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

[DavosSeaworthy]

Tywin, Charles Dance is amazing. Cersei comes off more sympathetic.

[Razha]

I would also add Bronn - I did not hate him in the books but in my imagination I could not quite form some clear image of him, I think the actor is doing a wonderful job

[Darkstar For King]

I really like the portrayal of Sam in the show, the actor did a great job at bringing him to the screen. Also I like Tywin in the show compared to the book, that's just what you get when you cast an actor like Charles Dance. Viserys was also much better done on the show.

[Javi Marcos]

All the cast, except maybe Asha/Yara, is astonishing. Congrats to HBO.

[Brienne Of Bombay]

Chales Dance actually made me like Tywin for while..

[Mother of Mini Dragons]

All the cast, except maybe Asha/Yara, is astonishing. Congrats to HBO.

I have to agree. I'm not sure what is going on with the Asha/Yara role on the show, but I was really disappointed that they have made her so dull when she comes across as much more charismatic and lively in the books. I don't know if it is the actress or the direction that she is getting?

[They see me R'hollin]

I have to agree. I'm not sure what is going on with the Asha/Yara role on the show, but I was really disappointed that they have made her so dull when she comes across as much more charismatic and lively in the books. I don't know if it is the actress or the direction that she is getting?

I actually quite like Yara in the shows. All the males expected this gorgeous woman to play her but I think the actress did a good job of showing an ironborn girl with a talent for sailing and such. Guys were upset because she didn't quite get their dicks going but I much prefer her. Plus, she has time to develop the character come next season.

[HyacinthGirl]

Tywin, Shae, Jorah.

[Angmar]

Shae, Jorah, Samwell. I do like that Sam is less whiny in the show as compared to the book. Jon, though, that's another story...

[The Killer Snark]

I actually think that Cersei is more sympathetic in the books, because she is unintentionally very funny. In the series, they'll never get that, because the viewer won't be privy to her thoughts. On the other hand, Lena Headey is a perfect cast.

[the bastard of starfall]

Tywin

[franko99]

The obvious ones are Tywin and Shae. In the show Tywin is more human, and likeable, and Charles Dance is amazing. I hated Shae in the books, but she's ok in the show, they probably whitewash her to fit Tyrion's perfection in the show :dunno: , but she seems to love him, and care for Sansa, something book Shae will never do.

Also Ser Alliser Thorne, in the books he's a complete asshole just because he likes to be an asshole, in the show he's more like a hard/rude militar instructor actually trying to make mens out of the scum of the seven kingdoms.

[The Killer Snark]

Agree with both of those points. I wound up hating Shae in the series, and also Alliser Thorne.

[Chuck88]

Shae, Tywin, Jorah being the obvious ones.

I didn't hate or dislike Maester Luwin in the books at all but I think he's a far better character in the show

[The Killer Snark]

I think that the casting for Tyrion was spot on, but they picked a relatively handsome little fellow to play him, which I think detracts from the grotesquerie of deformities he is in the books. This in fact is a point of context. A lot of the reason why Tyrion is mistrusted is the fact that he's dangerously intelligent on top of how he looks. Varys is distrusted partly because he's a eunuch; the Westerosi are very physically centred. I think if they'd done a decent make-up job on the actor who plays Tyrion, it wouldn't have impeded viewer sympathy for the character. I started reading the first two books after the series. One thing struck me; the reader is meant to mistrust Tyrion on account of how he looks. He is presented physically as a stock-villainous character. The fact that he turns out to be a good guy is one of GRRM's first acts of surprise. So I think that HBO are clodding people over the heads a bit with their casting, by telling people re: their casting choices what they should think.

PS - The guy they've got playing Tyrion is excellent. I just think they should have made him up to look like he does in the books.

[One of Three]

I actually quite like Yara in the shows. All the males expected this gorgeous woman to play her but I think the actress did a good job of showing an ironborn girl with a talent for sailing and such. Guys were upset because she didn't quite get their dicks going but I much prefer her. Plus, she has time to develop the character come next season.

I just though she was a better character in the books, more wicked - always got an evil grin on her face. Although I do like the story she tells Theon about when he was a baby, in the TV series. That's a tense and somewhat emotional moment.

[siberia82]

This is an unpopular opinion, but I love TV!Renly (well, I started to like him in Season 1 after he put a dent in Robert's nostalgia, and I became his fan after he accepted Brienne into his Kingsguard despite knowing it would shock his bannermen, annoy his wife, and piss off his boyfriend), while I was only neutral towards book!Renly, who really was all style and no substance. I watched the first two seasons before reading the novels, so I didn't have any expectations that his character had to be a younger, non-alcoholic, non-gluttonous, monogamous gay version of Robert.

I know there are a lot of complaints that TV!Renly is too wimpy and not charismatic enough, but I much prefer the showrunners' interpretation because he's smart, responsible, genuinely kind (book!Renly only pretended to be a nice guy), and his attitude towards women is relatively progressive (e.g. allowing Brienne to serve in his Kingsguard, not minding that Margaery may not be a virgin). Gethin Anthony says in this interview (http://www.tvguide.c...ny-1046569.aspx) "The reason why I like playing him is I think he's a fantastic man who believes in Westeros being a cultured and enlightened place." In contrast to that oppressive society, TV!Renly possessed a "modern" streak that was very appealing to me. I was really, really upset when his character died halfway through Season 2, but I felt nothing when his book counterpart suffered the same fate in ACoK (and it's not due to a lack of surprise---I just had no interest in what happened to him).

I also like TV!Loras more than book!Loras because the former is more intelligent (despite being jealous of her, he knew that Brienne didn't kill Renly), and I think it's more romantic that his main motivation for teaming up with the Lannisters was revenge rather than ambition (which is a contrast to TV!Margaery). I was really moved when I saw TV!Loras lead the cavalry charge wearing his beloved's armour. It was his way of keeping his promise to Renly when he told him in Season 1 "I never fought in a war before, but I'd fight for you."

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Charles Dance could play a maniacal cannibal that rapes children and you would still somehow like him.

[YouSnowNothing]

This is an unpopular opinion, but I love TV!Renly (well, I started to like him in Season 1 after he put a dent in Robert's nostalgia, and I became his fan after he accepted Brienne into his Kingsguard despite knowing it would shock his bannermen, annoy his wife, and piss off his boyfriend), while I was only neutral towards book!Renly, who really was all style and no substance. I watched the first two seasons before reading the novels, so I didn't have any expectations that his character had to be a younger, non-alcoholic, non-gluttonous, monogamous gay version of Robert.

I know there are a lot of complaints that TV!Renly is too wimpy and not charismatic enough, but I much prefer the showrunners' interpretation because he's smart, responsible, genuinely kind (book!Renly only pretended to be a nice guy), and his attitude towards women is relatively progressive (e.g. allowing Brienne to serve in his Kingsguard, not minding that Margaery may not be a virgin). Gethin Anthony says in this interview (http://www.tvguide.c...ny-1046569.aspx) "The reason why I like playing him is I think he's a fantastic man who believes in Westeros being a cultured and enlightened place." In contrast to that oppressive society, TV!Renly possessed a "modern" streak that was very appealing to me. I was really, really upset when his character died halfway through Season 2, but I felt nothing when his book counterpart suffered the same fate in ACoK (and it's not due to a lack of surprise---I just had no interest in what happened to him).

I completely agree, well said. Book!Renly comes across as pretty much Robert 2.0, with less womanising of course. TV!Renly is in direct opposition to Robert, making the point that good warriors don't necessarily make good kings. He comes across as a flawed and slightly naive character, but someone who genuinely wants the best for the people of Westeros and believe that he can provide that. It makes the differences between the Baratheon much more pronounced and makes a stronger point on the question of "what makes a good king" - Robert is a great warrior, believes in strength and wins the throne through right of conquest; Stannis is a lawful man, believes in the law, and genuinely claims the throne through the right of inheritance; Renly is a good man, believes in virtue, and claims the throne should be his because of that. It's interesting, and harkens back to the riddle that forms the theme of S2, with the Rich Man, the Holy Man and the King - where does power lie, and where should power lie?

Basically, I think that TV!Renly is a more likeable and interesting character, and his role makes more powerful points in regards to the question of power and "right", and the overall themes of the series.

[SerBearroll]

I really liked how the show portrayed Jorah, Bronn, Tywin(Charles Dance is awesome in this role), Theon and surprisingly, despite having only one scene so far, Walder Frey. I'm really looking forward to season 3 where we get to see more new characters. I'm especially interested in how season 3 will depict the Reeds, the Wildlings and the Freys.