A Song of Ice and Fire

[Kwyjibo]

Large volumes are a problem to print and bind, that's right. But the german editions are also separated as ebooks, and that for me makes no sense.

[orcus116]

I just started reading A Game Of Thrones and I'm so glad it's as engrossing as I hoped. I love the show but I usually get a little bored with the fantasy genre in general when it comes to books. I said this in the GOT show thread but I actually don't mind that I know the major plot points as it is allowing me to really absorb all of the nuances of the world that are referenced in the books. Usually getting bombarded with dozens of characters and places and trying to connect the backstories overwhelms the hell out of me.

One thing that is amusing me is how young the characters are. I know we're around six years into the show but does anyone know how much time in general passes between the very beginning and where the show/books are? Dany being 13 and Robb/Jon being 14 is really perplexing me since they're essentially leading armies shortly after. Is a year in this universe a much longer measure of time than a year in our normal timeline?

[Genowyn]

No, an Earth year and a Terros year are roughly equivalent, though I'm not sure where the Terrosi get their definition of a year from without regular seasons.

Re: their ages, remember that A) Dany and Robb both have older, more experienced military advisors and B) make a bunch of stupid-ass decisions anyway.

[orcus116]

Makes sense although the show has got my vision kind of warped since you have these mid-20s people playing characters that are supposed to be ten years younger. It works for Joffery, Sansa, and Arya but not the others. And Rickon is 3 in the books? He must be 13-14 years old in the show.

[Genowyn]

Yeah the show aged everyone up basically so Dany would be legal

[orcus116]

Considering what happens in the first season I don't blame them. Another thing I like with reading the books is that whole Lyanna thing makes way more sense. I know the show was trying to reintroduce her to be as important as she needs to be but I think it was a big whiff on their part for the more casual viewers who can generally follow the plotline presented in the show. A couple of flashbacks didn't really get the point of "hey this is Ned's sister" across although the transition scene from the baby to Jon was well done. Enough to get the point but it seems like one of those things that really pays off if you're invested in it.

I love the humor in the books too. I burst out laughing when Renly left the tent, himself cracking up about "Lion's Tooth".

[cramx3]

The ages are much older in the show, but I never thought much about that.  Mostly because the actions taken by the characters didn't seem to have age be a factor. Now that the actors/actresses have aged with the show, it feels right as well. 

I read the books between season 2 and 3 and think the books added so much more than the show, but also think knowing the show helped in understanding the books.

[Jarlaxle]

Just a polite request to keep any discussion from seasons 5 and 6 out of this thread. I watched the show up until season 4 but had to stop because I heard a few plot lines in season 5 move past what we know from A Dance With Dragons.

[cramx3]

Just a polite request to keep any discussion from seasons 5 and 6 out of this thread. I watched the show up until season 4 but had to stop because I heard a few plot lines in season 5 move past what we know from A Dance With Dragons.

A lot of season 5 and 6 are still based on the books although many storylines have been spoiled or moved beyonf

[Genowyn]

Pretty loosely based. That whole Dorne plotline in S5 was a joke.

[orcus116]

Just finished AGOT. The next two I ordered can't come here fast enough.

[Prog Snob]

Just finished AGOT. The next two I ordered can't come here fast enough.

In the meantime, there are places to read them online for free if you can't wait much longer.

[orcus116]

I'll wait a little since I have other things to catch up on TV wise.

I noticed that season 1 of the show was pretty much the entire book so I'm excited to get into newer storylines and characters. I already know a little bit about where the last books left certain characters after talking to people but I know that there are a few major characters that the show doesn't even touch on.

Also are the supplementary stories (Hedge Knight, etc) worth reading? If so, should I read them a certain point of the books? My landlord has the collection and has offered to let me borrow it.

[Prog Snob]

I'll wait a little since I have other things to catch up on TV wise.

I noticed that season 1 of the show was pretty much the entire book so I'm excited to get into newer storylines and characters. I already know a little bit about where the last books left certain characters after talking to people but I know that there are a few major characters that the show doesn't even touch on.

Also are the supplementary stories (Hedge Knight, etc) worth reading? If so, should I read them a certain point of the books? My landlord has the collection and has offered to let me borrow it.

I believe those stories take place a few decades before ASOIAF so you can probably read them at any time.

[Genowyn]

I might advise reading them as soon as possible. They are actually important to Bran's story

[Jarlaxle]

The Dunk and Egg books are? Hmm. I'll have to go back and re-read them.

[ZirconBlue]

I'll wait a little since I have other things to catch up on TV wise.

I noticed that season 1 of the show was pretty much the entire book so I'm excited to get into newer storylines and characters. I already know a little bit about where the last books left certain characters after talking to people but I know that there are a few major characters that the show doesn't even touch on.

Also are the supplementary stories (Hedge Knight, etc) worth reading? If so, should I read them a certain point of the books? My landlord has the collection and has offered to let me borrow it.

I believe those stories take place a few decades before ASOIAF so you can probably read them at any time.

Actually, around 100 years prior.  I like them a lot.  Especially The Hedge Knight.

[Genowyn]

The Dunk and Egg books are? Hmm. I'll have to go back and re-read them.

How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have?

[orcus116]

I forget, did Tyrion have his clansmen army in the show? I don't seem to remember them but it's been a few years since I saw the first few seasons.

[cramx3]

I forget, did Tyrion have his clansmen army in the show? I don't seem to remember them but it's been a few years since I saw the first few seasons.

Yes

[orcus116]

Either I really sped through the first three seasons or the show didn't do them justice but the Brotherhood Without Banners stuff in the books is so much fun.

[hefdaddy42]

Definitely better in the books than the show.

But that is most things, I suppose.

[orcus116]

Almost done with Storm of Swords but I think this is my personal favorite of the three. There's just so many big and little awesome moments. I'm a little bummed to see that the Dany stuff has become as dreadfully boring as it has become in the show though.

My landlord told me how AFFC is structured so I'm hoping the new main characters are as good as the ones that will be absent.

[Genowyn]

That remains a matter of some debate.

[ChuckSteak]

When the topic went up I thought there was some news about the Winds of Winter. Damn you all.

[Evermind]

When the topic went up I thought there was some news about the Winds of Winter. Damn you all.

That happened with me for a few times, but now I know better.

[Genowyn]

I'll update the thread's title when that news comes out don't worry

[orcus116]

I can already tell in the first 100 pages the tone of this book is going to be...different. It's good to get some Dorne stuff, though.

On a side note the amount of times Harrenhal is passed around or someone is named it's Lord cracks me up. The trophy nobody really wants.

[cramx3]

I can already tell in the first 100 pages the tone of this book is going to be...different. It's good to get some Dorne stuff, though.

On a side note the amount of times Harrenhal is passed around or someone is named it's Lord cracks me up. The trophy nobody really wants.

The curse of Harrenhal 

[ariich]

Almost done with Storm of Swords but I think this is my personal favorite of the three. There's just so many big and little awesome moments.

Yeah Storm of Swords is easily the strongest book. And I think they did a lot of that stuff well in the show too - season 4 was easily the strongest.

I'm a little bummed to see that the Dany stuff has become as dreadfully boring as it has become in the show though.

Yeah her story is really quite dull unfortunately. Purely speculation, but it's almost like the story kept expanding and GRRM kept thinking of new characters and ideas to bring in, and so he needed to stretch Dany's story out for longer.

My landlord told me how AFFC is structured so I'm hoping the new main characters are as good as the ones that will be absent.

I'd be interested to hear what you think. AFFC is shorter than the others, while ADWD is longer (I think) so it ends up averaging out. Personally, despite some flaws (and some absent characters), I really like AFFC, as some of the plot lines felt very focused and there was some build up and great climax at the end.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Winds of Winter = New Tool album

[BlackInk]

I mostly can't really tell AFFC and ADWD apart since I looked up a chronological reading order online and read them at the same time.

[cramx3]

My landlord told me how AFFC is structured so I'm hoping the new main characters are as good as the ones that will be absent.

I'd be interested to hear what you think. AFFC is shorter than the others, while ADWD is longer (I think) so it ends up averaging out. Personally, despite some flaws (and some absent characters), I really like AFFC, as some of the plot lines felt very focused and there was some build up and great climax at the end.

Yea, my read through of AFFC was pretty boring.  I didn't enjoy it so much and thought all the new characters and lack of main characters was a big turn off.  However, while I never did a second read through, I did go back and read through different chapters and was able to enjoy them a lot more knowing where the story was already going and having those initial (uhhh who and what is going on) moments being in my past.  I always tell myself I need to read this whole book again, but I haven't read much of anything at all lately.

[orcus116]

My landlord told me how AFFC is structured so I'm hoping the new main characters are as good as the ones that will be absent.

I'd be interested to hear what you think. AFFC is shorter than the others, while ADWD is longer (I think) so it ends up averaging out. Personally, despite some flaws (and some absent characters), I really like AFFC, as some of the plot lines felt very focused and there was some build up and great climax at the end.

Almost three hundred pages left but the book is reading, at worst, a smidge duller than the others. The Samwell chapters are pretty much the only boring parts and the Iron Island stuff is pretty interesting. I was hoping for more Ayra chapters.

[orcus116]

I don't want to completely spoil it since I just started ADWD but was Thoros telling the truth that Beric Donarrion was dead in giving life to "Lady Stoneheart"? There's always a mention of a one-eyed man in the group so did he just give up his leadership? I know there was that conversation that Arya had that it had becoming more taxing to bring Beric back to life.