Books vs TV show (spoilers)

myk

G R R Martin wrote a series of novels that were supposedly so complex that they'd never translate on screen. Part of his inspiration was that he was a frustrated TV screen writer who was sick of confining his ideas so that they'd play within studios' FX budgets.

These books are remarkably enjoyable and became so successful that he and others decided to attempt to turn them into a TV show. Of course that show would never be faithful to the books. The books are massively enjoyable but they are also dense and expansive. The TV show is very clever and in season 2 departs significantly from the books in several places.

In future seasons there will be more serious departures. This is all down to the nature of the books. If you are book fans- enjoy the TV show or don't. But don't spend all your time grumbling about the differences between the books and the TV show.

OctavarIan

It's also worth mentioning that GRRM only accepted the TV offer because:

(a) It was HBO
(b) He was so impressed with David Benioff and D. B. Weiss

He turned down many, many TV and film offers prior to this one. This is the best possible TV adaptation, learn to accept it

It also helps the wait for the next book move along a bit faster :pac:

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Would it be possible to pick up the books at book number 3, i.e after watching series 2 of the t.v show? Or is there too much deviation/information which did not translate onscreen?

ArmaniJeanss

Davie89 wrote: »

Would it be possible to pick up the books at book number 3, i.e after watching series 2 of the t.v show? Or is there too much deviation/information which did not translate onscreen?

There'll be the odd character where you'll wonder 'who the fcuk is that' (for example we see far more of Catelyn Stark/Tullys family in the books) but in general it should be fine to start with Book3.

But to be honest, if you've made the decision that you like the series enough to consider reading a 1200 page book like Storm of Swords, then it would be far more rewarding to go back and read Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings first.

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ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

There'll be the odd character where you'll wonder 'who the fcuk is that' (for example we see far more of Catelyn Stark/Tullys family in the books) but in general it should be fine to start with Book3.

But to be honest, if you've made the decision that you like the series enough to consider reading a 1200 page book like Storm of Swords, then it would be far more rewarding to go back and read Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings first.

This is true,,, convinced with one post, the written word is powerful

chupacabra

The only change I dont like so far is Cats reason for releasing Jaimie and Robbs reason for abandoning his marriage to the Frey girl. It made absolutely no sense from a book perspective that they didnt have the "deaths" of Bran and Rickon be the trigger for both of those events. All it would have taken was a simple scene of Maester Luwin solemnly sending a raven, but even then if I never read the books it wouldnt make an ounce of difference so thats how I'm watching the tv series. Not as an adaption of the books but as a slightly different telling of the same story.

titan18

myk wrote: »

G R R Martin wrote a series of novels that were supposedly so complex that they'd never translate on screen. Part of his inspiration was that he was a frustrated TV screen writer who was sick of confining his ideas so that they'd play within studios' FX budgets.

These books are remarkably enjoyable and became so successful that he and others decided to attempt to turn them into a TV show. Of course that show would never be faithful to the books. The books are massively enjoyable but they are also dense and expansive. The TV show is very clever and in season 2 departs significantly from the books in several places.

In future seasons there will be more serious departures. This is all down to the nature of the books. If you are book fans- enjoy the TV show or don't. But don't spend all your time grumbling about the differences between the books and the TV show.

Nah,I and others shall still complain until they make a complete botch of something huge, adn tbf changes for the sake of TV are cool, changes for the sake of changes or just wrong changes are not

Einhard

chupacabra wrote: »

The only change I dont like so far is Cats reason for releasing Jaimie and Robbs reason for abandoning his marriage to the Frey girl. It made absolutely no sense from a book perspective that they didnt have the "deaths" of Bran and Rickon be the trigger for both of those events. All it would have taken was a simple scene of Maester Luwin solemnly sending a raven, but even then if I never read the books it wouldnt make an ounce of difference so thats how I'm watching the tv series. Not as an adaption of the books but as a slightly different telling of the same story.

I agree with the OP on this. On every tv/movie forum I've been on, you get the fanboys complaining excessively about how the adaptation has deviated in one way or other from the comic, novel, or whatever. It's funny that here, on boards, the threads for those who haven't read the books are full of glowing reviews, whilst those for the readers get bogged down in criticism about the omission of allegedly critical scenes/characters etc. Is this a case of the readers haveing a heightened sense of taste when it comes to tv programmes? I doubt it. Is it because some readers can't just sit back and enjoy a 60 minute show for its own sake without constantly comparing it to the sourse material? I think so. I've read the books, and I love them. I watch the show, and I love it. The trick is to judge the show on its own merits, and not as some adjunct to the books.

As to the above post- is it so implausiable that Robb acts out of love? I don't think so. Afterall, one of the greatest schisms to ever afflict the Seven Kingdoms was born from a king's decision to marry for love and not out of duty.