Were there any characters you hated in the books but really liked in the HBO show?

[Rhaegarsjoy]

I wouldn't say like, but not as much dislike as I had for Sansa before the last episode. Just that look on her face when marg says do wannna marry loras there was so much hope that that she won't get kicked in the guts for reaching out, makes you realise she's just a lil girl who still has hope.

[David of Kent]

I had nothing to like about Tywin in the books. He's humourless, dour, ruthless. He is all those things in the tv show as well, however Charles Dance has given his a somewhat robust character to enjoy the scenes of. It helped too that they added the scenes with Arya in Season 2 which fleshed him out more.

[Keyboard of the Morning]

Catelyn Stark. Great character in the novels. Typical TV wet blanket woman. Surprising for a book that generates so many good female characters.

Bronn. I like Bronn in the books. HE'S AWESOME ON TV!

Joffrey is not nearly as dislikable in the books. I don't know if thats a good thing or not. Maybe its they found the actor with the most punchable face in human history to play him that does it.

None of the Wildlings, including Ygritte are nearly as interesting as their literary counterparts.

[Moseh Khayim]

Hate is a strong word.

I didn't like Olenna in the books, but I love her on the show. Up until now Rigg is my #1 newcomer.

[StannisandDaeny]

Depends on how you define 'hating'.

At first I could stand Ygritte a little bit more, but it didn't last very long.

[DogLover]

I was pretty indifferent to book Stannis and book Thoros, but I love them in the show. Show Thoros is killing it. I like book Olenna and book Margaery well enough, but they're becoming my favorite show characters, especially Margaery. However, Jaime and Joffrey are probably my favorite--their depictions of the characters are spot on.

I hate show Samwell just as much as I hate book Samwell.

[Valar Morghulis Not Today]

I like TV Stannis less, though this isn't the actors fault, more the direction. Same with Brienne and Asha/Yara actually - some of the lines they come out with don't fit with the character I had in my head.

Charles Dance is doing an incredible job with Tywin, definitely like him more - find myself rooting for him even though I prefer the other side!

Varys as well, I wasn't fond of particularly through most of the book reading (well the first couple). Even though I started watching series 1 and reading the first book at the same time I had them as almost different characters in my head (though book Varys grew on me later).

I didn't feel any sympathy for Reek in the books (loved the plot arch but was rooting against him) but can tell I'll be more sympathetic in the TV show, mainly due to excellent acting.

Overall though can't fault any of the casting.

[Sniraga]

For me, some of the side characters are those who have truly come alive in the show. I didn't always hate them in books, but neither was I very interested in them.

Viserys - definitely one of the highlights in GoT. In the books he was just a pathetic bully, but Harry Lloyd managed to make him despicable, crazy but also strangely sympathetic. I still miss him :crying:

And in the same vein... Joffrey - he was merely loathsome in the books, but thanks to Jack Gleeson, I love to hate him.

King Robert - I thought he was obnoxiuos, too loud and a good-riddance-to-you-kind-of-character. Mark Addy gave him gravitas.

Jojen Reed - probably now is too early to say anything, but I'm a lot more intrigued by Thomas Brodie-Sangster's Jojen than his book counterpart (who was somewhat irritating).

Perhaps Osha as well - Natalie Tena does give her some energy!

[Ser Cookie Monster]

Actually I should state that I didn't HATE Renly in the books, I just didn't think much of him and thought he was kind of a dick, but I liked him on the show.

Really? I actually liked book Renly, but I didn't like show Renly at all, and I know that many people think the same. Could you tell me why you prefer show Renly? I'm just curious.

[Joyful Union]

Really? I actually liked book Renly, but I didn't like show Renly at all, and I know that many people think the same. Could you tell me why you prefer show Renly? I'm just curious.

For me, i prefer Show Renly because he seems to be far more than a carbon copy of Robert, which is all he really came across as to me in the books. This scene also solidified my liking him.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Really? I actually liked book Renly, but I didn't like show Renly at all, and I know that many people think the same. Could you tell me why you prefer show Renly? I'm just curious.

I like them about equal. In the books I appreciate Renly's humor and subtlety a bit more. In the TV series I appreciate that fact that Renly is actually more human than I pictured him. He conveys a lot more emotion than book Renly, which always sort of made me think book Renly was a naive, underprivileged doofus, which he sort of is. The actor does look like he's acting sometimes, if that makes sense, but overall I like them about the same.

[Yarp]

I hate show Samwell just as much as I hate book Samwell.

There is no character on the show or in the book that I hate as much as book Samwell. At least show Samwell got one good line: "I always wanted to be a wizard."

[Weeping Sore]

Improved: Theon, Yara, Margaery, Catelyn, Locke, Samwell.

[fiekie]

I never like Ygritte in the books. After her 10000000000000th "you know nothing Jon Snow" I was glad when Jon finally left. But on the show she's so full of spirit and life. She comes across as fun-loving and interesting. Not like some broken record.

Bronn is way cooler on the show.

I'm not particularly fond of Jon Snow, but I don't like the character on the show at all. He has this permanent sulky-scowl and this no-one-understands-me teenager attitude going which makes me just wanna slap him.

Shae is so different I don't know if it counts but obviously she's better on the show.

Margaery was very bland in the books, couldn't quite get a 'read' on her. Show!Margaery is way better.

Books Loras was better than show Loras. In the books he's an actual character. On the show he's the token gay.

[Kate Greyjoy]

My big character appreciation difference is Petyr. I love him in the books, but I really dislike him in the show. Again, it's not the actor, it's what they're doing with the character. I find him constantly gross in the show, but almost jovial and difficult to read in the books.

The show made me come to appreciate Davos more. Previously he was my least favourite character, but I've warmed to him immensely.

[Gramsci]

I despised Catelyn in the books, I disliked her marginally less in the show.

Also have to agree that the show did a great deal to increase my appreciation of Davos. Liam Cunningham does a fantastic job of combining loyalty, ruggedness, and despair into a character I can empathize with a little more than his written counterpart.

[Koi No Yokan]

I despised Catelyn in the books, I disliked her marginally less in the show.

Also have to agree that the show did a great deal to increase my appreciation of Davos. Liam Cunningham does a fantastic job of combining loyalty, ruggedness, and despair into a character I can empathize with a little more than his written counterpart.

Aye. I always liked Davos in the books, and he has a couple of my favourite POV's of the series in ADwD; but Liam Cunningham is absolutely fantastic, and I've loved every one of his scenes on the show. The couple with Shireen, talking about Flea Bottom with Gendry, arguing with Stannis... great actor. Seems like such a fun person to interview, as well!

As for who I hated in the books but like in the show, all I can think of is Tywin and Ygritte.

[Red Raven]

I liked Osha in the books but on TV she's an annoying weirdo. I'm glad that she and Rickon finally got put on the bus out of town. I'm also disappointed in Littlefinger and Stannis's character assassinations at the hands of D&D.

Tywin is way cooler on TV and even though I already liked Tyrion, Peter Dinklage gives him that extra spark. Liam Cunningham makes an already-awesome Davos even better.

Bronn. I like Bronn in the books. HE'S AWESOME ON TV!

Definitely!

[Liliedhe]

Are there ever.

Dany, oh so much. I detest her in the books, because she feels so much like a character the author wants me to like and sympathise with while she is actually getting crazier and crazier. On the show I like her a lot, second favourite character. She is awesome, but no longer an author's pet.

Shae. Yeah, they are hardly the same character, but even when they were (in season one), show-Shae had charm and spunk and made you understand why Tyrion got obsessed with her in the first place. Then character development happened and now I like her a lot.

While Melisandre is my favourite character in the show, I didn't dislike her in the books. I was just indifferent to her - so many characters, you can't appreciate them all.

Quite a number of characters got more personality and motivation in the show, but I can't number them all (Cersei and Tywin stand out, though).

A character I liked in the books and dislike in the show is Jon Snow. Sulky teenage brat. ;)

[Nucky Baratheon]

I love Tyrion in both books and show, but they have undoubtably made him more of a "good guy" in the show. Tough to picture the Shea murder with the show version of Tyrion. We will see how they handle the character when he really goes off the rails in his ADWD chapters.