12 replies to this topic

[kidvisions]

Hello everyone,

I heard a lot about the books and the series, and since the books are no available in my country (except in French, and I hate translations) I decided I would just watch the series. After watching season 1 and 4 episodes of season 2, I found the books 2, 3 and 4 in a library. I don't know if it is ok to start reading from the second book? Or is that absolutely necessary to read book 1 ?

Edited by kidvisions, 03 December 2012 - 04:53 AM.

[Juli Flay]

Welcome to the forum.

It is not absolutely necessary to start with the first book when you watched the show, but I would still recommend it because there are a lot more twists, riddles and details which simply didn't fit in the tv series. Maybe you could look on Amazon for the first book or simply ask for it in the library. I mean, they should have book one when they have the others, I guess someone just borrowed it before you.

[kidvisions]

Julifay Greyiron, on 03 December 2012 - 05:17 AM, said:

Welcome to the forum.

It is not absolutely necessary to start with the first book when you watched the show, but I would still recommend it because there are a lot more twists, riddles and details which simply didn't fit in the tv series. Maybe you could look on Amazon for the first book or simply ask for it in the library. I mean, they should have book one when they have the others, I guess someone just borrowed it before you.

Yes, I think someone borrowed it, but it seems that they are keeping it longer than they should... Would that still be ok if I read the second book first and then when they return the first book I read it?

[Juli Flay]

kidvisions, on 03 December 2012 - 05:29 AM, said:

Yes, I think someone borrowed it, but it seems that they are keeping it longer than they should... Would that still be ok if I read the second book first and then when they return the first book I read it?

Sure, however you prefer it.

[kidvisions]

Julifay Greyiron, on 03 December 2012 - 05:32 AM, said:

Sure, however you prefer it.

Thank you!

[Horza]

There are a lot of characters, events and subplots in the first and second books that aren't in the TV series, and the course of events is somewhat different, so while the broad strokes are the same, reading the second without having read the first will be a more confusing experience than otherwise.

[Lannister Hamster]

The first book to first series is a close adaptation. There might be a few things and characters that don't make sense, but on the whole you should be fine starting in book 2.

My wife did it and she had maybe 2 questions starting from book 2 after watching the series

[Nezzer]

I urge you to read from book 1. The first season of the show was very accurate, but there's a lot missing. Bran's dreams are much more important and explicit. Ned's memories from the war. I think at least half of the lines attributed to most characters are from their own thoughts and the show never shows their thoughts with some echoey voice (thank R'hllor, it would be awful), so you miss a lot. You'd miss most of the background. There are also many characters that haven't appeared on the show that were introduced in the first book and return on the second one. I strongly recommend you to read from the very start.

Edited by Nezzer, 06 December 2012 - 10:34 PM.

[kidvisions]

Horza, on 04 December 2012 - 05:37 PM, said:

There are a lot of characters, events and subplots in the first and second books that aren't in the TV series, and the course of events is somewhat different, so while the broad strokes are the same, reading the second without having read the first will be a more confusing experience than otherwise.

Lannister Hamster, on 05 December 2012 - 04:10 AM, said:

The first book to first series is a close adaptation. There might be a few things and characters that don't make sense, but on the whole you should be fine starting in book 2.

My wife did it and she had maybe 2 questions starting from book 2 after watching the series

Nezzer, on 06 December 2012 - 10:32 PM, said:

I urge you to read from book 1. The first season of the show was very accurate, but there's a lot missing. Bran's dreams are much more important and explicit. Ned's memories from the war. I think at least half of the lines attributed to most characters are from their own thoughts and the show never shows their thoughts with some echoey voice (thank R'hllor, it would be awful), so you miss a lot. You'd miss most of the background. There are also many characters that haven't appeared on the show that were introduced in the first book and return on the second one. I strongly recommend you to read from the very start.

I think that's what I will do. I couldn't resist the temptation of finishing the second season, but right now I am starting the first book. I will have to read an electronic version on a library's ipad or kindle, even though I prefer hard copies.
When I started reading, I couldn't help trying to remember what I watched in the series, but I managed to stop myself from doing that so that I can re-imagine everything myself.
I think it would be interesting to make a post about techniques to put aside "spoilers" you have already been exposed to when reading the books for the first time.

[JJtheCrow]

Do yourself a big favor and read book 1 before reading book 2.  Its the right thing to do.

[Bad Hound!]

I agree with the other posters: please read book 1. I know you've already watched the series but there is so much more in the books, you won't get bored, believe me. AGOT is an amazing book. Seriously, you shouldn't have a problem finding it on Amazon or if your library does Kindle lend-outs.

[xylem]

I started with the TV show first as well, and was motivated to start reading because I found Season 2 confusing and disappointing relative to Season 1.  I decided that rather than judge the series by the show, I would make sure I'd read book 2 so that I could evaluate it in its original form.  And I'm incredibly glad I did because I was hooked.  

So, for me, because I was mostly interested in clarifying season 2, I didn't pay as much attention to book 1, initially.  I downloaded an audiobook version, and listened to book 1 while I did other things... it meant that I got a good enough passing sense of the details I'd missed in the show without giving it all my attention.  Then I bought book 2 for real, and started reading slowly and carefully from there.

Having recently finished books 2-4 that way, I've now gone BACK to book 1 and am giving it the careful read that I didn't give it the first time.  There's a lot I missed, and I'm glad I'm doing it.

But I'm also glad I didn't *force* myself to spend too much time on book 1 initially when I was impatient to get to book 2.  I'm getting more out of book 1 now... mostly because I WANT to spent all that time carefully picking through the details, in a way that I wouldn't have been motivated to initially.

My point is: do what will hold YOUR attention best.  But if you choose to start at book 2, do yourself a favour and go back to book 1 eventually!

[Montey14]

kidvisions, on 03 December 2012 - 04:49 AM, said:

Hello everyone,

I heard a lot about the books and the series, and since the books are no available in my country (except in French, and I hate translations) I decided I would just watch the series. After watching season 1 and 4 episodes of season 2, I found the books 2, 3 and 4 in a library. I don't know if it is ok to start reading from the second book? Or is that absolutely necessary to read book 1 ?

I started from book 3 after I watched the 1st 2 seasons and it wasn't too difficult to follow....however when I went back and read the first 2 books....it was much different in the amount of detail ....especially the asides when the characters reveal their thoughts ...these parts cannot be sufficiently translated on TV and you really can see the personality of the characters in the book....Also....the tv show never goes into Ned's dreams....In the book he is always dreaming of his sister's death...."promise me Ned" she always says.....it's very important in the story line....yet they never go into it on the tv show.....