Should I Buy the Books?

[Eggsnham]

Specifically, this thread is about the series "A Song of Ice and Fire".

I've recently started watching the show "A Game of Thrones" since my friends wouldn't shut the hell up about it and it also sounded interesting. Turns out that it's pretty goddamn awesome.

Obviously books tend to be better than film adaptations, but from what I understand, the show is pretty thorough.

I also really enjoy the show, so I don't want to read the books and find myself watching it and saying things like "Meh, the books did it better".

So before I go spend money on them, I figured I'd ask the Escapist first.

Also, for added discussion: Have there ever been times where you thought movies and shows based off of books were actually better than the books themselves?

 

[prowll]

I would say that the show has been pretty thorough to this point, and if you're just 're-watching' from a mind's eye,it's going to be the same. I'd pass myself.

This is probably the ONLY time I'd say this though.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Obviously books tend to be better than film adaptations, but from what I understand, the show is pretty thorough.

You are incorrect. The show does what it can in terms of tackling what is fundamentally an "unfilmable" book series, but it is anything but comprehensive.

I also really enjoy the show, so I don't want to read the books and find myself watching it and saying things like "Meh, the books did it better".

I would suggest avoiding the books then. The show has done some moments from the books extremely well, others alright, still more poorly, and in those occasions when it has chosen to deviate heavily from the books it has been full on disastrous.

Have there ever been times where you thought movies and shows based off of books were actually better than the books themselves?

I can't think of any off hand, and while I remain open minded to the possibility, I think it's unlikely. Film/television is a visual medium, it has different strengths and different requirements than literature. So while you may end up with something like Jackson's LOTR, which is far more visceral than the novels, you can't necessarily say it's "better" unless you're judging it specifically on qualities that are unique to the medium. In the case of ASoIaF, you're talking about books with exceptionally dense plotting and almost comical breadth. There's no way to translate that into a visual medium, it would be tedious to watch and it would cost an unholy amount of money. Yet, without it, the world loses much of its richness, context, and depth, and these are some of the qualities that made the series special in the first place.

 

[DugMachine]

I'm actually waiting out for GoT so I can read the books first.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

I knew this would be about ASoIaF. But yeah, I would get the books. Can I ask a question myself though. I've bought all the books up until A Storm of Swords Part 2, so no A Feast for Crows or a Dance with Dragons. Basically, will I be able to skip the first two and go onto a Storm of Swords? I can't really be bothered to read the first two, seeing as I know the main plot and such. Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

 

[Psykoma]

Obviously, everything below is my opinion.


My favorite characters are Tyrion, Arya, and Davos, and for those three reasons alone I would say buy the. Buy them now.
In the show, Tyrion is pretty well a badass. In the books, he is even -more- awesome.
Compared to the show, Arya is a freaking *demon* in the books (but note I'm only about 4/5 of the way through a storm of swords).
The show does not touch Davos at all. It shows next to nothing about one of the best characters in the books.


As well, I watched the show before I read the books, and yes, the show does get the major events down.
But it misses so much of the subtext, side-stories and little details (that you KNOW are going to burst out in later chapters/books) that make Martin a really damn good writer.

Simply put, reading the books was (and is!) amazing, and it actually makes the show even -better-, by adding a lot of the sub-text and character thoughts to tie to the actions.

So yes, I would suggest you buy and read them.

[snip]

You can, but I wouldn't.
As I said above, there are so many details and small events that lead in and explain greater ones in the books that didn't make it to the show.
It is still very worthwile to read them even if you've watched the show.

 

[Rainmaker77]

After watching the show I started reading the books.

They are fantastic and I am so glad I did. The main issue however is due to the length of them and the period of time it may take you to read them if your not on holiday and have to take natural breaks it can get a little confusing due to the sheer amount of characters and names.

I love the books, the show has been pretty faithful so far, but there are slight changes, a few in S1 and quite a few more in S2.

If you enjoy reading I'd say go for it, assuming you don't mind 'spoiling' the TV show that is!

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

Depending on where they go with a few of the more significant changes in S2, certain...pivotal events in S3 might change substantially from how they are represented in the book. As I prefer the version of events in the book by a fair long shot, I'd say "yes", but if you want to stay loyal to the shows continuity and not have it marred by a similar but different sequence of events in the books, then it might be best to avoid them.

 

[GrandmaFunk]

I can't really be bothered to read the first two, seeing as I know the main plot and such. Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

Bother yourself, there are many important elements missing in season 2 from A Clash of Kings.

as in, entire characters you won't know about, or will have the wrong idea about.

 

[Rastien]

I knew this would be about ASoIaF. But yeah, I would get the books. Can I ask a question myself though. I've bought all the books up until A Storm of Swords Part 2, so no A Feast for Crows or a Dance with Dragons. Basically, will I be able to skip the first two and go onto a Storm of Swords? I can't really be bothered to read the first two, seeing as I know the main plot and such. Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

Mate i could watch that avatar for hours and never get bored it's so satisfying to see that **** get slapped over and over. The actor does a great job of making us hate the character it has to be said.

On topic, i actually watched the first 2 series before picking up the books and i'm loving it there are a few differences i noted specifically involving Brand won't mention what.

But yeah man give it a go i'm enjoying it throughly as i have to wait A YEAR for more GOT so i'm loving the books

 

[Fractral]

The show does not touch Davos at all. It shows next to nothing about one of the best characters in the books.

How... how the hell could they leave out Davos's part!?! I mean,

Spoiler

He's the one who we see the first part of the battle for kings landing through, and he's massiely important in the later books as he infulences what Stannis does in the north.

I also agree that he's one of the better characters in the books. But man, leaving out an entire main character- that's pretty low.

 

[Psykoma]

The show does not touch Davos at all. It shows next to nothing about one of the best characters in the books.

How... how the hell could they leave out Davos's part!?! I mean,

Spoiler

He's the one who we see the first part of the battle for kings landing through, and he's massiely important in the later books as he infulences what Stannis does in the north.

I also agree that he's one of the better characters in the books. But man, leaving out an entire main character- that's pretty low.

They include him in the show, he is a character. There is a "Davos Seaworth", but it's in name only. He says maybe a couple dozen words all season long, None of his absolute honesty, next to nothing about his history, he only has one son in the show, nothing about his religious views, nothing.
His name is there, but pretty much nothing else about the character is.

Spoiler

Even more, they completely removed Meera and Jojen. If you watched the show only, you'd never know they (or crannogmen at all) even existed.
In the show, Bran, rickon, Hodor and Osha all travel together with the wolves (this is how the season ended, they may split up early next season, I don't know yet. But Meera and Jojen don't exist yet.

They are fantastic and I am so glad I did. The main issue however is due to the length of them and the period of time it may take you to read them if your not on holiday and have to take natural breaks it can get a little confusing due to the sheer amount of characters and names.

I so had that problem. I started reading A Game of Thrones, got to about a hundred pages and just said "Fuck this noise, he's introducing way too many people and places and houses at once with no explanation at all about who they are".
After a few months (and after I had watched the first season), I went back and it was a lot easier (because I had faces I could associate with each character, and knew a bit about them).

Then I finished the book.
Then I noticed that after the end, Martin had included a list of all the characters, their houses, loyalties, and what they do.
I was so angry with myself and the editor. That would have been super useful information at the beginning of the book.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Then I finished the book.
Then I noticed that after the end, Martin had included a list of all the characters, their houses, loyalties, and what they do.
I was so angry with myself and the editor. That would have been super useful information at the beginning of the book.

Ahh, that is a real error with the books so far for me. I'm about halfway through book 1, and seeing as I remember people by faces rather than names it's really hard for me to see who's who. Then I noticed the character list at the end, if they had put it at the beggining none of this would have happened.

 

[Padwolf]

Yes buy the books. Buy the books buy the books buy the books buy the books buy the books buy the books. They are amazing!

I think that the film Stardust is a lot better than the book was in all honesty. That's the only one I can think of at the moment.

The film Shutter Island was just as good as the book. I read the book first and thought "They should make a movie out of this!" Then my boyfriend told me they had, and that it's actually been out for a while now. I felt like such a goof.

 

[SquidVicious]

I knew this would be about ASoIaF. But yeah, I would get the books. Can I ask a question myself though. I've bought all the books up until A Storm of Swords Part 2, so no A Feast for Crows or a Dance with Dragons. Basically, will I be able to skip the first two and go onto a Storm of Swords? I can't really be bothered to read the first two, seeing as I know the main plot and such. Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

I would say read A Clash of Kings because the show deviated pretty heavily in parts from that book (it's also my favorite in the series). I know the eager anticipation to read what is truly a spectacular book, but I think you'll be doing yourself a disadvantage by not reading it and by going on just what the show depicted. While the first season of Game of Thrones was very true to the novel, A Clash of Kings was noticeably patchy in some areas, while making up in others, but regardless I think you should read the book first.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

I knew this would be about ASoIaF. But yeah, I would get the books. Can I ask a question myself though. I've bought all the books up until A Storm of Swords Part 2, so no A Feast for Crows or a Dance with Dragons. Basically, will I be able to skip the first two and go onto a Storm of Swords? I can't really be bothered to read the first two, seeing as I know the main plot and such. Is there anything that the TV show missed that is necessary for the third volume?

I would say read A Clash of Kings because the show deviated pretty heavily in parts from that book (it's also my favorite in the series). I know the eager anticipation to read what is truly a spectacular book, but I think you'll be doing yourself a disadvantage by not reading it and by going on just what the show depicted. While the first season of Game of Thrones was very true to the novel, A Clash of Kings was noticeably patchy in some areas, while making up in others, but regardless I think you should read the book first.

Well I'm halfway through A Game of Thrones so I can't really skip it now. But yeah, I'll read A Clash of Kings. Mainly to read the battle of Blackwater, since that was my favourite episode in the show.