Game of Thrones

[spiderpig]

Anyone watching the first season of Game of Thrones on DVD or the second season that just started on HBO? Did you read the books first?

A discussion for all things Game of Thrones.

[spiderpig]

And for those of you wondering if I started this discussion just so I could post Peter Dinklage pictures ... yes. Yes I did.

TYRION FTW!

[The Professor]

I watched the first season on DVD, but I don't have HBO to access the new episodes. However, I've been listening to the unabridged books on audio while I run each day, and I'm on the third. I struggled mightily with the second book, which was a let down from the first. The third, however, is back on track and I'm really enjoying the series.

The television series adhered to the books incredibly closely, and if that continues we could be in for some interesting Dinklage imagery! 

[spiderpig]

I watched the first season before reading the first book and then read the first four books before the second season started.  I started the fifth A Dance with Dragons but just could not continue. It got way to convoluted.  Like Gordie says in Stand By Me: "Wagon Train's a really cool show, but did you ever notice that they never get anywhere? They just keep wagon-training!”  That's how I feel about the books.  It's just never ending.  Wish he had made it a trilogy and stopped there.

 

I'm glad I read the second book, though.  There so much history that's not explained on the show.  Non-readers can follow with some effort, but I think knowing the background makes the show even better.

[The Professor]

That was my frustration with the second book - nothing seemed to happen. I've been much happier with the third, though I know exactly what you mean. I heard there were supposed to be seven books in total. Oy. 

[borka]

you can kind of think of the 4th and 5th books together as one big long boring book, almost everything in the fifth book coincides with the timeline of the 4th book just kind of follows a couple different characters...i thought there were some pretty cool parts in the 5th book...the 4th book so far was my least favorite. i hope this isnt a spoiler but the entire feast of crows is just cercei being a cunt.  the 3rd  was just the best. i still have hope the last two books will wrap everything up in an epic way..but you never know with the popularity of the show. i read a couple of the prequel novellas i thought they were pretty cool too

[macroman]

I just moved Season1 Disc 1 up my queue so I could watch it this week because of the number of good reviews by NF reviewers.

  Does anyone know how long the average episode is?

[spiderpig]

It's an HBO show, so they should run close to 60 minutes each.  The thing that stinks about the discs is that there is only two episodes on most discs so it takes forever to get through them.  Season 2 is kicking some major butt, though.  It's definitely worth the wait.

[macroman]

Thanks.  The NF multi-disc series and sets rarely have the run time listed for each disk.  But it is easier to set aside time to watch them when you know the approximate length.

[David]

Yeah, I'm getting the 1st disc to the 1st season too this weekend.  There was a long wait on it for a long time, & I don't have HBO either.  So... more later.

[Sandy]

Superb tv show...

[Snorii]

I read the first three books years ago.  When the 4th book finally came out, I was excited but couldn't get back into it.   (Martin released them at a glacial pace.)   I can't help but have a fear that he has no idea how to close out the story, but I did manage to watch the first season a month or so back and really enjoyed it.   The quality of the show is just fantastic and I will be watching the second season soon.   It even renewed my interest in the books, so I may try to tackle book four once again.

[spiderpig]

I can't help but have a fear that he has no idea how to close out the story

That's why I couldn't finish the 5th book. Not just that he has no idea how to end - although I do think that's true - I think he's let it go on WAY too long now and no matter what he does it won't be a satisfying ending for any of the characters - well, those characters that he hasn't killed off by that time.