A Game of Thrones
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Is it better than the show?
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Christy
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May 09, 2016 07:10AM
I just started reading this who is Jon Snows mom? Will we ever find out? I just started reading this book is it better than the how?
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Definitely better than the show, as far as Jon's mother there is heavy speculation but no definite answer yet. Most indulge in the theory he is the offspring of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryian
Ive always bwwn acared to read them because i disnt want ri read about raping and stuff like that. Ao far i haven't read anytjing like that. The books are auper long I've been reading this one going on a week and not halfway though lol. I bet the books get bigger as the series goes on.
Yeah they are a process but well worth it in the end! And yeah there is some of that but very sporadic and usually not too graphic, the show really uses the shock factor to it's advantage but really just ends up added gross, unnecessary scenes. For me personally at least, the books are miles and miles ahead of the show.
Thats a good thing. I k ow how the show is and i disnt really want to read all about raping and brothels in the show. So far i like the 1st book. It goes into more detail than the ahow does. I understand the pwople better if that makes sense. So the show is still behind? I know if i evwr gwt finishes with the series I will be wanting to read the winds of winter. Ive been reasing that it might be released this month but idk. Im glued to my book right now. Lol
Thats a good thing. I k ow how the show is and i disnt really want to read all about raping and brothels in the show. So far i like the 1st book. It goes into more detail than the ahow does. I understand the pwople better if that makes sense. So the show is still behind? I know if i evwr gwt finishes with the series I will be wanting to read the winds of winter. Ive been reasing that it might be released this month but idk. Im glued to my book right now. Lol
Unfortunately season 6 or 7 or whatever it is on right now has exhausted most of the book materials and is moving into new territory. After book 1 however you will notice they pretty much start to abandon the books and by the time this season has come around there are so many characters in different places or dead/alive that shouldn't be they are basically two separate entities. The books plot lines are just too advanced they thought those simple minded show watchers couldn't keep it straight and dumbed it down. The books are amazing and I would suggest moving forward and hopefully Winds will be out soon! I know I am dying to read it.
I think the books are better, but the show is still amazing.
I'd agree, having done both, books are better. But I have enjoyed the show too, I almost think of them as separate, they don't run quite like the books. Hope you enjoy!
I know we all compare books to various adaptions movies, tv show, theater but we should remember they are all different art forms and each should be judged in own right.
Dennis wrote: "I know we all compare books to various adaptions movies, tv show, theater but we should remember they are all different art forms and each should be judged in own right."Not to single you out, but I hear this so often and its just so misguided to me. So you find an author who has created a magnificent world/characters. Steal his world and put your own story to it, thats simply stealing and an insult to the world they've worked hard to create. If you take a book, honor that book.
I agree with you Dennis. Marc, not so much stealing since I'm sure the author had to sign off on it and is getting paid as well. I personally love the show and the book. They are never going to be exactly the same. I like some of the creative differences the show has taken. Having said that I've only read the first book and have to read the rest to see if my opinion on the matter changes any.
Yeah my problem is the first season was almost spot on with the books, now the showrunners made the conscious decision to change several key points, including adding multiple unfounded rape scenes and beatings, trying to shock the audience. I think the show is garbage and gets by on cheap thrills and watered down plots. I think (and have no evidence to back this up in my crazy mind) these authors sign on assuming these people respect and want to do their work justice, only to find the final product and decisions are so skewed their world has now been tarnished. Personally I'd be disgusted for ever getting myself into this situation if I was George and it shows a terrible lack of foresight on his part thinking he could keep up.
I think the show was great at first I saw on or two episodes and it had such a great anticipation but personally season 6 is just dragging it out because it makes a ton of money. I loved the books and think they are amazing and for a while yeah the show was pretty accurate but not to forget now that season six is made up and not based on the book surely it shows that it's for money and popularity.
People can differ in what they enjoy more, but you cannot deny that the books are MUCH MORE complex than the show. If you are into that like many of us are, the books are (in a sense) 'better.'IMO, reading the entire series is worth it just to read 'A Storm of Swords.' The first two books, I also loved, but 'ASOS' is universally thought of as the current peak of the series. I'm not sure if you'll continue, but I hope you do. Happy reading!
Anastasia wrote: "I think the show was great at first I saw on or two episodes and it had such a great anticipation but personally season 6 is just dragging it out because it makes a ton of money. I loved the books ..."I haven't been enjoying season six as much either, I feel lots of shows do it when you get further into the series. It's a shame because it just ruins it.
I would definitely recommend reading the books.
Ellen Rory wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "I think the show was great at first I saw on or two episodes and it had such a great anticipation but personally season 6 is just dragging it out because it makes a ton of money. ..."I haven't attempted watching the tv show much I watched most of season 1&2 but have read all the books.
The book is better than the show in several ways. First of all, there are some details that I thought were pretty crucial as I was reading them that the show has seemed to leave out. (Ex. Young Cersei finding out about the "Valonquar").Plus there are many genius plot twists that the show left out. (Ex: Tyrion's construction of the gold chain in the Blackwater).
The book is always, with few exceptions (Stardust!), better than the movie/series. The book often contains more plot insight and character information than can be readily available in other media. Also, as soon as HBO got hold of it I knew I would not be able to watch it because of the graphic violence, particularly rape. It bothers me to read it, but flat-out disturbs me to watch it. I have this problem with "Outlander" as well- certain scenes which were only alluded to in the books were shown in graphic detail on the program. I confess ignorance of exactly how graphic, as I changed the channel. For those of us who consistently champion books over Hollywood's interpretations, you will have to forgive us. I know that whenever I hear that an author's work will be adapted to the screen, I have such high hopes. I want to see and hear the characters, as I have imagined them many times. In most cases, I am at least somewhat disappointed. In the case of GoT, I am not well versed in the screen version. But I am disappointed every time I have to wait so long for the next book! I also find fault with the constant addition of new plot lines and characters, with little resolution for ongoing story lines. After reading up a bit on GRRM, I noticed that he used to write for TV. That explained it-for purposes of television you would want to keep everything going!
I like both books and the TV show. Books are more complex, have more characters (there are a lot of likeable minor characters) but some things I like better in the TV version. Also, the showrunners don't have the luxury of taking 5 years to finish the sequel, procrastinating and typing with 1 finger, blogging about pointless books awards and Jean Cocteau cinema, they have to deliver every year to tight deadlines. Tbh, it seems to work better for them that they now surpassed the books--they're slaying through the storylines like there's no tomorrow. They've already confirmed some of the theories and unless I'm mistaken, will reveal Jon Snow's parentage by the end of S6.
I just started the show, I love it
Seems largely a question of preference, but where the books and show differ is in the threads that are still going and could impact the plot. Game of Thrones doesn't deal with issues like the King in the North's pregnant bride, who could be carrying a Stark heir in the books (ASOIAF) but was stabbed at the Red Wedding in the TV series. Alternatively, the show adds in or combines minor characters who don't become a part of ASOIAF in any noticeable way. They both have their merits, but, for me, the books still hold more possibility and mystery for me as a reader.
Taylor wrote: "Seems largely a question of preference, but where the books and show differ is in the threads that are still going and could impact the plot. Game of Thrones doesn't deal with issues like the King ..."I fully agree with you Taylor. I explain all of this to my friends who haven't read the books but they seem uninterested, so I guess some people prefer the show. Also the books are more mysterious; they rarely flat-out tell you things, more like give clues and leave it up to the reader.
Allison wrote: "Taylor wrote: "Seems largely a question of preference, but where the books and show differ is in the threads that are still going and could impact the plot. Game of Thrones doesn't deal with issues..."Agreed. Things aren't as easily clear cut in the books. More shades than the stark (no pun intended) black and white, good vs. evil that the show tends toward.
When people complained that an event in the last series wasn't the same as the book, Martin himself tweeted to remind people that the story, any story, exists in our heads, and were just versions of many variants on a tale. That's the best way to approach cinema vs. book, IMO.
Peter wrote: "When people complained that an event in the last series wasn't the same as the book, Martin himself tweeted to remind people that the story, any story, exists in our heads, and were just versions o..."You can compare books and movies/tv-series but they are different medias. Like in real life different people remember things in their own perspective and memories are different between people. So when you read a book you complement that world with your own imagination and subconsious. Beautiful heroine is different looking in every reader's mind and always interpretations collide when those people and happenings in books are set in film world. Also some things can be vague in books to overcome difficult points, but that cannot be done in movies where several scenes happen simultaneously.
Books are usually better than film because you decide how long you enjoy story at a time. Tv-series episodes are about 40 minutes and then you need to wait a week to see more. A lot can happen in that time and sometimes that weekly 40 minutes is too little and sometimes it is too much, because you have something else to think (worry)
I haven't read the books and I started to watch show more than 2 years after it started, so I binge watched 3 seasons and had to wait to see more. Then season 4 felt boring and didn't finish it until season 5 ended and I binge watched seasons 4 and 5. Again I had to wait ages to see season 6 and my interst dropped after two episodes.
Series is good, sometimes average, not the best thing in the world, so I'm hesitant to pick books that are so thick and I have felt that these long been stagnant series have been weaker in their latest books. I really liked Philip Jose Farmer's To Your Scattered Bodies Go, but later books in Riverworld series have been mediocre. David Gerrold's The War Against Chtorr started also as a great series, but lat book came out 24 years ago and 5th has been expected since early 1990's. So I'm thinking that quality in Game of Thrones book series decline and we will never see it's ending, so why begin reading it because there is so many other good books.
You bring up some good points. Personally, I read the first 2 books in the fire and ice series before I ever watched the show. And I fell in love with them and the world. It wasn't until later I found out the show was changing pace, and book 6 out of 7 still wasn't coming out. I think you can enjoy both the show and the books but it's nothing to get upset over when things change or when people don't look like they were described in the book. Some people take it a bit far.
Allison wrote: "I think you can enjoy both the show and the books but it's nothing to get upset over when things change or when people don't look like they were described in the book. Some people take it a bit far."Isn't that the truth. They act as if someone killed their mother.
Linda wrote: "Isn't that the truth. They act as if someone killed their mother." Yes you'd be surprised how many fights I've witnessed over this fictitious world. My advice to all readers and watchers: take and interpret it how you want. But don't get upset about it because it's made for our entertainment.
I like the show better personally. The ages are true to the time period in the book, but would look weird to modern viewers like John and Rob at 16 being men and going off to fight. And Dani getting married at 14 and having those bathing scenes wouldn't be something any network would take pride in. Tyrion is funnier in the show, but I love the fact that he reads constantly in the books. Of course, I made the ultimate sin of getting addicted to the show before reading the books.
the books are unbelievably amazing in a "rip your heart out and toss it in a woodchipper" sort of way. the show is great up until about season 5. It's still good almost 100 percent due to Peter Dinklage's tyrion lannister portrayal. Season 6 is where i start to get pissed off as the writers try to undo every single variation from the books they've ever done so they can have the same ending as the books will likely have. GRRM creates eloquent, complex, logical to the plot reasons for everything that happens whereas the show just goes and does stuff usually by killing people in overly dramatic ways and never showing how the deaths affect people. it's less and less able to show everything going on in westeros and still create characters that we actually care about but Peter Dinklage is still awesome so u should still watch it expect book spoilers from 6
Meek wrote: "the books are unbelievably amazing in a "rip your heart out and toss it in a woodchipper" sort of way. the show is great up until about season 5. It's still good almost 100 percent due to Peter Din..."Literally 100%. So accurate.
1. You will one day figure it out. (The show has now lead up to it.) 2. I feel both the book and the tv show are great, but give off different vibes. Since the show has to rely on more visual aids, it is more .... well, visual. Lot's more gore. Lot's more ick and uck. However, both tell the story wonderfully in the opinion. (The tv show also helped me remember the names a lot easier, since there were faces to the names.)
I used to be a fan of both, but between seasons 4 and 5, the writing and overall plot sense decreased too much. The show started going back to the old fantasy figures (or tropes, if you want) that previous seasons had deconstructed (after the books, of course), and many times the plot simply stops making sense, even if we ignore the books. Characters teleport by magic not established by the show, know things they had absolutely no way of knowing, easily find that one needle in a haystack, survive impossible situations, etc.I don't go into detail because of spoilers...
But this reminds me... at the last comic con, someone asked Sophie Turner why she thinks Sansa did something, and she ended up saying that it was because they needed the dramatic effect for "making great television". When you stop having Watsonian reasons for something to happen, it's not great television for me, just lazy writing... but to each their own!
I used to be a fan of both, but between seasons 4 and 5, the writing and overall plot sense decreased too much. The show started going back to the old fantasy figures (or tropes, if you want) that previous seasons had deconstructed (after the books, of course), and many times the plot simply stops making sense, even if we ignore the books. Characters teleport by magic not established by the show, know things they had absolutely no way of knowing, easily find that one needle in a haystack, survive impossible situations, etc.I don't go into detail because of spoilers...
But this reminds me... at the last comic con, someone asked Sophie Turner why she thinks Sansa did something, and she ended up saying that it was because they needed the dramatic effect for "making great television". When you stop having Watsonian reasons for something to happen, it's not great television for me, just lazy writing... but to each their own!
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