A Song of Ice and Fire

[Jo]

I'm sure I've seen enough people are reading this for it to deserve it's own thread. Please can you use the spoiler funcion if you're going to say anything that will ruin it for anyone.


Started the first book on Monday thinking '835 pages, this is going to take a while' and ended up sitting up stupidy late 2 nights running to finish it :0
I can't wait to start the next one now. I know it's not great literature but they're so engrossing I just hope the rest are as good. *also considers getting the dvd's, I bet it translates really well*

[bookishbat]

I read book one last year, and even though I tend to get through books, even big ones, fairly quickly, I also thought it would take me some time. but in the end I couldn't put it down and raced through it in a few days.
I think it was really well written and populated with some truly great characters, also I'm a sucker for a good fantasy story.
the tv series is so awesome, there are no words. well-cast, well-acted, just really, really, really good tv.

I've got book two in my tbr-pile and will probably tackle it some time this summer.

were there any characters you particularly liked? I loved Tyrion and Arya and was always particulary looking forward to the chapters with Daenerys' story.

[Jo]

I can't wait that long to start book 2 - it was hard enough not picking it up straight after book 1!
I liked Tyrion and Arya too, Tyrion for his humour and Arya for not being a soppy princess ;)
I liked Bran too though, I'm hoping things get better for him later on and also hoping Joffrey gets his just desserts at some point

[Jessica]

I started book one a few days ago and it's brilliant! I love the characters, especially Arya. I don't even normally like fantasy stuff as much as other genres so I think it shows how good it is ;)

[Kirsty]

I think I'll start the series next month. I'll be going up to Scotland and my cousin is making his way through them so no doubt I'll cave and start then:)

Jo can you maybe ask in your original post that if anyone wants to discuss the books more can they cover spoilers:)

[Jo]

Delayed response sorry (my notifications seem to be a bit hit and miss at the moment?)
I will change my post - I wondered whether my 2nd one was giving anything away but I don't think it is.

Have got a bit sidetracked by other things and other books but am halfway through book 3 now

[Sarah]

My pre-ordered box set should arrive from Amazon this month. I'm really excited to start reading these...I've heard amazing things about them.

[Liz]

I am reading #1 because for some reason I thought it was this month's book... (?) Enjoying it so far but I've only read about 20 pages. I think it's pretty well written.

[Jo]

I got the DVD box set from Santa, hoping it will spur me on to finish the rest of the books. Everyone says the tv series is really good so need a pj day in front of telly I think :)

[Liz]

I've read them all now and I'm disappointed the books have run out! The TV series is very good, and very faithful.

I enjoy reading Tyrion's POV and I actually like the fact (view spoiler)[ that he often kills his narrators off because it makes it less predictable (hide spoiler)]. I don't know if that's really a spoiler but I'll try and hide it anyway!

[Aimee]

This thread makes me want to buy them!

[Jo]

Finally got round to watching the first series and really liked it, much truer to the books than I expected.

[Sarah]

I'm reading the first one at the moment. I expected it to be harder to get into, but it was really enjoyable from the very first page. I like that it's not laborious to read, as well. I don't know why I'm so surprised, because I've loved everything by George R R Martin that I've read so far. Amazing stuff. Really well imagined.

[Jo]

Have you seen any of the tv series? Fantastic special effects, the wall is amazing! And casting is excellent, pretty much just how I imagined the characters to be

[Liz]

Yes I loved it too! Watch out for George Bush's head on a spike ;-)

[Sarah]

Jo wrote: "Have you seen any of the tv series? Fantastic special effects, the wall is amazing! And casting is excellent, pretty much just how I imagined the characters to be"

I haven't yet. I was going to wait until I finished the first book, but people keep telling me how good the TV series is. I'm going to try and be patient, all the same. Looking forward to comparing the two, though!

[Karen]

Having read all the books (and yes - got them on the Kindle) I'm now watching Season 3 on Sky Atlantic. Only "criticism" is that I thought Jamie (aka Kingslayer) would be a brighter blond like his sister. Think the casting of Tyrion & the casting of Charles Dance as Tyrion is inspired....

[Liz]

Tyrian is absolutely perfect! I think I have a crush on him: just the right amount of bright sarcasm and vulnerability.

All these people currently commenting on (view spoiler)[the Red Wedding, which just appeared in the Tv series with a few alterations! Unfortunately that scene was spoiled for me by a spoiler but I can still remember how shocking it was. (hide spoiler)]

[Jo]

Someone at work said to me 'ooh have you got to the red wedding yet?' When I hadn't, so I kind of guessed in the lead up what was going to happen :(
Currently on book 5 and dying to know what happens next! Isn't here 7 books in the whole series? I hope it's not too long before the next one is out especially if this one ends on a cliffhanger!

[Aimee]

Am on the fifth book (part 1) too! I think he's bringing out books 6 and 7 together so wonder if they'll be linked like 4 and 5?

[Jo]

Have now finished book 5! There's a lot in there that doesn't really need to be IMO, but otherwise good. Looking forward to book 6 but I don't think I'll ask George RR Martin when it's out....

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014...

:D

[Aimee]

Lol I saw that. I'd take my time too!

[Lucy]

I shall have to start re-reading these in the run up to when the next is finaaalllly out, as it's been so long and my memory is so bad, I fear I will have forgotten loads, lol. They are engrossing, aren't they? It's nice to have some good string female characters in there to root for (although there is a fair bit of 'rooting' goes on too). :/ lol

[Kirsty]

I was going to start the books but a good (former editor) friend advised me to wait it out because of the frustrating wait. I waited as long as I could to watch the tv series - I was originally going to read the books first but then I read that I might be in for a pretty long wait and that there is a high chance the tv series will run out of books to adapt.I gave in and we've been watching a couple a night Just started the 4th series last night. Craig Ferguson gave away a major spoiler while discussing the differences between the t.v. and the book (the series being quite gory but the books being even more so). I also stumbled upon the red wedding spoiler but I read that someone who was at the wedding on t.v. wasn't there in the books. The red wedding was the thing that clinced the idea to adapt the books for screen. I think the thing I enjoy most is the interwoven backstories that help to explain why some of the characters are the way they are. It's interesting how those characters are doing the same to the younger generations (Lannister children and grandchild and the Stark children). Anyways - I'll stop going on now lol.

[Jo]

The most annoying thing for me about the TV series was the addition of a completely different character for no apparent reason?!
I'm now trying to think of who was at the red wedding on TV who wasn't there in the book?

[Liz]

Was it not the recently married lady?

[Jo]

(view spoiler)[Robb's wife was there in book but not killed but was killed on TV? But then as she was a completely different person on TV that might be why! (hide spoiler)]

[Liz]

She wasn't there in the book but yes!

[Liz]

The implication in the book (view spoiler)[(actually I think it's explicitly stated) is that Tywin Lannister orchestrated the whole Robb-marrying-wrong-person situation, and that Robb's new in-laws were in on it, so the bride didn't go. None of that worked with the new TV bride who was introduced instead probably to milk the pathos of the massacre. (hide spoiler)]

[Jo]

Oh perhaps I got it wrong, I thought she was (view spoiler)[ taken hostage (hide spoiler)] I guess with 5 massive books it's easy to forget the details of who was where when what happened!

[Liz]

I think she (view spoiler)[ actually was in love with Robb and regretted the whole sorry affair but I believe she stayed at Riverrun when Robb et al. marched out to the Twins (hide spoiler)].