28 replies to this topic

[eelcoheidema]

Dear Fans,

I have started to read ASOIAF after seeing the first season on television. I have not read the first book, i have read until a Feast for Crows half way. So do i miss a lot of background information. Is there anybody how has read the book after seeing the tv serie and what is your experience??? Just let me know:)

[Shaggydog Stark]

I read the books long before the TV series, but I think you need to read the first book, because there is a lot of information in it that is not in the TV series, especially Ned's memories. Also the TV series changed some things around and added stuff not in the book.

[mike_s_6]

Eddard's promise doesn't seem to exist in the show at all, for one, and the succeeding books no longer mention it because only Ned can think of it.

Also, another important matter. I think some people are mighty confused with the way some of the characters act, or are disappointed with how "shallow" they are, because they visualize the characters in the way they saw them in the TV adaptation. In the books, I saw them as kids, and they thought and acted like kids with burdens on them. The impact of them getting scattered and losing their parents was all the more depressing for me because they were so young. Robb was trying to prove himself a man in front of Joffrey, Jon was near tears twice for being teased as a bastard, Sansa is as naive as a little girl gets, etc etc. In one of Jon's POV's, he gets annoyed with Joffrey purely because Robb and he are both older than him yet Joffrey is TALLER. I suppose you can't imagine the actors in the show thinking like that at all!

[Aki]

eelcoheidema, on 21 October 2011 - 05:08 AM, said:

Dear Fans,

I have started to read ASOIAF after seeing the first season on television. I have not read the first book, i have read until a Feast for Crows half way. So do i miss a lot of background information. Is there anybody how has read the book after seeing the tv serie and what is your experience??? Just let me know:)

It's much better to read all the books, even better if you can read them twice, 'cause when you read them first time, you just keep on reading, to see what's gonna happen, and sometimes you miss something which is actually important. My advice: read all the books, in proper order. Than, you'll have time to read them once again, while waiting for new book to come out.

[ICE CROW]

There was another thread like this, you really are hurting yourself by not reading the AGOT. Ned's memories alone, are worth reading the book. but there is also some extended scene, between Ned and Robert, that shouldn't be missed. In particular, the scene with Ned and Robert in the tent, during the tourney. Is far better in the book, actually the tourney itself, carries so much more meaning in the book.

[lyvyathan]

But there are other things that the HBO series does better imho - particularly the scene in mind is when Robert and Cersei have their little chat about the threat from the East. I'd do both. Read the book/ watch the series.

[eelcoheidema]

Ok, so there is a lot of background info i miss. I am gonna read the book but aftter i read ADOD from there i am gonna read the serie once again till the new book comes out. But man these books are great.

Edited by eelcoheidema, 22 October 2011 - 10:25 AM.

[Helzik]

I, too, am new to ASoIaF, having discovered the books after watching the HBO series. I'm almost done with ACoK, and I've loved every page so far.

To me, reading AGoT after watching the series was like reading a director's cut. I knew the plot lines, but got more details about the world, and so much more insight into the characters.

And there's another very important reason to read the first book, in addition to getting background info and stuff not depicted in the TV series: if you don't read it you are cheating yourself out of 800+ pages of GRRM's awesome writing! I'm new to GRRM as well as these books, and I must say I REALLY like his style.

P.S. Hi all - new member here, first post.

[Winter is coming?]

I agree with Helzik and am in the same boat.  I watched the show and fell in love with it then started reading the books.  I started at AGoT to reinforce what i had just watched and it really helped a lot in terms of easing the burden a bit, by which i mean there are a LOT of names being thrown around in the beginning and it can become a bit overwhelming, but I already knew who everyone was so it made it more attractive for me.  The biggest difference I noticed at the end of the book compared to the series is how it sets up ACoK.  I feel the book had more of an emphasis on how the realm was left post Ned Stark and King Robert and who would then be striving for power in Westeros going into ACoK...in the show all i cared about at the end was CGI dragons.  I didn't even stop to think that Robert had brothers who wanted to sit the iron throne, or that joff's blonde hair would make ppl question his right to be on the throne, or that Robb Stark would make a push as well, all i thought was dragons.

[khaleesiStormborn]

_{I never knew about the books before I watched the series on HBO. It was only after the series was done that I started going crazy and could'nt wait till the second season that I started looking to see if there was books and found out that there were 4 of them, so I immedietly started on the second book then the third then fourth. While I was waiting for Dragons to come out, I read the first book, and was so surprised when I did. It was well worth reading and I was completly happy with my descision to read it. So if your like me and can't wait to see what happens next, I suggest doing it like that. But whenever you decide to read GOT just make sure you do read it. Then re-read all of them, there is so much that you miss the first time you read them that it is so rewarding the second time around.}

[Gurthnar]

Helzik, on 24 October 2011 - 10:19 AM, said:

I, too, am new to ASoIaF, having discovered the books after watching the HBO series. I'm almost done with ACoK, and I've loved every page so far.

To me, reading AGoT after watching the series was like reading a director's cut. I knew the plot lines, but got more details about the world, and so much more insight into the characters.

I can  relate myself to this pretty much. First I watched the HBO series (in a span of 24 hours ) , then I ordered the books (teased by the ending in every plotline as much as overall style), read GoT pretty fast and then re-watched the show. I regret nothing, although reading the book first would probably leave more time to absorb the events, and speculate about consequences before continuing on.

One thing is certain to me - everyone considering reading ASoIaF definitely SHOULD start with the first book, having seen the show, or not.

Edited by Gurthnar, 13 November 2011 - 12:21 PM.

[Loose seal]

The show has done a very good job with characterization and the overall plot but if you don't read the book you are missing out on a lot of small details, flashbacks, dreams, that provide a lot of insight into the characters and their backstory. Bran and Daenerys' dreams have been cut down significantly as well.
Also, as many people here would say, it was a travesty that they left out the Tower of Joy part.

[FanTasy]

eelcoheidema, on 21 October 2011 - 05:08 AM, said:

Dear Fans,

I have started to read ASOIAF after seeing the first season on television. I have not read the first book, i have read until a Feast for Crows half way. So do i miss a lot of background information. Is there anybody how has read the book after seeing the tv serie and what is your experience??? Just let me know:)

Hi Eelcoheidema. Please, please do read the books after you've seen the show.
I did it ...and liked the characters, the humor. I liked the show but the books are much much more ... not just in words but in meaning, in making you think about things.
I live in Europe in a country where the series have not been aired yet and stumbled upon the TV Show at the site of HBO, searching for info about another series. I am ashamed to say I never heard about the books or of GRRM before this, not being a reader of fantasy.
I saw the video's at the HBO site, searched for and saw the episodes at Internet, bought the first book and started reading. The next day I bought the three following books and after the fourth book I rushed to the store and bought ADWD.

I hope you will read the books!

Edited by FanTasy, 13 November 2011 - 12:54 PM.

[Hovis_Muttonchops]

My first post here... seems like as good a thread to jump into as any! Due to a lack of Sky Atlantic, I haven't yet seen the show, and I'm desperate for the dvd release! I picked up GoT on the back of the publicitiy for the show, and loved it... I'm approaching the end of AFfC now, and am totally hooked.

The clips and visuals I've seen of the show have influenced the way I see the characters and settings in my head, but not exclusively. It's so nice to read a fantasy series which is as downright dirty in all senses of the word as it can get... as much as I've loved other fantasy I've read, some of it has been far too sanitised, and fairy-taleish which doesn't fit in with the quasi-medieval settings of most fantasy books. Great stuff!

[House Balstroko]

I think its best to read the books first and in the correct order so as to avoid unecessary confusion. I withheld eatching the show until I first completed AGOT.

[richardya]

I read most of the first book and then left it to skip to the 2nd. I found it a little frustrating that I knew most of the story from the show and even a great deal of the minor stuff. You do learn more about the tangential characters which is the only real positive.

[Florentina]

I read the book and watched the TV-series with my boyfriend, who hasn't read it. It seemed to me as the series didn't leave too much out, but my boyfriend didn't get half of it, so I was chatting all the time and explaining everything to him. So I don't think that it was a good idea to leave the first book out just because you've seen the series.

[playXray]

I did a similar thing, I watched the TV series first and then decided to read the books. I thought about skipping the first book as I'd just watched the TV series but in the end I decided to read start with the first book. I'm really glad I did, AGoT is a fabulous book and I definitely would have missed out if I'd skipped it.

Just waiting for the blu-ray to be released so I can re-watch series 1 and then go pretty much straight into series 2 when it's on Sky in April.

[TheDrawback]

I also started the books after the TV series but i decided to start the reading at the first book couse often there is a lot more mentioned in them
(and sometimes film totaly screwed up like for example Eragon), but with this show I do think they kept true to the book although not in detail as they give Shae a much bigger suspected backstory as for the books this isnt mentioned.

[Darth Vader's Bastard]

eelcoheidema, on 21 October 2011 - 05:08 AM, said:

Dear Fans,

I have started to read ASOIAF after seeing the first season on television. I have not read the first book, i have read until a Feast for Crows half way. So do i miss a lot of background information. Is there anybody how has read the book after seeing the tv serie and what is your experience??? Just let me know:)

Read the book. If you don't you are missing out on a TON of information! It is known!