Me and my wife just finished watching this series, I want to read the books and want to know if I need to start with the first book or can I start on the second? how far off is the series from the books? I figure I will have to read the first book but want to know if I can get away without reading it. Thanks in advance to all who help.
Game of Thrones.
- Thread starter cman2010
- Start date
I've never understood that mindset. If you're going to read the series as a source of enjoyment, why would you skip the first part? If you just want to know what happens next, check one of the fan wikis.
I would recommend reading the first, but if you skip it the rest of the series will probably still make sense.
I would recommend reading the first, but if you skip it the rest of the series will probably still make sense.
FriendlyFire
Codex WMDicanious
I enjoyed the TV show to the books (extremely rare)
The first book = season 1 of game of thrones TV show
The first book = season 1 of game of thrones TV show
Communisto
Condottiere
This probably belongs into A&E, but anyway:
The show did a pretty good job in covering all major plot points, so I don't think you will have any problems in keeping up with the events in A Clash Of Kings (actually I've started many rereads with that book as well). Martin throws some quick reminders about what happened in the first book into the early chapters as well, without weighting them down with too much exposition.
I still recommend that you read the first book, though. There's a lot you've missed. Lots of characterization was left out (expect some darker shades on Catelyn, for example), and especially secondary characters like Bronn have place to shine. You'll also get a proper battle (the one Tyrion misses in the show) and a much better description of how Robb defeats Jaime.
Then there's also a certain part that was completely left out, and it concerns Ned remembering Lyanna's death at various occasions, as well as some related things. I can't adequately describe what's so important about it (you have to read and figure it out for yourself), but in my opinion it's the most brilliant aspect of the whole series so far.
The show did a pretty good job in covering all major plot points, so I don't think you will have any problems in keeping up with the events in A Clash Of Kings (actually I've started many rereads with that book as well). Martin throws some quick reminders about what happened in the first book into the early chapters as well, without weighting them down with too much exposition.
I still recommend that you read the first book, though. There's a lot you've missed. Lots of characterization was left out (expect some darker shades on Catelyn, for example), and especially secondary characters like Bronn have place to shine. You'll also get a proper battle (the one Tyrion misses in the show) and a much better description of how Robb defeats Jaime.
Then there's also a certain part that was completely left out, and it concerns Ned remembering Lyanna's death at various occasions, as well as some related things. I can't adequately describe what's so important about it (you have to read and figure it out for yourself), but in my opinion it's the most brilliant aspect of the whole series so far.
Thoughtful Thug
Deity
Yeah, a whole list of posters have replied in the A&E section. You will find a lot of enthusiasts for the book more than the show itself. Glad to see another person that too like this rare gem that seem to be overlooked by a lot of people.
innonimatu
the resident Cassandra
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Don't even start reading the books. Just don't. The author will never finish them. I think he entirely lost the plot by the 3rd book.
Begin book 1 now! You'll get to read all that he has written without a wait between books.
innonimatu
the resident Cassandra
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All that he will ever write on this series, more likely!
Then just enjoy what he has written and imagine the ending. It is quite good.
Thoughtful Thug
Deity
I haven't read the book. But from what I have seen from the HBO series is that it doesn't look like it is designed to have an ending. Kinda like life I guess.
Seem cyclical where the elites continue forever to wrestle control of lands, with the hope of obtaining all of them for enternity.
Seem cyclical where the elites continue forever to wrestle control of lands, with the hope of obtaining all of them for enternity.
schlaufuchs
Break My Heart
That's just a shtick every HBO show does to appease the execs. You can't really be sure how good an HBO show is going to be unless you stick with it through the first 3 or 4 episodes, because once the show gets a following they drop the nudity and sex in favor of actually having a show.
Leifmk
Deity
In this case, though, it is pretty much being true to the source.
Thoughtful Thug
Deity
I doubt that there will be less or even more depiction of nudity and sex in the next season. I do think the show does well from the very start, even if they did needless have to appease to the execs that an x amount of tits and ass has to be occasionally thrown in the mix of a rich story telling. It does well on both I think.
Leifmk
Deity
Seriously, there's no shortage of tits, ass or dangling manhoods in the books, you'd almost think they were written with an eye toward an HBO serialization (well, except for starting before mature-rated HBO series were as much of a thing as they are now).
Kraznaya
Princeps
And the fact that the plots within plots and deep characterization isn't suited for TV serialization. I tried watching the series but because they removed so many of the subtleties that made the books what they are.
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
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- 18,165
Yes. If anything, HBO's depiction is a little less edgy than the books' A Song of Ice and Fire.
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