HBO's Game of Thrones

[shocktrooper_au]

So, now spoilers are allowed?

Thanks for repeating it for those that missed it

 

[pixletwin]

So, now spoilers are allowed?

It aired yesterday. No longer a spoiler. You enter this thread at your own peril after an episode has aired.

 

[FrodoEyes]

I now have to assume Martin is an average fantasy writer at best.

THAT statement has made me lose all faith in you Josh. You can't talk about an authors work without reading any of it. He's a better author than Tolkien, believe me.
Don't talk about something of which you have no knowledge. You don't know what happens in future seasons, you're reacting strongly to a powerful and emotional storyline that has only killed off 2, maybe 3 lead characters, hardly the end of the Starks as that's now only Ned, Cat and Robb down. GRRM said his story is about the Stark kids, and they're still alive.

To call GRRM an average fantasy writer at best is hugely insulting. He just doesn't conform to the usual fantasy stereotypes.

 

[JosephCPR]

Thanks for repeating it for those that missed it

I edited his post

It aired yesterday. No longer a spoiler. You enter this thread at your own peril after an episode has aired.

Who says that? There's no such warning anywhere. Neither in the title nor in the OP

Anyway, nevermind. I'm outta here.

 

[Kibagami]

THAT statement has made me lose all faith in you Josh. You can't talk about an authors work without reading any of it. He's a better author than Tolkien, believe me.
Don't talk about something of which you have no knowledge. You don't know what happens in future seasons, you're reacting strongly to a powerful and emotional storyline that has only killed off 2, maybe 3 lead characters, hardly the end of the Starks as that's now only Ned, Cat and Robb down. GRRM said his story is about the Stark kids, and they're still alive.

To call GRRM an average fantasy writer at best is hugely insulting. He just doesn't conform to the usual fantasy stereotypes.

Wow, really? But like why jump to a POV outside of the Stark family?

 

[The Josh]

THAT statement has made me lose all faith in you Josh. You can't talk about an authors work without reading any of it. He's a better author than Tolkien, believe me.
Don't talk about something of which you have no knowledge. You don't know what happens in future seasons, you're reacting strongly to a powerful and emotional storyline that has only killed off 2, maybe 3 lead characters, hardly the end of the Starks as that's now only Ned, Cat and Robb down. GRRM said his story is about the Stark kids, and they're still alive.

To call GRRM an average fantasy writer at best is hugely insulting. He just doesn't conform to the usual fantasy stereotypes.

That's all your opinion Frodo. Forgive me if I don't share it.

 

[316what]

I can see all the characters being killed off and only being left with the story lines I don't like

Everyone will die in Season 4 and Seasons 5-8 will all be about Theon's peener torture.

 

[FrodoEyes]

That's all your opinion Frodo. Forgive me if I don't share it.

Again, have you ever read any of his work?

I would never insult a painter without seeing any of their paintings, only other people's version of their painting, or insult a musician after only hearing another singer do a cover of that song, and the same applies here.

 

[The Josh]

Again, have you ever read any of his work?

I would never insult a painter without seeing any of their paintings, only other people's version of their painting, or insult a musician after only hearing another singer do a cover of that song, and the same applies here.

I have not. As a whole I haven't been blown away with what's going on to jump into the books. The show is alright and since the show from what I understand mirrors the books pretty well I don't see the need to read them.

 

[Gully Foyle]

I now have to assume Martin is an average fantasy writer at best.

Nah, I'd just say that you're projecting again.



____

 

[FrodoEyes]

Personally I enjoy the books more. And, as it's written, it's less gory and graphic

 

[Kibagami]

Personally I enjoy the books more. And, as it's written, it's less gory and graphic

Right ...

 

[shocktrooper_au]

I have not. As a whole I haven't been blown away with what's going on to jump into the books. The show is alright and since the show from what I understand mirrors the books pretty well I don't see the need to read them.

Not to get involved, but if you'd only ever watched the lotr movies you could say the same for Tolkien. The movies are hollow compared to the books

 

[The Josh]

Not to get involved, but if you'd only ever watched the lotr movies you could say the same for Tolkien. The movies are hollow compared to the books

Can't say I agree. Before I saw Fellowship in 2001 I really had only glanced at a couple of pages. The movies made me want to read the books and learn more.

Edit: I understand the point you're trying to make and I wondered how long it would be before someone tried to make the point you just went with.

 

[TheFiend]

Well said Tom. This is kind of where I'm at with this show and how Martin has written the books. I get the bad guys win some and that makes sense but they never lose at all. The worse thing is Jamie lost his hand. BFD as I'm concerned. I'll be honest the show doesn't make me want to read the books and I now have to assume Martin is an average fantasy writer at best.

Tolkien < GRRM

Never read the books and you give your opinion on his writing. Wow.

There is a plethora of knowledge and history not in the show. Westeros has its own history just as Middle Earth does.

Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dr Daystrom]

To call GRRM an average fantasy writer at best is hugely insulting. He just doesn't conform to the usual fantasy stereotypes.

An "average" fantasy writer populates his books with three types of characters:

Heroes with few, if any, character flaws
Villains with no positive attributes
and cannon fodder to get stepped upon when the first two types start scrapping.

GRRM is certainly not an "average" fantasy writer. He's not even a great fantasy writer. He is a great writer PERIOD in much the same way that Stephen King's skill transcends the limitations of his chosen genre, GRRM could be writing about any setting, and make it interesting.

I don't think the ridiculousness of making comments about his writing skills without even having read a bit of his work even bears much comment.

 

[rushmore223]

Actually, much of what GRRM is writng IS based on real history, loosely...

https://www.salon.com/2012/04/04/the_real_life_inspirations_for_game_of_thrones/

https://www.quora.com/Game-of-Thron...or-countries-that-Game-of-Thrones-is-based-on

https://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2013/mar/24/game-of-thrones-realistic-history

The are many more exampes of articles, but dont want to overwhelm anybody.

This is not history and it's not the real world. It's a story being told to an audience. If you keep removing the characters that the audience cares about, they will eventually have no investment in your story.

You can't say "who cares" and change the channel on human history, but you sure can give up on a fictional fantasy TV series if they eventually kill off all the characters you love and give an unsatisfying end to all of the subplots you are invested in. Good storytelling manipulates the emotions of the audience up to the breaking point but then injects some relief or hope that holds their interest and keeps them hooked. I would understand if people quit watching the series after last night's bleak nastiness. I'm not going to quit, but I'm also not going to enjoy it or be as entertained for a while.

You could put on a drama that just shows women and children being abused with no hope in sight and applaud yourself for how realistic it is, but take it too far and nobody will want to watch it.

Also, they are totally gratuitous and pander to the audience when it comes to sex and nudity, but not character deaths.

 

[TheFiend]

Word.

It astounds me anyone would even say such a thing while being completely ignorant to the books.

At least my opinion has some baring as I've read Tolkien. While JRRK isn't for me I give have a lot of respect for him. He opened the door to a lot of stuff we wouldn't have had otherwise. Not to mention influenced a league of writers. GRRM especially attributes his influence to Tolkien.

I think it will be the same for GRRM.

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[Radagaster]

I liken GRRM's GoT as the fantasy version of the History of the English Monarchs. It's entertaining that GoT is a fantasy version of how humans fared back in those days. Not sure if there's a fantasy series of books that mimics how life in the 20th century is being lived though.

 

[tomandshell]

Actually, much of what GRRM is writng IS based on real history, loosely...

https://www.salon.com/2012/04/04/the_real_life_inspirations_for_game_of_thrones/

https://www.quora.com/Game-of-Thron...or-countries-that-Game-of-Thrones-is-based-on

https://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2013/mar/24/game-of-thrones-realistic-history

The are many more exampes of articles, but dont want to overwhelm anybody.

Just be brief and point me to the articles about dragons, demonic smoke/spirit babies, white walker zombies, astral projection into dire wolves, multiplying/teleporting warlocks, face-changing shapeshifters, etc.