starvingstatic Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Start with Book I. There are a lot of details, clues, hints, easter eggs, inner monologues, and seemingly minor interactions that you don't get by watching the show, and they lead into things that might not make sense later on. This. I just started reading shortly after Season 5 ended, and am just now a third of the way into the second book. The details etc. are worth it. A second (or third, or fourth) go through things (be it watching or reading) will clue you into LOTS of things you simply wouldn't have caught before because you weren't looking (because 99% of people pay attention to the main points the first run through). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhhhh Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Little more than halfway through with the first book. It's good, very loyal to the first season, but with a bit more dialogue and character development, but that is to be expected. I really like it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasûrimbor Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 Absolutely it is worth it. You are going to experience a lot of great additional details, and a more fully fleshed out world that will probably clear up a lot for you and make the whole epic story even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungGriffIsAegonBlackfyre Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Absolutely, one hundred percent worth it. The books are so different, there's so many subplots and characters that don't show up in the show it's not even funny. I can't recommend reading the books enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zalim Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Read the book my advice from book 1. Show is similar but they still messed up on alot and remember this if the books are 100 % the show is showing 5 %. Show is way way too dumb down and simply isnt showing the real BTS politics, plotting and planning that is going on also the WWs are very different in the book, they might have a very different beginning or they might just be a different sort of race or humans who evolved differently.... Many many great characters are still alive and plotting great things so read the books and wait till you meet the real EURON GREYJOY and ramsay bolton from the books you will laugh at Ramsay and Euron from the show about how cute they are also littlefinger from the books is just wow... if it was LF book vs LF show, LF book would eat LF show without blinking twice Tyrion is much much much more nicely written and his story and journey is just amazing in the book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dew Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 They totally worth it, you can get all the details first hand, and the writing style is awesome imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HausOfMark Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes! I just finished reading the first book for the first time and the show/book are different and thats what made it enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof. Cecily Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 I came to the books after having seen the series twice in an unholy marathon and reading at/delving into the Westeros Wiki. I've read them all and am currently rereading them with the Book Club set up by Practical Folks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aeec3vYttfs&index=23&list=PL2uYDUbWnr5e58tyrENKscBfMW_rg02Uj I'll catch up with the current session sooner or later. Do read the books. GRRM has given us an entire world, rich, ugly brutal and entrancing. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Well, maybe for a dragon's egg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byfort of Corfe Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 I started with the books a few years ago, read all of them before I ever watched the series. I like both although for me the later books had gotten a little tedious, characters and plot lines were added in books 4&5 that largely went nowhere (for example Quentyn and Co., a lot of the stuff about Meereen). Sometimes the show just seems to be a tighter narrative. But there are things that the books do that are definitely better, for example Mance and the Wildings are a much better story in the books than in the show. And of course now Book Canon and Show Canon are completely different, we know that the ultimate end, i.e. who or what sits on the Iron Throne or even if it still exists will be the same, but how we get there will be different. Are the books worth reading? Certainly but I wonder, since we will have the ending from the series long before the ending from the books how the delay in the books will affect sales and interest. I must admit that I am not certain that I want to invest a whole lot of time reading about Sansa and Harry the Heir (a character that admittedly I hate already) if their "love story" really doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinkaTheDeported Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Regardless of how much of the show you have or have not seen, I would highly recommend reading the series in its entirety. George R R Martin really is a phenomenal writer. I agree with previous posters that Season I followed the book pretty well, but I find reading the books such a rewarding experience in itself I would advise starting from the beginning. That, and the fact that the show could not possibly pack in the overwhelmingly large content of the books (characters, backstory etc) into its one hour slots, and GoT is certainly no exception to that. The book will have a lot to offer you even if you're already familiar with the main plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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