A Game of Thrones
discussion
Was it a slow beginning for you?
Defintely keep going. It's tough in the beginning getting the hang of all the characters and places, but it's so worth it. I had thoughts of quitting in the beginning to, but was very glad I kept going.
This is one of those books that has many characters and several complex plotlines running in parallel. I love this book but it does deserve some serious time and commitment. Don't be discouraged with the slow start, if you enjoy politics and lots of twists & turns in a tale, you should certainly stick with the book. It will grow on you and you should end up enjoying it.
How come the show isn't an option? I would have recommended watching it first just because it's really easy to remember the characters after watching it. Possibly look at the IMDB or show caps just so you can put a face to the name. That helped me keep them all straight. :)But yeah, definitely keep going! I gave up the first time I read it because I, like you, was getting bored of all the exposition and it was hard for me to keep everything straight. But I picked it up again recently and I'm devouring the series. I started the books a month or two ago and I'm on the fourth book now. Hehe.
The A Song of Ice and Fire wiki is a pretty good resource to keep handy.http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/...
I would certainly not recommend watching the show before reading the books, that is always the wrong way round to do it with any programme or film made of a book (except Interview with the Vampire, because the books shit, but the films pretty good)I was hooked from the very start with these books, you'll get used to the characters, and everyone should always remember that theres nothing wrong with flicking back through the book to remind yourself of things... or even better, read them again when you've finished, because the more you read them, the more you pick up on.
I saw the show first but being on the 4rth book now I'd let yourself forget some or any of the people you simply don't recall. If they or their history are of any real note you'll be reminded, especially in later books or they will just keep popping up. Sooner or later you'll recall them or you can always look them up, etc.IMO many characters are there to fill up the world and flesh it out, sometimes they seem there to just pad the text.
The important people will stand out especially in their own 'chapters' as you follow their view of the story.
Hazel wrote: "that is always the wrong way round to do it with any programme or film made of a book"Why? The show was almost word for word, scene for scene of the book anyway.
Torie wrote: "Why? The show was almost word for word, scene for scene of the book anyway."Yeah, but it also leaves out a whole bunch of dialogue, scenes, background information, character influence and traits, etc. You're missing out on a lot of details that would give you special insight into the TV show.
I think it's fine if you just want to watch the show instead of the book, but if you're wanting to do both, the book should always come first.
Torie wrote: "Hazel wrote: "that is always the wrong way round to do it with any programme or film made of a book"Why? The show was almost word for word, scene for scene of the book anyway."
in places yes, but it deviates a fair bit. The series is far less subtle, and reveals things in the first series that you don't find out till book 2 or 3, or even later.
For example, you meet Tywin in season one, but you don't really see anything of him until book 2. You learn a lot of Tyrions background too early in the programme, stuff that he doesn't reveal until much later in the narrative of the books. And the scene between Loras and Renly in the programme (you know the one), shows the truth of their relationship in a way that is akin in subtlety to a brick to the face, whereas in the books its only ever hinted at and alluded to.
The books have a subtlety and nuance that the programme, despite how good it is, can never hope to acheive.
Hazel wrote: "Torie wrote: "Hazel wrote: "that is always the wrong way round to do it with any programme or film made of a book"Why? The show was almost word for word, scene for scene of the book anyway."
in..."
Oh hehe. I can agree with that. I feel like the characters on the show are more emotionally evocative though. The scene in the first season where (view spoiler) was much more heartwrenching to me in the show than it was in the book. The same with (view spoiler). But I do agree that the book is much better than the show. I just personally found it easier to understand the book and get to know the characters by watching it first.
I disagree, I found that scene at the end of the first book much more emotionally charged in the book than on the screen. In the programme you're watching in third person as it were, and so only see the effects, whereas the books have things from each persons perspective, so you get to know what they're thinking and feeling in a much more intimate way. As a result, that scene, and the subsequent fallout for other characters, was devasting in the book, rather than merely sad and anger making in the programme.
To each their own, I guess. It could be that I initially felt more during the show because it was a surprise to me. But when reading the book, I was reading carefully around that particular scene to see if the show did it justice and was surprised to find that I liked the show's version more. Yes, we get more insight into how it affects each character from their own perspectives in the book, but it didn't strike as hard as the show's more emotional portrayal of it (to me, at least).But I do agree with you that the show lacks subtlety. As Will said in the other discussion, I guess it's easier for people to understand storylines this way.
Its possible that I'm biased, as I first read the books, apart from the most recent one, well before the release of the programme. I first picked up Game of Thrones about 8 years ago.
Ok, i continued with the book and it's looking good but I'm still having problems with all the names... it's easier to read than The Lord of The Rings but anyway it's hard. I'll keep reading and see if it convinces me. :)
Ok, I'm hooked with the book now :O My god, it's getting awesome!!
And i didn't know before but at the end of the book there's an appendix, and it's helping me to remember who the characters are.
Linda wrote: "I am on book four A Feast For Crows right now and have loved each book so far. I watched the show before I began reading the books. Having done that helped me keep track of the characters and the a..."In book 4 there are way too many characters?? more than in the first book? :|
Now, that doesn't look very promising to me...
Oh come on, stop whining. I am not a native English speaker. When I first got my hands on this book I was 18 and it was the first book I ever read in English.If I managed it I'm sure you can too. Keep up it's more than worth it!
Jes months... but I dont regret finishing it now! :)
Take a deep breath and then be sure to stay with the book, and you already know it is a large first book and a very very large story, the first book is very good but does take a while to get into it but its is so worth it, also the first book spends a lot of time setting the stage for this very large story to unfold before your eyes, there are many people and many places to fit into this story.Please stay with it, sometimes that that is worth waiting for takes time to arrive and this story is worth the time it takes, so take that long breath and as many breaks as you need, but you will be glad you did, if not enjoying now you truely will, as you already know this series is five books so far with an average of 800 pages and two more to come with i'm sure many more in each one, hang in there in and enjoy.
For me one of the greatest joys in the book was precisely how vastly populated the world is. You get to see a world where people actually live, and are not just decor and furniture around which the main characters dance and frolic. As someone mentioned earlier the deeper you get into the series the main characters become clearer for you as the reader, and some of the "supporting role" characters as well, while others simply disappear and you never hear from them again, but when they show up they actually have a role to play, and give a great backdrop for an amazingly complex and detailed story, set in a very well thought-out world. Definitely worth the effort of a slow start.
It is indeed a very complex and detailed story, and I'm liking it, I'm almost done with book one.Do you guys think it gets better in the sequels or starts going downhill??
Yes, Feast and Dance are considered a bit underwhelming, but that is partially due to the incredible and amazing climax that is the Storm, and long wait periods that came after it.
Once you get a Handel on everyone it's hard to put down each falter is about a different person
Yes, it definitely took me a while to get into the story because there are SO many characters and so many different names. Once I got everything straight I was totally engrossed in the story! I want to say it took me about 50-60 pages to get a handle on everything. And FWIW, I've never seen the show and really enjoyed the book. I can't wait to read the next book and I'm really looking forward to watching the show once it's out on Netflix!
When I first started it, yes it was very slow for the first few chapters. I was starting to regret buying the book, but then it began to go at a much faster pace. If you are just starting to read it, do NOT give up. Once you get past the slow part, you will see how good of an author George R. R. Martin really is.
I didn't think the beginning was slow, I thought it was subtle and insidious...
I thought the beginning was slow, but worth it to stick with it. There are LOTS of characters and Martin sets the stage.
I thought it was a little slow too, but it built into something so amazing that it seemed well worth the time reading.
Matthew I agree...have you read all of the books? I am just starting the last one. Really hate Cersei. LOL
Nope Deale just finished the first book. Started the series on advice from a friend and flew through it. Almost didn't mind Cersei as I did her son Joffrey. Should be starting the next book this weekend.
I just finished the first book and I hate Joffrey soo much, I also hate Cersei but not as much as her son.
OMG!!! Joffrey Erica I agree totally. I will not spoil it for you. What a viscious twit.
I will never spoil it for anyone, so, my comments are general. Joffrey is a viscous pig. Can't write what I think of him, it's too profane. LOL. Felt so sad when Ed dies...What I find interesting in my reading of the books is the level of violence. I don't usually like or tolerate that, but these books are somehow different.
Erika wrote: "It is indeed a very complex and detailed story, and I'm liking it, I'm almost done with book one.Do you guys think it gets better in the sequels or starts going downhill??"
series gets better till book 4 - where it slows - book 4 and 5 are split geographically so book 4 didnt have my favorite characters so maybe thats why i didnt enjoy it as much on the first read - but i really enjoyed it on the second read.
It also took me a while to get into it (I actually first tried to read it last year, but got bored 165 pages in), but I pushed myself and triumphed overall. There were several unlikeable characters throughout (Joffery and Ceseri mainly). I am now reading book 2 in the series(nearly halfway done).
It starts getting gripping once you gets past the prologue. Although, all that intrigue is a lot to assimilate at once.
Having unsually done it the wrong way round and watched the TV version first I can honestly say I was delighted by the books so far (halfway through book two). Coming from a varied fantasy reading background with multi-book plot threads and hundreds of characters I am just adoring the detail and the viseral quaility of his writing. Even when I knew Bran's fall was coming I still gasped when I read it.I think it is a multi-read book and the deeper subtle threads come through the more and more you read it, like maybe Dune or the Belgariad series.
What I liked most is how real and complete and human the characters are. I was joyous to see how well they had transposed it for the screen.
It definitely took me a while to get into it because there were just so many characters with such complex relationships, but I persevered and I'm glad I did - I ended up hooked and polished it off in 2 weeks (amazing for me, given the length of it!) - Now I can't wait to watch the TV adaptation and read book 2!
Erika wrote: "I'm in page 40 of this book and it's starting very slow, I'm getting confused with all the weird names of people and places and I'm not really understanding the story. Sometimes i find myself wande..."You must persist. I too found the inital chapter boring, and totally pointless and left it there. It was almost after 2 weeks I read the rest of the book, but then I completed ti in something like 2 days
I was so reluctant to start the series and then found the first chapter so boring, I sort of left it there. It took much prodding from a beloved friend to make me read that book again, but I soon fell in love with it. Read that also
'Alone' you are not. I found the first part of the book pretty gory and decided to plow through it. It (and the other 4 books after) we worth it. I have not been 'happy' with the resolution and dissolution of some of the characters, but Martin can write!
The language is what really slows me down when reading The Game of Thrones series. There are parts that really pick up and some parts that just drag on for ever.
Erika wrote: "I'm in page 40 of this book and it's starting very slow, I'm getting confused with all the weird names of people and places and I'm not really understanding the story. Sometimes i find myself wande..."When I read the first book (Game of Thrones), I had to find myself wanting to like the story and becoming used to George R R Martin's writing style and looking at the map repeatedly to understand the locations of the stories.
My friend that read this book found it boring because POV chapters change so often that it becomes hard to become used to characters because you are constantly being introduced so many characters that it becomes overwhelming.
It took be about four weeks to finish the first book because I had to check the maps and appendix often. But once I became used to the world, characters, background stories, I found myself reading the 2nd and 3rd book quicker and with less headaches.
This book definitely takes focus of the maximum kind. It is one of the best series I have ever read. Thanks to my son who turned me on to it. Am also watching it on HBO. Love the character of Tyrion Lannister, but they made him quite a bit handsomer than portrayed in the book. He is a fantastic actor and so is Jack Gleeson who portrays the boy-King Joffrey. There are sooo many characters to get to know and understand, but it is a book I will read and reread to get the full concept.
Why did they have to make it on HBO i've read the first book and in the process on getting the second, but sadly HBO is unavaible. Does the TV series live up to the book?
I felt somewhat they way you seem to feel and trust me I agree with everyone to be patient. It is so worth it!
i think watching series 1 first will help you get into the books, if not the whole series maybe an episode or two. i love the books and have read them all but if i'm honest, i think i would have given up on the books after a short time as they are slow getting anywhere. The cliff hanger at the end of episode 1 is enough to draw you into the world and encourage you to keep reading and watching
I'm about 60% done and am having trouble convincing myself to continue. I just find the characters really boring. I find myself divided on whether I want Ned or john snow to die first, because I know they're both going to die eventually, and I'm really starting to hate Ned, but John is just too... predictable? like an old-school fantasy hero.
Bought the book a couple years ago, but could not get pass the first 100 pgs. Love big reads & books with multiple perspectives, but this was too much. After binge watching season 3, I dusted it off & cannot put it down now. Can't stop comparing the book to the series & they're both equally entertaining.
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Everyone says it's awesome, but i don't know. Does it get better later or will it continue to include all that stuff from the past and from other characters i don't have any idea about?
Also, watching the show in hbo first is not an option. I'm not sure if i want to keep on with the book, when does it start to get better?