I got it. The Blu-Ray version. Ivy got it for me as a Spring Equinox gift. Haven't seen an episode. Haven't seen a clip. Haven't read the book. Tried to read the book. Did not like the book.
BUT.
I shall give it a shot. Roberto (Bat in the Attic) sing the praises as only he can so I thought what the hell. If nothing else its a movies with swords in it. It can't be too awful. And Sean Bean is in it. Seems like a movie with a sword these days needs Mr. Bean.
Ivy took the picture. I think its cool. She thinks its crap. Isn't that the way of things.
Hah! Same here. I hated the book, but have to give the DvD series a try.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested in seeing your opinion of the show. It's the kind of thing I ought to like, but I had the same reaction you did to the book. I didn't finish it. Got a few chapters in, weighed my interest in the first few chapters vs. the length of the book, sighed, and put it down.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like the book - couldn't force my way to the end. There is a good story there covered up by too many words in the wrong places. The series, however, quite awesome. Enjoy.
ReplyDelete:)
- Ark
Loved both the books and the show. Admittedly it is a bit of a slog sometimes but there is always a worthwile pay off.
ReplyDeleteI've just finished watching season 1 and, in my opinion, this is one of the rare cases in which the show is better than the books.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Martin's pacing in the novels is terrible. I agree with Arkhein that the story is good, but obscured by over-writing. The series is much faster paced and far less tedious. Also, since Martin is the executive producer of the series, it is far more faithful to his vision than most cinematic adaptations of fantasy novels that we've seen of late.
I left a similar comment to this on the blog "The DM's Screen" about the Spartacus series.
ReplyDeleteTo me the show was very entertaining while I watched it, but looking back it wasn't really that memorable. I can't remember character names or places, nothing really grabbed me by the throat except for two things which I won't spoil for you.
I feel like new shows and books are filled more and more with human drama and sex. I can see that anywhere! Show me epic battles, monsters or a dragon!
Liked the books, but after starting them from Book 1 after each subsequent book was published, it got unbearable - with about 4 years between each book.
ReplyDeleteBut my best friend (and his wife) got the bluray versions, and watching it with them has been awesome.
The story is not nice, bastards win and there's a %$#load of sex and violence. Still, it's interesting.
Having read a few of the books and seen the TV series, I think the series is the superior, condensing a very long and oft' meandering narrative into a mere 10 hours.
ReplyDeleteI think all of you "the books are too long/poorly paced!" have attention spans ruined by the internet and MTV. And get off my lawn!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I enjoyed the books (so far, still ahven't read the newest) and found the show a great adaptation for the most part.
I liked the books, and have read most of them. For books like this (sorry, Bard) the longer the better.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen one bit of the TV show though. Not yet anyway.
@Trey: if you still haven't read the latest book, brace yourself for a long and tedious read that does little to advance the story line.
ReplyDeletePacing is a very important aspect of story telling and is the hallmark of a talented story-teller. Unfortunately, Martin has gone the 'Robert Jordan route,' of dragging the story out interminably and will also probably die before finishing the series.
Consider what A Song of Fire and Ice is purportedly about: the awakening of the Others in the north and the coming winter, juxtaposed by the rise of Danaerys Tragaeryon and the return of the dragons (hence the series title). Yet very little of the books are devoted to the story's plotline; instead, thousands of pages are devoted to the Stark vs. Lannister conflict that seems to have little to do with anything.
I'm a life-long bibliophile and limited attention span has nothing to do with my disappointment with Martin's novels. I generally don't watch television at all and I'm generally contemptuous of cinematic adaptations of literature, but in this very rare case the T.V. series really does seem to do a better job of telling the story.
I have slogged through the first four books, but not the fifth. My wife and I just finished watching season 1. It is much faster paced then Martin's book, as yes, he does have Jordanitis. My wife liked it, and she has not read Martin's books, not had any inclination to do so. It was good enough that we power watched 10 hours in three nights.
ReplyDeleteI hated the book, but found the series watchable. That said, a lot of things I hated about the book were to do with plot and characterisation, so I didn't make it through the entire series, although I do acknowledge that it is well-made.
ReplyDeleteI barely made it through the first book and fizzled part way into the second. I have been reading the Oxford History of the United States as each volume is released, books that are much longer than a volume of GoT. So it is not ADD.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why there such a following but also realize I didn't enjoy my experience.
I think you are going to love it! I've been a fan of the books for years and I do admit sometimes I had to will myself to keep reading past the dry parts. The series stays faithful while moving it along at a faster pacing than the story.. and the little dragon queen Daeneyrs.. OH MY!
ReplyDeleteOh and just curious for the other posters.. Did anyone else have a similar experience with the Wheel of Time series? I stopped after book 7.. I just could NOT read another word.
ReplyDelete@Trey: If I get off your lawn, can I take down my tent and sleep on your porch instead?
ReplyDeleteDave: There is a satire of the Wheel of Time series that has a book cover from one of the later books. The title? Characters Show Up.
ReplyDeleteI remember one where they spent about 900 pages to find a magic cereal bowl that stopped global warming. Seemed kind of pointless.