No spoilers please!!

[Rangerton]

So I'm about half way through the second book in the series, and I'm yet to see any of the tv series.

My questions are, how do the books and the tv series line up? Does the first tv series just cover the first book? or the first two or three etc..

I want to read the books before I watch the series, but can't wait to watch them also

Thanks

Ranger

 

[Lenny]

Up until the end of the second series, it's a book per series, so the first series is the entirety of A Game of Thrones, and the second series is all of A Clash of Kings. For future series, because the books cover more material, each series is looking like it will be based on parts of books (which will most likely follow how they've been split in the UK market) - series three will cover roughly the first half of A Storm of Swords, although it is likely that some viewpoints will be dropped entirely whilst some from the second half of ASoS will be written in.

It's also worth saying that the television series, whilst it's pretty faithful to the books, does make things more obvious, and adds in scenes that aren't in the books (the second series particularly). Thankfully, the changes actually work pretty well.

 

[Rangerton]

Thanks Lenny, time to order the first series then

 

[Boaz]

Lenny, good post. I'll just add that two of the plots were moved a bit ahead at the end of the second season by including events that take place early in A Storm of Swords, the third book. My feeling was that Benioff, Weis, and company were trying to get a jump on season three because it is based upon the largest book.

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Yes, I have read the books several times...well the only one I have not read totally is A Dance with Dragons..however seeing as the series is no where near that part yet I think I still have time to read that book a few times before the series gets to that point.

There are a lot of changes in the series like the battle where Tyrion gets knocked out and receives his massive facial scar is quite a bit different from the books. I won't say how unless someone PM's me because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

The series is wonderful in its own right, however with George R R Martin being such a slow writer if the series keeps going I can eventually see it passing the books by. Then they would have to make a choice of Geroge divulging to the series writers the direction he plans to take the story, or put the series on hold until George gets his books out...

I think putting the series on hold would be the better option because personally I think it would be a real shame to learn how the story turns out by watching the series and not reading the books.