Game of Thrones Books v. Show

[sugarcrook]

Just bought the first four books and the first book is (so far) similar to the show. Is it worth reading if I've already seen the first season or should I wait until the second season is over and pick up at book three? Thanks!

[MikeZ]

I've seen season 1 and watching season 2 as it's aired.  I'm about 25% through book 3 and I am enjoying both.  Book and show are pretty similar but the book (as usual) has a lot more detail so it hasn't been bad watching season 2 after reading book 2

[Slide Panda]

Like any boot to tv/movie there's a lot more detail in the written version. If you like the tv show, you might well like the books more.

As good as Peter Dinklege is as Tyrion, the written character is much better - mostly just that he's got more space to shine and use his wits. I think some of it's lost in the TV version just to to time constraints.

[bevel]

For me, I felt the first season did a great job portraying the highlights and major arcs of the first book, but the book was still better.

I'm still going to throw HBO money for DVDs of each season as long as they plan on doing it, but to cut each book down to 10 episodes you're going to have to leave a lot of material out of the series.

GoT has already been picked up for a 3rd season, but I haven't seen anything showing that season 3 is going to be 100% of the 3rd book, or some subset of the book (to be concluded in season 4).

[zach (Slag)]

This will end badly for fans, as George R. R. Martin may be incapable of finishing the last two books before the tv show catches up 

[bevel]

This will end badly for fans, as George R. R. Martin may be incapable of finishing the last two books before the tv show catches up 

Not necessarily... If they split book 3 into two seasons, and they should be able to get another 2-3 seasons out of the combination of books 4 and 5...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v7Ypyxd7GE#t=106s

[duccarlos]

I've read all the book, twice. The second season is not following the book as well as the first season. The book is much better simply because Tyrion's character shines in book 2 and 3.

[bevel]

I f'n love Tyrion in Dance. And it gets even better when you remember everything that happened to him in Clash and Storm that drove him east

[sugarcrook]

Thanks for the input. Looks like I've got some summer reading to do.