OT: The Avalounge's Official Game of Thrones Thread WARNING SPOILERS INSIDE

[Foppberg]

Any book readers here? I've considered reading them but people that have say the show is a lot better, plus the big question on if the book series will ever actually be written.

 

[RockLobster]

The whole series has been building to this point. The whole damn series has been "plot development", to the point that I personally feel some made too much out of how "fast paced" S7 was. There's 13 episodes left and the split it into 2 seasons, of course shit is going to move fast now because we're approaching the end.

Plus, it's a different medium than books, stuff gets told in a much different fashion. I was fine with 7's pace and have been fine with how 8 has unfolded, knowing full well (now) that shit is literally hitting the fan in Ep3. Add to that the knowledge that HBO hasn't seemed to include a damn thing beyond Ep3 in any of their promotional materials, they've set this up to be a wholly surprising season.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

Any book readers here? I've considered reading them but people that have say the show is a lot better, plus the big question on if the book series will ever actually be written.

Unfortunately, yes.
The books are better. But some will never be written.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

The whole series has been building to this point. The whole damn series has been "plot development", to the point that I personally feel some made too much out of how "fast paced" S7 was. There's 13 episodes left and the split it into 2 seasons, of course **** is going to move fast now because we're approaching the end.

Plus, it's a different medium than books, stuff gets told in a much different fashion. I was fine with 7's pace and have been fine with how 8 has unfolded, knowing full well (now) that **** is literally hitting the fan in Ep3. Add to that the knowledge that HBO hasn't seemed to include a damn thing beyond Ep3 in any of their promotional materials, they've set this up to be a wholly surprising season.

I didn't know that shit was going to hit the fan in Ep 3, either.
I don't watch the previews to next week, and I don't read any articles.
Honestly, HFB is the only place I get spoilers...

 

[Foppberg]

At least this isn't the end of the GOT world. Looking forward to the prequel series, whenever it comes out. At least a few years probably.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Friend a book reader, by chance? If so, I get the disappointment. The books have a lot more plot lines that the show has never really touched on and never will be. And since the books will probably never get finished...there's a lot of book readers who will just be left hanging with a lot of stories just completely dead with no ending whatsoever. Obviously unfair to put that disappointment on the show, they can only cover so much.

He is not. But I am/have read them all, and to be honest, I've really never understood the hate on the show. People that have the expectations that movie/TV show adaptions of books are going to be even close to their literary counterparts will always be disappointed. I get it, they were some of my favorite books ever, but I don't hold a TV show to the same standards and have thoroughly enjoyed the show throughout the years (top 3 for sure). People just have to realize that movie/TV adaptions have to cater to a much larger audience and it is difficult to put the level of detail that was in the book in the show. It's worked for me at least.

 

[RockLobster]

I didn't know that **** was going to hit the fan in Ep 3, either.
I don't watch the previews to next week, and I don't read any articles.
Honestly, HFB is the only place I get spoilers...

With regard to the preview, for at least next week's episode, I found it rather straight forward. I mean Ep2 ended with the White Walkers at Winterfell, so logic dictates that the next episode is the episode. The preview doesn't do anything but confirm that "shit is going down" (as I put it). It's still a vague preview, as nothing is really learned that we didn't already assume.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

I didn't know that **** was going to hit the fan in Ep 3, either.
I don't watch the previews to next week, and I don't read any articles.
Honestly, HFB is the only place I get spoilers...

You know shit is about to hit the fan without watching the previews for the following episode...

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Any book readers here? I've considered reading them but people that have say the show is a lot better, plus the big question on if the book series will ever actually be written.

Some of my favorite books. Just like the TV show, the dialogue and plot is bar none. I burned through them so quickly. That being said...there's about a .0007% chance they get finished.

Edit: Also, some of his description of feasts and what the f*** everyone was wearing was a little hard to get through at times but it's usually not obnoxious. Sansa's chapters were brutal if I remember correctly.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

Some of my favorite books. Just like the TV show, the dialogue and plot is bar none. I burned through them so quickly. That being said...there's about a .0007% chance they get finished.

Edit: Also, some of his description of feasts and what the **** everyone was wearing was a little hard to get through at times but it's usually not obnoxious. Sansa's chapters were brutal if I remember correctly.

In the books, waaaay too much time is spent describing food.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

In the books, waaaay too much time is spent describing food.

Heavy agreement.

And I don't give a fuq what color their sashes were, Sansa!

 

[Foppberg]

Hm. Maybe I'll hold off until they get finished. If they do that is lol

 

[AvsFan29]

Hey so since Jon told Cersei that he's the rightful king, that probably means one of them dies right? I mean it's pretty obvious in the writing. If both of them were alive after the war, they would have just discussed it then.

Cersei is going to die.

I doubt it's as meaningful if Jon dies, and she just remembers what he told her.

She's dead.

 

[Foppberg]

Hey so since Jon told Cersei that he's the rightful king, that probably means one of them dies right? I mean it's pretty obvious in the writing. If both of them were alive after the war, they would have just discussed it then.

Cersei is going to die.

I doubt it's as meaningful if Jon dies, and she just remembers what he told her.

She's dead.

Cersei? When did he tell her that?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I'm assuming he meant Dany

Next weeks episode is going to be devastating. We are going to see a crazy number of deaths and it is going to suck.


Also if anyone else here has read up on a few very possible theories next episode... if they prove correct we're in for a wild ride.

 

[AvsFan29]

Cersei? When did he tell her that?

Yah I meant dany. I'm better at hockey than game of thrones nonsense

 

[flyfysher]

With regard to the preview, for at least next week's episode, I found it rather straight forward. I mean Ep2 ended with the White Walkers at Winterfell, so logic dictates that the next episode is the episode. The preview doesn't do anything but confirm that "**** is going down" (as I put it). It's still a vague preview, as nothing is really learned that we didn't already assume.

If that is the episode then it must be a foregone conclusion that Cersei will remain Queen of the South including Kings Landing with her Golden Horde, Euron Greyjoy (it'll be a contest who manages to kill the other first after they marry) and the Iron Fleet. Maybe the last few episodes end with with the arrival of the elephants from Essos.

 

[Zih]

Any book readers here? I've considered reading them but people that have say the show is a lot better, plus the big question on if the book series will ever actually be written.

The first 3 books are amazing. I would highly recommend reading them.

The last 2 books are skip-able. They have a very different feel to them (i.e. not much happens), and they mostly feel like setup for the rest of the series (which will almost certainly never get finished).

 

[Vk1ing]

Any book readers here? I've considered reading them but people that have say the show is a lot better, plus the big question on if the book series will ever actually be written.

I feel like the show has a different feel than the books. I perfered the books because i feel the show incorporated too many things from the books but couldn't excute it with the limitations it had (sand snakes). I like the show too but i wish they could've just focused it in a little more. I didnt love feast of crows but dance was better imo

 

[5280]

The books were awesome. I’ve only seen seasons 6-8 of the show but I’ve thought it has been incredible, too. It’s crazy seeing all of the characters and places realized on the screen after you read the books. I think they have done a more than admirable job.

It’s too bad he probably won’t finish the books, but at least we’ll have some conclusion with the show.

One day I’m going to buy the Blu-ray of it all and watch the whole of it on TV.

 

[dwkdnvr]

I think I first read the books in '03, so I've been engaged for a while. I originally didn't watch the series closely, thinking I'd circle back when the books were done. HA. This is the first season I've actually watched 'live', having thrown in the towel on any expectation of the books getting finished and wanting to be engaged with the series for the only ending we're going to get.

I agree that the books are generally better - more background, more nuance, and the rotating-POV approach is IMHO handled extremely well. Books 4 and 5 are a bit of a struggle, but I engaged much better when I thought about them as 'short stories set in Westeros'.

I will say though, that in general the show has done a pretty good job. The casting is generally excellent, the acting generally good-to-fantastic, and the visuals are generally very well done. I do agree that seasons 5 and 7 are pretty rough, but given the challenge they face and the fact that they were expecting to do an adaptation and not have to invent 3 seasons out of whole cloth, I'll cut them some slack.

Really, really hoping we don't have a game Sunday night. I'll DVR the GOT episode if I have to, but given what is likely to occur I'm fully expecting the internet to be completely abuzz on Monday and so avoiding spoilers is going to be tough.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I loved A Game of Thrones, and really liked Clash of Kings. I liked A Storm of Swords and wanted to like A Feast of Crows but felt like I was hiking through hip deep mud. It came to screeching halt with A Dance with Dragons.

It truly is an epic series that will unfortunately never be fully told by GRRM. To be honest, I have no appetite to go back into his books again at this point. His writing style to me is just way too cumbersome. Yes, he is covering huge plot lines and literally dozens of characters. That alone makes what he has attempted an almost insurmountable task. He's just too verbose for it to resonate with me. If he used a more minimalist approach to writing, things might have been different for me. I wish he would have told the story to Ernest Hemmingway and allowed him to write it instead. It would've probably topped out around 500 pages in total. My biggest beef is he got so deep into the history it often times reads like the Old Testament instead of a novel, it just became a chore and while I had started the series with the expectation that it would be complete by now I wanted to finish it...but as the years slip by, I find myself no longer desiring to go back and finish it even if he does.

As with all things literary...YMMV and probably will.

[edit...I have bought the first three seasons of the TV show and quit at that point. I am waiting for the series to end so I can purchase the rest and then watch it all over the course of a month or so. So I apologize for skipping by many posts in this thread...and maybe not responding to any replies to this one...I'm doing my best to avoid spoilers and have so far been successful.]

 

[Bubba Thudd]

So I'm predicting a route at Winterfell.
Many characters will die, but many of our faves will get out.
The Hound has to. He still has a date with the Mountain.

 

[RockLobster]

Saw this today on r/Freefolk, but I believe the meme was only created by someone who believes this is what happens. I've actually yet to see any spoilers for upcoming episodes there, unlike past seasons, and I'm definitely not seeking them out. However I will put a spoiler tag in here in case anyone feels differently.

This was totally made for It's Always Sunny and GoT fans...

Spoiler

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Saw this today on r/Freefolk, but I believe the meme was only created by someone who believes this is what happens. I've actually yet to see any spoilers for upcoming episodes there, unlike past seasons, and I'm definitely not seeking them out. However I will put a spoiler tag in here in case anyone feels differently.

This was totally made for It's Always Sunny and GoT fans...

Spoiler

I've also thought that, what if the Night King and his dragon (not sure if he's really at Winterfell)...fly down to Kings Landing knowing they are not prepared, kill all of Kings Landing/Cersei and then raise the whole 2 million or whatever that're in kings landing as his new army... Jon and company barely come out of the Battle of Winterfell alive and then travel south to try and kill the Night King and reclaim the Iron Throne