Game of Thrones

[Spudss]

Just started the second book... I watched the first episode however im going to wait till i finish the book because the book Is just so amazing and the series leaves out quite a lot!

 

[Molch]

Aha!
After reading through four books I finally came across the first newt reference in book four, page 843, toward the end. Not to give away any spoilers, let's just say a character recites a long list of supposedly tedious and boring books, one of which is ...

"...a huge tome about dragons that somehow made them about as interesting as newts."

Shall we extend an invitation to that George R R Martin fellow to join caudata, so he can learn just how interesting newts really are? Dragons, puh.

 

[will_j]

I remember reading that and thinking something similar!

I have to say I'm enjoying the books and dramatisations rather too much when I should be busy studying!

 

[esn]

I didn't realize there was a thread on this! My mother has been following the series since the year the first book came out, before I was born. She's waited a long time for the latest book! I picked them up a few years ago, when she gave them to me when I was in the 14-15 range. I've been enthralled ever since. Such detail! Great literature, for sure. I haven't seen the HBO series, though my girlfriend watched some of it recently without having read the books. I'm going to make her watch through it all again with me, so that I can see it myself.

 

[Aside]

I haven't gotten around to reading the books yet but I'm addicted to the show. And I thought quality television went down the drain.

 

[esn]

I haven't gotten around to reading the books yet but I'm addicted to the show. And I thought quality television went down the drain.

I hope you're an avid reader. The books are no joke. They're incredibly detailed, intense, and a hard read even for most people. I started reading them at the age of fourteen, but most older people I know can't seem to finish them, for some reason. Personally, I think they're brilliant, and that George R.R. Martin is a literary genius. He's won awards on every book in the SOIAF series, as well as numerous awards for his previous short stories and other works.

I just started watching the show and finished the first season in two days. It's great! Missing some important things, but I'm still very pleased with the adaptation.

But I've been hearing a lot about people who watched the series before ever even looking at the books, then complaining about what a dreary read it is and how it was too hard. They're not Harry Potter, that's for sure. Just a warning.

 

[Molch]

I think people nowadays just can't read any more. reading comprehension is going downhill...

There are a lot of characters and some complex plot events to follow. Love the blood and guts and all the naughty stuff. None of that namby-pamby Jane Austen tea party blah blah (I'm trolling). I really am enjoying them; currently finishing book 5.

One thing though: the author doesn't get the north quite right. Being a wildling from beyond the Wall myself, I can tell that he lives in southern climes and is not really of the north. For example, he seems to think that it snows when it is cold. This is not so. In the north, heavy snows only fall when it is warm. real bone-crunching cold only happens under a clear sky.

Also, the vegetation as he describes it beyond the Wall (pine trees, oak trees) sounds more like a temperate climate such as Britain, but not a northern climate. In the north, you'd have black spruce, birch, and just plain old tundra...

 

[esn]

I think people nowadays just can't read any more. reading comprehension is going downhill...

There are a lot of characters and some complex plot events to follow. Love the blood and guts and all the naughty stuff. None of that namby-pamby Jane Austen tea party blah blah (I'm trolling). I really am enjoying them; currently finishing book 5.

One thing though: the author doesn't get the north quite right. Being a wildling from beyond the Wall myself, I can tell that he lives in southern climes and is not really of the north. For example, he seems to think that it snows when it is cold. This is not so. In the north, heavy snows only fall when it is warm. real bone-crunching cold only happens under a clear sky.

Also, the vegetation as he describes it beyond the Wall (pine trees, oak trees) sounds more like a temperate climate such as Britain, but not a northern climate. In the north, you'd have black spruce, birch, and just plain old tundra...

I actually read an article recently on the differences in seasons - I can't remember it all, but it had to do with how the earth tilted on it axis by so many degrees would explain the extreme climate differences between the areas of Martin's landscape, from the North to Penthos. Personally, I take any differences in books from reality to be deliberate, and that makes me feel better about the possibility of wrong information. Really, they just meant it to be that way.

 

[Molch]

What NOW, George??

Dear George,
I finished book 5, A Dance with Dragons. Surely, you don't intend to let me sit here on all these cliffhangers? Are you writing, George? You better. Elsewise, I'm-a gonna lock you up in the dungeons at the Dreadfort along with your friend Reek until you are finished with the next book. It better not take too long, George, or I'm gonna start spittin' fire like one of them dragons. Just sayin'.

Yours truly,
Molch

 

[daedae]

SPOILER ALERT

Kind of confused with episode 6. I thought Winterfell was sacked a little later in the books, does it seem like its moving a little fast paced? I'm kind of wary of how they're deviating Arya's story, but I hope all goes accordingly! (psyched for the Red Wedding and the Siege)

I haven't read them in a few years, so my memory might be a little clouded. :/

 

[Azhael]

Molch, if you need help kidnapping the bastard and forcing him to write, just say the word.

The sixth episode made me wonder if i had accidentally spiked my own drink and forgot about it. What the flying Ç*^*"#?????
Trying to condense the entire second book in a single 10 episode series wasn´t the same challenge as the first book...
I still enjoy the series very much (specially since there´s nothing else even remotely of a similar quality) but they have definitely lost the fidelity they had achieved with the first series. A pitty....they could have split the second book in two series, or increased the number of episodes and i wouldn´t have to kill anybody....

 

[birdyy]

loving the books!! (halfway through the 2nd) and fairly well enjoying the tv series although a tad disappointed the 2nd tv series isn't following the books as closely as the first tv series did.
nonetheless it's and epic story!! excited to see what happens!!

 

[mshine1217]

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!

Could it have anything to do with the average age of this demographic?

 

[Molch]

Could it have anything to do with the average age of this demographic?

hah! Once a geek, always a geek. It's not an age thing. Geekdom is for life. They had geeks in the old day too, when you and I were young; they just probably called them by a different name

 

[madink]

I LOVE THIS SERIES love the books - just started book 3 ... Can't wait for the next season

 

[mshine1217]

They had geeks in the old day too, when you and I were young; they just probably called them by a different name

Hey! Who are you calling old?:violent: They were called the "smart kids:" I wasn't one of them then, but I think people at work are starting to think that I'm getting geeky as they find out about my herps. I love George RR Martin, so I'm just being a s--t disturber.:happy:

 

[TylototritonGuy]

I'm a major fan of both the Books and the HBO series! lol absolutely love it!! lol but definitely prefer the books by far (Even thought 1st series was basically exactly the same as the book! expect minor changes!)

 

[blaze mcsmith]

hell yeah a game of thrones is awesome - i don't have hbo so i havnt seen the show yet but cant wait to.

 

[Otterwoman]

Well, after hearing about this for forever, I ordered the first season on DVD for my boyfriend for Xmas...I already warned him he'll be getting it "used" (we always tell each other what to get each other, so it's not a spoiler that I told him that). We figure, why waste money on something the other one might not like? After ten years, we don't WANT any surprises!!!

 

[Otterwoman]

I watched the first four episodes last night....and I only have a one-hour attention span. Wish I hadn't seen that spoiler about Sean Bean though...