A Song of Ice & Fire Fans discussion
Should I read Game Of Thrones books?
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I have read the books and I enjoyed them. The beginning of the first book was a bit slow but it picked up. I suggest reading the books first. The show doesn't exactly follow the books. Both books and tv show are really good.
I really didn't find the books scary.
As for why you should read it, that is really up to you. All I can say is the series is well written. It is like reading a good historical fiction novel. The characters are realistic and balanced. You never really know who are the good guys and the bad guys are.
Just throwing in my recommendation to also read book first. Truer to Martin's vision, and the characters, more complex. It'll also make your eventual TV viewing more satisfying because then you're mentally filling the gaps in the show.
I would say watch the show first. I watched the show and I am currently finishing up Clash of Kings. I am enjoying the books so much more, you can put faces to names which makes it so much easier to keep track of who the characters are.
I would suggest HBO. That will give you a idea of what the complete Song of Ice and Fire cycle will look like if GRRM ever completes it.That said, if you are at all sensitive to gratuitous violence and sex, you might decide the HBO series is not for you either. I have not watched since the middle of season 5 for that reason.
I have read all the books.
For the books, I think the first 2 are the best, and the last chapter of the first is among the best fantasy I have ever read.
However I do have issues as a reader. The biggest for me being the uncertainty of when, or even if, GRRM will finish ASoIaF.
If you decide to read the series, I strongly suggest:
http://watchersonthewall.com/introduc...
or Google:
asoiaf reading order
and take your choice of the suggestions.
It would have helped me make since of what was going on my first time through.
Are the books easy to read? That depends, on your reading level. They can be quite complicated. They are written in a POV style from the pint of view of the character, and jump from character to character, so it can get a bit confusing. Things happen in parallel time in different locations, so you need to keep that in mind. It took me a while to get used to the style but when I did, I found I loved it.There is a lot of graphic sex and violence, cruelty to both men and animals, but it is part of the world in which this story is set. If that bothers you, then this series is not for you.
The tv show started out following the books for a time then veered off in several different directions at once, confusing the book readers, but delighting the non book readers, since they really didn't care what the original story was or what the original writer had in mind.
There are several families that are very important in this world some have high moral values, some have none!. If you do decide to read the books ( and I highly recommend that you do btw) you'll find yourself judging these people, liking some and really hating others. Try to avoid dong that. One last piece of advice, don't get attached !
Yeah, don't get too attached to a character.
OHMYGOSHYES YES READ IT!! You'll get hooked! At first I was hesitant about starting reading the series, I thought it'd be extremely confusing but it wasn't! It is such an amazing read.(I mention I can be a fast reader if the book catches my interest and attention, and a veery slow one if the book doesn't deliver).
Please please give it a try
Yes, Read the books. They are so worth the read. Like some said the books are very detailed and we get a better understanding of the main players in book. I can tell you each of these characters life are written so well that you can actually visualize each of the scenes as you read them.
I'm not sure about the intense violence, etc. I really didn't find ASoIaF any worse than any other adult fantasy. If you are drawing your opinion from the TV show, the books really don't have the level of gratuitous sex, etc that GoT (HBO) has. There are lots of reasons to not start ASoIaF but I don't think that's high on the list.There are tons of fantasy that doesn't have the sex, etc of GRRM's stuff, Lord of the Rings, the Narnia books, Eragon, Earthsea...
Yeah ASoIaF isn't as 'bad' as you may think. The sex isn't graphic. It's just mentioned there, that yes it happened and stuff. If you know what I mean.I've recommended the books to so so so many people, and their only complaint was that there are too many characters and it's hard to keep a track on them. That's all.
As for the violence, trust me, during the battles in the book, you'll totally feel like you're there standing beside the guy who's fighting. It's beautiful.
The language, uh...is just mostly the usage of f**k and wh**e, among others. If you're reading an adult fantasy, I think you should be prepared for that.
You could read Eragon by Christopher Paolini, it doesn't have sex or language. Just fighty things mostly. It's an amazing story, if you wanna get hooked to a book and complete it quickly.
A couple other reading suggestions: Drizzt Do'Urden series by R.A. Salvatore and the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I highly recommend the Drizzt series, some of my favorite books.
I always preferred darker books but if your looking id say Wheel of time by RJ. and anything by Brandon Sanderson are always good and a great deal lighter,
Tony wrote: "Hi Shamima. Welcome to the group. I'll answer your questions here in order....hope this helps!
1. As far as how easy the books are to read that is a tricky question. They are LONG books and at po..."
Yes, if you want to lose yourself in an epic masterpiece!
I'll answer your questions here in order....hope this helps!
1. As far as how easy the books are to read that is a tricky question. They are LONG books and at points extremely detailed. Unless you are a very fast reader expect to spend a lot of time on each book. Martin puts a lot of detail into each book. That is one of the great things about his writing. You truly feel like you are in the story. You feel the emotions of his characters and experience what they experience. These are very immersive stories. That is also one of the draw backs. The details can bog down the story and makes it a bit of a slower read. I think its a worth while trade off but others feel this makes the books less worthwhile.
2. TV vs Books is a common question. I will almost always recommend the books first. The show is fantastic but there are some amazing parts and characters that have been left out of the show. The show also changed the motivation for some of the characters actions that made no sense. I don't want to get into specifics so I don't spoil anything. There are 5 books out with 2 more planned to finish the story. The show finished the events that are shown in the books about 2-3 seasons ago (forgot which) and are continuing the story based on Martins notes and input. While the show is still fantastic more and more logical inconsistencies have shown up the further they go from what Martin has published.
3. The books can be scary at times and delve into a horror theme but that is not the overall theme yet. The books are intense. There are scenes of graphic torture and Martin doesnt shy away from the gore of warfare either. There are also multiple instances of rape which is unsettling to say the least. So while it doesnt stray into Stephen King territory as far as horror it can be very intense.
4. Game of Thrones is one of the best fantasy epics I have ever read. It is engaging and exciting (even taking into account what I mentioned regarding the excessive detail) and will make you interested in what will happen next.
I hope this helps.