Are the books as good as the HBO series?

[Skydiver]

Editor-ectomy or 'editorial override'

Authors can fall in love with their own work and become very self-indulgent...and lose sight of what they're really doing/writing. And then have enough clout to defy people.

Their work can suffer (honestly I look at star wars episodes 1-3 the same way, Lucas with billions and no one able to rein him in)

I think, ultimately, HBO has and will keep editorial control and the tv show stands to be far more concise and better paced than the books.

[Lunaeclipse]

Editor-ectomy or 'editorial override'

Authors can fall in love with their own work and become very self-indulgent...and lose sight of what they're really doing/writing. And then have enough clout to defy people.

Their work can suffer (honestly I look at star wars episodes 1-3 the same way, Lucas with billions and no one able to rein him in)

I think, ultimately, HBO has and will keep editorial control and the tv show stands to be far more concise and better paced than the books.

I'll agree with that.

[poundpuppy29]

Here's the review that had me laughing for Dance with Dragons

spoilers for those who don't want to read

Spoiler:

I'm Varamyr Sixskins. I'm here for the prologue to set us all up for the impending horrors of the North and all the excitement to come...

I'm Tyrion Lannister, the most popular character in all of Westeros! I spend this book meandering down a really slow river, ruminating bitterly about my life, misplacing my former charm, eroding all the goodwill I built up in the other books, and wondering where the whores go. Though perhaps I should have been wondering where the plot went. I also observe turtles and women, play board games, mouth off to all and sundry, and coincidentally run into various characters like some wandering monster in a D&D campaign. Maybe I'll make it to Daenarys in the next book, but at least I ditched that pig.

I'm Asha Greyjoy. I don't have much to do, so I'll be the POV character keeping track of Stannis and his forces. At the beginning of Dance with Dragons, he's working his way towards Winterfell to take it back from the Boltons. At the end of Dance with Dragons, he's...working his way towards Winterfell to take it back from the Boltons. Hope that helps.

I'm Ser Davon Seaworth, the Onion Knight. I'm still running errands for Stannis and getting captured frequently. It's a living.

I'm Bran Stark. I am a tree.

I'm Daenarys Targaryen. I'm only a young girl, and I know little in the ways of war, governance, what have you. I used to think I said these things to misdirect people, but as of DoD it seems to be true. I spend my time taking baths, fretting, being wishy-washy, and mooning over this hot mercenary dude. In the end I learn that "you have to go back to go forward." I would have thought that going backwards would be the last thing that this book needs, but I am only a young girl and know little of the ways of story advancement.

I'm Aegon Targaryen. I appear for the first time in book five as the long thought dead son of Prince Rhaegar and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. I know, right? What a surprise! It's like I was just pulled from thin air! I spend much of the book traveling to Daenarys, but then I change my mind and go and invade Westeros without her. Sort of. No one important has noticed yet. See you in the next book!

I'm Griff, aka Jon Connington. I'm here to get Aegon Targaryen on the Iron Throne. I tried to tell that kid not to wait until the fifth book to show up if he wants to be king. Now nobody's invested in us. We're like, peripheral characters or something. Nobody cares. I (*sniff*) just want someone to care, you know?

I'm Theon Greyjoy. Turns out I'm not dead, though I rather wish I were. It's been rough. On the bright side, my chapters were some of the only highlights of this bloated beast of a book. I even got to be almost a hero at the end! Can't wait for the next book. Redemption arc ahoy! People like me now!

Tyrion: Settle down sailor. You're not really a major character, and people still don't like you.

I'm Jaime Lannister. I snuck in to steal a chapter just like I would steal a kiss from my sweet sister. Oh look, there's Brienne! She's not dead after all. Whatever could have happened? Oops, we gotta go now, so I'll guess we'll never know. Blink and you'll miss us!

I'm Ser Robert *cough*Gregor*cough* Strong *cough*not dead*cough*. Gregor SMASH!

I'm the Hound. You know, I strongly suspect that I might not be dead either.

Tyrion: Quiet, you. No one even mentions you in this book.

I'm Wyman Manderly. I'm a minor character, but I bring a bit of awesome anyway. I was last seen bleeding from a neck wound. I wonder if I'll die. Your guess is as good as the author's.

I'm John Snow. I command the wall and defend Westeros from the horrors of the North. I count sides of beef and sausages, receive messages, meet with my staff, greet newcomers, and find bedrooms for all the wildings. Seriously, am I a commander or a butler? It's the end of the book already, we need some action! I'll march on Winterfell and retake it from the cursed Boltons! Away we go! Oh, dang it. Stabbed from all sides. There goes that plan. It sure does seem like I'll die now...

I'm Quentyn Martell. I'm kind of a side plot that has no impact at all on the main story. Then I die. But the good news is that I really am dead for sure!

I'm Melisandre. I get a chapter where I play with fire and see things and act all cryptic with people. Well, I have to amuse myself somehow. It's booorrring at the wall.

I'm Victarion Grayjoy.
Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main!
This book will end
Before I meet
Daenarys Targaryen!

I'm Aero Hota. Don't worry, I don't really remember who I am either. Not much to see here, anyway.

I'm Cersei Lannister. I get two chapters of humiliation. I can has some of Theon's reader sympathy now? No? Well then. I won't forget this. A Lannister always pays his debts...maybe in the next book.

I'm Ayra Stark. I'm in two chapters, too, and I kill someone, like I always do. But this time it's different; this time someone told me to. That's progress. Maybe someday I'll kill someone who has something to do with the main story.

I'm Barriston Selmy. I putter around Meereen, trying in some small way to advance the plot. Alas, to little avail. I'm too old for this.

I'm Kevan Lannister. I waited a thousand pages for a POV and all I got was this lousy epilogue and a quarrel in the chest. Oh well. At least I'm well and truly done with this mess.

Varys: Maybe.

We're the Others. We are the horror of the North and theoretically the real Big Bad Threat in this series. It's five books in, and we still haven't really gotten to do anything yet. To be honest, we're too bored to bother any more. We're going to invade Canada instead and subdue them to our icy will. Apologies everyone!

Hugs and kisses!

[Skydiver]

awesome

now if the next book comes out I can remember where the story left off without having to wade through it again

[magictrick]

That review is hilarious and also helpful in reminding us what each character did in the book. Awesome.

[Skydiver]

I agree. That reviewer should do the '2 page GOT summary' for every book.

[Galileo]

In my opinion, the books are better than the series. I read them first of course, and I think that will always cloud a persons judgement. However I found it a lot easier to keep track with the characters in the book rather than in the movie. It should be said that HPO did do some small messing around with the characters, and I think the restriction of a smaller timeframe meant it was a necessity. It all comes down to what kind of a reader you are. If you are the sort of person who can be patient with a descriptive work, then you will be rewarded with the unique character perspectives that you miss out on quite a bit during the series.
There are also many little clues to what's coming up that you get in the books which we haven't seen in the series yet.

[Lunaeclipse]

... I find that the pace of the early books was better, the later ones took too long and the tv series moves too fast...

[darkaine]

I'll come to this party late and say that I read book 1 and started booked 2 after I saw season 2. Frankly I like not knowing what is going to happen in the show so I won't skip ahead but the books help refresh my memory and fill in story.

I generally don't like over descriptive writers (never could make it through lord of the rings) but I love the books that I've read so far anyway so maybe he's not that bad. I figure if I drag out reading the books long enough maybe I will never run out of books to read.

[fems]

I don't remember if I've mentioned that I started reading the books a few months ago (after the season 3 finale of the show) but I did and I enjoyed them. Had to stop myself from reading as not to spoil the events of the show, since I really liked being shocked by stuff like the red wedding.

However, I recently discussed the show/books with my brother and sister-in-law (they've read all the books but couldn't bring themselves to watch the last two episodes of the show yet, knowing what was coming) and realized I was already starting to forget a few things, so I just finished a rewatch of the show. I was amazed at some of the things that weren't there! Apparently, I had started mixing up the books with the show and my imagination had gone wild, because I could have sworn I'd seen this and that scene! Also, I was surprised at where the show's finale had ended as I can clearly remember the upcoming events but, again, I clearly had the actors from the show in my head as I read the books since I really thought the show had gone further than Mhysa!

I felt a bit sheepish at this revelation but it does prove how well the books are written (I agree the last two are more boring than the rest, though) because I obviously had no trouble picturing the events very vividly...

Anyway, I would suggest reading the books if you enjoy the show as well. Some things make more sense now to me, as they are expanded upon in the book (like the eating/guest thing which was only briefly mentioned by Bran in the show) and the differences really aren't that major. I actually prefer most of the differences, like Jojen having the dream about the attack on Winterfell, although I must say I have a weak spot for Gendry in the show and am glad he got the story line that was for another bastard in the books, IIRC.

[Lunaeclipse]

I don't remember if I've mentioned that I started reading the books a few months ago (after the season 3 finale of the show) but I did and I enjoyed them. Had to stop myself from reading as not to spoil the events of the show, since I really liked being shocked by stuff like the red wedding.

However, I recently discussed the show/books with my brother and sister-in-law (they've read all the books but couldn't bring themselves to watch the last two episodes of the show yet, knowing what was coming) and realized I was already starting to forget a few things, so I just finished a rewatch of the show. I was amazed at some of the things that weren't there! Apparently, I had started mixing up the books with the show and my imagination had gone wild, because I could have sworn I'd seen this and that scene! Also, I was surprised at where the show's finale had ended as I can clearly remember the upcoming events but, again, I clearly had the actors from the show in my head as I read the books since I really thought the show had gone further than Mhysa!

I felt a bit sheepish at this revelation but it does prove how well the books are written (I agree the last two are more boring than the rest, though) because I obviously had no trouble picturing the events very vividly...

Anyway, I would suggest reading the books if you enjoy the show as well. Some things make more sense now to me, as they are expanded upon in the book (like the eating/guest thing which was only briefly mentioned by Bran in the show) and the differences really aren't that major. I actually prefer most of the differences, like Jojen having the dream about the attack on Winterfell, although I must say I have a weak spot for Gendry in the show and am glad he got the story line that was for another bastard in the books, IIRC.

and a few things were different, Dany for example... they seemed to make her meeker for the start of the tv series when she was a bit tougher at the start of the books...

one of the things I enjoy in the book is also the thoughts of the characters, which you don't really get so much in the tv series... it gives you more insight as to who those characters are...

[Morgania]

I've decided to read the books. It can be a bit hard to keep track of all the characters sometimes. How long is the book series going to be anyway?

Spoiler:

Since I decided to like the Starks... I'm running out of characters. Which is sad.

[VampyreWraith]

I've decided to read the books. It can be a bit hard to keep track of all the characters sometimes. How long is the book series going to be anyway?

Spoiler:

Since I decided to like the Starks... I'm running out of characters. Which is sad.

There are supposed to be 7 books.

[Lunaeclipse]

There are supposed to be 7 books.

There were seven books in a boxed set I saw, but the DWD book I have is as fat as the white and grey DWD (boxed set books) so I think it depends....

[VampyreWraith]

Unless they are including the short stories or separating the larger books into two parts there are only 5 books out in The Song of Ice and Fire series so far, with 2 more that are supposed to come out.


A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
A Dance with Dragons

the next one is supposed to be The Winds of Winter