How bad are the fire and ice books compared to the show? I really do hate games of thrones, I think it's quite disgusting. But I've noticed when discussing with fans of the books many of the things that I have issues with are only present in the show - according to them at least. Even articles that are critical of the show will often contrast it with the books assessing that the problems they address are not present in the books or they contrast how things were handled and portrayed in both version. The main difference seemingly that there is a purpose and message and genuine character development in RR's work rather than just shock value and more shock value.
So should I give them a try? I need something lowbrow to listen to when I work out anyway.
>>8239248
The books put the show to shame. You would not waste your time reading them anon. The show twists the characters to sell to mainstream entertainment, while Martin writes to dwindling fans of written text, not pandering at all. Though he writes a lot about food and fluff, and the sex is more gratuitous than the show, the actual meat and potatoes of the story is much more complex and better in my opinion.
>>8239248
i have only read the first book so i don't have much to go on but overall i'd say the book was better than the show, mainly because you have a window into what characters are thinking when things happen to them or around them.
the prose isn't great, though, and i don't find the characters or story to be interesting at all. but i tend to dislike pretty much everything so...
read the first book. even though it seems long, it's a pretty quick read.
>>8239259
>>8239269
Thanks fellows. Looking forward to remembering the author's poor looks while reading the sex scenes.
>>8239285
You'll probably find yourself to like a lot of characters that don't even exist in the show.
>>8239285
there's nothing better than picturing grrm's face as he describes a slave girl applying scented oils to an underage girl's nipples.
>>8239269
Important to note is that the first season of the show is the best, at least in my opinion, and the first book is not the best, again my opinion.
>>8239344
This
Read the books first and treat the show as a bit of a tribute to the books, rather than a substitute.
>>8239248
George rr Martin can not write worth a damn. It's honestly almost as poorly written as fifty shades of grey.
the show is shit. the scale is all wrong. it's not epic compared to the books. the show would need a peter jackson movie budget to get it right.
The books are shit.
Only read them if you want to fit in.
If you want to read about people swinging swords in a low magic setting read Egil's saga or Chronicle of Fredegar or any other medieval chronicle. It's much more interesting and it actually happened. There's also runic magic in norse sagas and divine acts like fireballs and deer and such in Fredegar's book.
They are WAY better.
I read the books and now I don't even want to watch the show from what I heard about it.
>>8239285
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmKhGqWcJGY
Obligatory`
>>8239269
>prose isn't that great
Well, Martin likes to stretch things. Whether you like it or not is your preference.
I would say the first book isn't the best, I didn't pay much attention when reading it myself as I was bored. It serves as a buildup to the events in the books later on though, and is basically prequel to the "main events". Worth the read nonetheless.
>>8239248
I prefer the show. Gave up on the books after finishing the third one.
>tfw those random awkward lesbo-scenes between Dany and her servant
Why did he put those in the book? Did they have any impact on the plot or is Martin just a horny old fatty?
>>8239817
Plot.
Read the first and dropped the second after some pages. This was five years ago. Now I'm watching the show.
Both are an ode to mediocrity. I'll stay with the tv series as it takes less time, but I don't really care about spoilers and already know most of the shit that will happen. Usually watch half an episode when eating my meals.
>>8239248
If you don't like the show ("because it's disgusting") I don't think you'll like the book either.
books are shit
grrm cant write prose
The show is superior in that it streamlines an already bloated mess of a story. I'm personally very content that the fat fuck's 20 year baby is being spoiled before he can finish it. Serves you right you slow audacious fuck.
>>8241482
I wasn't referring to the presence of sex and violence, but the show's shallow, predictable, pointless narrative sadism. It's like watching Westoro's funniest home videos.
>>8239248
My problem with the show is that it could have been so much better. The writers wanted to created something of their own and decided to butcher the old man's story and make their own inferior take on it. But it could have been so much better and more original. Just look at the pic in the OP, how interesting all those places look and how rich and full of potential the world is. Make show only characters with different and less important plot points than in the book, show us how the commoners live, how those cities that we never got to read about in the books are run. Make the goddamn world feel alive, not just a setting for the soap-opera-tier actions of several characters. That's how the writers should have treated the show if they had any respect for the books and weren't just some money and fame whores.
