what does the iron throne really look like in the books. Because in the illiustartions in the some of the books have it looking differently?

[snow is the man]

In the show it is just a chair basically but in the books like the first one that has illustrations and the world of ice and fire it shows it as being massive and having several steps up to it. So which is it

[The Knight of Flours]

It's massive - there was an illustration of a huge one in the past year which GRRM said was more like the 'real' throne than the one on the show.  Was probably the one in TWOIAF but can't remember for sure.

[Wizz-The-Smith]

Hey @snow is the man 

It is the massive one with several steps up to it.  That was drawn by the artist Marc Simonetti and George has confirmed that one is the closest anyone has ever got when representing the Iron Throne in their artwork.  The popular version from the show was just easier to make and actually sit on etc.

Here's a link to an entry on George's Not a blog confirming this fact.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiC2oHI4JvWAhXoD8AKHdjlBswQFghgMAc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgrrm.livejournal.com%2F327569.html&usg=AFQjCNGX2dfFMPLwgqAZkjuimx3bB_yu-Q

[falcotron]

1 hour ago, Wizz-The-Smith said:

The popular version from the show was just easier to make and actually sit on etc.

Also easier to fit in their soundstage. GRRM has repeatedly lamented that sadly they only have one of the two largest soundstages in the world, and if only HBO could get permission to gut St. Paul's Cathedral and film there, maybe they could do justice to the Iron Throne.

But I think it's more than just practical considerations. After all, he says the comic book and illustrated novel versions of the Iron Throne are also wonderful, but not "my Iron Throne", and none of those artists had to worry about space, construction problems, insurance premiums on their actors, etc. I think he had a hard time explaining to artists quite how extreme he wanted it—because it is very extreme—until Simonetti finally got it.

[LynnS]

6 hours ago, Wizz-The-Smith said:

Hey @snow is the man 

It is the massive one with several steps up to it.  That was drawn by the artist Marc Simonetti and George has confirmed that one is the closest anyone has ever got when representing the Iron Throne in their artwork.  The popular version from the show was just easier to make and actually sit on etc.

Here's a link to an entry on George's Not a blog confirming this fact.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiC2oHI4JvWAhXoD8AKHdjlBswQFghgMAc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgrrm.livejournal.com%2F327569.html&usg=AFQjCNGX2dfFMPLwgqAZkjuimx3bB_yu-Q

Yes, thanks for that link.   It's a tall and twisted thing to quote Moqorro, er... Martin.

That clarifies this:  A tall and twisted thing with ten long arms and one dark eye. 

Sauron Euron on his dark throne.

[snow is the man]

12 hours ago, The Knight of Flours said:

It's massive - there was an illustration of a huge one in the past year which GRRM said was more like the 'real' throne than the one on the show.  Was probably the one in TWOIAF but can't remember for sure.

this makes more sense too. considering that he used so many swords to make it. Thanks fro the answer it has been nagging at me.

[falcotron]

41 minutes ago, snow is the man said:

this makes more sense too. considering that he used so many swords to make it. Thanks fro the answer it has been nagging at me.

Somewhere in S3 of the show, Littlefinger says there aren't really 1000 swords in the Iron Throne, it's more like 200. That's a deliberate nod to the fact that they made the throne smaller than in the books.

But GRRM has said multiple times (including in the blog post linked above) that in the books, the 1000 is an underestimate, and there are actually thousands of swords.

So, if you're thinking it has to be more massive than the version in the comics or on TV or whatever—it's still more massive than you're thinking.

[Orphalesion]

Though kinda makes you wonder how practical a throne that places the king that high up would really be...

Wouldn't everybody who sits it have to shout constantly so that anybody in court, at all, can even understand them (and vice versa)?

I mean those illustrations look quite a bit higher than any real life throne arrangement I have seen in paintings/read about/was able to find via google.

 

[falcotron]

10 hours ago, Orphalesion said:

Though kinda makes you wonder how practical a throne that places the king that high up would really be...

Practical enough for a kingdom whose border is a 700-foot-high wall.

[Wizz-The-Smith]

On ‎11‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 6:47 AM, LynnS said:

Yes, thanks for that link.   It's a tall and twisted thing to quote Moqorro, er... Martin.

That clarifies this:  A tall and twisted thing with ten long arms and one dark eye. 

Sauron Euron on his dark throne.

Nice!  And I like your thinking 

On ‎11‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 2:22 AM, falcotron said:

Also easier to fit in their soundstage. GRRM has repeatedly lamented that sadly they only have one of the two largest soundstages in the world, and if only HBO could get permission to gut St. Paul's Cathedral and film there, maybe they could do justice to the Iron Throne.

But I think it's more than just practical considerations. After all, he says the comic book and illustrated novel versions of the Iron Throne are also wonderful, but not "my Iron Throne", and none of those artists had to worry about space, construction problems, insurance premiums on their actors, etc. I think he had a hard time explaining to artists quite how extreme he wanted it—because it is very extreme—until Simonetti finally got it.

Yes, fair points.  I was a bit simplistic in my explanation, etc didn't cut it.    But the bottom line is anything near to George's vision/Simonetti's artwork is unachievable/unrealistic for a TV show to achieve.  The show's version of the throne is iconic and I don't think anyone is complaining, least of all George.