A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones (Spoilers) (Merged)

[quincygal]

I really like the show, but for some reason, I can never keep names straight in this series (or LOTR, or others in this genre). The problem is, we don't have cable, and must wait for the season to be over so his friend will download them for us, and I watch as many as I can in one sitting. DH tells me to read the books, but for some reason, I gotta wait for the show itself. Am curious to see how the murdering ghost-thing can be killed/neutralized, how Sansa will fare, and how swordfighting little sister will survive (what is her name???). I feel bad for the mom- her kids are scattered & she's on the run kinda. But the paralyzed kid & Tonks (sorry am bringing HP into this now) seem to be doing OK for now.

Joffrey is a tool definitely, but his uncle (the non-incentious one) is turning out to be a good guy in the long run.

[Maggie Mae]

There are a few other threads here. One is titled "Song of Ice and Fire" and is a few pages back, and I'm fairly certain there was at least one other.

I watched the first season of the show, then the book, spoiled myself using the internet, read through SoS and halfway through FoC but am kind of stuck, and went back to reread the first books because I realized I had no idea who some of the people were.

I had trouble knowing who was who on the show until I read the books, quincygal.

[LadyFriend]

I really like the show, but for some reason, I can never keep names straight in this series (or LOTR, or others in this genre). The problem is, we don't have cable, and must wait for the season to be over so his friend will download them for us, and I watch as many as I can in one sitting. DH tells me to read the books, but for some reason, I gotta wait for the show itself. Am curious to see how the murdering ghost-thing can be killed/neutralized, how Sansa will fare, and how swordfighting little sister will survive (what is her name???). I feel bad for the mom- her kids are scattered & she's on the run kinda. But the paralyzed kid & Tonks (sorry am bringing HP into this now) seem to be doing OK for now.

Joffrey is a tool definitely, but his uncle (the non-incentious one) is turning out to be a good guy in the long run.

Arya! I love her! She is definitely one of my favorites.

I love it all!

[LadyFriend]

There are a few other threads here. One is titled "Song of Ice and Fire" and is a few pages back, and I'm fairly certain there was at least one other.

I watched the first season of the show, then the book, spoiled myself using the internet, read through SoS and halfway through FoC but am kind of stuck, and went back to reread the first books because I realized I had no idea who some of the people were.

I had trouble knowing who was who on the show until I read the books, quincygal.

Thank you! I'll dig around some more.

[infooverload]

My husband watches it and I watched bits and pieces last night, but since I didn't watch the first 2 seasons I was lost. I need to read the books, but let me say my list of books to read is about 20 deep right now, so it will be a while. I did find what little bits I watched to be enjoyable. Then again I do not think HBO has put out a show I didn't like. I'm still pissed about them cancelling Carnivale after 2 seasons. For most people they are like what show, but it was so damn good. Stupid HBO did a shitty job scheduling it. They had it on after Sex in the City.

[Kitty]

I saw the first 3 episodes online recently, and I'm hooked.

I tried to read the book but got a bit lost what with all the POV changes, but I'm used to such things happening in TV shows, so it doesn't bother me there. And the younger characters, like Sansa, Joffrey, and Danaerys are all three years older which makes certain scenes less squicky.

I can't wait to see Natalie Dormer in season 2, I thought she was great as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors.

[Arete]

Love the show and the first three books. Books 4 and 5 read like place holders and stretchers to me. JRRM seems to be really milking the books as cash cows now.

[Maggie Mae]

Love the show and the first three books. Books 4 and 5 read like place holders and stretchers to me. JRRM seems to be really milking the books as cash cows now.

Oh I don't think GRRM is milking them. I think he is genuinely more interested in the characters and the minutia of day to day life and the history of Westeros than plot. Which is fine with me. I just wish he'd write a little faster.

[LadyFriend]

I saw the first 3 episodes online recently, and I'm hooked.

I tried to read the book but got a bit lost what with all the POV changes, but I'm used to such things happening in TV shows, so it doesn't bother me there. And the younger characters, like Sansa, Joffrey, and Danaerys are all three years older which makes certain scenes less squicky.

I can't wait to see Natalie Dormer in season 2, I thought she was great as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors.

She is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

[Vex]

I've read the books and watched all of the TV series so far. This season will have a lot of exciting stuff in it so I'm looking forward to it. Can't wait to see the weddings in particular.

Do you guys have favourite characters? Are they the same in the novels as they are in the TV series (if you've experienced both)? Are there any characters you really hate?

I'm not looking forward to Dany meeting Daario. A Dance with Dragons was very Dany-heavy and the parts about Daario are probably my least favourite in all the books. What do you guys think about Theon's new acquaintance, 'Boy'? I personally think it was a very clever and interesting way of introducing the 'bastard'. Interesting that they made him so handsome, too, I never pictured him looking that attractive.

[quincygal]

She is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

Yeah! When I saw her I shouted "It's Anne Boleyn!" and had to explain to DH who she was. I keep crossing the two roles in my mind & keep imaging she's still AB in this series:) Gotta get my hands on the last few seasons of Tudors too!:)

[Marianne]

I read the books and seen the series. I must have been 13/14 years old when I read the books, I was very proud, it was my first fantasy series "adult". :mrgreen:

Of course, I love it, it is one of my favorite books. But I prefer to read in French than in French, as writing in English is very basic and the translation is most... Middle Ages. I love the principle of PoV. This is where we see that martins is a former writer for TV series : the structure of the book works just like in a TV series (the Borgias, Tudors, Rome ...)

My favorite character is Tyrion, of course, but Littlefinger ... I want these guys. When I will be master of the world, Tyrion will be the minister of Justice, and Littlefinger of economy. Policy will be more interesting !

But what I prefer with this book is doing very very very complicated theories. Once, I said from a phrase of the book that Varys worked for White Walkers.

I am convinced that Jon is the son of Lyanna and Rhaeggar. And I think at the end of the series, the kingdom of seven crowns no longer exist.

What is especially pleasing is the popularity of books! In my school, 3 of my teachers read this book, in the tram I often see people read, etc ... For a fantasy fan this is great news !

(My best friend met her boyfriend like that: he read the Game of Thrones on the bus. Martins thank you ! :highfive: )

[Savoring Samsara]

I've read the books and watched all of the TV series so far. This season will have a lot of exciting stuff in it so I'm looking forward to it. Can't wait to see the weddings in particular.

I'm more looking forward to the reaction of people who haven't read the books to said weddings. :lol: My husband and I spent a particularly shocking episode of season 1 (being coy in case anyone hasn't seen/read it yet) hitting refresh on a "watch along" thread on another forum, populated by people who didn't know what was coming. Watching their reactions was way more amusing than it had any right to be.

Do you guys have favourite characters? Are they the same in the novels as they are in the TV series (if you've experienced both)? Are there any characters you really hate?

My favorite character in the books has always been Arya. I like what they've done with her in the TV series too, though I'm a bit perplexed by some of the changes they've made to her story line so far. For example, the fact that the TV series isn't really emphasizing her list of people to kill, and the premature demise of the Tickler which removes from the TV show one of my favorite scenes from the books (when she meets him at the inn at the end of A Storm of Swords :violence-axechase: ). I'm a big fan of Brienne as well, in both books and TV - the casting for that role was FABULOUS.

One thing I particularly appreciate about the TV series is how it is re-imagining Margarey Tyrell. In the books, she came off as relatively passive, probably because everything we ever see of her is through Sansa's eyes and Sansa has no idea what is going on. I love how on the show, she's become this total Machiavellian femme fatale who plays the game of thrones as hard as anyone. (The added line about "I don't want to be a queen, I want to be THE queen" was particularly inspired.)

[Maggie Mae]

This weeks episode was great, I can't wait until next week. Looks like they have Gendry standing in for Edric Stone, which makes sense. Although that makes me think Gendry is done in the books, and I was really hoping he wasn't.

[Arete]

Tyrion is my favorite male character in the books and on the show, "Anne Boleyn's" grandma is my favorite female character in the books (she is in the third book). Love Cersei the badass on the show.

[jaelh]

Tyrion is my favorite male character in the books and on the show, "Anne Boleyn's" grandma is my favorite female character in the books (she is in the third book). Love Cersei the badass on the show.

+1.

Love that grandma.

gay! incest! gay! incest! GAY! INCEST! that was a fabulous scene

damn, i don't think it's a spoiler, but safety first!

[Curious]

New season starting Sunday!

[SunnyAndrsn]

New season starting Sunday!

Been watching the HBO Marathon all day :-)

[Mama Mia]

Today? Yeah!! It's the whole reason I kept the premium cable package I can't remotely afford :-)

[SunnyAndrsn]

That hour went too fast. Next week's episode is titled The Lion and the Rose. Royal wedding is happening.

[lilith]

Hoping I can find a reasonable download before Partner gets home. And refrain from watching it til he does.

[Curious]

That hour went too fast. Next week's episode is titled The Lion and the Rose. Royal wedding is happening.

I could not believe it had been an hour when that episode ended!

[anniebgood]

I felt like going "Go Arya Go Arya" after that last scene!

I've read all 5 books, and the last 2 were so dragged out.

I tried to get on HBO Go about midnight our time but it was still crashed. Says something for the people who are viewing it not on their TV's.

This is going to be a must do on Sunday nights for us.

[donks]

I love this show!

[elsabee]

I felt like going "Go Arya Go Arya" after that last scene!

I've read all 5 books, and the last 2 were so dragged out.

I tried to get on HBO Go about midnight our time but it was still crashed. Says something for the people who are viewing it not on their TV's.

This is going to be a must do on Sunday nights for us.

Arya's kind of freaking me out at this point. Like, I admire her drive and her courage, but I feel like she's starting to get pleasure out of killing that's more than just revenge. (I haven't read the books -- I normally prefer books to films/shows, but with GoT I like the show so much that I don't want to spoil things for myself by reading ahead...)