GRRM literary board

[Brian G Turner]

Just to let all those viewers of Game of Thrones who are new to the writings of George R R Martin, that we have a dedicated literary board for his works here:

George R R Martin forum


The Game of Thrones series is based on GRRM's novel - A Game of Thrones - which is the first part of the A Song of Fire and Ice series. However, George does have a long writing pedigree outside of that.

For general literary discussions about Game of Thrones, ASoFaI, and other George R R Martin works, please use the above board, thanks, and we'll keep this board focused on the HBO TV series.

 

[The Imp]

People new to this series. If you've started reading the first book (A Game of Thrones) or maybe are only watching the HBO show, I strongly urge you to tread carefully in the above-linked forum. You're guaranteed to run into spoilers, ranging from minor to major.

 

[biodroid]

Is the show based on all the books or only on the first one?

 

[Rane Longfox]

The show is based on all the books - but each series will cover one book. So Series 1 is just book 1. The idea being that there will be 7 series to go with 7 books.

Of course, the way Martin writes, this may change, since TV series tend to be year-to-year, and there is absolutely no guarantee that Martin will have written book 7 by the time Series 7 comes around. I have heard rumours that they might stretch it out a bit. Book 3 for example is published in 2 volumes, so they may put it in two series...

 

[Werthead]

The entire TV series is called Game of Thrones. The producers felt that this was more memorable than A Song of Ice and Fire.

Season 1 covers Book 1 pretty much end-to-end. The plan is that Season 2 will likewise cover Book 2. There have been a couple of small changes:

SPOILERS

Spoiler

Lommy Greenhands and Hot Pie debut in Season 1, either in new scenes where Arya meets them earlier or because their early Book 2 scenes are being brought forwards.

Edmure, Hoster and Brynden 'The Blackfish' Tully have been held back to Season 2. Ser Vardis Egen will take over Brynden's role in escorting Catelyn up to the Eyrie.

It also appears at present that Roose Bolton won't be cast until Season 2 either.

At the moment it sounds like Book 3 will be split into two seasons. The situation with Books 4-5 is also unclear, as Book 5 is extremely long (longer than Book 3 by some reports) and part of it takes place simultaneously with Book 4 and even the end of Book 3.

As a result it sounds like it'll take 6-7 seasons to catch up to where GRRM is now. What happens after that, if that is even possible, remains unclear.

 

[Rane Longfox]

If Martin finally gets book 5 published and writes two whole books more in the next eight years I'll eat my own face

 

[biodroid]

Do you think the producers/writers might rip it like they did with Legend of the Seeker?

 

[Werthead]

If Martin finally gets book 5 published and writes two whole books more in the next eight years I'll eat my own face

I'll hold you to that

Especially since you didn't specify what series they were in

You did say 'write' though, so I guess Wild Cards won't count, damnation!

 

[Maximillian]

Do you think the producers/writers might rip it like they did with Legend of the Seeker?

Legend of The Seeker's producer IS the writer of the books, so we can't blame that disaster on the typical Hollywood Craptown Express.
In related news, Goodkind (the writer and producer) wrote three excellent novels before turning his series into a political campaign for Conservative 'values.'
Then the final book of his series (Confessor) doesn't even conform to WRITERS' values.

 

[chongjasmine]

The TV series had outgrown the books.

 

[David Plantinga]

Do you think the producers/writers might rip it like they did with Legend of the Seeker?

Since each chapter concerns itself with one character and one character only, and is written from that character's perspective, the writers of Game of Thrones did have to rip it apart and splice it together for an episode to contain many threads at once. I think they did a fine job of it.

 

[Dan Jones]

If Martin finally gets book 5 published and writes two whole books more in the next eight years I'll eat my own face

I think your face is quite safe now!