A Game of Thrones - TV Show Discussion Thread

[Dinner]

Yeah. If ever an author has literally lost the plot, it's this one.

It's more of that the series isn't just a plot of one group of people so much as a multigenerational epic tale of the struggle for power all set in a wonderfully intricate world which has a massive amount of things going on in the background. That does help make the world and the characters more real or believable (minus the liberal dash of magical stuff, of course).

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think GRRM knows where the plot is going (and he knows the ending). However, he has himself admitted that Books 4 and 5 were a slog because he was trying to fill in background for the final phase - ie, the 5 years between the War of the Five Kings and the Final Confrontation was difficult for him to bridge.

Oh, and actually, Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, and Storm of Swords makes a fantastic trilogy all by itself.

[Cort Haus]

So he needs an editor just as badly as Tolkien did?

Was LORT edited by a third party? I wasn't aware that it was, but I suspect that the new Firstname RR Lastname needs one far more badly.

There's fun to be had comparing the two. While I was reading Ice 'n Fire I was thinking that this was proper grown-up, morally ambiguous epic fantasy compared to the narrow, Christian simplistic dualities of Middle Earth. Now I have more respect for the reactionary, backward, anti-industrial old fascist for actually finishing his one.

[Cort Haus]

Oh, and actually, Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, and Storm of Swords makes a fantastic trilogy all by itself.

It would, if he'd managed to end it with Swarm of Words.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I will contend as well, that the last 300 pages of A Dance with Dragons is fantastic stuff. As good as the first three books. Which seems to back that the slog of Book 4 and early-mid Book 5 was because he couldn't figure out how to get through the "5 Years Later" stuff (he originally wanted it as flashbacks, but then realized it was much too much).

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Was LORT edited by a third party? I wasn't aware that it was, but I suspect that the new Firstname RR Lastname needs one far more badly.

I've no idea- but if it was, it wasn't edited well. And as for all the others...

It's H P Lovecraft Syndrome. Great imagination, but little technical skill as a writer.

[Krill]

Was LORT edited by a third party? I wasn't aware that it was, but I suspect that the new Firstname RR Lastname needs one far more badly.

There's fun to be had comparing the two. While I was reading Ice 'n Fire I was thinking that this was proper grown-up, morally ambiguous epic fantasy compared to the narrow, Christian simplistic dualities of Middle Earth. Now I have more respect for the reactionary, backward, anti-industrial old fascist for actually finishing his one.

You're comparing a trilogy with one plot with a series that has...15, maybe 20 different plots? Any comparison has to remember that fact.

[Cort Haus]

You're comparing a trilogy with one plot with a series that has...15, maybe 20 different plots? Any comparison has to remember that fact.

Hmm, fair enough, but surely there's a reason that literature through history hasn't generally relied on 8,000 pages or whatever to get the job done. There is a genuine concern that the man will literally eat himself to death before finishing the story. Has he bitten off more than he can chew?

[Jon Miller]

Has anyone else read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia:...with_the_Mein? I haven't read the sequel, but it seemed to be a more recent fantasy author whose story is as good as GRR Martins.

JM
(A lot of people claim Sanderson/etc is great but I couldn't finish Elantris, and while I read a lot of Black Company books I recognize them as mostly fun trash.)

[Jon Miller]

I have always meant to read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance...Three_Kingdoms

and War and Peace was amazing.

JM

[Guynemer]

I will contend as well, that the last 300 pages of A Dance with Dragons is fantastic stuff. As good as the first three books. Which seems to back that the slog of Book 4 and early-mid Book 5 was because he couldn't figure out how to get through the "5 Years Later" stuff (he originally wanted it as flashbacks, but then realized it was much too much).

I think book 4 is unfairly maligned, partially for coming after the non-stop HOLY ****ING **** WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON of book 3; it just wouldn't be sustainable to continue that. I actually enjoyed the relative breather, especially with the exploration of consequences of war on the commonfolk in a certain character's arc. Another arc in King's Landing, another certain character's downfall, is a complete riot.

It is the first 2/3 or so of book 5 (minus one particular character's storyline) that is true nadir. It is all the Meereenese Knot's fault, really.

[Cort Haus]

Great imagination, but little technical skill as a writer.

A little harsh, I think. I always cry when Sam thinks Frodo is dead.

[DaShi]

I'm judging her attractiveness within the context of how she is made up and costumed in the show, which is decidedly butch.

You should see Monster.

[Krill]

A little harsh, I think. I always cry when Sam thinks Frodo is dead.

Seriously? You bring that up in a thread about ASOIAF? That someone appeared to die made you cry?

WTF.

[Guynemer]

To be fair, there is a fair bit of "so-and-so is dead! ... NO THEY AREN'T!" in ASOIAF, too.