Law Lord Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Its NEVER too late to read the books. They provide a much more detailed, vivid and rich experience than the TV show can ever provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hear Me Type! Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 It will NEVER be to late to read the ASOIAF books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briantw Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 While the books are clearly better than the show, the show is still a good adaptation. It's never going to be perfect due to time and budget constraints, but being that it's on HBO and has a pretty high budget (all things considered), it's probably about as faithful as we're ever likely to see.I absolutely think you can read the books and still appreciate the show. You just have to go into the show understanding that there are going to have to be changes made. Some of the changes make perfect sense (less characters, less clutter, streamlined plots, etc.) given the constraints the show operates under. Others can be a bit more frustrating (leaving out popular characters, changing things that don't really need to be changed), but you learn to live with them.As other posters have said, reading the books actually helps you understand the world and characters much better than someone who simply watches the show. The books (naturally) have much more depth, and give you a greater sense of the history of Westeros, all the houses, and the lands across the Narrow Sea as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadSalt&Wine Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I started with t.v., now reading the books....I'm obsessed!! Watch the show....dive into the books!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfolktypeperson Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Never too late to read a good book..or a whole series of them. If you like reading, go for it. I never understood people who, when told the books are much better than the show (as many book readers will invariably say, in my case it's the POV style writing and the details that can't make it into the show), never pick them up, but then I love reading. I can't really understand the mind-set of a non-reader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmelodov Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 It will NEVER be to late to read the ASOIAF books.Well there was that one episode of The Twilight Zone; I think it's too late for that guy at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Where Boars Glow Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I've heard that reading books AFTER watching a TV series based on the books tends to make people lose some appreciation for the TV series. Is this also true for Game of Thrones? I'm just wondering whether it is too late to start reading after watching the first 2 seasons. GoT is one of my favorite shows and I want it to stay that way.No, read the song of Ice and Fire. Then read them again. Then watch the show again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis the Wight Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Wait for season 3 then read the books afterwards :) will help you get you trough the long wait for season 4.Read the books after season 3 has finished. I watched the 1st season before I read the books, and now have a greater understanding and apprectiation for the show. Sadly, I do hate it when the show misses or changes a vital point of the storyThanks for the advice! I just got the books on my Kindle and will read them between Seasons 3 and 4.I agree with all this. Wait until season 3 is over now that it is so close. I did the same after season 2 took me 3 months to read through the series, you will love it if you have any sort of imagination and passion for this story.It's going to be interesting for me, and from what I can tell in this thread a lot of others here, to watch season 3 having read the series so I'm seeing it through a different lense now. I think season 3 will blow away season 2 though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertOfTheHouseBaratheon Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Read the books BEFORE season 3. Book 3 has so many important events and the books will get you more emotionally invested in the characters. Some things that happen in the books will not be any where near as good if you already know whats coming and the show will not do the events near what the books do. I think if you watch then read in between Series 3 & 4 it will be like seeing the deleted scenes from a dvd box set not like experiencing the characters stories unfold.I read after series 1 and though series 2 dissapointed me as I had read the books I much prefer that and reading stories unfold than reading books when I know what's going to happen. Everyone here is telling you the negative impact it would have on the TV series to read them but they haven't noted how negative watching the TV Show will have on your enjoyment of the books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Aegon Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I watched the show first (After my friends called it lord of the rings with gore and tits) and my first thought after watching the finale was "I need more". The next day I bought the four first books and started reading like a maniac.Season 1 still holds up after reading the book but maybe it was my expectations or something that made season 2 feel less epic, still good though but just less.It's like every book to film adaption. The book contains alot more details that cant be transferred to the screen. A problem wtih reading the books while your friends only watch the show is that you have to convince them that Stannis is awesome!My friends remember kings this way: Fat king, Asshole king, Gay king, Screwing-red-hair king. And Robb, King in the north.And everyone loved Tyrion and consider Tyrell/Lannister alliance to be the best thing that ever happend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippykeno Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I heard about GoT tv-series from a friend, first watched the entire season 1 in about a day. Then I checked wikipedia and found out about the books, immediately ordered them and read them. I still think the series is good, the books are better ofcourse. And I can't wait till season 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Definitely Mayhaps Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 No, never too late to start them but beware, they are insanely addictive, more so than the show ever is, and the saga is incomplete and ends on the brink of loads of exciting stuff about to happen and waiting for the next installment is nothing short of mentally and physically painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolorous Nick Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Absolutely not. If you are a fan of the HBO series, I actually recommend reading them before watching the show. A couple of scenes from the TV series actually freaked me out because they played out almost EXACTLY the way I pictured them in my head while reading the novels...Theon Greyjoy's homecoming and Tyrion's dinner with Janos Slynt are two that come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I've heard that reading books AFTER watching a TV series based on the books tends to make people lose some appreciation for the TV series. Is this also true for Game of Thrones? I'm just wondering whether it is too late to start reading after watching the first 2 seasons. GoT is one of my favorite shows and I want it to stay that way.I think you should read the books. I doubt GOT will remain your favorite show after that, but I also don't think you'll regret reading them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reznak mo Reznak Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I think its better to have read book 3 BEFORE seeing season 3. The way certain events are presented in the book will be very hard to match on TV, and I know the effect those events had on fans of the book. I think its worth it to experience those events the way GRRM portrayed them. And I'm not one of the show haters that are on this forum either... I really like the show, not hating on it for diversions from book 2. Its just that book 3 was one of the most enjoyable reads I have ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Kyle Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 You will inevitably lose your level of appreciation for the show if you do in fact read all the books cover-to-cover and understand the story. You'll still enjoy the show though. Just not on the same level. I never got the chance to enjoy the show simply as a show because I read AGoT before it and I can't, nor would I, erase the book from my memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roseguy64 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 I watched seasons 1-2 in about 2 days and a bit. Had heard about the show via word of mouth and seeing it referenced in Parks & Rec. Wasn't until I heard about the sex and dragons that I dug in though. Spent the summer reading the books as well as The Hobbit and a couple other series. Had planned to read only books 1 and 2 but it's so addictive I couldn't stop and read them all. No clue how it'll affect my appreciation for season 3 though. Usually I read the books after watching the movie/series. The Hobbit was the first that I flipped that for and it didn't ruin it for me so don't think it will for GoT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylin Stark Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 It's never too late to start reading. Reading makes you understand the story better, gives you more insight to the characters by putting you in their heads, it hints and foreshadows very well, and has a far richer history and backstory.I read all 5 books after watching S1, and understood SO MUCH. And it helped when I watched S1 again, followed by S2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreadnaught Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I watched the first season, got hooked and wanted to know more. I went on a binge and read through all the books in about a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Shadow Cat Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I got into the show first. I then read the books and became obsessed. I like the books way better (because there is so much more to the story), but I still love the show. I'm ssssooooo excited for the next season (and even more excited for the next book). Read them, they're great!!My thoughts exactly! Re-watch the show, read and re-read the books to your heart's content OP!! You only get a better understanding of everything going on. Even knowing roughly what happens doesn't deter my excitement for the show, as they do differ on some plot points. Also its just an amazing series, both TV and books. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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