OT: Game of Thrones (official thread) (warning: some spoilers)

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by Fedaykin

I'd say there are several movies better than the books:

The Princess Bride
The Shawshank Redemption
Jaws

and others.

Generally these fall into the category of "Hey that book has an overall good story but the actual details are terrible, let's adapt it and make it better". It's roughly equivalent to why Empire Strikes back is far and away the best Star Wars movie -- Lucas wasn't involved in the details but rather just the overall story.

There there's the movies that are "based" on books but both are good for different reasons. A good example of that is Starship Troopers. The movie and the book are nothing alike -- not thematically, not based on plot or even basic characterization. However, both the book at the movie are "good" (IMHO). The movie is good because of its satirical content and the book is good because of its philosophical content (the book follows Rico's military career from his recruit days to high ranking officer days and is a examination of civic responsibility, sufferage and the realities of war and the people who fight).

In the case of Game of Thrones - I am impressed at the creators ability to take something that is a good on screen adaption of a much more "heady" story. By that I mean a lot of the content of the books is based on the inner monologue of the characters (Tyrion in particular) with the action sequences generally left primarily up to the reader's imagination. To see this type of novel adapted to screen in a terrible fashion, see the original Dune movie.

Such a shame. The dune novels were fantastic philosophical literature and the movie was a disgrace.

The Dune novels however, are nothing short of spectacular in the imagination and fully realized world that Herbert created. Only Tolkien, perhaps, created a richer world in Middle Earth (as far as history, languages, cultures, etc) but Herbert was a better writer and his world is nearly as deep. Such novels cannot accurately be made into movies, or really, even trilogies.

FEW movies are better than the books. THere are a lot of them on par with their book counter parts (the first two Harry Potter's were practically word for word with the books, after those two however, they start leaving a great deal of details out). MOST movies however are pale comparisons to their book counterparts and another great example of this is "Sphere". Horrendous movie but the book was extremely suspenseful and there was a feeling of overall dread throughout the book that never once came across in the movie.

[Bronco Yoda]

We made a killer video game out of the license back in the day... created a whole new game play. Which then morphed into C&C and Red Alert. Sitting blurry-eyed in a dark office 3:00 in the morning tweaking mechanics over a T1 line until your eyes bled.

[BroncsRule]

IMO, the Harry Potter series is a prime example where the movies live up to, and in some ways surpass, the sourse material. Because from book 3 on, Rowling was writing the novels with an eye to how the scenes would play out on screen. So she was creating a product that would transport very readily.

[BroncsRule]

Regarding George Martin, as someone said earlier, he's a cat of a different stripe. The Song of Ice and Fire novels aren't really a fantasy series at all - they're finely crafted novels written in a low magic fantasy setting.

Totally agree about Rothfuss and Sanderson. Another relative newcomer I like a lot is Joe Abercrombe.

Also agree that Goodkind is worthless, and Robert Jordan

a) had no freakin' idea how to end his story, and

b) had Mommy Issues

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by BroncsRule

Regarding George Martin, as someone said earlier, he's a cat of a different stripe. The Song of Ice and Fire novels aren't really a fantasy series at all - they're finely crafted novels written in a low magic fantasy setting.

Totally agree about Rothfuss and Sanderson. Another relative newcomer I like a lot is Joe Abercrombe.

Also agree that Goodkind is worthless, and Robert Jordan

a) had no freakin' idea how to end his story, and

b) had Mommy Issues

lol oh come on, he WROTE the ending before he died, I just think his wife kept making him string it on since it's such a cash cow

[lostknight]

Originally Posted by BroncsRule

Totally agree about Rothfuss and Sanderson. Another relative newcomer I like a lot is Joe Abercrombe.

Gonna disagree with you on Joe Abercombe. The Blade Itself trilogy was horrible. The Soprano's ending was completely pointless.

Robert Jordan
a) had no freakin' idea how to end his story, and
b) had Mommy Issues

I think he lost control of the story, but definitely was getting it back. Sanderson get's credit (rightfully so) for the phenomenal dragon-mount scene, but Jordan definitely laid the foundation for the story to get pulled back together.

I just read the first chapters of the new Mistborn book. Fantasy meets Western and steampunk. I love it.

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by lostknight

I think he lost control of the story, but definitely was getting it back. Sanderson get's credit (rightfully so) for the phenomenal dragon-mount scene, but Jordan definitely laid the foundation for the story to get pulled back together.

I just read the first chapters of the new Mistborn book. Fantasy meets Western and steampunk. I love it.

OMG you LIKED the Dragon Mount scene?!?!?!?!

I thought that was terrible! I was SO mad. If they end a Memory of Light with some introspective hippy **** like that (and there are some context clues to make me think they might), I'm gonna lose it.

Tarmon Gaidon needs to be a bigger Dumai's Wells and NOT a bigger Dragon Mount inner conflict.

[Pseudofool]

Another example: American Psycho as a movie, is much, much better than the book. But by and large, books can do more with imagination than film can do with a screen.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by Pseudofool

Another example: American Psycho as a movie, is much, much better than the book. But by and large, books can do more with imagination than film can do with a screen.

Wow, you think so? You must not be a Bret Easton Ellis fan because I thought the book was far, far superior to the movie. Not even close. No way to portray all the stuff Ellis had going through Patrick Bateman's demented mind in the movie.

[lostknight]

Book Spoilers for all the books. If you haven't read them, don't read this. {
Okay, after a re-read to get ready for a Dance of Dragons, after also watching the new series. It was interesting to see the minor changes - a certain member of the Brotherhood without Banners croaks way earlier, while Aemon tells Jon Snow his story, rathern the Mormont, and much earlier. Outside of that, and outside of a whole bunch of NC-17isms (which are fairly pointless, outside of the Jamie/Cersei scene), I think they really did a great job holding true to the series.

During the re-read, it was interesting what you notice that you missed before. After a re-read the evidence is pretty much overwhelming that Jon Snow is, in fact the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Is the vision that Dany has of Rhaegar Rhaegar and Lyanna, or his "true" wife? Not sure we know, but one way or another, the story is Jon's.

Dany is definitely Azor Ahai, but that's obvious the first time Melissindra starts babbling about dragons.

Anyways, only a Feast for Crows left for me to read, then on to the new book.

}

[elsid13]

I think the lack of the dread wolves hurts the story. They are extremely important in the books and in the series they are afterthoughts.

[underrated29]

Originally Posted by BroncsRule

IMO, the Harry Potter series is a prime example where the movies live up to, and in some ways surpass, the sourse material. Because from book 3 on, Rowling was writing the novels with an eye to how the scenes would play out on screen. So she was creating a product that would transport very readily.

See im the opposite. I read all the harry potters. I loved them. I loved the movies too. The movies are great and I agree they did a great job. But I still can not see how any one of those movies is even close to being better than the book it correlates to. The movies while very well done do not go into near the detail and leave out a lot of things the book contains. But different strokes for different folks.

As long as we can have a discussion about which is better the show game of thrones or the books..I will be happy because both must be pretty damn awesome!

[McDman]

Originally Posted by TonyR

Wow, you think so? You must not be a Bret Easton Ellis fan because I thought the book was far, far superior to the movie. Not even close. No way to portray all the stuff Ellis had going through Patrick Bateman's demented mind in the movie.

I think Ellis is one of the most over rated authors we have. I've read a couple of his books because everyone raves about him and I've yet to like one. American Psycho was nothing more than mediocre.

[McDman]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

lol oh come on, he WROTE the ending before he died, I just think his wife kept making him string it on since it's such a cash cow

I tried reading those and they started out pretty good but by like book nine I just tapered out. It just drags on so long.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by McDman

I think Ellis is one of the most over rated authors we have. I've read a couple of his books because everyone raves about him and I've yet to like one. American Psycho was nothing more than mediocre.

But did you think the movie was better than the book? I "liked" the movie but it certainly wasn't as good as the book. Impossible to even begin to convey everything that was in the book in the movie.

One of the best of examples of how things are lost in translation b/t books and movies are Stephen King novels. So much of his stories are often what goes on inside the character's heads. He writes what the characters are thinking in a very unique and powerful way. You just can't do that stuff on screen. It doesn't translate. American Psycho was similar in this respect. Doesn't mean the movies aren't "good", just that they can't do what the books do.

[McDman]

Originally Posted by TonyR

But did you think the movie was better than the book? I "liked" the movie but it certainly wasn't as good as the book. Impossible to even begin to convey everything that was in the book in the movie.

One of the best of examples of how things are lost in translation b/t books and movies are Stephen King novels. So much of his stories are often what goes on inside the character's heads. He writes what the characters are thinking in a very unique and powerful way. You just can't do that stuff on screen. It doesn't translate. American Psycho was similar in this respect. Doesn't mean the movies aren't "good", just that they can't do what the books do.

The book was below average for me but the movie was just terrible.

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by McDman

I tried reading those and they started out pretty good but by like book nine I just tapered out. It just drags on so long.

I don't disagree at all. It picks back up towards the end though!

[McDman]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

I don't disagree at all. It picks back up towards the end though!

I had like 9 or 10 of the books and I just tried to find them a couple months ago and they were gone. Maybe someday I'll try again.

[BroncsRule]

Originally Posted by McDman

I had like 9 or 10 of the books and I just tried to find them a couple months ago and they were gone. Maybe someday I'll try again.

You know, it had been probably 5 or 6 years since I had read any of those books, and I picked up "the gathering storm" in paper back a couple months ago. I was thiking I should go back and re-read at least the last one, (knife of Dreams?) in order to "catch up" (I couldn't recall much of what was going on with the principle characters) - but I decided to just plunge in, and Sanderson has done a really good job of re-introducing the characters, and re-grounding the reader in the universe.

Sanderson is a hell of a writer.

[BroncsRule]

Jordan was SO bogged down, and so little actually happened to move the story forward in those last 2 or 3 books, that you frankly could jump in with Gathering Storm and you won't have missed a thing.

Just a lot of very cross looks and arms folded under breasts.

[BroncsRule]

"New Spring", the prequel novel Jordan put out in '03 or '04 is a fun read.

Moraine and Siuan as Accepted, 22 years before "Eye of The World".

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Local library has a FORTY PERSON wait list on GoT.

[HooptyHoops]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

I don't disagree at all. It picks back up towards the end though!

I loved the Jordan series, but as mentioned, it just kind of flamed out by book 9 and I know I purchased book 10 and haven't still haven't read it, as book 9 just really didn't make want to go out to read the new book.
You say it picks back up toward the end, but how many books are out there?

Any other authors you would suggest, as I totally loved the first 6 or 7 books of that series and I have yet to find another author that I can dive into, as I stopped reading that Jordan series over a decade ago....

[scorpio]

Originally Posted by Bob's your Information Minister

Local library has a FORTY PERSON wait list on GoT.

Spend the $7 Wendler.

[Boobs McGee]

Off topic bump- just got HBO with comcast, but Game of Thrones isn't listed in the On Demand section....any ideas?