They are really building the hate on Joffrey, I think the non-readership audience may be disappointed that he will be alive for another 3 seasons yet (unless of course they make changes which I'd welcome).
Books A Song of Ice and Fire (Books) | TV show? What TV show?
- Thread starter Massive Spanner
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Well, they're the TV people, I assume they know what they're doing. GRRM has a lot of experience with that as well.
They've actually never worked on TV before. I don't know. I'm just a little disappointed so far. ACoK is probably the most fun book but so far season 1 is much better I feel than season 2. They've had to cut out an awful lot because of time and money. That's mostly what it comes down to really. Besides those two main issues I only really have a gripe with the Loras-Renly-Margaery scene, Joffrey torture scene and the characters Ros and Talania (or whatever her name is). I find them a bit pointless. Basically what the writers have added to the story that wasn't called for and hasn't improved anything.
I'm willing to bet you a lot that the next book will be better on screen. They split that into two series and I'm sure they thought of that while filming this one as there simply isn't enough time otherwise.
Haven't you sort of been complaining throughout the entire show? Just get used to the idea that that this isn't A Song of Ice and Fire. This is Game of Thrones, a TV adaptation. I sort of agree with some of your points, but Talania? We've seen her for half an episode, and we still have no idea where they're going with it. How can you possibly say she's "a bit pointless" at this point?
They might not have worked on TV before, but GRRM has. This season hasn't been as good as the first, but it's been excellent all the same, in my opinion. And the latter half of the season will be even better. As more characters get killed off and other characters get more established, it will just improve further.
They might not have worked on TV before, but GRRM has. This season hasn't been as good as the first, but it's been excellent all the same, in my opinion. And the latter half of the season will be even better. As more characters get killed off and other characters get more established, it will just improve further.
That's the point of this thread now isn't it. Comparisons between the book and TV. You don't see this complaining in the TV thread. I like the show as a TV show. I never expected it to be as good as the books. I loved the 1st season. The 2nd season is just disappointing compared to that one and that's mostly because they realized late on that they can't make it as good within that limited time period. At least not the way they want to tell it.
They might have just changed the name and her background to make it easier for viewers to understand that Robb married a nobody instead of a Frey. Even in the books, Jeyne Westerling of house Westerling was not a very important character and there wasn't too much detail gone into her or her house.
Its basically akin to them renaming Robert Arryn into Robin Arryn in the first season just so the viewers wouldn't get him confused with Robert Baratheon.
I think there were some rumours that they might split the next book (Storm of Swords) into two seasons because there really is just too much to cover in ten episodes.
I agree to a certain extent that the show isn't "as good" because of the time constraints of ten one hour episodes. However, I think they've done a good job incorporating all the key elements and plotlines. The Harrenhal reveal in episode four was fantastic in my opinion. I never imagined it to be that way but they really did a good job making it look haunted and imposing.
For now it might be better to just take the show for what it is, a TV show and not constantly compare it to the book and what they missed out.
It will also be interesting to see how they hand a Feast for Crows and a Dance for Dragons since those two books are told purely from a geographical basis. Will they combine the two of them together because I can't imagine they would only focus on the Greyjoys/Sansa/Cersei for one season of Feast for Crows and then the next season move back to Danaerys/Tyrion/Jon Snow/Arya for Dance of Dragons. Too many popular characters are in a Dance of Dragons and maybe not enough from a Feast for Crows.
They've already confirmed Book 3 will be split over 2 seasons.
Some people in the other thread seem worried that the fantasy aspect will take over. It's never LOTR-esque, but they're going to be very disappointed if they think there's any chance the fantasy aspect won't be a big part of the story. It is the story; magic is coming back, etc. It's still about the people and the interactions between them, but still. Azor Azhai? Faceless Men? Dragons?
It's fantasy.
It's fantasy.
Right I thought that was the case! Good news then. Would have been a nightmare if they tried to cram everything into one season. Might have possibly ruined the show.
I dunno, there isn't that much magic, a few wargs and some giants, the red priests being a bit bullshit, is about the height of it, I never felt it overshadowed the struggle for power.
So far. There will be more magic in the books to come, but GRRM has always insisted that it be an accent to the story rather than the story. I'll be interested to see what happens to Marwyn. I think his actions at the end of Feast indicate that a bunch of magic could be about to happen.
It'll never be the focus of the story though, except for a few characters like Bran.
It'll never be the focus of the story though, except for a few characters like Bran.
Not "that" much, no. Like I said, nothing like LOTR. But more than now? Yes. Some people seem to think (or hope) it's not going to be an issue at all. But, even this season, think about it. First we had the shadow baby, then we still have wildfire and House of the Undying. We also have Jaquen, but he might just be a very good assassin at this point as far as the viewers are concerned.
And later, what then? Once stuff starts going beyond the wall, we'll have giants, not to mention more of the Others and wights. And the dragons will grow up. And the warg stuff will get more and more important. And then people will start coming back from death (Catelyn for one, which will make it hard to ignore!).
From our perspective, assuming we're fantasy fans (I certainly am), the magical aspect is understated, compared to what it could have been. But from people who expect this to keep being War of the Roses? Yeah
I don't know how much I agree with that. Jon Snow is (probably) Azor Ahai, a decidedly supernatural concept. Daenerys has dragons. Dragons! Arya has lived with magical assassins for some time. Tyrion and Sansa.. not so much, perhaps. Perhaps just not yet
I think what GRRM means is that it's about the characters and the interactions between them. Which could have bee said for most fantasy, including LOTR, couldn't it? Fantasy and magic is still at the core of it. And again, isn't the very theme of ASoIF "magic is coming back into the world"?
It is, but considering other fantasy books I've read it's not a lot of personal magic, the are no wizards or anything, although I guess the red priests are pushing that angle more and more.
That's the thing though niMic it is about magic coming back into the world, so it's a gradual change, it comes in more and more. Even if I hadn't read the books, which I hadn't until the end of the first season after the dragon's hatched all bets are off for me as a viewer.
It's not like Berserk where there is this massive genre shift almost right at the end.
That's the thing though niMic it is about magic coming back into the world, so it's a gradual change, it comes in more and more. Even if I hadn't read the books, which I hadn't until the end of the first season after the dragon's hatched all bets are off for me as a viewer.
It's not like Berserk where there is this massive genre shift almost right at the end.
Yeah, so I can see why some people aren't... how do I put it... expecting it. Though again, the pilot should leave no doubt that there are fantastical elements in it. I just hope it doesn't disappoint too many people. Though if they're still here after the dragons hatched - and most people seemed to very much like that - then what's to come shouldn't really cross the line.
I think the shadow baby scene was an extreme WTF moment for some people. It was for me and I was expecting it happen!
I've never understood people that can't enjoy a program due to certain aspects not being grounded in reality. It very much seems to be the 'shallow' viewers who complain.
I'm sure people were expecting certain fantasy elements in the show, given the wights and dragons so far, but I doubt many were expecting a shadow baby to pop out of a red priestess snatch. Considering the fact that there's feck all magic shown before that, only really hinted at, I can see why it's such a "What da fook?" moment for some people.
It seems to me that that nature of magics seems to be a precession of beliefs, the North have their old Gods who where the powerful when the first men where about, then with Aegon came the seven and now the Red god, whom seem to be on Danny's side.
Interesting element for me.
Interesting element for me.
The Seven didn't come with Aegon, they came with the Andals, surely?
Correct.
I think there's a moment in every fantasy series that seems inexplicably weird for some reason. I remember watching LOTR and thinking the scene with the ghosts flying out of the boats at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields was stupid and unrealistic despite the fact that the series already involved halfmen, walking trees, wizards, demonesque beings riding flying lizards, elves, dwarves, magic, and a giant eye thing that was supposed to be some sort of embodiment of evil. In hindsight it makes no sense to get upset about ghosts joining the battle, but I couldn't help feeling something weird about that scene.
I remember listening to the shadow birth scene in the audiobooks and thinking WTF as well. WTF seemed par for the course at that point though.
The ghosts were a bit of a cheap shot in the novel I feel. They're an abnormal thing even in Tolkien's Middle-Earth. I don't remember any other ghost encounter in his books so it was pretty much a cheap ending really.
Wasn't Sauron a ghost ?
He was killed and still swimming around the ether, waiting to come back.
He was killed and still swimming around the ether, waiting to come back.
I didn't read the books, but from the perspective of the movies the ghosts struck me as completely silly. Not because they were ghosts, but because of how they appeared, and what they did - with ease. Perhaps there was more to it in the books.
I haven't read the LOTR books either I think I slipped into a coma and died around the 70th sonnet about how wonderful trees and hot bread are, which is like page 20 or so.
I couldn't get past the hobbits. Honestly.
Jaqen. Bad. Mother. fecker.
They did a good job making him a bad mofo.
I am really interested to see how the translate the whole "Reek" story on the tv show. Rhe actor has a tough job with that story keeping it not silly or gollum-esqe.
I hope they make him every bit as harrowing and torn apart as described in the book. The actor for Theon does have a pretty gaunt look to him so I imagine it shouldn't be too hard to make him look like a wreck. Hopefully they also show his flayed parts too because that was a big part of Reek in the books.
Yes, could be interesting (assuming HBO haven't pulled the plug by then) I'm interested to see the fate of a certain characters nose too.
Can't see HBO pulling the plug anytime soon. GoT is probably the highest rated show on TV and I think they will be winning alot more awards in the years to come.
I believe Dinklage and Headey are now lead actor/actress due to the changing nature of the storyline so they'll be up for those awards fairly soon. And I'd be incredibly surprised if one of the younger ones don't capture a supporting acting award in the next couple years too.
Always felt the reason they gave Theon more scenes than you would expect last year (e.g. sex with Ros, attempted rape on Osha) was to highlight what a nasty turn he ends up taking as Reek. Lilly Allen's little brother has a big job on his hands.
I just remembered, it wasn't The Tickler that Arya got J'aqen to kill first in the books. She killed him herself. That's a pretty fecking big deviation!
They didn't go into all the names of those characters since there are already so many. It was Chiswyck, then Weese, then Jaqen's name. The Tickler gets it in the Inn later, right?
Yep he does.
His death in Storm of Swords was one of my highlights - there's quite a few bits this time which I've noticed have deviated. Chiswyck was a good death as well