A quick question about the books

ziedth

Hi all,

I'm just wondering what kind of time span does the current books cover? Like does it all take place over a couple of years and we go down the Harry Potter route of 20 years olds playing characters in their early teens in a few seasons time or are we talking years and they'll have to age/replace some of the current cast

I know it's hard to discuss this without using spoilers so it's more of a general question.

PhlegmyMoses

They seem to have cast older actors in these positions already so it won't be a problem. Robb is like 15/16 in the books and looks early twenties in the programme.

nicklauski

It all seems to be done over a couple of years in the books (so far). As Moses has said, the Starks are all much younger in the books. Early to mid teens, and I haven't seen too much emphasis on birthdays or them ageing as of yet and I'm waiting to start A Dance with Dragons.

_blank_

Phlegmy is correct, all the kids are much younger in the books afaik, they are all aged about 3 or 4 years or more for the show.

Theon, the Stark kids, Joffrey, the Targaryens (especially Daenerys, the scenes with Khal Drogo would have been child porn if they kept her the same age :eek:), even Eddard is older in the show than in the books.

It only really matters, for me, with Sansa Stark. In my opinion, the character is too childish for the age of the actress, it works in the book where she's 11 or 12, but not in the show where the actress is clearly about 14 or 15.

I think the younger kids; Brandon, Arya, Joffrey are better aged a couple of years, and all of the older Stark kids work better in the show as older, late teen/early twenties characters. They are a bit too "wordly wise" in the books to be believable early to mid teenagers, but it works better in the show.

AFAIK, Geroge Martin has said he'd make them older if he was writing it again.

ziedth

Interesting alright, as a show it definately does work better with the ages that they portrayed.

Sleepy

Des wrote: »

AFAIK, Geroge Martin has said he'd make them older if he was writing it again.

He had them younger in AGOT because he'd originally intended a 5 year gap between two of the books (back when it was still intended to be a trilogy iirc!) which would have left the true-born Stark kids begin their various paths

warrior king, politico, assassin, magician, wildling(?) before returning fully trained in the next book

.

Must admit, I think I prefer the books this way: I like a good origin story and montages are a bit over-done!