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Anyone else reading this series by George RR Martin?

I've finished the first 2 books, just waiting on #3. Very cool mix of knights and castles, magic, political intrigue and family ties/clashes.

I had never heard of the series until I saw the first season on TV. I picked up the first two books and started with the first. It was so much (almost word for word) like the episodes I had watched on TV I had a hard time reading it. So I skipped a big section of it and went to the second book, and was lost immediatly. I need to go back and force myself to read the first one over. I loved the show.

clarionite wrote:I had never heard of the series until I saw the first season on TV. I picked up the first two books and started with the first. It was so much (almost word for word) like the episodes I had watched on TV I had a hard time reading it. So I skipped a big section of it and went to the second book, and was lost immediatly. I need to go back and force myself to read the first one over. I loved the show.

Haven't seen the show, though I've heard of it. Friend recommended the books to me.

Im impressed it was similar enough you got bored. They normally take big leaps to make something more "TV audience" friendly that ruins most book to movie/tv adaptions.

I'm about halfway through the first book. Haven't seem the series yet; waiting for it to come out on DVD.

Finish the book before you watch the series... But yes, they're that similar.

One thing that really stuck out to me is half way through the first season I was wondering who would be around for the second season. <G>

What is the title of book #1? I have not heard of the series but I think I may check it out.

Commander Cody wrote:What is the title of book #1? I have not heard of the series but I think I may check it out.

A Game of Thrones, if I recall correctly.

Dave2 wrote:

Commander Cody wrote:What is the title of book #1? I have not heard of the series but I think I may check it out.

A Game of Thrones, if I recall correctly.

Correct.

Just got book 3 in the mail today. Excited to start reading it.

I finished the second last night. I'll swing by and pick up the third tomorrow during lunch.

clarionite wrote:I finished the second last night. I'll swing by and pick up the third tomorrow during lunch.

Nice. I'm done with 3, only about 50 pages into book 4. Already have book 5 because I know I'll be into it before christmas.

I watched the series on tv, then started book 1 thinking I would just fill in gaps made by adaptation of book to screenplay. I'm now about halfway thru book 5. I hold little hope that the epic will reach any sort of closure when the book finishes. too many threads still dangling. you'll find as you progress thru the series that the number of parallel plotlines just continues to grow. with the narrative rotating among so many plotlines, you will have ones you like, and ones you don't care about as much but have to skim anyway so you don't end up lost.

one thing that has made an impression on me with these books is a distinct lack of fairytale endings.
<spoiler alert, but only for book 1>
example: the guy who I thought would be champion of good and truth ends up paying for his mercy with his own head. now that shows some sand on the part of the author.
</end spoilers>

it's been a fascinating ride so far, but I'm starting to get Ice-and-Fire fatigue.

havnt read the books but my GF is, we watched the first season last year and i can not WAIT until it starts back up in April. Great show, and the behind the scenes stuff they have released from iceland looks amazing.

Hopefully I'll be able to find somewhere to rent the DVDs when they come out next month.

I'm all the way through all 5 books. I'm glad I just discovered the series this year.

If id started reading when the first one came out in the 90s I think Id be camped out on martins front lawn chanting "write faster!"

I ordered the first 4 books from Amazon. By the 30th page of the first book I realized:
a) I'm enjoying the story and want to read more, and
b) These books are too small print for my old eyes, so I bought the Kindle version.

So, if you're in Austin, I have a 4-book set that literally still has most of the protective plastic still around the books. I'll part with it for $10 (just over half the new price on Amazon) to the first taker.

74novaman wrote:Anyone else reading this series by George RR Martin?

Yep. I read the first book a couple years ago, but I got busy, set it down, and forgot most of the storyline. I just finished watching season 1 of HBO's adaption, which I think has refreshed my memory of A Game of Thrones well enough that I'll be able to proceed straight to A Clash of Kings without having to start over.

Incidentally, there's a "behind the scenes" kind of video about it on HBO's website, and one of the producers (I think) says he thinks it about "the misuse and abuse of power and what happens when people end up with power they're not fit to wield." Does anyone have thoughts on the matter? (Fair warning... the video contains spoilers, and probably some NSFW stuff.)