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LET'S READ: Game of Thrones || *NO SPOILERS* || First time readers thread..
- Thread starter bengraven
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bengraven
Member
We got this.
Those are actually 20 dogs and the army is made up of Iron Men.
GhostWriter24
Member
Woof, I feel bad for the new readers, the material ranges from epic to snore inducing. So, so very dry. Good luck getting through it.
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
Why would you be?
How is it any better for someone re-reading then? At least we don't know which parts were boring until we've gotten to them.
m_shortpants
Member
Hope you all enjoy the books! They're great.
bengraven
Member
Thankfully millions have the stamina to survive them and recommend them to their friends. If they were that exhausting and boring, something tells me they would not be popular except among the most elite.
show me your skeleton
Member
We got this.
20 good men or 20 bad pussies?
D
Deleted member 102362
Unconfirmed Member
How about 20 good men with 20 bad pussies?
PhoenixDark
Banned
I have a feeling this will become a David Benioff & Dan Weiss Unappreciation Thread in a few months.
Good.
Good.
A bit ahead of things, since I tend to be a slow reader and sometimes get weeks where work fucks me over and I can't do much of anything. Also I've been mostly listening to it through an audiobook rather than actually reading. That's only for the time being, really. Had a few long drives and I'm trying to actually read a different series.
Anyway, I must say the show fucking nailed its casting of Robert Baratheon. Also, I'm pretty sure the actor must have listened to the audio book guy, lol. That is assuming the audiobook came first... His other voices are great, except... I just got to the first part with Varys and good god no. The audiobook guy's voice for him is so bad, lol. It's so bad it's overpowering. I can't even try my hardest to imagine show Varys' voice.
Anyway, I must say the show fucking nailed its casting of Robert Baratheon. Also, I'm pretty sure the actor must have listened to the audio book guy, lol. That is assuming the audiobook came first... His other voices are great, except... I just got to the first part with Varys and good god no. The audiobook guy's voice for him is so bad, lol. It's so bad it's overpowering. I can't even try my hardest to imagine show Varys' voice.
bengraven
Member
Fun fact?
He was originally going to play Grand Maester Pycelle, but became very sick. He later improved, so they gave him this smaller role.
We already have two threads for that, though.
He was originally going to play Grand Maester Pycelle, but became very sick. He later improved, so they gave him this smaller role.
I have a feeling this will become a David Benioff & Dan Weiss Unappreciation Thread in a few months.
Good.
We already have two threads for that, though.
Charlie0108
Member
I'm so in on this. Just made it to Catelyn's third chapter, really enjoying it so far. I do wonder how easy it would be to keep up if it wasn't for the fact I've seen the show though. The book loves to just throw names at you in the early chapters.
I'm reading on my Kindle and got the Enhanced Edition of the eBook, the names are underlined and you can click them to get a short description.
Atraveller
Banned
Enhanced edition? Isn't that just X-Ray?
Chiaroscuro
Member
I started a re-read of the books in my Kindle (I had the physical books too but never went further than book 3, I loved the kindle portability, so let's go). But I decided to go with my Native language (portuguese) instead, wondering if that was a bad decision (I should have choosed the originais). So many bad translations and different from the show ( which was surprising better).
Atraveller
Banned
I don't think X-Ray function is exclusive to enhanced edition.
bengraven
Member
Do you guys want me to post a list of the names, spoiler free? If I include third tier characters it could get long. This is a "cast of thousands" after all. I tried to find a place to put a basic one in the OP.
You could do like I did my first time: ignored the characters who were mentioned only once. When someone went on a long rant like Pod does in book 2 about characters and their heraldry, many of which would only have another line or two in the later books about them, I tended to zone out. To prevent it I mentally skimmed those sections.
You could do like I did my first time: ignored the characters who were mentioned only once. When someone went on a long rant like Pod does in book 2 about characters and their heraldry, many of which would only have another line or two in the later books about them, I tended to zone out. To prevent it I mentally skimmed those sections.
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
Either way works for me. I usually tend to put characters out of my mind unless they're brought up again.
bengraven
Member
Week 1 - Fathers, Sons, and Bastards
Welcome, officially, to the beginning of our reading of A Song of Ice and Fire, known collectively as Game of Thrones or A Game of Thrones thanks to the television show of the same name. A Game of Thrones is only the first book in the Ice and Fire saga, however, and will continue afterwards if attendance allows with the second book: A Clash of Kings.
AGOT 1: Prologue - Three rangers in the Night's Watch track a group of wildling raiders beyond the Wall.
AGOT 2: Bran I - We are introduced to the Starks and their newest additions
AGOT 3: Catelyn I - The news from King's Landing brings sadness, joy, and wariness.
AGOT 4: Daenerys I - We are introduced to the Targaryans and the plot to begin a war.
AGOT 5: Eddard I - King Robert and his party arrive in Winterfell.
AGOT 6: Jon I - A feast is held in honor of the king.
AGOT 7: Catelyn II - A secret letter...
AGOT 8: Arya I - Failing miserably at her needlework, Arya Stark goes to watch her brothers Robb and Bran practice swords with the princes Joffrey and Tommen, respectively.
AGOT 9: Bran II - The things we do for love.
AGOT 10: Tyrion I - Tyrion has breakfast with Cersei and Jaime.
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
Week 1 - Fathers, Sons, and Bastards
Welcome, officially, to the beginning of our reading of A Song of Ice and Fire, known collectively as Game of Thrones or A Game of Thrones thanks to the television show of the same name. A Game of Thrones is only the first book in the Ice and Fire saga, however, and will continue afterwards if attendance allows with the second book: A Clash of Kings.
AGOT 1: Prologue - Three rangers in the Night's Watch track a group of wildling raiders beyond the Wall.
AGOT 2: Bran I - We are introduced to the Starks and their newest additions
AGOT 3: Catelyn I - The news from King's Landing brings sadness, joy, and wariness.
AGOT 4: Daenerys I - We are introduced to the Targaryans and the plot to begin a war.
AGOT 5: Eddard I - King Robert and his party arrive in Winterfell.
AGOT 6: Jon I - A feast is held in honor of the king.
AGOT 7: Catelyn II - A secret letter...
AGOT 8: Arya I - Failing miserably at her needlework, Arya Stark goes to watch her brothers Robb and Bran practice swords with the princes Joffrey and Tommen, respectively.
AGOT 9: Bran II - The things we do for love.
AGOT 10: Tyrion I - Tyrion has breakfast with Cersei and Jaime.
I have accidentally already finished reading week 1. lol
Atraveller
Banned
Hard to put down eh?
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
I was really just doing a chapter a day to keep myself in check, but that ended up being a bit too quick on its own heh.
Same
I'm actually done with Week 2's stuff too, I think. Had to spend 8 hours in the car yesterday, so I listened to a lot of the audiobook.
Tyrion so far feels like a very different character. The show made him very outwardly diplomatic and smart. The book seems to hint at that being a part of his personality, but something that he covers up with a sheen of goofiness. Show Tyrion mostly uses sarcasm rather than the sort of goofiness of the book character. At least that seems to be the way I imagine it so far. I almost find it's harder to picture his actor playing book Tyrion than any other actor playing their book version.
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
Same
I'm actually done with Week 2's stuff too, I think. Had to spend 8 hours in the car yesterday, so I listened to a lot of the audiobook.
Tyrion so far feels like a very different character. The show made him very outwardly diplomatic and smart. The book seems to hint at that being a part of his personality, but something that he covers up with a sheen of goofiness. Show Tyrion mostly uses sarcasm rather than the sort of goofiness of the book character. At least that seems to be the way I imagine it so far. I almost find it's harder to picture his actor playing book Tyrion than any other actor playing their book version.
Oh man, I have a long ass drive to do tomorrow. I should get that first audiobook, at least.
It's pretty good. As I said before, it does seem like some of the actors took cues from it, Robert Baratheon in particular.
Then again the voice he uses for Varys is very bad.
And his pronunciations of some names is really strange.
Atraveller
Banned
Haha, I went from chapter 3 to 15 the day I saw the new schedule post.
AuthenticM
Member
Was that line in the books ?
Atraveller
Banned
Of course not.
bengraven
Member
Going to cheat and put up an edited version of the appendix in the OP for character names.
EDIT: DONE
I considered going up to 15 chapters a week but worried that those who read slower would get even further ahead. The Re-Readers were not a fan of this either and I'd like to use the same schedule for both threads to make it easier.
Keep in mind, when discussing stuff further on than this week's to try and keep up with spoiler tags.
EDIT: DONE
Same
I considered going up to 15 chapters a week but worried that those who read slower would get even further ahead. The Re-Readers were not a fan of this either and I'd like to use the same schedule for both threads to make it easier.
Keep in mind, when discussing stuff further on than this week's to try and keep up with spoiler tags.
It's also really interesting how GRRM goes out of his way to describe how alike Cersei and Jaime look. It kind of gives an even more interesting definition to their relationship. At least with their introduction it almost felt like saying they love themselves so much that the only one they could actually outwardly love is... themselves, basically. I realize how and why the show probably couldn't go that route, obviously.
bengraven
Member
That's why I've tried to push people to try out the books. It's like getting the extended extended extended edition of your favorite show.
I made a post in the sister thread trying to discourage people from the audiobook.
For one thing, all of the girls sound different variations of old people, most of them old raspy men. It might be okay if he wasn't trying to give them unique voices, if he was just doing a straight narration, but it's weird when they are voiced differently. It's like a play where all the female characters are acted by 80 year old men wearing wigs. I can't see how that can be as immersive as the books.
For another thing, it is awesome to read the books after you watch the show because you have all the great actors in your mind when you read it. It's impossible for me to read a Varys or Stannis line and not hear the actors voices, and that's a great thing. It's like the actors are all doing the TV show in your mind except it's way the hell better and longer. You won't be getting that from the audiobooks.
Varys sounding awful apparently when you could be hearing Conleth Hill as you read is reason enough to never touch the audiobooks.
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
I'll try it and see how it goes.
I'm actually having the opposite issue where I'm trying to put out some of the actors from my mind like Emilia Clarke or Maisie Williams (for different reasons, mind you), but just can't.
Eh, it's really not that bad at all.
Charlie0108
Member
I've just read Catelyn's 4th or 5th chapter aka
Littlefinger and Varys' introduction.
Firstly, this applies to both the book and the show but how stupid is Catelyn to actually believe that Tyrion would send an assassin with a dagger that was not only very unique, but also known to be in his possession? It's such an obvious set-up in both the books and the show.
Secondly, I think I've found my first instance of a character being much better in the books than in the show (in my own eyes of course), and that's Renly. In the show he always came across as a bit whingey and a bit on the weak side but from what I've seen of him in the book so far he actually seems like a much more interesting character, as well as a character that you could actually believe is related to Robert and Stannis.
Secondly, I think I've found my first instance of a character being much better in the books than in the show (in my own eyes of course), and that's Renly. In the show he always came across as a bit whingey and a bit on the weak side but from what I've seen of him in the book so far he actually seems like a much more interesting character, as well as a character that you could actually believe is related to Robert and Stannis.
Yeah, I can't believe Littlefinger wouldn't just laugh his ass off at that. He has to know Tyrion's not that damned dumb.
Then again, the show pointed out that Littlefinger was one of the main instigators behind almost everything, including the death of the previous hand. Maybe he wants the Starks to think Tyrion did it, too. Or at least doesn't want to persuade them too much in the other direction.
Then again, the show pointed out that Littlefinger was one of the main instigators behind almost everything, including the death of the previous hand. Maybe he wants the Starks to think Tyrion did it, too. Or at least doesn't want to persuade them too much in the other direction.
I really liked Renly's character on the show. I think time will tell what I think of him in the book. It's kind of interesting they said he's the spitting image of Robert when he was younger. To me that implies muscles and all, which seems like it means he can fight at least a bit. It was an interesting difference in the show that Renly was basically just a politician and everyone could tell he couldn't or wouldn't be a warrior like Robert. Perhaps that's why they spelled out the difference in the show a lot more. Without being able to have a narrator say that he's not like his brother in that way, they had to go for a bigger immediate difference so people would really know this at every chance they saw him.
It's also been nice that we get to see Renly so early in the books. I realize they probably didn't want to add another chapter into the cast just for a few small scenes to lead up to him in the show. Probably a good decision overall. Still, it's nice to see him around earlier here
It's also been nice that we get to see Renly so early in the books. I realize they probably didn't want to add another chapter into the cast just for a few small scenes to lead up to him in the show. Probably a good decision overall. Still, it's nice to see him around earlier here
Read the first book last week and I'm half way through the second. I'll try not to jump ahead. Some general thoughts:
Book vs show. I don't want to dwell on it but the comparison is inevitable, especially this early on. It's easy to pick holes in an adaptation, people do it with book to film adaptations all the time, but overall I'm impressed with what they did adapting it. The characters (bar perhaps Danaerys because of the necessary aging-up) are all perfectly cast, and the scenes and sets seem just right. I guess if you read the books first and had your own imagination to compare it to then you may well disagree, but unlike when I've read other books after seeing adaptations first, I don't find myself having to revise my expectations of the characters. I'll probably have more to say when the stories diverge more.
The audio book: I listened to a bit of it. The character voices were very strange interpretations (especially "P'Tire" Baelish - and why is Tyrion Welsh?) so I found it distracting and went back to the book.
I like Renly better in the book. He didn't feel very fleshed out in the show - (show spoiler)
Book vs show. I don't want to dwell on it but the comparison is inevitable, especially this early on. It's easy to pick holes in an adaptation, people do it with book to film adaptations all the time, but overall I'm impressed with what they did adapting it. The characters (bar perhaps Danaerys because of the necessary aging-up) are all perfectly cast, and the scenes and sets seem just right. I guess if you read the books first and had your own imagination to compare it to then you may well disagree, but unlike when I've read other books after seeing adaptations first, I don't find myself having to revise my expectations of the characters. I'll probably have more to say when the stories diverge more.
The audio book: I listened to a bit of it. The character voices were very strange interpretations (especially "P'Tire" Baelish - and why is Tyrion Welsh?) so I found it distracting and went back to the book.
I like Renly better in the book. He didn't feel very fleshed out in the show - (show spoiler)
maybe they just didn't think it worthwhile given his fate
Yeah, the more I read of the book, the more I think the first season especially was a superb adaptation. The changes they made still feel right. I'm interested to see if that holds up once we get to more deviations and some of the later books, though.
Where the books inevitably win over the show is in the ability to use internal monologue, especially with the way the books are written from a sort of first-person perspective. I always liked Arya, but I think I like her more in the books. Conversely, I probably like Catelyn less lol.
It's also easier to understand Dany's motivations, the show suffers a little from this sometimes, although mostly the actors get this across well. Especially Sansa, seeing as what she thinks and what she says are so often at odds. So credit where it's due. Also, Jack Gleeson is a perfect Joffrey.
was a perfect Joffrey...
LaunchpadMcQ
Banned
I'll try to keep the comparisons to the show fair, as well. It's been a good many years since I've since the first season in its entirety, anyway, so I don't remember it too well anyway. A rewatch is in order, though perhaps after I've finished the books.
Anyway, I'm not so sure if the aging up of Dany was at all necessary. I mean, it's pretty shocking to have this huge 20+ dude marrying (and eventually sexing) a 13 year old, but GoT has been pretty heavy on the rape scenes since it started; is this really a bridge too far? In any case, Emilia Clarke is not at all how I would like to picture Dany; I was thinking more Saoirse Ronan in Hanna. It's hard to get the image of the actress out of my mind, though. Most of the others I don't have a huge problem with, but I would like to picture some of them differently like Rob and Jon just based on the descriptions given in the book and where they diverge from the actors. Rob was supposed to be more muscular, for example, and they're both supposed to be younger.
I listened to 4-5 hours of audiobook today. I forgot where I left off, but it's pretty good barring some of the voices (Tyrion and Varys). Overall, it's pretty great work. I enjoyed what I listened to.
Renly in the book really is a lot better. He actually has a presence and he's a pretty likable character. Also, Stannis actually has a presence, as well, in the first book despite never actually being physically present, unlike in the show. He's that empty chair we're constantly reminded of.
It wasn't the rape so much as the nudity. And there's a fair bit of sex in Dany's early narrative, I think it would have been too far unless they changed it a great deal. You're supposed to kind of like Drogo, and Jorah falls for Dany, I think that would have seemed weird if she was 13. I kind of know what you mean though, Emilia Clarke is more, er, womanly - and doesn't necessarily come across as vulnerable or naive as sometimes she needs to be. With that said, I don't remember it really bothering me when I first watched it.
Generally, I just tend to think of the characters as younger versions of of those in the show when I read them. Not just the kids, Littlefinger is 29 for instance. I think part of the point is that kids grow up faster then anyway, 15 and you're a man who can lead an army. Even if they're older physically than in the book, their ages suit the characters dramatically, if that makes sense. Mind you, with their screwy seasons, how long is a year in that world anyway? Lol.
Generally, I just tend to think of the characters as younger versions of of those in the show when I read them. Not just the kids, Littlefinger is 29 for instance. I think part of the point is that kids grow up faster then anyway, 15 and you're a man who can lead an army. Even if they're older physically than in the book, their ages suit the characters dramatically, if that makes sense. Mind you, with their screwy seasons, how long is a year in that world anyway? Lol.
I think it kind of is.
In that it's kind of difficult to get actors and probably legally really oddly gray area. That's why Margaery didn't have any nudity with Tommen this year. They'd have to do a lot more of that which would then kind of make the impact of the scenes a little bit different.
Not that they couldn't do it, it just might change a lot of the dynamics. Actually seeing the sex between Drogo and Dany had quite a bit of impact and if they had an actress who was really like 13... yeah, there's no way they'd do that. That would also be insanely risky for the first season of a show that they didn't know would be as big as it ended up being.
Chiaroscuro
Member
Not only that, but thr aging of all characters in the show was necessary because the actors would age during the series spam. If you start season one with a 14 years old actor he would be 21 in the last season, which will make no sense in the history, since maybe only a 1-2 years will have passesd. We already have this kind of problem with Bran, but dince he does not walk we do not really see all big the actor is.
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