Game of Thrones

[Azhael]

I was wondering if there were any Game of Thrones enthusiasts in our ranks.
I´ve only read the first book so far (but i´m dying to read the rest of the A Song of Ice and Fire saga)) and i was really looking forward to the tv-series. Is anyone following it? I admit i´m hooked xD Me and my mates are finding it hard to wait for a whole week between episodes, hehe.
I´m quite impressed with the series...i like most of the cast (most of which i recognized, and that´s always fun for me), and some characters are particularly brilliant like Tyrion and Ser Mormont. Sure, it´s not perfect, but then again perfection + television ain´t never gonna happen (unless Sir David Attenborough is involved ).

My mates and i also have a lot of fun with what we are calling "HBO attacks" which is a phenomenon by which two breasts can become 6 and explicit scenes pop out into existence xDD

Also, the series is one of those rare exceptions where i actually enjoy the intro. The theme song is just bloody brilliant..it´s in my head all day xD

 

[Molch]

dude, I've never heard of it and had to google it to know of what thou speakest.

But now I see that it has both horses and Sean Bean in it, so I think I will have to check it out if ever it appears on DVD.

 

[John]

I watch the show religiously. It's superb - best thing on TV for ages.

 

[Molch]

I watch the show religiously. It's superb - best thing on TV for ages.

...but does it have newts in it??

 

[Cas]

Well I cant say I've seen any newts in the show, but I am hooked also.

I was so impressed that it's made me want to read the books. This surprises me given that often when TV shows try to re-create a book I feel like I am missing bits of the story. Of cause this gets me completely confused (but hey, maybe thats not a difficult feat) and I almost never want to read the books afterwards.

I'm glad Im not the only one who gets the theme song stuck in their head, I have to agree also that its a great introduction song.

 

[John]

I have read some of the first book and I find the series to be an almost perfect facsimile, even down to individual pieces of dialogue. What I will say is that they've compressed a considerably sized book into 10 episodes very well. On the face of it 10 episodes would seem to few, but they've done a great job and I can't fault them. I also like the fact that there are so many Irish actors in it. For example, both Joffrey and Littlefinger are both from the Republic, and there are several Northern Irish actors too. Well done HBO.

 

[Azhael]

I´m so glad someone else likes the series xDD I felt like a nutter with an empty thread about something i clearly liked a lot xD
I had a feeling you´d be hooked, John!

You are right in saying it´s quite an adaptation. The first book is after all over 800 pages, and they could have done a MUCH worse job at comprising it into 10 episodes. They have succeeded in being faithful to the book, and sometimes they are just dead on!!!! Most impressive for HBO.

I´m so happy the actors are british (widest sense)...no offense to anyone, but this series, with american actors, would have suuuuuucked. And it´s a pretty good cast, too, they even have Charles Dance xD
I´m afraid you are mistaken, John, the actor that does Joffrey is not technically irish. It´s a male clone of Bonnie Tyler that was introduced to an irish family by the old switcharoo in the hospital. He creeps me out...it´s the same bloody face...O_O

Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger is just perfect. I can´t think of anyone better for that role.


Cas, if you get the chance, read the books. They weight a tone each and i think the shortest one is the first one with over 800 pages, but they are 800 pages of addictive, epic goodness. I got hooked just by the advertising phrase in the cover "Characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias".

 

[Alejandro]

I am also addicted to the series and I love the musical theme.

 

[Molch]

Cas, if you get the chance, read the books. They weight a tone each and i think the shortest one is the first one with over 800 pages, but they are 800 pages of addictive, epic goodness. I got hooked just by the advertising phrase in the cover "Characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias".

I'm a sucker for well-written sword-and-horse epics and I think I would like this...except...now I'm confused about which books and in which order. I googled and there are about a dozen books, some are called Game of Thrones and some Ice and Fire or whatever - can one of you folks enlighten me? Which book first, and what's the order from there?

The last one like this I read was the Winter King series by Bernard Cornwell, a re-telling of the Arthur Legend. I read all 3 in one epic summer while roaming the tundra studying muskoxen for my PhD. Awesome books those, would love to see a movie made (a good one!).

and now I can't stop listening to that theme song. I blame Azhael.

 

[Molch]

I wonder if there's a correlation between newt keeping and loving fantasy epics, both being manifestations of a certain geek-dom. If so, geeks rule!

 

[Azhael]

As long as people blame me for good things, that´s fine by me xD I´ve had that song in my head for so long, now making dinner is much more epic than it used to be.

The series of books is called A Song Of Ice And Fire, and the first book is Game Of Thrones. The second one i believe it´s called A Clash Of Kings, the third A Storm Of Swords, and the fourth A Feast for Crows. I think there´s another one but i can´t remember the name right now.

The first one at least has as many swords and horses as you could possibly want, Molch.

I do think there´s a certain correlation between those things and i´d tentatively add heavy metal to the equation (after all, metal and fantasy are like conjoined twins). Luckily for us, both are awesome and make us all extremely cool Not like those myrmecologists and their electronic stuff (experience based on one single individual).

 

[Abrahm]

I love Game of Thrones and have loved A Song of Ice and Fire since I read the whole series some years back (Must be at least 6 by now?) The next book should be coming out this summer (GRRM appears to be slowing down) and it will be called a Dance with Dragons. It's technically the second half of the fourth book which got so huge it had to be split into two (the first half is A Feast for Crows.)

The books set up an elaborate fantasy feudal Europe/United Kingdom with a detailed and well executed political world. Someone a one hour TV show is managed to capture that excellently. Dialog straight from the books is used wisely and mixed in with newly written scenes and lines that only add to the ongoing story in my opinion.

I'm greatly saddened that next week is the last episode!

What's your highlights of the season so far? I think the hands down best scene will be next episode, but I really, really loved seeing Viserys getting his crown of gold and anything with Tyrion in it. Next season will be fantastic (and even more gut wrenching) than this one.

 

[Aimzs Lotties]

SPOILER ALERT (FOR NON UP-TO-DATE PEOPLE):

I am also an addict to this show.. Since the very first episode.. One week we were lucky enough to come across an episode before its release!!! Then had the problem of having to wait even longer for the next ep..
I wasn't a big fan of all the nudity at the start, but it seems to have quietened down nicely. I also hate how they crippled Brom..!!!!

AND OMG THEY KILLED MR STARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[grius]

AND OMG THEY KILLED MR STARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

You wrote that to open but lucky enough a saw episode 9 yesterday. I also love this serie and agree that theme music is absolutly brilliant!

 

[Molch]

They kill Sean Bean? Say it ain't so!! Will he be resurrected for the next series? I mean, they resurrected Spock, didn't they?

btw, you all win: I just splurged at Barnes and Noble on the unabridged audio book of the first volume.

I love audio books - one can "read" and do other things such as watch newts or paint watercolors at the same time...

 

[grius]

Ups, that was a little stupid of me to quote, sorry for that. I think the spoiler posts should be deleted.

 

[Azhael]

Muahahahaaaaaa Molch, you fell right into our trap, the evil (pronounce with transilvanian accent) scheme has succeeded.
I´ve got to give the audiobook thing a try some time, i´ve been told there are some nicely narrated books out there, like Discworld. What sucks about it, and puts me off is the lack of bookness involved. I like the feel of books.

Viserys being crowned was a shocker for me in the books, Abrahm. I remember i was reading it like "what the?". I agree the very best bit is going to be in the final episode, at least i hope so, if they miss in the final episode it´s going to be horribly disappointing. Aaaaaargh....just a matter of hours til we get to see the final episode.
To me the highlight of the series is probably Tyrion´s speech at the Eyrie, maybe just because it was hilarious and yet different from the book.
I need to read the rest of the books asap....it´s killing me.

 

[grius]

Just saw the last episode, and now I cant wait for next probably season, I am sure it will continue.

 

[Azhael]

Raaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!
Excellent final episode...very satisfactory. I enjoyed the extra bits of story that don´t appear in the first book.
Now i need to read the rest of the books or i´ll go mental....

 

[Abrahm]

Yes, the season finale was definitely satisfying. HBO/BBC announced the second season after the second episode, so no worries about Season 2/A Clash of Kings.

I'm glad that they pulled some things out of A Clash of Kings to leave the season finale for Season 1/A Game of Thrones more satisfying.

The ending scene was fantastic!