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Old July 22nd, 2014 #8
steven clark
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,277
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I've commented on Game of Thrones on another thread, but I'll do it again.
I read the book before I saw the series. I found martin's writing good but ponderous. Really wordy and I got lost in the atmosphere regarding the characters, but this is typical of fantasy. fans seem to like long, long books.

I did find the story change when it went to Tyrion and Danerys. The writing was more immediate and the word choice more concise. I found them two characters I could immediately relate to.

The first season was like the book, and it was very well done. It's a very grim world, and again, I found Tyrion and Danerys the most approachable characters. Ned Stark was supposed to be the hero, and he was admirable, but also kind of a chump.

I did watch season two, and saw some feminist factors come into play. I didn't read any more books. I assume the series is close to the action. What bothered me more was that I wasn't identifying or liking anyone. Really, it's a gruesome, violent, sadistic world, and seeing everyone plot and scheme turns me off. I don't mean to be a prude. I like my onscreen nudity as much as the next guy, but I don't find anyone to root for.

Tyrion is a kind of modern man (and he's much more attractive in the series...in the book, he's really gruesome), but he's with a nasty lot. Danerys is getting better, and those dragons are great. Also, she is romanced by a black, but he gets offed. That's neat. But other characters...like Jon Snow, I find cold and unlikable. Cersei is supposed to be bad, but she does incest, and remember, she and her brother tossed a child off a wall to keep their secret.
I understand a story has to be tough and characters not be sugar coated, but it's just not a world I want to tune into.

What did it for me was season two, when Cersei made this speech while the castle was under siege. It was so cynical, nihilistic, so contrary to the human spirit that I was stunned. And I can't see anyone in the series who is much different. I have to root for someone.

And the series will go on and on. I wish it only had three-four seasons, but it will be milked. As a writer, I do like to see an ending to things.

Also, I said I don't like Jon Snow. He befriends a fellow night watcher (?)
a fat guy who's kind of useless except for cooking and funny stories. I would have liked to seen fatso do something worthy. Maybe he's Martin's incarnation into the series.

So, I don't mean to sound simplistic, but I like heroes. It's like Boardwalk Empire. I watched the first season, and it was well-acted and the period setting good, but everyone was a creep, and I just didn't want to watch anymore. Also, there were some definite anti-white bits that would never have happened back then.

There is a female warrior in Game of Thrones, but she's kind of bulky anyway, and I don't see her as a great character.
Maybe a lot of you like nihilistic stories. I don't, or at least up to a point.
Maybe it's being raised on Dickens, where bad guys got their comeuppance, but I'm cold to the characters on Game of Thrones. It's like watching a lot of Bushes, Clintons, and Obamas get away with murder...which they are.
I hope this isn't too goody-goody for some of you.