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On January 23rd of 1999 I had just finished Paul Gottfried and Thomas Fleming’s The Conservative Movement. My roommate was pretty high, as usual (it was a Saturday). A few weeks earlier I’d gotten a paperback of a fantasy novel, Game of Thrones. I read a few pages, and then went to sleep. The next morning, Sunday, I began to read more. I did not finish until very late Sunday evening/Monday morning. I happened to have had a midterm in a biochemistry course the next day. I did not do so well. In a month the first edition of the sequel, Clash of Kings, came out. Satisfaction! In the year 2000 the British edition of the third book, A Storm of Swords, was published a few months earlier than the American one. I special ordered it from England so I could read it ahead of time. After I read Game of Thrones I emailed George R. R. Martin, and he actually responded, though it took about a year. He apologized for being responsible for my difficult midterm. He also confirmed that Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronciles were similar in feel, if not directly influential, to his series.
Like many I was patient, though frustrated, by the delays after A Storm of Swords. Like many readers I also believe that A Dance with Dragons and A Feast for Crows were somewhat inferior to his first three books. But I understand that the “middle books” of such an expansive series are often the least interesting. Bridges between the past and future. I am patient. When I first encountered Martin’s series I was a callow youth. I am now a father. Much has changed.
But now I read this post at FiveThirtyEight, We’re Going To Learn How The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Books End On HBO. I haven’t much paid attention to the show because I do not watch television, and film or television of science fiction and fantasy are usually inferior and compromised products. But the math is compelling. I had assumed that A Song of Ice and Fire would conclude in the early 2020s. But if the television show has nearly caught up with the books, and is already through 4 years of its run, it seems implausible that it won’t race ahead. I’m at a loss for what I can even say to this. Is our patience and forbearance for naught? Apparently.
I agree with the suggestion o some: the HBO series and the books should explicitly “fork.”
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It doesn’t bother me that much because I have an idea of how it’s going to end in general anyways – the only real divergence between the books and show is just going to be in how they get there. Same with Jon Snow’s mother, especially since the show may have confirmed the leading theory early on.
This has been obvious for a while, but there is an upside.
George RR Martin’s official instructions state that if he dies all of his notes and unfinished works are to be destroyed, and no one will be allowed to continue A Song of Ice and Fire.
At least thanks to HBO you’re guaranteed to find out who Jon Snow’s mother is. Martin was willing to let you never know.
The showrunners, after refusing the offer to pad the series to 10+ seasons, have pretty much confirmed that they’ll take a different path to the series, but will end up at the same point.
We’re already supposed to get some 6th book plot points in the 5th season, but there has been enough chapters published online that we might not be too surprised by those. At least if you’re so obsessive that you’ve read them all (I didn’t).
The Game of Thrones tv series is very well made. It is worse than the books in having less depth, and some of the newly added material is dumb, but the acting is excellent throughout the whole cast, and the spectacle and color it adds to the world – it really adds something. If you aren’t sure if you want to spend all that time to watch the 4 already completed seasons, try watching Blackwater – season 2, episode 9. It’s the best episode in the series.
Also, it’s Jon Snow, not Jon Stark. If his parents were secretly married, his last name would start with a T, but he still wouldn’t be a Stark.
As far as I’m concerned R+L is basically 99% at this point. ADwD had several clues to it as well, particularly during Bran’s tree flashback. This on top of the really obvious stuff in book 1 that several websites have already gathered together.
(for those who have read the books and are interested, or those who have not and don’t care about spoilers: http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/mlarchives/faq/jon.html ) I repeat, it has potentially very big spoilers so be a grown up and read at your own risk.
Vox has a very nice post on the transition to uncharted territory for the TV show, and the deep themes that sing out in both media.
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/12/8391953/game-of-thrones-review-season-5
Ahem. Let me spoil this.
B is going to summon the comet (the horn of winter), smash the wall with it, bringing down the long night, use Jon/Surtr to lead a dead host against the guest-right-breaking Freys, while the other Starks all take increasingly sinister and mad vengeances for legitimate grievances. The Starks were baddies the whole time. GRRM laughs. Winter comes. Westeros is depopulated.
Let’s be honest. We all know who Jon’s parents were.
There’s already quite a bit of divergence in terms of characters like Catelyn, Jeyne, and Mance Rayder. I’m sure we’ll get a general idea of how the books will end from HBO, but we won’t have any certainty over any sort of detail. I wouldn’t worry too much about that. I’m more worried that the qualtiy of the show will drop as it goes into uncharted territory.
In terms of the actual reveal of Jon’s parents, I’d still bet on finding that out first from Martin’s books. Winds of Winter is likely ~1 year away. My money is on it coming about before season 6, and it having that reveal.
It’s the final book that will be in ~2020.
You know me a , turd with substance , but I think this might be of interest to you if you have the time . Some one mentioned Merton before and I believe this maybe why he is in disrepute with the RC church .
The Golden Age of Zen: The Classic Work on the Foundation of Zen Philosophy
Also while I’m not sure this may apply to your earlier discussion , you might find it applicable to your search for truth .
Dumb Beasts & Dead Philosophers by Catherine Osborne .
Morality is a poor guide in life , I believe that a better guide is what is practical . I mean like changing the oil in your car , it has nothing to do with morality but it keeps your car running and the same can be applied to everything else from slavery to , well what ever.
I’ve over stayed my welcome on Sailer’s site so I thought I’d post this here . hope you like it .
I had heard complaints from book readers that the show had dropped a lot of the suggestive material around Snow’s parentage. I’m curious what you thought was the confirmation, unless you mean not mentioning other candidates or the showrunner’s account of them being asked the question by GRRM.
The show is different enough that it won’t ruin it for me, but the length of time between books is ridiculous.
As a counter example, I always thought that the middle three books of the original “Dune” series written by Frank Herbert were the most thoughtful and interesting.
In any case, I have not read any of the “Game of Thrones” books and am simply enjoying the HBO series. My favorite episode so far is the “Red Wedding.” Everyone else seemed all very sad about it, but I thought it was a natural and deserved, if tragic and brutal, consequence of a prince’s self-absorption and dishonor (breaking one’s oath).
Is the TV version very different from the books?