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r/gameofthrones•
throwawayPDPA

[No Spoilers] A novice's observation of the books

No Spoilers

So I've watched the first three seasons of the show, and being an avid reader who recently finished Jordan/Sanderson's WOT, I began plowing through the novels. I'm about half way through A Storm of Swords, and I guess I'm roughly caught up with the show. My intention is to finish the books currently in print before catching up with S4 of the show, as I don't have HBO anyway.

Up to this point in the books I've been underwhelmed with the plot and actually enjoyed the story arc the shows have taken that differed from that in the books. That said, I've really enjoyed ASOS overall, in comparison to the previous two volumes, and feel like the written story is really taking off. I'm sure the show will continue down a different path than the books, but do any of you who have finished the books and have watched the show feel like the pace really picked up in ASOS? I'm hoping that this isn't just a momentary thing, as I feel like the the second book dragged out a bit. Just curious, not trying to blaspheme here!

On a side note, I feel like the show up to this point in the story has done a much better job building up the mysteriousness and epicness of the Others, while in the books, they're just kind of there and accepted, ie the Fist of the First Men encounter.

Posted Mar 22, 2014, 1:57 PM UTC

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woeeij•

If ASOS is only now getting to the pace you like you are going to hate the next two books, sorry.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

Why?

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StangstagOurs Is The Fury•

The 4th book is considered the slowest in the series, and the 5th book is pretty slow until near the end. The 3rd book is considered the best of the 5.

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StillflyingHear Me Roar!•

I don't think 4 is slow, I think it's a different angle/style. I still enjoyed it because I enjoyed the character development / political arc and while some characters are outright crazy I enjoy the way they are written.

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zeth4The Red Viper•

it might be enjoyable but it is hard to deny it is slow

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vault101damner•

all

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A_Polite_NoiseHouse Seaworth•

The chess metaphor I use is that book 3 takes a lot of pieces off the game board, which necessitates the next two books putting new pieces on the board and developing for the future. A lot of characters, even those who still live, are not present at all in the 4th book and a lot of secondary characters and a whole LOT of a new characters are introduced and moved to the forefront. If you like Martin's world building and character development, you'll like it. If you want the pace and action of ASOS with the characters you've been with since the beginning, you may be disappointed.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

That's a good metaphor. The character development is one of my favorite things about the series, so I look forward to the next one then, thanks.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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StillflyingHear Me Roar!•

I can't see how anyone can enjoy WoT yet be underwhelmed by ASOIAF tbh, just personal opinion.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

Why is that, exactly? Note, I read most of WoT around the time they came out, esp the monotonously boring middle books, then read the last three or so where the plot picks up again, in a row.

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StillflyingHear Me Roar!•

Because when I read the series it seemed very childish and flat. I felt like the characters were put up on a pedestal with everyone else saying "you're amazing, you're awesome, you're chosen" without the characters doing anything to merit it.

If authors want me to enjoy their characters I want to see depth, I want to see the characters being either awesome or flawed through their actions not through word of mouth of other characters.

The characters felt very 2 dimensional to me, whereas Martins manipulation of my emotions of the characters could be described as art.

I guess I don't qualify to have an opinion as I haven't read the entire series just a few books. But I really don't think that I should have to read more than 3 books for the characters to have some growth.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

That's interesting you say that. I agree for the most part, and feel that most of the supporting characters fall into archetypal categories too, ie almost all of the soldiers are stoic and obedient.

That said, Rand's descent into madness and eventual redemption in the last few books really made the series for me.

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mrdoucetThe Iron Bank Will Have Its Due•

I just finished reading ASOS last night, and I found the second half of the book much more interesting than the first, but that may just be because I didn't know what was going to happen.

Either way you are in for a treat.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

Great, thanks

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kjhatchYou Don't Know Cold•

Honestly as an "avid reader" who "plowed through the novels" I think the issue you're having is you read too fast. I am also a heavy reader, and I had the same issue with ASOIAF. I started reading the books about 15 years ago, and every time a new one is published I start over and re-read them all. What I've found is my first time through an ASOIAF book I miss a lot of details. They're dense, and while a quick-read style works with most books, it doesn't with ASOIAF. On the re-reads it was easier to catch the other details, and it's almost like reading a different book. My wife on the other hand is a slow reader, and she picked up on many details immediately that I didn't notice till re-reading, and some till my third read. There's definitely a lot in the books; some of the foreshadowing in AGOT doesn't start to play out till ADWD. Even if you stop reading for a while, I recommend you give them another read through in a few months/years.

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StillflyingHear Me Roar!•

I read the first few books hella fast and still enjoyed it, and I've reread about 4 or 5 times, rereading after the release of a new book as well. What you said about the re-reads really.

But I'm a naturally fast reader and when reading something I'm really into I find it hard to slow down and take in the details.

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throwawayPDPAOP•

Thanks, that's a good point.

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TheSupremeFaceNight's Watch•

Well right now i'm in the middle of AFFC. But I do believe the second half of ASOS was a climax point in the series (so far). The first two books, while grand, were definitely building up to the huge storm in the third book. Right now, I feel like AFFC is kind've a cool down. I'm not sure about ADWD yet since i'm not even there yet.

I do recall Martin saying that he was originally going to write just three books. (Game of Thrones, Dance with Dragons, Winds of Winter). So the first three would've been AGOT, while the next two would probably be A Dance with Dragons. So the next climax probably won't happen until the end of ADWD.

tl;dr: series climaxed towards end of ASOS. Next one probably won't come until end of ADWD (i'm half way through AFFC)

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