Page Index Toggle Pages: [1] 2  Send TopicPrint
Hot Topic (More than 20 Replies) Game of Thrones (Read 26229 times)
The_Fat_Man
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Grand High Overlard

Posts: 928
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joined: Oct 17th, 2005
Gender: Male
Game of Thrones
Apr 16th, 2011 at 10:29pm
Print Post  
http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html



Game of Thrones premieres tommorow night on HBO.  Based on one of the greatest fantasy book series EVER, Song of Fire and Ice.  If you haven't read the books, or even if you have, I recomend reading them and watching this series.  It looks absolutely amazing.

Seriously, I ordered HBO today just so I can watch.

http://youtu.be/BpJYNVhGf1s?hd=1

(....feel free to geek out as much as I am)
  
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #1 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 9:26am
Print Post  
I was reading about that on Wired.  Apparently, they had George R. R. Martin on set several times to give them advice on how to keep the series true to the books.  That gives me some hope.

I swear, if this ends up being another Earthsea or Legend of the Seeker, I'm going to burn someone's house down (probably FatMan's).


-b0b
(...grabs the kerosene.)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
The_Fat_Man
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Grand High Overlard

Posts: 928
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joined: Oct 17th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #2 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 2:56pm
Print Post  
Martin was on set for most of the shooting actually.  He is even listed as a co-producer or some such.

It's an HBO show, not Syfy, and it also has a huge budget and rave reviews going for it.  I'd imagine it won't be anything like those shows you listed before.

Besides, Boromir is playing Ned Stark!
  
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #3 - Oct 24th, 2011 at 1:11pm
Print Post  
Zombie thread!

I picked up Game of Thrones back in January when I was traveling on business, but I just got around to reading it over the weekend.  You guys have been holding out on me!  You should have told me it was such an incredible book!

I finished it in a matter of days, and I'm already well into Clash of Kings.  I'll say this, nobody is sacred in Martin's works, and everybody's head is on the chopping block.

How far into Game of Thrones did the first season get to?



-b0b
(...absolutely must watch the show now.)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
The_Fat_Man
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Grand High Overlard

Posts: 928
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joined: Oct 17th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #4 - Oct 24th, 2011 at 8:06pm
Print Post  
Each season of Game of Thrones is roughly one of the books.  They did not follow the books and chapters exactly, but there are only a few small changes with Martin being an executive director.

I read the Song of Ice and Fire series years ago, I still haven't read the newest book Dance with Dragons if its even out yet, and I have loved it ever since.  A very dark, adult take on fantasy.
  
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #5 - Oct 25th, 2011 at 8:28am
Print Post  
Yeah, and it's nice to have a series that isn't based in Ye Olde Worn-Out Fantasy World.  You can only have so many Gandalfs and Belgaraths and Zeds before you realize magic is a bit of a plot crutch.

Dance of Dragons was released in July, so get to it!


-b0b
(...is violating his rule about reading unfinished series.)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
MediaMaster
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Holy Xenu!

Posts: 1884
Location: Detroit
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #6 - Oct 25th, 2011 at 8:22pm
Print Post  
Read Malazan: Book of the Fallen!

And yes fantasy is getting tired these days. I wont watch LOTR because i might cry that its not as cool as it was back then
  

"Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other."&&&&John Adams&&
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
X
Post Whore
FTP Server
******
Offline


And the truth shall set
you free

Posts: 4131
Joined: Oct 16th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #7 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 4:50am
Print Post  
So Laura got me a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I'd really like to get into fantasy.

What are some recommendations from the Geek Crew?

Also, yes I'm going to start Wheel of Time...my question there is...when do I read the prequel New Spring?

And any other book suggestions would be awesome too!

Thanks,

X
  

In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. - Max Payne
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #8 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 9:10am
Print Post  
Wow, where to start?  I'm not sure what you've read recently, so here is a list of my personal favorites, in no particular order:


J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings (Series)

C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia (Series)

Ursula K. LeGuin
Earthsea (Series)

David Eddings
The Belgariad (Series)
The Malloreon (Series)
Belgarath the Sorcer
Polgara the Sorceress
The Elenium (Series)
The Tamuli (Series)

George R. R. Martin
A Song of Fire and Ice

Terry Goodkind
The Sword of Truth (Series) - Warning: Unnecessarily mature themes.

Terry Brooks
Shannara (Series)


If you're looking for something new and you haven't read David Eddings in the past, I would recommend that as a great starting point.  The Belgariad series is among the best fantasy fiction you'll find, and I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy it.  Eddings' work got very repetitive over time, though, so you'll find his future writing to be less enjoyably.  I think you'll find the Belgariad and Malloreon series to be quite enjoyable, as well as the follow-on books Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress.  The other books take place in an entirely different universe, so its up to you how much repetition you want to put up with.


-b0b
(...yay for reading!)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
MediaMaster
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Holy Xenu!

Posts: 1884
Location: Detroit
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #9 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 12:45pm
Print Post  
Malazan: Book of the Fallen is my recommendation.
It is 10 books, and the author had a very specific plan when writing the books. There are 3 separate story arcs that start combining around book 6 or 7, and you don't feel like he is just writing for the sake of "let's just do another for some more cash"

You never know who is going to live, and its stupidly epic. This series does not follow one person, but dozens and dozens of people. If you like following soldiers, then this series is for you. There's epic magic, and gods and Ascendants and dragons and ancient technology, and man you just feel like you are in a very rich world.  I like this series more than Wheel of Time.

Wheel of Time is definitely dense, I don't know if you should start there if you haven't read much fantasy. I'm not saying its bad by any means, because it's my second favorite series, but its more complex than let's say the Belgariad series. There are hundreds of characters that the author jumps to and follows.

Belgariad
is very standard boy becomes super awesome hero person. Could be a good introduction to fantasy.

I say No to Shannara.... The writing is too dry and straightforward... not a lot of surprises in that one. The author is always explaining everything right at the moment, there is not a lot of mystery too it. I've read the first trilogy of his, and that was enough.

Sword of truth
is alright, but the author has a sick love of horrifying torture that he throws in now and then. And some of the themes and ideas i feel was borrowed from other authors... Robert Jordan *cough*

Tolkien, of course! With the hobbit movie on the way, this might be a good book to read. And If you have not read the LOTR books yet, you need to. They are richer than the movies.

The Narnia series is also one of my favorites, if you have not read all of them, you should probably get on that pretty quickly.

Another fun fantasy series is the Saga of Recluce (sp correct) series by L.E. Modesitt Jr.    The magic system created in the series revolves around order and chaos and the balance created in between. The author jumps all over time in the series, and the books span a thousand years or more. So in the first book you may hear of a legendary person, but in the next book or the book after, you will read about that person's story. It's a fun way to read about a world. I recommend this one as well. Each book follows one person or maybe 2, so it has very familiar fantasy themes.


I have not read Earthsea.
  

"Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other."&&&&John Adams&&
Back to top
WWW  
IP Logged
 
The_Fat_Man
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Grand High Overlard

Posts: 928
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joined: Oct 17th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #10 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 1:21pm
Print Post  
You can read New Spring whenever you want, it doesn't ruin anything from the books.  You could even start with it if you want, as it takes place before the Eye of the World (the first book).

I would only recommend starting with the Wheel of Time if you are sure about that decision though.  It is a huge book series, with tons of interconnecting stories and can be a bit slow at points.  Its good, but it might not be the best starting point.

I often point new fantasy readers towards the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist.  These are some of my favorite books, and there are literally almost 14 of them.  They are all interconnected, but take place in 3 part trilogies for the most part.

So add these to your list

Raymond E Feist - The Riftwar Saga

Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow, Thorn

Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicle (This is arguably the best new fantasy series on the market, amazing writing, but it is not finished yet, as a forewarning.)

If I were you Patsy, I'd start with the Sword of Truth series, the Riftwar Saga books, or maybe even a Shannara series or two.....Wheel of Time is a pretty huge feat to tackle as your first series!
  
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
Stick
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Stick is back

Posts: 501
Location: Michgan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #11 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 3:35pm
Print Post  
My wife and I started reading The Hunger Games.

Stick
(... just trying to fit in)
  
Back to top
AIM  
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #12 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 4:35pm
Print Post  
MediaMaster wrote on Dec 29th, 2011 at 12:45pm:
I have not read Earthsea.


WHAT?!  GTFO!

Having skipped the Earthsea series (or at least the original trilogy) is like skipping The Hobbit/LotR or Narnia.  It should be a mandatory part of every child's library!


The_Fat_Man wrote on Dec 29th, 2011 at 1:21pm:
If I were you Patsy, I'd start with the Sword of Truth series...


I don't think the Sword of Truth is really the best series to start out with.  Honestly, I hesitated to even recommend it.  98% of Goodkind's writing is really top notch and he crafts a believable world and realistic characters that grow along with the story.  The problem is the other 2%.  He has a penchant for writing incredibly visceral accounts of torture, rape, and sexual perversion.  I'm not a prude and I have no problem with authors illustrating the "dark side" of the worlds they've created, but Goodkind goes way, way too far.  I felt incredibly uncomfortable reading through some of these depictions.  Fortunately, these accounts are generally brief and entirely skippable.


-b0b
(...just my opinion!)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
b0b
GeekCrew Administrator
FTP Server
*****
Offline


The revolution will not
be televised.

Posts: 7803
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan
Joined: Oct 15th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #13 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 4:41pm
Print Post  
Stick wrote on Dec 29th, 2011 at 3:35pm:
My wife and I started reading The Hunger Games.


Stick,

Have you ever seen the Japanese movie Battle Royale?  The plot of The Hunger Games sounds very reminiscent of that film.  In Battle Royale, the graduating class of one high school is chosen each year to battle one another to the death.  The students are gassed on the way to their senior "field trip," and exploding collars are locked around their neck.  They are then taken to an isolated island, each given a random weapon, and forced to fight one another to the death.  If they don't fight or if they try to escape, their collars will explode.  Only one student will ultimately prevail.

When you're done with the book, download a copy of the movie.  I don't think it was ever released domestically.  Let me know what you think!


-b0b
(...enjoyed the movie.)
  

Back to top
IP Logged
 
The_Fat_Man
Wootzor von Leetenhaxor
FTP Server
*****
Offline


Grand High Overlard

Posts: 928
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joined: Oct 17th, 2005
Gender: Male
Re: Game of Thrones
Reply #14 - Dec 29th, 2011 at 5:03pm
Print Post  
I would have to disagree about the Sword of Truth.  In my opinion it is one of the best set of fantasy books ever written.  The story is great, the characters are believable and the world is in depth and imaginative.  Sometimes bad things happen in the world, and Goodkind doesn't stray away from the fact that they do.  I for one never had any problem with his "darker" moments in his stories.

Hell, I would go so far as to say that  Game of Thrones goes FAR more into detail about the more disgusting aspects of humanity.
  
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: [1] 2 
Send TopicPrint