How did you get into ASOIF

[brashcandy]

I came to the books via the Tv show, which is strange given that I love to read and I'm not sure how this masterpiece escaped me for so long. I started watching Game of Thrones on tv, heard it was based on a series of books, ordered them on Amazon and read all 4 within a month :) A combination of too much time on my hands and a testament to GRRM's great writing. Waiting anxiously for the 5th.

[Maester Zoidberg]

I had often and for many years heard about that fantasy-series called "A Song of Ice and Fire" on diverse internet message boards, mostly praise things; but I never got around to buying the books. Sure, they sounded interesting (I knew about the wall and the Nights Watch and the Others, sounded pretty mysterious and interesting, just my thing) but I hadn't read any fantasy since Lord of the Rings (still working on fully comprehending the HoME) and there are so many interesting books around, and so many that were much more relevant to my studies at university (which take up enough of my time as it is); so I remained ignorant of this great epos for many years, yet the "Song of Ice and Fire" remained etched in a corner of my mind, always there, waiting, lurking. For that one moment this spring, when I chanced upon a bookstore that I never had been in before (I was wandering pretty aimlessly through the streets in the old town, which is in itself a worthwhile activity here at Heidelberg). I went inside, not really looking to buy anything in particular, but I love browsing through bookstores; you never know what you might find. Now, I do not believe in things such as fate or providence, but this bookstore had one single copy of "A Game of Thrones". None of the others were there, and never have been all the times I've been there since, hoping to be able to purchase them so I wouldn't have to wait for them to be shipped out of amazons vast vault. My eyes fell on the lonely book, and I could almost physically feel something in my brain making 'click'. I do believe in free will, but for that moment I really did not have a choice. The book was bought and devoured in less than 48 hours. The following weekend, the next, and so on. You probably know how that goes.

In retrospect, it seems fortunate that I waited all those years to start reading the books, even at the cost of losing quite a lot of geek cred that might have been due to me as an early adopter, as soon I learned that a) HBO were making them into a series and B) I wouldn't be forced to wait long, long years for the next installment.

[BRETTASOIAF]

I actually read a lot. I have read all the Halo books, WoW books, Harry Potter books, and various other books for school. But I had never heard of ASOFAI until the HBO show. So I shall always love HBO now for bringing these awesome books to my attention. I have no idea how the series escaped my attention before. Although since I was born in 90, I guess I was to young when the first book came out.

[The Winged Wolf]

I was waiting for Half-Blood Prince to come out, and I found an article on Wikipedia called List of High Fantasy Series (or something like that). One of the first series on the list was ASoIaF. I flipped through the themes and premise and found it really interesting. Naturally, I picked up a Game of Thrones at the library (and later bought it) and it just blew me away. Been a fan ever since.

[The King of Ashes]

I was, and still am, a great fan of the fantasy RPG Dragon Age 2 and while I was on the Bioware forums many people compared the game to this book series. In fact some went as far as to say that Bioware flat out ripped off George's work.

This intrigued me so I went out and bought AGOT. After reading it, it was pretty bloody obvious that Bioware had put the best elements of LOTR and ASOIAF into a blender and turned the resulting concoction into the basis for their game, but still, I can forgive them because Dragon Age 2 clearly took no inspiration GRRM and that was a total disaster. Thumbs up for shameless plagiarising if the result is awesome! :thumbsup:

[zuziako]

My dad gave the book to me when I was 15 and said it was about time I read it. I love my dad.

[SubDeity]

Mine is a slightly roundabout tale. In 2005 I went to the national Boy Scout Jamboree in D.C., and one of the guys in my troop was a big WoT and Sword of Truth fan. He kept raving about Wheel of Time and how awesome it was, and even though I'd read Lord of the Rings and not liked it I decided to give high fantasy another shot.

Well, I read Eye of the World...and didn't care for. However, the process of reading it took me to the Books and Literature board over at GameFAQS of all places, and that board had a significant ASOIAF advocacy group even then. Hearing about how good it was but otherwise knowing nothing, I picked up A Game of Thrones around late August and have been hooked ever since. I've also got at least a dozen of my friends to read it and they in turn have made a ton of people read it, so I wonder just how many fans can be traced back to that books board at GameFAQS.

[Swift]

I visit a general forum for my profession, and in the "general" area there was a thread about the HBO series. I decided to buy the first book after much introspection. I didn't want to get "sucked" into an overly long series of books. I finally cracked and bought the first book, and began to slowly read it over a few weeks. I absoutly adored it and read all the way through a Feast for Crows. The books are just truly unbelievably amazing. It was like Martin opened up my head, picked around my brain, and then wrote a book just for me.

[Eustace Black]

After getting into the TV series, I watched up to the part where Littlefinger betrays Ned in the throne room. I thought eff this I need to find out what happens next, now. And so I did, I was shocked by the end but it prepared me better for the TV series, I might of throne the remote at the TV.

[Nevermindthefury]

HBO, I was like this is the guy from LOTR so I watched the first five episodes and got hooked. I bought the first book; after that I bought the whole series. I don't normally read books but this is my sole exception.

[iheartseverus]

Here's a funny bit from deviantart that answers the question in this thread title. This belongs to AJwins.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/joliefaire/CaptureAJwins.jpg

[Xray the Enforcer]

:lol:

That's hilarious.

[East of the Wood]

I first heard about it around a year and a half ago. A friend had lent me the first book in the Wheel of Time series (don't pounce on me!) so he knew I was into those kind of books. So a few weeks later, he showed me AGoT. He yaked on and on about how groundbreaking it was and shocked me by saying one of the main characters was killed at the end of the book. (He was kind enough to emit the name of said character!). So I brought home the book and the rest is history!

The End.

[Synjin]

I had heard about the series from gaming friends who were into Fantasy. I read a lot and I don't stick just to the Fantasy genre, in fact I tend to avoid it for the most part. I loved Tolkein and really liked the Dark Elf trilogy from Salvatore, but not much of his since then. I bought AGOT paperback and it sat on my shelf for probably a year. I tried to read it once or twice but just couldn't get into it past the second chapter. The cover art was also a bit Fabio-esque to me, and I pre-judged it to be too Romance-y for my tastes. Yet another example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. After finishing it I bought both ACOK and ASOS, read both in about 2 weeks, then waited 6 months for AFFC... and now 6 years for ADWD. Can't wait!

I had the same problem with the WoT series. It took me 3 tries until being trapped on an 4 hour flight with nothing but the 1st WoT book or my wife's People magazine to read, finally got my deep enough to get hooked. Yes I flipped through People first!

[Angelika von Zitzewitz]

My obsession started 2 summers ago while recouping from a car accident read about 18 books in the chic lit category, I was bored wanted something different picked up GOT from paper back swap .com fell in love and have never stopped

[John W]

I heard about the show. Started reading up on it and George RR Martin. At first I was going to wait till after the show was over to read the books but kept hearing all the comments from sites like this about the books and decided I couldn't wait so I ordered the books and started reading them. By the time the show was over I had read the first three books. After the show finished I read AFFC. Now I'm as hooked as a druggie.

Now I'm jonesing for the fifth book....

[jasonkramer]

my girl friend got me the books before i went away for 6 months. she broke up with me after 2 months f me being gone so i threw them in a bonfire (if i was her i wold ave left too!). then when i heard that dance was finally coming out i went and got all the novels from the library and got reacquainted with the series. now i eagerly away ADWD!

[Gold Storm]

Was walking around in the book store saw the Game of Thrones on the shelf read the back and blurb and liked it.

[Aegon II]

From a boxing forum, the show was highly recommended, when i did watch it, i was like wow. i am a fan of zoombie shows as well so as soon as i saw the prologue about the wight (medieval zoombie) i was hooked. My favorites are Jon Snow, Arya, and Lord Tywin. Halfway thru ASOS now, keeps getting better.

[Templadir]

Started reading a short while after A Storm of Swords was released. I don't remember if it was recommended on some forum but since I am into the Wheel of Time and saw Robert Jordans quote on the back of aGoT I got all three books and never regretted it.

Had to buy aSoS in hardcover at that time so when aFfC came I orderd the two first books in hardcover too so my bookshelf looks consistent. The paperbacks were pretty wasted by that time anyway.