[Spoilers for Books & Show] Season 3 vs ASOS for a part-time reader

[MockingbirdSpider]

Hey there,

now this is going to be a bit difficult to explain, but let me try: see, I am practically not a book reader, or more of a semi-book reader. I always watch the respective GoT season first, and then read the book it covered. So far this has been pretty simple: I read AGOT after watching season 1 of GoT, and then I read ACOK after having seen season 2 of GoT.

But with the third season of GoT covering the first half of ASOS, this will be difficult to do. That's why I'm asking the book-readers among you to tell me (without spoilers please) just how much of ASOS is being covered in season 3. Is it really more or less exactly 50%? Could I for instance start reading ASOS up to lets say page 500 of 1000 and then stop? Or up to a certain event, for example the Red Wedding? Or did the show mix things up by picking events from the 2nd half of ASOS for the 3rd season of GoT, or by saving events from the first half of ASOS for season 4?

Now I wouldn't mind not reading about all of the events I saw on TV, it's not like I absolutely have to re-experience all of what they've shown on TV. But what I definitely want to avoid is that the first half of ASOS spoilers any major storytwists for me that will be shown in season 4. Of course you can't know what they're gonna show in season 4, I'm well aware of that. But if for example the first half of ASOS included another event of "Red Wedding"-proportions that they did not show, then it would be safe to assume that they'll show it in season 4. In that case I wouldn't read ASOS at all, at least until I've seen all of season 4.

Long story short: can I read the first half of ASOS without potentially spoiling season 4 for me? What do you think?

Hope you guys got what I was trying to say. I'm a non native-speaker so it might've been a bit difficult to convey what I wanted to ask. ;)

[Fightbringer]

just read all the storylines till they get to the point they finish at this season, i dont think the show rearranged any characters storylines to have something that happening at a different point in their story arc.

[Ser Luke.]

Stop reading after the Arya chapter after The Red Wedding. You will get some material the show hasn't dealt with yet, but that's as good a stopping point as any.

[JonDunn]

Just stop after the Red Wedding.

[Mordos_Kull]

Tricky, as Tyrion's final chapter of Part One is almost certainly his first episode in Season 4.

Most of the story is covered between the beginning and the Red Wedding, but the order is different, so some parts might advance quicker than others.

I'm re-readed part 2 at the moment, and Sam's first chapter in Part 2 could either happen in the final episode of Season 3, or the beginning of Season 4

There are no major spoilers, but it depends how religious you are about knowing NOTHING about Season 4

[rystine]

Stop reading after the Arya chapter after The Red Wedding. You will get some material the show hasn't dealt with yet, but that's as good a stopping point as any.

This is probably the best, and simplest way to go.

The RW is about 5/8 the way through the book. Undoubtably by the end of the next episode they will be solidly 3/4 through the book. But since you say you would rather not read far enough rather than read too far than there really isn't any need to go past the two RW chapters (one Catelyn and the very next one is Arya, you'll obviously know it when you read it).

You are intent on not getting spoiled for season 4, but if you go much past the RW chapters then you definitely risk that.

[metr0man]

This season covers roughly 2/3rds of the book. Like others said, if you want to be relatively safe, just read up until the Red Wedding.

The last 3rd of the book is very strong, and I'm expecting S4 to be very memorable, so if you're doing the whole TV Series First Books After thing... then don't spoil yourself.

[Jorah the Explorer]

I'll buck the trend and say keep going. You're going to want to after the Red Wedding, and it would take some serious willpower to stop. Part of the fun of the last half of Storm of Swords is the non-stop thrill ride that keeps you frantically turning the page at all hours of the night. Waiting a whole year and then waiting week to week doesn't sound as fun.

[YuvalTheVal]

I know that's not what you want to hear, but honestly, the second half of ASoS is like the best 500 pages of a book I have ever read. I think you'd enjoy them just as much as you'd enjoy the 4th season.

If you decide not to, I'd read until about page 750 (not right after the RW, you need some chapters of aftermath to feel satisfyed).

[Pinkie Baelish]

I'd stop just after the Red Wedding, honestly. There's some stuff that might appear in the final episode that is shown much later in the books, but fits in chronologically.

[Peasant Rebel Leader]

It's a strange point in time to ask that as we don't really know definitely what is going to be in the finale. So, come back on Monday? ;)

I'd guess one could quite easily collect a list of chapters that are okay, i.e. contain no spoilers. But then again, there are some divergence and some overlap that can't really be avoided totally, so I'd say it's a question of "how big a spoiler you mind/want to avoid". For example, is a character introduced in a earlier chapter that the show held back for season 4 (but doesn't do much before that) a spoiler for you or not?

I am talking of course of Oberyn, but that wouldn't change much. I can see knowing that Coldhands exist however to take away a suprise for Bran's story in s4, no?

[MockingbirdSpider]

Thanks for your responses so far!

I think you're right, it would truly be best to wait until after the 10th episode and then re-evaluate. But you all seemed to agree on the fact that me reading up to the Red Wedding chapter would be the most reasonable thing to do, so that's what I'll try.

See, I don't care about some minor spoilers. Reading about characters that are yet to be introduced on the show (for example I already knew about Jojen and Maara going into season 3 from reading ACOK after season 2, but I didn't really mind) is ok with me. What I simply wanted to avoid is the following scenario: I thought (or rather feared) that maybe Benioff and Weiss had completely changed the chronology of some events.

For example they might've held back another huge event of Red-Wedding-proportions that happens rather early (before the Red Wedding) in ASOS to include it in season 4. If that were the case, then I would spoiler myself by reading up to the Red Wedding. But judging from your responses this does not seem likely, so I guess I'll just read up the Red Wedding and then quit for a year :D . I know it's gonna be super hard to pull off, but I just love the TV show and although it's gonna cost some willpower, I will put down the book after the Red Wedding because I absolutely do not want to know about any major developments going into season 4. I just know that I'll enjoy seeing the 4th season unspoilered much more than reading the final part of ASOS, so I'm gonna stick to my habit of not reading ahead.