Game of Thrones - 14 minute preview

[phyzik]

Brandon Sanderson has 1 book left to complete Wheel of Time.

Sucks that Jordan died before writing all the words himself, but I think Sanderson has done an amazing job with the material and ending Jordan Left him.

My enjoyment actually went on the books he started on.

The one book Im waiting for the most is Inheritance from Christopher Paolini.

I know its supposed to be a teen book but I just cant give up a good Dragon story. For a long time I avoided the Eragon books like the plague after the movie came out but after I had the chance to read the first one, Im hooked to see what happens and cant wait for November to come around.

It's sad to say, but I actually took a day off from work and spent the whole day reading Brisingr from start to finish. Took me 13 hours, and now Im pissed I have to wait until November to finish the story.

I guess Im cursed that way.... If I pick up a good book, I wont stop reading. Most books I can finish in a day or two... Then I'm stuck having to wait for the next one (fuck you Salvatore!!! Make more Drizzt books!!). Then, while waiting for the next book in a series, I stupidly go out and get a totally different series and plow thru that one.....

Its an endless cycle.... Im doomed to be reading these books forever.

[DieMrBond]

This series is next on my list of things to read, assuming i can scam a copy off of someone!

I agree with phyzik, Salvatore definitely needs to make more Drizzt books... they arent exactly high brow, but damn are they fun. I'm currently re-reading the Feist series from the start, all the way through - just finished Exiles Return. Definitely one of my favourite series...

DragonLance is my other pet series - love the Weis/Hickman core novels...

Anyway, back on topic - this looks freaking awesome. Sean Bean, ever since 006 has been one of my favourite actors.

[Cry Havoc]

My fave characters:

1. Jaime Lannister.
2. Tyrion Lannister.
3. Arya Stark

I also like reading from Cersei's POV, not because her character is likeable, but she is enjoyable to read about, and I think it's a fairly accurate depiction of how someone would behave in such a situation with her temperament. Seeing her continually err so often is very entertaining.

I'm halfway through book 4.

[CubanMustGo]

I'm current, but it's been so long since Feast for Crows (over five freaking years!!) that I need to go back and catch up. Maybe there's a Cliff's Note version out there - ha!

Now THIS series and its humungous books is one that makes me wish I had a Kindle.

[Sec24Row7]

FFC is just a lot to chew on considering most people's favorites aren't in the damned thing.

Without Jon, Bran, Daenerys, or Tyrion chapters, it take a long time to get through...

I actually forgot another great character that should be on the list... Sam

[admiralsnackbar]

Looks pretty badass.

[leemajors]

Yeah, it's been over a month since he announced it would be available on July 12 but there's been no official "yes, it's really finished" update. Takes a while to print that many books and get them shipped out to bookstores. Gone from 129 days remaining to 98 ...

Maybe we can get Kori to set us up a vBookie on whether or not it'll be out on time!

Read something yesterday - he's still not done, but thought he was close enough for the publisher to release a date. Maybe he should quit editing all those Sci Fi novels.

http://io9.com/#!5788838/george-rr-m...ending-of-lost

[leemajors]

As far as fantasy goes, I also really enjoyed the Lukyanenko quadrology that starts with Night Watch. After I saw and loved the movie I read all of the books. A very fun, quick series read.

[CubanMustGo]

Read something yesterday - he's still not done, but thought he was close enough for the publisher to release a date. Maybe he should quit editing all those Sci Fi novels.

http://io9.com/#!5788838/george-rr-martin-talks-about-world+building-tinkering-and-the-ending-of-lost

That's where it sat a month ago when he originally announced the date. Would have been nice to have heard he's made significant progress since then, didn't see anything to that effect.

People have been after GRRM for seemingly doing everything BUT ADWD for years. Besides editing crap like Wild Cards, he goes to a LOT of cons. Last year he cut down quite a bit on conventions and that may have helped him make progress.

There is serious concern about GRRM being able to finish the series - there are still at least two* more books due, he's no spring chicken (63 in September), and the time between books has been increasing at an alarming rate.

Game of Thrones - Oct 1996
Clash of Kings - Feb 1999 (28 months)
Storm of Swords - Oct 2000 (20 months)
Feast of Crows - Nov 2005 (61 months)
Dance with Dragons - Jul 2011 (67 months)
Winds of Winter - ?
Dream of Spring - ?

* - Feast of Crows/Dance With Dragons was originally supposed to be one book, so who knows whether the other 'two' remaining will have to be split up too.

[phyzik]

I'm current, but it's been so long since Feast for Crows (over five freaking years!!) that I need to go back and catch up. Maybe there's a Cliff's Note version out there - ha!

Now THIS series and its humungous books is one that makes me wish I had a Kindle.

I bought my Kindle about a month ago.... Well worth the $139 (about $150 after tax). It's been within reach day and night, even at work when there is nothing else to do.

Probably the best investment I've made in a long while. As much as I like books, it gets to be a pain in the ass when you have over 200 books laying around.

Most of them have been taken to half price books now though. Made a good chunk of change so far doing that.

[TheTruth]

Excellent series. 14 minutes looked very very good. Officially excited for this one. Guess I'm buying HBO for a few months.

[phyzik]

So, what did you all think?

To me, it starts off slow just like the books.... To me thats a good thing.... I dont think I can recall a series thats based off a book series that actually follows the story of the books in TV format.

For those that watched the first episode but never read the book.... Give it a chance and keep watching.... It picks up quickly if they continue to follow the books as closely as it appears they are.

[brettn]

Didn't read the books and watched the first episode tonight and I loved it. Has alot of potential and thought they did a good job of introducing alot of the characters while keeping me entertained. Between the white walkers (still alot to learn about these things, whatever they are), the impending invasion by the crazy motherfuckers on horseback (I'm assuming), and the corruption within the main kingdom, I see alot of ways this series can go. And the ending was also pretty fucked up, but made for some pretty dramatic television. Definitely looking forward to next weeks episode.

[leemajors]

I thought they did a really good job.

[21_Blessings]

And the ending was also pretty fucked up, but made for some pretty dramatic television. Definitely looking forward to next weeks episode.

GRRM sex scenes are the most hilarious (and best-worst) parts of the series. 4 years younger Dany ended up wet and liking it IRRC in that scene from the book.

I see alot of ways this series can go.

Read the books, fag.

[Fpoonsie]

Read the books, fag.

I have no desire to read the books, but your comment does remind me of a friend of mine that was a big fan of the LotR movie trilogy. The wait between the Two Towers and Return of the King was torture for him, since he "couldn't wait to see what happened!"

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The greatest fantasy series of all-time, IMO. People who think Lord of the Rings is fantastic story telling should really read this.

Meh. Read all the hype on here about it and came away disappointed.

Its not bad but quite frankly he obviously changed the plot line several times.

Lets build up all these characters. Get a line going. Oh I want to write more than three books so I will kill off half of them. Oh wait one of them needs to be made undead.

Lalalalalalala.

The writing is pretty good but I personally prefer Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen better.

[The Reckoning]

phyzik with a surprisingly fresh troll gig.

[hater]

alll of a sudden I had HBO turned on this sunday. Must be a promotional thing with this show.

Saw it and it was so-so. I am sure the story is great but that does not mean the show will be good. In these movies it's all about having the ambience, the world has to seem real. This one is not as great as LOTR. The extras are seen doing their daily duties but it all looks a little fake. Hope it gets better. But IMO this won't even compete with LOTR.

[leemajors]

alll of a sudden I had HBO turned on this sunday. Must be a promotional thing with this show.

Saw it and it was so-so. I am sure the story is great but that does not mean the show will be good. In these movies it's all about having the ambience, the world has to seem real. This one is not as great as LOTR. The extras are seen doing their daily duties but it all looks a little fake. Hope it gets better. But IMO this won't even compete with LOTR.

It's a fucking TV series, dude. You're comparing an HBO TV series with some of the most absurdly expensive budgeted movies of all time, and a series where the third movie takes a shit on the audience for three hours.

[21_Blessings]

I personally prefer Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen better.

[hater]

It's a fucking TV series, dude. You're comparing an HBO TV series with some of the most absurdly expensive budgeted movies of all time, and a series where the third movie takes a shit on the audience for three hours.

what the fuck does $ have to do with this?

I can name you tons of low budget movies that get the ambience and realism just right. Eraserhead for example.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Care to expound?

[leemajors]

what the fuck does $ have to do with this?

I can name you tons of low budget movies that get the ambience and realism just right. Eraserhead for example.

This had the look and feel of the book almost spot on in this first episode, your statement made little sense.

[hater]

This had the look and feel of the book almost spot on in this first episode, your statement made little sense.

just because it is a decent transfer from the book does not make it a great movie/show.

don't get me wrong, it looks decent. But due to the missing "ambience" and "realism" it is definitely not living up to the hype that HBO has put on it.

[21_Blessings]

Care to expound?

You're the one with the ridiculous opinion. You first.

Shitting on Erikson is too easy.

[Sec24Row7]

Get Ready for 10-12 more episodes!

Hopefully this puts pressure on the bearded troll of an author to finally finish Dance with Dragons and get a good start on Winds of Winter.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/04/19/ga...rones-renewed/




Winter is coming — back!

HBO has renewed its fantasy series Game of Thrones after airing only one episode. The show’s second season will likely debut next year and will be based on George R.R. Martin’s second book in his Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings.

“We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin’s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” said Michael Lombardo, president of HBO. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.”

As previously reported, a Thrones renewal was likely even before the show premiered given HBO’s big investment in creating the world of Westeros and the potential back-end from international sales and DVD.

Sunday’s premiere ratings were fairly healthy too, with the drama delivering 4.2 million viewers across three airings.

[nkdlunch]

HBO just grabbing the Dungeon n Dragon nerds they supposed to grab

[Johnny RIngo]

I understand the show doesn't have time to fit every moment from the novel but I would have really liked to have seen the practice sword-fight between Bran and Tommen(the one that Arya and Jon watch from above - Joffrey and Sandor laugh at Robb and the Starks for using wooden swords during their training sessions). It also seems like they're adding in a few moments of their own(the Ned/Jaime interaction in the hall about the tourney). Thankfully, they seemed to have aged a few of the characters like Dany. Otherwise, it would have incredibly awkward during the sex scenes(she was like, what, fourteen in the book?).

[Johnny RIngo]

just because it is a decent transfer from the book does not make it a great movie/show.

don't get me wrong, it looks decent. But due to the missing "ambience" and "realism" it is definitely not living up to the hype that HBO has put on it.

My only gripe is the lack of extras and the scaled down settings. Kinda expected everything to be a bit more grandiose(hundreds of people going about their duties, gigantic castles/towers) after reading the books. But, to be fair, they did a great job with the plot and the characters. Pretty solid casting all-around.