Game of Thrones...

sillysally

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#1
I'm think if reading the books. Has anyone read them? If so, what do you think? I haven't seen the show (have very basic cable and it doesn't seem to be on Netflix), by I *think* I gather the basic premise. Is it fantasy?
 

RBark

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#2
It's one of my favorite books ever. It's fantasy, but not the fantasy you're used to. It starts off as a very historical medieval political drama, and the fantasy slowly comes into play more and more over the series.

It truly is one of the most remarkable book series to come out in our time.
 

Laurelin

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#3
READ THEM.

^^ My opinion. They are awesome and the show is great.

I guess I should put a disclaimer that there's a lot of violence and sex in them.
 

Xandra

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#4
I've read them all and I really enjoyed them. I've also seen all of the TV series. (FYI the book series is called "A Song of Ice and Fire," only the first book is called Game of Thrones--the best title IMO).

It is fantasy, it takes place in a medieval fantasy realm, primarily on the continent of Westeros. However, the fantasy doesn't seep into everything. There's a lot that goes on that could be written as plain old historical fiction.

The story is told by an array of Point-of-View characters in three settings:

1.) Westeros, The Wall: a big wall of ice, manned by the Night's Watch, designed soley to keep the nasty stuff of the far North away from the rest of the continent. Only one POV character here.

2.) Westeros, South of the Wall: this is most of the story takes place. The various houses vye for power and there are wars and politics and all that jazz.

3.) Essos: a different continent. There's only one POV character over here. She is exhiled, but has a claim to the Throne via the previous dynasty and wishes to take it back.

Very broadly, there are two main plotlines--who gets the Iron Throne? and, what's going to happen with all that craziness beyond the Wall?

You could say the main protagonists are the Stark house, comprising of a lord, lady, 3 legitimate sons, 1 ******* son and 2 daughters, who are all 14 or under when the series begins. Most of the Starks have POVs, but, that said, some of the "mainest" characters aren't Starks.

The characters are mostly realistic and well written IMO. There isn't much black and white in the books, just shades of grey.

The events often play out fairly realistically as well IMO. For full impact, I recommend you NOT read ANYTHING about the series online until you are at least done the first book, but preferably the third. The first season/book is old news now and people spoil it left right and center.

I recommend reading the books first. The show isn't as good IMO and from my *ahem* online discussions about the series I've found the images/notions of the characters people get from watching sometimes blind them to subtler things in the books. I watched the show first and wish I hadn't, but if watching helps you get into the series, it's not a biggie.
 
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*blackrose

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#5
It's one of my favorite books ever. It's fantasy, but not the fantasy you're used to. It starts off as a very historical medieval political drama, and the fantasy slowly comes into play more and more over the series.
^ This.

I'm only through the first book (need to buy the second!) and I will say this: it is a very brutal book. It...doesn't sugar coat anything. Some authors skirt around certain descriptions and paint a picture through what they aren't saying. Not this book. It took me awhile to get used to, as I can't think of any other series I've read that has such vivid, brutal imagery. So if you are at all "sensitive"...may not be for you. Not just the sex and violence, but the topics. It is very much a medieval type era with medieval type philosophies. There was one point in the first book I was so disgusted with what was going on (as the Starks were traveling with Robert...the incident with the prince, the butcher boy, and the wolf) I literally had to put the book down and walk away. It was *that* well written that it affected me that much. Lol

That being said, I loved the book. :) Not my favorite series, but I'm very glad I picked it up and will be reading the rest.
 

Grab

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#6
I am reading them now. I've read the first and am about a third of the way through the second. They're not my favorite series (not bad by any means, but not a genre I usually read) but I'm committed now and am soldiering through:p

I am also watching the series, but I generally view the book and series/movie as different things.
 

Xandra

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#7
^ This.

I'm only through the first book (need to buy the second!) and I will say this: it is a very brutal book. It...doesn't sugar coat anything. Some authors skirt around certain descriptions and paint a picture through what they aren't saying. Not this book. It took me awhile to get used to, as I can't think of any other series I've read that has such vivid, brutal imagery. So if you are at all "sensitive"...may not be for you. Not just the sex and violence, but the topics. It is very much a medieval type era with medieval type philosophies. There was one point in the first book I was so disgusted with what was going on ... I literally had to put the book down and walk away. It was *that* well written that it affected me that much. Lol

That being said, I loved the book. :) Not my favorite series, but I'm very glad I picked it up and will be reading the rest.
I agree with you! That's one of the best things about the series... it's not predictable. Good guys don't always win (but they don't always lose either..)

One thing though, if I were you I'd edit out the bit in brackets... it doesn't really spoil anything, but I think it's better when reading it through the first time if you have NO idea where things are going to get intense. JMO!

ETA or people could just put any potentially spoilerish text in white, I forgot about that
 

*blackrose

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#8
I agree with you! That's one of the best things about the series... it's not predictable. Good guys don't always win (but they don't always lose either..)

One thing though, if I were you I'd edit out the bit in brackets... it doesn't really spoil anything, but I think it's better when reading it through the first time if you have NO idea where things are going to get intense. JMO!

ETA or people could just put any potentially spoilerish text in white, I forgot about that
Bah, it's too late, I can't edit it. I wouldn't be offended if a mod wanted to!
 

joce

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#9
Love the books! Just frustrated there are not more! Thinking of rereading when done with The Lord of the rings.
 

Moth

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#11
One of my favorite series. I love both the books and the HBO show.

As others have warned George RR Martin's writing tends to be bleak, brutal, and gritty.

It is a complex world and story he has built... and he is still writing the next installment of it :)
 

Laurelin

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#12
I actually started the books, then watched the show after I started. I thought the show helped immensely with me as far as telling who was who. :p
 

Xandra

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#13
I actually started the books, then watched the show after I started. I thought the show helped immensely with me as far as telling who was who. :p
I think it does help differentiate and cement the characters in your mind, but on the other hand, I can't, for instance, stop seeing Peter Dinklage as Tyrion and we all know Tyrion is NOT supposed to look like that. So yeah... if you can get into the novels and make your own images up based on the descriptions, do that. If that's not working, watch a bit of the show to help you and then try to correct appearances in your head (good luck with that, I've only succeeded with the Hound and that's because I look at lots of fanart and put in a concerted effort to do so).
 
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#14
I'm still only about a third of the way through the first book. I'm up to date watching the tv show. I watched the show first and started the book a few months after I'd gotten into the show. I'm very happy I watched the show first because if not, I'd have been very lost in the first few pages. So, I'm attempting to read the books but they are so big and I'm such a slow reader that it's taking forever. That, and I keep putting it down to read something else. But!!! I do own the first three and I'll be picking up the rest as I find them in used book stores.
 

Laurelin

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#15
There's too many people with the same name. Or similar names. Seriously, I was lost till I watched the show. And I'm a huge LOTR buff and have read the Silmarillion and not gotten confused.
 

-bogart-

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#16
http://www.thedarewall.com/tv/tv-shows

If you watch streaming shows on the computer , this site that you do not have to register for , has all of them.


I am obsessed , I am rereading the books for the 5 or 6th time . and Planning an epic rewatch the week before the new season starts in april.


My favorite caractuer development so far is Sansa , Varys and Jamie. Brienne of Tarth is also such a great one. I of course love Tyrion and Arya. Ow and Littlefinger is scary.
 

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