The Game vs The Song

[shiola]

The Game. I don't like fantasy, but this series got me hooked on it because of "The Game" portion. I think the series does a good job building the magic in the background of the context of The Game, so that by the time the Song hits full force, you've had enough hints about it to where it's not jarring if you aren't the typical fantasy fan, like me.

At the same time, some of The Song chapters are the most beautifully written ones, and I love those. I think The Others (once they get a fucking move on) are terrifying and interesting and amazing. And don't get me started on all the superstition and religion in the series-- I love that, too!!

Overall, though, I'm reading for The Game. The power struggles, the veiled threats, the one-upping, the back stabbing, the double-crossing. I love all of that. Varys & Littlefinger's scenes on the show are my favorite parts of the entire show.

[The Prince of Ice]

I get a bit annoyed when people assume that the song is more important than the game and say things like "when the others take over it won't matter who sits on the iron throne."

1. We don't know how much of a threat the others are. They haven't been past the wall yet, and even in the long winter, we don't actually know if they'll reach Kings Landing. The game of thrones will probably still carry on.

2. If the others do invade, who would you rather have as king: Stannis or Tommen?

1. During Winter it snows in Dorne so im pretty sure the White Walkers could reach Kings Landing.

2: Neither they both would be garbage kings. The Stan Stans may hate me for this but i highly doubt he would be a good king. A strict one that holds no love from the people but that doesnt make you a good king.

[rystine]

The Song.

The game is the same crap over and over again. The same people crying over the same things. These people want power, they lie cheat and steal, they plot with each other and vs one another, they act, some die, some live, other people come into power, rinse and repeat.

I very much agree with this.

The whole "game" is interesting in the initial read of the the first three books. But in AFFC and ADWD it becomes predictable.

Person X wants power, person Y wants to take that power.

But the "z's" will be who ultimately determines the fate of everyone.

If I wanted to read about political disagreements, I'd read the morning news.

[Ramsay B.]

Before reading this series I would've easily chosen the Song but the way all the politcal intrigue and everything is presented to us, it's hard not to love the game. Although, the Others and everything else is too intriguing...The Song.

[WeirwoodTreeHugger]

Both please! The game gives the song credibility. The song raises the stakes beyond just the game.

Btw, if anyone who answered "game" hasn't read Asimov's Foundation series; get on that.

[TheMysteriousOne]

I equally appreciate the Game and the Song, and IMO, they will both exist by the end of the series.

[Northernmonkey]

1. During Winter it snows in Dorne so im pretty sure the White Walkers could reach Kings Landing.

2: Neither they both would be garbage kings. The Stan Stans may hate me for this but i highly doubt he would be a good king. A strict one that holds no love from the people but that doesnt make you a good king.

But Stannis is the only potential king who is taking the threat of the other's seriously. Therefore the outcome of the game of thrones could be vital to whether Westeros survives the Others' invasion.

[yomi]

I like how many people in the series focus so much on the game when they should worry much more about the song...

"Dragons in Essos? Others beyond the Wall? Stop wasting my time with children's stories, I've got real politics to do!"

[grand old duke of stark]

Game, in part because historical fiction is my favourite genre.

That said, really Game + Song makes the package work. It's like love and marriage, horse and carriage, etc. They need each other. The Game is human; Song is super-human. I see them as the microcosm of mankind and its mundane little activities, and the macrocosmic context in which it exists and of which it is seldom aware. It's not so different from us worrying about fracking, Middle East unrest, and the weather while some unidentified asteroid is hurtling towards us. It's the Song that will save or condemn the Westerosi. They and we have to confront the cosmic threat which will change everything if not destroy us altogether. So Song is ultimately of greater importance.

[mankytoes]

But Stannis is the only potential king who is taking the threat of the other's seriously. Therefore the outcome of the game of thrones could be vital to whether Westeros survives the

Others' invasion.

Exactly, no matter what you think of Stan, he's the only one who acknowledges the Others in any way.

[The Prince of Ice]

Exactly, no matter what you think of Stan, he's the only one who acknowledges the Others in any way.

Jon would be just as capable and hes more of a person the commonfolk can love. If you dont have the favor of the people most likely you arent a good king and most likely wont sit the throne long. Thats why i always thought from thw begining Stannis could be King but he wouldnt lasy.

[mankytoes]

Jon would be just as capable and hes more of a person the commonfolk can love. If you dont have the favor of the people most likely you arent a good king and most likely wont sit the throne long. Thats why i always thought from thw begining Stannis could be King but he wouldnt lasy.

I meant of the king claimants, yeah Jon would be good too, though the end of Dance would call his ability to inspire loyalty in his subjects into question...

[James March x2]

I like the fact that the game and the song are interleaved and entangled so well..

..the realm is weakened by the game, thus making the song more challenging.. at the same time more armies will join the song because the game will eventually lead Daenerys and Stannis mercenaries back in westeros.. so it becomes a question of time.. who will be there first? will stannis be yet in the north by the time WW invade or will he be safe in the south? whose armies will fail? what will happen of the game once the song will dominate? what will happen right after?

It really makes this story not easy to predict at all and enjoyable.

[Lord Kyle]

You can't have one with out the other. This series would not be what it is today without either.

[Lady Beyond the Wall]

Most high fantasy type stories have a component that the reader can relate to real life, if not through the plot, then through the characters. The Game and The Song are really connected for me.

[locke and key]

Game, in part because historical fiction is my favourite genre.

That said, really Game + Song makes the package work. It's like love and marriage, horse and carriage, etc. They need each other. The Game is human; Song is super-human. I see them as the microcosm of mankind and its mundane little activities, and the macrocosmic context in which it exists and of which it is seldom aware. It's not so different from us worrying about fracking, Middle East unrest, and the weather while some unidentified asteroid is hurtling towards us. It's the Song that will save or condemn the Westerosi. They and we have to confront the cosmic threat which will change everything if not destroy us altogether. So Song is ultimately of greater importance.

:agree:

[Queen Elsa]

I get a bit annoyed when people assume that the song is more important than the game and say things like "when the others take over it won't matter who sits on the iron throne."

It's also a bit annoying that if someone prefers the song, some quickly assume that he/she means it is more important than the game.

1. We don't know how much of a threat the others are.

Why did Brandon the Builder build the Wall and the NW founded on the first place?

They haven't been past the wall yet,

coz it has magic that prevents them from passing through.

and even in the long winter, we don't actually know if they'll reach Kings Landing.

The NW guards the realms of men. Westeros is how many realm? We also don't know how far did the Others go during the last Long Night but in reference to Old Nan's story, they swept over holdfast and cities and kingdoms. The North is one kingdom, how many holdfasts and cities does it have?

The game of thrones will probably still carry on.

A very sad truth.

2. If the others do invade, who would you rather have as king: Stannis or Tommen?

If the Others do invade, who lives and who dies?

[Raining Blood Magic]

Tie

[Seneti]

Hm... tough question. The game is what got me into GoT and ASOIAF in the first place. Dragons and zombies have been done to death, so in the beginning I couldn't have cared less about either. However, the game sort of got less interesting to me in time, while the song became more important story-wise (dragons getting bigger and more challenging, White Walkers attacking the Fist of the First Men, Lady Stoneheart, etc.) By now, I'm at the point where the song is more interesting to me than the game.

[Undead Ned With No Head]

It's hard to decide as fantasy and zombies etc have been done to death and the Game was what got me into Asoiaf however the song part is woven into the realistic parts wonderfully so I have to say the fantasy aspect just.