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Game of Thrones???

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by MikeOPensacola, Aug 9, 2016.

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  1. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    Question for the "Game of Thrones" fans here on VMB. Would I enjoy the series more if I read the books first? Or, conversely, would I enjoy the books more if I watched the series first. I realize this is a kind of catch-22 but I've gotten great recommendations from VMBers in the past regarding television series so I thought I'd take a shot. As always thanks everyone.................

    :peace::beer:
     
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  2. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    Can't help on that one, but a damn good mystery on Netflix is Bloodline . Just started Season Two.
     
  3. CJ's

    CJ's Plumbing the depths of debauchery

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    The books are fabulous Ive read them all :thumbsup:
    The first series for me was a little wooden but showed promise and had me hooked for the next
    The deeper into the show you go the farther away from the books it diverges but I would highly recommend both :peace:
    I would say read the books first then plow through to series 6, good luck and enjoy :p
     
  4. TedCheddy

    TedCheddy Low-Roller

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    My personal opinion as a reader of the books since 1999, and a show watcher since it debuted...watch the series now and wait until ( if ) all the books are released and then read the complete series nonstop. It's been insanely difficult for me to keep track of everything having had to wait so long between books; the first three came out in decent time but the last two took forever. The wait for the latest is getting a little silly, too.

    I did find that I enjoyed this last season on HBO the most because I wasn't constantly racking my brain about how it compared to the book - the show was mostly new territory as it has caught up/passed the novels.
     
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  5. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I have not read the books. We started watching by marathoning through the first few seasons over Christmas and NYE so our experience may be a bit different than some. We spent the whole first season both completely engrossed and totally lost.

    There is an insane number of characters and locations to keep track of. We ended up with our own character names- Dragonlady, Lord Friend-zone, red witch, Peter Dinklage, Peter's dad, etc. Same with places. I think reading the books first would help a lot with that.

    Talking with people who read first, there is something to be said for not knowing what was going to happen. There are a number of shockers I am glad I didn't see coming. Like Ted said, people told me they loved this season because they didn't know where it was going.

    Also this show is great 2-3 episodes at a time. (I would have done more but I'm a maniac and Dan's TV threshold is about 3 hours.) This past season we were caught up and always wanting more at the end of each Sunday. Watching live, I always felt I missed characters that weren't on for a couple episodes. I can't even think about how long it is until next season. :cry:

    You probably can't lose either way.
     
  6. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    IMHO books are almost always superior to film/TV adaptations. In this particular case I didn't read GOT so I can't give an opinion. . But the TV series is very good. I agree with Sonya, it's a good one to binge watch as there are a lot of plots and characters and it's easy to forget what's going on. I watch each week because if I don't I know I'll hear about it. I always plan to rewatch the last season before the new season starts but I never do.
     
  7. daveg000

    daveg000 VIP Whale

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    I'm a Science Fiction/Fantasy reader. I read the first 4 books before 2006.

    I've found that I always like the books better, and if I see a movie too soon after reading them, I hate it.

    If it's 6+ years later, after reading hundreds more books, I've found, it helps understanding of what's going on, character recognition, and doesn't diminish my liking of the Video. I don't know how folks can even understand some stories without having previously read the book, think "Dune"

    We binge watched the first three seasons, and now watch regularly.
     
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  8. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    If I were you I would just watch the show (and I NEVER give advice like that lol)

    If you are curious later you can read the books. But the books are not finished yet (and may never be), and TV has deadlines. Also, the book series gets a big bogged down following too many stories, where the show is more streamlined.

    If I could do it over, I wouldn't touch the books until I am sure they are all published.
     
  9. daveg000

    daveg000 VIP Whale

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    Do I hear that!. I my old age, I am starting to forget what books I have read. Some SF/Fantasy series go 10+ Books.

    I started the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan in 1990, 11 books came out , one every so often over the next 15 years (2005), then the author died in 2007, leaving the series unfinished. They had to hire another author to finish the next three books and it finally was done in 2013.

    Fourteen 600+ page books, with literally hundreds of characters and 6 or 7 plot lines going all the time over 23 years!!! NEVER AGAIN!
     
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  10. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Try being a Steven Erikson reader. Most of his tomes topped 1000 pages. Main series complete at something like 10 of those books. And two authors writing companion works ... another 8 or so and counting.

    But at least they are fast and prolific. You don't spend years waiting on a cliffhanger.

    Aside from Martin, Patrick Rothfuss is also bad when it comes to that. He is writing a trilogy. Book 2 took him so long and so many missed deadlines than he no longer talks about book 3 dates
     
  11. sharper

    sharper Low-Roller

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    I watched the first season and at the "oh s**t" moment late in the season, I was hooked. Found out there were bOops and read all of them that were out before the second season came out. I think the first 3 are definitely worth reading. 4 and 5 and sort of rough to get through.
     
  12. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    For those who read the books it will be interesting to see what the next book is like (if he ever gets it done) since they caught up to the books in 2015. Martin was involved in the storylines of the latest season and he said the next book would have some of the same plots as the 2016 season but that some of the plots would differ.
     
  13. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    I just got an app on my ipad for Game of Thrones. It cost $4.99 but it is incredible. It lists every conceivable person, location, family lineage etc. etc. etc. It would take a helluva long time to go through the entire app. Lots of great maps of Westeros, Essos, beyond the Wall and all of the journeys that the main characters take.

    :peace::beer:
     
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  14. meyers67

    meyers67 VIP Whale

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    I vote for watching it on tv. Lots of stuff going on so I watched the series a second time and it was even more enjoyable.

    I wouldn't read the books, but I'm not a reader.
     
  15. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    I read the first one and then dove into the series. I'm at the start of season five, pretty damn good so far.
     
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  16. rje

    rje High-Roller

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    Regardless of your decision, I recommend the show. I was late to the series, but enjoyed the marathon sessions. Now it sucks having to wait until the next season now that I am caught up!
    Both my wife and brother in law have read the books and are fans of the show and enjoy both, so I don't think you'll be disappointed no matter what your path to the world of GOT.

    Sonya- I smile reading your post, as I am not good with the many, many names on the show! (Save for Jon Snow!) : )
    It the Queen of Dragons, Dwarf, the Red lady, and "you know.. that guy who did this...!" etc for me as well!
     
  17. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Jon Snow is easy because it's the most "normal" and people say it all the time. "You know nothing, Jon Snow!" I now know his name is Jorah Mormont, but I still like to call him "Lord Friend-zone". :haha:

    There are a few I still struggle with. I never can remember the littlest Stark brother's name. Same with The Hound and The Mountain's actual names. Oh well. It's still great TV.
     
  18. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Rickon
    Sandor
    Gregor

    Ironically, I am terrible with names in real life.
     
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