GAME OF THRONES [Book and TV Discussion (US Pace)]

me-skywalker

Dades wrote: »

Great pics.

The caption (lazy journalism) under Tyrion's pic annoyed me though:
Marauding ways? He's one of the smartest, least prone to violence characters in the books.
.

Well it is Entertainment Weekly... Wonder if ay of the 'big' rags get onto it now that the mill is starting to turn.

Sleepy

I reckon this'll be needing it's own forum once it's on air!

Nevyn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atFX6keD95o

Lightshow

A friend only recently put me on to this series, my first fantasy series since I read LOTR as a kid. Amazing stuff! I'm almost through the second book now but I reckon I'll be slowing down a bit considering how long you guys say it's taking to finish the 5th one.

Series looks great. Any idea who's likely to screen it over here? Can't see RTE seeing the potential here.

Dades

Thaedydal wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atFX6keD95o

I've noticed in the last few bits of coverage they seem to be pushing the Ned Stark story, as if they decided they need a central character for people to follow, rather than a whole bunch of POVs.

Maybe that's what's required to make it work for TV audiences, or of course it could just be the trailers. I remember the trailers (through voiceover) for The Golden Compass suggested a much simpler plot which the movie then ignored.

Looks great nonetheless.

Sleepy

Lightshow wrote: »

A friend only recently put me on to this series, my first fantasy series since I read LOTR as a kid. Amazing stuff! I'm almost through the second book now but I reckon I'll be slowing down a bit considering how long you guys say it's taking to finish the 5th one.

Series looks great. Any idea who's likely to screen it over here? Can't see RTE seeing the potential here.

I was the same. First proper fantasy series I've *ever* read (if you discount Harry Potter). The closest I'd come before was an attempt to read LOTR which I gave up on after about 2 chapters of what I consider awful writing.

Sleepy

Dades wrote: »

I've noticed in the last few bits of coverage they seem to be pushing the Ned Stark story, as if they decided they need a central character for people to follow, rather than a whole bunch of POVs.

Maybe that's what's required to make it work for TV audiences, or of course it could just be the trailers. I remember the trailers (through voiceover) for The Golden Compass suggested a much simpler plot which the movie then ignored.

Looks great nonetheless.

I honestly can't see them doing that, I think it just lets the trailer show something of an 'arc' and Bean's the best known actor in the Series so it makes sense to try and capture his fanbase as well as appeal to Fantasy fans (most of whom will have heard of ASOIAF at this stage).

Lightshow

Sleepy wrote: »

I was the same. First proper fantasy series I've *ever* read (if you discount Harry Potter). The closest I'd come before was an attempt to read LOTR which I gave up on after about 2 chapters of what I consider awful writing.

You're probably right about the writing, I was too young to know any better at the time. Haven't read it again since.

I was having a look at GRRM's blog, didn't see much mention of the 5th book there.

pH

Lightshow wrote: »

You're probably right about the writing, I was too young to know any better at the time. Haven't read it again since.

I was having a look at GRRM's blog, didn't see much mention of the 5th book there.

I have some hope for the TV series, but I think that the chances of the full story ever making it to the screen are minuscule. Let's face it, GRRM has produced one book (and that was 1/2 a book really) in the last 10 years. Even if the books are written, the chances of it then getting 7 seasons as a complete story are even less.

Between this series and Wheel of Time, I've stopped reading any fantasy series until all the books are actually published - I'd love a great fantasy series, written for adults with the production values of Rome (or the sheer fun of Spartacus), but I'm skeptical that this is going to be it.

Playboy

pH wrote: »

I have some hope for the TV series, but I think that the chances of the full story ever making it to the screen are minuscule. Let's face it, GRRM has produced one book (and that was 1/2 a book really) in the last 10 years. Even if the books are written, the chances of it then getting 7 seasons as a complete story are even less.

Between this series and Wheel of Time, I've stopped reading any fantasy series until all the books are actually published - I'd love a great fantasy series, written for adults with the production values of Rome (or the sheer fun of Spartacus), but I'm skeptical that this is going to be it.

It all depends on how its recieved imo. I think there is huge scope for a series like this to be successful. You just have to look at the success of the LOTR to see how popular fantasy can be. Now add some depth and adult themes and dumb down some of the more fantastical elements and I think this series will do for fantasy what BSG did for Sci-Fi. I think we will see the full story across a number of series and I think it will be a genre defining show .. but maybe i'm being too optimistic!

5starpool

Dades wrote: »

I've noticed in the last few bits of coverage they seem to be pushing the Ned Stark story, as if they decided they need a central character for people to follow, rather than a whole bunch of POVs.

Maybe that's what's required to make it work for TV audiences, or of course it could just be the trailers. I remember the trailers (through voiceover) for The Golden Compass suggested a much simpler plot which the movie then ignored.

Looks great nonetheless.

It does seem to be the case.

Big spoiler if you haven't read the books.

Since he dies at the end of the first book though, I presume the series will stay true to this as it is a pretty central tenant to the story overall. Sean Bean must be a sucker for characters getting killed at the end of the first installment though

I really can't wait for this though.

Paddy Samurai

If you have HBO

Tune In Tonight...

• Dec. 5th, 2010 at 2:54 PM

... for a fifteen-minute "Making of GAME OF THRONES" special on HBO.

It is scheduled to debut immediately before the season finale of BOARDWALK EMPIRE. The time on that will vary depending on your time zone.

Enjoy... and stick around afterward for BOARDWALK EMPIRE, which I've just caught up on this past week. Another terrific show from HBO.

AnCapaillMor

5starpool wrote: »

It does seem to be the case.

Big spoiler if you haven't read the books.

Since he dies at the end of the first book though, I presume the series will stay true to this as it is a pretty central tenant to the story overall. Sean Bean must be a sucker for characters getting killed at the end of the first installment though

I really can't wait for this though.

Its HBO tho so there is some hope. they won't do a legend of the seeker and throw the books out the window and when the tough decisions are to be made they'll make em. Tho from the trailer i do share worries.

Iompair

Heres the behind the scenes short from last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJR3eBfcusM

Dades

5starpool wrote: »

It does seem to be the case.

Big spoiler if you haven't read the books.

Since he dies at the end of the first book though, I presume the series will stay true to this as it is a pretty central tenant to the story overall. Sean Bean must be a sucker for characters getting killed at the end of the first installment though

Yes I've read (and listened) the books - and most everything else of GRRMS stuff.

I reckon they've just constructed the trailer that way, rather than the series. Otherwise people won't have a subliminal protagonist to cling to.

pH wrote: »

I have some hope for the TV series, but I think that the chances of the full story ever making it to the screen are minuscule. Let's face it, GRRM has produced one book (and that was 1/2 a book really) in the last 10 years. Even if the books are written, the chances of it then getting 7 seasons as a complete story are even less.

The fact that there's (at least) two books still to be written doesn't bode well for ever getting a complete story. At the rate George writes - even if they made just one book a year - they'd run out of source after a Dance with Dragons probably, and a big gap is an impossibility in terms of continuity, never mind the sets, actors etc.

pH

Playboy wrote: »

It all depends on how its recieved imo. I think there is huge scope for a series like this to be successful. You just have to look at the success of the LOTR to see how popular fantasy can be. Now add some depth and adult themes and dumb down some of the more fantastical elements and I think this series will do for fantasy what BSG did for Sci-Fi. I think we will see the full story across a number of series and I think it will be a genre defining show .. but maybe i'm being too optimistic!

I'm not sure what BSG did for Sci Fi, it's over, and as it turned out the whole story arc wasn't that convincing, there's hardly been a rush to bring more mature/adult sci fi to our screens following it, and need I remind anyone of "Caprica"?

Dades wrote:

The fact that there's (at least) two books still to be written doesn't bode well for ever getting a complete story. At the rate George writes - even if they made just one book a year - they'd run out of source after a Dance with Dragons probably, and a big gap is an impossibility in terms of continuity, never mind the sets, actors etc.

This is my problem with it, as good as it could be, you'd be watching season 1 (and possibly 2) with the nagging knowledge that the rest of it is dependent on GRRM actually finishing in a timeframe that works, coupled with the fact that actors move on and the series could be canned at any time by HBO.

If this was a the first book in a series, but it seemed very unlikely the series would ever be finished then I'd be reluctant to read it, I know TV is different, but I still feel kind of the same way.

TheIrishGrover

Dades wrote: »

Yes I've read (and listened) the books - and most everything else of GRRMS stuff.

I reckon they've just constructed the trailer that way, rather than the series. Otherwise people won't have a subliminal protagonist to cling to.


The fact that there's (at least) two books still to be written doesn't bode well for ever getting a complete story. At the rate George writes - even if they made just one book a year - they'd run out of source after a Dance with Dragons probably, and a big gap is an impossibility in terms of continuity, never mind the sets, actors etc.

+1

Even worse: Assuming they roughly stick to 1 season per book then they are really going to have to throw that out the window for book 4 and 5. In order to keep the narative going for a series they are going to have to merge them. Look at the problems people had with Dany and Tyrion (And pretty much Jon Snow too as far as I can recall) being cut out of book 4. Imagine doing that on a series? Two whole series running parallel to eachother before remerging in season 6? You couldn't do that on TV.

So that means you've lost another year for GRRM to finish 2 more books.

Mind you, I would imagine that he would be put under some serious pressure by HBO to have the last two finished by the time HBO get to them.

titan18

Tbf,I don't mind the Eddard central thing that the trailer seems to be doing.

I know in at least my case,presume loads of others,I thought he was the main person in the series as I was reading the 1st book.

Then I thought it was Robb before that stupid wedding

Now I have no idea.

Also,I reckon GRRM has backed himself into a corner with the series.So many characters are dead,he's either going to have to introduce a good few at this stage,or else,

go all Catelyn again.

At this stage,I reckon he's hoping HBO will do it for him,and it'll be finished on TV.

Although,I hope I'm wrong and he's been keeping all these in to launch when the TV series starts so we get a new book every year

Dades

pH wrote: »

I'm not sure what BSG did for Sci Fi, it's over, and as it turned out the whole story arc wasn't that convincing, there's hardly been a rush to bring more mature/adult sci fi to our screens following it, and need I remind anyone of "Caprica"?

Maybe if they stopped making all that vampire crap we'd get some.

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Mind you, I would imagine that he would be put under some serious pressure by HBO to have the last two finished by the time HBO get to them.

I doubt George succumbs to pressure from anything except his appetite, maybe.

Sleepy

From reading the blog it seems that once A Dance With Dragons is finished book 6 (The Winds of Winter) shouldn't be too far behind as large chunks of what he's written for Dance have been moved forward to that book.

I get the feeling that book 5 is going to be the key to setting up the plot of the rest of the series and that once he's published this, the other two will follow relatively quickly after all, books 1 to 3 were released within 4 years. His blog frequently refers to 'untangling a myrenese knot' which I think is the setting up of everything for the last 3 books and that once that's done, it's just a matter of commiting it all to paper.

Just started re-reading Game of Thrones last night.

TheIrishGrover

Sleepy wrote: »

From reading the blog it seems that once A Dance With Dragons is finished book 6 (The Winds of Winter) shouldn't be too far behind as large chunks of what he's written for Dance have been moved forward to that book........

Yep, I'll start holding my breath now

Playboy

pH wrote: »

I'm not sure what BSG did for Sci Fi, it's over, and as it turned out the whole story arc wasn't that convincing, there's hardly been a rush to bring more mature/adult sci fi to our screens following it, and need I remind anyone of "Caprica"?

I think it changed the perception of what Sci-Fi can be with a mainstream audience. It showed that you can have a critically and commmercially successful Sci-Fi series aimed at a mature adult audience and it will encourage more studios to take risks on the genre. I didnt think Caprica was all that bad... just that maybe it got its target market wrong. Anyway the are coming back with another show in the near future closer to the original.

AnCapaillMor

I'm thinking\hoping the book is held off until the series so as much can be milked out of the series and book as possible.

Dades

Playboy wrote: »

I didnt think Caprica was all that bad... just that maybe it got its target market wrong. Anyway the are coming back with another show in the near future closer to the original.

I gave Caprica a fighting chance - but it was just all a bit insipid.

They dropped the ball cancelling Firefly, but I do think BSG will have been good for scifi. Certainly potential scripts will be given more attention now than they would have been pre-2004, once they drain the last dollar out of all the bloodsuckers invading the screens.

5starpool

Sleepy wrote: »

From reading the blog it seems that once A Dance With Dragons is finished book 6 (The Winds of Winter) shouldn't be too far behind as large chunks of what he's written for Dance have been moved forward to that book.

I'm pretty sure that's what he said as well when A Feast For Crows was published, as that and a Dance of Dragons were originally intended to all be one book. It seems to me like he is doing a Robert Jordan on it, and over verbalising things and going in too many different directions, although I hope I'm wrong. Maybe AFFC was just a lull in the series quality and it will be back to normal for Dance if he ever gets around to publishing it. He seems to be as comic-con type shown every second week though. Between that and watch American Football, it is no surprise it is taking him so long.

TheIrishGrover

5starpool wrote: »

........... Between that and watch American Football, it is no surprise it is taking him so long.

I know. FFS, at the way those games go each game is probably a chapter lost

Sleepy

He certainly seems to spend an awful lot of time at Comic Cons and signings etc.

There was a comment from one of his publishers this summer that they were optimistic they'd have the manuscript in hand by Christmas which would certainly line it up for release around the time A Game of Thrones begins on HBO.

Trojan

Question on the books: does the pace massively increase in book 2, or does the plot still crawl forward as per most* of book 1?

(I wasn't able to finish book 1 yet)

Dades

I would say there is definitely more happening in the subsequent books, though I got into book one pretty quick. It is the setup for a really big story.

Trojan

Cheers, I think I'll give it another go over Christmas. I really did not like it at all, but so many people say it's good that I feel I have to give it another shot.