A question about starting the books

willmunny1990 · 20-06-2014 7:42am #1

Im currently up to date with all of game of thrones so I was just wondering is it worth getting into the books at this stage? If I was id like to start at the start with the first book but would I find it too boring since im up to date with the show?

HolyMackeral · 20-06-2014 7:45am

willmunny1990 wrote: »

Im currently up to date with all of game of thrones so I was just wondering is it worth getting into the books at this stage? If I was id like to start at the start with the first book but would I find it too boring since im up to date with the show?

I did the same as you, I watched all the tv show and then decided to read the books. I started the books about a month ago and I'm finished the first one and half way through the second. It's well worth it, a lot of stuff that made no sense in the tv show is clearly explained in the books. Well worth doing it

Pepe LeFrits · 20-06-2014 9:06am

Depends on how much free time you have.

The TV show is clearly going to overtake the books (which at the rate he's going may never be finished) so that takes away a lot of the motivation to read them. I watched season 1 of the show before starting the books and I found the first book a slog because of it. You do get a lot more background which is cool (and this effect is probably increased in later seasons which deviate from the books a lot more), but mostly I found myself getting impatient as I knew the major plot-points already.

I'm up-to-date on the books but I've already forgotten a vast amount of the detail and I'm not sure I'm going to bother reading the rest of the books if/when they ever come out.

Pepe LeFrits · 20-06-2014 9:09am

Also, the TV threads on here are WAY more fun the book threads

Daith · 20-06-2014 9:17am

willmunny1990 wrote: »

Im currently up to date with all of game of thrones so I was just wondering is it worth getting into the books at this stage? If I was id like to start at the start with the first book but would I find it too boring since im up to date with the show?

Not at all. There's loads of detail (of loads of more characters).

Be prepared to turn into a right "it was better in the books, that's not what happened in the books" person.

Duckworth_Luas · 20-06-2014 4:10pm

Here is a short excerpt from the audio books. It will give you an idea of Martin's incredible mastery of the English language. Many consider this passage the pinnicle of the entire written series to date.

No spoilers.

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

mackthefinger · 21-06-2014 1:17pm

I love the TV series but as it's going to be off for nine months,
thought I'd start the books. I'd still prefer to watch the TV show spoiler
free so how far would it be safe to read in the books?

Mickeroo · 21-06-2014 1:26pm

mackthefinger wrote: »

I love the TV series but as it's going to be off for nine months,
thought I'd start the books. I'd still prefer to watch the TV show spoiler
free so how far would it be safe to read in the books?

The end of A Storm of Swords is safe enough. Some characters are gone beyond that in the show but most haven't. All the big events from this and last season were in that book pretty much.

You'll probably end up reading all of them once you get into them anyway

Paddy Cow · 23-06-2014 5:51pm

willmunny1990 wrote: »

Im currently up to date with all of game of thrones so I was just wondering is it worth getting into the books at this stage? If I was id like to start at the start with the first book but would I find it too boring since im up to date with the show?

It depends on how much you like reading. I've read all the books but to be honest, I prefer the tv show and I don't think I'll be reading anymore of the books. I loved the first book but as they went on I found that I'm not really a fan of Martin's writing style. He goes off on tangents with mini plots that feel like they are going nowhere and some of the later books I felt could have been condensed quite a bit. It's all down to personal preference though. I'd say give them a go and see how you get on with them.

DM addict · 24-06-2014 7:23pm

Personally, I'd say read the first book. You'll know the main plot (obviously!) but there's plenty of additional details and subplots to keep it interesting. If after the first book you're not fussed about keeping going, then leave it.

I enjoy the writing style - multiple narrators/sources is always a technique I appreciate - and I started reading after seeing season 1, and was caught up enough to keep going. Saying that, these are long books - but I think they're worth the committment. No harm in picking one up and seeing how you get on.

Jofspring · 26-06-2014 10:35pm

I have just finished the first part of book three after watching the first four seasons on Game of Thrones. I am really enjoying the books. There is way more detail in them and a lot more great characters and stories that aren't in the tv show. It has definitely helped me understand more of whats happening in the show.

I found the first book a little tedious as it was fairly close to season 1 of the tv show and I knew everything that was happening but I still enjoyed it all the same.

Book 2, I found better and while it went fairly close to season 2 of the tv show it had way more detail and plots.

Book 3 part one seems to have covered most of season 3 and I'm only a few pages into part two of book 3 but there again the detail in the books and back stories help vastly in explaining who is who and whats going on.

If you are getting into them now I would suggest reading them on some kind of an e-reader. I read Book 1 and 2 in paper back and the size of the book made it very awkward to read on the go or on a whim. I flew through Book 3 part one since I got a kindle.

bnt · 01-07-2014 2:12pm

I've watched up to the end of S3, and have decided to to read the books before I go any further. I'm not jumping straight in, but have instead decided to read the three Tales of Dunk and Egg first. Already finished the first one, The Hedge Knight, which is short but quite remarkable. The "Dunk" of the title is about 17, a squire to an old knight who dies, and so Dunk decides he's going to become a Knight himself. Things don't exactly go to plan ...

Gadgie · 02-07-2014 1:17am

Paddy Cow wrote: »

It depends on how much you like reading. I've read all the books but to be honest, I prefer the tv show and I don't think I'll be reading anymore of the books. I loved the first book but as they went on I found that I'm not really a fan of Martin's writing style. He goes off on tangents with mini plots that feel like they are going nowhere and some of the later books I felt could have been condensed quite a bit. It's all down to personal preference though. I'd say give them a go and see how you get on with them.

This is pretty much how I feel.

I'm not much of a reader - I only read the books because I loved the TV show and I was too impatient to find out what happened next (plus, I was often having things spoiled by arseholes posting comments on articles, videos. etc.!)

I really regret it now, as I much prefer the TV show, and there are certain things that I think I would have enjoyed better if I hadn't known they were going to happen. I'm not going to read any future books until after the series is finished, and I'm even going to avoid any GoT-related discussion when the next book comes out.

So, in summary - if you don't really read books often, give them a miss.

Liam O · 02-07-2014 4:52pm

Gadgie wrote: »

So, in summary - if you don't really read books often, give them a miss.

This is some of the most ridiculous logic I've ever seen.

Gadgie · 02-07-2014 11:53pm

Liam O wrote: »

This is some of the most ridiculous logic I've ever seen.

You mustn't get out much.

Care to elaborate?

Mr.Prodston · 03-07-2014 11:17am

Gadgie wrote: »

You mustn't get out much.

Care to elaborate?

I don't read books often at all, but after season 2 I sat down and read all the books in just under 4 months. I absolutely love the books and while I didn't get the surprises from the show I got them from the books and I felt more connected to the books.

So I don't think it's fair to suggest that if you're not a book reader then you shouldn't bother reading them. Naturally everybody is different but they won't know until they try and I'd recommend to anyone to give them a shot.

If nothing else I found it much, much easier to recognise and visualise characters, whether that's a good or bad thing who knows but it aided my viewing of the show and my reading of the books.

That's my take on the situation anyway.

Mickeroo · 03-07-2014 11:19am

They're very easy books to get through imo, easily as accessible as the likes of Harry Potter, just more juvenile when it comes to sex and that :P

A Neurotic · 03-07-2014 11:23am

Be prepared for the most shocking event in the books, a clear attempt by GRRM to top the Red Wedding and Oberyn's duel:

Sam sucks hot milk from Gilly's breasts in a sexual way. It's ****ing mank.

Gadgie · 03-07-2014 2:41pm

Mr.Prodston wrote: »

I don't read books often at all, but after season 2 I sat down and read all the books in just under 4 months. I absolutely love the books and while I didn't get the surprises from the show I got them from the books and I felt more connected to the books.

So I don't think it's fair to suggest that if you're not a book reader then you shouldn't bother reading them. Naturally everybody is different but they won't know until they try and I'd recommend to anyone to give them a shot.

If nothing else I found it much, much easier to recognise and visualise characters, whether that's a good or bad thing who knows but it aided my viewing of the show and my reading of the books.

That's my take on the situation anyway.

I also read the books after season 2, but unlike you, I prefer the TV show and wish I hadn't read the books, as I feel my enjoyment of the TV series has lessened as a result.

I only really enjoyed the books when there was actually stuff happening, like dialogue between characters or action. A lot of the subtler writing went over my head, and I only realised what I'd missed when I read some of the discussion/theories about it online. My eyes tended to gloss over when pages and pages of text were devoted to describing food or clothing. As for the sex scenes, all I could imagine was GRRM drooling when writing them.

Obviously once read, the books cannot be unread, so I would caution anyone whose main/sole motivation for reading them is only because they're a fan of the TV show.

That's just my opinion.

Mickeroo · 03-07-2014 2:45pm

Gadgie wrote: »

I also read the books after season 2, but unlike you, I prefer the TV show and wish I hadn't read the books, as I feel my enjoyment of the TV series has lessened as a result.

I only really enjoyed the books when there was actually stuff happening, like dialogue between characters or action. A lot of the subtler writing went over my head, and I only realised what I'd missed when I read some of the discussion/theories about it online. My eyes tended to gloss over when pages and pages of text were devoted to describing food or clothing. As for the sex scenes, all I could imagine was GRRM drooling when writing them.

Obviously once read, the books cannot be unread, so I would caution anyone whose main/sole motivation for reading them is only because they're a fan of the TV show.

That's just my opinion.

I also read them after season 2 but I found they nicely fleshed out the TV show for me rather than hindered my enjoyment of it. Like you though, I think the TV show is better than the books over all.

I think the first 3 books are a great read though, obviously there's a drop in quality for 4 and 5, but I was so invested in the characters by that point I didn't care.

I think by the end of next season having the books spoil anything in the show will be a moot point anyway as most characters will be gone past where they were at the end of book 5 I'd imagine. I'm actually looking forward to everyone being on the same page.

DMcL1971 · 05-07-2014 7:06pm

Well, I was late to join the Game of Thrones bandwagon. I watched the first three seasons back to back in February and then started watching season 4 week by week. I then re-watched all four seasons over the last few weeks. On re-watching the earlier seasons, I picked up on a lot of subtleties and clues that I didn't spot the first time around and found it a lot easier to follow as I finally new who everyone was. So I reckon I will start reading the books next week. I should have them finished in time for season 5.

A question about starting the books

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