ASoS so finding this out is lame.

Do yourself a favour and stop searching for anything that might be even remotely related to the series or else you'll be spoiled again.

 

[Emerson]

There is no way character growth is in the slightest way better depicted in the show. That is one of the show's greatest failings. It is something they may correct down the road, but for now it is incredibly lacking.

Edit: except for Robert. I did appreciate the added bits they gave him

Damn, I kind of forgot about how great Robert was on the show.

I think it might be fair to say that losing Robert and Ned hurt the show a bit more than it hurt the books.

 

[DrForester]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

Make no mistake, the first part of the first book is tough to read. it's slow, it's boring. I ended up using a free Audible card I had and got the audiobook for the first book, and it's really good. The narrator is excellent. Might want to try that for the first book.

There is no way character growth is in the slightest way better depicted in the show. That is one of the show's greatest failings. It is something they may correct down the road, but for now it is incredibly lacking.

Edit: except for Robert. I did appreciate the added bits they gave him

What about Tywin? Putting him in the middle of Arya's story has certainly helped develop him a lot more than he was in the books by this point.

 

[M.D]

Well, I bought the box set a while ago and started reading the first book like you guys recommended. I think I'm gonna skip it after all, it's taken me a week to read 200 pages(I finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest in 2 days and it's the same length as GoT). Guys like Grimace were right. It's the same damn thing as the first season and I'm bored out of my mind like I'm reading a script. The only things that are different are little stylistic changes here and there that were changed for the better in the show. Like Jon Snow not being a sniveling 14 year old. And Bran straight up being a monkey.

I'm just like you, only I enjoy the first book! I watched the two seasons and had this urge out of nowhere to start reading the books.

I was afraid, like you, that I won't like the book since I already watched the show. I realized very quickly that I don't really care.
I wish I could have expressed my thoughts better, but my vocabulary is really poor and I'm struggling to explain how I feel about the book:/

Does anyone think the first book does a better job developing Dany? Maybe I just don't remember much of the first season, but I find her chapters really fascinating. I'm still relatively early into the book, but I really feel for her for all the shit is going through, especially knowing how young she is in the book. I honestly don't remember feeling so sympathetic about her when I watched the first season.

 

["God's Beard!"]

All I'm saying is that have you noticed nobody is *actually* pointing to some pivotal thing in A Game of Thrones you couldn't have seen or guessed by watching the Game of Thrones TV series? But as I said, you'll be full on lost if you try to skip Clash of Kings.

Nope! One guy when I asked earlier said I'd be missing some vital character or plot point, but so far nothing. Again, all I wanted to know was where to start where I wouldn't miss anything plot-wise, and all I got was people bitching about the show or telling me about how great the flashbacks that don't matter are like the Arthur Dayne thing.

Buys box set, doesn't want to read the books because they are like the show.

I was planning to start with the 2nd one and the box set was cheaper than buying 2+ individually. I figured I'd read the 1st one since I had it anyway.

It's not the same in so many ways though. How is Jon a 'sniveling' anything? He's more of a bitch in the show I find.

I'm more inclined to believe Jon Snow is a little bitch because of living as a bastard when he's a young adult vs some kid going through puberty getting drunk at dinner and yelling at nobody in particular.

All the details are the entire point of reading fiction. If you don't enjoy it then don't read it but I really doubt you'll get much more enjoyment out of the other books.

I'll enjoy it when I don't get those details from set design and the behavior of the actors. Which apparently means not book 1.

 

[evilromero]

So far all the internal dialogue is just stuff implied by the actor's attitudes in the show. I'm not getting anything extra from it. I thought the show did a good job of letting you fill in the blanks yourself, a book needs all that stuff because it only has text. It's not a bad book, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of reading it when I've already seen the show. I'm not a pedantic person and I don't want all the little details on world building. I'm more interesting in character growth and interaction, and so far that was presented better in the show. And why wouldn't it, being made so long after the book?

I had the opposite experience as you. Watched the first season and then I read the first book and was blown away by all the details and backstory. The character development is WAY more realized in the books and they spend more time seeding the plot, which the show skips.

 

["God's Beard!"]

The reason I liked the show so much is because all those details were implied instead of told to me. The book has all these nice subtle little conversations, then ruins it with "but so and so doesn't trust such and such" between exchanges. Definitely annoys me, when dishonestly and subversion is such a huge deal and there's these glowing lines of text that say "oh btw, this guy is a liar". I can decide for mysef that vicerys is a dumbass, thank you.

 

[Iksenpets]

I'm more inclined to believe Jon Snow is a little bitch because of living as a bastard when he's a young adult vs some kid going through puberty getting drunk at dinner and yelling at nobody in particular.

Jon Snow mans up a lot through book 2, which I don't think she show really conveyed at all in season 2, which is why I think a lot of people are taken aback by your claim that Jon is less mature in the books. I think you're focusing too much on the admittedly unrealistic written ages of the characters in the books. The show made a wise move in aging them all up, but when I was reading the book I already had the images of all the actors in my head, and so it was impossible for me not to imagine 14 year old Jon as twenty-something Kit Harrington, and so the ages never really bothered me that much.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Jon Snow mans up a lot through book 2, which I don't think she show really conveyed at all in season 2, which is why I think a lot of people are taken aback by your claim that Jon is less mature in the books. I think you're focusing too much on the admittedly unrealistic written ages of the characters in the books. The show made a wise move in aging them all up, but when I was reading the book I already had the images of all the actors in my head, and so it was impossible for me not to imagine 14 year old Jon as twenty-something Kit Harrington, and so the ages never really bothered me that much.

The thing is, you only give out a few details when you describe a character in a book, and the reader doesn't really have a choice but to let those details define the character in their heads. So when Jon Snow is a little kid in the book, I take Martin at his word. If it's written down, I'm going to assume it matters to him. Which makes the book seem a lot more cartoonish, with things like Catelyn laughing like a maniac when the dog bites the assassin's neck off.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

I just found out one of the most strangest of facts. Sibel Kekilli was once a pornstar named Dilara

 

["God's Beard!"]

Good for her, getting out of the sex industry.

 

[Dany]

 

[Tess3ract]

I just found out one of the most strangest of facts. Sibel Kekilli was once a pornstar named Dilara

Welcome to season 1.

 

[Speevy]

Good for her, getting out of the sex industry.

We're so glad to have you on board. We promise to treat you with the utmost respect.

In this scene, a dwarf will be paying you to have sex with him.

 

[Tess3ract]

Pretty much every single girl in the show who appears fully naked is a prostitute or porn star. Happy to help.

 

[Speevy]

Pretty much every single girl in the show who appears fully naked is a prostitute or porn star. Happy to help.

I'm going to pretend this includes Dany so I can excuse her poor acting.

I'm now picturing her on a street corner shouting "WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?"

 

[Fuzzy]

The reason I liked the show so much is because all those details were implied instead of told to me. The book has all these nice subtle little conversations, then ruins it with "but so and so doesn't trust such and such" between exchanges. Definitely annoys me, when dishonestly and subversion is such a huge deal and there's these glowing lines of text that say "oh btw, this guy is a liar". I can decide for mysef that vicerys is a dumbass, thank you.

I'll say it again, I seriously doubt you'll enjoy the other books if this is how you feel about the first one. Maybe the books just aren't for you.

 

[Arment]

The reason I liked the show so much is because all those details were implied instead of told to me. The book has all these nice subtle little conversations, then ruins it with "but so and so doesn't trust such and such" between exchanges. Definitely annoys me, when dishonestly and subversion is such a huge deal and there's these glowing lines of text that say "oh btw, this guy is a liar". I can decide for mysef that vicerys is a dumbass, thank you.

This makes zero sense. You're complaining about what exactly? Could you provide examples with direct text from the book?

What it's boiling down to is you don't like to read fiction. You could take your complaints and apply them 99% of all fiction books.

with things like Catelyn laughing like a maniac when the dog bites the assassin's neck off.

She's not laughing because she thinks its funny...people really react that way sometimes.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I'm now picturing her on a street corner shouting "WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?"

That's how Xaro Xhoan Daxos really became the richest man in Qarth.

 

[Dany]

That's how Xaro Xhoan Daxos really became the richest man in Qarth.

He came from nothing and then had everything.

 

[Cpt.Underpants]

Danny

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

AFFC stuff:

I've shared the usual complaints about AFCC as others (slow, not paying attention to the right characters, etc etc) until I got about 60% into the book and (minor spoilers) read the chapter

Spoiler

where Jaime enters the camp at Rivverrun and has a talk with his Aunt. Ho-ly-shit! That was one of the better chapters in the book and possibly even the series. She is one savvy woman and one of the few Lannisters I liked besides Tyrion. And the megaton she drops on him at the end: "...but Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you." Got-dayum! It was a great dialog and a great narrative. I really love Jaime's character arc so far - not quite a redemption story yet, but about as close as I think GRRM is going to come for any of his characters.